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Polybius · The Histories §9.43.1-9.43.6

Hydrological Nature of the Euphrates and Transport Delays

Passage 644 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The author explains the hydrological peculiarity of the Euphrates, which decreases in volume as it flows downstream and peaks around the rising of Sirius, and notes how this caused a significant delay in the transport of military forces at that time.

§9.43.1ὁ γὰρ Εὐφράτης τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν λαμβάνει τῆς συστάσεως ἐξ Ἀρμενίας, διαρρεῖ δὲ [τὸν] διὰ Συρίας καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς τόπων ὡς ἐπὶ Βαβυλωνίαν.
For the Euphrates has its source in Armenia, and flows through Syria and the succeeding regions towards Babylonia.
§9.43.2καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν εἰς τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν ἐμβάλλειν θάλατταν, οὐ μὴν ἔστι γε τοῦτο· ταῖς γὰρ διώρυξι ταῖς ἐπὶ τὴν χώραν ἀγομέναις προεκδαπανᾶται πρὶν ἐκβολὴν εἰς θάλατταν πεποιῆσθαι.
And it seems indeed to empty into the Red Sea, but in fact this is not so; for it is dried up beforehand by the canals led into the countryside, before making its outlet into the sea.
§9.43.3διὸ καὶ συμβαίνει τὴν ὑπεναντίαν φύσιν ἔχειν τοῦτον τοῖς πλείστοις τῶν ποταμῶν.
Wherefore it also happens to have a nature opposite to most rivers.
τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοις αὔξεται τὸ ῥεῦμα, καθὼς ἂν πλείους διαφέρωνται τόπους, καὶ μέγιστοι μέν εἰσι κατὰ χειμῶνα, ταπεινότατοι δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἀκμὴν τοῦ θέρους· §9.43.4οὗτος δὲ καὶ πλεῖστος γίνεται τῷ ῥεύματι κατὰ κυνὸς ἐπιτολὴν καὶ μέγιστος ἐν τοῖς κατὰ Συρίαν τόποις, αἰεὶ δὲ προϊὼν ἐλάττων.
For the current of others increases as they traverse more regions, and they are greatest in winter, but lowest at the height of summer; but this river becomes greatest in its current at the rising of the Dog Star, and is greatest in the regions of Syria, but always smaller as it advances.
§9.43.5αἴτιον δὲ τούτων ὅτι συμβαίνει τὴν μὲν αὔξησιν οὐκ ἐκ τῆς συρρύσεως τῶν χειμερινῶν ὄμβρων, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῆς ἀνατήξεως τῶν χιόνων γίνεσθαι, τὴν δὲ μείωσιν διὰ τὰς ἐκτροπὰς τὰς ἐπὶ τὴν χώραν καὶ τὸν μερισμὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀρδεύσεις.
And the cause of this is that its increase happens not from the confluence of winter rains, but from the melting of snow, while its decrease is due to the diversions into the countryside and its distribution for irrigation.
§9.43.6ᾗ καὶ τότε βραδεῖαν συνέβαινε γίνεσθαι τὴν κομιδὴν τῶν δυνάμεων, ἅτε καταγόμων μὲν ὄντων τῶν πλοίων, ταπεινοτάτου δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ τελέως βραχύ τι συνεργούσης τῆς τοῦ ῥεύματος βίας πρὸς τὸν πλοῦν.
Wherefore at that time also it happened that the transport of the forces was slow, since the ships were heavily laden, and the river was at its lowest, and the force of the current contributed completely only a little to their voyage.

Notes

  1. 9.43.1τὴν ἀρχὴν λαμβάνει τῆς συστάσεως — Meaning 'takes the beginning of its formation,' i.e., 'has its source.' The noun `συστάσεως` (formation/constitution) refers to the process of the river physically taking shape, and functions as a qualifying or descriptive genitive modifying `τὴν ἀρχήν` (beginning/origin).
  2. 9.43.2προεκδαπανᾶται — Passive of the verb `δαπανάω` (to spend/consume) compounded with the prepositions `προ-` (beforehand) and `ἐκ-` (completely). It means 'is entirely consumed beforehand (before making an outlet into the sea).' The subject is `ὁ Εὐφράτης` (the Euphrates), continued from the preceding sentence.
  3. 9.43.3καθὼς ἂν πλείους διαφέρωνται τόπους — A subjunctive clause with `ἂν` expressing a general or repeated condition. `διαφέρωνται` is middle-passive, meaning 'are carried through' or 'flow down.' `πλείους τόπους` is an accusative of space traversed ('more regions'). The whole phrase means 'as they (other rivers) flow through more regions.'
  4. 9.43.6ᾗ — Adverbial dative of the feminine singular relative pronoun (with the antecedent being the whole preceding statement or an omitted noun for way/manner), meaning 'wherefore, in which way, for which reason.' It introduces the main clause governed by the impersonal verb `συνέβαινε` (it happened).
  5. 9.43.6ἅτε καταγόμων μὲν ὄντων τῶν πλοίων — A genitive absolute construction introduced by the particle `ἅτε` which expresses an objective cause. The coordinated clauses `ταπεινοτάτου δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ` (with the participle `ὄντος` omitted) and `καὶ ... συνεργούσης τῆς τοῦ ῥεύματος βίας` are also governed by `ἅτε`. These three genitives absolute together explain the reason why the transport of the forces was delayed.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §9.43.1-9.43.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.43.1-9.43.6

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