| Keywords |
|
| ID |
4972 |
| Text |
De Bellis (530 - 560) Procopius |
| Quotation |
Ταύτης δὲ τῆς χώρας καθύπερθεν ὄρος τὸ Καυκάσιόν ἐστι. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ὄρος, ὁ Καύκασος, ἐς τοσόνδε ὕψος ἀνέχει, ὥστε δὴ αὐτοῦ τῶν μὲν ὑπερβολῶν οὔτε ὄμβρους οὔτε νιφετοὺς ἐπιψαύειν ποτέ· τῶν γὰρ νεφελῶν αὐτὰς άπασῶν καθυπερτέρας ξυμβαίνει εἶναι. τὰ δὲ μέσα μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων χιόνων ἔμπλεα διηνεκές ἐστι. καὶ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ οἱ πρόποδες ὑψηλοὶ ἐσάγαν τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες, οὐδέν τι καταδεέστεροι τὼν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τοῖς ἄλλοις σκοπέλωυ. τῶν δὲ τοῦ Καυκασίου ὄρους προπόδων οἱ μὲν πρός τε βορρᾶν ἄνεμον καὶ ἥλιον δύοντα τετραμμένοι ἔς τε ᾿Ιλλυριοὺς καὶ Θπᾷκας διήκουσιν, οἱ δὲ πρός τε ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον καὶ ἄνεμον νότον ἐς τὰς διεξόδους ἐξικνοῦνται αὐτὰς αἳ τὰ τῇδε ᾠκημένα Οὐννικὰ ἔθνη ἐς γῆν τήν τε Περσῶν καὶ Ῥωμαίων ἄγουσιν. ὧνπερ ἀτέρα μὲν Τζοὺρ ἐπικέκληται, ἡ δὲ δὴ ἑτέρα Πύλη ἐκ παλαιοῦ Κασπία ἐκλήθη. ταύτην δὲ τὴν χώραν ἣ ἐξ ὄρους τοῦ Καυκάσου ἄχρι ἐς τὰς Κασπίας κατατείνει Πύλας Ἀλανοὶ ἔχουσιν, αὐτόνομον ἔθνος, οἳ δὴ καὶ Πέρσαις τὰ πολλὰ ξυμμαχοῦσιν, ἐπί τε Ῥωμαίους καὶ ἄλλους πολεμίους στρατεύουσι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τῷ ὄρει τῷ Καυκασίῳ ταύτῃ πη ἔχει. |
| Translation |
Above and beyond this country are the mountains of the Caucasus. This mountain range which composes the Caucasus rises to such a great height that its summits are in fact never touched
either by rain or by snow ; for they are indeed above all clouds. But the middle slopes are continually
filled with snow down to the very base. And from this it may be inferred that the foothills are extremely high, being in no way inferior to the principal ridges of other mountains. Now the spurs of the Caucasus range extend in one direction to the north and west and continue into Illyricum and Thrace while in the other direction they extend toward the east and south and reach as far as those very passes which provide entrance for the Hunnic nations (Ounnikà éthnē) inhabiting that region into both Persian and Roman territory. One of these passes is called Tzur, while the other has been named the Caspian Gates from ancient times. But this country which extends from the Caucasus range as far as the Caspian Gates is held by the Alani (Alanoì), an autonomous nation, who are for the most part allied with the Persians (Pérsai) and march against the Romans (Rhōmaíoi) and their other enemies. So much then may be said regarding the Caucasus. |
| Summary |
Procopius' description of the Caucasus. Erroneous reference to Illyricum and Thrace. Mention of the Alans as inhabiting the area between the Caucasus and the Caspian gates, here to be interpreted as the Darial Gorge. |
| Quotation source |
8. 3. 1-4. Dewing (1928) (pp. 72-75) |
| Temporal Coverage |
540 - 560 |
| Associated use case(s) |
|
| Spatial Coverage Objects |
|
| Comment |
|
