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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §14.29.1-14.29.6

Sighting of the Sea from Mount Chenion and Arrival in Colchis

Passage 323 of 723 · Greek

Summary

The Greek army marches through the territories of various tribes and finally rejoices upon seeing the sea from Mount Chenion. They then make a treaty with the Macrones and arrive in the country of the Colchians, where they win a victory and recover.

§14.29.1ἐμμείναντες δὲ ταῖς κώμαις ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ παρεγενήθησαν πρὸς τὸν Φᾶσιν ποταμόν.
After remaining in the villages for eight days, they arrived at the Phasis River.
ἐκεῖ δὲ τέτταρας ἡμέρας διανύσαντες διεπορεύοντο τὴν Χάων καὶ Φασιανῶν χώραν.
Having spent four days there, they proceeded through the territory of the Chaoi and Phasiani.
ἐπιθεμένων δʼ αὐτοῖς τῶν ἐγχωρίων, τούτους μὲν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ νικήσαντες πολλοὺς ἀνεῖλον, αὐτοὶ δὲ καταλαμβάνοντες τὰς τῶν ἐγχωρίων κτήσεις γεμούσας ἀγαθῶν ἐνδιέτριψαν ἐν αὐταῖς ἡμέρας πεντεκαίδεκα.
When the inhabitants attacked them, they defeated them in battle, killing many, and they themselves occupied the properties of the inhabitants, which were full of provisions, and spent fifteen days in them.
§14.29.2ἀναζεύξαντες δʼ ἐκεῖθεν διῆλθον τὴν Χαλδαίων καλουμένων χώραν ἐν ἡμέραις ἑπτά, καὶ παρεγενήθησαν πρὸς τὸν Ἅρπαγον ὀνομαζόμενον ποταμόν, ὄντα τὸ πλάτος πλέθρων τεττάρων.
Breaking camp from there, they passed through the territory of the so-called Chaldaeans in seven days and arrived at the river named Harpagus, which was four plethra in width.
ἐντεῦθεν δὲ διὰ τῆς Σκυτίνων πορευόμενοι διῆλθον ὁδὸν πεδινήν, ἐν ᾗ τρεῖς ἡμέρας αὑτοὺς ἀνέλαβον, εὐποροῦντες ἁπάντων τῶν ἀναγκαίων.
Proceeding from there through the territory of the Scytini, they traversed a level road, during which they recovered themselves for three days, having an abundance of all necessaries.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀναζεύξαντες τεταρταῖοι παρεγενήθησαν πρὸς πόλιν μεγάλην Γυμνασίαν ὀνομαζομένην.
After this, breaking camp, they arrived on the fourth day at a large city named Gymnasia.
§14.29.3ἐκ δὲ ταύτης ὁ τῶν τόπων τούτων ἀφηγούμενος ἐσπείσατο πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ὁδηγήσοντας ἐπὶ θάλατταν συνέστησεν.
From this city, the ruler of these regions made a treaty with them and provided men to guide them to the sea.
ἐν ἡμέραις δὲ πεντεκαίδεκα παραγενόμενοι ἐπὶ τὸ Χήνιον ὄρος, ὡς εἶδον πορευόμενοι οἱ πρῶτοι τὴν θάλατταν, περιχαρεῖς ἦσαν καὶ τοιαύτην ἐποίουν κραυγήν, ὥστε τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς οὐραγίας ὄντας ὑπολαμβάνοντας πολεμίων ἔφοδον εἶναι χωρεῖν εἰς ὅπλα.
When, having arrived at Mount Chenion in fifteen days, the vanguard saw the sea as they advanced, they were overjoyed and raised such a shout that those in the rear, supposing it to be an attack of enemies, rushed to arms.
§14.29.4ὡς δʼ ἅπαντες ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἐξ οὗ τὴν θάλατταν ἦν ὁρᾶν, τοῖς θεοῖς ἀνατείναντες τὰς χεῖρας ηὐχαρίστουν ὡς ἤδη διασεσωσμένοι· συνενέγκαντες δʼ εἰς ἕνα τόπον λίθους παμπληθεῖς, καὶ ποιήσαντες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀναστήματα μεγάλα, σκῦλα τῶν βαρβάρων ἀνέθεσαν, βουλόμενοι τῆς στρατείας ἀθάνατον ὑπόμνημα καταλιπεῖν.
When all had ascended to the place from which it was possible to see the sea, they lifted up their hands to the gods and gave thanks as if they were already saved; and having gathered a great many stones into one place and made of them a great mound, they dedicated the spoils of the barbarians, wishing to leave an immortal memorial of their campaign.
καὶ τῷ μὲν ὁδηγήσαντι φιάλην ἀργυρᾶν καὶ στολὴν Περσικὴν ἐδωρήσαντο· ὃς δείξας αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐπὶ Μάκρωνας ὁδὸν ἀπηλλάγη.
To the guide they presented a silver bowl and a Persian robe; and he, having shown them the road to the Macrones, departed.
§14.29.5οἱ δʼ Ἕλληνες εἰσβαλόντες εἰς τὴν τῶν Μακρώνων χώραν ἐσπείσαντο, καὶ πρὸς πίστιν παρὰ μὲν ἐκείνων λόγχην ἔλαβον βαρβαρικήν, αὐτοὶ δʼ Ἑλληνικὴν ἔδωκαν· ταῦτα γὰρ ἔφασαν αὑτοῖς οἱ βάρβαροι διὰ προγόνων παραδεδόσθαι πρὸς πίστιν βεβαιότατα.
The Greeks, having entered the country of the Macrones, made a treaty, and as a pledge of faith they received from them a barbarian lance and themselves gave a Greek one; for the barbarians said that these had been handed down to them from their ancestors as the most secure pledge of faith.
ὡς δὲ τοὺς τούτων ὅρους διῆλθον, παρεγενήθησαν εἰς τὴν τῶν Κόλχων χώραν.
When they had passed through their borders, they arrived in the country of the Colchians.
§14.29.6εἰς ἣν ἀθροισθέντων τῶν ἐγχωρίων ἐπʼ αὐτούς, τούτους μὲν κρατήσαντες μάχῃ πολλοὺς ἀνεῖλαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ λόφον ὀχυρὸν καταλαβόμενοι τὴν χώραν ἐπόρθουν, καὶ τὰς ὠφελείας εἰς τοῦτον ἀθροίσαντες ἀφθόνως ἑαυτοὺς ἀνελάμβανον.
There, when the inhabitants had assembled against them, they defeated them in battle, killing many, and they themselves, having occupied a strong hill, plundered the country, and gathering the booty onto this hill, they rested themselves in abundance.

Notes

  1. 14.29.2διὰ τῆς Σκυτίνων — The feminine genitive article `τῆς` modifies the omitted noun `χώρας` (land/territory), meaning 'through the territory of the Scytini'.
  2. 14.29.2ἐν ᾗ — The relative pronoun `ᾗ` is feminine dative singular agreeing with its antecedent `ὁδὸν πεδινήν` (level road). Combined with `ἐν`, it has a situational or temporal force meaning 'during which march' or 'on which route'.
  3. 14.29.3τοὺς ὁδηγήσοντας — The future active participle `ὁδηγήσοντας` with the article expresses purpose, meaning 'those who would guide' or 'men to act as guides'.
  4. 14.29.3ὥστε ... χωρεῖν — A result clause introduced by `ὥστε` with the infinitive `χωρεῖν` as its main verb. The accusative subject of the infinitive is `τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς οὐραγίας ὄντας` (those in the rear), which is modified by the circumstantial participle `ὑπολαμβάνοντας` (supposing), which in turn governs the accusative and infinitive construction `πολεμίων ἔφοδον εἶναι`.
  5. 14.29.4ἦν ὁρᾶν — The impersonal imperfect `ἦν` (equivalent here to `ἐξῆν`, 'it was possible') is used with the infinitive `ὁρᾶν` to express ability or possibility: 'from which it was possible to see the sea'.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §14.29.1-14.29.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:14.29.1-14.29.6

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