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Herodotus · Histories §4.90.1-4.90.2

Healing Springs of the Tearus and Its Course

Passage 654 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Describes the healing sources and geographical characteristics of the river Tearus, where Darius encamped, and its course leading to the sea via the Hebrus.

§4.90.1ὁ δὲ Τέαρος λέγεται ὑπὸ τῶν περιοίκων εἶναι ποταμῶν ἄριστος τὰ τε ἄλλα τὰ ἐς ἄκεσιν φέροντα καὶ δὴ καὶ ἀνδράσι καὶ ἵπποισι ψώρην ἀκέσασθαι.
The Tearus is said by the neighboring inhabitants to be the best of rivers, both in other respects that tend to healing, and especially for curing mange in both men and horses.
εἰσὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ αἱ πηγαὶ δυῶν δέουσαι τεσσεράκοντα, ἐκ πέτρης τῆς αὐτῆς ῥέουσαι, καὶ αἳ μὲν αὐτέων εἰσὶ ψυχραὶ αἳ δὲ θερμαί.
Its sources are forty lacking two, flowing from the same rock, and some of them are cold, while others are warm.
§4.90.2ὁδὸς δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτάς ἐστι ἴση ἐξ Ἡραίου τε πόλιος τῆς παρὰ Περίνθῳ καὶ ἐξ Ἀπολλωνίης τῆς ἐν τῷ Εὐξείνῳ πόντῳ, δυῶν ἡμερέων ἑκατέρη.
The journey to them is of equal distance both from the city of Heraion near Perinthus and from Apollonia on the Euxine Sea, each being a two days' journey.
ἐκδιδοῖ δὲ ὁ Τέαρος οὗτος ἐς τὸν Κοντάδεσδον ποταμόν, ὁ δὲ Κοντάδεσδος ἐς τὸν Ἀγριάνην, ὁ δὲ Ἀγριάνης ἐς τὸν Ἕβρον, ὁ δὲ ἐς θάλασσαν τὴν παρʼ Αἴνῳ πόλι.
This Tearus empties into the river Kontadesdos, the Kontadesdos into the Agrianes, the Agrianes into the Hebrus, and the Hebrus into the sea near the city of Ainos.

Notes

  1. 4.90.1ἀκέσασθαι — An epexegetical infinitive limiting the adjective ἄριστος ('best'), meaning 'for curing' or 'in respect of curing.'
  2. 4.90.1δυῶν δέουσαι τεσσεράκοντα — A numeral expression meaning 'lacking two of forty,' i.e., 'thirty-eight.' The participle δέουσαι is feminine plural nominative, agreeing with the feminine noun αἱ πηγαί ('sources').
  3. 4.90.2δυῶν ἡμερέων — A genitive of measure or description, indicating '(a journey) of two days,' qualifying the implied subject ὁδός or modifying ἑκατέρη ('each').
  4. 4.90.2ὁ δὲ ἐς θάλασσαν — The verb ἐκδιδοῖ ('empties') is omitted in this final clause and must be supplied from the preceding clauses to go with the subject ὁ δὲ (referring to the Hebrus).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.90.1-4.90.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.90.1-4.90.2

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