Quippe Euphrates altum limum vehit, quo penitus ad fundamenta iacienda egesto, vix suffulciendo operi firmum reperiunt solum; harenae autem, subinde cumulatae et saxis quis pons sustinetur annexae, morantur amnem, qui retentus acrius quam si libero cursu mearet illiditur.
For the Euphrates carries a depth of mud, and even when this was dug out far into the river for laying the foundations, they could with difficulty find firm ground for supporting the work; moreover, sand, which is piled up from time to time and adheres to the piers by which the bridge is supported, slows down the course of the river, which, being thus held back, is dashed against the bridge with greater violence than if it flowed in an unimpeded course.
final_alignments\Quintus_Curtius_Alexander_Book5.json