Herodotus · Histories §4.31.1-4.31.2

Explanation of Scythian Feathers as Snow in the North

Passage 595 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author presents his opinion that the "feathers" the Scythians speak of are actually snow, explaining the severe winter climate of the northern regions.

§4.31.1περὶ δὲ τῶν πτερῶν τῶν Σκύθαι λέγουσι ἀνάπλεον εἶναι τὸν ἠέρα, καὶ τούτων εἵνεκα οὐκ οἷοί τε εἶναι οὔτε ἰδεῖν τὸ πρόσω τῆς ἠπείρου οὔτε διεξιέναι, τήνδε ἔχω περὶ αὐτῶν γνώμην· τὰ κατύπερθε ταύτης τῆς χώρης αἰεὶ νίφεται, ἐλάσσονι δὲ τοῦ θέρεος ἢ τοῦ χειμῶνος, ὥσπερ καὶ οἰκός.

Concerning the feathers, which the Scythians say fill the air, and that because of them it is impossible either to see further into the continent or to pass through it, I hold this opinion about them: the regions upper from this country are always snowed upon, less in summer than in winter, as is indeed natural.

§4.31.2ἤδη ὦν ὅστις ἀγχόθεν χιόνα ἁδρὴν πίπτουσαν εἶδε οἶδε τὸ λέγω· ἔοικε γὰρ ἡ χιὼν πτεροῖσι καὶ διὰ τὸν χειμῶνα τοῦτον ἐόντα τοιοῦτον ἀνοίκητα τὰ πρὸς βορέην ἐστὶ τῆς ἠπείρου ταύτης.

Now, anyone who has seen thick snow falling close at hand already knows what I mean; for snow resembles feathers, and because of this winter being so severe, the northern parts of this continent are uninhabitable.

τὰ ὦν πτερὰ εἰκάζοντας τὴν χιόνα τοὺς Σκύθας τε καὶ τοὺς περιοίκους δοκέω λέγειν.

I think, therefore, that the Scythians and their neighbours speak of 'feathers' as a figurative way of describing the snow.

ταῦτα μέν νυν τὰ λέγεται μακρότατα εἴρηται.

These things, then, which are told of the most distant regions, have been related.

Notes

4.31.1τῶν — Genitive plural of the relative pronoun, referring to the antecedent τῶν πτερῶν. In the Ionic dialect, the relative pronoun has the same form as the demonstrative (τῶν instead of ὧν).
4.31.1οὐκ οἷοί τε εἶναι — Part of the accusative and infinitive construction introduced by the preceding verb λέγουσι. The subject of the infinitive is indefinite ("people" or "travelers"), which is why the infinitive εἶναι is used rather than a finite verb.
4.31.1ἐλάσσονι — Meaning "with less (snow)" or "less." A dative singular (neuter) of degree, where an omitted noun like χίονι ("with snow") can be understood.
4.31.2εἰκάζοντας τὴν χιόνα — The participle εἰκάζοντας ("likening" or "comparing") takes the accusative τὴν χιόνα ("the snow") as its object. It functions as a circumstantial participle modifying τοὺς Σκύθας..., which is the subject accusative of the infinitive λέγειν.
4.31.2ταῦτα μέν νυν τὰ λέγεται μακρότατα εἴρηται — The phrase τὰ λέγεται is a relative construction ("the things that are said"), and μακρότατα ("most distant") functions adverbially or as an adjective modifying the space. The entire sentence means "These things, then, which are told of the most distant regions, have been related."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.31.1-4.31.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.31.1-4.31.2

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