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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §5.10.1-5.10.3

Prosperity of Lipara from Hot Springs and Alum Mines

Passage 332 of 406 · Greek

Summary

The author explains that the city of Lipara flourished due to its excellent harbors, therapeutic hot springs, and its monopoly on the highly demanded alum mines, concluding the account of Lipara and the islands of Aeolus.

§5.10.1λείπεται δʼ ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς τῶν Λιπαραίων πόλεως τὰς αἰτίας ἀποδοῦναι, διʼ ἃς ἐν τοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις ἔλαβεν αὔξησιν οὐ μόνον πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς δόξαν.
It remains for us to explain, concerning the city of the Liparaeans, the causes because of which in later times it attained growth not only in prosperity but also in renown.
αὕτη γὰρ λιμέσι τε καλοῖς ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως κεκόσμηται καὶ θερμοῖς ὕδασι τοῖς διαβεβοημένοις· οὐ μόνον γὰρ πρὸς ὑγίειαν τῶν νοσούντων τὰ κατʼ αὐτὴν λουτρὰ πολλὰ συμβάλλεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῶν θερμῶν ὑδάτων ἰδιότητα παρέχεται τέρψιν καὶ ἀπόλαυσιν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν.
For this city has been adorned by nature with beautiful harbors and with warm waters that are widely celebrated; for not only do the baths there contribute much to the health of the sick, but also, through the peculiar nature of the warm waters, they offer pleasure and enjoyment of no ordinary kind.
διόπερ πολλοὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Σικελίαν ὑπὸ νόσων ἰδιοτρόπων ἐνοχλούμενοι καταντῶσιν εἰς αὐτήν, καὶ τοῖς λουτροῖς χρώμενοι παραδόξως ὑγιεῖς καθίστανται.
Therefore, many of those throughout Sicily who are afflicted with peculiar diseases resort to it, and by using the baths they are restored to health in a wonderful manner.
§5.10.2ἔχει δʼ ἡ νῆσος αὕτη τὰ διαβεβοημένα μέταλλα τῆς στυπτηρίας, ἐξ ἧς λαμβάνουσιν οἱ Λιπαραῖοι καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι μεγάλας προσόδους.
Moreover, this island possesses the famous mines of alum, from which the Liparaeans and the Romans derive great revenues.
οὐδαμοῦ γὰρ τῆς οἰκουμένης στυπτηρίας γινομένης καὶ πολλὴν χρείαν παρεχομένης, εἰκότως μονοπώλιον ἔχοντες καὶ τὰς τιμὰς ἀναβιβάζοντες πλῆθος χρημάτων λαμβάνουσιν ἄπιστον· ἐν μόνῃ γὰρ τῇ νήσῳ Μήλῳ φύεται μικρά τις στυπτηρία, μὴ δυναμένη διαρκεῖν πολλαῖς πόλεσιν.
For since alum is produced nowhere else in the inhabited world and yet is of great utility, they naturally hold a monopoly, and by raising the prices they obtain an unbelievable amount of money; indeed, only in the island of Melos does a small quantity of alum grow, which is not able to suffice for many cities.
§5.10.3ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἡ νῆσος τῶν Λιπαραίων μικρὰ μὲν τὸ μέγεθος, καρποφόρος δὲ ἱκανῶς καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἀνθρώπων τρυφὴν ἔχουσα διαφερόντως· καὶ γὰρ ἰχθύων παντοδαπῶν παρέχεται πλῆθος τοῖς κατοικοῦσι καὶ τῶν ἀκροδρύων τὰ μάλιστα δυνάμενα παρέχεσθαι τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως ἡδονήν.
And the island of the Liparaeans is small in size, but sufficiently fertile and exceptionally well supplied with things that contribute to human luxury; for indeed it provides the inhabitants with an abundance of all kinds of fish, and of orchard fruits those that are best able to afford the pleasure of enjoyment.
καὶ περὶ μὲν Λιπάρας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν Αἰόλου νήσων καλουμένων ἀρκεσθησόμεθα τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν.
And as for Lipara and the other islands called the islands of Aeolus, we shall be satisfied with what has been said.

Notes

  1. 5.10.1λείπεται δʼ ἡμῖν ... ἀποδοῦναι — The verb λείπεται is used impersonally with the dative ἡμῖν to mean 'it remains for us,' with the following infinitive phrase (τὰς αἰτίας ἀποδοῦναι) functioning as the subject.
  2. 5.10.1οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν — The negative οὐ combined with the present participle τυχοῦσα (from τυγχάνω, meaning 'ordinary' or 'chance') is an idiomatic litotes meaning 'extraordinary' or 'of no common kind,' modifying the accusatives τέρψιν καὶ ἀπόλαυσιν.
  3. 5.10.2στυπτηρίας γινομένης καὶ πολλὴν χρείαν παρεχομένης — The two present participles γινομένης and παρεχομένης, together with the subject στυπτηρίας, form a genitive absolute construction expressing cause ('since alum is produced nowhere else... and since it is of great utility') modifying the main verb λαμβάνουσιν.
  4. 5.10.3τῶν ἀκροδρύων τὰ μάλιστα δυνάμενα — The genitive τῶν ἀκροδρύων is a partitive genitive depending on the subsequent substantive participle phrase τὰ μάλιστα δυνάμενα ('those which are best able'). This entire phrase functions as the second coordinated object of the verb παρέχεται introduced in the preceding clause.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §5.10.1-5.10.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc5:5.10.1-5.10.3

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