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Book I Chapter 49 · I.49.51.1–I.49.51.3
Ancient Greek
p. 137051.1
Ἐν ταὐτῷ. Ἅπαντες δὲ ὕδωρ ἱστόρησαν τὴν Στύγα ἐπίγειον, φύσιν ἔχον ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ ψευδῶς ὀμόσαι τολμήσαντας. Διαβόητον μὲν τοίνυν Στυγὸς ὕδωρ κατὰ τὴν Ἀρκαδίαν οἱ ἱστορικοὶ ἀναγεγράφασιν, ὧν ἐστι καὶ Ἡρόδοτος, ὃς ἐν τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ κατὰ Κλεομένην ἀφηγούμενος γράφει ταῦτα·
51.2
“Ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἀφικόμενος εἰς τὴν Ἀρκαδίαν νεώτερα ἔπρησσε πράγματα, συνιστὰς τοὺς Ἀρκάδας ἐπὶ τῇ Σπάρτῃ, ἄλλους τε ὅρκους προσάγων καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐς Νώνακριν πόλιν πρόθυμος ἦν τῶν Ἀρκάδων τοὺς προεστῶτας ἀγινεῖν, ἐξορκῶν τὸ Στυγὸς ὕδωρ.”
51.3
Καλλίμαχος δ᾽ ἐν τῷ Περὶ νυμφῶν συγγράμματι καὶ τὸ ἰδίωμα τοῦ ὕδατος ἀφηγεῖται λέγων οὕτω· “Στὺξ ἐν Νωνακρίνῃ τῆς Ἀρκαδίας ὕδωρ ἐστὶ τὸ διακόπτον πάντα τὰ ἀγγεῖα πλὴν τῶν κερατίνων.”
Stobaeus, Volume I: Book I Chapter 49
p. 137151.1 · The earthly water of Styx
From the same work. All have reported Styx to be water upon earth, with the natural power to avenge itself upon those who dare swear falsely by it. Historians have recorded the renowned water of Styx in Arcadia. Among them is Herodotus, who, recounting the affairs of Cleomenes in his sixth book, writes as follows:1648
51.2 · Cleomenes and the Arcadian oath
“From there he came to Arcadia and set about revolutionary undertakings, uniting the Arcadians against Sparta. He brought other oaths to bear as well, and was especially eager to lead the Arcadian leaders to the city of Nonacris, binding them by an oath on the water of Styx.”1649
51.3 · Callimachus on water and horn vessels
Callimachus, in his work On Nymphs, also describes the water’s peculiar property, saying: “Styx is water at Nonacrine in Arcadia which breaks every vessel except those made of horn.”1650
Socrates
Reading Stobaeus, Volume I · Book I Chapter 49 · I.49.51.1–I.49.51.3
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Stobaeus gathered Greek philosophy and poetry for his son Septimius. Volume I presents the dedication testimony, On Arithmetic, Book I through chapter 60, and the ancient contents of all four books. This complete bilingual edition includes an introduction and 2,117 explanatory notes.
Historical Text and Translation
The Greek follows Curt Wachsmuth’s 1884 Volume I, checked against the supplied scan. Gaps, lost-chapter headings, and uncertain attributions remain visible. Chapter 2 includes a labeled proposed reconstruction. The appendix outlines Books I–IV; the full texts of Books II–IV are outside this volume. Reader pages preserve the companion PDF’s numbering.
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Diotimos Editions prepared this independent English translation directly from the Greek. Prose and verse retain their distinct forms, with mixed passages preserving their quoted verse. Every passage is paired with its Greek and identified by the edition’s reference number. All 2,117 notes remain linked to their passages, with continuous numbering across the introduction and text.
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