Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §4.178.1

The Machlyes and the Island of Phla in Lake Tritonis

Passage 742 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author describes the territory of the Machlyes adjacent to the Lotus-eaters, the Triton river, Lake Tritonis, and the island of Phla, which the Lacedaemonians were prophesied to colonize.

§4.178.1λωτοφάγων δὲ τὸ παρὰ θάλασσαν ἔχονται Μάχλυες, τῷ λωτῷ μὲν καὶ οὗτοι χρεώμενοι, ἀτὰρ ἧσσον γε τῶν πρότερον λεχθέντων, κατήκουσι δὲ ἐπὶ ποταμὸν μέγαν τῷ οὔνομα Τρίτων ἐστί· ἐκδιδοῖ δὲ οὗτος ἐς λίμνην μεγάλην Τριτωνίδα.
Next to the Lotus-eaters, along the sea-coast, dwell the Machlyes. They also use the lotus, though less than the aforementioned people; and their territory extends as far as a great river named Triton, which empties into a great lake called Tritonis.
ἐν δὲ αὐτῇ, νῆσος ἔνι τῇ, οὔνομα Φλά.
In this lake there is an island named Phla.
ταύτην δὲ τὴν νῆσον Λακεδαιμονίοισι φασὶ λόγιον εἶναι κτίσαι.
Concerning this island, they say there is an oracle that the Lacedaemonians should colonize it.

Notes

  1. 4.178.1λωτοφάγων ... ἔχονται — The verb `ἔχονται` (middle third-person plural of `ἔχω`) governs the genitive case to mean 'to border on' or 'be adjacent to,' taking the genitive `λωτοφάγων` at the beginning of the sentence. `τὸ παρὰ θάλασσαν` is an adverbial accusative meaning 'along the sea-coast.'
  2. 4.178.1τῇ — The feminine singular dative of the relative pronoun, equivalent to Attic `ᾗ` in the Ionic dialect. It refers to the antecedent `νῆσος` (island) and functions as a dative of possession (or dative of place), yielding the structure 'to which [island] the name is [Phla].'
  3. 4.178.1λόγιον εἶναι κτίσαι — An accusative-with-infinitive construction introduced by `φασί` (they say), where `λόγιον` (oracle) is the subject of the infinitive `εἶναι`. The aorist infinitive `κτίσαι` (to colonize, found) is an infinitive of purpose or specification explaining the content of the oracle. The dative `Λακεδαιμονίοισι` indicates for whom the oracle is intended, serving as the logical subject of `κτίσαι`.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.178.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.178.1

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