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H. is always interested in means of navigation (cf. ii. 96).

These round skin-covered boats (kúfah) are still used on the Lower Euphrates, but not of the size described here; the largest, however, can still carry a camel (cf. for their construction the British coracles, for a full description, Chesney, ii. 639 seq., and for a picture, Maspero, i. 542). H. does not mention the rafts on skin-bladders, which are now more used on the Upper Euphrates. Both kinds are alike in sailing down stream only, and in being broken up and sold (all but the skins, v. i.) when the voyage is over. The rafts are always, the kúfahs only usually, broken up.


H. omits to mention that the boats are usually smeared with bitumen.

οὔτε πρύμνην: the usual processes in shipbuilding, ‘distinguishing (ἀποκρίνοντες) the stern and narrowing the prow,’ are not used.

καλάμης, ‘straw,’ not for packing, but for stuffing in the interstices of the ribs (νομέας).

φοινικηίους. It is the casks that are of palm-wood; grape wine was imported (cf. 193. 3), but Babylonia had plenty of palm-wine (193. 4).


The two men stood facing each other; but in the picture (u. s.) there are four men, sitting in pairs opposite each other. We may cf. with H.'s account, the lightermen on the Thames, one of whom pulls (ἔσω) while the other backs (ἔξω); the object was to guide the boat, which was carried by the current. For other explanations cf. Macaulay, ad loc.

καί, ‘quite five thousand.’ This would give a burden (γόμος) of about 125 or 175 tons, according as the Attic or Aeginetan talent is taken.


ἀπ᾽ ὦν ἐκήρυξαν. This form of tmesis is common in H. (but always with aorist) in describing customs, &c. Cf. ii. 39. 2 et pass.

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