Polybius, Histories

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Book 4 - Chapter 43

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<w lemma="%2Atou%3D">Τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmatos">στόματος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fnton">Πόντον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aproponti%2Fda">Προποντίδα</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fptontos">συνάπτοντος</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntos">ὄντος</w> <w lemma="e%28kato%5Cn">ἑκατὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fkosi">εἴκοσι</w> <w lemma="stadi%2Fwn">σταδίων</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dkos">μῆκος</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29rti%2Fws">ἀρτίως</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpon">εἶπον</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ierou%3D">Ἱεροῦ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fnton">Πόντον</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fras">πέρας</w> <w lemma="o%28ri%2Fzontos">ὁρίζοντος</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Abuza%2Fntion">Βυζάντιον</w> <w lemma="diasth%2Fmatos">διαστήματος</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aproponti%2Fda">Προποντίδα</w>,
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<w lemma="metacu%5C">μεταξὺ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ermai%3Don">Ἑρμαῖον</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="prooxh%3Ds">προοχῆς</w> <w lemma="tinos">τινος</w> <w lemma="a%29krwthriazou%2Fshs">ἀκρωτηριαζούσης</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmati">στόματι</w> <w lemma="kei%2Fmenon">κείμενον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fas">Ἀσίας</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fxei">ἀπέχει</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnte">πέντε</w> <w lemma="sta%2Fdia">στάδια</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="stenw%2Ftaton">στενώτατον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxei">ὑπάρχει</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmatos:">στόματος·</w> <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adarei%3Don">Δαρεῖον</w> <w lemma="zeu%3Dcai%2F">ζεῦξαί</w> <w lemma="fasi">φασι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="po%2Fron">πόρον</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Asku%2Fqas">Σκύθας</w> <w lemma="dia%2Fbasin">διάβασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllon">ἄλλον</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fntou">Πόντου</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsio%2Fs">παραπλήσιός</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="fora%5C">φορὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="r%28eu%2Fmatos">ῥεύματος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28moio%2Fthta">ὁμοιότητα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fteron">ἑκάτερον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="sto%2Fmati">στόματι</w> <w lemma="parhko%2Fntwn">παρηκόντων</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn:">τόπων·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29pa%5Cn">ἐπὰν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ermai%3Don">Ἑρμαῖον</w>, <w lemma="h%28%3D%7C">ᾗ</w> <w lemma="stenw%2Ftaton">στενώτατον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffamen">ἔφαμεν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w>, <w lemma="fero%2Fmenos">φερόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Apo%2Fntou">Πόντου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sugkleio%2Fmenos">συγκλειόμενος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="r%28ou%3Ds">ῥοῦς</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fa%7C">βίᾳ</w> <w lemma="prospe%2Fsh%7C">προσπέσῃ</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="trapei%5Cs">τραπεὶς</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fsper">ὥσπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="plhgh%3Ds">πληγῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29mpi%2Fptei">ἐμπίπτει</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipe%2Fras">ἀντιπέρας</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fas">Ἀσίας</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dqen">ἐκεῖθεν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="u%28postrofh%3Ds">ὑποστροφῆς</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntapo%2Fdosin">ἀνταπόδοσιν</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dtai">ποιεῖται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28esti%2Fas">Ἑστίας</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fkra">ἄκρα</w> <w lemma="kalou%2Fmena">καλούμενα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%2Fqen">ὅθεν</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%2Fsas">ὁρμήσας</w> <w lemma="prospi%2Fptei">προσπίπτει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Abou%3Dn">Βοῦν</w> <w lemma="kaloume%2Fnhn">καλουμένην</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fs">ὅς</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29asi%2Fas">Ἀσίας</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpos">τόπος</w>, <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="e%29pisth%3Dnai%2F">ἐπιστῆναί</w> <w lemma="fasi">φασι</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="mu%3Dqoi">μῦθοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29iw%5C">Ἰὼ</w> <w lemma="peraiwqei%3Dsan">περαιωθεῖσαν</w>.
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<w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2F">ὅ</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="r%28ou%3Ds">ῥοῦς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%2Fsas">ὁρμήσας</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aboo%5Cs">Βοὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29p%27">ἐπ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5C">αὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="fe%2Fretai">φέρεται</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Abuza%2Fntion">Βυζάντιον</w>, <w lemma="perisxisqei%5Cs">περισχισθεὶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="braxu%5C">βραχὺ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="ko%2Flpon">κόλπον</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="diori%2Fzei">διορίζει</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kalou%2Fmenon">καλούμενον</w> <w lemma="%2Ake%2Fras">Κέρας</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29poneu%2Fei">ἀπονεύει</w>.
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<w lemma="dieutonei%3Dn">διευτονεῖν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29ke%2Fti">οὐκέτι</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntipe%2Fras">ἀντιπέρας</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w>, <w lemma="e%29f%27">ἐφ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="e%29sti">ἐστι</w> <w lemma="%2Akalxhdw%2Fn:">Καλχηδών·</w>
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<w lemma="pleona%2Fkis">πλεονάκις</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29ntapo%2Fdosin">ἀνταπόδοσιν</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnos">πεποιημένος</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="po%2Frou">πόρου</w> <w lemma="pla%2Ftos">πλάτος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontos">ἔχοντος</w>, <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpon">τόπον</w> <w lemma="e%29kluo%2Fmenos">ἐκλυόμενος</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="r%28ou%3Ds">ῥοῦς</w> <w lemma="ou%29ke%2Fti">οὐκέτι</w> <w lemma="braxei%2Fas">βραχείας</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="o%29cei%3Dan">ὀξεῖαν</w> <w lemma="gwni%2Fan">γωνίαν</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dtai">ποιεῖται</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29nakla%2Fseis">ἀνακλάσεις</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="perai%2Fan">περαίαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29mblei%3Dan:">ἀμβλεῖαν·</w>
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<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="a%29polipw%5Cn">ἀπολιπὼν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akalxhdoni%2Fwn">Καλχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="fe%2Fretai">φέρεται</w>
<head>The Site of Byzantium</head>I must now return to the discussion of the excellence<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note89">Site <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a>.</note>of the site of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a>. The length of the channel connecting the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a> and Propontis being, as I have said, a hundred and twenty stades, and Hieron marking its termination towards the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a>, and the Strait of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a> that towards the Propontis, —half-way between these, on the European side, stands Hermaeum, on a headland jutting out into the channel, about five stades from the Asiatic coast, just at the narrowest point of the whole channel; where Darius is said to have made his bridge of ships across the strait, when he crossed to invade Scythia.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note90">B.C. 512.</note>In the rest of the channel the running of the current from the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a> is much the same, owing to the similarity of the coast formation on either side of it; but when it reaches Hermaeum on the European side, which I said was the narrowest point, the stream flowing from the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Pontus&groupId=910&placeId=1634">Pontus</a>, and being thus confined, strikes the European coast with great violence, and then, as though by a rebound from a blow, dashes against the opposite Asiatic coast, and thence again sweeps back and strikes the European shore near some headlands called the Hearths: thence it runs rapidly once more to the spot on the Asiatic side called the Cow, the place on which the myth declares Io to have first stood after swimming the channel. Finally the current runs from the Cow right up to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a>, and dividing into two streams on either side of the city, the lesser part of it forms the gulf called the Horn, while the greater part swerves once more across. But it has no longer sufficient way on it to reach the opposite shore on which Calchedon stands: for after its several counter-blows the current, finding at this point a wider channel, slackens; and no longer makes short rebounds at right angles from one shore to the other, but<pb n="319" />more and more at an obtuse angle, and accordingly, falling short of Calchedon, runs down the middle of the channel.