Herodotus · Histories §4.46.1-4.46.3

Nomadic lifestyle and invincible strategy of the Scythians

Passage 610 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author points out the ignorance of the nations around the Black Sea, with the exception of the Scythians, whom he praises for inventing a unique and invincible survival strategy based on a nomadic lifestyle that makes them impossible to capture.

§4.46.1ὁ δὲ Πόντος ὁ Εὔξεινος, ἐπʼ ὃν ἐστρατεύετο ὁ Δαρεῖος, χωρέων πασέων παρέχεται ἔξω τοῦ Σκυθικοῦ ἔθνεα ἀμαθέστατα.

The Pontus Euxinus, against which Darius was making his expedition, offers, of all lands, except for the Scythian nation, the most ignorant nations.

οὔτε γὰρ ἔθνος τῶν ἐντὸς τοῦ Πόντου οὐδὲν ἔχομεν προβαλέσθαι σοφίης πέρι οὔτε ἄνδρα λόγιον οἴδαμεν γενόμενον, πάρεξ τοῦ Σκυθικοῦ ἔθνεος καὶ Ἀναχάρσιος.

For we have no nation of those within the Pontus to present in respect of wisdom, nor do we know of any learned man having arisen, except for the Scythian nation and Anacharsis.

§4.46.2τῷ δὲ Σκυθικῷ γένει ἓν μὲν τὸ μέγιστον τῶν ἀνθρωπηίων πρηγμάτων σοφώτατα πάντων ἐξεύρηται τῶν ἡμεῖς ἴδμεν, τὰ μέντοι ἄλλα οὐκ ἄγαμαι· τὸ δὲ μέγιστον οὕτω σφι ἀνεύρηται ὥστε ἀποφυγεῖν τε μηδένα ἐπελθόντα ἐπὶ σφέας, μὴ βουλομένους τε ἐξευρεθῆναι καταλαβεῖν μὴ οἷον τε εἶναι.

But for the Scythian race, one thing which is the greatest of human affairs has been devised more wisely than by any other men whom we know, though for the rest I do not admire them; and this greatest thing has been so devised by them that no one who attacks them can escape, and if they do not wish to be discovered, it is impossible to catch them.

§4.46.3τοῖσι γὰρ μήτε ἄστεα μήτε τείχεα ᾖ ἐκτισμένα, ἀλλὰ φερέοικοι ἐόντες πάντες ἔωσι ἱπποτοξόται, ζῶντες μὴ ἀπʼ ἀρότου ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ κτηνέων, οἰκήματα τε σφι ᾖ ἐπὶ ζευγέων, κῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴησαν οὗτοι ἄμαχοί τε καὶ ἄποροι προσμίσγειν;

For how could those who have neither cities nor walls established, but are all house-carriers and horse-archers, living not from the plough but from cattle, and having their dwellings on wagons—how could these not be invincible and impossible to engage with?

Notes

4.46.1ἔχομεν προβαλέσθαι — The verb `ἔχω` followed by an infinitive (here, `προβαλέσθαι` "to present") expresses ability or possibility, equivalent to "can" in English: "we are able to present."
4.46.2ὥστε ἀποφυγεῖν τε μηδένα ... μὴ βουλομένους τε ἐξευρεθῆναι καταλαβεῖν μὴ οἷον τε εἶναι — The `ὥστε` clause contains two main infinitival structures. In the first part, the subject of `ἀποφυγεῖν` is `μηδένα ἐπελθόντα` (no one who attacks). In the second part, the infinitive `καταλαβεῖν` (to catch) depends on the impersonal expression `μὴ οἷόν τε εἶναι` (to be impossible), accompanied by the conditional accusative participle `μὴ βουλομένους` (if they do not wish) agreeing with the implied object.
4.46.3τοῖσι γὰρ μήτε ἄστεα μήτε τείχεα ᾖ ἐκτισμένα ... κῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴησαν — The relative clause starting with `τοῖσι` (dative of possession) stands at the beginning of the sentence and serves as the antecedent to the demonstrative `οὗτοι` in the main clause. The subjunctives `ᾖ` and `ἔωσι` indicate a general relative clause expressing a hypothetical or general condition.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.46.1-4.46.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.46.1-4.46.3

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