Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 41

1
<w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="dh%3Dlon">δῆλον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="gino%2Fmenon">γινόμενον</w>. <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fistrou">Ἴστρου</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fosi">πλείοσι</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmasin">στόμασιν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fnton">Πόντον</w> <w lemma="ei%29sba%2Fllontos">εἰσβάλλοντος</w>, <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="xi%2Flia">χίλια</w> <w lemma="sta%2Fdia">στάδια</w> <w lemma="sunesta%2Fnai">συνεστάναι</w> <w lemma="taini%2Fan">ταινίαν</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="dro%2Fmon">δρόμον</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxousan">ἀπέχουσαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="gh%3Ds">γῆς</w> [<w lemma="h%28%2Ftis">ἥτις</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fsthken">συνέστηκεν</w>] <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmasin">στόμασιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sferome%2Fnhs">εἰσφερομένης</w> <w lemma="i%29lu%2Fos:">ἰλύος·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="pela%2Fgioi">πελάγιοι</w> <w lemma="tre%2Fxontes">τρέχοντες</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="ple%2Fontes">πλέοντες</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fnton">Πόντον</w> <w lemma="lanqa%2Fnousin">λανθάνουσιν</w> <w lemma="e%29poke%2Fllontes">ἐποκέλλοντες</w> <w lemma="nukto%5Cs">νυκτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w>. <w lemma="kalou%3Dsi">καλοῦσι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="nautikoi%5C">ναυτικοὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Asth%2Fqh">Στήθη</w>.
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<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="suni%2Fstasqai">συνίστασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="prowqei%3Dsqai">προωθεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xou%3Dn">χοῦν</w>, <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="nomiste%2Fon">νομιστέον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fan">αἰτίαν</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ai%28">αἱ</w> <w lemma="r%28u%2Fseis">ῥύσεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="potamw%3Dn">ποταμῶν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fan">βίαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="fora%3Ds">φορᾶς</w> <w lemma="e%29pikratou%3Dsi">ἐπικρατοῦσι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diwqou%3Dntai">διωθοῦνται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dto">τοσοῦτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="fero%2Fmena">φερόμενα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="r%28eu%2Fmasin">ῥεύμασιν</w> <w lemma="a%29na%2Fgkh">ἀνάγκη</w> <w lemma="prowqei%3Dsqai">προωθεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="monh%5Cn">μονὴν</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="sta%2Fsin">στάσιν</w> <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds:">ἁπλῶς·</w>
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<w lemma="o%28%2Ftan">ὅταν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Fqos">βάθος</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="e%29klu%2Fhtai">ἐκλύηται</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="r%28eu%2Fmata">ῥεύματα</w>, <w lemma="to%2Ft%27">τότ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%5Cs">εἰκὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsin">φύσιν</w> <w lemma="fero%2Fmenon">φερόμενον</w> <w lemma="ka%2Ftw">κάτω</w> <w lemma="monh%5Cn">μονὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sta%2Fsin">στάσιν</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xou%3Dn">χοῦν</w>.
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<w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="a%28%5C">ἃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="la%2Fbrwn">λάβρων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flwn">μεγάλων</w> <w lemma="potamw%3Dn">ποταμῶν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fmata">χώματα</w> <w lemma="makra%5Cn">μακρὰν</w> <w lemma="suni%2Fstatai">συνίσταται</w>, <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xe%2Frson">χέρσον</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gxibaqh%3D">ἀγχιβαθῆ</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29latto%2Fnwn">ἐλαττόνων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pra%2F%7Cws">πρᾴως</w> <w lemma="r%28eo%2Fntwn">ῥεόντων</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%5Cs">αὐτὰς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ei%29sbola%5Cs">εἰσβολὰς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="qi%3Dnes">θῖνες</w> <w lemma="suni%2Fstantai">συνίστανται</w>.
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<w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkdhlon">ἔκδηλον</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnetai">γίνεται</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fmbrwn">ὄμβρων</w> <w lemma="e%29pifora%2Fs:">ἐπιφοράς·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="tuxo%2Fnta">τυχόντα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="r%28ei%2Fqrwn">ῥείθρων</w>, <w lemma="e%29peida%5Cn">ἐπειδὰν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikrath%2Fswsi">ἐπικρατήσωσι</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ku%2Fmatos">κύματος</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sbolh%2Fn">εἰσβολήν</w>, <w lemma="prowqou%3Dsi">προωθοῦσι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xou%3Dn">χοῦν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstou">ἑκάστου</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%2Fstasin">ἀπόστασιν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fa%7C">βίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29mpipto%2Fntwn">ἐμπιπτόντων</w> <w lemma="r%28euma%2Ftwn">ῥευμάτων</w>.
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<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mege%2Fqei">μεγέθει</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnhs">προειρημένης</w> <w lemma="taini%2Fas">ταινίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="plh%2Fqei">πλήθει</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ei%29sferome%2Fnwn">εἰσφερομένων</w> <w lemma="li%2Fqwn">λίθων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="cu%2Flwn">ξύλων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Ds">γῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="potamw%3Dn">ποταμῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="a%29pisthte%2Fon">ἀπιστητέον</w> —
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<w lemma="eu%29%2Fhqes">εὔηθες</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> — <w lemma="qewrou%3Dntas">θεωροῦντας</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fyin">ὄψιν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tuxo%2Fnta">τυχόντα</w> <w lemma="xeima%2Frroun">χειμάρρουν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29kxaradrou%3Dnta">ἐκχαραδροῦντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diako%2Fptonta">διακόπτοντα</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="h%29liba%2Ftous">ἠλιβάτους</w>, <w lemma="fe%2Fronta">φέροντα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dn">πᾶν</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="u%28%2Flhs">ὕλης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Ds">γῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fqwn">λίθων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pixw%2Fseis">ἐπιχώσεις</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="poiou%2Fmenon">ποιούμενον</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Ftas">τηλικαύτας</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fst%27">ὥστ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29lloiou%3Dn">ἀλλοιοῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fote">ἐνίοτε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="ginw%2Fskein">γινώσκειν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="braxei%3D">βραχεῖ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnw%7C">χρόνῳ</w>
For the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Danube&groupId=654&placeId=1195">Danube</a> flowing from Europe and falling into the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a> by several mouths, a bank formed of the matter discharged from these mouths and reaching out to sea for a day\'s journey, stretches for about a hundred miles opposite them,
and ships navigating the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a>, while still far out at sea, often at night when sailing unwarily run aground on certain parts of this belt, which are known to sailors as "The Paps."
The reason why the deposit is not formed closer to land but is projected so far with must consider to be as follows.
As far as the current of the rivers prevail owing to their strength and force a way through the sea, the earth and all other matter carried down by the stream must continue to be pushed forward and not suffered to rest or subside at all; but when owing to the increasing depth and volume of the sea the rivers lose their force, then of course the earth sinks by its natural weight and settles.
This is why in the case of large and swift rivers the deposits are formed at a distance, the sea near the coast being deep, but in that of small and sluggish streams the sand-banks are close to their mouths.
This becomes especially evident during heavy rains; for then insignificant streams when they have overpowered the surge at their mouths push forward their mud out to sea for a distance exactly proportionate to the force of their currents.
We must not at all refuse to believe in the extent of the bank at the mouth of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Danube&groupId=654&placeId=1195">Danube</a> and in the quantity of stones, timber, and earth carried down by the rivers in general.
It would be folly to do so when we often see with our own eyes an insignificant torrent scooping out a bed and forcing its way through high ground, carrying down every kind of wood, stones, and earth and forming such vast deposits that the spot may in a short space of time be so changed in aspect as to be unrecognizable.