Histories

First she dealt with the river Euphrates [47.5,31.83] (river), AsiaEuphrates, which flows through the middle of her city; this had been straight before; but by digging canals higher up she made the river so crooked that its course now passes one of the Assyrian villages three times; the village which is so approached by the Euphrates [47.5,31.83] (river), AsiaEuphrates is called Ardericca. And now those who travel from our sea to Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon must spend three days as they float down the Euphrates [47.5,31.83] (river), AsiaEuphrates coming three times to the same village.

Such was this work; and she built an embankment along either shore of the river, marvellous for its greatness and height.

Then a long way above Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon she dug the reservoir of a lake, a little way off from the river, always digging deep enough to find water, and making the circumference a distance of fifty two miles; what was dug out of this hole, she used to embank either edge of the river;

and when she had it all dug, she brought stones and made a quay all around the lake.

Her purpose in making the river wind and turning the hole into marsh was this: that the current might be slower because of the many windings that broke its force, and that the passages to Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon might be crooked, and that right after them should come also the long circuit of the lake.