Syrtis

Syrtis, is (gen. Syrtidos, Luc. 9, 710), f.,

• = Σύρτις, a sand-bank in the sea; esp. on the northern coast of Africa, Syrtis Major, near Cyrenaica, now Gulf of Sidra; and Syrtis minor, near Byzacene, now Gulf of Cabes, Sall. J. 78, 2; Mel. 2, 7; Plin. 5, 4, 4, § 26; Liv. 29, 33; 34, 62; Tib. 3, 4, 91; Prop. 2, 9, 33; Ov. M. 8, 120; Verg. A. 1, 111; 1, 146; 4, 41; Luc. 9, 303; 9, 861; Hor. C. 1, 22, 5; 2, 6, 3; 2, 20, 15; id. Epod. 9, 31; Prud. Apoth. 511.—
• • B Trop.: videndum est, ne longe simile sit ductum. Syrtim patrimonii, scopulum libentius dixerim, Cic. de Or. 3, 41, 163.—Hence,
  • A Syrtĭcus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to the Syrtis, Syrtian: mare, Sen. Vit. Beat. 14: solitudines, Plin. 8, 11, 11, § 32: ager, Sid. Ep. 8, 12: gentes, Sen. Ep. 90, 17.—
  • B Syr-tis, ĭdis, adj. f., Syrtian: gemmae, Plin. 37, 10, 67, § 183.

Syrtis, is u. idos, Akk. im, Abl. e u. ī, f. (Σύρτις), die Syrte, Sandbank im Meere, bes. an der afrikan. Küste u. zwar Syrtis maior, Cyrenaīka, j. Sidra, u. Syrtis minor, bei Byzacene, j. Cabes, a) eig., Sall. Iug. 78, 1 sqq. Mela 1, 7, 3 sqq. (1. § 34. 35. 37) u. 2, 7, 7 (2. § 105). Liv. 29, 33, 8 u.a. Tibull. 3, 4, 91. Prop. 2, 9, 33 u.a.: Genet. Syrtis, Plin. 5, 33 u.a.: Genet. Syrtidos, Lucan. 9, 710: Akk. Syrtim, Cic. de orat. 3, 163 u.a.: Abl. Syrtī, Solin. 27, 54: Abl. Syrte, Sidon. epist. 8, 12, 3; carm. 5, 549: Genet. Plur. Syrtium, Solin. 2, 43 u. 27, 54. – b) übtr., die sandige Küstengegend den Syrten gegenüber, Hor. carm. 1, 22, 5. Lucan. 3, 295 u.a. – c) meton., Syrtis patrimonii als weniger guter Ausdruck für scopulus patrimonii bei Cic. de or. 3, 163: Libycis vitiorum Syrtibus obrui, Hieron. epist. 125, 2. – Dav.: A) Syrticus, a, um (Συρτικός), syrtisch, Sen. u.a.: meton. = sandig, ager, Sidon. epist. 8, 12, 1. – B) Syrtītis, idis, f. u. Syrtītēs, ae, m. (Συρτίτης), ein in den Syrten gefundener Edelstein, Form -tis, Plin. 37, 182. Solin. 2, 43: Form -tes, Plin. 37, 93.

Syrtis [CL], (in pl.) sand-flats or sandbanks on the coast between Carthage and Cyrene, proverbially dangerous to shipping; b (transf.); c (fig.); d (in gl.). sunt namque Syrtes aquarum attractiones per quas accipimus vitia Bern. Comm. Aen. 46.  b spumosa ~ium superabant salsa Hugeb. Wynn. 2; vortex caput ejus sirtibus abdit; / que sceptrum tenuit manus udis heret arenis Lives Ed. Conf. 368; inde et arenarum tractus ~es nuncupantur Alb. Lond. DG 11. 9.  c cirtes ignorabam et latentes scopulos non precavi ‥ et fracta sentina latex ingrediens fragilem summersit cimbam H. Los. Ep. 12; ut sirtibus / felicibus / mens nequeat avelli P. Blois Carm. 2. 5. 55.  d 10‥ sirtim, sandgewurp WW; hec sertis, a sandbedde Ib..

Syrtis, (11) is, (ĭdos Luc. 9, 710 ), f. (Σύρτις, σύρω) [litt^t ] banc de sable, cf. Sall. J. 78, 3 ; ¶ 1 Syrtes, um ( Sol. 2, 43 ; 27, 54 ), les Syrtes [deux bas-fonds sur la côte nord de lʼAfrique, entre Cyrène et Carthage] : Sall. J. 78, 1 ; 2 ; Plin. 5, 26 ; Syrtis major Plin. 5, 27, et Syrtes majores Plin. 5, 34, la grande Syrte [à lʼest, auj. golfe de la Sidre ou de Syrte] ; Syrtis minor Plin. 5, 25, et Syrtes minores Plin. 6, 136, la petite Syrte [à lʼouest, auj. golfe de Cabès ou Gabès] ¶ 2 [fig.] = bas-fond, écueil : syrtim patrimonii scopulum libentius dixerim Cic. de Or. 3, 163, au lieu de syrtis patrimonii (la syrte où naufrage le patrimoine), jʼaimerais mieux dire scopulus patrimonii (lʼécueil où naufrage le patrimoine) || Syrtĭcus, a, um, des Syrtes : Syrticæ gentes Sen. Ep. 90, 17, peuples voisins des Syrtes, cf. Plin. 8, 32 ; sablonneux : Sid. Ep. 8, 12 || Syrtītēs, æ (lapis), m. , Plin. 37, 93, sorte de pierre précieuse.

Syrtis is, f

• , Σύρτις, a sand-bank in the sea.— Esp., two sand-banks on the coast of Africa: Syrtis maior, near Cyrenaica, now Sidra; and Syrtis minor, now Cabes, S., V., H., O., Tb., Pr.: per Syrtīs iter aestuosas facturus, i. e. through sandy Africa, H.—Fig.: Syrtim patrimoni, scopulum libentius dixerim.

Syrtis

(Σύρτις) and Syrtes. The two great gulfs in the eastern half of the northern coast of Africa. The name is derived by the ancients from σύρω, “to draw” or “to suck,” but is possibly cognate with the Arabic sert, “a desert,” a term at present applied to the whole coast as bordering upon the Great Desert. Both gulfs were proverbially dangerous, the Greater Syrtis from its sandbanks and quicksands, and its unbroken exposure to the north winds, the Less from its shelving rocky shores, its exposure to the northeast winds, and the consequent variableness of the tides in it. (1) Syrtis Maior (ἡ μεγάλη Σύρτις, Gulf of Sidra), the easternmost of the two, a wide and deep gulf on the shores of Tripolitana and Cyrenaïca, exactly opposite to the Ionic Sea. The Great Desert comes down close to its shores, forming a sandy coast, called by the ancients Syrtica Regio. The terror of being driven on shore in it is referred to in the narrative of St. Paul's voyage to Italy (Acts, xxvii. 17, “fearing lest they should fall into the Syrtis”); and the dangers of a march through the loose sand on its shores, sometimes of a burning heat, and sometimes saturated with sea-water, were scarcely less formidable.

(2) Syrtis Minor (ἡ μικρὰ Σύρτις, Gulf of Khabs) lies in the southwestern angle of the great bend formed by the northern coast of Africa as it drops down to the south from the neighbourhood of Carthage, and then bears again to the east; in other words, in the angle between the eastern coast of Zeugitana and Byzacena (Tunis) and the northern coast of Tripolitana (Tripoli). In its mouth, near the northern extremity, lie the islands of Cercina and Cercinitis. In Herodotus, the word Syrtis occurs in a few passages, without any distinction between the Greater and the Less. It seems most probable that he means to denote by this term the Greater Syrtis, and that he included the Less in the lake Tritonis.

Syrtis Syrtis, the bay of the Libyan coast W. of Cyrene

• alleged canal between it and Lake of Moeris: Hdt. 2.150
• silphium produced near it: Hdt. 4.169
• inhabitants of its coast: Hdt. 2.32, Hdt. 4.173