Dionysius Periegetes

Dionysius Periegetes (Ancient Greek: Διονύσιος ὁ Περιηγητής; Latin: Dionysius Periegeta, 'Dionysius the Voyager') was the author of a description of the then-known world in Greek hexameter verse. He is believed to have been from Alexandria and to have lived around the time of Hadrian (r. 117–138), though some date his lifetime as late as the end of the 3rd century. Quotes Greek text cited from J. L. Lightfoot, Dionysius Periegetes. Description of the Known World (Oxford, 2014). thumb|Deep-flowing Ocean...enwreathes the earth entire, like a vast isle. Ἀρχόμενος γαῖάν τε καὶ εὐρέα πόντον ἀείδεινκαὶ ποταμοὺς πόλιάς τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἄκριτα φῦλα,μνήσομαι Ὠκεανοῖο βαθυρρόου. ἐν γὰρ ἐκείνῳπᾶσα χθών, ἅτε νῆσος ἀπείριτος, ἐστεφάνωται,οὐ μὲν πᾶσα διαπρὸ περίδρομος, ἀλλὰ διαμφὶςὀξυτέρη βεβαυῖα πρὸς ἠελίοιο κελεύθους,σφενδόνῃ εἰοικυῖα· μίαν δέ ἑ καίπερ ἐοῦσανἄνθρωποι τρισσῇσιν ἐπ᾿ ἠπείροισι δάσαντο·πρώτην μὲν Λιβύην, μετὰ δ᾿ Εὐρώπην Ἀσίην τε. I rise to sing of earth and the broad sea,And rivers, towns, and countless tribes of men,And first shall name deep-flowing Ocean, whichEnwreathes the earth entire, like a vast isle,Not wholly round throughout, but at each endProceeding to a point on the sun's path,Shaped like a sling. Organic though it is,Into three regions men have portioned it,First Libya; after, Europe; Asia last. Lines 1–9, translated by J. L. Lightfoot, Description of the Known World (Oxford, 2014) p. 201 Πρὸς δ᾿ αὐγὰς Ἰνδῶν ἐρατὴ παραπέπταται αἶα,πασάων πυμάτη, παρὰ χείλεσιν Ὠκεανοῖο,ἥν ῥά τ᾿ ἀνερχόμενος μακάρων ἐπὶ ἔργα καὶ ἀνδρῶνἠέλιος πρώτῃσιν ἐπιφλέγει ἀκτίνεσσιν.τῷ γαίης ναέται μὲν ὑπὸ χρόα κυανέουσι,θεσπέσιον λιπόωντες, ἐειδομένας δ᾿ ὑακίνθῳ πιοτάτας φορέουσιν ὑπὸ κροτάφοισιν ἐθείρας,τῶν δ᾿ οἱ μὲν χρυσοῖο μεταλλεύουσι γενέθλην,ψάμμον ἐϋγνάμπτῃσι λαχαίνοντες μακέλῃσιν·οἱ δ᾿ ἱστοὺς ὑφόωσι λινεργέας· οἱ δ᾿ ἐλεφάντωνἀργυφέους πρισθέντας ἀποξύουσιν ὀδόντας·ἄλλοι δ᾿ ἰχνεύουσιν ἐπὶ προμολῇσιν ἀναύρωνἤ που βηρύλλου γλαυκὴν λίθον ἠδ᾿ ἀδάμανταμαρμαίροντ᾿ ἢ χλωρὰ διαυγάζουσαν ἴασπινἢ καὶ γλαυκιόωντα λίθον καθαροῖο τοπάζουκαὶ γλυκερὴν ἀμέθυστον ὑπηρέμα πορφυρέουσαν·παντοῖον γὰρ γαῖα μετ᾿ ἀνδράσιν ὄλβον ἀέξειἀενάοις ποταμοῖσι κατάρρυτος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα. To th’ east a lovely country wide extends,India, whose borders the wide ocean bounds;On this the sun, new rising from the main,Smiles pleas’d, and sheds his early orient beam.Th’ inhabitants are swart, and in their locksBetray the tints of the dark hyacinth.Various their functions; some the rock explore,And from the mine extract the latent gold;Some labour at the woof with cunning skill,And manufacture linen; others shapeAnd polish iv’ry with the nicest care:Many retire to rivers shoal, and plungeTo seek the beryl flaming in its bed,Or glittering diamond. Oft the jasper’s foundGreen, but diaphanous; the topaz tooOf ray serene and pleading; last of allThe lovely amethyst, in which combineAll the mild shades of purple. The rich soil,Wash’d by a thousand rivers, from all sidesPours on the natives wealth without control. Lines 1107–1124, translated by Jacob Bryant, A New System, or, An Analysis of Ancient Mythology, vol. 3 (London, 1776) p. 227 External links "Dionysius Periegetes, 'Orbis Descriptio'" at the Perseus Digital Library (Greek text used above) Category:Authors from Greece Category:Authors from Egypt