[4a.12] If the Nile’s size, unknown source, and beneficial flooding were not enough to make it seem unique, it also has creatures of immense size, especially in the Delta. Seneca finds ways to touch upon the character these animals which might relate to humankind: crocodiles are full of bravado when facing small fry, but cowardly when challenged, while dolphins show creativity and guile in their attacks.
Suggested Reading: Chapter 3 of Williams 2012 points out connections between Books 3 and 4a; Chapter 4 of Merrills 2017 offers a philosophical reading of the Nile that touches upon connections with Lucretius; Mollea 2019 finds the preface of this book in dialogue with the Epistulae Morales. For more on the Nile in general in Roman thought, see B. Postl 1965; in Lucan see Tracy 2014 ; from Lucan to the Severan period see Manolaraki 2013.
[4a.2.12] The Nile is a massive river, even when it is not in flood.
sic quoque: “even as it is (was), even so” (OLD 9b).
se … continet Nilus: there is a slight personification of the Nile here, which restrains itself in its own banks. Seneca has the reflexive use of continere at Dial. 3.8.4, 3.8.6 of the angry man. In the NQ, the use of the verb is reminiscent of the flood (3.27.10), the preface of this book (4a.pr.1.3), and the air inside the earth (6.28.2).
per septena ostia: the seven branches of the Nile Delta, now reduced to two primary branches due to flood control and the building of the Aswan Dam.
in mare emittitur: a reader coming from the end of NQ 3 might notice how the words recollect the flood passage, where the sea was sent against humankind (in nos mare emittitur desuper, 3.28.7). The contrast between the two floods, the beneficial flood of the Nile and the destructive flood of the earth, is made more apparent by Seneca’s reuse of such language. It may also suggest to the reader that the flood of NQ 3 is ultimately beneficial as well (for the larger universal macrocosm, if not for that generation of humans).
elegeris: an appeal to the reader in the second person. This helps to enliven the didactic style of the treatise. The perfect subjunctive is used indiscriminately with the present subjunctive for potential subjunctives of the near future (AG 446).
amnis: the reading in one manuscript (Z), to which Hine adds the comparanda of Ammianus Marcellinus (ostia septem, quorum singula perpetuorum amnium usum et faciem praebent, 22.15.10). Many other manuscripts read mare here.
multos … ignobiles ramos: Alexander 1948 suggested non, which Hine follows. This would make the various other outlets of the Nile distinguished and notable in their size, whereas a reading without non (following Parroni and Vottero) would make these outlets nameless and unimportant. Parroni ad loc. suggests Pliny’s Nat. 5.64 as evidence: XII enim reperiuntur (sc. ostia) superque quattuor, quae ipsi falsa ora appellant.
beluas marinis … pares: supply beluis with marinis, dative after pares (“comparable to”). The various animals that populated the Nile were a source of fascination for Greek and Roman writers and artists. See Versluys 2002 for more on such Nilotic scenes. Pomponius Mela writes of the fecundity of the Nile, “Its waters are so efficacious for procreation and sustenance that – besides swarming with fish and producing huge beasts like hippopotamuses and crocodiles – the river even pours out the breath of life in clumps of silt and from the very soil fashions living creatures” (1.52, trans. Romer, 1998). Marine animals of exceptional size were collected by Roman emperors and commented on by various authors, see Mayor 2022: 26-36.
magnitudine ... noxa: ablatives of specification (AG 418).
educat: “rears,” from educare. Supply the Nile as the subject.
ex eo: anticipatory, with quod answering eo. Seneca often employs demonstratives pronouns to introduce a subsequent clause.
quantus sit: indirect question. The size of the Nile can be equated to the sea both because of the amount of food it offers and the space it gives for animals to roam.
pabulo sufficienti: the mention of food in this section may recall the flood in book 3, where humans were no longer able to grow food (iam nec gramine aut pabula laeta aquis sustinet, 3.27.5).
ad vagandum loco: ad + gerund for purpose (AG 506).
[4a.2.13] A story about a battle between crocodiles and dolphins. Pliny the Elder mentions this same battle at Nat. 8.91-93, without mentioning Balbillus as the source.
Balbillus virorum optimus: Tiberius Claudius Balbillus was prefect of Egypt from 55 - 59 CE. The compliment virorum optimus is a favorite of Seneca’s, and he addresses Lucilius and other people he respects in this way (cf. NQ 3.pr.1, Ben. 2.1.1). Balbillus’ exceptional erudition and his eye-witness experience of the event makes him worth naming as a source, as is his renown in Rome as an astrologer (if he is the same Balbillus who advised Nero about the comet that appeared in his reign, as Syme believes, cf. 1980: 671 n.28). That blend of learning and observation makes for a good natural scientist in Seneca’s estimation and is often behind Seneca’s own conclusions in the NQ.
litterarum: “literature, learning, scholarship” (LS littera II.B.9).
praefectus: “as a prefect.” Prefects were Roman administrators stationed in provincial territories. Seneca is probably engaging in some wordplay with perfectus earlier. The very learned man deserves to be prefect.
Heracleotico ostio: “the Heracleotic mouth” of the Nile, ablative of place where (AG 421). This is the farthest western branch of the Delta, with the city of Canopus at its output. Seneca mentions Canopus as a city known for its sybaritic lifestyle (Ep. 51.3).
ex : the supplement by Diels helps the sense—there were seven channels of the Nile Delta.
spectaculo sibi fuisse: double dative construction, literally the battle (proelium) “served as a show put on for him” (AG 382); auctor est sets up the construction with the infinitive. Such a spectaculum would evoke the Roman arena, where nautical shows were common and beast fights delighted the crowd. Cristiana Franco writes about animal spectacles of this sort: “Fights might also occur between animals: for example, bulls chained to lions or bears, or bears unleashed against wild donkeys. The most unexpected combinations were sought after for producing the most violent outburst of ferocity. When the beasts refused to fight, or tried to flee, specialized personnel provided incitement with prods and whips, waving cloth or straw dummies, or running through revolving doors. If none of these methods succeeded, the audience might be greatly disappointed, and the spectacle considered a bomb” (2018: 292). For a description of Seneca’s reaction to such a spectaculum, see Ep. 7. Crocodiles were sometimes featured in such beast hunts, see Bond 2017.
delphinorum ... occurrentium // crocodrillorum ... agentium: these genitives define the spectaculum.
adversum agmen agentium: lit. “forming an opposing marching line.” Alliterative wordplay and the repetition of “m” sounds helps to define this enemy line and the following collocation pro partibus proelium adds further tongue-twisters to this line. Seneca is having some fun with his battle language here – note how often agmen agere is found in the Aeneid (7.707, 7.804, 8.683, 11.433) and the alliterative epic poetry of Ennius (e.g. fraxinus frangitur … pinus proceras pervortunt, Ann. 6.177-8).
pro partibus: “in defense of their factions,” or “for their sides.” During plays, chariot races, and gladiatorial shows, Roman spectators also had factions and vigorously expressed their support or displeasure.
cocodrillos ... victos: indirect speech - supply esse, introduced by the auctor est above.
morsu innoxiis: “harmless in respect to their bite,” in contrast to the crocodiles and other huge and harmful creatures of the Nile (vel magnitudine vel noxa, 4a.12 supra). Dolphins were often looked upon as being kind, playful, and even appreciative of music (cf. Stebbins 1929, Mayor 2022: 50-58).
[4a.2.14] The dolphins used their fins to wound the soft underbellies of the crocodiles, thus putting these more aggressive animals to flight.
his: the antecedent is cocodrillos. The description of the crocodile’s skin resembles the biological descriptions in the works of Aristotle, esp. his Parts of Animals. The skin of crocodiles is variable from the rough-textured scales of the back to the smooth and supple scales of the belly. The belly hide is a valuable commodity for high-end luxury goods such as Louis Vuitton handbags today and crocodile hide could be used in antiquity as well.
etiam mairoum animalium dentibus: possibly thinking about the large teeth of hippopotami, which are the largest animals of the Nile and often shown as ferocious in Nilotic scenes.
mollis ac tenera: a common collocation in Latin. Seneca has it twice at the conclusion of NQ 7 to denote Roman decadence and luxury (7.31.1, 7.31.2).
delphini spinis: the dolphin’s dorsal fin is actually used to stabilize the dolphin as it swims in water.
in adversum enisi: this describes the action of the dolphins pushing their fins against the soft underbellies of the crocodiles. In adversum = “forward”; for a similar construction see Aen. 8.237: dexter in adversum nitens…
rescissis ... pluribus: ablative absolute (AG 419).
hoc modo: “in this way”.
velut acie versa: the flight of the crocodiles is compared to the moment the battle line is broken. The phrase acie versa recalls Horace C. 3.4.26: non me Philippis versae acies retro; and is common in other battle descriptions (e.g. Liv. 21.34.7, 26.5.17, Prop. 3.11.69).
fugax animal audaci, audacissimum timido: Seneca’s word order highlights how the crocodiles’ bravery is relative to the boldness of their prey and creates an elegant antithesis, in chiastic order, with polyptoton. The singular animal stands for the entire species of crocodiles; earlier, Seneca had used the plural when discussing the groups of wounded vs. surviving crocodiles from the battle (rescissis … pluribus, ceteri). Ammianus Marcellinus imitated Seneca’s description at 22.15.20: audax tamen crocodilus monstrum fugacibus; ubi audacem senserit, timidissimum, see Parroni 2002: xxxvi-xxxvii for additional examples of Marcellinus’ borrowings from Seneca.
[4a.2.15] How the people of Tentyra catch crocodiles.
illos: the crocodiles.
Tentyritae: the inhabitants of Tentyra (Dendera) in Upper Egypt (far from the delta). There is an impressive temple complex there dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Pliny (Nat. 8.92) and Strabo (17.1.44) mentions these crocodile hunters as well, although with alternative details.
proprietate: “special property” or “particular virtue,” ablative of means followed by the defining genitives generis … sanguinis.
contemptu et temeritate: the bold behavior of the crocodile hunters mimics in some ways the daring actions of the dolphins. Strabo writes how the people of Tentyra have a natural antipathy towards crocodiles (17.1.44). Seneca claims that impulsive gladiators often behave in a similar manner: dicimus tamen et gladiatorem fortem virum et servum nequam, quem in contemptum mortis temeritas inpulit (Ben. 2.34.3).
fugientes: the crocodiles are rounded up as they flee using a sort of lasso (iniecto ... laqueo); this is very dangerous for those not paying close attention. Strabo writes how some of these men accompanied crocodiles to Rome: “They made a reservoir and a kind of stage above one of the sides, so that the animals could go out of the water and have a sunning place. Going together into the water, they would then drag them together into a net to the sunning place, so that they could be seen by the spectators, and then pull them back to the reservoir (17.1.44, trans. Roller).
plerique: “many” of the crocodile hunters of Tentyra (rather than “most,” “the majority,” which is the more common meaning, s.v. OLD 4).
quibus minus ... fuit: “who have had less,” i.e., “those who have lost” their nerve (praesens animus). praesens with words for mind or spirit = “resolute, ready” (s.v. OLD 4; e.g. Aen. 5.363: si cut virtus animusque in pectore praesens, which Seneca quotes at Ep. 92.30.)
ad persequendum: ad + gerundive expressing purpose (AG 506).
