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Herodotus · Histories §4.32.1

Traditions and Poetic Mentions of the Hyperboreans

Passage 596 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author examines whether the Scythians and other neighboring peoples have any lore about the Hyperboreans, and mentions references to them by poets such as Hesiod and Homer.

§4.32.1Ὑπερβορέων δὲ πέρι ἀνθρώπων οὔτε τι Σκύθαι λέγουσι οὐδὲν οὔτε τινὲς ἄλλοι τῶν ταύτῃ οἰκημένων, εἰ μὴ ἄρα Ἰσσηδόνες.
Concerning the Hyperborean people, neither the Scythians say anything, nor any others of those who dwell in this region, unless perhaps the Issedones do.
ὡς δὲ ἐγὼ δοκέω, οὐδʼ οὗτοι λέγουσι οὐδέν· ἔλεγον γὰρ ἂν καὶ Σκύθαι, ὡς περὶ τῶν μουνοφθάλμων λέγουσι.
But as I think, not even these say anything; for otherwise the Scythians also would speak of them, as they speak of the one-eyed men.
ἀλλʼ Ἡσιόδῳ μὲν ἐστὶ περὶ Ὑπερβορέων εἰρημένα, ἔστι δὲ καὶ Ὁμήρῳ ἐν Ἐπιγόνοισι, εἰ δὴ τῷ ἐόντι γε Ὅμηρος ταῦτα τὰ ἔπεα ἐποίησε.
Yet Hesiod has spoken of the Hyperboreans, and Homer also in the Epigoni, if indeed Homer really composed these verses.

Notes

  1. §4.32.1ἔλεγον γὰρ ἂν — An unreal indicative with ἄν (ἔλεγον ἂν). The protasis, 'if the Issedones spoke of them,' is omitted. It expresses what would have occurred in a contrary-to-fact scenario: 'for [otherwise] the Scythians too would speak [of them].'
  2. §4.32.1Ἡσιόδῳ μὲν ἐστὶ ... εἰρημένα — The dative Ἡσιόδῳ functions as a dative of agent (or possessor) with the copula ἐστὶ and the perfect passive participle εἰρημένα, meaning 'it has been spoken by Hesiod' or 'Hesiod has mentions of them.'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.32.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.32.1

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