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Arrian · Periplus of the Euxine Sea §18.1-18.4

Voyage from Dioscurias to the Cimmerian Bosporus

Passage 18 of 25 · Greek

Summary

Describing the voyage from Dioscurias to the Cimmerian Bosporus, recording the distances between anchorages and rivers, and mentioning the King of the Zilchi, Stachemphax, who holds his rule from the Emperor.

§18.1ὁρμηθεῖσιν οὖν ἐκ Διοσκουριάδος πρῶτος ἂν εἴη ὅρμος ἐν Πιτυοῦντι· στάδιοι τριακόσιοι πεντήκοντα.
Therefore, for those setting out from Dioscurias, the first anchorage would be at Pityus: three hundred and fifty stades.
ἐνθένδε ἐς τὴν Νιτικὴν στάδιοι πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατόν, ἵναπερ πάλαι ᾤκει ἔθνος Σκυθικόν, οὗ μνήμην ποιεῖται §18.2ὁ λογοποιὸς Ἡρόδοτος, καὶ λέγει τούτους εἶναι τοὺς φθειροτρωκτέοντας, καὶ ἐς τοῦτο ἔτι ἡ δόξα ἡ αὐτὴ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν κατέχει.
From here to Nitike is one hundred and fifty stades, where formerly a Scythian nation lived, of whom mention is made by the historian Herodotus, who says that these are the lice-eaters; and down to this day the same reputation about them still prevails.
ἐκ δὲ Νιτικῆς ἐς Ἄβασκον ποταμὸν στάδιοι ἐνενήκοντα.
And from Nitike to the river Abascus is ninety stades.
ὁ δὲ Βόργυς τοῦ Ἀβάσκου διέχει σταδίους ἑκατὸν καὶ εἴκοσιν, καὶ ὁ Νῆσις τοῦ Βόργυος, ἵναπερ καὶ Ἡράκλεια ἄκρα ἀνέχει, σταδίους ἑξήκοντα.
The Borgyes is one hundred and twenty stades distant from the Abascus, and the Nesis is sixty stades from the Borgyes, where also the Heraclean promontory projects.
ἀπὸ δὲ Νήσιος ἐς Μασαϊτικὴν στάδιοι ἐνενήκοντα.
And from the Nesis to Masaitike is ninety stades.
§18.3ἐνθένδε ἐς Ἀχαιοῦντα στάδιοι ἑξήκοντα, ὅσπερ ποταμὸς διορίζει Ζιλχοὺς καὶ Σανίγας.
From here to the Achaeus is sixty stades, which river divides the Zilchi and the Sanigae.
Ζιλχῶν βασιλεὺς Σταχέμφαξ· καὶ οὗτος παρὰ σοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν ἔσχεν.
The king of the Zilchi is Stachemphax, and he also received his kingship from you.
ἀπὸ Ἀχαιοῦντος ἐς Ἡράκλειαν ἄκραν πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν στάδιοι.
From the Achaeus to the Heraclean promontory is one hundred and fifty stades.
ἐνθένδε ἐς ἄκραν, ἵναπερ σκέπη ἐστὶν ἀνέμου θρᾳσκίου καὶ βορρᾶ, ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ ἑκατόν.
From here to a promontory, where there is shelter from the north-north-west wind and the north wind, is one hundred and eighty stades.
ἐνθένδε ἐς τὴν καλουμένην Παλαιὰν Λαζικὴν §18.4εἴκοσι καὶ ἑκατὸν στάδιοι.
From here to what is called Old Lazica is one hundred and twenty stades.
ἐνθένδε ἐς τὴν Παλαιὰν Ἀχαΐαν πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατόν, καὶ ἔνθεν ἐς Πάγρας λιμένα πεντήκοντα καὶ τριακόσιοι.
From here to Old Achaea is one hundred and fifty stades, and from there to the harbor of Pagrae is three hundred and fifty.
ἀπὸ δὲ Παγρῶν λιμένος ἐς Ἱερὸν λιμένα ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ ἑκατόν.
And from the harbor of Pagrae to the Sacred Harbor is one hundred and eighty.
ἐνθένδε ἐς Σινδικὴν τριακόσιοι.
From here to Sindike is three hundred stades.
ἀπὸ σὲ Σινδικῆς ἐς Βόσπορον τὸν Κιμμέριον καλούμενον
And from Sindike to the Bosporus called Cimmerian...

Notes

  1. 18.1ὁρμηθεῖσιν — The aorist passive participle in the dative, `ὁρμηθεῖσιν`, functions as a dative of reference (or relation), meaning "for those setting out from Dioscurias."
  2. 18.1οὗ μνήμην ποιεῖται — The phrase `μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι` (to make mention of) governs the genitive. Here, the relative pronoun in the genitive, `οὗ`, refers back to the preceding neuter noun `ἔθνος Σκυθικόν` (Scythian nation).
  3. 18.2τούτους εἶναι τοὺς φθειροτρωκτέοντας — An accusative and infinitive (AcI) construction introduced by the verb of saying `λέγει`. `τούτους` is the subject accusative of the infinitive `εἶναι`, and `τοὺς φθειροτρωκτέοντας` is the predicate accusative.
  4. 18.4ἀπὸ σὲ — The reading `σὲ` in the manuscripts is understood as a scribal error for `δὲ` (a common visual confusion in uncial manuscripts). It is translated as a coordinating conjunction "and from..." to match the parallel structures (`ἀπὸ δὲ`).

Cite this passage

Arrian, Periplus of the Euxine Sea §18.1-18.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0074.tlg004.humanitext-grc2:18.1-18.4

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