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if this had been so； the Sun being driven from the midst of the heaven by
the winter and the North Wind would go to the upper parts of Europe； just
as now he comes to the upper parts of Libya； and passing in his course
throughout the whole of Europe I suppose he would do to the Ister that
which he now works upon the Nile。 As to the breeze； why none blows
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from the river； my opinion is that from very hot places it is not natural that
anything should blow； and that a breeze is wont to blow from something
cold。
Let these matters then be as they are and as they were at the first： but
as to the sources of the Nile； not one either of the Egyptians or of the
Libyans or of the Hellenes； who came to speech with me； professed to
know anything； except the scribe of the sacred treasury of Athene at the
city of Sais in Egypt。 To me however this man seemed not to be speaking
seriously when he said that he had certain knowledge of it； and he said as
follows； namely that there were two mountains of which the tops ran up to
a sharp point； situated between the city of Syene； which is in the district of
Thebes； and Elephantine； and the names of the mountains were； of the one
Crophi and of the other Mophi。 From the middle between these mountains
flowed （he said） the sources of the Nile； which were fathomless in depth；
and half of the water flowed to Egypt and towards the North Wind； the
other half to Ethiopia and the South Wind。 As for the fathomless depth of
the source； he said that Psammetichos king of Egypt came to a trial of this
matter； for he had a rope twisted of many thousand fathoms and let it
down in this place； and it found no bottom。 By this the scribe （if this
which he told was really as he said） gave me to understand that there were
certain strong eddies there and a backward flow； and that since the water
dashed against the mountains； therefore the sounding…line could not come
to any bottom when it was let down。 From no other person was I able to
learn anything about this matter； but for the rest I learnt so much as here
follows by the most diligent inquiry； for I went myself as an eye…witness
as far as the city of Elephantine and from that point onwards I gathered
knowledge by report。 From the city of Elephantine as one goes up the river
there is country which slopes steeply； so that here one must attach ropes to
the vessel on both sides； as one fastens an ox； and so make one's way
onward； and if the rope break； the vessel is gone at once； carried away by
the violence of the stream。 Through this country it is a voyage of about
four days in length； and in this part the Nile is winding like the river
Maiander； and the distance amounts to twelve /schoines/； which one must
traverse in this manner。 Then you will come to a level plain； in which the
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Nile flows round an island named Tachompso。 （Now in the regions above
the Elephantine there dwell Ethiopians at once succeeding； who also
occupy half of the island； and Egyptians the other half。） Adjoining this
island there is a great lake； round which dwell Ethiopian nomad tribes； and
when you have sailed through this you will come to the stream of the Nile
again； which flows into this lake。 After this you will disembark and make
a journey by land of forty days； for in the Nile sharp rocks stand forth out
of the water； and there are many reefs； by which it is not possible for a
vessel to pass。 Then after having passed through this country in the forty
days which I have said； you will embark again in another vessel and sail
for twelve days； and after this you will come to a great city called Meroe。
This city is said to be the mother…city of all the other Ethiopians： and they
who dwell in it reverence of the gods Zeus and Dionysos alone； and these
they greatly honour； and they have an Oracle of Zeus established； and
make warlike marches whensoever the god commands them by
prophesyings and to whatsoever place he commands。 Sailing from this city
you will come to the 〃Deserters〃 in another period of time equal to that in
which you came from Elephantine to the mother…city of the Ethiopians。
Now the name of these 〃Deserters〃 is /Asmach/； and this word signifies；
when translated into the tongue of the Hellenes； 〃those who stand on the
left hand of the king。〃 These were two hundred and forty thousand
Egyptians of the warrior class； who revolted and went over to these
Ethiopians for the following cause：In the reign of Psammetichos
garrisons were set； one towards the Ethiopians at the city of Elephantine；
another towards the Arabians and Assyrians at Daphnai of Pelusion； and
another towards Libya at Marea： and even in my own time the garrisons of
the Persians too are ordered in the same manner as these were in the reign
of Psammetichos； for both at Elephantine and at Daphnai the Persians
have outposts。 The Egyptians then of whom I speak had served as outposts
for three years and no one relieved them from their guard； accordingly
they took counsel together； and adopting a common plan they all in a body
revolted from Psammetichos and set out for Ethiopia。 Hearing this
Psammetichos set forth in pursuit； and when he came up with them he
entreated them much and endeavoured to persuade them not to desert the
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gods of their country and their children and wives： upon which it is said
that one of them pointed to his privy member and said that wherever this
was； there would they have both children and wives。 When these came to
Ethiopia they gave themselves over to the king of the Ethiopians； and he
rewarded them as follows：there were certain of the Ethiopians who had
come to be at variance with him； and he bade them drive these out and
dwell in their land。 So since these men settled in the land of the Ethiopians；
the Ethiopians have come to be of milder manners； from having learnt the
customs of the Egyptians。
The Nile then； besides the part of its course which is in Egypt； is
known as far as a four months' journey by river and land： for that is the
number of months which are found by reckoning to be spent in going from
Elephantine to these 〃Deserters〃： and the river runs from the West and the
setting of the sun。 But what comes after that point no one can clearly say；
for this land is desert by reason of the burning heat。 This much however I
heard from men of Kyrene； who told me that they had been to the Oracle
of Ammon； and had come to speech with Etearchos king of the
Ammonians： and it happened that after speaking of other matters they fell
to discourse about the Nile and how no one knew the sources of it； and
Etearchos said that once there came to him men of the Nasamonians （this
is a Libyan race which dwells in the Syrtis； and also in the land to the East
of the Syrtis reaching to no great distance）； and when the Nasamonians
came and were asked by him whether they were able to tell him anything
more than he knew about the desert parts of Libya； they said that there had
been among them certain sons of chief men； who were of unruly
disposition； and these when they grew up to be men had devised various
other extravagant things and also they had told off by lot five of
themselves to go to see the desert parts of Libya and to try whether they
could discover more than those who had previously explored furthest： for
in those parts of Libya which are by the Northern Sea； beginning from
Egypt and going as far as the headland of Soloeis； which is the extreme
point of Libya； Libyans （and of them many races） extend along the whole
coast； except so much as the Hellenes and Phenicians hold； but in the
upper parts； which lie above the sea…coast and above those people whose
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