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Polybius · The Histories §7.6.1-7.6.6

The Topography and Layout of Leontini

Passage 542 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

This passage describes the unique geography of Leontini, detailing its central valley, the flanking hills with steep cliffs, the two main gates, and the position of the Lyssus river and residential streets.

§7.6.1ἡ γὰρ τῶν Λεοντίνων πόλις τῷ μὲν ὅλῳ κλίματι τέτραπται πρὸς τὰς ἄρκτους, §7.6.2ἔστι δὲ διὰ μέσης αὐτῆς αὐλὼν ἐπίπεδος, ἐν ᾧ συμβαίνει τάς τε τῶν ἀρχείων καὶ δικαστηρίων κατασκευὰς καὶ καθόλου τὴν ἀγορὰν ὑπάρχειν.
For the city of Leontini, as regards its general lay, faces the north, and through the middle of it runs a flat valley, in which the buildings for the public offices and courts of justice, and in general the forum, happen to be situated.
§7.6.3τοῦ δʼ αὐλῶνος παρʼ ἑκατέραν τὴν πλευρὰν παρήκει λόφος, ἔχων ἀπορρῶγα συνεχῆ· τὰ δʼ ἐπίπεδα τῶν λόφων τούτων ὑπὲρ τὰς ὀφρῦς οἰκιῶν ἐστι πλήρη καὶ ναῶν.
Along each side of this valley runs a hill with a continuous precipitous cliff; and the flat tops of these hills, above the brows of the cliffs, are full of houses and temples.
§7.6.4δύο δʼ ἔχει πυλῶνας ἡ πόλις, ὧν ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν πέρατός ἐστιν οὗ προεῖπον αὐλῶνος, φέρων ἐπὶ Συρακούσας, ὁ δʼ ἕτερος ἐπὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἄρκτους, ἄγων ἐπὶ τὰ Λεοντῖνα καλούμενα πεδία καὶ τὴν γεωργήσιμον χώραν.
The city has two gates, of which one is at the southern extremity of the valley I mentioned, leading to Syracuse, and the other is at the northern, leading to the plain called the Leontine plain and the arable land.
§7.6.5ὑπὸ δὲ τὴν μίαν ἀπορρῶγα, τὴν πρὸς τὰς δύσεις, παραρρεῖ ποταμός, ὃν καλοῦσι Λίσσον.
Under one of these cliffs, the one facing west, flows a river which they call Lyssus.
§7.6.6τούτῳ δὲ κεῖνται παράλληλοι καὶ πλείους ὑπʼ αὐτὸν τὸν κρημνὸν οἰκίαι συνεχεῖς, ὧν μεταξὺ καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ συμβαίνει τὴν προειρημένην ὁδὸν ὑπάρχειν. [ξοδ. υρβ. φολ. 96 εχξ. αντ. π. 193. ]
Parallel to this river and under the cliff itself stand many continuous houses, between which and the river the aforementioned road happens to run. [Cod. Urb. fol. 96 exc. ant. p. 193.]

Notes

  1. §7.6.1τῷ μὲν ὅλῳ κλίματι — Dative of respect. The noun κλίμα (inclination, latitude, quarter of the heavens) here refers to the general geographical orientation or lay of the city.
  2. §7.6.2συμβαίνει ... ὑπάρχειν — The impersonal verb συμβαίνει takes an accusative and infinitive construction (τάς τε ... κατασκευὰς ... καὶ ... τὴν ἀγορὰν ὑπάρχειν) as its subject clause. It functions as a periphrastic expression meaning 'it happens that ... exist' or 'actually exist.'
  3. §7.6.6ὧν — The relative pronoun ὧν is in the genitive plural, referring back to the preceding οἰκίαι (houses). It forms part of the prepositional construction 'between [them] and the river' (μεταξὺ ... καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §7.6.1-7.6.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.6.1-7.6.6

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