Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §164.1

The Boiling of the Sea around the Aeolian Islands

Passage 169 of 196 · Greek

Summary

It records Theophrastus' account that the sea around the Aeolian Islands boils so intensely over a distance of two plethra that it is impossible to enter it due to the heat.

§164.1Fr. 164 Θ. τὴν περὶ τὰς Αἰόλου νήσους ἀναζεῖν οὕτως ἐπὶ δύο πλέθρων τὸ μῆκος ὥστε μὴ δυνατὸν εἶναι διὰ τὴν θερμασίαν ἐμβαίνειν εἰς αὐτήν.
Theophrastus [says that] the [sea] around the islands of Aeolus boils up to such an extent over a length of two plethra that it is not possible to enter into it because of the heat.

Notes

  1. §164.1Θ. — Abbreviation for 'Theophrastus (Θεόφραστος)'. A verb of saying (such as φησί or λέγει) introducing the accusative and infinitive construction (τὴν ... ἀναζεῖν) of indirect discourse is omitted, or it stands as the subject of a summary by the epitomizer.
  2. §164.1τὴν περὶ τὰς Αἰόλου νήσους — A feminine singular noun is omitted after the article `τὴν`. Given the context and the feminine pronoun `αὐτήν` at the end, a feminine noun such as 'sea' (θάλασσαν) is understood.
  3. §164.1τὸ μῆκος — Accusative of respect (specification), meaning 'in length' or 'as to its length'.
  4. §164.1ἐπὶ δύο πλέθρων — The preposition `ἐπί` with the genitive indicates spatial extension ('over the distance of'). Since one plethron (πλέθρον) is approximately 30 meters, two plethra correspond to about 60 meters.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §164.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:164.1

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