§16.29.1ὁ δὲ Φίλιππος ἐβούλετο παρελέσθαι Ῥωμαίων τὰς ἐν τούτοις τοῖς τόποις ἀφορμὰς καὶ τὰς ἐπιβάθρας. —
ἵνα, §16.29.2ἐὰν πρόθηται διαβαίνειν αὖθις εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, ἐπιβάθραν ἔχοι τὴν Ἄβυδον. —
Philip wished to deprive the Romans of their bases and stepping-stones in these regions, in order that, if he should propose to cross over again into Asia, he might have Abydos as a stepping-stone.
§16.29.3τὴν δὲ τῆς Ἀβύδου καὶ Σηστοῦ θέσιν καὶ τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τῶν πόλεων τὸ μὲν διὰ πλειόνων ἐξαριθμεῖσθαι μάταιον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ διὰ τὸ πάντας, ὧν καὶ μικρὸν ὄφελος, ἱστορηκέναι διὰ τὴν ἰδιότητα τῶν τόπων·
As for the situation of Abydos and Sestos and the advantageous position of these cities, it seems to me to be useless to enumerate them in detail, because everyone who is of any account at all has knowledge of them due to the peculiar character of the places.
§16.29.4κεφαλαιωδῶς γε μὴν ὑπομνῆσαι τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας ἐπιστάσεως χάριν οὐκ ἄχρηστον εἶναι νομίζω πρὸς τὸ παρόν.
Nevertheless, I think it is not useless for the present purpose to remind my readers of them in summary fashion, for the sake of calling their attention to them.
§16.29.5γνοίη δʼ ἄν τις τὰ περὶ τὰς προειρημένας πόλεις οὐχ οὕτως ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν ὑποκειμένων τόπων ὡς ἐκ τῆς παραθέσεως καὶ συγκρίσεως τῶν λέγεσθαι μελλόντων.
One would understand the circumstances of the aforementioned cities not so much from the actual places themselves as from the comparison and contrast of what is about to be said.
§16.29.6καθάπερ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ μέν τισιν Ὠκεανοῦ προσαγορευομένου, παρὰ δέ τισιν Ἀτλαντικοῦ πελάγους. δυνατὸν εἰς τὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς θάλατταν εἰσπλεῦσαι μὴ οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦ καθʼ Ἡρακλέους στήλας περαιωθέντα στόματος, §16.29.7οὕτως οὐδʼ ἐκ τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν Προποντίδα καὶ τὸν Πόντον ἀφικέσθαι μὴ οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦ μεταξὺ Σηστοῦ καὶ Ἀβύδου διαστήματος ποιησάμενον τὸν εἴσπλουν.
For just as it is not possible to sail into our sea from what is called by some the Ocean, and by others the Atlantic Sea, without passing through the mouth at the Pillars of Heracles, so also it is not possible to reach the Propontis and the Pontus from our sea without making one's entry through the passage between Sestos and Abydos.
§16.29.8ὥσπερ δὲ πρός τινα λόγον τῆς τύχης ποιουμένης τὴν κατασκευὴν ἀμφοτέρων τῶν πορθμῶν, πολλαπλάσιον εἶναι συμβαίνει τὸν καθʼ Ἡρακλέους στήλας πόρον τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον· §16.29.9ὁ μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἑξήκοντα σταδίων, ὁ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Ἄβυδον δυεῖν, ὡς ἂν εἴ τινος τεκμαιρομένου διὰ τὸ πολλαπλασίαν εἶναι τὴν ἔξω θάλατταν τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς.
And just as if Fortune had designed both straits according to some proportion, it happens that the passage at the Pillars of Heracles is many times wider than that of the Hellespont; for the former is sixty stades wide, while the latter at Abydos is two, as if someone were matching them to the fact that the outer sea is many times larger than our own.
§16.29.10εὐκαιρότερον μέντοι γε τοῦ καθʼ Ἡρακλείους στήλας στόματός ἐστι τὸ κατὰ τὴν Ἄβυδον.
However, the passage at Abydos is more useful and convenient than the mouth at the Pillars of Heracles.
§16.29.11τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων οἰκούμενον πύλης ἔχει διάθεσιν διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπιμιξίαν, ποτὲ μὲν γεφυρούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν πεζεύειν ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς ἠπείρους προαιρουμένων, ποτὲ δὲ πλωτευόμενον συνεχῶς· §16.29.12τὸ δὲ καθʼ Ἡρακλείους στήλας σπάνιον ἔχει τὴν χρῆσιν καὶ σπανίοις διὰ τὴν ἀνεπιμιξίαν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν πρὸς τοῖς πέρασι κατοικούντων τῆς Λιβύης καὶ τῆς Εὐρώπης καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀγνωσίαν τῆς ἐκτὸς θαλάττης.
For the former, being inhabited by men on both sides, has the character of a gate owing to their mutual intercourse, sometimes being bridged by those who choose to cross on foot to both continents, and sometimes being constantly traversed by boats; whereas the passage at the Pillars of Heracles is rarely used, and only by a few, owing to the lack of intercourse between the nations dwelling at the extremities of Libya and Europe, and because of the ignorance of the outer sea.
§16.29.13αὐτὴ δʼ ἡ τῶν Ἀβυδηνῶν πόλις περιέχεται μὲν ἐξ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν μεροῖν ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς Εὐρώπης ἀκρωτηρίων, ἔχει δὲ λιμένα δυνάμενον σκέπειν ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀνέμου τοὺς ἐνορμοῦντας.
The city of the Abydenians itself is enclosed on both sides by the promontories of Europe, and has a harbor capable of sheltering ships anchored in it from every wind.
§16.29.14ἐκτὸς δὲ τῆς εἰς τὸν λιμένα καταγωγῆς οὐδαμῶς οὐδαμῇ δυνατόν ἐστιν ὁρμῆσαι πρὸς τὴν πόλιν διὰ τὴν ὀξύτητα καὶ βίαν τοῦ ῥοῦ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν πόρον.
And except by putting into this harbor, it is in no way and at no point possible to anchor near the city, owing to the swiftness and violence of the current in the strait.