Ἀλφειός
Alpheios, Alpheus
Translated by Jennifer Benedict12 Jun 2000Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
A river of1 the Arcadian city [of that name], which is situated in the Peloponnese. Reaching open water through the Adriatic Sea, and mixing in no way with the brine, it surges up by the island of Sicily around the spring called Arethusa, as if it were her beloved.2
"But here's someone running and breathing Alpheus".3 Thus swiftly, as if an Olympic runner, derived from the river flowing by.4
I think the Theologian is speaking about this [sc. when he says] "and if some river is believed to flow sweet through sea-water".5
"But here's someone running and breathing Alpheus".3 Thus swiftly, as if an Olympic runner, derived from the river flowing by.4
I think the Theologian is speaking about this [sc. when he says] "and if some river is believed to flow sweet through sea-water".5
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἀλφειός· ποταμὸς τῆς Ἀρκαδικῆς πόλεως, ἣ κεῖται κατὰ τὴν Πελοπόννησον. δυόμενος δὲ διὰ τῆς Ἀδριάδος θαλάσσης τὸ πέλαγος, μηδαμῶς τε τῇ ἁλμυρίδι μιγνύμενος, κατὰ τὴν νῆσον ἀναδίδοται Σικελίας περὶ τὴν πηγὴν τὴν λεγομένην Ἀρέθουσαν, ὡς ἂν ταύτης ἐρώμενος. ἀλλ' οὑτοσὶ τρέχει τις Ἀλφειὸν πνέων. οὕτω συντόμως τρέχει ὡσεὶ Ὀλυμπιακὸς σταδιοδρόμος, ἀπὸ τοῦ παραρρέοντος ποταμοῦ. περὶ τούτου οἶμαι τὸν Θεόλογον λέγειν· καὶ εἴ τις ποταμὸς πιστεύεται δι' ἅλμης ῥέων γλυκύς.
Betacode
*)alfeio/s: potamo\s th=s *)arkadikh=s po/lews, h(\ kei=tai kata\ th\n *pelopo/nnhson. duo/menos de\ dia\ th=s *)adria/dos qala/sshs to\ pe/lagos, mhdamw=s te th=| a(lmuri/di mignu/menos, kata\ th\n nh=son a)nadi/dotai *sikeli/as peri\ th\n phgh\n th\n legome/nhn *)are/qousan, w(s a)\n tau/ths e)rw/menos. a)ll' ou(tosi\ tre/xei tis *)alfeio\n pne/wn. ou(/tw sunto/mws tre/xei w(sei\ *)olumpiako\s stadiodro/mos, a)po\ tou= pararre/ontos potamou=. peri\ tou/tou oi)=mai to\n *qeo/logon le/gein: kai\ ei)/ tis potamo\s pisteu/etai di' a(/lmhs r(e/wn gluku/s.
Notes (5)
- See also alpha 1448.↩
- 1Meaning: taking its name from. ↩
- 2cf. alpha 3821. Pausanias gives a more complete description of the river in 8.54.1-3 and the mythology behind it in 5.7.1-3 (web addresses 1 & 2). ↩
- 3Aristophanes, Birds 1121 (web address 3); cf. alpha 1362. ↩
- 4From the scholia on the line. ↩
- 5Gregory of Nazianzus PG 36 524c.
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 3 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from4 entries
- α1263ἈλίφειραAlipheira, AliphiraName of a city. Also [sc. attested is] 'Alipheireus', name of a river.
- α1362Ἀλλ' οὑτοσὶ τρέχει τὶς Ἀλφειὸν πνέωνbut here is some runner breathing AlpheiosAristophanes [sc. writes this]. [He means] an Olympic runner, from the river flowing by [Olympia].
- α1448ἈλφειόςAlpheios, AlpheusA river [of that name]. Homer [writes]: "[the river Alpheios,] which flows broad through the land of the Pylians." [The one] which "is hidden immediately after its source and carries on for quite a way underground,…
- α3821ἈρέθουσαArethousa, ArethusaA spring on the island of Sicily, into which flows [the] Alpheus, a river of the Arcadian city [of that name], reaching open water through the Adriatic Sea and mingling in no way with the brine, as if [it were] the…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history7 revisions · last 11 Feb 2012
- — David Whitehead
- more keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- added keywords — David Whitehead
- Cosmetics. — Catharine Roth
- modified translation; augmented notes; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- —
- —
- Translated — Jennifer Benedict