A Good Works Translation from the Latin

Avienus' Periegesis is a late antique Latin geographical poem adapted from Dionysius Periegetes. The whole poem describes the inhabited world; the translated passages below gather its northern and eastern geography where the Scythian shelf has its strongest claim.

The sequence runs from the Tanais as boundary between Europe and Asia, through Maeotis and the Scythian bow of the Euxine, to the Sarmatians, Caucasus, Colchis, the Caspian peoples, Massagetae, Sogdiana, Oxus, Iaxartae, Tochari, Seres, Parthians, and the southern Scythian near the Indus.

The English below is a selected Good Works Translation from the Latin source text held in the Scythian source archive.

Translation

Continents, Tanais, Scythia, Maeotis, and the Caspian

The earth is encircled by the water of Ocean, lifting its head in the blue sea like a small island. Yet the inhabited shape is not everywhere rounded at the outer edge, where peoples dwell and where the land obeys the plough. Toward the morning, where the sky reddens with the sun, it spreads wider and bends with the field of a cut sod; the rest stretches out. One earth has three boundaries: first those of Libya, Europe, and Asia.

Where the force of salt water enters from the western sea and slips into the hollow places of the lands, and where steep Atlas swells with high ridges, Libya unfolds her shore. Her boundary is Gades and, far away, the seven mouths in the vast flood of the Nile, where the soil of Pharos rests and the temples of Pelusian Canopus are celebrated. From there Europe lies on the left side. But far away Asia, bending down with twin horns, presses upon both from above and contains the divisions of the broken world.

The river Tanais separates Europe and Asia. Rolling from Sarmatian boundaries, first split from the deep Arasian water and then running with its own stream, it flows into Scythia. Far from there it enters Maeotian Tethys and drives the vast straits with its inserted current; it is always stiff beneath the blasts of the northern Ismarian wind.

Where the roaring depth of the fish-filled Hellespont sounds, the slanting force of salt water leans toward the warm south. There the sea is the measure of the three lands until far away, at the mouths of the deep Nile, outflowing Tethys spreads wide. Another division cuts the globe of earth by a line. A stretch of land lying along Asia's back moves toward the shores, drawn out in huge measure. Narrowing its side there, it touches the Caspian straits from above and lies nearest the swelling Euxine. This boundary cuts Asia and Europe. Another land stretches south, and a bay lies between the inserted field, dividing Asia from the Libyan shores.

Different opinions have therefore existed about what limit should properly be held for the world. All this is barked around by the tide and bound by the mass of the hostile sea. The raging sea has one nature, but a thousand names, as the water has approached the innumerable shores of lands.

Where the kind breezes of the west wind stretch themselves, the Hesperian sea enters the lands from deep Ocean. Again, toward the Lycaonian axis, and where the hard land nourishes war-making Arimaspians, the wave of Saturn's sea lies wide in name. There dense salt stands like marble, and the sluggish nature of the sea holds itself still; no outflowing water ever rushes. In Greek use the gulf is called dead, either because the salty tract lies stunned in a slow depth, or because a sunless part of the world stiffens in gloom.

Carambis, Taurica, Maeotis, and the Scythian Bow of the Euxine

Where the sea spreads with divided tide and long ridges of land reach farther into the sea, leaving their own shores by a wandering stretch, rocky Carambis comes forward from the Paphlagonian soil. Another cliff, similar to a ram's face, thrusts itself out far away where hard Taurica lies numb beneath a frosty sky and presses the sea broadly with its extended brow. One of these sees the south from afar, the other the north.

Between the waves and the marble of the spread sea, the backs of the high ridges stand as near to one another, though a vast mass of salt water flows between their heights, as if the sea had a twin form. Toward the northern boundaries the Pontus bends its arms gently toward the rising of eastern light and toward the place where descending day is wrapped in dark shadows, making the shape of a Scythian bow. But on the side of the warm south it is straighter along the shore, lying continuously under the likeness of the taut string. Carambis alone goes beyond the boundary, turning toward the north.

Again in the northern quarter, from the open mouth of the gulf, the deep waters of the Maeotian marsh break forth. The barbarian Scythian dwells widely along the shores and calls that water the mother of the sea. She alone is parent to the Pontus, she alone mother of its flow; from this source the wandering blue waters of the Pontus draw themselves, sliding from the Cimmerian bay. There the Cimmerian Bosporus opens its throat, and around and above it the Cimmerians, a hard people, dwell. Here steep Taurus rises into ridges, supports the sky with the summit of its height, and sets its head broadly among the high stars.

Maeotians, Sarmatians, Tanais, Caucasus, Colchis, and the Caspian Peoples

Hear, then, what peoples surround Taurus. First the Maeotians encircled the salty marsh. Opposite them stands the fierce Sarmatian, once the warlike offspring of the Amazons. For when those women, born from Thracian Mars, had once acted near the rivers of vast Thermodon, they went forth and joined in union. The Sarmatian roams the long forests. Escaping from these, the Tanais wanders far through barbarian fields and stretches its back into the salty marsh. Here it separates Asia from Europe. Steep Caucasus disgorges it; poured into Scythian fields, the river nourishes the youth of unresting peoples. Winter shakes both sides of it with broad storms, and cold grips it fast.

Next dwell the Cimmerians and Sindi. There is the Cercetian people, and near them the race of the Toretae. From there the Achaeans once carried their household gods from the banks of Xanthus and Idaean Simois into valleys that crash with rocks. Nearby lives the rough race of the Heniochi, and then the Zygi, who left the realms of the Pelasgians and once held the nearest places of the Pontus.

Beside these lives the active Colchian. Exiled from fertile Egypt, he sows the rough places of a high cliff. Caucasus, lying very near the Hyrcanian water, gives in one valley the groaning Phasis; from another cave it rolls out its columns of water, and, falling into Circaean fields, enters the Euxine.

At the northern hinge of the sky, the land again lies slanted toward the boundaries of eastern light, neighboring two deeps. The Caspian water washes broadly over the earth, and the back of the Euxine salt lies below. Here the rough Iberian lives, a man once driven from the Pyrenean shore who held the fields of the east, as wandering fortune often carries men driven from their fatherland. The people of the Camaritae hold the plains; after Bacchus, victor, led the Indian columns of the Bassarids, they received him in huts and gave tables to Lyaeus, playing at orgies, their breasts girded with fawnskin, and leading dances, the play of Nysaean rite.

Above these the Caspian Tethys rises into the waves. This must be told by me. I have not ever crossed the barbarian straits of that dreadful gulf by ship, nor, wandering, crept around the world on every side. But with Phoebus as inciter and the Muses as teachers, I will sing the rivers of vast Ganges, the citadels of Caucasus, and the woodland Ariani, unfolding all things in a truth-speaking song.

The Caspian Tethys stretches along rounded shores, and curving lands bend the whole coast. So great is this sea in its poured-out depth that the moon repairs her growing light three times before anyone can cross the blue water in a swift ship. Ocean is the father of the gulf, for from the snowy axis of Helice he drives the rushing waters of the swift sea and from there the bay draws the deep to itself. Near the Caspian shallows the warlike Scythian turns; here dwell the fierce Albani; there the grim Cadusus holds hard fields, and the swift Mardi, Hyrcani, and Apyri.

The river Mardus flows through nearby soil and far away approaches the Bactrians themselves. At last, touching the fierce Dercebians in its course, it divides both peoples in the middle and is rolled into the swollen tide of the Hyrcanian salt sea. But the Bactrian fields recede far across vast ground, and that people is covered by the rocks of a Parnassian ridge. Another side holds back the Dercebians and touches the Caspian shallows. Then the Massagetae, famous for quivers and agile arrows, come next to the hoarse river Araxes: a hard race from its root, a mind ignorant of peaceful life. They do not know commerce with yellow Ceres and have always drawn a wild life without experience of Bacchus. Food and drink are one for them; through barbarian throats they swallow horse blood and curdled milk.

Not far to the north the dread Chorasmians have placed their dwellings, and nearby Sogdiana stretches her fields, Sogdiana, which the Oxus divides with a huge river. This river rushes far from the height of Hemodus, is carried through long fields, and drives the Caspian straits with its wave. Where the river's mouth lies open, the dire Iaxartae inhabit the banks. No one would strive to draw their bows; the great curve draws them, a heavy weight lies in the bent yew, the arrows have long iron, and the strings are stiff like an ox hide. From there the bloody Tochari, the fierce Phruri, and the inhospitable Seres inhabit the fields, mixed with flocks of sheep and cattle. The Seres gather fleeces from the woods. The last land holds the Epetrimi, and that place far away is empty of men. No bleating of herds leaps through the fields; the soil lies everywhere deprived of grass and lacks leaf. Nowhere does a river cut through the land. So many peoples surround the Caspian waters far and wide.

Media, the Scythian Seed, Parthia, and Southern Scythia Near the Indus

If someone again goes on foot from the Armenian height of rock and extends his step toward the eastern shores, he will see the Median kingdoms through long fields. Those who come next to the wagons of cold Bootes hold rich lands: there are the Atropateni, the Geri, and the Mardi. Those who live again toward the warm southern shore draw down the seed of the Scythian race. Fierce Medea was their author in blood. When she contrived death in the hall of Pandion, where Attic earth grows rich beside beautiful Ilissus, she is said to have been betrayed and quickly turned into exile and flight. After that, in the pine ship of Aeetes, she entered these lands and settled in these places. She had no confidence in her mind that the old Colchians would receive her. From her, then, the frenzy of magical art clings to the offspring of the Medes.

The part of the people that looks toward the red rising of Phoebus inhabits rocks and strikes out narcissus-stone from the rocks. Those who wander near thickets and wooded fields, intent upon cattle, crop the pastures with frequent herds. The Median soil pours itself through such great fields that with its extended land it touches the Caspian gates. Understand these as the doors of Asia, because that mouth yawns like a gate and the forked way departs into long shores. From here the gate opens for the Hyrcanians; from here the gate lies open for the Persians, where the world turns toward the rainy south.

Behold, beneath the immense summit of the gates, the Parthians hold the fields. It is useless for them to be troubled by the use of the curved plough. They have no care and toil to order the plains of earth with heavy harrows. They exercise themselves always in the arms of savage Mars. The dagger is companion to the side; the hand brandishes javelins; they let quivers down from their shoulders, and the deadly bow is always present to wound. They do not draw out terrible lives by shortcuts; they do not furrow the seas with ships; their fierce life is not supported by bending over flocks of cattle. Instead, only the running of wing-footed horses ever shakes them, and the beaten earth groans. Thick missiles race through the air, and the sky is widely roofed with darts.

Farther on, above Gedrosia, where the land stretches near the straits of Ocean, and near the river Indus and the side of Dawn, the Scythian dwells closest to the gentle south. This one is certainly called the southern Scythian, for the others are beaten from above by the hard north. The Indus bursts from the cave of a Caucasian rock and stretches far opposite the river of the Red Sea, flowing south in a straight course of waters.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was made from selected northern and eastern passages in the Latin text of Rufus Festus Avienus, Periegesis seu Descriptio Orbis Terrarum, preserved in the local Scythian source archive.

The English translation is independently derived from the Latin. No modern English translation was used as the base text.

Compiled for the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Avienus, Periegesis Northern and Eastern Passages

Latin source text presented for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

Source Page Lines 26-69

et qua praecipiti volvuntur prona meatu
flumina per terras, qua priscis inclyta muris
oppida nituntur, genus hoc procul omne animantum
qua colit, Aoniis perget stilus impiger orsis. 5
ardua res, musae. deus, en deus intrat Apollo
pectora, fatidicae quatiens penetralia Cirrhae.
Pierides, toto celeres Helicone venite,
concinat et Phoebo vester chorus; Oceanumque,
carminis auspicium, primum memorate camenae. 10
Oceani nam terra salo praecingitur omnis,
parva ut caeruleo caput effert insula ponto:
nec tamen extremo teres est situs undique in orbe,
qua colitur populis, qua tellus paret aratro;
sed, matutino qua caelum sole rubescit, 15
latior, accisi curvatur caespitis arvo,
cetera protentus. tria sunt confinia terrae
unius: est primum Libyae Europaeque Asiaeque.
Aequore ab Hesperio qua se salis insinuat vis,
terrarumque cavis illabitur, arduus Atlas 20
qua iuga celsa tumet, Libyae sese explicat ora:
finis huic Gades, septenaque gurgite vasto
ora procul Nili, Phariorum ubi gleba recumbit,
et Pelusiaci celebrantur templa Canopi.
Europaeque dehinc laevum est latus: at procul ambas 25
una Asia, inclinans geminis se cornibus, urget
desuper, ac rupti divortia continet orbis.
Europam atque Asiam Tanais disterminat amnis
hic se Sarmaticis evolvens finibus alta
scissus Araseo prius aequore, iam suus unda 30
effluit in Scythiam: procul hinc Maeotida Tethyn
intrat, et inserto freta pellit vasta fluento,
Ismaricique riget semper flabris aquilonis.
at qua piscosi gurges strepit Hellesponti,
vis obliqua sali tepidum procumbit in austrum, 35
terrarumque trium modus est mare, donec in alti
ora procul Nili late Thetis efflua serpat.
altera pars orbem telluris limite findit.
caespes terga iacens Asiae succedit in oras,
immensusque modi protenditur. hic latus artans 40
Caspia contingit freta desuper, atque tumenti
proximus Euxino est: Asiam conterminus iste
Europamque secat. tellus sese altera in austrum
porrigit, insertoque sinus interiacet agro
aestuat); et Libycis Asiam discernit ab oris 45

Source Page Lines 246-260

Bosphorus et tenui vix panditur oris hiatu
at qua diducto pontus distenditur aestu,
et porrecta mari terrae iuga longius intrant
in pelagus, tractuque vago sua litora linquunt,
caespite Paphlagonum prodit saxosa Carambis. 225
altera se cautes similis procul arietis ori,
dura pruinoso qua torpet Taurica caelo,
exerit, et tenta late premit aequora fronte.
eminus ista notum videt, arctos eminus illa.
porro inter fluctus ac fusi marmora ponti 230
proxima celsorum sic sunt sibi dorsa iugorum,
quamvis vasta sali moles interfluit arces,
ut gemini sit forma maris. sed brachia pontus,
finibus arctois, eoae lucis in ortum,
et qua prona dies atris involvitur umbris, 235

Source Page Lines 861-946

obliquas arces et flexilis aera pulsat; 835
nunc directa solo tentus vestigia figit.
mille dehinc amnes unus vomit, exerit unus
flumina per terras, vel qua riget ora Bootis,
vel qua lene notus spirat, qua perstrepit eurus,
et qua deiecto zephyrus sustollitur axe. 840
nec tamen hic uno signatur nomine ubique,
sed dum flectit iter, novus emicat; utque tumenti
gens vicina subest, peregrina vocabula mutat.
Accipe, qui populi circumdent denique Taurum.
Maeotae primi salsam cinxere paludem. 845
obversatur item trux Sarmata, bellica quondam
gentis Amazonidum suboles: nam cum prius illae
egissent vasti prope flumina Thermodontis
Threicio de Marte satae, iunxere profectae
concubitus: longas exercet Sarmata silvas: 850
ex quibus elapsus Tanais procul arva pererrat
barbara, et in salsam protendit terga paludem.
hic Asiam Europa disterminat. arduus istum
Caucasus eructat: Scythicos hic fusus in agros
impacatorum nutrit pubem populorum. 855
huius utrumque latus quatit amplis bruma procellis,
constrictumque tenent hunc frigora. proxima rursus
Cimmerii Sindique colunt: Cercetia gens est
adque Toretarum propter genus: indeque Achaei,
ab Xanthi ripis atque Idaeo Simoente, 860
inter chauricrepas et scruposas convallis,
transvexere larem. iuxta gens aspera degit
Eniochi, Zygique dehinc, qui regna Pelasgum
linquentes, quondam tenuerunt proxima ponti.
impiger hos propter Colchus colit: iste feraci 865
exul ab Aegypto celsae serit aspera rupis:
Caucasus Hyrcanae nimium conterminus undae
huius valle procul Phasis gemit, istius antro
agmina provolvit, Circaeaque lapsus in arva
incidit, Euxinum. borealis cardine caeli 870
rursus in eoae lucis confinia tellus
inclinata iacet, gemino vicina profundo.
Caspia nam late terram super alluit unda,
Euxinique subest tergum salis: asper Hiberus
hic agit: hic olim Pyrenide pulsus ab ora 875
caespitis eoi tenuit sola, ceu vaga saepe
fors rapit exactos patria: tenet aequora campi
gens Camaritarum, qui post certamina Bacchum,
Indica Bassaridum cum duceret agmina victor,
accepere casis, mensasque dedere Lyaeo: 880
orgia ludentes et nebride pectora cincti
deduxere choros, Nysaei ludicra ritus.
hos super in fluctus adsurgit Caspia Tethys.
Haec dicenda mihi; nec diri gurgitis umquam
lustravi pinu freta barbara, nec vagus orbem 885
undique reptavi: sed vasti flumina Gangis,
Caucaseas arces et dumicolas Arienos
incentore canam Phoebo, musisque magistris
omnia veridico decurrens carmine pandam.
Caspia per teretes Tethys distenditur oras, 890
et sinuant curvis hanc totam litora terris.
tantum sed fuso pontus iacet iste profundo,
ut ter luna prius reparet facis incrementa,
quam quis caeruleum celeri rate transeat aequor.
gurgitis Oceanus pater est: namque iste nivalis 895
axe Helices infert rapidi freta concita ponti,
et sinus inde sibi pelagus trahit: hic vada propter
Caspia versatur Scytha belliger; hicque feroces
degunt Albani: trux illic arva Cadusus
dura tenet, Mardi celeres, Hyrcani, Apyrique. 900
caespite vicino Mardus fluit, et procul ipsos
accedit Bactros; attingens denique atroces
agmine Dercebios, medius disterminat ambos,
Hyrcanique salis tumido convolvitur aestu.
sed Bactrena solo vasto procul arva recedunt, 905
Parnassique iugi tegitur gens rupibus illa:
Dercebios aliud cohibet latus et vada tangit
Caspia: tum clari pharetris agilique sagitta
Massagetae rauci succedunt flumen Araxis:
durum ab stirpe genus, placidae mens nescia vitae, 910
ignorant flavae Cereris commercia, Bacchi
semper inexpertes animam traxere ferinam.
his cibus et potus simul est: nam sanguen equinum
et lac concretum per barbara guttura sorbent.
nec procul ad borean diri posuere Chorasmi 915
hospitia, et iuxta protendit Sugdias agros,
Sugdias, ingenti quam flumine dissicit Oxus.
hic procul Hemodii late ruit aggere montis,
et per prolixos evectus protinus agros
Caspia propellit fluctu freta: qua patet huius 920

Source Page Lines 1210-1247

dives humo tellus, dives iacet arbore caespes.
istius in borean quidquid protenditur agri, 1185
Armenii et vita duri sulcant Matieni.
Qua sunt flabra noti, Babylon subducitur arce
procera in nubes: hanc prisca Semiramis urbem
vallavit muris, quos non absumere flammae,
non aries penetrare queat: stat maxima Beli 1190
aula quoque argento, domus Indo dente nitescit,
aurum tecta operit, sola late contegit aurum.
ipsa dehinc tellus, quae circumplectitur urbem,
et procerarum fluctu vernat palmarum,
et splendente procul beryllo ferta renidet. 1195
hic tamen internis Ophietidis arcis in arvis
inter gemmiferas excrescit creber harenas.
hinc Babylona super, geminae pro finibus ursae,
Cissi Massabataeque et Chalonita vagantur.
At rursum Armeniae siquis pede pergat ab arce 1200
rupis, et eoas gressum producat in oras,
Medica prolixos spectabit regna per agros.
horum qui gelidi succedunt plaustra Bootis,
pinguia rura tenent: sunt illic Atropateni,
sunt Geri et Mardi. tepidum qui rursus ad austrum 1205
oram habitant, Scythicae deducunt semina gentis.
nam Medea ferox fuit ollis sanguinis auctor.
haec cum Pandionis letum componeret aulae,
Attica qua pulchro tellus pinguescit Ilisso,
proditur, inque fugam propere convertitur exul. 1210
has post in terras pinu subit Aeetine,
inseditque locos: veteres accedere Colchos
nulla inerat menti fiducia; denique ab illa
Medorum suboli magicae furor artis inhaeret.
pars gentis, rutilos Phoebi quae spectat in ortus, 1215
saxa habitat, saxis excudit narcissiten:
qui propter dumos nemorosaque rura vagantur,
in pecus intenti, crebro grege pascua tondent.
Medica se tantos effundit gleba per agros,
Caspia ut extento contingat caespite claustra. 1220
haec Asiae digere fores, hiet ore quod illo

Source Page Lines 1282-1293

deserit, atque noti placida perfunditur aura. 1255
istius at spatiis finem dat Persicus aestus,
incoliturque solum populis tribus. una sub arcto
pars agit, armigeris nimium contermina Medis:
altera per mediae telluris terga vagatur:
porro ad flabra noti, pelagus prope, tertia degit. 1260
Persidis, et rigidas curvant labentia ripas.
arva secat Cyrus, perrumpit rura Coaspes,
Indica provolvens procul aequora: cuius ad undam
incola flaventem studio sectatur achatem.
nam cum brumali ceciderunt sidere nimbi, 1265
imbribus et caelo fusis furit auctior amnis,

Source Colophon

The selected Latin source passages were extracted from the local Avienus source file and copied for this translation pass at Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/avienus_periegesis_northern_eastern_latin_source_manual72.txt.

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