§8.1ἐνθένδε ἐς τὸν Φᾶσιν ἐσεπλεύσαμεν ἐνενήκοντα τοῦ Μώγρου διέχοντα, ποταμῶν ὧν ἐγὼ ἔγνων κουφότατον ὕδωρ παρεχόμενον καὶ τὴν χρόαν μάλιστα ἐξηλλαγμένον.
From there we sailed into the Phasis, which is ninety stades distant from the Mogrus, a river which, of all those I have known, provides the cleanest and lightest water and is most extraordinary in its color.
§8.2τὴν μὲν γὰρ κουφότητα τῷ τε σταθμῷ τεκμαίροιτο ἄν τις, καὶ πρὸ τούτου, ὅτι ἐπιπλεῖ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, οὐχὶ δὲ συμμίγνυται, καθάπερ τῷ Πηνειῷ τὸν Τιταρήσιον λέγει ἐπιρρεῖν Ὅμηρος ʽκαθύπερθεν ἠύτʼ ἔλαιονʼ. §8.3καὶ ἦν κατὰ μὲν τοῦ ἐπιρρέοντος βάψαντα γλυκὺ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀνιμήσασθαι, εἰ δὲ ἐς βάθος τις καθῆκεν τὴν κάλπιν, ἁλμυρόν.
For its lightness might be proved by weight, and even before that, by the fact that it floats upon the sea and does not mix with it, just as Homer says the Titaresius flows over the Peneus "above like oil." And it was possible, by dipping into the surface stream, to draw up sweet water, but if one lowered the pitcher into the depth, it was salty.
καίτοι ὁ πᾶς Πόντος πολύ τι γλυκυτέρου τοῦ ὑδατός ἐστιν ἤπερ ἡ ἔξω θάλασσα· καὶ τούτου τὸ αἴτιον οἱ ποταμοί εἰσιν, οὔτε πλῆθος οὔτε μέγεθος σταθμητοὶ ὄντες.
And yet the entire Pontus consists of water that is much sweeter than the outer sea; and the cause of this is the rivers, which are measurable neither in number nor in size.
τεκμήριον δὲ τῆς γλυκύτητος §8.4εἰ τεκμηρίων δεῖ ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσθήσει φαινομένοις, ὅτι πάντα τὰ βοσκήματα οἱ προσοικοῦντες τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν κατάγουσιν καὶ ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ποτίζουσιν· τὰ δὲ πίνοντά τε ἡδέως ὁρᾶται, καὶ λόγος κατέχει ὅτι καὶ ὠφέλιμον αὐτοῖς τοῦτο τὸ ποτόν ἐστιν τοῦ γλυκέος μᾶλλον, ἡ δὲ χρόα τῷ Φάσιδι οἵα ἀπὸ μολίβδου ἢ κασσιτέρου §8.5βεβαμμένου τοῦ ὕδατος·
As proof of this sweetness: if indeed proof is needed for what is clear to perception, there is the fact that those who dwell near the sea bring all their cattle down to the sea and water them from it; and the beasts are seen to drink it with pleasure, and a report holds that this drink is actually more beneficial to them than sweet water. On the other hand, the color of the Phasis is like that of water colored by lead or tin; dyed.
καταστὰν δὲ καθαρώτατον γίγνεται.
When it settles, however, it becomes extremely clear.
οὐ τοίνυν νενόμισται ἐσκομίσαι ὕδωρ ἐς τὸν Φᾶσιν τοὺς ἐσπλέοντας, ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὰν ἐσβάλωσιν ἤδη ἐς τὸν ῥοῦν, παραγγέλλεται πᾶν ἐκχέαι τὸ ἐνὸν ὕδωρ ἐν ταῖς ναυσίν·
Therefore, it is not the custom for those who sail in to bring water into the Phasis; rather, when they have already entered the stream, they are ordered to pour out all the water remaining in the ships.
εἰ δὲ μή, λόγος κατέχει ὅτι οἱ τούτου ἀμελήσαντες οὐκ εὐπλοοῦσιν.
Otherwise, a report holds that those who neglect this do not have a favorable voyage.
τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ τοῦ Φάσιδος οὐ σήπεται, ἀλλὰ μένει ἀκραιφνὲς καὶ ὑπὲρ δέκατον ἔτος, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι τὸ γλυκύτερον μεταβάλλει.
The water of the Phasis does not spoil, but remains pure even beyond the tenth year, except indeed that it changes to become sweeter.
ἐσβαλλόντων δὲ ἐς τὸν Φᾶσιν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ ἵδρυται
For those entering the Phasis, on the left there is situated...