Herodotus · Histories §4.192.1-4.192.3

Wild Animals in the Land of the Nomad Libyans

Passage 756 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author lists the diverse wild animals, snakes, mice, and weasels found in the land of the nomad Libyans, notes the complete absence of deer and wild boars, and concludes his account of these animals by stating the limits of his inquiries.

§4.192.1κατὰ τοὺς νομάδας δὲ ἐστὶ τούτων οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ἄλλα τοιάδε, πύγαργοι καὶ ζορκάδες καὶ βουβάλιες καὶ ὄνοι, οὐκ οἱ τὰ κέρεα ἔχοντες ἀλλʼ ἄλλοι ἄποτοι (οὐ γὰρ δὴ πίνουσι), καὶ ὄρυες, τῶν τὰ κέρεα τοῖσι φοίνιξι οἱ πήχεες ποιεῦνται (μέγαθος δὲ τὸ θηρίον τοῦτο κατὰ βοῦν ἐστι),

But in the country of the nomads there are none of these, but other animals of the following kinds: pygarguses, gazelles, bubalises, and asses, not the horned ones but another kind that does not drink (for indeed they do not drink), and oryxes, from whose horns the elbows of the lyres are made (this beast is in size as large as an ox).

§4.192.2καὶ βασσάρια καὶ ὕαιναι καὶ ὕστριχες καὶ κριοὶ ἄγριοι καὶ δίκτυες καὶ θῶες καὶ πάνθηρες καὶ βόρυες, καὶ κροκόδειλοι ὅσον τε τριπήχεες χερσαῖοι, τῇσι σαύρῃσι ἐμφερέστατοι, καὶ στρουθοὶ κατάγαιοι, καὶ ὄφιες μικροί, κέρας ἓν ἕκαστος ἔχοντες·

There are also foxes, hyenas, porcupines, wild rams, dictyes, jackals, panthers, boryes, and land-crocodiles about three cubits long, very like lizards, and ostriches, and small serpents, each having one horn.

ταῦτά τε δὴ αὐτόθι ἐστὶ θηρία καὶ τά περ τῇ ἄλλῃ, πλὴν ἐλάφου τε καὶ ὑὸς ἀγρίου· ἔλαφος δὲ καὶ ὗς ἄγριος ἐν Λιβύῃ πάμπαν οὐκ ἔστι.

These, then, are the wild beasts in this country, as well as those that are found elsewhere, except the deer and the wild boar; but the deer and the wild boar are not found in Libya at all.

§4.192.3μυῶν δὲ γένεα τριξὰ αὐτόθι ἔστι· οἳ μὲν δίποδες καλέονται, οἳ δὲ ζεγέριες (τὸ δὲ οὔνομα τοῦτο ἐστὶ μὲν Λιβυστικόν, δύναται δὲ κατʼ Ἑλλάδα γλῶσσαν βουνοί), οἳ δὲ ἐχινέες.

There are also three kinds of mice there: one is called the "two-legged", another the "zegeries" (this name is Libyan, and means "hills" in the Greek language), and the third "hedgehogs".

εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ γαλαῖ ἐν τῷ σιλφίῳ γινόμεναι τῇσι Ταρτησσίῃσι ὁμοιόταται.

There are also weasels produced in the silphium, very like those of Tartessus.

τοσαῦτα μέν νυν θηρία ἡ τῶν νομάδων Λιβύων γῆ ἔχει, ὅσον ἡμεῖς ἱστορέοντες ἐπὶ μακρότατον οἷοί τε ἐγενόμεθα ἐξικέσθαι.

This is the extent of the wild beasts that the land of the nomad Libyans possesses, so far as we, by inquiry, have been able to reach at the furthest.

Notes

4.192.1τῶν τὰ κέρεα τοῖσι φοίνιξι οἱ πήχεες ποιεῦνται — The relative pronoun `τῶν` (genitive) modifies the antecedent `ὄρυες`, functioning as a genitive of material/origin ("from whose horns"). The dative `τοῖσι φοίνιξι` is a dative of interest/purpose ("for the Phoenician lyres"), and the plural nominative `οἱ πήχεες` ("elbows" or "arms" of the lyre) is the subject of the passive verb `ποιεῦνται` ("are made").
4.192.3δύναται δὲ κατʼ Ἑλλάδα γλῶσσαν βουνοί — The verb `δύναται` (third-person singular present) is used here in the sense of "to mean" or "to be equivalent to" a certain word. The subject is the preceding `τὸ οὔνομα τοῦτο`. The plural nominative `βουνοί` ("hills") stands as a predicate nominative showing the translated meaning in Greek.
4.192.3ὅσον ἡμεῖς ἱστορέοντες ἐπὶ μακρότατον οἷοί τε ἐγενόμεθα ἐξικέσθαι — `ὅσον` is a relative pronoun (neuter singular) limiting the degree or extent, meaning "as far as" or "to the extent that". `οἷοί τε ἐγενόμεθα` is the first-person plural aorist of `οἷός τέ εἰμι` ("to be able") taking the infinitive `ἐξικέσθαι` ("to reach" or "attain"). The participle `ἱστορέοντες` indicates means or manner ("by inquiring").

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.192.1-4.192.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.192.1-4.192.3

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