Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.33.5

← 1.33.4 1.33.6 →

Passage 1.33.5: Ethiopians and the Nasamones by Mount Atlas

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι πρόσοικοι Μαύροις Αἰθίοπες ἄχρι Νασαμώνων παρήκοντες. Νασαμῶνες γάρ, οὓς Ἄτλαντας Ἡρόδοτος, οἱ δὲ μέτρα φάμενοι γῆς εἰδέναι Λιξίτας καλοῦσι, Λιβύων οἱ ἔσχατοι πρὸς Ἄτλαντι οἰκοῦσι σπείροντες μὲν οὐδέν, ἀπὸ δὲ ἀμπέλων ζῶντες ἀγρίων. ποταμὸς δὲ οὐδὲ τούτοις τοῖς Αἰθίοψιν οὐδὲ τοῖς Νασαμῶσίν ἐστιν οὐδείς· τὸ γὰρ πρὸς τῷ Ἄτλαντι ὕδωρ, τρισί παρεχόμενον ἀρχὰς ῥεύμασιν, οὐδὲν τῶν ῥευμάτων ποιεῖ ποταμόν, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ὁμοίως αὐτίκα ἔχει συλλαβοῦσα ἡ ψάμμος. οὕτως Αἰθίοπες ποταμῷ γε οὐδενὶ προσοικοῦσιν ἢ Ὠκεανῷ.

English Translation

There are also other Ethiopians neighboring the Mauri, extending as far as the Nasamones. For the Nasamones—whom Herodotus calls "Atlantes," and others, who claim knowledge of measuring the earth, name "Lixitae"—are the westernmost Libyans living near Mount Atlas. They sow nothing, but live from wild vines. Neither these Ethiopians nor the Nasamones have any river; for the water by Atlas, though providing a source for three distinct streams, does not form a true river from any of them, since the sand immediately swallows and hides all. Thus the Ethiopians there dwell near no river whatsoever, only by Ocean itself.

Proper Nouns

Oceanus (Ὠκεανός) deity
Ethiopians (Αἰθίοπες) person
Libyans (Λίβυες) person
Lixites (Λίξιτες) person
Mauroi (Μαῦροι) person
Also in: 8.43.3
Nasamones (Νασαμῶνες) person
Also in: 1.33.6
Atlas (Ἄτλας) person
Herodotus (Ἡρόδοτος) person
Atlas (Ἄτλας) place Q130135
Also in: 1.33.6 8.43.3
← 1.33.4 1.33.6 →