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Herodotus · Histories §4.174.1

The Garamantes: Inland Realm and Weaponless Life

Passage 738 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Describes the Garamantes living in the beast-infested inland south of the Nasamones, highlighting their avoidance of other humans and lack of weapons.

§4.174.1τούτων δὲ κατύπερθε πρὸς νότον ἄνεμον ἐν τῇ θηριώδεϊ οἰκέουσι Γαράμαντες, οἳ πάντα ἄνθρωπον φεύγουσι καὶ παντὸς ὁμιλίην, καὶ οὔτε ὅπλον ἐκτέαται ἀρήιον οὐδὲν οὔτε ἀμύνεσθαι ἐπιστέαται.
Above these to the south, in the land of wild beasts, dwell the Garamantes, who avoid all men and association with anyone; they possess no weapon of war, nor do they know how to defend themselves.

Notes

  1. §4.174.1τούτων δὲ κατύπερθε — The demonstrative pronoun τούτων refers to the Nasamones, who occupied the land of the Psylli in the preceding section. The adverb κατύπερθε ('above') is used by Herodotus to denote the 'inland' region, away from the coast.
  2. §4.174.1ἐκτέαται — Ionic 3rd person plural perfect middle/passive of the verb κτάομαι, corresponding to Attic κέκτηνται. It functions as a present tense meaning 'possess' or 'own'.
  3. §4.174.1ἐπιστέαται — Ionic 3rd person plural present middle/passive of the verb ἐπίσταμαι, corresponding to Attic ἐπίστανται.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.174.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.174.1

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