Histories

I was unable to learn anything from anyone else, but this much further I did learn by the most extensive investigation that I could make, going as far as the city of Elephantine to look myself, and beyond that by question and hearsay.

Beyond Elephantine, as one travels inland, the land rises. Here one must pass with the boat roped on both sides as men harness an ox; and if the rope breaks, the boat will be carried away by the strength of the current.

This part of the river is a four days' journey by boat, and the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile here is twisty just as the Buyukmenderes Nehri [27.183,37.466] (river), Turkey, Asia Maeander; a distance of twelve schoeni must be passed in the foregoing manner. After that, you come to a level plain, where there is an island in the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile, called Takhompso.

The country above Elephantine now begins to be inhabited by Ethiopians: half the people of the island are Ethiopians, and half Egyptians. Near the island is a great lake, on whose shores live nomadic Ethiopians. After crossing this, you come to the stream of the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile, which empties into this lake.

Then you disembark and journey along the river bank for forty days; for there are sharp projecting rocks in the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile and many reefs, through which no boat can pass.

Having traversed this part in forty days as I have said, you take boat again and so travel for twelve days until you come to a great city called Meroe [33.716,16.933] (deserted settlement), Nile, Ash-Shamaliyah, Sudan, AfricaMeroe, which is said to be the capital of all Ethiopia [39,8] (nation), AfricaEthiopia.

The people of the place worship no other gods but Zeus and Dionysus;[*](The Greek equivalents for Amun and Osiris.) these they greatly honor, and they have a place of divination sacred to Zeus; they send out armies whenever and wherever this god through his oracle commands them[*](Herodotus' account of the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile in this chapter is for the most part vague and untrustworthy. He is right as to the current above Elephantine, as those who have made the passage between the As-Sadd al- Ali [32.866,23.966] (dam), Aswan, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaAssuan Dam and Aswan [32.666,23.83] (governorate), Upper Egypt, Egypt, Africa Assuan will realize. But the conditions have of course been entirely altered by the construction of the dam.).