§17.50.1ἡ δὲ περὶ τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦτο χώρα περιέχεται ὑπὸ ἐρήμου καὶ ἀνύδρου τῆς ἀμμώδους, πάσης φιλανθρωπίας ἐστερημένης.
The region around this temple is surrounded by a waterless and sandy desert, deprived of all human habitation.
αὐτὴ δʼ ἐπὶ μῆκος καὶ πλάτος ἐπὶ σταδίους πεντήκοντα παρήκουσα πολλοῖς μὲν καὶ καλοῖς ὕδασι ναματιαίοις διαρρεῖται, δένδρων δὲ παντοδαπῶν καὶ μάλιστα καρπίμων πληθύει· καὶ τὸν μὲν ἀέρα τῇ κράσει παραπλήσιον ἔχει ταῖς ἐαριναῖς ὥραις, τόποισδὲ καυματώδεσι περιεχομένη μόνη παρηλλαγμένην παρέχεται τοῖς ἐνδιατρίβουσι τὴν εὐκρασίαν.
But the oasis itself, extending for fifty stades in length and width, is watered by many fine flowing springs, and abounds in trees of all kinds, especially those bearing fruit; and it has a climate very similar to the spring season, and though surrounded by scorching regions, it alone provides those who dwell in it with a wonderfully tempered atmosphere.
§17.50.2τὸ μὲν οὖν τέμενός φασιν ἱδρύσασθαι Δαναὸν τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, τὴν δὲ ἱερὰν τοῦ θεοῦ χώραν περιοικοῦσι κατὰ μὲν τὴν μεσημβρίαν καὶ δύσιν Αἰθίοπες, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἄρκτον Λιβύων νομαδικὸν ἔθνος καὶ πρὸς τὴν μεσόγειον ἀνῆκον τὸ τῶν Νασαμώνων ὀνομαζομένων ἔθνος.
Now they say that the sacred precinct was founded by Danaus the Egyptian, and surrounding the sacred territory of the god dwell the Ethiopians to the south and west, and to the north a nomadic tribe of Libyans, and extending toward the interior, the tribe called the Nasamones.
§17.50.3τῶν δʼ Ἀμμωνίων κωμηδὸν οἰκούντων κατὰ μέσην αὐτῶν τὴν χώραν ἀκρόπολις ὑπάρχει τριπλοῖς ὠχυρωμένη τοῖς τείχεσι· καὶ ταύτης ὁ μὲν πρῶτος περίβολος ἔχει τῶν ἀρχαίων δυναστῶν βασίλεια, ὁ δʼ ἕτερος τὴν γυναικωνῖτιν αὐλὴν καὶ τὰς τῶν τέκνων καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ συγγενῶν οἰκήσεις καὶ φυλακτήρια τῶν σκοπῶν, ἔτι δὲ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ σηκὸν καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν κρήνην, ἀφʼ ἧς τὰ τῷ θεῷ προσφερόμενα τυγχάνει τῆς ἁγνείας, ὁ δὲ τρίτος τὰς τῶν δορυφόρων καταλύσεις καὶ τὰ φυλακτήρια τῶν τὸν τύραννον δορυφορούντων.
While the Ammonians live in villages, in the middle of their land there is an acropolis fortified by a triple wall; and the first enclosure of this contains the palace of the ancient rulers, the second contains the women's court, the dwellings of the children, wives, and relatives, and the guardhouses of the sentries, as well as the temple of the god and the sacred spring, from which the offerings made to the god obtain their purification, and the third contains the quarters of the spear-bearers and the guardhouses of those who guard the ruler.
§17.50.4καθίδρυται δὲ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ἐκτὸς οὐ μακρὰν ἕτερος ναὸς Ἄμμωνος πολλοῖς καὶ μεγάλοις δένδροις σύσκιος.
And outside the acropolis, not far away, is established another temple of Ammon, shaded by many large trees.
τούτου δὲ πλησίον ὑπάρχει κρήνη διὰ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς ὀνομαζομένη Ἡλίου κρήνη· αὕτη δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ ἔχει συμμεταβαλλόμενον αἰεὶ ταῖς ἡμεριναῖς ὥραις παραδόξως.
Near this there is a spring which, from its nature, is called the Spring of the Sun; and this has its water paradoxically changing always according to the hours of the day.
§17.50.5ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ ἐξίησι τὴν πηγὴν χλιαράν, προϊούσης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας τῇ προσθέσει τῶν ὡρῶν ἀνάλογον καταψύχεται, τοῦ μεσημβρινοῦ δὲ καύματος ἀκμάζει τῇ ψυχρότητι· πάλιν δὲ ἀνάλογον ἀπολήγει πρὸς τὴν ἑσπέραν καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπιλαβούσης ἀναθερμαίνεται μέχρι μέσων νυκτῶν καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἀπολήγει, μέχρι ἂν ἅμα τῷ φωτὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀποκατασταθῇ τάξιν.
For at daybreak it sends forth the spring-water warm, but as the day advances, in proportion to the passing of the hours, it grows cold, and at the peak of the midday heat it reaches its maximum of coldness; then again in proportion it diminishes its coldness toward evening, and as night comes on it grows warm until midnight, and for the rest of the night it cools down, until with the light of day it is restored to its original state.
§17.50.6τὸ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ξόανον ἐκ σμαράγδων καί τινων ἄλλων πολυτελῶν λίθων περιέχεται καὶ τὴν μαντείαν ἰδιάζουσαν παντελῶς ποιεῖται.
The wooden image of the god is inlaid with emeralds and other costly stones, and gives its oracle in a completely unique way.
ἐπὶ νεὼς γὰρ περιφέρεται χρυσῆς ὑπὸ ἱερέων ὀγδοήκοντα· οὗτοι δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέροντες τὸν θεὸν προάγουσιν αὐτομάτως ὅπου ποτʼ ἂν ἄγῃ τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ νεῦμα τὴν πορείαν.
For it is carried about on a golden boat by eighty priests; and these, bearing the god on their shoulders, advance spontaneously wherever the nod of the god directs their path.
§17.50.7συνακολουθεῖ δὲ πλῆθος παρθένων καὶ γυναικῶν παιᾶνας ᾀδουσῶν κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ πατρίῳ καθυμνούντων ᾠδῇ τὸν θεόν.
And a multitude of maidens and women follow along, singing paeans all along the way and praising the god in a traditional hymn.