δι' ἐρημίας πολεμίων πορευόμενος → he marched on without finding any enemy, his route lay through a country bare of enemies
(cf. σφοδρός): neut. adj. as adv., eagerly, impatiently. (Il.)
σφεδᾰνόν: adv. стремительно, сильно Hom.
