Herodotus: Pygmies

Question 1

μεχρι μέν τετταρων μηνῶν πλόυ καὶ ὁδοῦ γινώσκεται ὁ Νεῖλος, πάρεξ τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ῥεύματος.

Answer 1

The Nile is known as far as a voyage or journey of 4 months, beyond the part which flows in Egypt.
* τετταρων: statistic information, long duration of the journey => length of the Nile => anticipate what lies on the banks of the Nile.
* πλόυ καὶ ὁδοῦ: pleonastic, connotations of exploration => the Nile as an exotic mystery => learn more about the Nile & people’s journeys down this intriguing river.

Question 2

ῥέι δ’ ἀφ’ ἑσπέρας τε καὶ ἡλίου δυσμων.

Answer 2

It flows from the west and the setting of the Sun.
* ἀφ’ ἑσπέρας τε καὶ ἡλίου δυσμων: Pleonastic => poetically describes the direction of the Nile => grandiose image => majestic

Question 3

τὸ δ’ ἀπο τοῦδε οὐδεὶς ἔχει σαφως φράσαι

Answer 3

And no one can speak clearly about the part after this;
* Unknown remoteness

Question 4

ἔρημος γὰρ ἐστὶν ἡ χώρα αὕτη ὑπὸ καύματος.

Answer 4

For this land is desolate because of its heat.
* ἔρημος… καύματος: E.P. encloses => highlights the arid, lifeless image that the adjectives evoke => difficulty of accessing that area.

Question 5

ἀλλὰ τάδε μὲν ἤκουσα ἀνδρῶν Κυρηναίων

Answer 5

But I have heard the following from some Cyrenaeans
* ἀλλὰ: Marks contrast, foreshadowing that Hdt will give readers info about this unknown territory => grips readers’ interests.
* τάδε μὲν ἤκουσα: Personal knowledge => reliable

Question 6

φαμένων ἐλθεῖν τε ἐπὶ τὸ Ἄμμωνος χρηστήριον

Answer 6

Who said that they had gone to an oracle of Ammon

Question 7

καὶ ἀπψικέσθαι ἐις λόγους Ἐτεάρχῳ τῷ Ἀμμωνίων βασιλέι

Answer 7

And came to speech with Etearchos, king of the Ammonians

Question 8

καί πως ἐκ λόγων ἄλλων ἀφικοντο ἐς λέσχην περὶ τοῦ Νείλου, ὡς οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὰς πηγάς αυτου.

Answer 8

And in some way from other conversations they came to a discussion concerning the Nile, about how no one knows its source.
* ἀπψικέσθαι, ἀφικοντο: polyptoton => both the metaphorical & physical journeys taken by the Cyrenaeans to know more about the Nile => difficulty of obtaining knowledge about it => importance of info that Hdt will reveal.
* λόγους, λογων: polyptoton => Info about Nile is communicated via word of mouth => primary source of info for contemporaries abt exotic places => travellers’ tales, intrigue
* οὐδεὶς οἶδε: alliteration => lack of knowledge, mystery

Question 9

ο δε Ἐτέαρχος εφη ἐλθεῖν ποτε παρ᾽εαὐτὸν Νασαμῶνας ἄνδρας,

Answer 9

But Etearchus said that some Nasomonians once came to his court,

Question 10

οι, εἰρωτωμένους εἴ τι ἔχουσι πλέον λέγειν περὶ τῶν ἐρήμων τῆς Λιβύης,

Answer 10

Who, on being questioned if they were able to say anymore about the desert places of Libya,
* πλεον, ειρωτωμενους: inquiring tone => curiosity of Etearchus & his court

Question 11

εφάσαν παρ’ εαυτοις γενέσθαι ἀνδρῶν δυναστων παῖδας ὑβριστάς,

Answer 11

Said that among them had been some insolent sons of their chief men,
* ὑβριστάς: strong characterisation => exploring the Libyan deserts is a dangerous task that only such arrogant, young ‘sons’ of aristocratic descent would take the challenge of => anticipate their adventures.

Question 12

οι, ἄλλα τε μηχανωντο ἀνδρωθέντες περιττὰ καὶ δὴ καὶ ἀποκληρωσειαν πέντε ἑαυτῶν ὀψομένους τὰ ἔρημα τῆς Λιβύης.

Answer 12

Who, after they became men, contrived other excesses and in particular chose by lot five of them to [go and] see the desert regions of Libya.
* Overly daring nature: περιπα, και δη και => they indulged in excesses and in particular, decided to explore Libya => polyptoton draws attention to this specific excess.
* ὀψομένους: eye-witness rather than word of mouth => visual evidence draws anticipation from readers => closer to learning about actual info regarding the Nile.

Question 13

τῆς γὰρ Λιβύης τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὴν βορηίαν θάλασσαν, ἀπ᾽ Αἰγύπτου ἀρξάμενοι μέχρι Σολόεντος ἄκρας, ἣ τελευτᾷ τῆς Λιβύης, οικουσι Λίβυες καὶ Λιβύων ἔθνη πολλά πλην οσον Ελληνες καὶ Φοίνικες ἔχουσι

Answer 13

For the Libyans and many Libyan tribes inhabit the parts of Libya along the north sea, beginning from Egypt as far as the promontory of Soleis, which is the end of Libya, except for as much as the Greeks and Phoenicians possess.

Question 14

τὰ δε καθύπερθε τουτων θηριώδης ἐστὶν ἡ Λιβύη

Answer 14

But as concerns the parts further inland than this, Libya is full of wild beasts,
* Contrast between inhabited parts and the complete wilderness beyond.

Question 15

τὰ δὲ κατύπερθε τῆς θηριώδους ψάμμος τε ἐστὶ καὶ ἄνυδρος δεινῶς καὶ ἔρημος πάντων.

Answer 15

And the parts further inland than this region full of wild beasts is sand and terribly waterless and empty of all things.
* Repetition & polyptoton: further into the wilderness
* Polysyndetic tricolon with crescendo & E.P. of παντων: environment which is unsuitable for the survival of animals => lifeless, desolate wasteland
* Libya’s tripartite nature: 1) inhabited by humans 2) wilderness & beasts 3) total absence of life

Question 16

οι ουν νεανιαι, ως εφασαν οι Νασαμωνες, ἀποπεμπομένους ὑπὸ τῶν ἡλίκων,

Answer 16

Therefore the young man, as the Nasomonians said, when they had been sent out by their peers,

Question 17

ὕδατί τε καὶ σιτίοις εὖ ἐξηρτυμένοι

Answer 17

Equipped well with water and food
* Syndetic phrase: extent of preparation => even reckless young men have to be well-prepared => journey infused with physical hardships.

Question 18

ησαν πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τῆς οἰκεομένης. ταύτην δὲ διεξελθόντες ἐις τὴν θηριώδη ἀφικοντο, ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τὴν ἔρημον διεξησαν, τὴν ὁδὸν ποιομένοι πρὸς ζέφυρον ἄνεμον. διεξελθόντας δὲ χῶρον πολυν ψαμμώδη καὶ ἐν πολλαις ἡμέραις,

Answer 18

went first through the inhabited region. And having passed through this, they arrived at the region full of wild beasts, and from this, they passed through the desert region, making their way towards the west wind. And having passed through a large sandy region for many days,
* Describing their journey through the three parts of Libya, Hdt uses polyptoton to say they ‘passed through’ each of these regions => Connotations of continuous progression, arrive and then leave => haven’t reached their final destination.
* πολυν, πολλαις: Polyptoton stresses the length of the journey both geographically and timewise => monotonous, difficult journey & builds up anticipation for final destination.

Question 19

εἰδον δή ποτε δένδρα ἐν πεδίῳ πεφυκότα,

Answer 19

they at last saw trees growing on a plain
* δενδρα: verdant connotations of life juxtaposed against previous descriptions of bleak, lifeless deserts => finally left the monotous, strenuous part of journey => audience anticipates what they’ll encounter at this new land beyond the 3 parts of Libya.
* E.P. of εἰδον: elevates the excitement brought by their sight + signals to readers that they are close to seeing the truth thanks to the men’s discovery of this new place.