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L  l  B  R  A  R  Y 

AUG-6  1969 

THE  CNTAP.SO  INSTITUTE 
FOR  STUDiES  IN  EDUCATION 


THE   LOEB   CLASSICAL   LIBRARY 

FOUNDED    BY    JAMES    LOKB,    1-L.D. 

EDITED    BY 
tT.    E.    PAGE,   C.H.,   LITT.D. 

fE.  CAPP8,  PH.D.,  ix.D.  tW.  H.  D.  ROUSE,  litt.d. 

L,  A.  POST,  L.H.D.  E.  H.  WARMINGTON,  m.a.,  f.r.hist.soc. 


PLINY 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

II 

LIBRl    Ill-VII 


PLINY 

NATURAL   HISTORY 

WITH   AN   ENGLISH   TRANSLATION 
IN   TEN   VOLUMES 

VOLUME   II 

LiBRi  m-vn 

BT 

H.   RACKHAM,   M.A. 

FEXI-OW    OV    CHIU3T'S    OOLLKGE,    CAMBIUDQB 


CAMBRIDGE,    MASSACHUSETTS 

HARVARD     UNIVERSITY     PRESS 

LONDON 

WILLIAM    HEINEMANN    LTD 

MCMLXI 


First  prinUd  1^42 
Reprinted  1947,  1961 


Printed  in  Oreat  BrHain 


CONTENTS 


PAGB 

PREFATORY    NOTT: vii 

INTKODUCTION.           ...                 Ix 

BOOK    lU 1 

BOOK    IV 117 

BOOK    V             217 

BOOK    \T 337 

BOOK  vn 505 

INDEX    OF    rEOPI.E 653 

OEOGRAPraCAL    IMDEX 661 


PREFATORY   NOTE 

Tins  translation  is  designed  to  afford  assistance  to 
the  student  of  the  Latin  text;  it  is  not  primarily 
intended  to  supply  the  EngHsh  reader  with  a  substi- 
tute  for  the  Latin. 


vu 


uv 


INTRODUCTION 

This  volume  contains  Books  III-VII  of  Plinys 
Naturalis  Historia. 

The  detailed  contents  will  be  found  in  Plinys 
own  outline  of  his  work,  which,  with  lists  of  the 
authorities  used  for  each  Book,  constitutes  Book  I ; 
for  Books  III-VH  see  Volume  I,  pp.  28—41,  of  this 
edition. 

The  subject  of  Books  III-VI  is  the  geography, 
physical,  poHtical  and  historical,  of  the  ancient 
world. 

Book  III :  Southern  Spain  ;  Southem  Gaul ;  Italy ; 
the  Western  Mediterranean  and  lonian  and  Adriatic 
Islands ;  the  countries  round  the  north  of  the 
Adriatic. 

Book  IV :  Greece  and  the  rest  of  the  Balkan 
Peninsula ;  the  islands  of  the  Eastern  Mediter- 
ranean  ;  the  Black  Sea  and  the  countries  west  of  it ; 
Northern  Europe. 

Book  V:  North  Africa;  the  Eastern  Mediter- 
ranean  and  Asia  Minor. 

Book  VI :  Countries  from  the  Black  Sea  to  India; 
Persia  ;  Arabia  ;  Ethiopia  ;  the  Nile  valley. 

The  subject  of  Book  VII  is  the  human  race — its 
biology,  physiology  and  psychology. 


IX 


PLINY  : 
NATURAL    HISTORY 

BOOK    III 


PLINII    NATURALIS    HISTORIA 
LIBER    III 

1  I.  Hactenus  de  situ  ct  miraculi'?  terrae  aqua- 
rumque  et  sidcrum  ac  ratione  universitatis  atque 
mensura. 

Nunc  de  partihus,  quamquam  infmitum  id  quoque 
existimatur  ncc  teniere  sine  aliqua  reprehcnsione 
tractatum,  haut  ullo  in  gcncre  venia  iustiore,  si  modo 
niinime  mirum  est  liominem  genitum  non  omnia 
humana  novisse.  quapropter  auctorem  neminem 
unum  sequar,  sed  ut  quemque  verissimum  in  quaque 
parte  arbitrabor,  quoniam  commune  ferme  omnibus 
fuit   ut  eos   quisque   diligcntissime  situs  diceret  in 

2  quibiis  ipse  prodebat.^  ideo  nec  culpabo  aut  co- 
arguam  quemquam.  locorum  nuda  nomina  et 
quantadabitur  brcvitate  poncntur,  claritatecausisque 
dilatis  in  suas  partes  ;  nunc  ^  cnim  sermo  de  toto  est. 
quare  sic  accipi  velim  ut  si  vidua  fama  sua  nomina 
quaha  fuere  primordio  antc  uUas  res  gestas  nuncu- 

1  V.l.  prodibat.  *  V.l.  nec. 


PLINY:     NATURAL    HISTORY 


BOOK    III 

I,  So  much  as  to  the  situation  and  the  marvels  of 
land  and  water  and  of  the  stars,  and  the  plan  and 
dimensions  of  the  universe. 

Now  to  describe  its  parts,  although  this  also  is  aeography 
considered  an  endless  task,  not  Hghtly  undertaken  °^  "^  ""^ 
without  some  adverse  criticism,  though  in  no  field 
does  enquiry  more  fairly  claim  indulgence,  only 
granting  it  to  be  by  no  means  wonderful  that  one 
born  a  human  being  should  not  possess  all  human 
knowledge.  For  this  reason  I  shall  not  follow  any 
single  authority,  but  such  as  I  shall  judge  most 
rehable  in  their  several  departments,  since  I  have 
found  it  a  characteristic  common  to  virtually  all  of 
them  that  each  gave  the  most  careful  description  of  the 
particular  region  in  which  he  personally  was  MTiting. 
Accordingly  I  shall  neither  blame  norcriticise  anyone. 
The  bare  names  of  places  will  bc  set  down,  and  with 
the  greatest  brevity  available,  their  celebrity  and 
its  reasons  being  deferrcd  to  their  pi-oper  sections; 
for  my  topic  now  is  the  world  as  a  wliole.  Therefore 
I  should  like  it  to  be  understood  that  I  specify  the 
bare  names  of  the  places  without  their  record,  as 
they  were  in  the  beginning  before  they  had  achieved 


PLINA':    NATURAL  HISTORY 

pentur,  et  sit  quaedam  in  his  nomenclatura  quidem, 
sed  mundi  rerumque  naturae. 

3  Tcrrarum  orbis  universus  in  tres  dividitur  partes, 
Europam  Asiam  Africam.  origo  ab  occasu  solis  et 
Gaditano  freto,  qua  inrumpens  oceanus  Atlanticus  in 
maria  interiora  difFunditur.  hinc  intranti  dextera 
Africa  est,  laeva  Europa,  inter  has  Asia ;  termini 
amnes  Tanais  et  Nilus.  xv  p.  in  longitudinem  quas 
diximus  fauces  oceani  patent,  v  in  latitudincm,  a 
vico   Mellaria  Hispaniae  ad  promunturium  Africae 

4  Album,  auctore  Turranio  Gracile  iuxta  gcnito ;  T. 
Livius  ac  Nepos  Cornelius  latitudinis  tradiderunt 
minimum  ^  vii  p.,  ubi  vero  plurimum,  x  :  tam  modico 
ore  tam  inmensa  aequorum  vastitas  panditur.  nec 
profunda  altitudo  miraculum  minuit :  frequentes 
quippe  taeniae  candicantis  vadi  carinas  territant ; 
qua  de  causa  limen  interni  maris  multi  eum  locum 
appellavere.  proximis  autem  faucibus  utrimque 
impositi  montes  coercent  claustra,  Abyla  Africae, 
Europae  Calpe,  laborum  Herculis  mctae,  quam  ob 
causam  indigenae  coluninas  eius  dei  vocant,  credunt- 
que  perfossas  exclusa  antea  admisisse  maria  et  rerum 
naturae  mutasse  faciem, 

5  Primum  ergo  de  Europa  altrice  victoris  omnium 
gentium  populi  longeque  terrarum  pulcherrima,  quam 
plerique  merito  non  tcrtiam  portionem  fecere  verum 

*  Edd. :   minuB. 

"  Probably  Tarifa. 

*  Probably  Punto  del  Sarinas. 


BOOK   III.  I.  2-5 

any  history,  and  that  thouirh  their  names  are 
mentioned,  it  is  only  as  forming  a  portion  of  the 
world  and  of  the  natural  universc. 

The  whole  circuit  of  the  earth  is  divided  into  three  Three 
parts,  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa.  The  starting  point 
is  in  the  west,  at  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  where  the  Oibraiiar. 
Atlantic  Ocean  bursts  in  and  spreads  out  into  the 
inland  seas.  On  the  right  as  you  enter  from  the  ocean 
is  Africa  and  on  the  left  Europe,  with  Asia  between 
them ;  the  boundaries  are  the  river  Don  and  the 
river  Nile.  The  ocean  straits  mentioned  are  fifteen 
miles  long  and  five  miles  broad,  from  the  village 
of  Mellaria "  in  Spain  to  the  White  Cape  *  in 
Africa,  as  given  by  Turranius  Gracihs,  a  native 
of  the  neighbourhood,  while  Livy  and  Cornehus 
Nepos  state  the  brcadth  at  the  narrowest  point 
as  seven  miles  and  at  the  widest  as  ten  miles :  so 
narrow  is  the  mouth  through  which  pours  so  boundless 
an  expanse  of  water.  Nor  is  it  of  any  great  depth, 
so  as  to  lessen  the  marvel,  for  recurring  streaks  of 
whitening  shoal-water  terrify  passing  keels,  and  con- 
sequently  many  have  called  this  place  the  threshold 
of  the  Mediterranean.  At  the  narrowest  pai-t  of  the 
Straits  stand  mountains  on  either  side,  enclosing  the 
channel,  Ximiera  in  Africa  and  Gibraltar  in  Europe ; 
these  were  the  hmits  of  the  labours  of  Hercules,  and 
consequently  the  inhabitants  call  them  the  Pillars 
of  that  deity,  and  beheve  that  he  cut  the  channel 
through  them  and  thereby  let  in  the  sea  which  had 
hitherto  been  shut  out,  so  altering  the  face  of  nature. 

To  begin  then  with  Europe,  nurse  of  the  race  that  Europe.-  iu 
has  conquered  all  the  nations,  and  by  far  the  lovehest  ■^""'^ 
portion  of  the  earth,  which  most  authorities,  not  with- 
out  reason,  have  reckoned  to  be  not  a  third  part  but  a 


PLIN\':    NATURAL   HISTORY 

aequani,  in  duas  partcs  ab  amne  Tanai  ad  Gadi- 
tanum  fretum  universo  orbe  diviso.  oceanus  a 
quo  dictum  est  spatio  Atlanticum  mare  infundens 
et  avido  meatu  terras  quaecunque  venientem  ex- 
pavere  demergens  resistentis  quoque  flexuoso  lit- 
orum  anfractu  lambit,  Kuropam  vel  maxime  recessibus 
crebris  excavans,  sed  in  quattuor  praecipuos  sinus, 
quorum  primus  a  Calpe  Hispaniae  extimo  (ut  dictum 
est)  monte  Locros,  Bruttium  usque  promunturium, 
inmenso  ambitu  flectitur. 

In  eo  prima  Hispania  terrarum  est  Ultcrior  appel- 
lata,  eadem  Baetica,  mox  a  fme  Murf;itano  Citerior 
eademque  Tarraconensis  ad  Pyrenaei  iuj:^^.  Ulterior 
in  duas  per  longitudinem  provincias  dividitur,  siqui- 
dem  Baeticae  laterc  septentrionali  praetenditur 
Lusitania  anme  Ana  discreta.  ortus  hic  in  Lamini- 
tano  agro  Citerioris  Hispaniae  et  modo  in  stagna  sc 
fundcns  modo  in  angustias  rcsorbens  aut  in  totum 
cuniculis  condens  et  saepius  nasci  gaudens  in  Atlanti- 
cum  oceanum  elFunditur.  Tarraconensis  autem  ad- 
fixa  Pyrenaeo  totoque  eius  a  latere  decurrens  et 
simul  ad  Gallicum  oceanum  Hiberico  a  mari  trans- 
versa  se  pandens  Solorio  monte  et  Oretanis  iugis 
Carpentaniscjue  et  Asturum  aBacticaatque  Lusitania 
distinguitur. 

Bactica  a  flumine  eam  mediam  secante  cognominata 


"  Nearly  the  present  Andalusia;    named  from  the  river 
Bactis,  the  Guadalquivir. 

*  Portugal,  excluding  the  part  botween  tho  Douro  and  the 
Minho. 

*  Tho  Guadiana  (Arabic  wadi,  '  river  '). 
^*  Perhaps  Alhambra. 

-  i.e.  from  the  Balcaric  Channel  to  the  Bay  of  Biscay. 

6 


BOOK   III.  I.  5-7 

half  of  the  world,  dividing  the  whole  circle  into  two 
portions  by  a  line  drawn  from  the  river  Don  to  the 
Straits  of  Gibraltar.  The  ocean,  pouring  the  Atlantic 
sea  through  the  passage  I  have  described,  and  in  its 
eager  progress  overwhelming  all  the  lands  that 
shrank  in  awe  before  its  coming,  washes  also  those 
that  offer  resistance  with  a  winding  and  broken  coast- 
Hne :  Europe  especially  it  hollows  out  with  a  succes- 
sion  of  bays,  but  into  four  chief  gulfs,  of  which  the  westem 
first  bends  in  a  vast  curve  from  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar,  ^an"*""' 
which,  as  I  have  said,  is  the  extremity  of  Spain,  right 
to  Locri  on  Cape  Spartivento. 

The  first  land  situated  on  this  gulf  is  called  Further  The  Spanish 
Spain  or  Baetica,"  and  then,  from  the  frontier  at 
Mujacar,  Hither  Spain  or  the  Department  of  Tarragon, 
extending  to  the  chain  of  the  Pyrenees,  Further 
Spain  is  divided  lengthwise  into  two  provinces, 
Lusitania  <>  extending  along  the  north  side  of 
Baetica  and  separated  from  it  by  the  river  Anas.*' 
This  rises  in  Hither  Spain,  in  the  territory  of  Lamin-  Physicai 
ium.<*  and  now  spreading  out  into  meres,  now  con-  seoc^apfii/. 
tracting  into  narrows,  or  burrowing  entirely  under- 
ground  and  gaily  emerging  again  several  times  over, 
discharges  itself  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The 
Department  of  Tarragon  adjoins  the  Pyrenees, 
running  down  along  the  whole  of  one  side  of  the 
chain  and  also  extending  across  from  the  Iberian 
Sea  to  the  Galhc  Ocean,*  and  is  separated  from  Baetica 
and  Lusitania  bv  Mount  Solorius/  and  by  the  ranges 
Df  the  Oretani  and  Carpentani  and  of  the  Astures.s' 

Baetica,    named    after    the    river    Baetis    which  Andaiusia. 

f  The  Sierra  Nevada. 

»  The  Sierra  Morena,  Mont  de  Toledo   and   Sierra   de  laa 
Asturias. 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

cunctas  provinciarum  divite  cultu  et  quodam  fertili 
ac  peculiari  nitore  praecedit.  iuridici  conventus  ei 
rv',  Gaditanus  Cordubensis  Astigitanus  Hispalensis. 
oppida  omnia  numero  clxxv,  in  iis  coloniae  ix,  muni- 
cipia  c.  R.  X,  Latio  antiquitus  donata  x.vvii,  libertate 
VI,  foedere  iii,  stipendiaria  cxx.  ex  his  digna 
memoratu  aut  Latino  sermone  dictu  facilia,  a 
flumine  Ana,  litore  oceani,  oppidum  Ossonoba, 
Aestuaria  cognominatum,  inter  confluentes  ^  Luxiam 
et  Urium,  Hareni  montes,  Baetis  fluvius,  litus 
Curense  inflexo  sinu,  cuius  ex  adverso  Gadis  inter 
insulas  diccndae,  promunturium  lunonis,  portus 
\'aesippo,  oppidum  Baelo,  Mellaria,  fretum  ex 
Atlantico  mari,  Carteia  Tartesos  a  Graecis  dicta, 
mons  Calpe.  dein  litore  intemo  oppidum  Barbesula 
cum  fluvio,  item  Salduba,  oppidum  Sucl,  Malaca 
cimi  fluvio,  foederatoriun.  dein  Maenuba  cum  fluvio, 
Sexi  cognomine  Firmum  lulium,  Sel,  Abdara,  Murgi 
Baeticae  finis.  oram  eam  in  universum  originis 
Poenorum  existimavit  M.  Agrippa ;  ab  Ana  autem 
Atlantico  oceano  obversa  Bastulorum  Turdulorumque 
est.  in  universam  Hispaniam  M.  Varro  pervenisse 
Hibcros  et  Persas  et  Phoenicas  Celtasque  et  Poenos 
tradit ;   lusum  enim  Liberi  patris  aut  lyssam  cum  eo 

^  Detlefacn. :  inter  fluentee. 


•  Probably  the  Tinto.  *  IV.  119. 

•  Cape  Trafalgar. 


BOOK   III.  I.  7-8 

divides  it  in  two,  stands  first  aniony  the  whole  of  the 
provinces  in  the  richness  of  its  cultivation  and  in  a 
sort  of  peculiar  fertility  and  brilliance  of  vegetation. 
It  comprises  four  jurisdictions,  those  of  Cadiz, 
Cordova,  Ecija  and  Seville.  Its  to^vns  number  in 
all  175,  of  which  9  are  colonies,  10  municipaUties  of 
Roman  citizens,  27  towns  granted  early  Latin 
rights,  6  free  towns,  3  bound  by  treaty  to  Rome  and 
120  paying  tribute.  Worthy  of  mention  in  this 
district,  or  easily  expressed  in  Latin,  are :  on  the 
ocean  coast  beginning  at  the  river  Guadiana,  the 
town  Ossonoba,  surnamed  Aestuaria,  at  the  con- 
fluence  of  the  Luxia  and  the  Urium  " ;  the  Hareni 
Mountains ;  the  river  Guadalquivir ;  the  winding 
bay  of  the  Coast  of  Curum,  opposite  to  which  is 
Cadiz,  to  be  described  *  among  the  islands ;  the 
Promontory  of  Juno  "^ ;  Port  \'aesippo  ;  the  town  of 
Baelo ;  Mellaria,  the  strait  entering  from  the 
Atlantic ;  Carteia,  called  by  the  Greeks  Tartesos ; 
Gibraltar.  Next,  on  the  coast  inside  the  straits, 
are :  the  town  of  Barbesula  with  its  river ;  ditto 
Salduba ;  the  town  of  Suel ;  Malaga  with  its  river, 
one  of  the  treaty  towns.  Then  comes  Maenuba 
with  its  river ;  Firmum  Juhum  surnamed  Sexum ; 
Sel ;  Abdara ;  Murgi,  which  is  the  boundary  of 
Baetica.  The  whole  of  this  coast  was  thought  by 
Marcus  Agrippa  to  be  of  Carthaginian  origin;  but 
beyond  the  Guadiana  and  facing  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
is  the  territory  of  the  Bastuli  and  TurduH.  Marcus 
Varro  records  that  the  whole  of  Spain  was  pene- 
trated  by  invasions  of  Hiberi,  Persians,  Phoenicians, 
Celts  and  Carthaginians ;  for  he  says  that  it  was  the 
sport  (lusus)  of  Father  Liber,  or  the  frenzy  (Xvcra-a) 
of  those  who  revelled  with  him,  that  gave  its  name  to 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

bacchantium  nomcn  dcdisse  Lusitaniae,  et  Pana 
praefectum  eius  universae.  at  quae  de  Hcrcule  ac 
Pyrene  vel  Satumo  traduntur  fabulosa  in  primis 
arbitror. 

9  Baetis  in  Tarraconensis  provinciae  non,  ut  aliqui 
dixere,  Mentesa  oppido  sed  Tugiensi  exoriens  saltu 
(iuxta  qucm  Tader  fluvius  qui  Carthaginiensem  agrum 
rigat)  Ilorci  refugit  Scipionis  rogum,  versusque  in 
occasum  oceanum  Atlanticum  provinciam  adoptans 
petit,  modicus  primo,  sed  multorum  fluminum  capax 
quibus  ipse  famam  aquasque  aufert.  Baeticae 
primum  ab  Ossigetania  infusus  amoeno  blandus  alveo 
crebris  dextra  lacvaque  accohtur  oppidis. 

10  Celeberrima  intcr  hunc  et  oceani  oram  in  mediter- 
raneo  Segida  quae  Augurina  cognominatur,  lulia 
quae  Fidentia,  Urgao  quae  Alba,  Ebura  quae 
Cerialis,  Iliberri  quod  Liberini,  IHpula  quae  Laus, 
Artigi  quod  luHenses,  \'esci  quod  Faventia,  Singili, 
Ategua,  Arialdunum,  Agla  Minor,  Baebro,  Castra 
Vinaria,  Cisimbrium,  Hippo  Nova,  IHurco,  Osca, 
Oscua,  Sucaelo,  Unditanum,  Tucci  Vetus — omnia 
Bastetaniae  vergentis  ad  mare.  conventus  vero 
Cordubensis  circa  flumcn  ipsum  Ossigi  quod  cogno- 
minatur  Latonium,  IHturgi  quod  Forum  luHum, 
Ipra,  Isturgi  quod  Triuniphale,  Sucia,  et  vvii  p. 
remotum  in  mediterraneo  Obulco  quod  Pontificense 
appeHatur,  mox  llipa,  Epora  foederatorum,  SaciH 
MartiaHum,  Onuba  et  dcxt  ra  Corduba  colonia  Patricia 
cognomine,  inde  primum  navigabiH  Bacte,  oppida 
Carbula,  Decuma,  fluvius  SingiHs,  eodem  Baetis  latere 
incidens. 

10 


BOOK   III.  I.  8-10 

Lusitania,  and  that  Pan  was  thc  o-ovcrnor  of  the  whole 
of  it.  The  stories  rehited  of  Hercules,  Pyrene  or 
Saturn  I  regard  as  absolutely  mythical. 

The  Guadalquivir  rises  in  the  province  of  Tarragon,  The  Tirer 
not  at  the  town  of  Mentesa,  as  some  authorities  quin^' 
have  said,  but  in  the  Tugiensian  Forest  bordered  by 
the  river  Segura  that  waters  the  territory  of  Carta- 
o-ena ;  at  Lorea  it  avoids  the  Sepolcro  de  Scipion 
and,  turning  westward,  makes  for  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  giving  its  name  to  the  province ;  it  is  first 
of  moderate  size,  but  it  receives  many  tributaries, 
from  which  it  takes  their  glory  as  well  as  their  waters. 
It  first  enters  Baetica  at  Ossigetania,  ghding  gently 
in  a  picturesque  channel  past  a  scries  of  to^vns  situated 
on  both  its  banks. 

Between  this  river  and  the  Ocean  coast  the  most 
famous  places  inland  are  :  Segida  suruamed  Augurina  ; 
JuHa  or  Fidentia ;  Urgao  or  Alba  ;  Ebui'a  or  CeriaHs  ; 
Iliberri  or  Liberini ;  Ihpula  or  Laus ;  Artigi  or 
Juhenses;  Vesci  or  Faventia;  SingiH,  Ategua, 
Arialdunum,  Agla  Minor,  Bacbro,  Castra  Vinaria, 
Cisimbrium,New  Hippo,  IHurco,  Osca,  Oscua,  Sucaelo, 
Unditanum,  Old  Tucci— all  of  which  are  places  in 
that  part  of  Bastetania  which  stretches  towards  the 
sea.  In  the  jurisdiction  of  Cordova  in  the  neighbour- 
hood  of  the  actual  river  are  Ossigi  surnamed  La- 
tonium,  Ihturgi  or  Forum  Juhum,  Ipra,  Isturgi  or 
Triumphale,  Sucia,  and  17  milcs  inland  Obulco  or 
Pontificensc,  then  Ripa,  Epora  (a  treaty  town), 
SaciU  Martiahum,  Onuba,  and  on  the  riglit  bank 
the  colonv  of  Cordova  surnamed  Patricia.  At  this 
point  the  Guadalquivir  first  becomes  navigable,  and 
thcre  are  the  towns  of  Carbula  and  Detunda,  the  river 
Xenil  flowing  into  the  Guadakpiivir  on  the  same  side. 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HrSTORY 

11  Oppida  Hispalcnsis  convcntus  Celti,  Axati,  Arua, 
Canama,  Evia,  Ilipa  cognominc  Ilpa  Italica,  et  a 
laeva  Hispal  colonia  cognomine  Romulensis,  ex 
advcrso  oppidum  Osset  (luod  cognominatur  lulia 
Constantia,  \'ergentum  quod  luli  Gcnius,  Orippo, 
Caura,  Siarum,  fluvius  Macnuba  Baeti  et  ipse  a 
dextro  latere  infusus.  at  inter  acstuaria  Baetis  oppi- 
dum  Nabrissa  cognomine  Veneria  et  Colobana, 
coloniac  Hasta  quae  Regia  dicitur  et  in  mediterraneo 
Asido  quae  Caesarina. 

12  Singilis  fluvius  in  Baetim  quo  dictum  est  ordine 
inrumpcns,  Astigitanam  coloniam  adluit  cognomine 
Augustam  Finnam,  ab  ea  navigabilis.  huius  con- 
ventus  sunt  reliquae  coloniae  inmunes  Tucci  quae 
cognominatur  Augusta  Gcmella,  Iptuci  quae  Virtus 
lulia,  Ucubi  quae  Claritas  lulia,  Urso  quae  Genetiva 
Urbanorum  ;  intcr  (|uae  fuit  Munda  cum  Pompcio  filio 
rapta.  oppida  libcra  Astigi  \'ctus,  Ostippo,  stipendi- 
aria  Callet,  Callicula,  Castra  Gemina,  Ilipula  Minor, 
Marruca,  Sacrana,  Obulcula,  Oningis,  Sabora,  Ven- 
tippo.  Macnubam  amncm  et  ipsum  navigabilem 
haut  procul  accolunt  Olontigi,  I.aelia,  Lastigi. 

13  Quac  autem  regio  a  Baete  ad  fluvium  Anam  tendit 
extra  praedicta  Baeturia  appellatur  in  duas  divisa 
partes  totidemque  gentes,  Celticos  qui  Lusitaniam 
attingunt,  llispalcnsis  conventus,  Turdulos  qui  Lu- 
sitaniam  et  Tarraconensem  accolunt,  iura  Cordubam 

"  Gnaeus  the  eldest  8on  of  Pompcius  Jlagnus  was  defeated 
at  Munda  (possibly  near  Cordova)  45  R.c,  and  soon  afterwards 
captured  and  killcd ;   thc  town  w  as  destroycd. 
12 


BOOK   III.  I.  1T-13 

The  to^v^Tis  of  the  jurisdiction  of  Hispalis  are  Celti, 
Axati,  Arua,  Canania,  Evia,  Ilipa  surnamed  Ilpa 
Italica ;  on  the  left  bank  is  the  colony  Hispal  sur- 
named  Honnilensis,  while  on  the  opposite  side  are 
the  towTis  Osset  surnamed  Juha  Constantia,  Ver- 
gentum  or  Juli  Genius,  Orippo,  Caura,  Siarum, 
and  the  river  Maenuba,  a  tributary  of  the  Guadal- 
quivir  on  its  right.  Between  the  estuaries  of  the 
Guadalquivir  are  the  to\vns  of  Nabrissa,  surnamed 
Veneria,  and  Colobana,  with  two  colonies,  Hasta, 
which  is  called  Rcgia,  and  inland  Asido,  which  is 
called  Caesarina. 

The  river  Xenil,  joining  the  Guadalquivir  at  the  The  Xenn. 
place  in  the  list  ah-eady  mentioned,  washes  the  colony 
of  Astigi,  surnamed  Augusta  Firma,  from  which  point 
it  becomes  navigable.  The  other  colonies  in  this 
jurisdiction  exempt  from  tribute  are  Tucci,  surnamed 
Augusta  Gemella,  Iptuci  or  Virtus  JuHa,  Ucubi  or 
Claritas  Juha,  Urso  or  Genetiva  Urbanorum ;  and 
among  these  once  was  Munda,  which  was  taken  with 
the  younger  Pompey."  The  free  towns  are  Old 
Astigi  and  Ostippo,  with  the  tributary  towns  of 
Callet,  Calhcula,  Castra  Gemina,  Ilipula  Minor, 
Marruca,  Sacrana,  Obulcula,  Oningis,  Sabora  and 
Ventippo.  At  no  great  distance,  on  the  Maenuba, 
another  navigable  river,  are  the  settlements  of 
Olontigi,  Laeha  and  Lastigi. 

The  region  stretching  from  tlie  Guadalquivir  to  the 
river  Guadiana  beyond  the  places  already  mentioned 
is  called  Baeturia,  and  is  divided  into  two  parts  and 
the  same  number  of  races,  the  Celtici  bordering  on 
Lusitania,  of  the  jurisdiction  of  Seville,  and  the 
Turduli,  who  dwell  on  the  borders  of  Lusitania  and 
the  Tarragon  territory,  but  are  in  the  jurisdiction  of 

13 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

petunt.     Celticos  a  Celtiberis  ex  Lusitania  advenisse 
manifcstum  est  sacris,  lingua,  oppidorum  vocabulis 

14  quae  cognominibus  in  Baetica  distinguntur :  Seriae 
adicitur  Fama  lulia,  Nertobrigae  Concordia  lulia, 
Segidae  Restituta  lulia,  Contributa  lulia  Ugultuniae 
(cum  qua  et  Curiga  nunc  est),  Lacimurgae  Constantia 
lulia,  Steresibus  Fortunales  et  Callensibus  Aeneanici. 
praeter  haec  in  Celtica  Acinipo,  Arunda,  Arunci, 
Turobriga,  Lastigi,  Salpesa,  Saepone,  Serippo.  altera 
Baeturia,  quam  diximus  Turdulorum  et  conventus 
Cordubensis,  habet  oppida  non  ignobilia  Arsam,  Mel- 
lariam,  Mirobrigam  Reginam,  Sosintigi,  Sisaponem. 

15  Gaditani  conventus  civium  Romanorum  Regina, 
Latinorum  Laepia  Regia,  Carisa  cognomine  Aurelia, 
Urgia  cognominata  Castrum  luliiun,  item  Caesaris 
Salutariensis ;  stipendiaria  Besaro,  Belippo,  Barbe- 
sula,  Blacippo,  Baesippo,  Callet,  Cappacum,  Olcastro, 
Iptuci,  Ibrona,  Lascuta,  Saguntia,  Saudo,  Usaepo. 

16  Longitudinem  universam  cius  prodidit  M.  Agrippa 
ccccLXXv  p.,  latitudinera  cclvITi,  sed  cum  termini 
Carthaginem  usque  procederent :  quae  causa  magnos 
errores  conputatione  mensurae  saepius  parit,  alibi 
mutato  provinciarura  modo  alibi  itinerum  auctis  aut 
diminutis  passibus.  incubuere  maria  tam  longo  aevo, 
alibi    processere    litora,    torsere    se    fluminum    aut 

14 


BOOK   III.  I.  13-16 

Cordova.  That  the  Celtici  came  from  the  Celtiberi 
in  Lusitania  is  proved  by  their  reHgion,  their  language, 
and  the  names  of  their  towns,  which  in  Baetica  are 
distinguished  by  surnames :  Seria  has  the  additional 
name  of  Fama  Julia,  Nertobriga  that  of  Concordia 
JuHa,  Segida  that  of  Restituta  Julia,  Ugultunia  that 
of  Contributa  Julia  (in  which  now  is  also  included 
the  town  of  Curiga),  Lacimurga  that  of  Constantia 
JuHa,  and  Stereses  the  surname  of  Fortunales  and 
Callenses  that  of  Aeneanici.  Besides  these  places 
there  are  in  Celtica  Acinipo,  Arunda,  Arunci, 
Turobriga,  Lastigi,  Salpesa,  Saepone,  Serippo.  The 
other  part  of  Baeturia,  which  -we  have  said  belongs 
to  the  TurduH  and  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Cordova, 
contains  the  not  undistinguished  toMTis  of  Arsa, 
Mellaria,  Mirobriga  Regina,  Sosintigi  and  Sisapo.  To 
the  jurisdiction  of  Cadiz  belong  Regina,  with  Roman 
citizens,  Laepia  Regia  with  Latin  citizens,  Carisa 
surnamed  AureHa,  Urgia  surnamed  Castrum  JuHum, 
and  also  Caesaris  Sahitariensis ;  the  tributaiy  towns 
of  Bcsaro,  BeHppo,  Barbesula,  Blacippo,  Baesippo, 
Callet,  Cappacum,  Oleastro,  Iptuci,  Ibrona,  Lascuta, 
Saguntia,  Saudo,  Usaepo. 

The  total  length  of  Baetica  according  to  Marcus  DimensioTu 
Agrippa  is  475  iniles,  and  its  breadth  258  miles,  but  "^  ^'""'<'<^- 
this  was  when  its  bounds  extended  as  far  as  Carta- 
gena:  such  extensions  comparatively  often  give 
rise  to  great  errors  in  the  measurements  of  distances, 
as  tliey  sometimes  eause  alterations  in  the  boundary 
of  provinces  and  sometimes  an  increase  or  rcduction 
of  the  mileage  of  roads.  During  so  long  a  period  of 
time  the  seas  have  been  encroaching  on  the  land  or 
the  shores  have  becn  moving  forward,  and  rivers  have 
formed  curves  or  have  straightened  out  their  wind- 

15 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

correxere  flexus.  praeterea  aliunde  aliis  exordium 
mensurae  est  et  alia  meatus :  ita  fit  ut  nulli  duo  con- 
cinant. 

17  IL  Baeticae  longitudo  nunc  a  Castulonis  oppidi 
fine  Gadis  ccl  et  a  Murgi  maritima  ora  xxV  p.  amplior, 
latitudo  a  Carteia  Anam  ora  ccx.xxiv  p.  Agrippam 
quidem  in  tanta  viri  diligcntia  praeterque  in  hoc 
opere  cura,  ciun  orbem  terrarum  urbi  *  spectandum 
propositurus  esset,  errasse  quis  credat  et  cum  eo 
divum  Augustum  ?  is  namque  conplexam  eum 
porticum  ex  destinatione  et  commentariis  M. 
Agrippae  a  sorore  eius  inchoatam  peregit. 

is  IIL  Citerioris  Hispaniae  sicut  conplurium  pro- 
vincianun  alicjuantum  vetus  forma  mutata  est, 
utpote  cum  Pompeius  Magnus  tropacis  suis  quae 
statuebat  in  Pyrenaeo  dccclxxvi  oppida  ab  Alpibus 
ad  fines  Hispaniae  ultcrioris  in  dicionem  ab  se 
redacta  testatus  sit.  nunc  univcrsa  provincia  divi- 
ditur  in  conventus  septem,  Carthaginiensem  Tarraco- 
nensem  Cacsaraugustanum  Clunicnsem  Asturum 
Luccnsem  Bracarum.  accedunt  insulae  quarum 
mentione  scposita  civitates  provincia  ipsa  praeter 
contributas  aUis  ccxciii  continet  oppida  clxxxix,  in 
iis  colonias  xii,  oppida  civium  Romanorum  xiii,  Lati- 
norum  veterum  xviii,foederatum  ununi,stipendiaria 
cxxxv. 

19  Primi  in  ora  Bastidi,  post  eos  quo  diccntur  ^ 
ordine  intus   recedentes  Mentesani,  Oretani  et  ad 

^  Edd. :  orbi. 

*  Eackliam  :   dicitur. 


"  Thc  Porticus  Octnviac,  between  thc  Circus  Flaminius  and 
the  Theatre  of  Marcellus. 

16 


BOOK   III.  1.  16-111.  19 

ings.  Moreover  different  persons  take  different 
starting-points  for  their  measurements  and  foUow 
different  lines ;  and  the  consequence  is  that  no  two 
authorities  agree. 

II.  At  present  the  length  of  Baetica  from  the 
frontier  of  the  town  of  Cazlona  to  Cadiz  is  250 
miles,  and  from  the  sea-front  of  Murgi  25  miles 
more ;  its  breadth  from  Cai-teia  along  the  coast 
to  the  Guadiana  is  234  miles.  Agrippa  was  a  very 
painstaking  man,  and  also  a  very  eareful  geographer  ; 
who  therefore  could  believe  that  when  intending  to 
set  before  the  eyes  of  Rome  a  survey  of  the  world 
he  made  a  mistake,  and  with  him  the  late  lamented 
Augustus  ?  for  it  was  Augustus  who  completed  the 
portico"  containing  a  plan  of  the  world  that  had 
been  begun  by  his  sister  in  accordance  vnih  the 
design  and  memoranda  of  Marcus  Agrippa. 

III.  The  okl  shape  of  Hither  Spain  has  been  con-  Western 
siderably  altered,  as  has  been  that  of  several  provinces,    ^"  "" 
in  as  much  as  Pompey  the  Great  on  histrophies  which 

he  set  up  in  the  Pyrenees  testified  that  he  had  brought 
into  subjection  876  towns  between  the  Alps  and  the 
borders  of  Further  Spain.  Today  the  whole  province 
is  divided  into  seven  jurisdictions,  namely  those  of 
Cartagena,  Tarragon,  Saragossa,  Clunia,  Astorga, 
Lugo,  Braga.  In  addition  there  are  the  islands  which 
will  be  mentioned  separately,  but  the  province  itself 
contains,  besides  293  states  dependent  on  others, 
189  towns,  of  which  12  are  colonies,  13  are  towns  of 
Iloman  citizens,  18  have  the  old  Latin  rights,  one  is 
a  treaty  town  and  135  are  tributary. 

The  first  people,  on  the  coast,  are  the  Bastuli,  and  DUtricts. 
after  them  in  the  following  order  proceeding  inland 
come  the    Mentesani,  the    Qretani,  the  Carpetani 

17 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HLSTORY 

Tagum  Carpetani,  iuxta  eos  Vaccaei,  Vettones  et 
Celtiberi  Arevaci.  oppida  orae  proxima  Urci, 
adscriptumque  Bacticae  Barea,  regio  Bastitania, 
mox  deinde  Contestania,  Carthago  Nova  colonia, 
cuius  a  promunturio  quod  Saturni  vocatur  Caesaream 
Mauretaniae  urbcm  cxxxxxvii  p.  traiectus.  reliqua 
in  ora  flumen  Tader,  colonia  inmunis  Ilici,  unde 
Ilicitanus    sinus ;    in    eam    contribuuntiu-    Icositani. 

20  mox  Latinorum  Lucentum,  Dianium  stipendiarium, 
Sucro  fluvius  et  quondam  oppidum,  Contestaniae 
finis.  regio  Edetania  amoeno  praetendente  se 
stagno,  ad  Celtiberos  recedens.  Valentia  colonia 
fn  p.  a  mari  rcmota,  flumen  Turium,  et  tantundem 
a    mari    Saguntura    civium    Romanorum    oppidum 

21  fide  nobile,  flumen  Udiva.  regio  Ilergaonum, 
Hiberus  amnis  navigabili  commercio  dives,  ortus 
in  Cantabris  haut  procul  oppido  luliobrica,  per 
ccccL  p.  flucns,  navium  per  cctx  a  Vareia  oppido 
capax,  quem  propter  universam  Hispaniam  Graeci 
appellavere  Ilibcriam.  regio  Cessetania,  flumen 
Subi,  colonia  Tarracon,  Scipionum  opus,  sicut 
Carthago  Poenorum.  regio  Ilergetum,  oppidum 
Subur,    flumen    Rubricatum,    a    quo     Laeetani    et 

22  Indigetes.  post  eos  quo  dicetur  ordine  intus  rece- 
dentes  radice   Pyrenaei   Ausetani,   lacetani   perque 


•  Rather  than  surrender  to  Hannihal,  tho  SaRiintines  set 
fire  to  their  town  and  perishcd  in  the  flames,  219  B.c.  The 
town  was  rebuilt  oight  years  later. 

i8 


BOOK   III.  iii.  19-22 

on  the  Tagus,  and  iiext  to  thcm  the  Vaccaei,  the 
Vettones  and  the  Celtiberian  Arevaci.  The  to^vns 
nearest  the  coast  are  Urci  and  Barea  that  belongs  to 
Baetica,  then  the  district  of  Bastitania,  next  after 
which  comes  Contestania  and  the  colony  of  New 
Carthage,  from  the  promontory  of  which,  called  the 
Cape  of  Saturn,  the  crossing  to  Caesarea,  a  city  of 
Mauretania,  is  197  miles.  There  remain  to  be 
mcntioncd  on  the  coast  the  river  Tader  and  the 
tax-free  colony  of  Ihci,  from  which  the  Ihcitan  Gulf 
takes  its  name ;  to  this  colony  the  Icositani  are 
subordinate.  Next  come  Lucentum,  with  Latin 
rights,  Dianium,  a  tributar)'  town,  the  river  Sucro 
and  in  former  days  a  to^NTi  of  the  same  name,  forming 
the  boundary  of  Contestania.  The  district  of  Ede- 
tania  comes  next,  with  a  lovely  expanse  of  lake  in 
front  of  it,  and  reaching  back  to  Celtiberia.  The 
colony  of  Valencia  three  miles  from  the  sea,  the  river 
Turium,  Saguntum,  also  three  miles  from  the  sea, 
a  town  with  Roman  citizensliip,  famous  for  its  loyalty," 
and  the  river  Udiva.  The  district  of  the  Ilergaones, 
the  river  Ebro,  rich  in  ship-borne  trade,  rising  in  the 
district  of  the  Cantabri  not  far  from  the  to^^Ti  of 
Juhobrica,  with  a  com-se  of  450  miles,  for  260  of  which 
from  the  town  of  Vareia  it  is  navigable  for  ships,  and 
because  of  it  the  Greelcs  have  called  the  whole  of 
Spain  by  the  name  of  Iberia.  Next  the  district  of 
Cessetania,  the  river  Subi,  the  colony  Tarragon, 
which  was  founded  by  the  Scipios,  as  Cartagena  was 
by  the  Cartliaginians.  The  district  of  thc  Ilergetes 
comes  next,  the  town  of  .Subur  and  the  river  Ilubri- 
catum,  after  which  begin  the  Laeetani  and  the  Indi- 
getes.  After  them  in  the  foUowing  order  proceeding 
inland  from  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees  are  the  Ausetani, 

19 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Pyrenaeum  Cerrctani,  dein  Vascones.  in  ora  autem 
colonia  Barcino  cognomine  Faventia,  oppida  civium 
Romanorum  Baetido,  Iluro,  flumen  Arnum,  Blandae, 
flumen  Alba,  Emporiae,  geminum  hoc  veterum 
incolarum  et  Graecorimi  qui  Phocaeensium  fuere 
suboles,  flumen  Ticer.  ab  eo  Pyrenaea  Venus  in 
latere  promunturi  altero  xL. 

23  Nunc  per  singulos  conventus  reddentur  insignia 
praeter  supra  dicta.  Tarracone  disceptant  populi 
XLii,  quorum  celeberrimi  civium  Romanorum  Derto- 
sani,  Bisgargitani,  Latinorum  Ausetani,  Cerretani 
qui  luliani  cognominantur  et  qui  Augustani,  Edetani, 
Gerundenses,  Gessorienses,  Teari  qui  lulienses, 
stipendiariorura  Aquicaldenses,  Aesonenses,  Baecu- 
lonenses. 

24  Caesaraugusta  colonia  immunis  amne  Hibero 
adfma  ubi  oppidum  antea  vocabatur  Salduba, 
regionis  Edctaniae,  recipit  populos  lv,  ex  his 
civium  Romanoruni  Bilbilitanos,  Celsenses  ex  colonia, 
Calagurritanos  qui  Nasici  cognominantur,  Ilerdenses 
Surdaonum  gentis  iuxta  quos  Sicoris  fluvius,  Oscenses 
regionis  Suessetaniae,  Turiassonenses ;  Latinorum 
vcterum  Cascantenses,  Ergavicenses,  Graccurritanos, 
Leonicenses,  Osicerdenses;  foederatos  Tarracenses; 
stipendiarios  Arcobrigenses,  Andclonenses,  Arace- 
litanos,  Bursaonenses,  Calagurritanos  qui  Fibula- 
20 


BOOK   III.  III.  22-24 

the  Jacetani,  the  Cerretani  along  the  Pyrenees,  and 
then  the  Vascones.  On  the  coast  is  the  colony  of 
Barcelona,  sm-named  Faventia,  the  Roman  to^\Tis  of 
Badalona  and  Iluro,  the  River  Arnum,  Blandae,  the 
river  Alba,  Amporias,  one  part  of  which  is  inhabited 
by  the  origlnal  natives  and  the  other  by  Grecks 
descended  from  the  Phocaeans,  and  the  niver  Ticer. 
From  it  Cabo  de  Cruz  on  the  other  side  of  the 
promontoiy  is  40  miles  distant. 

We  will  now  take  the  jurisdictions  in  order  and  give  Administra- 
noteworthy  facts  about  them  in  addition  to  those  diiiswns. 
mentioned  above.  Forty-two  peoples  are  subject  to 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  coiu-ts  of  Tarragona ;  of  them 
the  best  known  are — with  the  rights  of  Roman 
citizens,  the  people  of  Tortosa  and  the  Bisgargitani ; 
^vith  Latin  rights,  the  Ausetani,  the  Cerretani 
surnamed  Juhani,  and  those  surnamed  Augustani, 
the  Edetani,  Gerundenses,  Gessorienses,  and  Teari 
or  JuUenses ;  tributaries,  the  Aquicaldenses, 
Aesonenses  and  Baeculonenses. 

Caesaraugusta,  a  colony  that  pays  no  taxes,  is  Saragossa, 
washed  by  the  river  Ebro ;  its  site  was  once  occu- 
pied  by  a  to\vn  called  Salduba,  belonging  to  the 
district  of  Edetania.  It  is  the  centre  for  55  peoples ; 
of  these  with  the  rights  of  Roman  citizens  are  the 
Bilbihtani,  the  Celsenses  (once  a  cok)ny),  the  Cakigur- 
ritani  (surnamed  Nasici),  the  Ilerdenses  belonging  to 
the  race  of  the  Surdaones  next  to  the  river  Sicoris, 
the  Oscenses  of  thc  district  of  Suessetania,  and  the 
Turiassonenses ;  with  the  old  Latin  rights  are  the 
Cascantenses,  Ergavicenses,  Graccurritani,  Leoni- 
censes  and  Osicerdenses ;  bound  by  treaty  are 
the  Tarracenses ;  tributary  are  the  Arcobrigenses, 
Andelonenses,  Aracehtani,  Bursaonenses,  Calagurri- 

VOL.  XI,  B  21 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

renses  cognominantur,  Conplutenscs,  Carenses, 
Cincienses,  Cortonenses,  Damanitanos,  Ispallenses, 
Ilursenses,  Iluberitanos,  lacetanos,  Libienses,  Pompe- 
lonenses,  Segienses. 

25  Carthagincm  conveniunt  populi  l.vs'  exceptis  in- 
sularum  incolis :  ex  colonia  Accitana  Gemellense,  ex 
Libisosana  cognomine  Foroaugustana,  quibus  duabus 
ius  Italiae  datum,  ex  colonia  Salariense,  oppidani 
Latii  vctcris  Castulonenses  qui  Caesarii  luvenales 
appellantur,  Saetabitani  qui  Augustani,  Valerienses. 
stipendiariorum  autem  celeberrimi  Alabanenses, 
Bastitani,  Consaburrenses,  Dianenses,  Egelestani, 
Ilorcitani,  Laminitani,  Mentesani  qui  et  Oretani, 
Mentesani  qui  ct  Bastuli,  Oretani  qui  et  Germani 
cognominantur,  caputque  Celtiberiae  Segobrigenses, 
Carpetaniae  Toletani  Tago  Humini  inpositi,  dein 
Viatienses  et  Virgilienses. 

26  In  Cluniensem  conventum  Varduli  ducunt  populos 
XIV,  ex  quibus  Alabancnses  tantum  nominare 
libeat,  Turmogidi  iv,  in  quibus  Segisamonenses  et 
Segisamaiulienses.  in  eundem  conventum  Carietes 
et  Vennenses  v  civitatibus  vadunt,  quarum  sunt 
Velienses.  eodem  Pelcndones  Celtibcrum  iv  populis, 
quorum  Numantini  fucre  clari,  sicut  in  Vaccaeorum 
XVII   civitatibus    Intcrcatienses,    Palantini,    Lacobri- 

27  genses,  Caucenses.  iam^  in  Cantabricis  vii  populis 
luliobriga  sola  memoretur,  in  Autrigonuni  x  civitati- 
bus   Tritium   et   Virovesca.     Arevacis   nomen   dedit 

^  liackham :  nam. 
33 


BOOK   III.  iii.  24-27 

tani  surnamed  Fibularenses,  Conplutenscs,  Carenses, 
Cincienses,  Cortonenses,  Damanitani,  Ispallenses, 
Ilursenses,  Iluberitani,  Jacetani,  Libienses,  Pom- 
pelonenses  and  Segienses. 

At  Cartagena  assemble  sixty-five  peoples,  not  Cartagma. 
including  inhabitants  of  islands :  from  the  colony  of 
Accitana  Gemellensis  and  from  Libisosana  named 
Foroaugustana,  to  both  of  which  Itahc  rights  have 
been  given,  from  the  colony  of  Salaria ;  townsmen 
with  the  rights  of  old  Latium,  the  Castulonenses,  also 
calledCaesarii  Juvenales.theSaetabitaniorAugustani, 
and  the  Valerienses.  Of  the  tributary  peoples  the 
best  kno^m  are  the  Alabanenses,  Bastitani,  Con- 
saburrenses,  Dianenses,  Egelestani,  Ilorcitani, 
Laminitani,  Mentesani  or  Oi-etani,  Mentesani  or 
BastuH,  thc  Oretani  surnamed  Gcrmani,  and  the 
people  of  Segobriga,  capital  of  Celtiberia,  the  people 
of  Toletum  on  the  Tagus,  the  capital  of  Carpetania, 
and  then  the  Viatienses  and  the  Virgihenses. 

To  the  jurisdiction  of  Corunna  the  Varduli  bring  corunna. 
fourteen  peoples,  of  whom  we  would  mention  only  the 
Alabanenses,  and  the  Turmogidi  bring  four,  including 
the  Segisamonenses  and  the  SegisamajuHenses.  To 
the  same  jurisdiction  go  the  Carietes  and  the  Ven- 
nenses  with  five  states,  of  whom  tlie  Vehenses  form 
one.  Thither  too  go  the  Pelendones  of  the  Celti- 
berians  vaih  four  peoples,  of  whom  the  Numantines 
were  once  famous,  as  among  the  seventeen  states 
of  the  Vaccaei  were  the  Intercatienses,  Palan- 
tini,  Lacobrigenses  and  Caucenses.  Tlien  among 
the  Cantabrici,  seven  peoplcs,  one  state  only,  JuHo- 
briga,  need  be  mentioncd,  and  Tritium  and  Viro- 
vesca  among  the  ten  states  of  the  Autrigones.  The 
Arevaci  got  tlieir  name  from  the  river  Areva ;    to 

23 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

fluviiis  Areva  ;  horum  vi  oppida,  Secontia  et  Uxama. 
quae  nomina  crebro  aliis  in  locis  usurpantur,  prae- 
terea  Segovia  et  Nova  Augusta,  Termes  ipsaque 
Clunia  Celtibcriae  finis.  ad  oceanum  reliqua  ver- 
gunt  \'ardulique  ex  praedictis  ct  Cantabri. 

28  lunguntur  iis  Asturum  xxii  populi  divisi  in  Augus- 
tanos  et  Transmontanos,  Asturica  urbe  magnifica; 
in  his  sunt  Gigurri,  Pescii,  Lancienses,  Zoelae. 
numerus  omnis  multitudinis  ad  ccxl  liberonim 
capitum. 

Lucensis  conventus  populorum  est  xv,  praeter 
Celticos  et  Lemavos  ignobilium  ac  barbarae  appella- 
tionis  scd  liberorum  capitum  ferme  clxvi. 

Simili  modo  Bracarum  xxiv  civitates  cclxxxv 
capitiun,  ex  quibus  praeter  ipsos  Bracaros  Biballi, 
Coelemi,  Callaeci,  I^quaesi,  Limici,  Querquerni 
citra  fastidium  nominentur. 

29  Longitudo  citeriori  Hispaniae  est  ad  fincm  Castu- 
lonis  a  Pyrenaeo  dcvTi  p.  et  ora  paulo  amphus, 
latitudo  a  Tarracone  ad  litus  Olarsonis  cccvii,  e 
radicibus  Pyrenaei,  ubi  cuneatur  angustiis  inter 
duo  maria ;  paulatim  deinde  se  pandens,  qua  con- 
tingit  ulteriorem  Hispaniam  tantundem  et  ainplius 
latitudini  adicit. 

30  Metallis  plumbi  ferri  aeris  argenti  auri  tota  ferme 
Hispania  scatet,  citerior  et  specularis  lapidis,  Baetica 
et  minio.  sunt  et  marmorum  lapicidinae.  universae 
Hispaniae  Vespasianus  imperator  Augustus  iactatum 

24 


BOOK   III.  iii.  27-30 

them  belong  six  towns,  Secontia  and  Uxama,  com- 
mon  names  in  other  regions,  also  Segovia  and  Nova 
Augusta,  with  Termes  and  Corunna  itself,  the  end  of 
Celtiberia.  The  rest  of  the  countiy  stretches  to- 
wards  the  ocean,  and  here  are  the  Varduli  of  those 
alreadv  mentioned  and  tlie  Cant.ibri, 

Adjoining  these  are  twenty-two  peoples  of  the 
Astures,  divided  into  the  Augustani  and  the  Trans- 
montani,  ^\ith  the  splendid  city  of  Asturica;  these 
inchide  the  Gigurri,  Pescii,  Lancienses  and  Zoelae. 
The  total  number  of  the  population  amounts  to 
240,000  free  persons. 

The    jurisdiction   of   Lucus  contains    15    peoples,  i-,ugo. 
unimportant  andbearingoutlandish  names,  excepting 
tlie  Celtici  and  Lemavi,  but  with  a  free  population 
amounting  to  about  166,000. 

In  a  similar  way  the  twenty-four  states  of  Braga  Braga. 
contain  285,000  persons,  of  whom  besides  the  Bracari 
themselves  may  be  mentioned,  without  wearjnng  the 
reader,  the  BibaUi,  Coelerni,  Callaeci,  Equaesi,  Limici 
and  Querquerni. 

The  length  of  Hither  Spain  from  the  Pyrenees  to  THmensions 
the  frontier  of  Cazlona  is  007  miles,  and  a  Httle  more  "spain. '" 
along  the  coast ;  its  breadth  from  Tarragon  to  tlie 
shore  of  Olarson  is  307  miles,  starting  from  the  foot 
of  the  Pyrenees,  where  the  countr}-  forms  the  shape 
of  a  wedge  between  the  two  seas ;  then  gradually 
it  videns  out,  and  where  it  touches  Further  Spain  it 
adds  more  than  as  much  again  to  its  breadth. 

Nearly  the  whole  of  Spain  is  covered  with  mines  of  Hinerais 
lead,  iron,  copper,    silver  and   gold,    Hither   Spain  pentnsuia. 
with    muscovite    mines    also ;     Baetica    abounds    in 
cinnabar   as    well.     There    are   besides    quarries   of 
marble.     His   Majesty  the  Emperor  Vespasian  be- 

25 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

procellis  rei  publicae  Latium  tribuit.  Pyrenaei 
montes  Hispanias  Galliasque  disterminant  promun- 
turiis  in  duo  diversa  maria  proiectis. 

31  IV.  Narbonensis  provincia  appellatur  pars  Gallia- 
rum  quae  interno  mari  adluitur,  Bracata  antea 
dicta,  amne  Varo  ab  Italia  discreta  Alpiunique  vel 
saluberrimis  Romano  imperio  iugis,  a  reliqua  vero 
Gallia  latere  septentrionali  montibus  Cebenna  et 
luribus,  agrorum  cultu,  \iruruni  morumque  digna- 
tione,  amplitudine  opum  nulli  provinciarum  post- 
ferenda   breviterque    Italia   verius   quam   provincia. 

32  in  ora  regio  Sordonum  intusque  Consuaranorum, 
flimiina  Tetum,  Vernodubrum,  oppida  Illiberis. 
magnae  quondam  urbis  teiuie  vestigium,  Ruscino 
Latinorum,  flumen  Atax  e  Pyrenaeo  Rubrensem 
permeans  lacum,  Narbo  Martius  decumanorum 
colonia  xii  p.  a  mari  distans,  flumina  Araris,  Liria. 

33  oppida  de  cetero  rara  praeiacentibus  staguis.  Agatha 
quondam  Massiliensium  et  regio  \'olcarum  Tecto- 
sagum  atque  ubi  Rhoda  Rhodiorum  fuit,  unde  dictus 
multo  Galliarum  fertilissimus  Rhodanus  amnis  ex 
Alpibus  se  rapiens  per  Lcmannum  lacum  scgnemque 
deferens  Ararem  nec  minus  se  ipso  torrentes  Isaram 
et    Druantiam.     Libica    appellantur    duo    eius    ora 

"  From  the  linen  breechea  wom  by  the  nativea. 
'  L'£uing  de  Sigean. 

26 


BOOK   III.  III.  30-iv.  33 

stowed  the  rights  of  Latium  on  the  whole  of  Spain 
when  it  had  been  storm-tossed  by  civil  disorders. 
The  frontier  between  the  Spanish  and  the  GaUic 
provinces  is  formed  by  the  mountains  of  the  P^Tcnees, 
with  headlands  projecting  into  the  two  seas  on  either 
side. 

IV.  The  part  of  the  Gauls  washed  by  the  Medi-  Southern 
terranean  is  entitled  the  province  of  Narbonne,  geography, 
having  pre\iously  had  the  name  of  Bracata."  It  is  ^^,-6^^""'^ 
di\ided  from  Italy  by  the  river  Var,  and  by  the  ranges 
of  the  Alps,a  very  secure  protection  for  the  Roman 
Empire,  and  from  the  rest  of  Gaul  on  the  north  by  the 
Cevermes  and  Jura  mountains.  Its  agriculture,  the 
high  repute  of  its  men  and  manners  and  the  vastness 
of  its  wealth  make  it  the  equal  of  any  other  province  : 
it  is,  in  a  word,  not  so  much  a  province  as  a  part  of 
Italy.  On  the  coast  there  is  the  district  of  the  Sor- 
dones,  and  more  inland  that  of  the  Consuarani ;  the 
rivers  are  the  Tech  and  the  Verdouble,  and  the  towns 
Elne,  the  mere  shadow  of  what  was  once  a  mighty  city, 
and  Castel  Roussillon,  which  has  Latin  rights.  Then 
come  the  river  Aude,  which  flows  from  the  Pvrenees 
through  the  lake  Ilubrensis,''  Narbonne,  a  colony  of 
the  tenth  legion  twelve  miles  from  the  sea,  and  the 
rivers  Herault  and  Lez.  Apart  from  those  mentioned 
there  are  but  few  towns,  owing  to  the  marshes  that 
fringe  the  coast.  There  is  Agde,  formerly  belonging 
to  Marseilles,  the  district  of  the  \'olcae  Tectosages, 
and  the  former  site  of  Rhoda,  a  colony  of  Rhodes,  that 
has  given  its  name  to  the  Rhone,  the  most  fertile  river 
ofthetwo  Gauls,which  rushes  from  the  Alpsthrough 
the  Lake  of  Geneva,bringingalongthesluggish  Saone 
and  the  Isere  and  Durance  which  are  as  rapid  as  itself. 
Of  its  mouths  the  two  smaller  are  called   Libica, 

27 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

modica,  ex  his  alterum  Hispaniense  altenim  Meta- 
pinimi,    tertium    idemque    amplissimimi    Massalio- 

34  ticum.  sunt  auctores  et  Heracleam  oppidum  in 
ostio  Rhodani  fuisse.  ultra  fossae  ex  Rhodano  C- 
Mari  opere  et  nomine  insignes,  stagnum  Mastromela, 
oppidum  Maritima  Avaticormn,  superque  Campi 
Lapidei,  Herculis  proeliorum  memoria,  regio  Anati- 
liorum  et  intus  Dexivatium  Cavarumque ;  rursus  a 
mari  Tricorium  et  intus  Tritollorum  Vocontiorumque 
et  Segovellaunorum,  mox  Allobrogum.  at  in  ora 
Massilia   Graecorum   Phocaeensium   foederata,  pro- 

35  munturium  Zao,  Citharista  portus,  regio  Camactuli- 
corum,  dein  Suelteri  supraque  Verucini.  in  ora 
autem  Athenopolis  Massiliensium,  Forum  luli  octa- 
vanonmri  coloniaquae  Pacensis  appellatur  et  Classica, 
amnis  nomine  Argenteus,  regio  Oxubiorum  Ligauno- 
rumque,  super  quos  Suebri,  Quariates,  Adunicates. 
at  in  ora  oppidum  Latinum  Antipolis,  regio  Deciatium, 
amnis  \'ariis  ex  Al})ium  monte  Caenia  profusus. 

.36  In  mediterraneo  coloniae  Arelate  sextanonim, 
Baeterrae  septimanorum,  Arausio  secundanorum, 
in  agro  Cavarum  Valentia,  Vienna  Allobrogum. 
oppida  Latina  Aquae  Sextiae  Salluviorum,  Avennio 
Cavarum,  Apta  lulia  Vulgientium,  Alaebaece  Reio- 
rum  ApoUinarium,  Alba  Helvorum,  Augusta  Tricas- 
tinorum,  Anatilia,  Aetea,  Bonnani,  Comani,  CabelHo, 
28 


BOOK   III.  IV.  33-36 

one  the  Spanish,  the  otlier  the  Metapinian ;  the  third 
and  largest  is  the  Massahotic.  Some  authorities 
state  that  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rhone  there  was  once 
a  tovm  called  Heraclea.  Beyond  are  the  canals 
leading  out  of  the  Rhone,  famous  as  the  work  of 
Gaius  Marius  whose  distinguished  name  they  bear, 
Lake  Mastromela  and  the  to^\Ti  of  Maritima  of  the 
Avatici,  and  above  are  tlie  Stony  Plains,  where 
tradition  says  that  Herculcs  fought  battles,  the 
district  of  the  AnatiHi,  and  inland  those  of  the 
Dexivates  and  Cavares.  Returning  to  the  sea  we 
have  the  districts  of  the  Tricoi-es  and  inland  those  of 
the  Tritolli,  Vocontii  and  Segovellauni,  and  afterthem 
the  AUobroges.  On  the  coast  is  Marseilles,  fovmded 
by  the  Grceks  of  Phocaea  and  now  a  confederate 
city,  then  tJie  promontoiy  of  Zao,  the  harbour  of 
Citharista,  the  district  of  the  Camactuhci,  then  the 
Suelteri  and  above  tliem  the  Verucini.  On  the  coast 
too  are  Athenopohs  of  the  Massihans,  Frejus,  a 
colony  of  the  eighth  legion,  called  Pacensis  and 
Chissica,  a  rivcr  named  Argenteus,  the  district  of 
the  Oxubii  and  Ligauni,  beyond  whom  come  the 
Suebri,  Quariates  and  Adunicates.  On  the  coast  is 
the  town  of  Antibes  with  I>atin  rights,  the  district 
of  tlie  Deciates  and  the  river  Var,  which  rises  in 
Mont  Cenis  in  the  Alps. 

The  colonies  in  the  interior  are  :  Arles,  the  station 
of  the  sixth  legion,  Beziers  of  the  seventh,  Orange  of 
the  sccond,  Valence  in  the  territory  of  the  Cavares, 
and  Vienne  in  that  of  the  Allobroges.  The  towns  with 
Latin  rights  are  Aix  in  the  territory  of  the  Salluvii, 
Avignon  of  the  Cavares,  Apt  of  the  Vulgientes,  Riez 
of  the  Rcii  ApolHnares,  Alba  of  the  Helvi,  Augusta 
of  the  Tricastini,  AnatiHa,  Aetea,  the  Bormani,  the 

29 


PLINY:    NATURAL   IHSTORY 

Carcasum  Volcarum  Tectosagum,  Cessero,  Carpen- 
toracte   Meminorum,  Caenicenses,  Cambolectri   qui 

37  Atlantici  cognominantur,  Lorum  Voconi,  Glanum 
Libii,  Lutevani  qui  et  Foroneronienses,  Ncmausum 
Arecomicorum.  Piscinae,  Ruteni,  Samnagenses,  To- 
losani  Tectosagum  Aquitaniae  contermini,  Tasgoduni, 
Tarusconienses,  Umhranici,  Vocontiorum  civitatis 
foederatae  duo  capita  Vasio  et  Lucus  Augusti, 
oppida  vcrc  ignohilia  xix  sicut  xxiv  Ncmausensibus 
adtributa.  adiccit  formulae  Galba  imperator  ex 
Inalpinis  Avanticos  atque  Bodionticos,  quorum 
oppidum  Dinia.  longitudincm  provinciae  Narbo- 
nensis  ccclxx  p.  Agrippa  tradit,  latitudinem  ccxlviii. 

38  V.  Italia  dehinc  primique  eius  Ligures,  mox 
Etruria,  Umbria,  Latium,  ubi  Tiberina  ostia  et  Roma 
terrarum  caput,  5cvi  p.  intervallo  a  mari.  Volscum 
postca  litus  et  Campaniac,  Picentimun  inde  ac 
Lucanum  Rruttiumque,  quo  longissime  in  meridiem 
ab  Alpium  paene  lunatis  iugis  in  maria  cxcurrit 
Italia.  ab  eo  Graeciae  ora,  mox  Sallcntini,  Pacdi- 
cuH,^  Apuli,  Paeligni,  Frentani,  Marrucini,  Vcstini, 
Sabini,  Picentes,  Galli,  Umbri,  Tusci,  \'eneti.  Carni, 

39  lapudes,  Ilistri.  Liburni.  nec  ignoro  ingrati  ac 
segnis  animi  existimari  posse  merito  si  obiter  atque 
in  transcursu  ad  Imnc  modum  dicatur  terra  omnium 
terrarum  alimma  eadem  et  parens,  numine  deum 
electa   quae   caelum    ipsum   darius   faceret,   sparsa 

1  Rackham  (cf.  102) :   Pediculi,  Poediculi. 


"  Now  Toulouse. 

*  Now  Tara.scon. 

*  Perhaf)s  Vabrea. 
'  bee  §  102  n. 

30 


BOOK   III.  IV.  36- V.  39 

Comani,  Cavaillon,  Carcassonne  of  the  Volcae 
Tectosages,  Cessero,  Cai-pentras  of  the  Meminl,  the 
Caenicenses,  the  Cambolectri  sm-named  Atlantici, 
Forum  Voconi,  Glanum  Libii,  the  Lutevani  also 
called  Foroneronienses,  Nimes  of  the  Arecomici, 
Pezenas,  the  Ruteni,  the  Samnagenses,  the  Tolosani  " 
of  the  Tectosages  on  the  border  of  Aquitania,  the 
Tasgoduni,  the  Tarusconienses,*  the  Umbranici,"^  the 
two  capitals  of  the  confederate  state  of  the  Vocontii, 
Vasio  and  Lucus  Augusti ;  and  also  unimportant 
to^\Tis  to  the  number  of  19,  as  well  as  24  assigned  to 
the  people  of  Nimes.  The  Emperor  Galba  added 
to  the  list  two  peoples  dwelHng  in  the  Alps,  the  people 
of  Avan^on  and  the  IJodiontici,  whose  town  is  Digne. 
According  to  Agrippa  the  length  of  the  province  of 
Narbonne  is  370  miles  and  the  breadth  248. 

V.  After  this  comes  Italy,  the  first  people  of  it  itaiy:  its 
being  the  Ligm-ians,  after  whom  come  Etruria,  ^'^^^' 
Urabria  and  Latium,  where  are  the  mouths  of  the 
Tiber  and  Rome,  the  capital  of  the  world,  sixteen 
miles  from  the  sea.  Aftervvards  come  the  coast  of 
the  Volsci  and  of  Campania,  then  of  Picenum 
and  Lucania  and  the  liruttii,  the  southernmost  point 
to  which  Italy  juts  out  into  tlie  sea  from  the  almost 
orescent-shaped  chain  of  the  Alps.  After  the  Bruttii 
comes  the  coast  of  Magna  Graecia,  followed  by  the 
Sallentini,  PaedicuH,''  ApuH,  PaeHgni,  Frentani, 
Marrucini,  Vestini,  Sabini,  Picentes,  Gauls,  Umbrians, 
Tuscans,  Venetians,  Carni,  lapudes,  Histri  and  Li- 
burni.  I  am  well  aware  that  I  may  with  justice  be 
considered  ungrateful  and  lazy  \1  I  describe  in  this 
casual  and  cursoiy  manner  a  land  which  is  at  once 
the  nursHng  and  the  mother  of  all  other  lands,  chosen 
by  the  providence  of  the  gods  to  make  heaven  itself 

31 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

congregaret  imperia  rittisque  molliret  et  tot  popu- 
lonmi  discordes  ferasque  linguas  sermonis  com_ 
mercio  contraheret  ad  coUoquia  et  humanitatem 
homini  daret,  breviterque  una  cimctarimi  gentium 

40  in  toto  orbe  patria  fieret.  sed  quid  agam?  tanta 
nobilitas  omnium  locorum, — quos  quis  attigerit  ? — 
tanta  rerum  singularum  populorumque  claritas  tenet. 
urbs  Roma  vel  sola  in  ea  .  .  .*  et  digna  iam  tam 
festa  cervice  facies,  quo  tandem  narrari  debet  opere ! 
qualiter  Campaniae  ora  per  se  felixque  illa  ac  beata 
amoenitas,  ut  palam  sit  uno  in  loco  gaudentis  opus 

41  esse  naturae !  iam  vero  tanta  ea  vitalis  ac  perennis 
salubritas,  talis  caeli  temperies,  tam  fertiles  campi, 
tam  aprici  colles,  tam  innoxii  saltus,  tam  opaca 
nemora,  tam  munifica  silvarum  genera,  tot  montium 
adfiatus,  tanta  frugum  vitiumque  et  olearum  fertilitas, 
tam  nobilia  pecudi  vellera,  tam  opima  tauris  colla, 
tot  lacus,  tot  amnium  fontiumque  ubertas  totam 
eam  perfundens,  tot  maria,  portus,  gremiumque 
terrarum  commcrcio  patens  undique  et  tamquam 
iuvandos  ad  mortales  ipsa  avide  in  maria  procurrens. 

42  neque  ingenia  ritusque  ac  viros  et  lingua  manuque 
superatas  commemoro  gentes.  ipsi  de  ea  iudicavere 
Grai,  genus  in  gloriam  suam  effusissimum,  quotam 
partcm     ex     ea     appcUando     Graeciam     Magnam! 

^  Lacunam  MayhoJJ. 
32 


BOOK   III.  V.  39-42 

more  glorious,  to  unite  scattered  empires,  to  make 
manners  gentle,  to  draw  together  in  converse 
by  community  of  language  the  jarring  and  uncouth 
tongues  of  so  many  nations,  to  give  mankind  civihsa- 
tion,  and  in  a  word  to  become  throughout  the  world 
the  single  fatherland  of  all  the  races.  But  what  am 
I  to  do  ?  The  great  fame  of  all  its  places — who 
could  touch  upon  them  all  ? — and  the  great  renoA\Ti 
of  tlie  various  things  and  peoples  in  it  give  me  pause. 
In  that  Hst  even  the  city  of  Rome  alone,  a  .  .  .  coun-  Rome. 
tenance  and  one  worthy  of  so  glorious  a  neck,  what 
elaborate  description  it  merits !  In  what  terms  to  rhysieai 
describe  the  coast  of  Campania  taken  by  itself,  with  ^anrciinmte 
its  bhssful  and  heavenly  lovehness,  so  as  to  manifest  "/^'"'J'- 
that  there  is  one  region  where  nature  has  been  at 
work  in  her  joyous  mood!  And  then  again  all  that 
invigorating  healthfulness  all  the  year  round,  the 
cHmate  so  tempcrate,  the  plains  so  fertile,  the  hills 
so  sunny,  the  glades  so  secure,  the  groves  so  shady ! 
Such  wealth  of  various  forests,  the  breezes  from  so 
many  mountains,  the  great  fertihty  of  its  corn  and 
vines  and  oHves,  the  glorious  fleeces  of  its  sheep,  the 
stuidy  necks  of  its  bulls,  the  many  lakes,  the  rich 
supply  of  rivers  and  springs  flowing  over  all  its  surface, 
its  many  seas  and  harbours  and  the  bosom  of  its 
lands  oflering  on  all  sides  a  welcome  to  commerce, 
the  country  itself  eagerly  running  out  into  the  seas  as  it 
were  to  aid  mankind.  I  do  not  speak  of  the  character 
and  customs  of  its  people,  its  men,  the  nations  that 
its  language  and  its  might  have  conquered.  The 
Greeks  themselves,  a  people  most  prone  to  gushing 
self-praise,  have  pronounced  sentence  on  the  land  by 
conferring  on  but  a  very  small  part  of  it  the  name  of 
Great  Greece !     The  truth  is  that  in  this  part  of  my 

33 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

nimirum  id  quod  in  caeli  mentione  fecimus  hac 
quoque  in  parte  faciendum  est,  ut  notas  quasdam 
et  pauca  sidera  attinfjnmus.  lep^entes  tantum 
quaeso  meminerint  ad  singula  toto  orbe  edissertanda 
festinari. 

43  Est  ergo  folio  maxume  querno  adsimilata,  multo 
proceritate  amplior  quam  latitudinc,  in  laevam  se 
Hectens  cacumine  et  Amazonicae  figura  desinens 
parmae,  ubi  a  medio  excursu  Cocynthos  vocatur, 
per  sinus  lunatos  duo  cornua  emittens,  Leucopetram 
dextra,  Lacinium  sinistra.  patct  longitudine  ab 
Inalpino  fme  Praetoriae  Augustae  per  urbem  Ca- 
puamque  cursu  meante  llegium  oppichim  in  umero 
eius  sitiun,  a  quo  vehiti  cervicis  incipit  flexus,  dccies 
centena  et  viginti  milia  passuum,  muhoque  amphor 
meiisura   ficret    Lacinium   usque,   ni  tahs  obhquitas 

44  in  hitus  dcgrech  vidcretur.  hititudo  eius  varia  est, 
quadringentorum  decem  mihum  inter  duo  maria 
infcrum  et  supcrum  amncsque  Varum  atque  Arsiam, 
media  autem  ferme  circa  urbem  Komam  ab  ostio 
Atemi  amnis  in  Hadriaticum  mare  influentis  ad 
Tiberina  ostia  c.\x.\vi,  et  paulo  minus  a  Castro  Novo 
Hadriatici  maris  Alsium  ad  Tuscum  aequor,  haud 
uUo  in  loco  cc  hititudincm  excedcns.  universae 
autem  anil)itus  a  \'aro  ad  Arsiam  ixxj  xTJx  p.  efllcit. 

1.5  abest  a  cirrumdatis  terris  Histria  ac  Liburnia  qui- 
busdam  locis  centcna  miha,  ab  Epiro  ct  Illyrico 
quinquaginta,  ab  Africa  minus  ducenta,  ut  auctor 
est  M.  Varro,  ab  Sardinia  centum  viginti  milia,  ab 


"  Shapcd  like  a  crescent  but  with  two  curves  and  a  pro- 
jcction  lictwccn  thcni  on  the  inner  sidc. 

*  Thc  tlircc  projt(  tions  namcd  arc  now  Piinta  di  Stilo,  Capo 
dclle  Colonne  and  Capo  i\c\V  Arnii. 

34 


BOOK   III.  V.  42-45 

subject  also  I  must  do  what  1  did  when  I  spoke  about 
the  heavens — touch  upon  particular  points  and  only  a 
few  of  the  stars.  I  merely  ask  my  readers  to  remem- 
ber  that  I  am  hastening  on  for  the  purpose  of  setting 
forth  in  detail  all  the  contents  of  the  entire  world. 

In  shape,  then,  Italy  much  resembles  an  oak  leaf,  Oeography 
being  far  longer  than  it  is  broad,  bending  towards  the  ^' 

left  at  its  top  and  ending  in  the  shape  of  an  Amazon's 
shield,"  the  projection  in  the  centre  being  called 
Cocyntlios,  while  it  sends  out  two  horns  along  bays 
of  crescent  shape,  Leucopetra  on  the  right  and 
Lacinium  on  thc  left.''  Its  length  extends  for  1020 
miles,  beginning  from  Aosta  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps 
and  passing  through  Rome  and  Capua  in  a  winding 
course  to  the  town  of  Reggio  situated  on  its  shoulder, 
where  begins  the  curve,  as  it  were,  of  the  neck.  The 
measure  would  be  much  greater  if  the  line  were 
carried  on  to  Lacinium,  but  with  that  bend  the  line 
would  seem  to  diverge  to  one  side.  The  breadth 
varies,  being  four  hundred  and  ten  miles  between 
the  rivers  Var  and  Arsa  where  they  flow  into  the 
Mediterranean  and  the  Adriatic,  but  about  at  the 
middle,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  city  of  Rome, 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river  Pescara,  which  flows  into 
the  Adriatic  Sea,  to  the  mouths  of  the  Tiber,  its 
breadth  is  136  miles,  and  a  Httle  less  from  Castrum 
Novum  on  the  Adriatic  Sea  to  Palo  on  the  Tuscan 
Sea,  in  no  place  exceeding  a  width  of  200  miles. 
The  circuit  of  the  entire  coast  from  the  Var  round  to 
the  Arsa  is  2049  miles.  Its  distanccs  from  the 
countries  that  surround  it  are  as  follows :  from  Istria 
and  Liburnia  in  certain  places  100  niiles,  from  Epirus 
and  Illyricum,  50  miles,  from  Africa,  according  to 
Marcus  Varro,  less  than  200,  from  Sardinia  120,  from 

35 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Sicilia  MD,  a  Corcyra  minus  l\xx,  ab  Issa  L.  incedit 
per  maria  caeli  regione  ad  meridiem  quidem,  sed, 
si  quis  id  diligenti  subtilitate  exigat,  inter  sextam 
horam  primamque  brumalem. 

46  Nunc  ambitum  eius  urbesque  eniunerabimus,  qua 
in  re  praefari  necessarium  est  auctorem  nos  divimi 
Augustum  secuturos,  discriptionemque  ab  co  factam 
Italiae  totius  in  regiones  xi,  sed  ordine  eo  qui  litorum 
tractu  fiet ;  urbium  quidem  vicinitates  oratione 
utique  praepropera  servari  non  posse,  itaque  interiore 
exin  parte  digestionem  in  litteras  eiusdem  nos 
secuturos,  coloniarum  mentione  signata  quas  ille 
in  eo  prodidit  numcro.  nec  situs  originesque 
persequi  facile  est  Ingaunis  Liguribus — ut  ceteri 
omittantur — agro  tricies  dato. 

47  Igitur  ab  amne  Varo  Nicaea  a  Massiliensibus 
conditum,  fluvius  Palo,  Alpes  populique  Inalpini 
multis  nominibus,  sed  maxime  Capillati ;  oppidum 
Vediantiorum  civitatis  Cemenilo,  portus  Herculis 
Monoeci,  Ligustina  ora.  Ligurtmi  celebcrrimi  ultra 
Alpes  Sallui,  Deciates,  Oxubi,  citra  ^'eneni,  Turri, 
Soti,  Vagienni,Statielli,Binbelli,  Maielli,Cuburriates, 
Casmonates,   Velleiates   et   quorimi   oppida   in   ora 

48  proxime  diccmus.  flumcn  Rutuba,  oppidum  Album 
Intimilium,  flumen  Merula,  oppidum  Album  In- 
gauniun,  portus  Vadorum  Sabatium,  flumen  Porcifera, 


•  Now  Lissa.  aii  island  in  the  Adriatic. 

*  About  b.E.,  80  the  line,  mcaut  is  S.S.E. 


36 


BOOK   III.  V.  45-48 

Sicily  1-|,  from  Corcyra  less  than  80,  from  Issa  "  50. 
It  stretches  through  the  seas  in  a  southerly  direction, 
but  a  more  careful  and  accurate  calculation  would 
place  it  between  due  south  and  sunrise  *  at  midwinter. 

We  will  now  give  an  account  of  a  circuit  of  Administra- 
Italy,  and  of  its  cities.  Herein  it  is  necessary  to  andcities. 
premise  that  we  intend  to  foUow  the  authority  of  his 
late  Majesty  Augustus,  and  to  adopt  the  division  that 
he  made  of  the  whole  of  Italy  into  eleven  regions, 
but  to  take  them  in  the  order  that  will  be  suggested 
by  the  coast-hne,  it  being  indeed  impossible,  at  all 
events  in  a  very  cursory  account,  to  keep  the  neigh- 
bouring  cities  together  ;  and  so  in  going  on  to  deal 
with  the  inland  districts  we  shall  follow  the 
Emperor's  alphabetical  arrangement,  adopting  the 
enumeration  of  the  colonies  that  he  set  out  in  that 
hst.  Nor  is  it  easy  to  trace  their  sites  and  origins, 
the  Ligurian  Ingauni,  for  example — not  to  mention 
the  other  peoples — having  received  gi*ants  of  land 
on  thirty  occasions. 

Therefore  starting  from  the  river  Var  we  have  Nice,  Liguria. 
founded  by  the  people  of  Marseilles,  the  river  Pag- 
hone,  the  Alps  and  the  Alpine  tribes  with  many 
names,  of  which  the  chief  is  the  Long-haired ;  Cimiez, 
the  town  of  the  state  of  the  Vediantii,  the  port  of 
Hercules  of  Monaco,  and  the  Ligurian  coast.  Of 
the  Ligurians  beyond  the  Alps  the  most  famous  are 
the  Sallui,  Deciates  and  Oxubi ;  on  this  side,  the 
Veneni,  Turri,  Soti,  Vagienni,  StatieHi,  BinbelH, 
Maielli,  Cuburriates,  Casmonates,  Velleiates,  and 
the  tribes  whose  towns  on  tlie  coast  we  shall  mention 
next.  The  river  Royas,  the  town  of  Ventimigha, 
the  river  Merula,  the  town  of  Albenga,  the  port  of 
Vai  or  Savona,  the  river  Bisagna,  the  town  of  Genoa, 

37 


PLINY:    NATURAL    HISTORY 

oppidum  Genua,  fluvius  Fertor,  portus  Delphini, 
Tigulia  intus  et  Segesta  Tigulliorum,  flumen  Macra, 
Liguriae  finis.  a  tergo  autem  supra  dictorum 
omnium  Appenninus  mons  Italiae  amplissimus 
perpetuis    iugis    ab    Alpibus    tendens    ad    Siculum 

49  iretum.  ab  altero  eius  latere  ad  Padum  amnem 
Italiae  ditissimum  omnia  nobilibus  oppidis  nitent, 
Libarna,  Dertona  colonia,  Iria,  \'ardacate,  Industria. 
Pollentia,  Correa  quod  Potentia  cognominatur, 
Foro  Fulvi  quod  \'alentinum,  Augusta  Bagicn- 
norum,  Alba  Pompcia.  Hasta,  Aquis  Statiellorum. 
haec  regio  ex  discriptione  Augusti  nona  est.  patet 
ora  Liguriae  inter  amnes  \'arum  et  Macram  ccxi  p. 

50  Adnectitur  septima,  in  qua  Etruria  est  ab  amne 
Macra,  ipsa  mutatis  saepe  nominibus.  Umbros 
inde  exegere  antiquitus  Pelasgi,  hos  Lydi,  a  quorum 
rege  Tvrreni,  mox  a  sacrifico  ritu  lingua  Ciraecorum 
Tusci  ^  sunt  cognominati.  primum  Etruriae  oppi- 
dum  Luna,  portu  nobile,  colonia  Luca  a  mari  recedens 
propiorque  Pisae  inter  amnes  Auserem  et  Arnum 
ortae  a  Pelopidis  sive  a  Teutanis,  Graeca  gente, 
vada     Volaterrana,     fluvius     Caecina,     Populonium, 

51  Etruscorum  quondam  hoc  tantum  in  litore.  hinc 
amnes  Prile,  mox  Umbro  navigiorum  capax,  et  ab 
eo  tractus  Umbriae  portusque  Telamo,  Cosa  Volcien- 
tium  a  populo  Uomano  deducta,  Graviscae,  Castrum 
Novum,  Pvrgi,  ("aeretanus  amnis  et  ipsum  Caere 
inlus  m.  p.  vii  Agylla  a  Pelasgis  conditoribus  dictum, 

1  Thusci  edd. 


•  QvooKooi,  from  dvtiv  (Dion.  Hal.  Ant.  Rom.  I.  30). 

*  Now  the  Sercliio,  a  triltutary  of  the  Amo. 
'  Now  the  village  of  Vadi. 

'  Now  the  Vaccina. 


38 


BOOK   III.  V.  48-51 

the  i-iver  Fertor,  Porto  Fino,  Tigulia  inland,  Scstri  di 
Levante,  and  the  river  Magra,  which  is  the  boundary 
of  Liguria.  Behind  all  the  above-mentioned  lie  thc 
Apennines,  the  largest  range  of  mountains  in  Italy, 
extending  in  an  unbroken  chain  from  the  Alps  to  the 
Straits  of  Messina.  On  one  side  of  the  range,  along 
the  Po,  the  richest  river  of  Italy,  the  whole  country 
is  studded  with  famous  and  flourishing  towns : 
Libarna,  the  colony  of  Dertona,  Iria,  Vardacas, 
Industria,  Pollenza,  Correa  surnamed  Potentia, 
Forum  Fulvi  or  Valenza,  Augusta  of  the  Bagienni, 
Alba  Pompeia,  Aste,  Acqui.  Under  the  partition  of 
Auffustus  this  is  the  ninth  reirion.  The  coast  of  Lie;uria 
extends  211  miles  between  the  rivers  Var  and  Magra. 

The  adjoining  region  is  the  seventh,  in  which  is  Eiruria. 
Etruria,  beginning  at  the  river  Magra,  a  district  that 
has  often  changed  its  name.  From  it  in  ancient 
times  the  Umbri  were  driven  out  by  the  Pelasgi,  and 
these  by  the  Lydians,  who  after  a  king  of  theirs  were 
styled  Tvrrheni,  but  later  in  the  Greek  language 
Tusci,"  from  their  ritual  of  offering  sacrifice.  The 
first  to^ra  in  Etruria  is  Luni,  famous  for  its  harbour; 
then  the  colony  of  Lucca,  some  way  from  the  sea  and 
nearer  to  Pisa,  between  the  rivers  Auser*  and  Arno, 
which  owes  its  origin  to  the  Pelopidae  or  to  the 
Greek  tribe  of  the  Teutani ;  then  come  the  Marshes 
of  \'olterra,'^  the  river  Cecina  and  Piombino,  once 
the  onlv  Etruscan  towTi  on  the  coast.  After  these 
is  the  river  Prile,  and  then  the  navigable  river 
Ombrone,  at  which  begias  the  district  of  Umbria, 
the  port  of  Telamone,  Cosa  of  the  Volcientes,  founded 
by  the  Iloman  people,  Graviscae,  Castrum  Novum, 
Pyrgi,  the  rivcr"^  and  the  town  of  Caere,  seven 
miles  inland,  called  Agylla  by  the  Pelasgians  who 

39 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Alsium,  Fregenae,  Tiberis  amnis  a  Macra  cclxxxiv  p. 
Intus  coloniae  Falisca  Argis  orta  (ut  auctor  est  Cato) 
quae    cognominatur    Etruscorum,    Lucus    Feroniae, 

52  Rusellana,  Seniensis,  Sutrina.  de  cetero  Arretini 
Veteres,  Arretini  Fidentiores,  Arretini  lulienses, 
Amitinenses,  Aquenses  cognomine  Taurini,  Blerani, 
Cortonenses,  Capenates,  Clusini  Novi,  Clusini  Veteres, 
Florentini  praefluenti  Amo  adpositi,  Faesulae, 
Ferentinum,  Fescennia,  Hortanum,  Herbammi,  Ne- 
peta,  Novem  Pagi,  Praefectura  Claudia  Foroclodi, 
Pistorium,  Perusia,  Suanenses,  Saturnini  qui  antea 
Aurini  vocabantur,  Subertani,  Statonenses,  Tar- 
quinienses,  Tuscanienses,  \'etulonienses,  Veientani, 
\'cscntini,  Volaterrani,  Volcentani  cognomine  Etrusci, 
Volsinienses.  in  eadem  parte  oppidorum  veteinim 
nomina  retinent  agri  Crustuminus,  Caletranus. 

63  Tiberis  antea  Thybris  appellatus  et  prius  Albula 
e  media  fere  longitudine  Appennini  flnibus  Arre- 
tinonim  profluit,  tenuis  primo  nec  nisi  piscinis 
corrivatus  emissusque  navigabilis,  sicuti  Tinia  et 
Glanis  influentes  in  eum,  novenorum  ita  conceptu 
dicrum,  si  non  adiuvent  imbres.  sed  Tiberis  propter 
aspera  et  confragosa  ne  sic  quidem  praeterquam 
trabibus  verius  quam  ratibus  longe  meabilis,  fertur 
per  cLp.,non  procul  Tiferno  Perusiaque  et  Ocriculo, 
Etruriam   ab   Umbris  ac  Sabinis,  mox  citra   xvi  p. 

•  Now  Arezzo.  *  Cortona. 

•  Chiusi.  ^  Florence. 

•  Fiesole.  '  Volterra. 

Bolsena. 

40 


BOOK   III.  V.  51-53 

founded  it,  Alsium,  Fregenae,  and  the  river  Tiber, 
284  miles  from  the  Magra.  Inland  are  the  colonies 
of  Falisca,  founded  according  to  Cato  by  the  Argives 
and  surnamed  Falisca  of  the  Etruscans,  Lucus 
Feroniae,  Rusellana,  Siena  and  Sutria.  The  remain- 
ing  people  are  the  Arretini "  Veteres,  Arretini 
I"identiores,  Arretini  Julienses,  Amitinenses, 
Aquenses  surnamed  Taurini,  Blerani,  Cortonenses,* 
Capenates,  Clusini  "^  Novi,  Clusini  Veteres,  the 
Florentini  <*  on  the  bank  of  the  Arno  that  flows 
by,  Faesulae,*  Ferentinum,  Fescennia,  Hortanum, 
Herbanimi,  Nepi,  Nine  Villages,  the  Claudian 
Prefecture  of  Foroclodium,  Pistorium,  Perugia,  the 
Suanenses,  the  Saturnini  formerly  called  the  Aurini, 
the  Subertani,  Statonenses,  Tarquinienses,  Tus- 
canienses,  V^etulonienses,  Veientani,  Vesentini, 
\  olaterrani,-^  the  Volcentani  surnamed  Etrusci,  and 
Volsinienses.!'  In  the  same  district  the  territories  of 
Crustumium  and  Caletra  still  keep  the  names  of  the 
ancient  towns. 

The  Tiber,  the  former  name  of  which  was  Thybris,  The  nver 
and  before  that  Albula,  rises  in  about  the  middle  of  ^*'"'^" 
the  Apennine  chain  in  the  territor}'  of  Arezzo.  At  first 
it  is  a  narrow  stream,  only  navigable  when  its  water 
is  dammed  by  sluices  and  then  discharged,  in  the 
same  way  as  its  tributaries,  the  Tinia  and  the  Chiana, 
the  waters  of  which  must  be  so  collected  for  nine  days, 
imless  augmented  by  showers  of  rain.  But  the  Tiber, 
owing  to  its  rugged  and  uneven  channel,  is  even  so 
not  navigable  for  a  long  distance,  except  for  rafts, 
or  rather  logs  of  wood ;  in  a  course  of  150  miles 
it  divides  Etruria  from  the  Umbrians  and  Sabines, 
passing  not  far  from  Tifernum,  Perugia  and  Ocri- 
culuin,   and   then,  less  than   16   miles   from   Rome, 

41 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

54  urbis  Veientem  agrum  a  Crustumino,  dein  Fidenatem 
Latinumque  a  Vaticano  dirimens,  sed  infra  Arretinum 
Glanim  duobus  et  quadraginta  fluviis  auctus,  praeci- 
puis  autem  Nare  et  Aniene,  qui  et  ipse  navigabilis 
Latium  includit  a  tergo,  nec  minus  taraen  aquis 
ac  tot  fontibus  in  urbem  perductis,  et  ideo  quam- 
libet  magnarum  navium  ex  Italo  mari  capax,  reriun 
in  toto  orbe  nascentium  mercator  placidissimus, 
pluribus  prope  solus  quam  ceteri  in  omnibus  terris 

55  amnes  accolitur  adspiciturque  villis.  nullique  fluvio- 
rum  minus  licet  inclusis  utrimque  lateribus ;  nec 
tamen  ipse  pugnat,  quamquam  creber  ac  subitus 
incrementis  et  nusquam  magis  aquis  quani  in  ipsa 
urbe  stagnantibus.  quin  inimo  vates  intellcgitur 
potius  ac  monitor,  auctu  semper  religiosus  verius 
quam  saevus. 

56  Latiimi  Antiquum  a  Tiberi  Ccrccios  scrvatum  est 
m.  p.  L  longitudine:  tam  tenues  primordio  imperi 
fuere  radices.  colonis  saepe  mutatis  tenuere  alii  aliis 
temporibus,  Aborigines,  Pelasgi,  Arcades,  Siculi, 
Aurunci,  Rutuli,  et  ultra  Cerceios  Volsci,  Osci, 
Ausones,  unde  nomen  Lati  processit  ad  Lirim 
amnem.  in  principio  est  Ostia  colonia  a  Romano 
rege  deducta,  oppidum  Laurentum,  lucus  lovis 
Indigetis,  amnis  Numicius,  Ardea  a  Danae  Persei 
42 


BOOK    III.  V.  54-56 

separates  the  territorv'  of  Veii  from  that  of  Crustum- 
ium,  and  afterwards  that  of  Fidenae  and  Latium 
from  Vaticanum.  But  below  the  confluence  of  the 
Chiana  from  Arezzo  it  is  augmented  by  forty-two 
tributaries,  the  chief  being  the  Nera  and  the  Severone 
(which  latter  is  itself  navigable,  and  encloses  Latium 
in  the  rear),  while  it  is  equally  increased  by  the 
aqucducts  and  the  numerous  springs  carried  thi-ough 
to  the  citv ;  and  consequently  it  is  navigable  for 
vessels  of  whatever  size  from  the  Mediterranean, 
and  is  a  most  tranquil  trafficker  in  the  produce  of  all 
the  earth,  with  perhaps  more  villas  on  its  banks 
and  overlooking  it  than  all  the  other  rivers  in  the 
whole  world.  And  no  river  is  more  circumscribed 
and  shut  in  on  either  side ;  yet  of  itself  it  offers  no 
resistance,  though  it  is  subject  to  frequent  sudden 
floods,  the  inundations  being  nowhere  greater  than 
in  the  city  itself.  But  in  truth  it  is  looked  upon 
rather  as  a  prophet  of  warning,  its  rise  being  always 
construed  rather  as  a  call  to  religion  than  as  a  threat 
of  disaster. 

01(1  Latium  has  preserved  the  original  limits,  ununi. 
extending  from  the  Tiber  to  Cerceii,  a  distance  of 
50  miles ;  so  exiguous  at  the  beginning  were  the 
roots  of  the  Empire.  Its  inhabitants  have  often 
changed:  at  various  times  it  has  been  occupied  by 
various  peoples — the  Aborigines,  the  Pelasgi,  the 
Arcades,  the  Sicuh,  the  Aurunci,  the  IlutuH,  and 
beyond  Circello  the  \'o!sci,  Osci  and  Ausones,  owing 
to  which  the  name  of  Latium  came  to  be  extended  as 
far  as  the  river  Garigliano.  To  begin  with  there  is 
Ostia,  a  colony  founded  by  a  Iloman  king,  the  town 
of  Laurentum,  the  grove  of  Jupiter  Indiges,  the  river 
Nimiicius,  arid  Ardea,  founded  by  Danae  the  mother 

43 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

67  matre  condita.  dein  quondam  Aphrodisiimi,  An- 
tium  colonia,  Astura  flumen  et  insula,  fluvius  Nym- 
phaeus,  Clostra  Romana,  Cercei  quondam  insula 
inmenso  quidem  mari  circumdata,  ut  crcditur  Ho- 
mero,  et  nunc  planitie.  mirum  est  quod  hac  de 
re  tradere  hominum  notitiae  possumus.  Thco- 
phrastus,  qui  primus  externorum  ahqua  de  Romanis 
dihgentius  scripsit — nam  Theopompus,  ante  quem 
nemo  mentionem  habuit,  urbem  dumtaxat  a  GalHs 
captam  dixit,  CHtarchtis  ab  eo  proximus  legationem 
tantum  ad  Alexandrum  missam — hic  iam  phis  quam 

58  ex  fama  Cerceiorum  insulae  et  mensuram  posuit 
stadia  lxxx  in  eo  volumine  quod  scripsit  Nicodoro 
Atheniensium  magistratu  qui  fuit  urbis  nostrae 
ccccxL  anno.  quicquid  ergo  terrarum  est  praeter 
X  p.  ambitus  adnexum  insulae  post  cum  annum  ac- 

59  cessit  Itahae.  aHud  miracuhim  a  Cerccis  palus 
Pomptina  est,  quem  locum  xxiv  urbium  fuissc 
Mucianus  ter  consul  prodidit.  dein  flumen  Aufen- 
tum,  supra  quod  Tarracina  oppidum  Hngua  Vols- 
corum  Anxur  dictuin,  et  ubi  fuere  Amyclae  sive 
Amynclae  a  serpcntibus  deletac,  dein  locus  Spelun- 
cae,  lacus  Fundanus,  Caieta  portus,  oppidum  Fomiiae 
Hormiae  dictum,  ut  existimavere,  antiqua  Laestry- 
gonum  sedes.  uUra  fuit  oppidum  Pirac,  cst  colonia 
Minturnae  Liri  amne  divisa  Clani  oHm  ^  appellato, 

'  Mayhoff:    Glanico. 

"  Thia  was  inferred  from  the  idcntificatiun  of  tho  namo  with 
Homer'8  Circe. 

44 


BOOK    III.  V.  56-59 

of  Perseus.  Then  comes  the  site  of  whnt  was  once 
Aphrodisium,  the  colony  of  Antium,  the  river  and 
island  called  Astura,  the  river  Ninfa,  the  Roman 
Buhvarks,  Circello,  once  an  island  surrounded  by  a 
boundless  sea,"  if  we  are  to  beheve  Homer,  but  now 
surrounded  by  a  plain.  The  facts  that  we  are  able 
to  pubHsh  for  the  information  of  the  world  on  this 
matter  are  remarkable.  Thcophrastus,  the  first 
foreigner  to  write  ^Wth  special  care  about  the  Romans 
— for  Theopompus,  before  whom  nobody  mentioned 
them,  merely  states  that  Rome  was  taken  by  the 
Gauls,  and  CHtarchus,  the  next  after  him,  only  that 
an  embassy  was  sent  to  Alexander — Theophrastus, 
I  say,  relying  on  more  than  rumour,  has  actually 
given  the  measurement  of  the  island  of  Circello  as 
80  furlongs  in  the  volume  that  he  \\Tote  in  the 
archonship  of  Nicodorus  at  Athens,  which  was  the 
440th  year  ^*  of  our  city.  Whatever  land  therefore 
has  been  joined  to  the  island  beyond  the  circum- 
ference  of  10  miles  was  added  to  Italy  after  that 
year.  Another  mar\'el  not  far  from  Circello  is  the 
Pomptine  Marsh,  a  place  which  Mucianus,  who  was 
three  times  consul,  has  reported  to  be  the  site  of  24 
cities.  Then  comes  the  river  Aufentum,  above  which 
is  the  town  of  Tarracina,  called  Anxur  in  the  dialect 
of  the  \^olsci,  and  the  site  of  Amyclae,  or  Amynclae, 
the  town  destroyed  by  serpents,  then  the  place 
called  the  Grottoes,  Lake  Fundanus,  the  port  of 
Gaeta,  the  town  of  Formiae,  called  also  Hormiae, 
the  ancient  abode,  it  has  been  thought,  of  the  Laestry- 
gones.  Beyond  this  formerly  stood  the  town  of 
Pirae,andstillexists  the  colony  of  Minturnae,through 
which  runs  the  river  Liris,  once  called  Clanis ;    and 

»  314  B.c. 

45 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Sinucssa,  extremum  in  Adiecto  Latio,  quam  quidam 
Sinopen  dixcrc  vocitatam. 

60  Hinc  felix  illa  Campania  est,  ab  hoc  sinu  incipiunt 
vitiferi  colles  et  temulentia  nobilis  suco  per  omnis 
terras  incluto,  atque  (ut  veteres  dixere)  summimi 
Liberi  Patris  cum  Cerere  certamen.  hinc  Sctini  et 
Caecubi  protenduntur  agri ;  his  iunguntur  Falemi, 
Caleni.  deinconsurgunt  Massici,Gaurani  Surrentini- 
que  montes.  ibi  Leborini  campi  stcrnuntur  et  in 
delicias  alicae  poHtur  messis.  haec  htora  fontibus 
cahdis  rigantur,  praeterque  cetera  in  toto  mari 
conchyho  et  pisce  nobih  adnotantur.  nusquam 
generosior  oleae  hquor  est,^  hoc  quoque  certamen 
humanae  voluptatis.     tenuere  Osci,  Graeci,  Umbri, 

61  Tusci,  Campani.  in  ora  Savo  fluvius,  V^olturnum 
oppidumcuniamne,  Liternum,  Cumae  Chalcidensium, 
Misenum,  portus  Baiarum,  BauH,  lacus  Lucrinus  ct 
Avernus,  iuxta  quem  Cimmerium  oppidum  quondam, 
dein  Puteoh  colonia  Dicaearchea  dicti,  postque 
Phlegraei    campi,    Acherusia    palus    Cumis    vicina. 

62  htore  autem  Neapolis  Chalcidensium  et  ipsa,  Parthe- 
nope  a  tumulo  Sirenis  appellata,  Herculaneum, 
Pompei  haud  procul  spectato  monte  \'esuvio, 
adluente  vero  Sarno  amne,  ager  Nucerinus  et  ix  p. 
a   mari   ipsa   Nuceria,  Surrentum  cum  promunturio 

>   Mayhijf  :   ot. 
46 


BOOK   III.  V.  59-62 

Sinuessa,  the  last  tovn  in  the  Extension  of  Latium, 
and  stated  by  some  authorities  to  have  becn  once 
styled  Sinope. 

Thcn  comcs  the  favoured  country  of  Campania ;  Campania. 
in  this  valley  begin  those  vine-clad  hills  with  their 
glorious  ^^nne  and  wassail,  famous  all  the  world  over, 
and  (as  old  writers  have  said)  the  scene  of  the  severest 
competition  between  Father  Liber  and  Ceres.  From 
this  point  stretch  the  territories  of  Sezza  and  Caecu- 
bum,  with  which  march  the  Falernian  and  those  of 
Cahi.  Then  rise  up  Monte  Massico,  Monte  Barbaro 
and  the  hills  of  Sorrento.  Here  spread  the  plains  of 
Leborium.  where  the  wheat  crop  is  sedulously  tended 
to  produce  dcHcious  frumity.  These  shores  are 
watered  by  hot  springs,  and  are  noted  beyond  all 
others  throughout  the  whole  of  the  sea  for  their 
famous  shell  and  other  fish.  Nowhere  is  there  nobler 
ohve  oil — another  competition  to  gratify  man's 
pleasure.  Its  occupants  have  been  Oscans,  Greeks, 
Umbrians,  Tuscans  and  Campanians.  On  the  coast 
are  the  river  Saove,  the  town  of  Volturno  with  the 
river  of  the  same  name,  Liternum,  the  Chalcidian 
colony  of  Ciunae,  Miseno,  the  port  of  Baiae,  Bacolo, 
the  Lucrine  lake,  Lake  Averno  near  which  fonnerly 
stood  the  to^^Ti  of  Cimmerium,  then  PozzuoH,  formerly 
called  the  Colony  of  Dicaearchus ;  after  which  come 
the  plains  of  Salpatara  and  the  Lago  di  Fusaro  near 
Cumae.  On  the  coast  stands  Naples,  itself  also  a 
colony  of  the  Chalcidians,  named  Parthenope  from 
the  tomb  of  one  of  the  Sirens,  Herculaneum,  Pompei 
with  Mount  Vesuvius  in  view  not  far  off  and  watered 
by  the  river  Sarno,  the  Nucerian  territory  and  nine 
miles  from  the  sea  Nocera  itself,  and  Sorrento  with 
the  promontory  of  Minerva  that  once  was  the  abode 

47 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Minervae     Sirenum     quondam    sede.     navigatio    a 
03  Cerceis  li  de  lxxx  patet.     regio  ea  a  Tiberi  prima 
Italiae  servatur  ex  discriptione  Augusti. 

Intus  coloniae  Capua  ab  xL  p.  campo  dicta,  Aqui- 
num,  Suessa,  Venafrum,  Sora,  Teanum  Sidicinum 
cognomine,  Nola ;  oppida  Abellinum,  Aricia,  Alba 
Longa,  Acerrani,  Allifani,  Atinatcs,  Alctrinates, 
Anagnini,  Atellani,  Aefulani,  Arpinates,  Auximates, 
Abellani,  Alfaterni  (et  qui  ex  agro  Latino  item 
Hemico  item  Labicano  cognominantur),  Bovillae, 
Caiatiae,  Casinum,  Calenum,  Capitulum  Ilernicum, 
Cereatini  qui  Mariani  cognominantur,  Corani  a 
Dardano  Troiano  orti,  Cubulterini,  Castrimoenienses, 

64  Cingulani,  Fabienses  in  monte  Albano,  Foropopulien- 
ses  ex  Falerno,  Frusinates,  Ferentinates,  Freginates, 
Fabraterni  Veteres,  Fabraterni  Novi,  Ficolenses, 
Fregellani,  Forum  Appi,  Forentani,  Gabini,  Interam- 
nates  Sucasini  qui  et  Lirenatcs  vocantur,  Ilionenses, 
Lanivini,  Norbani,  Nomentani,  Pracnestini  urbe 
quondam  Stephane  dicta,  Privernates,  Setini,  Signini, 
Suessulani,  Telesini,  Trebulani  cognomine  Ballienses, 

65  Trebani,  Tusculani,  Verulani,  \'cliterni,  Ulubrenses, 
Urbanates,  superque  lloma  ipsa,  cuius  nomen 
alterura  diccre  nisi  ^  arcanis  caerimoniarum  nefas 
habetur,  optimaque  et  salutari  fide  abolitum  enun- 
tiavit  Valerius  Soranus,  luitque  mox  poenas.     non 

'  nisi  add.  Mommsen  adl.  C.I.L. 
48 


BOOK   III.  V.  62-65 

of  the  Sirens.  From  this  place  the  distance  by  sea 
from  Cerceii  is  78  miles,  This  region,  beginning  from 
the  Tiber,  under  the  partition  made  by  Augustus  is 
regarded  as  the  first  region  of  Italy. 

Inland  are  the  following  colonies  :  Capua,  so  named 
from  its  forty  miles  of  plain  (campus),  Aquino,  Suessa, 
Venafro,  Sora,  Teano  surnamed  Sidicinum,  and  Nola ; 
and  the  to^vTis  of  AbelHnum,  Aricia,  Alba  Longa,  the 
Acerrani,  the  Alhfani,  the  Atinates,  the  Aletrinates, 
the  Anagnini,  the  Atellani,  the  Aefulani,  the  Arpi- 
nates,  the  Auximates,  the  Abellani,  the  Alfaterni 
(both  those  that  take  their  surname  from  the  Latin 
territorjs  and  from  the  Hernican,  and  from  the 
Labican),  Bo\illae,  Caiatiae,  Casinum,  Calenum, 
Capitulimi  of  the  Hernici,  the  Cereatini  who  have  the 
surname  of  Mariani,  the  Corani  descended  from  the 
Trojan  Dardanus,  the  Cubulterini,  the  Castrimoenien- 
ses,  the  Cingulani,  the  Fabienses  on  Mount  Albanus, 
the  Foropopulienses  from  the  Falernian  district, 
the  Frusinates,  the  Fcrentinates,  the  Freginates,  the 
Old  Fabraterni,  the  New  Fabraterni,  the  Ficolenses, 
the  Fregellani,  Forum  Appi,  the  Forentani,  the 
Gabini,  the  Interamnates  Sucasini,  also  called  the 
Lirenates,  the  Ilionenses,  the  Lanivini,  the  Norbani, 
the  Nomentani,  the  Praenestini  with  their  city  once 
called  Stephane,  the  Privernates,  the  Setini,  the 
Signini,  the  Suessulani,  the  Telesini,  the  Trebulani 
surnamed  Ballienses,  the  Trebani,  the  Tusculani,  the 
Verulani,  the  Veliterni,  the  Ulubrenses,  the  Urban- 
ates ;  and  besides  all  these  Rome  itself,  whose  other 
name  it  is  held  to  be  a  sin  to  utter  except  at  the 
ceremonies  of  the  mysteries,  and  when  Valerius 
Soranus  divulged  the  secret  religiously  kept  for  the 
weal  of  the  state,  he  soon  paid  the  penalty.     It  seems 

49 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

alienum  videtur  inserere  hoc  loco  exeniplum  religionis 
antiquae  ob  hoc  maxime  silentium  institutae:  nam- 
que  diva  Angerona,  cui  sacrificatur  a.  d.  xii  kal.  lan., 
ore  obligato  obsignatoque  simulacrum  habet. 

66  Urbem  iii  portas  habentem  Romulus  rehquit,  ut 
plurimas  tradentibus  credamus,  iv.  moenia  eius 
collegere  ambitu  imperatoribus  censoribusque  Ves- 
pasianis  anno  conditae  dcccxxvi  m.  p.  xiircc,  con- 
plexa  montes  septem.  ipsa  dividitur  in  regiones 
quattuordecim,  compita  Larum  cclx\'.  eiusdem 
spatium  mensura  currente  a  mihario  in  capite 
Romani  fori  statuto  ad  singulas  portas,  quae  sunt 
hodie  numero  xxxaii  ita  ut  Duodecim  semel  nume- 
rentur  praetereanturque  ex  veteribus  vii  quae  esse 
desierunt,  efficit  passuum  per  directum  xx.M.Dca.xv. 

67  ad  extrema  vero  tectorum  cum  castris  praetoriis  ab 
eodem  mihario  per  vicos  omnium  viarum  mensura 
colhgit  paulo  amphus  lx  p. ;  quod  si  quis  altitudinem 
tectonmi  addat,  dignam  profecto  aestimationem  con- 
cipiat,  fateaturque  nulhus  urbis  magnitudinem  in 
toto  orbe  potuisse  ei  comparari.  clauditur  ab  oriente 
aggere  Tarquini  Supcrbi  inter  prima  opere  mirabih ; 
namque  eum  muris  aequavit  qua  maxime  patebat 
aditu   plano.     cetero   munita   erat   praecelsis   muris 

"  I.e.  Vespasian  and  Titus,  ■who  was  sahited  Emperor  after 
the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  and  was  assoeiated  \rith  his  father  in 
the  govemment,  and  shared  the  duties  of  the  censorship. 

»  A.D.  73. 

*  Chap)ei8  of  the  Lares  Compitales  stood  at  plaoes  where 
two  or  more  streets  crossed. 

*  These  were  double  gates. 

50 


BOOK    III.  V.  65-67 

pertinent  to  add  at  this  point  an  instance  of  old 
religion  established  especially  to  inculcate  this  silence: 
the  goddess  Angerona,  to  whom  sacrifice  is  ofFered 
on  December  21,  is  represented  in  her  statue  with  a 
sealed  bandage  over  her  mouth. 

Romulus  left  Rome  possessing  three  or,  to  accept  Torngraphy 
the  statement  of  the  authorities  putting  the  number 
highest,  four  gates.  The  area  surrounded  by  its 
walls  at  the  time  of  the  principate  and  censorship 
of  the  Vespasians,"  in  the  826th  year  ^"  of  its  foundation, 
measured  13  miles  and  200  yards  in  circumference, 
embracing  seven  hills.  It  is  itself  divided  into 
fourteen  regions,  with  265  crossways  v/ith  their 
guardian  Lares.<^  If  a  straight  Hne  is  drawn  from 
the  milestone  standing  at  the  head  of  the  Roman 
Forum  to  each  of  the  gates,  which  to-day  number 
thirty-seven  (provided  that  the  Twelve  Gates  "^  be 
counted  only  as  one  each  and  the  seven  of  the  old 
gates  that  exist  no  longer  be  omitted),  the  result 
is  a  total  of  20  miles  765  yards  in  a  straight  line. 
But  the  total  length  of  all  the  ways  through  the 
districts  from  the  same  milestone  to  the  extreme 
edge  of  the  buildings,  taking  in  the  Praetorians' 
Camp,  amounts  to  a  Httle  more  than  60  miles.  If 
one  were  further  to  take  into  account  the  height  of 
the  buildings,  a  very  fair  estimate  would  be  formcd, 
that  would  bring  us  to  admit  that  thcre  has  been  no 
city  in  the  wholc  world  that  coukl  be  compared  to 
Rome  in  magnitude.  On  the  east  it  is  bounded  by 
the  Dyke  of  Tarquinius  Superbus,  a  work  among 
the  leading  wondcrs  of  the  world,  for  he  made  it  as 
high  as  the  walls  where  the  approach  was  flat  and  the 
city  lay  most  open  to  attack.  In  other  directions 
it  had  the  protection  of  lofty  walls  or  else  of  precipi- 

51 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

aut  abruptis  montibus,  nisi  quod  exspatiantia  tecta 
multas  addidere  urbes. 
GS  In  prima  regione  praeterea  fuere  in  Latio  clara 
oppida  Satricum,  Pometia,  Scaptia,  Politoriimi, 
Tellena,  Tifata,  Caenina,  Ficana,  Crustumerium, 
Ameriola,  MeduUimi,  Corniculum,  Saturnia  ubi 
nunc  Roma  est,  Antipolis  quod  nunc  laniculum  in 
parte  Romae,  Antemnae,  Camerium,  Collatia,  Ami- 

69  tinum,  Norbe,  Sulmo;  et  cum  iis  carnem  in  monte 
Albano  soliti  accipere  populi  Albenses,  Albani, 
Aesolani,  Accienses,  Abolani,  Bubetani,  Bolani, 
Cusuetani,  Coriolani,  Fidenates,  Foreti,  Hortenses, 
Latinienses,  Longulani,  Manates,  Macrales,  Mu- 
nienses,  Numinienses,  OUiculani,  Octulani,  Pedani, 
Polluscini,  Querquetulani,  Sicani,  Sisolenses,  Toleri- 
enses,  Tutienses,  VimitcUari.  Velienses,  Venetulani, 

70  Vitellenses.  ita  ex  antiquo  Latio  liii  populi  interiere 
sine  vestigiis. 

In  Campano  autem  agro  Stabiae  oppidum  fuere 
usque  ad  Cn.  Pompeium  L.  Catonem  coss.  pr.  kal. 
Mai.,  quo  die  L.  Sulla  legatus  bello  sociali  id  delevit 
quod  nunc  in  villam  abiit.  intercidit  ibi  et  Taurania ; 
sunt  morientes  Casilini  reliquiae.  praeterea  auctor 
est  Antias  oppidum  Latinorum  Apiolas  captum  a 
L.  Tarquinio  rege,  ex  cuius  praeda  Capitolium  is 
inchoaverit.  a  Surrentino  ad  Silerum  amnem  xxx 
m.  p.  ager  Picentinus  fuit  Tuscorum,  templo  lunonis 


■  The    refcrcnce    is    to    Tibur,    Aricia    and    otiicr    places 
absorbed  in  the  spreading  suburbs. 

*  l.e.  to  share  in  sacrifices. 

'  An  old  town  betwecn  Pompei  and  Sorrento. 

*  m  B.o. 
5« 


BOOK   III.  V.  67-70 

tous  hills,  except  for  the  fact  that  the  increasing 
spread  of  buildings  has  added  a  number  of  cities 
to  it.'» 

The  first  region  formerly  included  the  following  Latium, 
celebrated  towns  of  Latium  besides  those  mentioned : 
Satricum,  Pometia,  Scaptia,  Politorium,  Tellena, 
Tifata,  Caenina,  Ficana,  Crustumerium,  Ameriola, 
Medullum,  Comiculum,  Saturnia  on  the  site  of  the 
present  Rome,  Antipolis,  which  to-day  is  Janiculum 
and  a  part  of  Rome,  Antemnae,  Camerium,  Collatia, 
Amitinum,  Norbe,  Sulmo;  and  together  with  these 
the  Alban  peoples  who  were  accustomed  to  '  receive 
flesh  '  ^  on  the  Alban  Hill,  namely  the  Albani, 
Aesolani,  Accienses,  Abolani,  Bubetani,  Bolani, 
Cusuetani,  Coriolani,  Fidenates,  Foreti,  Hortenses, 
Latinienses,  Longulani,  Manates,  Macrales,  Muni- 
enses,  Numinienses,  Olliculani,  Octulani,  Pedani, 
Polluscini,  Querquetulani,  Sicani,  Sisolenses,  Toleri- 
enses,  Tutienses,  Vimitellari,  Vehenses,  Venetulani, 
Vitellenses.  Thus  53  peoples  of  Old  Latium  have 
perished  without  leaving  a  trace. 

In  the  Campanian  territory  the  town  of  Stabiae '  Campania. 
existed  right  dovm  to  April  29  in  the  consulship'' 
of  Gnaeus  Pompeius  and  Lucius  Cato,  when  Lieu- 
tenant-General  Lucius  Sulla  in  the  AlHes'  War 
destroyed  the  place  that  has  now  been  reduced 
to  a  farmhouse.  Here  also  was  Taurania,  which  has 
now  perished ;  and  the  remains  of  Casihnum  are  in 
process  of  disappearance.  Furthermore,  Antias 
records  that  the  Latin  town  of  Apiolae  was  captured 
by  King  Lucius  Tarquinius,  who  used  the  spoils  of 
it  to  begin  building  the  Capitol.  The  30  miles  of 
Picentine  territory  between  the  district  of  Sorrento 
and  the  river  Silaro  belonged  to  the  Etruscans ;  it 

voL.  II.  C         53 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Argivae  ab  lasone  condito  insignis.     intus  oppidum 
Salerni,  Picentia. 

71  A  Silcro  rcgio  tertia  et  ager  Lucanus  Bruttiusque 
incipit,  nec  ibi  rara  incolarum  mutatione.  tenuerunt 
eum  Pelasgi,  Oenotri,  Itali,  Morgetes,  Siculi,  Grae- 
ciae  maxime  populi,  novissime  Lucani  a  Samnitibus 
orti  ducc  Lucio.  oppidum  Paestum  Graecis  Posi- 
donia  appellatum,  sinus  Paestanus,  oppidum  Elea 
quae  nunc  Velia,  promunturium  Palinurum,  a  quo 
sinu    recedente    traiectus    ad   Columnam  Regiam  c 

72  m.  p. ;  proximum  autem  flumen  Melpes,  oppidum 
Buxentum  Graeciae  Pyxus,  Laus  amnis — fuit  et 
oppidum  eodem  nomine.  ab  eo  Bruttium  litus, 
oppidum  Blanda,  flumen  Baletum,  portus  Parthenius 
Phocensium,  sinus  Vibonensis,  locus  Clampetiae, 
oppidum  Tempsa  a  Graecis  Temese  dictum  et 
Crotoniensium    Terina    sinusque    ingens    Terinaeus. 

73  oppidum  Consentia  intus.  in  peninsula  fluvius 
Acheron,  a  quo  oppidani  Acherontini ;  Hippo,  quod 
nunc  Vibonem  Valentiam  appellamus ;  portus  Her- 
cuHs,  Metaurus  amnis,  Tauroentum  oppidum,  portus 
Orestis  et  Medma;  oppidum  Scyllaeum,  Crataeis 
fluvius,  mater  (ut  dixere)  Scyllae ;  dein  Columna 
Regia,  Siculum  fretum  ac  duo  adversa  promunturia, 
ex   Itaha  Caenus,  e  SiciHa  Pelorum,  xii  stadiorum 

74  intervallo ;    unde   Rhegium    xciii.     Inde   Appennini 

*  The  modem  Repgio,  ece  §  86  note. 
'  Now  the  Arconte. 

*  Perhaps  Punta  dei  Pezzo. 
'  Capo  di  Faro. 

54 


BOOK   III.  V.  70-74 

was  famous  for  the  temple  of  Argive  Juno  founded  by 
Jason.  Further inland  was  Picentia,  a  town  of Salerno. 

At  the  Silaro  bejiriiis  the  third  recrion,  the  Lucanian  Pt  '^*"-^ 
and  Bruttian  territory ;  in  this  too  there  have  been 
frequent  changes  of  population.  It  has  been 
occupied  by  Pehisgi,  Oenotri,  ItaU,  Morgetes,  SicuH, 
and  mostly  by  peoples  of  Greece,  and  most 
recently  by  the  Lucani,  Samnite  in  origin,  whose 
leader  was  Lucius.  The  town  of  Paestum  (callcd 
Posidonia  by  the  Greeks),  the  bay  of  Paestum, 
the  town  of  Elea,  now  VeHa,  Cape  PaHnuro,  from 
which  across  the  bay  that  here  stretches  inland  the 
distance  to  the  Royal  Pillar"  is  100  miles.  Next 
is  the  river  Melpes,  the  town  of  Buxentum  (the 
Greek  name  of  which  is  Pyxus)  and  the  river  Laus — 
there  was  once  a  town  also  of  the  same  name.  Here 
begins  thecoastof  theBruttii,with  the  to^vnof  Blanda, 
the  river  Baletum,  the  port  of  Parthenius,  founded 
by  the  Phocians,  the  Bay  of  Vibo,  the  site  of  Clam- 
petia,  the  town  of  Tempsa  (the  Greek  name  of  which 
is  Temese),  and  Terina,  founded  by  the  people  of 
Croton,  and  the  extensive  Bay  of  Terina  ;  and  inland 
the  to\vn  of  Cosenza.  On  a  peninsula  is  the  river 
Acheron,*  which  gives  its  name  to  the  township 
of  the  Acherontians ;  Hippo,  which  we  now  call 
Vibo  Valentia;  the  Port  of  Hercules,  the  river 
Metaurus,  the  town  of  Tauroentum,  the  Port  of 
Orestes,  and  Medma ;  the  to\vn  of  ScyUaeum  and 
the  river  Crataeis,  known  in  legend  as  the  Mother 
of  Scylla ;  then  the  Royal  Pillar,  the  Straits  of 
Messina  and  the  two  opposing  headlands,  Caenus'^ 
on  the  Itahan  and  Pelorum  "^  on  the  SiciHan  side,  the 
distance  between  them  being  li  miles ;  Reggio  is 
ll^  miles  away.     Next  comes  tlie  Apennine  forest 

55 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

silva  Sila,  proinunturiuiu  Leucopetra  xv  p.  ab  ea, 
Li  Locri,  cognominati  a  promunturio  Zephyrio ; 
absunt  a  Silaro  ccciii.  et  includilur  Europae  sinus 
primus. 

In  eo  maria  nuncupantur:  unde  inrumpit,  Atlan- 
ticum,  ab  aliis  Magnuin ;  qua  intrat,  Porthmos  a 
Graecis,  a  nobis  Gaditanum  frelum ;  cum  intravit, 
Hispaniun  quatenus  Hispanias  adluit,  ab  aliis  Hiberi- 
cum  aut  Baharicum  ;  mox  Gallicum  ante  Narbonensem 

75  provinciam,  hinc  Ligusticum ;  ab  eo  ad  Siciliam 
insulam  Tusciun,  quod  ex  Graecis  alii  Notium  ahi 
Tyrreniun,  e  nostris  plm-umi  Inferum  vocant.  ultra 
Siciliam  quod  est  ad  Sallentinos  Ausonium  Polybius 
appellat,  Eratosthenes  autem  inter  ostium  oceani 
et  Sardiniam  quicquid  est  Sardoum,  inde  ad  Siciham 
Tyrrcnum,  ab  hac  Cretam  usque  Siculum,  ab  ea 
Creticum. 

76  Insulae  per  haec  maria  primae  omnium  Pityussae 
Graecis  dictae  a  frutice  pineo,  nunc  Ebusus  vocatur 
utraque,  civitate  foederata,  angusto  freto  inter- 
fluente.  patent  xlvi,  absunt  ab  Dianio  dcc  stadia, 
totidem  Dianium  per  continentem  a  Carthagine 
nova,    tantundem    a    Pityussis    in    altum    Bahares 

77  duae     et     Sucronem     versus     Colubraria.     Bahares 


"  Sce  §  5  fin.  *  Ulrvts. 

'  Iviza ;  thc  modcrn  numc  of  thc  smallcr  island  is  Formcntcra. 


56 


BOOK    III.  V.  74-77 

of  Sila,  and  the  promontory  of  Leucopetra  15  miles 
from  it,  and  Epizephyrian  Locri  (called  after  the 
promontory  of  Zephyrium)  51  miles ;  it  is  303  miles 
from  the  rivcr  Silaro.  And  this  rounds  off  the 
first  gulf  "  of  Europe. 

The  names  of  the  seas  that  it  contains  are  as  Divisiomof 
follows  :  that  from  which  it  makcs  its  entrance  is  the  j/Jf^''^ 
Atlantic,  or  as  others  call  it,  the  Great  Sea;  the  roncan. 
strait  by  which  it  enters  is  called  by  the  Greeks 
Porthmos  and  by  us  the  Straits  of  Cadiz  ;  after  it  has 
entered,  as  far  as  it  washes  the  coast  of  the  Spains 
it  is  called  the  Spanish  Sea,  or  by  others  the  Iberian 
or  the  Balearic  Sea  ;  then  the  GaUic  Sea  as  far  as  the 
Province  of  Narbonne,  and  afterwards  the  Ligurian 
Sea ;  from  that  point  to  the  Island  of  Sicily  the 
Tuscan  Sea,  which  some  of  the  Greeks  call  the 
Southern  Sea  and  others  the  Tyrrhenian,  but  most 
of  our  ovn\  pcople  the  Lower  Sea.  Beyond  Sicily, 
as  far  as  the  south-eastern  point  of  Italy  Polybius 
calls  it  the  Ausonian  Sea,  but  Eratosthenes  calls  all 
the  part  betMcen  the  ocean  inlet  and  Sardinia  the 
Sardoan  Sea,  from  Sardinia  to  Sicily  thc  Tyrrhenian, 
from  Sicily  to  Crete  the  Sicihan,  and  beyond  Crete 
the  Cretan. 

The  first  of  allthe  islands  scattered  over  these  seas  sixiy-four 
are  called  \nt\\  the  Greeks  the  Pityussae,  from  the  ''^^ing 
pinetrees  *    that    grow    on    them;     each    of    these '/'^■Sai«<»""- 
islands  is  now  named  Ebusus,"^  and  in  treaty  with 
Rome,    the  channel    between   them  being   narrow. 
Their  area  is  46  miles,  and  their  distance  from  Denia 
87|  xniles,  which  is  the  distance  by  land  from  Denia 
to  New  Carthage,  while  at  the  same  distanoe  from 
the  Pityussae  out  to  sea  are  the  two  Balearic  islands, 
and  opposite  the  River  Xucar  hes  Colubraria.     The 

57 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

funda  bellicosas  Graeci  G}Tnnasias  dixere.  maior 
c  p.  est  longitudine,  circuitu  vero  cccclxxv  m. ;  oppida 
habet  civium  Romanorum  Palmam  et  Pollentiam, 
Latina  Cinium  et  Tucim,  et  foederatum  Bocchorum 
fuit.  ab  ea  xxlx  distat  minor,  longitudine  xl,  circuitu 
cl;   civitates  habet  lamonem,  Saniseram,  Magonem. 

78  a  maiore  xii  in  altum  abest  Capraria  insidiosa 
naufragiis,  et  e  regione  Palmae  urbis  Menariae  ac 
Tiquadra  et  parva  Hannibalis. 

Ebusi  terra  serpentes  fugat,  Colubrariae  parit, 
ideo  infesta  omnibus  nisi  Ebusitanam  tcrram  in- 
ferentibus ;  Graeci  Ophiussam  dixere.     nec  cunicolos 

79  Ebusus  gignit  populantis  Baliarium  messes.  sunt 
aliae  viginti  ferme  parvae  mari  vadoso,  Galhae 
autem  ora  in  Rhodani  ostio  Metina,  mox  quae 
Blascorum  vocatur,  et  tres  Stoechades  a  vicinis 
Massihensibus  dictae  propter  ordinem  quo  sitae 
sunt.  nomina  singulis  Prote,  Mese  quae  et  Pom- 
poniana  vocatur,  tertia  Hypaea ;  ab  his  Iturium, 
Phoenice,  Phila,  Lero  et  Lerina  adversum  AntipoHm, 
in  qua  Berconi  oppidi  memoria. 

80  VI.  In  Ligustico  mari  est  Corsica  quam  Graeci 
Cyrnon  appellavere,  sed  Tusco  propior,   a   septen- 


"  Their  sUngcrs  served  as  mercenaries  under  the  Carthag- 
inians,  and  l&teT  for  Rome. 

*  The  Iles  d^Hyfres. 

'  Sainte  Marj^erite  de  Lerins. 

*  Saint  Honorat  de  L#orins. 

58 


BOOK   III.  V.  77-vi.  80 

Balearic  islands,  formidable  in  warfare  with  the 
sling,"  have  been  designated  by  the  Greeks  the 
Gymnasiae.  The  larger  island,  Majorca,  is  100 
miles  in  length  and  475  in  circumference.  It  contains 
towTis  of  Roman  citizen  colonists,  Palma  and  Pollenza, 
towns  with  Latin  rights,  Sineu  and  Tucis ;  a  treaty 
town  of  the  Bocchi,  no  longer  existing.  The  smaller 
island,  Minorca,  is  30  miles  away  from  Majorca ; 
its  length  is  40  miles  and  its  circumference  150 ; 
it  contains  the  states  of  lamo,  Sanisera  and  Port 
Mahon.  Twelve  miles  out  to  sea  from  Majorca  is 
Cabrera,  treacherous  for  shipwrecks,  and  right  off 
the  city  of  Palma  He  the  Malgrates  and  Dragonera 
and  the  small  island  of  El  Torre. 

The  soil  of  Iviza  drives  away  snakes,  but  that  of 
Colubraria  breeds  snakes,  and  consequently  that 
island  is  dangerous  to  all  people  except  those  who 
bring  earth  from  Iviza;  the  Greeks  called  it 
Snake  Island.  Iviza  does  not  breed  rabbits  either, 
which  ravage  the  crops  of  the  Balearics.  The  sea  is 
full  of  shoals,  and  there  are  about  twenty  other  small 
islands ;  off  the  coast  of  Gaul  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Rhone  is  Metina,  and  then  the  island  named  Brescon, 
and  the  three  *  which  the  neighbouring  people 
of  Marseilles  call  the  Row  of  Islands  because 
of  their  arrangement,  their  Greek  names  being 
First  Island,  Middle  Island,  also  called  Pomponiana, 
and  the  third  Ilypaea ;  ncxt  to  these  are  Iturium, 
Phoenica,  Lero,*^  and  opposite  Antibes  Lerina,"^ 
on  which  according  to  local  tradition  there  was  once 
a  toAvn  called  Berconum. 

VI.  In  the  Ligurian  Sea,  but  adjoining  the  Tuscan,  Corsica  and 
is  the  island  of  Corsica,  the  Greek  name  of  which  is  fj^nds. 
Cyrnos ;   it  Ues  in  a  line  from  north  to  south,  and  is 

59 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

trione  in  meridiem  proiecta,  longa  passuum  cL,  lata 
maiore  ex  parte  L,  circuitu  cccxxv ;  abest  a  Vadis 
Volaterranis  ExiT.  civitates  habet  xxaii  et  colonias 
Marianam  a  C.  Mario  deductam,  Aleriam  a  dictatore 
Sulla,  citra  est  Oglasa,  intra  vero,  et  lx  p.  a  Corsica, 
Planasia    a    specie    dicta,    aequalis    freto    ideoque 

81  navigiis  fallax.  amplior  Urgo  et  Capraria,  quam 
Graeci  Aegilion  dixere,  item  Igilium  et  Dianium 
quam  Artemisiam,  ambae  contra  Cosanum  litus,  et 
Barpana,  Menaria,  Columbaria,  Venaria,  Ilva  cum 
ferri  metallis,  circuitus  c,  a  Populonio  x,  a  Graecis 
Aethalia  dicta ;  ab  ea  Planasia  xxviii.  ab  his  ultra 
Tiberina   ostia    in   Antiano    Astura,   mox    Palmaria, 

82  Sinonia,  adversum  Formias  Pontiae.  in  Puteolano 
autem  sinu  Pandateria,  Prochyta,  non  ab  Aeneae 
nutrice  sed  quia  profusa  ab  Acnaria  erat,  Aenaria 
a  statione  navium  Aeneae,  Homcro  Inarime  dicta, 
Pithecusa,  non  a  simiarum  multitudine  (ut  aHqui 
existimavere)  sed  a  fighnis  doliorum.  inter  Pausily- 
pum  et  Neapohm  Megaris,  mox  a  Surrento  viTi 
distantes    Tiberi     principis    arce     nobiles    Capreae 

83  circuitu  xi  m.,  Leucothea,  extraque  conspectum, 
pelagus  Africum  attingens,  Sardinia  minus  vTTi  p. 
a  Corsicae  extremis,  etiamnimi  angustias  eas  artanti- 
bus    insuhs    parvis    quae    Cuniculariae    appellantur 

"  The  distance  is  really  about  90  miies. 

'  In  Etruria,  now  Torre  di  Vada. 

'  Now  Ventotiene. 

■*  //.  II.  783,  where  however  tiie  more  probable  reading  is 
(Iv  'Apt/xo'? — Arima  is  said  to  be  a  voleanic  region  in  Cilicia 
or  elsewherc.  Virgil  likc  Pliny,  rcad  EtVapi'/xoij,  as  he  calls 
the  island  Inarime,  Aen.  IX.  716;  it  is  the  modcrn  Iscliia. 

•  ttiOtjkoi. 

^  -nido^,  TTiOaKvT],  a  jar. 

*  Now  Castel  del  Ovo. 

6o 


BOOK   III.  VI.  80-83 

150  miles  long  and  at  most  points  50  miles  broad : 
its  circumference  measures  325  miles ;  it  is  62 " 
miles  from  the  Shallows  of  Volterra.*  It  contains 
32  states,  and  the  colonies  of  Mariana  founded  by 
Gaius  Marius  and  Aleria  founded  by  Sulla  when 
Dictator.  Nearer  the  mainland  is  Oglasa,  and  inside 
that,  and  60  miles  from  Corsica,  Pianosa,  so  named 
from  its  appearance,  as  it  is  level  with  the  sea  and 
consequently  treacherous  to  vessels.  TJien  La 
Gorgona,  a  larger  island,  and  Capraia,  the  Greek 
name  of  which  is  Aegihon,  and  also  Giglio  and 
Gianuto,  in  Gi-eek  Artemisia,  both  opposite  the  coast 
at  Cosa,  and  Barpana,  Menaria,Columbaria,  Venaria, 
Elba  with  its  iron  mines,  an  island  100  miles  round 
and  10  miles  from  Populoniimi,  called  by  the  Greeks 
Aethalia ;  the  distance  between  Elba  and  Pianosa 
is  28  miles.  After  these  beyond  the  mouths  of  the 
Tiber  and  off  the  coast  of  Antium  is  Astura,  then 
Palmarola,  Senone,  and  opposite  to  Formiae  Ponza. 
In  the  gulf  of  PozzuoU  are  Pandateria,'^  Prochyta 
(so  called  not  after  Aeneas's  nurse  but  becaase  it  was 
formed  of  soil  dcpositcd  by  the  current  from  Aenaria), 
Aenaria  (named  from  having  given  anchorage 
to  the  fleet  of  Aeneas  but  callcd  Inarime  in  Homer'^ 
and  Pithecusa  (named  not  from  its  multitude  of 
monkeys,"^  as  some  people  have  supposed,  but  from 
its  pottery  /  factories).  Between  Posilippo  and  Naples 
is  Megaris  s ;  then,  8  miles  from  Sorrento,  Capri, 
celebrated  for  the  Emperor  Tiberius's  castle — the 
island  is  11  miles  round ;  Leucothea ;  and  out 
of  sight,  being  on  the  edge  of  the  African  Sea, 
Sardinia,  which  is  less  than  8  miles  from  the  end  of 
Corsica,  and  moreover  the  channel  is  narrowed  by 
the  small  islands  called  the  Rabbit  Warrens,  and  also 

61 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

itemque     Phintonis     et    Fossae,    a    quibus    fretum 
ipsum  Taphros  nominatur. 

84  VIL  Sardinia  ab  oriente  patens  clxx.v\'Iii  p.,  ab 
occidente  clxxv,  a  meridie  lxxviT,  a  septentrione 
cxxv,  circuitu  uLXv,  abest  ab  Africa  Caralitano  pro- 
munturio  cc,  a  Gadibus  |xivi .  habet  et  a  Gorditano 
promunturio  duas  insulas  quae  vocantur  Herculis,  a 

85  Sulcensi  Enosim,  a  Caralitano  Ficariam.  quidam 
haut  procul  ab  ea  et  Berclida  ponunt  et  Callodem 
et  quam  vocant  Heras  Lutra.  celcbcrrimi  in  ea 
populorum  Ihenses,  Balari,  Corsi  oppidorum  xviii, 
Sulcitani,  Valentini,  Neapolitani,  Vitenses,  Caralitani 
civium  R.,  et  Norenses,  colonia  autem  una  quac 
vocatur  Ad  Turrem  Libisonis.  Sardiniam  ipsam 
Timaeus  Sandaliotim  appellavit  ab  effigie  soleae, 
Myrsilus  Ichnusam  a  similitudine  vestigi.  contra 
Paestanimi  sinum  Leucasia  est  a  Sirene  ibi  sepulta 
appellata,  contra  Veliam  Pontia  et  Isacia,  utraeque 
uno  nomine  Oenotrides,  argumentum  possessae  ab 
Oenotris  Italiae,  contra  Vibonem  parvae  quac 
vocantur  Ithacesiae  ab  UHxis  specula. 

86  VIII.  \'erum  ante  omncs  claritate  Sicilia,  Sicania 
a  Thucvdide  dicta,  Trinacria  a  pluribiis  aut  Trinacia 
a  triangula   specie,  circuitu   patens,   ut   auctor   est 


"  Perhaps  Isola  Rossa. 

*  The  Straits  of  Bunifaccio,  Fretum  Gallicum. 

*  One  of  these  islands  now  haa  the  narac  of  Torricella. 

62 


BOOK   III.  VI.  83-viii.  86 

by  the  islands  of  Caprera,  and  Fossa,*»  from  which 
comes  the  Greck  name  of  the  Straits  *  themselves, 
Taphros. 

VII.  The  east  coast  of  Sardinia  is  188  miles  long,  Sardinia. 
the  west  coast  175,  the  south  coast  77  and  the  north 
coast  125;  its  circumference  is  565  miles ;    and  at 
Cape    Carbonara    its    distance    from    Africa    is   200 
miles  and  from  Cadiz  1400.     It  also  has  two  islands 

off  Capo  Falcone  called  the  Islands  of  Hercules, 
one  off  La  Punta  delFAlga  called  Santo  Antiocho, 
and  one  off  Cape  Carbonara  called  Coltelalzo.  Near 
it  some  authorities  also  place  the  island  sof  BereHs,  *■ 
Callodcs  and  ihe  one  called  the  Baths  of  Hera. 
The  best-known  peoples  in  Sardinia  are  the  Ilienses, 
Balari,  Corsi  (who  occupy  18  towns),  Sulcitani, 
Valentini,  Neapolitani,  Vitenses,  Caralitani  (who 
have  the  Roman  citizenship),  and  the  Norenses ; 
and  one  colony  called  At  Libiso's  Tower.  Sardinia 
itself  was  called  by  Timaeus  Sandahotis,  from  the 
similarity  of  its  shape  to  the  sole  of  a  shoe,  and  by 
MjTsihis  Ichnusa,  from  its  resemblance  to  a  footprint. 
Opposite  to  the  Bay  of  Paestum  is  La  Licosa,  called 
after  the  Siren  buried  there ;  and  opposite  Veha 
are  Pontia  and  Isacia,  both  included  imder  the  one 
name  of  the  Oenotrides,  which  is  evidencc  that  Italy 
was  once  in  the  possession  of  the  Oenotri ;  and 
opposite  to  Vibo  are  the  small  islands  called  the 
Isles  of  Ithaca,  from  the  >vatch-tower '^  of  Ulysses 
that  stands  there. 

VIII.  But  before  all  the  islands  of  the  Mediter-  sidUj: 
ranean  in  renowi  stands  Sicily,  called  by  Thucydides  ^geography; 
Sicania  and  by  a  good  many  authors  Trinacria  or 
Trinacia  from  its  triangular  shape.     The  measure- 

ment  of  its  circuroference,  according  to  Agrippa,  is 

63 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 


Agrippa,  Dxxviii  p.,  quondam  Bruttio  agro  cohaerens, 
mox  interfuso  mari  avulsa  xv  in  longitudinem  freto, 
in  latitudinem  autem  md  p.  iuxta  Columnam  Regiam  : 
ab     hoc    dehiscendi    argumento     Rhcgium     Graeci 

87  nomen  dedere  oppido  in  margine  Italiae  sito.  in 
eo  freto  est  scopulus  Scylla,  item  Charybdis  mare 
verticosum,  ambo  clara  sacvitia.  ipsius  triquetrae, 
ut  diximus,  promunturium  Pelorum  vocatur  adversus 
Scyllam  vergens  in  Italiam,  Pachynum  in  Graeciam, 
ccccxL  ab  eo  distante  Peloponneso,  Lilybaeum  in 
Africam  clxxx  intervallo  a  Mcrcuri  promunturio  et  a 
Caralitano  Sardiniae  cxc  m.  inter  se  autem  haec 
promunturia  ac  latera  distant  his  spatiis :  terreno 
itinere  a  Peloro  Pachynum  cLXXXvi,  inde  Lilybaeum 
cc,  inde  Pelorum  cxlii. 

88  Coloniae  ibi  v,  urbes  ac  civitates  lxiii.  a  Pcloro 
mare  lonium  ora  spectante  oppidum  Messana  civium 
R.  qui  Mamertini  vocantur,  promunturium  Dre- 
panum,  colonia  Tauromenium  quae  antea  Naxos, 
flumen  Asines,  mons  Aetna  nocturnis  mirus  incendiis : 
crater  eius  patet  ambitu  stadia  viginti,  favilla  Tauro- 
menium  et  Catinam  usque  pervenit  fervens,  fragor 

89  v-ero  ad  Maroneum  et  Gcmcllos  colles.  scopuh 
tres  Cyclopum,  portus  Uhxis,  colonia  Catina,  flumina 
Symaethum,  Terias.     intus  Laestrygoni  campi.    op- 

*»  Now  Reggio ;  to  the  Greck  ear  it  suggests  '  Brcach  '  as 
if  from  p-qyvvfii. 

^  §  73.  *  Now  Capo  di  Passaro. 

^  Now  Cape  Bon,  really  only  78  miles  from  the  Capo  di 
Boco  Marsala  in  Sicily. 

64 


BOOK    III.  viii.  86-89 

528  miles.  In  former  times  it  was  attached  to  the 
southern  part  of  Italy,  but  later  it  was  separated 
from  it  by  an  overflow  of  the  sea,  forming  a  strait 
15  miles  long  and  l^  miles  wide  at  the  Royal 
Pillar;  this  monument  of  the  formation  of  the  ga]i 
is  the  origin  of  the  Greek  name  of  the  town  situated 
on  the  Itahan  coast,  Rhegium."  In  these  Straits 
is  the  rock  of  Scylla  and  also  the  whirlpool  of 
CharA'bdis,  both  notoriously  treacherous.  Sicily 
itself  is  triangular  in  shape,  its  points  being  the 
promontory  mentioned  before  *  named  Pelorimi, 
pointing  towards  Italy,  opposite  Scylla,  Pachynum'^ 
towards  Greece,  the  Morea  being  440  miles  away, 
and  Lilybaeum  towards  Africa,  at  a  distance  of  180 
miles  from  the  Promontoiy  of  Mercury  '^  and  190 
from  Cape  Carbonara  in  Sardinia.  The  following  are 
the  distances  of  these  promontories  from  one  another 
and  the  length  of  the  coast  hnes :  frora  Pelorum 
to  Pachynum  by  land  is  186  miles,  from  Pachynum 
to  Lilybaeum  200  miles,  and  from  Lilybaeum  to 
Pelorum  142  miles. 

Sicily  contains  five  colonies  and  sixty-three  cities  cireuit  of 
and  states.  Starting  from  Pelorum,  on  the  coast  facing  '^"'^*  ' 
the  lonian  Sea  is  the  town  of  Messina,  whose  denizens 
called  Mamertines  have  the  Roman  citizenship, 
the  promontor}'^  of  Trapani,  the  colony  of  Taormina, 
formerly  Naxos,  the  river  Alcantara,  and  Mount 
Etna  with  its  wonderful  displays  of  fire  at  night : 
the  circuit  of  its  crater  measures  2|  miles ;  the 
hot  ashes  reach  as  far  as  Taormina  and  Catania, 
and  the  noise  to  Madonia  and  Monte  di  Mele. 
Then  come  the  three  Rocks  of  the  Cyclopes,  the 
Harbour  of  Ulysses,  the  colony  of  Catania,  and  the 
rivers     Symaethum     and    Terias.     Inland    are    the 

65 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

pida  Leontini,  Megaris,  amnis  Pantacyes,  colonia 
Syracusae  cum  fonte  Arethusa  (quamquam  et 
Temenitis  et  Archidemia  et  Magea  et  Cyane  et 
Milichie  fontes  in  Syracusano  potantur  agro),  portus 
Naustathmus,  flunien  Elorum,  proniunturium  Pachy- 
nmn,  a  qua  fronte  Siciliae  flumen  Hyrminum,  oppidum 
Camarina ;     fluvius    Gelas,    oppidum    Acragas    quod 

90  Agrigentum  nostri  dixere  ;  Thermac  colonia  ;  amnes 
Achates,  Mazara,  H^-psa,  Sehnuus ;  oppidum  Lily- 
baeum,  ab  eo  promunturium ;  Drepana,  mons  Eryx, 
oppida  Panhormum,  Soluus,  Himera  cmn  fluvio, 
Cephalocdis,  Aluntium,  Agathyrnum,  Tyndaris  co- 
lonia,  oppidum  Myhie  et  unde  coepimiis  Pelorias. 

91  Intus  autem  Latinae  condicionis  Centuripird, 
Netini,  Segestani,  stipendiarii  Assorini,  Aetnenses, 
Agyrini,  Acestaei,  Acrenses,  Bidini,  Cetarini,  Dre- 
panitani,  Ergetini,  Echethenses,  Erycini,  Entelhni, 
Enini,  Egguini,  Gelani,  Galateni,  Halesini,  Hennen- 
ses,  Hyblenses,  Herbitenses,  Herbessenses,  Herbulen- 
ses,  Hahcuenses,  Hadranitani,  Imacarenses,  Ipanen- 
ses,  letenses,  Mutustratini,  Magelhni,  Murgentini, 
Mutycenses,  Menanini,  Naxi,  Noini,  Petrini,  Paro- 
pini,  Phintienses,  Semehtani,  Schcrini,  Sehnunti, 
Symaethii,  Talarenses,  Tissinenses,  Triocahni,  Tyra- 
cinenses,  Zanclaei  Messeniorimi  in  Siculo  freto 
sunt. 

92  Insulae  ad  Africam  versae  Gaulos,  Melita  a 
Camerina  lxxxvii ,  a  Lilybaeo  cxiii,  Cossyra,  Hicron- 
nesos,  Caene,  Gal;ita,  Lepadusa,  Aclhusa  quam  ahi 

"  Now  Girgenti. 
*  '  Hot  springs,'  now  Termini. 
'  Now  8an  Juliano. 

•^  Tlie  identification   is  uncertain,   but  Tauromenium    wua 
said  to  be  a  colony  from  Naxoa. 

66 


BOOK   III.  VIII.  89-92 

Laestrygonian  Plains.  Then  there  are  the  to"\vns  of 
Lentini,  Megaris,  the  river  Porcaro,  the  colony  of 
Syracuse  A\ith  the  Spring  of  Arethasa  (althoiigh 
the  territory-  of  Syracuse  is  also  supplied  with  water 
by  the  springs  of  Temenitis,  Archidemia,  Magea, 
Cyane  and  Mihchie),  the  harbour  of  Naustathmus, 
the  river  Elorum,  the  promontory  of  Pachynum. 
On  this  side  of  Sicily  are  the  river  Hyrminus,  the  town 
of  Camarina,  the  river  Gclas ;  the  toMTi  of  Acragas, 
called  Agrigentum  "  in  our  language;  the  colony 
of  Thermae ;  *  the  rivers  Achates,  Mazara,  Hypsa 
and  SeHnus  ;  the  to^\Ti  of  Lilybaeum  and  the 
promontory  to  -which  it  gives  its  name ;  Trapani, 
Mount  Eryx,*^  the  toMTis  of  Palermo,  Solunto, 
Himera  vrith  its  river,  Cephaloedis,  Aluntium, 
Agath)-mum;  the  colony  of  Tindari,  the  town  of 
Melazzo,  and  the  district  of  Pelorum  from  which  we 
began. 

In  the  interior  the  towns  having  Latin  rights  are  inienor; 
those  of  the  Centuripini,  Netini  and  Segestani ; 
tributaries  are  Asaro,  Nicolosi,  Argiro,  the  Acestaei, 
the  Acrenses,  the  Bidini,  the  peoples  of  Cassaro, 
Trapani,  Ergetium,  Orchula,  Er>^x,  Entella,  Castro 
Giovanni,  Gangi,  Gela,  Galata,  Tisa,  Hermae,  Hybla, 
Nicosia,  PantaHca,  Herbitenses,  Saleni,  Aderno, 
Imacara,  Ipana,  lato,  Mistretta,  Magella,  Mandri, 
Modica,  Mineo,  Taormina,''  Noara,  Petra,  CoHsano, 
Alicata,  Semehta,  Scheria,  Sclinunte,  Symaethus, 
Talaria,  Randazza,  TroccoH,  Tyracinum  and  Zancle, 
a  Messenian  settlement  on  the  Straits  of  Sicily. 

The  islands  on  the  side  towards  Africa  are  Gozo,  adjaceni 
Malta  (which  is  87  miles  from   Camerina   and    113  '"''""'^ 
from    Lilybaeum),    PanteHaria,    Maretino,    Limosa, 
Calata,    Lampedosa,    Aethusa    (written    by    others 

67 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Aegusam  scripserunt,  Bucion  et  a  Solunte  lx.w 
Osteodes,  contraque  Paropinos  Ustica.  citra  vero 
Siciliam  ex  adverso  Metauri  amnis  xxv  ferme  p.  ab 
Italia  septem  Aeoliae  appellatae,  eaedem  Liparaeo- 
rum,  Hephaestiades  a  Graecis,  a  nostris  Volcaniae, 
Aeoliae,  quod  Aeolus  Iliacis  temporibus  ibi  regnavit. 

93  IX.  Lipara  cum  civium  Romanorum  oppido,  dicta 
a  Liparo  rege  qui  succcssit  Aeolo,  antea  Milogonis 
vel  Meligunis  vocitata,  abest  xxv  ab  Italia,  ipsa 
circuitu  paulo  minor  v  m.  inter  hanc  et  Siciliam 
altera,  antea  Therasia  appellata,  nunc  Hiera  quia 
sacra  Volcano   est  colle  in  ea  noctumas  evomente 

94  flammas.  tertia  Strongyle  a  Lipara  vi  ^  p.  ad 
exortum  sohs  vergens,  in  qua  regnavit  Aeolus,  quae 
a  Lipara  liquidiore  tantum  flamma  difFert ;  a  cuius 
funio  quinam  flaf  uri  sint  venti  in  triduum  praedicere 
incolae  traduntur,  unde  ventos  Acolo  paruisse  existi- 
matum.  quarta  Didyme  minor  quam  Lipara ; 
quinta  Eriphusa,sexta  Phoenicusa  pabuloproximariun 
rehctae ;  novissima  eademque  minima  Euonymos. 
hactenus  de  primo  Europae  sinu. 

95  X.  A  Locris  Itahae  frons  incipit  Magna  Graecia 
appellata,  in  tris  sinus  recedcns  Ausonii  maris, 
quoniam  Ausones  tenuere  primi.  patet  lxxxvi,  ut 
auctor  est  Varro ;    plerique  lxxv  fecere.     in  ea  ora 

*  vi  add.  Deilcfsen. 

"  Its  modem  narae  is  Volcano. 
68 


BOOK   III.  VIII.  92-x.  95 

Aegusa),  Levanzo,  Alicus  (75  miles  from  Solunto), 
and  Ustica  opposite  to  Paropus.  On  the  Italian 
side  of  Sicily  facing  the  river  Metaurus,  at  a  distance 
of  nearly  25  miles  from  Italy,  are  the  seven  islands 
called  the  AeoHan  and  also  the  Liparean :  their 
Greek  name  is  the  Hcphaestiades,  and  the  Roman 
Vulcan's  IsUmds ;  they  are  called  Aeohan  from  King 
Aeolus  who  reigned  there  in  the  Homeric  period. 

IX.  Lipari,  with  a  to\vn  possessing  rights  of  Iloman 
citizenship,  takes  its  name  from  King  Liparus,  who 
succeeded  Aeohis — it  was  previously  called  Milo- 
gonis  or  Mehgunis ;  it  is  25  miles  from  Italy,  and  its 
circumference  measures  a  little  less  than  5  miles. 
Between  it  and  Sicily  is  another  isLand  formerly 
called  Therasia,  and  now  Holy  Island  "  because  it  is 
sacred  to  Vulcan,  on  it  being  a  hill  that  vomits  out 
flames  in  the  night.  The  third  island  is  StromboH,  six  voicanoes. 
miles  to  the  east  of  Lipari ;    here  Aeolus  reigned. 

It  differs  from  Lipari  only  in  the  fact  that  its  flame 
is  more  hquid ;  the  local  population  are  reported 
to  be  able  to  foretell  from  its  smoke  three  days 
ahead  what  winds  are  going  to  blow,  and  this  is  the 
source  of  the  behef  that  the  winds  obeyed  the  orders 
of  Aeolus.  The  fourth  of  the  ishmds,  Didyme,  is 
smaller  than  Lipari.  The  fifth,  Kriplnisa,  and  the 
sixth,  Phoenicusa,  are  left  to  provide  pasture  for  the 
flocks  of  the  neighbouring  isUinds  ;  the  last  and  also 
the  smallest  is  Euonymus.  So  far  as  to  the  first 
gulf  of  Europe. 

X.  At  Locri  begins  the  projection  of  Italy  called  ^tagna 
Magna  Graecia,  retiring  into  the  three  bays  of  the 
Ausonian  Sea,  so  called  from  its  first  inhabitants  the 
Ausones.     According  to  Varro  its  length  is  86  miles, 

but    most    authorilics    have    made    it    75.     On    this 

69 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

flumina  innumera,  sed  memoratu  digna  a  Locris 
Sagra  et  vestigia  oppidi  Caulonis,  Mustiae,  Consi- 
linum  castrum,  Cocvntlium  quod  esse  longissimum 
Italiae  promunturium  aliqui  existumant,  dein  sinus 
et  urbs  Scolagium,  Scylletium  Atheniensibus  cum 
conderent  dictum  ;  qucm  locum  occurrens  Terinaeus 
sinus  peninsulam  efficit,  et  in  ea  portus  qui  vocatur 
Castra  Hannibalis,  nusquam  angustiore  Italia:  xx 
p.  latitudo  est.     itaque  Dionysius  maior  intercisam 

96  eo  loco  adicere  Siciliae  voluit.  amnes  ibi  navigabiles 
Carcinus,  Crotalus,  Semirus,  Arogas,  Thagines, 
oppidum  intus  PetiHa,  mons  CHbanus,  promuntu- 
rium  Lacinium,  cuius  ante  oram  insula  x  a  terra 
Dioscoron,  altera  Cah^psus  quam  Ogygiarn  appellasse 
Homerus  existimatur,  praeterea  Tyris,  Eranusa, 
Meloessa.  ipsum  a  Caulone  abesse  lxx  prodit 
Agrippa. 

97  XI.  A  Lacinio  promunturio  secundus  Europae 
sinus  incipit  magno  ambitu  flexus  et  Acroceraunio 
Epiri  finitus  promunturio,  a  quo  abest  lxxv.  oppi- 
dum  Croto,  amnis  Neaethus,  oppidum  Thurii  inter 
duos  amnes  Crathim  et  Sybarim,  ubi  fuit  urbs 
eodem  nomine.  simihter  est  inter  Sirim  et  Acirim 
Heraclea  aliquando  Siris  vocitata.  flumina  Aca- 
landruin.    Casuentum,    oppidum    Mctapontum,    quo 

98  tertia    Itahae    regio    finitur.     meditcrranei    Bruttio- 


"  Capo  dello  Colonno. 

'  /.c.  sacred  to  Castor  and  Pollux. 

*  Now  the  Mountains  of   Khimarra,  ending  in  Capo  Liii- 

gU'  lt>l. 

"  This  ia  less  than  half  the  aetual  distance  across  the 
Adriatic  ;  and  Pliny  scems  to  include  the  Gulf  of  Tarentum 
with  the  Adriatic  in  the  aecundtis  Europae  sinus. 

•  Syharis. 

70 


BOOK   III.  X.  95-xi.  98 

coast  are  rivers  beyond  count ;  but  the  places  worthy 
of  mention,  beginning  at  I/Ocri,  are  the  Sagriano 
and  the  ruins  of  the  to^vn  of  Caulon,  Monasteraci, 
Camp  Consilinum,  Punta  di  Stilo  (thought  by  some 
to  be  the  longest  promontory  in  Italy),  then  the  gulf 
and  city  of  Squillace,  called  by  the  Athenians  when 
founding  it  Scylletium.  This  part  of  the  country 
is  made  into  a  peninsula  by  the  Gulf  of  Santa  Eufemia 
which  runs  up  to  it,  arid  on  it  is  the  harbour  called 
Hannibars  Camp.  It  is  the  narrov/est  part  of  Italy, 
which  is  here  20  miles  across,  and  consequently 
the  elder  Dionysius  wanted  to  cut  a  canal  across  the 
peninsula  in  this  place,  and  annex  it  to  Sicily.  Tiie 
navigable  rivers  iu  this  district  are  the  Corace,  AIH, 
Simari,  Crocchio  and  Tacina ;  it  contains  the  inland 
town  of  Strongolo,  the  range  of  Monte  Monacello, 
and  the  promontory  of  Lacinium,"  oif  the  coast  of 
which  ten  miles  out  Hes  the  Island  of  the  Sons  of 
Zeus  *  and  another  called  Calypsos  Island,  wliich  is 
thought  to  be  Homer's  island  of  Ogygia,  and  also 
Tyris,  Eranusa  and  Meloessa.  According  to  Agrippa 
the  distance  of  the  promontory  of  Lacinium  from 
Caulon  is  70  rniles. 

XI.  At  the  promontory  of  Lacinium  begins  the 
second  Gulf  of  Europe ;  it  curves  round  in  a  large 
bay  and  ends  in  Acroceraunium,<^  a  promontory  of 
Epirus ;  the  distance  froin  cape  to  cape  is  75  miles.'* 
Here  are  the  town  of  Crotona,  the  river  Neto,  and 
the  town  of  Turi  between  the  river  Crati  and  the 
river  Sibari,  on  which  once  stood  the  city  of  the  sarue 
name.*^  Likewise  Heraclea,  once  called  Siris,  lies 
between  the  Siris  and  the  Aciris.  Then  the  rivers 
Salandra  and  Bassiento,  and  the  town  of  Torre  di 
Mare,  at  which  the  third  region  of  Italy  ends.     The 

7i 


PLIXY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

rum  Aprustani  tanlum,  Lucanorum  autem  Atinates, 
Bantini,  Eburini,  Grunientini,  Potentini,  Sontini, 
Sirini,  Tergilani,  Ursentini,  Volcentani,  quibus 
Numestrani  iunguntur.  praeterea  interiisse  Thebas 
Lucanas  Cato  auctor  est,  et  Mardoniam  Lucanorum 
urbem  fuisse  Theoponipus,  in  qua  Alexander  Epirotes 
occubuerit. 

99  Conectitur  secunda  regio  amplexa  Hirpinos,  Cala- 
briam,  Apuliam,  Sallentinos  ccL  sinu  qui  Tarentinus 
appellatur  ab  oppido  Laconum  (in  recessu  hoc  intimo 
situm,  contributa  eo  maritima  colonia  quae  ibi  fuerat, 
abest  cxxxvi  a  Lacinio  promunturio)  adversam  ei 
Calabriam  in  peninsulam  emittens.  Graeci  Messa- 
piam  a  duce  appellavere  et  ante  Peucetiam  a  Peucetio 
Oenotri  fratre  in  Sallentino  agro.  inter  promunturia 
c  intersunt ;  latitudo  peninsulae  a  Tarento  Brundi- 
sium  terreno  itinere  xxxv  patet,  multoque  brevius 

100  a  portu  Sasine.  oppida  per  continentem  a  Tarento 
Uria,  cui  cognomen  ob  Apulam  Messapiae,i 
Sarmadium,  in  ora  vero  Senum,  CallipoHs,  quae 
nunc  est  Anxa,  lxxv  a  Tarento.  inde  xxxiii  pro- 
munturium  quod  Acran  lapygiam  vocant,  quo 
longissime  in  maria  excurrit  Itaha.  ab  eo  Basta 
oppidtun  et  Hydruntum  decem  ac  novem  milia 
passuum,  ad  discrimen  loni  et  Hadriatici  maris,  qua 

*  ilayhoff :   cognomen  Apulae  Mcssapia. 


*  Capo  di  S.  Maria  di  Luca. 


72 


BOOK   III.  XI.  9S-100 

only  inland  community  of  the  Bruttii  are  the  Aprus- 
tani,  but  in  the  interior  of  Lucania  are  the  Atinates, 
Bantini,  Eburini,  Grumentini,  Potentini,  Sontini, 
Sirini,  Tergilani,  Ursentini  and  Volcentani  adjoining 
whom  are  the  Nuniestrani.  Moreover  it  is  stated  by 
Cato  that  the  tovm  of  Thebes  in  Lucania  has  dis- 
appeared  and  Theopompus  says  that  there  was  once 
a  city  of  the  Lucaniaiis  named  Mardonia,  in  which 
Alexander  of  Epirus  died. 

Adjoining  this  district  is  the  second  region  ofTheheelof 
Italy,  embracing  the  Hirpini,  Calabria,  Apulia  and  \heAdriaiic 
the  Sallentini  with  the  250-mile  bay  named  after  coasiofitcUy. 
the  Laconian  to-ttTi  of  Taranto  (this  is  situated  in  the 
innermost  recess  of  the  bay  and  has  had  attached  to 
it  the  sea-board  colony  that  had  settled  there,  and 
it  is  136  miles  distant  from  the  promontory  of 
Lacinium), — throwing  out  Calabria  which  is  opposite 
to  Lacinium  to  form  a  peninsula.  The  Greeks 
called  it  Messapia  from  their  leader  Messapus, 
and  previously  Peucetia  from  Peucetius  the  brother 
of  Oenotrius,  and  it  was  in  the  Sallentine  territory. 
The  distance  between  the  two  headlands  is  100 
miles ;  and  the  breadth  of  the  peninsula  overland 
from  Taranto  to  Brindisi  is  35  miles,  and  considerably 
less  if  measured  from  the  port  of  Sasine.  The  towns 
inland  from  Taranto  are  Uria,  which  has  the  surname 
of  Messapia  to  distinguish  it  from  Uria  in  Apulia, 
and  Sarmadium ;  on  the  coast  are  Senum  and 
Gallipoli,  the  present  Anxa,  75  miles  from  Taranto, 
Next,  33  milcs  farther,  the  promontory  callcd  the 
lapygian  Point,"  where  Italy  projects  farthest  into 
the  sea.  Nineteen  miles  from  this  point  are  the  towns 
of  Vaste  and  Otranto,  at  the  boundary  between  the 
lonian  Sea  and  the  Adriatic,  where  is  the  shortest 

73 


PLLVY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

in     Graeciam     brevissimus    transitus,     cx    adverso 
Apolloniatum    oppidi   latitudine   intercurrcntis   freti 

101  L  non  amplius.  hoc  intervallum  pedestri  continuare 
transitu  pontibus  iactis  primum  Pyrrus  Epiri  rex 
cogitavit,  post  eum  M.  Varro,  cum  classibus  Pompei 
piratico  bello  praeesset ;  utrumque  aliae  impedivcre 
curae.  ab  Hydrunte  Soletum  desertum,  dein  Fra- 
tucrtium,  portus  Tarentinus,  statio  Miltopcs,  Lupia, 
Balesium,  Caelia,  Brundisium  L  p.  ab  Hydrunte  in 
primis  Italiae  portu  nobile  ac  velut  certiore  transitu 
sicuti  longiore,  excipiente  Illyrici  urbe  Durrachio 
ccxxv  traiectu. 

102  Brundisioconterminus  Paediculorum  ^ager ;  novem 
adulescentes  totidemque  virgines  ab  Illyriis  xii 
populos  genuere.  Paediculorum  ^  oppida  Rudiae, 
Egnatia,  Barium,  amnes  lapyx  a  Daedali  filio  rege, 
a  quo  et  lapygia  Acra,  Pactius,  Aufidus  ex  Hirpinis 
montibus  Canusium  praefluens. 

103  Hinc  Apulia  Dauniorum  cognomine  a  duce  Dio- 
medis  socero,  in  qua  oppidum  Salapia  Hanni>)alis 
meretricio  amore  inclutum,  Sipontum,  Uria,  amnis 
Cerbalus  Dauniorum  finis,  portus  Aggasus,  promun- 
turium  montis  Gargani  a  Sallentino  sive  lapygio 
ccxxxiv     ambitu     Gargani,     portus     Garnae,     lacus 

*  liackham  {cf.  38) :  Poediculorum,  Pcdiculorum. 

"  In  Illyria. 

*  Straits  of  Otranto. 

•  A  bastard  formation  from  Trals. 

74 


BOOK   III.  \i.  100-103 

crossing  to  Greece,  opposite  to  the  town  of  Apol- 
lonia,"  separated  by  an  arm  of  the  sea  *  not  more 
than  50  miles  wide.  King  Pyrrhus  of  Epirus  first 
conceived  the  plan  of  canying  a  causeway  over 
this  gap  by  throwing  bridges  across  it,  and  after 
him  Marcus  Varro  had  the  same  idea  when  command- 
ing  the  fleets  of  Pompey  in  the  Pirate  War ;  but  both 
were  prevented  by  other  commitments.  After 
Otranto  comes  the  deserted  site  of  Soletum,  then 
Fratuertium,  the  harbour  of  Taranto,  the  roadstead 
of  Miltope,  Lecce,  Baleso,  Cavallo,  and  then  Brindisi, 
50  miles  from  Otranto,  one  of  the  most  famous  places 
in  Italy  for  its  harbour  and  as  offering  a  more  certain 
crossing  albeit  a  longer  one,  ending  at  the  city  of 
Durazzo  in  Illyria,  a  passage  of  225  miles. 

Adjacent  to  Brindisi  is  the  territory  of  the 
PaedicuH,'^  whose  tweh-e  tribes  were  the  descendants 
of  nine  youths  and  nine  maidens  from  the  Illyrians. 
The  towns  of  the  Paediculi  are  Ruvo,  Agnazzo  and 
Bari ;  thcir  rivers  are  the  lapyx,  named  from  the  son 
of  Daedalus,  the  king  who  also  gives  his  name  to  the 
lapvgian  Point,  the  Pactius  and  the  Aufidus,  which 
runs  down  from  the  Hirpini  mountains  and  past 
Canossa. 

Here  begins  Apuha,  called  Apuha  of  the  Daunii,  ApuHa, 
who  were  named  after  their  chief,  the  father-in-law 
of  Diomede ;  in  Apuha  is  the  tovm  of  Salpi,  famous 
as  the  scene  of  Hannibars  amour  with  a  courtezan, 
Sipontum,  Uria,  the  river  Cervaro  marking  the 
boundaiy  of  the  Daunii,  the  iiarbour  of  Porto 
Greco,  the  promontory  of  Monte  Gargano  (the 
distance  round  Gargano  from  the  promontory  of 
Sallentinum  or  lapygia  being  234  miles),  the  port  of 
Varano,  the  lake  of  Lesiiia,  the  river  Frcnto  which 

75 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Pantanus,  flumen  portuosum  Fertor,  Teanum  Apu- 
lorum  itemque  Larinum,  Clitcrnia,  Tifernus  amnis ; 

104  inde  rcgio  Frentana.  ita  Apulorum  genera  tria : 
Teani  a  duce  e  Grais ;  Lucani  subacti  a  Calchante, 
quae  nunc  loca  tenent  Atinates  ;  Dauniorum  praeter 
supra  dicta  coloniae  Luceria,  Venusia,  oppida  Canu- 
siiim,  Arpi  aliquando  Argos  Ilippium  Diomedc 
condcnte,  mox  Argyripa  dictimi.  Diomedcs  ibi 
delevit  gentes  Monadorimi  Dardorumque  et  urbes 
duas    quae    in    proverbi    ludicrum    vertcre,    Apinam 

105  et  Tricam.  cetera  intus  in  sccunda  regione  Hirpi- 
norum  colonia  una  Beneventum  auspicatius  mutato 
nomine  quae  quondam  appcllata  Maleventimi, 
Ausculani,  Aquiloni,  Abellinates  cognomine  Protropi, 
Compsani,  Caudini,  Ligures  qui  cognominantur 
Corneliani  et  qui  Baebiani,  Vescellani,  Aeclani, 
Aletrini,  Abellinatcs  cognominati  Marsi,  Atrani, 
Aecani,  Alfellani,  Atinatcs,  Arpani,  Borcani,  Collatini, 
Corinenses  et  nobiles  clade  Romana  Cannenses, 
Dirini,  Forentani,  Genusini,  Herdonienses,  Irini, 
Larinates  cognomine  Frentani,  Mcrinates  ex  Gar- 
gano,  Mateolani,  Nerctini,  Natini,  Rubustini,  Silvini, 
Strapellini,  Turnantini,  Vibinatcs,  Venusini,  Ulurtini. 
Calabrorum  mcditerranci  Acgetini,  Apamestini, 
Argentini,  Butuntinenses,  Deciani,  Grumbcstini, 
Norbanenses,  Palionenses,  Stulnini,  Tutini.     Sallen- 


"  Apinae  Tricaeque,  '  Chatcaux  en  Espagnc'  Martial 
14. 1  7  ;  tricae  '  triflea  '  or '  tricks,'  is  probably  a  word  of  difTcrent 
orif^in. 

*  The  accusative  of  thc  Greck  MaAdcis  wben  Latinized 
Buggestcd  to  the  Roraan  ear  '  ill  come.' 

'  By  Hannibal,  216  B.c. 
**  Porenza. 

•  Ginosa;    and  nmong  the  following  are  the  modem  Noja, 

76 


BOOK   III.  \i.  103-105 

forms  a  harbour,  Teanum  of  the  Apuli  and  Larinum 
of  the  Apuli,  Cliternia,  and  the  river  Biferno,  at 
which  begins  the  district  of  the  Frentani,  Thus  the 
Apuhans  comprise  three  different  races :  the  Teani, 
so  called  from  their  chief,  of  Graian  descent ;  the 
Lucanians  -wlio  were  subducd  by  Calchas  and  who 
occupied  the  places  that  ncnv  belong  to  thc  Atinates  ; 
and  the  Daunians,  including,  beside  the  places 
mentioned  above,  the  colonies  of  Lucera  and  Venosa 
and  the  to\\Tis  of  Canossa  and  Arpa,  formcrlv  called 
Argos  Hippium  when  founded  by  Diomede,  and 
afterwards  Argyripa.  Here  Diomede  destroyed 
the  tribes  of  the  Monadi  and  Dardi  and  two  cities 
whose  names  have  passed  into  a  proverbial  joke, 
Apina  and  Trica."  Besides  these  there  are  in  the 
interior  of  the  second  region  one  colony  of  the 
Hirpini  formerly  called  Maleventum  *  and  now  more 
auspiciously,  by  a  change  of  name,  Beneventum, 
the  Ausculani,  Aquiloni,  AbeUinates  surnamed  Pro- 
tropi,  Compsani,Caudini,  Ligurians  with  the  surnames 
of  CorneHani  and  Baebiani,  Vescellani,  Aeclani, 
Aletrini,  Abellinates  surnamed  Marsi,  Atrani, 
Aecani,  Alfellani,  Atinates,  Arpani,  Borcani,  CoUatini, 
Corinenscs,  Cannae  celebrated  for  the  lloman 
defeat,*^  Dirini,  Forentani,'^  Genusini,*  Herdonienses, 
Irini,  Larinates  surnamed  Frentani,  the  Merinates 
from  Monte  Gargano,  Mateolani,  Neretini,  Natini, 
Rubustini,  Silvini,  StrapelHni,  Turnantini,  Vibinates, 
Venusini,  Ulurtini.  Inland  Calabrian  peoplcs  are 
the  Aegetini,  Apamestini,  Argentini,  Butuntinenses, 
Deciani,  Grumbestini,  Norbanenses,  PaHonenses, 
Stulnini    and    Tutini ;     inland    Sallentini    are    the 

Savigliano,  RapolJa,  Bovino  and  Bitonto;  others  are  now 
Ostuni,  Veste,  San  Verato. 

77 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

tinonim     Aletini,     Basterbini,     Neretini,     Uzentini, 
Veretini. 

106  XII.  Sequitur  regio  quarta  gentium  vcl  fortissi- 
marum  Italiae.  in  ora  l'rentanorum  a  Tifcrno 
flumen  Trinium  portuosum,  oppida  Histonium, 
Buca,  Hortona,  Aternus  amnis.  intus  Anxani 
cognomine  Frentani,  Caretini  Supcrnates  et  In- 
fcrnates,  Lanuenses  ;  Marrucinorum  Teatini ;  Pae- 
lignorum  Corfinienses,  Superaequani,  Sulmonenses; 
Marsorum  Anxatini,  Antinates,  Fucentes,  Lucenses, 
Marruvini ;     Albensium    Alba   ad    Fucinum    lacum ; 

107  Aequicnlanorum  Cliternini,  Carseolani ;  Vestiiiorum 
Angulani,  Pcnnenses,  Pcltuinates  quibus  iunguntur 
Aufinates  Cismontani ;  Samnitium  quos  Sabellos 
et  Graeci  Saunitas  dixere,  colonia  Bovianum  Vetus 
et  alterum  cognomine  Undecumanorum,  Aufidc- 
nates,  Aesernini,  Fagifulani,  Ficolenses,  Saepinates, 
Tereventinates ;  Sabinorum  Amiternini,  Curenses, 
Forum  Deci,  Forum  Novum,  Fidcnates,  Interam- 
nates,  Nursini,  Nomentani,  Reatini,  Trebulani  qui 
cognominantur  Mutuesoi  et  qui  Sulfenates,  Tiburtes, 

108  Tarinates.  in  hoc  situ  ex  Aequicolis  interiere  Comini, 
Tadiates,  Caedici,  Alfatemi.  Gellianus  auctor  est 
lacu  Fucino  haustum  Mai-sorum  oppidum  Archippe 
conditum  a  Marsya  duce  Lydorum,  itcm  Vidici- 
norum  in  Piceno  deletum  a  Romanis  \'alerianus. 
Sabini,  ut  quidam  existimavere,  a  religione  et  deum 
cultu  Sebini  appellati,  Velinos  accolunt  lacus  roscidis 

•  Now  thc  Pcscara. 

*  Now  Pelino. 

'  /.e.  '  Sabini '  was  origin.iUy  '  Sebini  '  from  ai^as. 

78 


BOOK   III.  XI.  105-xii.  108 

Aletini,    Basterbini,    Neretini,    Uzentini    and    Vere- 
tini. 

XII.  There  follows  the  fourth  region,  which  in-  Frcntaniand 
cludes  the  very  bravest  races  in  Italy.  On  the  coast,  ^'""'"'""- 
in  the  territory  of  the  Frentani,  after  Tifernum  are  the 
river  Trigno,  affording  a  harbour,  and  the  towns  of 
Histonium,  Buca  and  Hortona  and  the  river  Aternus." 
Imvard  are  the  Anxani  surnanied  Frentani,  thc  Upper 
and  Lower  Carctini  and  the  Lanuenses ;  and  in  the 
Marrucine  territoiy  Chieti ;  in  the  Paehgnian,  the 
people  of  Corfinium,*  Subequo  and  Sulmona ;  in  the 
Marsian,  those  of  Lanciano,  Atina,  Fucino,  Lucca 
and  Muria ;  in  the  Albensian  region  the  town  of 
Alba  on  Lake  Fucino ;  in  the  Acquiculan,  Chternia 
and  Carsoh ;  in  the  Vestinian,  Sant'  Angelo,  Pinna 
and  Peltuina,  adjoining  which  is  Ofena  South  of  the 
Mountain ;  in  the  region  of  the  Samnites,  who  once 
were  callcd  SabelU  and  by  the  Greeks  Saunitae,  the 
colony  of  Old  Bojano  and  the  other  Bojano  that 
bears  the  name  of  the  Eleventh  Legion,  Alfidena, 
Isernia,  Fagifulani,  Ficolea,  Supino,  and  Terevento; 
in  the  Sabine,  Amiternum,  Corrcse,  Market  of  Decius, 
New  Market,  Fidenae,  Ferano,  Norcia,  La  Mentana, 
Rieti,  Trebula  Mutuesca,  Trebula  Suffena,  Tivoh, 
Tarano.  In  this  district,  of  the  tribes  of  the  Aequicoh 
the  Comini,  Tadiates,  Caedici  and  Alfatcrni  havc  dis- 
appeared.  It  is  stated  by  GelHanus  that  a  Marsian 
town  of  Archippe,  founded  by  the  Lydian  com- 
mander  Marsyas,  has  been  submerged  in  Lake 
Fucino,  and  also  Valerian  says  that  the  town  of  the 
Vidicini  in  Picenum  was  destroyed  by  the  Ilomans. 
The  Sabines  (according  to  some  opinions  called  Sebini 
from  their  rehgious  behefs  and  ritual  <^)  hve  on  the 
lush   dewy   hills   by   the    Lakes    of   Vehno.      Those 

79 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

109  coUibus.  Nar  aranis  exhaurit  illos  sulpureis  aquis 
Tiberim  ex  his  petens,  replet  e  monte  Fiscello 
Avens  ^  iuxta  Vacunae  nemora  et  Reate  in  eosdem 
conditus.  at  ex  alia  parte  Anio  in  monte  Trebanorum 
ortus  lacus  tris  ainocnitate  nobilis  qui  nomen  dedere 
Sublaqueo  defert  in  Tiberim.  in  agro  Reatino 
Cutiliae  lacuni,  in  quo  fluctuctur  insula,  Italiae 
umbilicum  esse  M.  Varro  tradit.  infra  Sabinos 
Latium  est,  a  latere  Picenum,  a  tcrgo  Umbria, 
Appciinini  iugis  Sabinos  utrimquc  vallantibus. 

lli)  XIII.  Quinta  rcgio  Piccni  cst,  quondam  ubcrrimae 
multitudinis  :  ccclx  Picentium  in  fidem  p.  II.  venere. 
orti  sunt  a  Sabinis  voto  vcre  sacro.  tenuere  ab 
Aterno  amne,  ubi  nunc  ager  Hadrianus  et  Hadria 
colonia  a  mari  vT  p.,  flmnen  Vomanum,  agcr  Praetu- 
tianus  Pahnensisque,  item  Castrum  Novum,  flumen 
Batinum,  Truentum  cum  amne,  quod  sohim  Libur- 
norum  in  Itaha  rehcum  cst,  flumina  Albuhi,  Tessui- 
num,    Ilclvinum    quo    finitur    Practutiana    regio    et 

111  Piccntium  incipit ;  Cupra  oppidum,  CastcHum  Firma- 
norum,  ct  supcr  id  colonia  Asculum,  Piceni  nobihssima. 
intus  Novana ;  in  ora  Chiana,  Potentia,  Numana  a 
Sicuhs  condita,  ab  iisdcm  colonia  Ancona  adposita 
pronuinturio  Cunero  in  ipso  flectentis  se  orae  cubito, 
a  Gargano   clxxxiii.     intus    Auximates,    Beregrani, 

^  Codd.  avcs  aut  labens. 


"  29!)  B.c. 

^"  In  tiine  of  dangcr  tho  produco  of  the  next  spring  was 
vowcd  to  the  gods;  the  childron  then  born  in  oarly  timca 
pcrha])3  wcre  sacrificcd,  but  latcr  wero  allowed  to  grow  up 
and  tiien  driven  across  thc  frontier  to  scttlc  whcrevor  Provi- 
dcni-e  might  lead  thcm. 

3o 


BOOK    III.  XII.  109-X111.  III 

lakes  drain  into  the  river  Nera,  which  from  these 
derives  the  river  Tiber  with  its  sulphm-ous  waters, 
and  they  are  replenished  by  the  Avens  which  runs 
down  from  Monte  Fiscello  near  the  Groves  of 
Vacuna  and  Rieti  and  loses  itself  in  the  lakes  in 
question.  In  another  direction  the  Teverone  rising 
in  Mount  Trevi  drains  into  the  Tiber  three  lakes 
famous  for  their  beauty,  froni  which  Subiaco  takes  its 
name.  In  the  district  of  Rieti  is  the  lake  of  CutiUa, 
which  is  said  by  Marcus  V^arro  to  be  the  central 
point  of  Italy,  and  to  contain  a  floating  island. 
Below  the  Sabine  territory  lies  Latium,  on  one  side 
of  it  Picenum,  and  behind  it  Umbria,  while  the 
ranges  of  the  Apennines  fence  it  in  on  either  side. 

XIII.  The  fifth  region  is  that  of  Picenum,  which  Picenum 
formerly  was  very  densely  populated :  360,000 
Picentines  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Rome." 
They  derived  their  origin  from  the  Sabines,  who  had 
made  a  vow  to  celebrate  a  Holy  Spring.*  The 
territory  that  they  took  possession  of  began  at  the 
river  Aterno,  where  are  now  the  district  and  colony 
of  Adria,  6  miles  from  the  sea.  Here  is  the  river 
Vomanus,  the  territories  of  Praetutia  and  Palma, 
also  the  New  Camp,  the  river  Batinus,  Tronto  with 
its  river,  the  only  Liburnian  settlemcnt  left  in  Italy, 
the  river  Albula,  Tessuinum,  and  Helvinum  where 
the  region  of  the  Praetutii  ends  and  that  of  Picenum 
begins ;  the  town  of  Cupra,  Porto  di  Fermo,  and 
above  it  the  colony  of  Ascoh,  the  most  famous  in 
Picenum.  Inland  is  Novana,  and  on  the  coast  Cluana, 
Potentia,  Numana  founded  by  the  Sicilians,  and 
Ancona,  a  colony  founded  by  the  same  people  on  the 
promontory  of  Cunerus  just  at  the  elbow  of  the  coast 
where  it  bends  round,  183  miles  from  Monte  Gargano. 

81 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Cingulani,  Cuprenses  cogrjomine  Montani,Falarienses, 
Pausulani,  Planinenses,  Ricinenses,  Septempedani, 
Tollentinates,  Treienses,  Urbesalvia  PoUentini. 

112  XIV.  lungetur  his  sexta  regio  Umbriam  con- 
plexa  agrumque  Gallicum  citra  Ariminum.  ab 
Ancona  Gallica  ora  incipit  Togatae  Galliae  cogno- 
mine.  Siculi  et  Liburni  plurima  cius  tractus  tenuere, 
in  primis  Palmensem,  Praetutianum  Hadrianumque 
agrum.  Umbri  eos  expulere,  hos  Etruria,  hanc 
GalH.  Umbrorum  gens  antiquissima  ItaHae  existi- 
matur,  ut  quos  Ombrios  a  Graecis  putent  dictos 
quod    in  ^     inundatione    terrarum    imbribus    super- 

113  fuissent.  trecenta  eorum  oppida  Tusci  debcHasse 
reperiuntur.  nunc  in  ora  flumen  Aesis,  SenagaUia, 
Metaurus  fluvius,  coloniae  Fanum  Fortunae,  Pisau- 
rum  cum  amne,  et  intus  HispeHum,  Tuder.  de 
cetero  Amerini,  Attidiates,  Asisinates,  Arnates, 
Aesinates,  Camertes,  CasuentiHani,  Carsulani,  Do- 
lates  cognomine  Sallentini,  Fulginiates,  Foroflami- 
nienses,  ForoiuHenses  cognomine  Concupienses,  Fo- 
robrentani,  Forosempronienses,  Iguini,  Interamnates 
cognomine  Nartes,  Mevanates,  Mevanionenses,  Mati- 
Hcates,  Narnienses,  quod  oppidum  Nequinum  antea 

114  vocitatum  est,  Nucerini  cognomine  Favonienses  et 
Camellani,  Otriculani,  Ostrani,  Pitulani  cognomine 
Pisuertes  et  aHi  Mergcntini,  Plestini,  Sentinates, 
Sassinates,  Spoletini,  Suasani,  Sestinates,  SuiUates, 
Tadinates,  Trebiates,  Tuficani,  Tifernates  cogno- 
mine    Tiberini    et    aHi     Metaurenses,    Vesinicates, 

^  in  add.  Mayhoff :  an  inundationi  7  Rackham. 


•  From  ofi^pos,  a  storm  of  rain. 
83 


BOOK   III.  XIII.  iii-xiv.  114 

Inland  are  Osimo,  Beregra,  Ciiigula,  Cupra  surnamed 
Montana,  Falerona,  Pausula,  Plalina,  Ricinum,  Sep- 
tempedum,  Tollentinum,  Treia,  and  the  people  from 
Pollentia  settled  at  Urbisaglia. 

XIV.  Adjoining  to  this  will  come  the  sixth  region,  umbriaiTiie 
embracing  Umbria  and  the  Gallic  territory  this  side  '  '"''^'^'^- 
Rimini.  At  Ancona  begins  the  Galhc  coast  named 
GalHa  Togata.  The  largest  part  of  this  district  was 
occupied  by  Sicihans  and  Liburnians,  especially  the 
territories  of  Palma,  Praetutia  and  Adria.  They 
were  expelled  by  the  Umbrians,  and  these  by 
Etruria,  and  Etruria  by  the  Gauls.  The  Umbrians 
are  beUeved  to  be  the  oldest  race  of  Italy,  being 
thought  to  be  the  people  designated  as  Ombrii "  by 
the  Greeks  on  the  ground  of  their  having  survived 
the  rains  after  the  flood.  We  find  that  300  of  their 
towns  were  conquered  by  the  Etruscans.  On  this 
coast  afe  the  present  time  are  the  river  Esino,  Sini- 
gagha,  the  river  Meturo  and  the  colonies  of  Fano 
and  Pesaro  with  the  river  of  the  same  name  and 
inland  those  of  Spello  and  Todi.  Besides  these  there 
are  the  peoples  of  Ameha,  Attigho,  Assisi,  Arna, 
lesi,  Camerino,  Casuentillimi,  Carsulae ;  the  Dolates 
surnamed  Sallcntini ;  Fohgno,  Market  of  Flaminius, 
Market  of  Julius,  surnamed  Concupium,  Market 
Brenta,  Fossombrone,  Gubbio,  Terni  on  the  Nera, 
Bevagna,  Mevanio,  Matihca,  Narni(the  town  formerly 
called  Nequinum) ;  the  people  of  Nocera  siu"named 
Favonienses  and  those  surnamed  Camellani ;  Otricoh, 
Ostra ;  the  Pitulani  surnamed  Pisuertes  and  others 
surnamed  Mergentini ;  the  Plestini ;  Sentinum, 
Sassina,  Spoleto,  Suasa,  Sestino,  Sigello,  Tadina, 
Trevi,  Tuficum,  Tifemum  on  the  Tiber,  Tifernum  on 
the  Meturo;   Vesinica,  Urbino  on  the  Meturo  and 

83 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Urbanates  cognomine  Metaurenses  et  alii  Hortenses, 
Vettonenses,  \'indinates,  Visuentani.  in  hoc  situ 
interiere  Felignates,  et  qui  Clusiolum  tenuere  supra 
Interamnam,  et  Sarranates  cum  oppidis  Acerris 
quae  Vafriae  cognominabantur,  Turocaelo  quod 
Vettiolum,  item  Solinates,  Suriates,  Falinates,  Sap- 
pinates.  interiere  et  Arinates  cum  Crinivolo  et 
Usidicani  et  Plangenses,  Paesinates,  Caclestini. 
Ameriam  supra  scriptam  Cato  ante  Persei  bellum 
conditam  annis  dcccci^xiii  prodit. 

115  XV.  Octava  regio  determinatur  Arimino,  Pado, 
Appennino.  in  ora  flunus  Crustumium,  Ariminum 
colonia  cum  amnibus  Arimino  et  Aprusa,  fluvius 
Rubico,  quondam  finis  Italiae.  ab  eo  Sapis  et  Vitis 
et  Anemo,  Ilavenna  Sabinorum  oppidum  cum  amne 
Bedese,  ab  Ancona  cv  p.  nec  procul  a  mari  Um- 
brorum  Butrium.  intus  coloniae  Bononia,  Felsina 
vocitata  tum  ^  cmii  princeps  Etruriae  esset,  Brixillum, 
Mutina,  Pamia,  Placentia ;  oppida  Caesena,  Clatema, 

IIG  Foro  Clodi,  Livi,  Popili,  Truentinorum,  Corneli, 
Licini,  Faventini,  Fidentini,  Otesini,  Padinates, 
Regienses  a  Lepido,  Solonates,  Saltusque  Galliani 
qui  cognominantur  Aquinatcs,  Tannetani,  Veleiates 
cognomine  vcteri  Regiates,  Urbanates.  in  hoc 
tractu  interierunt  Boi  quorum  tribus  cxii  fuisse 
auctor  est  Cato,  item  Senones  qui  ceperunt  Romam. 

^  Mayhojf :   vocitatum. 


"  171-167  B.c. 

*  Proliably  the  Pisatello. 

*  A  Gallic  tribe  who  settled  South  of  thc  Alps,  and  were 
conquered  by  Scipio  Nasica  in  191  B.c.  They  migrated  to 
Bohemia,  wluch  takes  its  name  from  them. 

84 


BOOK   III.  xiv.  114-XV.  116 

Urbino  of  the  Garden,  Bettona,  the  Vindinates  and 
the  Visuentani.  Peoples  that  have  disappeared  in 
this  district  are  the  FeHgnates  and  the  inhabitants 
of  Chisiolum  above  Interamna,  and  the  Sarranates, 
together  witli  the  towns  of  Acerrae  sm-named 
Vafriae  and  Turocaelum  surnamed  Vettiolum ;  also 
the  SoHnatcs,  Suriates,  FaHnates  and  Sappinates. 
There  have  also  disappcared  the  Arinates  with  the 
town  of  Crinivolum  and  the  Usidicani  and  Plangenses, 
the  Paesinates,  the  Caelestini.  Ameria  above- 
mentioned  is  stated  by  Cato  to  have  been  founded 
963  years  before  the  war  "■  with  Perseus. 

XV'^.  The  boundaries  of  the  eighth  region  are  Gaiua 
marked  by  llimini,  the  Po  and  the  Apennines.  On  (^EmiUa)." 
its  coast  are  the  river  Conca,  the  colony  of  Rimini 
with  the  rivers  Ariminum  and  Aprusa,  and  the  river 
Rubicon,*  once  the  frontier  of  Italy.  Then  there 
are  the  Savio,  the  Bevano  and  the  Roneone ;  the 
Sabine  town  of  llavenna  with  the  river  Montone, 
and  the  Umbrian  town  of  Butrium  105  miles  from 
Ancona  and  not  far  from  the  sea.  Inland  are  the 
colonies  of  Bologna  (which  at  the  time  when  it  was 
the  chief  place  in  Etruria  was  called  Felsina),  Bres- 
cello,  Modena,  Parma,  Piacenza,  and  the  towns  of 
Cesena,  Quaderna,  Fornocchia,  ForH,  ForH  Piccolo, 
Bertinoro,  CorneHus  Market,  Incino,  Faenza, 
Fidentia,  Otesini,  Castel  Bondino,  Reggio  named 
from  Lepidus,  Citta  di  Sole,  Groves  of  GalHus 
surnamed  Aquinates,  Tenedo,  Villac  in  old  days 
surnamed  Regias,  Urbana.  Peoples  no  h>nger  ex- 
isting  in  this  region  are  the  Boii,"^  said  by  Cato  to 
have  comprised  112  tribes,  and  also  the  Senones 
who  captured  Rome.'* 

•*  390  13. c. :  their  city  Agedincum  is  now  Sens. 

voL.  II.  r>       ^5 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

117  XVI.  Padus  e  ^cmio  Vesuli  montis  celsissimum 
in  cacumen  Alpium  clati  finibus  Ligurum  Vagien- 
norum  vlscndo  fonte  proflucns  condcnsque  se  cuni- 
culo  et  in  Forovibiensium  agro  iterum  exoriens, 
nullo  amnium  claritatc  inferior,  Graecis  dictus 
Eridanus  ac  poena  Phaethontis  inlustratus,  augetur 
ad  canis  ortus  liquatis  nivibus,  agris  quam  navigiis 
torrentior,    nihil     tamen    ex    rapto    sibi     vindicans 

118  atque,  ubi  liquit,  ubertate  largitor.^  ccc  p.  a  fonte 
addens  mcatu  duo  de  lxxxx,  nec  amnes  tantum 
Appenninos  Alpinosque  navigabiles  capiens  sed 
lacus  quoquc  inmensos  in  eum  sese  exonerantes,  omni 
numero  xxx  flumina  in  mare  Hadriaticum  defert 
celeberrima  ex  iis  Appennini  latere  lactum,  Tanarum 
Trebiam  Placentinum,  Tarum,  Inciam,  Gabellum 
Scultennam,  Rhenum,  Alpium  vero  Sturam,  Orgum 
Durias  duas,  Sesitem,  Ticinum,  Lambrum,  Adduam 

ll!>  Ollium,  Mincium.  nec  ahus  amnium  tam  brevi 
spatio  maioris  incrementi  est ;  urguetur  quippe 
aquarum  mole  et  in  profundum  agitur  gravis  terrae, 
quamquam  diductus  in  flumina  et  fossas  inter 
Ravennam  Altinumque  per  cxx,  tamcn  qua  largius 
vomit  Septem  Maria  dictus  facere. 

Augusta    fossa    Ravennam    trahitur,    ubi    Padusa 

•    V.l.  linquit  iibcrtatorn  largitur. 


•  Phaethon  when  driving  the  chariot  of  his  father  the  Sun 
iost  control  of  the  horsea,  and  waa  struck  down  by  Jupiter  to 
prevent  his  setting  the  carth  on  fire;  Ovid,  Mit.  11.47  (I.  makes 
him  fall  into  the  Padua. 

86 


BOOK    III.  XVI.  117-119 

XVI.  The  source  of  the  Po,  which  well  deserves  a  ta*  river 
visit,  is  a  spring  in  the  heart  of  Monte   Viso,  an  fgurd^ 
extremelv  loftv  Alpine  peak  in  the  territorv  of  the  tnbutaries 

igurian  Vagienni;  the  stream  burrows  under- 
ground  and  emerges  again  in  the  district  of  Vibius 
Market.  It  rivals  all  other  rivers  in  celebrity ;  its 
Creek  name  was  Eridanus,  and  it  is  famous  as  the 
scene  of  the  punislmient  of  Phaethon."  The  melting 
of  the  snows  at  the  rising  of  the  Dogstar  causes  it 
to  swell  in  volunie  ;  but  though  its  flooding  does  more 
damage  to  the  fields  adjacent  than  to  vessels,  never- 
theless  it  clainis  no  part  of  its  plunder  for  itself,  and 
where  it  deposits  its  spoil  it  bestows  bounteous 
fertiUty.  Its  length  from  its  source  is  300  miles,  to 
which  it  adds  88  by  its  \vindings,  and  it  not  only 
receives  navigable  rivers  from  the  Apennines  and  the 
Alps,  but  also  immense  lakes  that  discharge  them- 
selves  into  it,  and  it  carries  down  to  the  Adriatic 
Sea  as  many  as  30  strcams  in  all.  Among  these  the 
best-known  are :  flowing  from  the  Apennine  range, 
the  Jactum,  the  Tanaro,  the  Trebbia  (on  which  is 
Piacenza),  the  Taro,  the  Enza,  the  Secchia,  the 
Panaro  and  the  Reno ;  flowing  from  the  Alps,  the 
Stura,  Orco,  two  Doras,  Sesia,  Ticino,  Lambra,  Adda, 
Ogho  and  Mincio.  Nor  does  any  other  river  increase 
so  much  in  volume  in  so  short  a  distance ;  in  fact, 
the  vast  body  of  water  drives  it  on  and  scoops  out 
its  bed  with  disaster  to  the  land,  although  it  is 
diverted  into  streams  and  canals  between  Ravenna 
and  Altino  over  a  length  of  120  miles ;  neverthe- 
riess  where  it  discharges  its  water  morc  widely  it 
forms  what  are  called  the  Seven  Seas. 

The  Po  is  carried  to  Ravenna  by  the  Canal  of 
Augustus  ;  this  part  of  the  river  is  called  the  Padusa, 

87 


PLINY:    NATURAL    HISTORY 

vocatur  quondam  Messanicus  appellatus.  pvoxi- 
mum  inde  ostium  magnitudincm  portus  habet  qui 
Vatreni  dicitur,  qua  Claudius  Caesar  e  Britannia 
triumphans  pracgrandi  illa  domo  verius  quam  nave 

120  intravit  Hadriam.  hoc  ante  Eridanum  ostium  dictum 
est,  ab  aHis  Spineticum  ab  urbe  Spina  quae  fuit 
iuxta,  praevalens,  ut  Dclphicis  creditum  est  thcsauris, 
condita  a  Diomede.  auget  ibi  Padum  \'atrenus 
amnis  ex  Forocornehensi  agro. 

Proximum  inde  ostium  Caprasiae,  dcin  Sagis,  dein 
Volane  quod  ante  Olane  vocabatur,  omnia  ea  fossa 
Fla\ia  quam  primi  a  Sagi  fecere  Tusci  egcsto  amnis 
impetu  per  transversum  in  Atrianorum  paludes 
quae  Septem  Maria  appellantur,  nobiH  portu  oppidi 
Tuscorum    Atriae    a    quo    Atriaticum    niare    ante 

121  appcHabatur  quod  nunc  Hadriaticum.  inde  ostia 
plcna  Carbonaria,  ac  ^  Fossiones  PhiHstinae,^  quod  aHi 
Tartarum  vocant,  omnia  ex  PhiHstinae  fossae  abunda- 
tionc  nasccntia,  accedcntibus  Atesi  ex  Tridentinis 
Alpibus  et  Togisono  ex  Patavinorum  agris.  pars 
eorum  ct  proximum  portum  facit  Brundulum,  sicut 
Aedronem  Meduaci  duo  ac  fossa  Clodia.  his  se 
Padus  miscet  ac  per  hacc  cfTunditur,  plerisque,  ut 
in   Aegjpto    Nilus   quod   vocant    Delta,   triquetram 

*  ac  hic  edd  :  post  Fossiones  aul  om.  codd. 

•  Edd.  :   Philistina. 

88 


BOOK    III.  xvi.  119-121 

its  name  previously  being  Messanicus.  The  mouth 
nearest  to  Ravenna  forms  the  large  basin  called  the 
Harbour  of  the  Santerno  ;  it  was  here  that  Claudius 
Caesar  sailed  out  into  the  Adriatic,  in  what  was  a 
vast  palace  rather  than  a  ship,  when  celebrating  his 
triumph  over  Britain.  This  mouth  was  formerly 
called  the  Eridanus,  and  by  others  the  Spineticus 
from  the  city  of  Spina  that  formerly  stood  near  it, 
and  that  was  beheved  on  the  evidence  of  its  treasures 
deposited  at  Uelphi  to  have  been  a  very  powerful 
place ;  it  was  founded  by  Diomede.  At  this  point 
the  Po  is  augmented  by  the  river  Santerno  from  the 
territory  of  Cornehus  Market. 

The  next  mouth  to  this  is  the  Caprasian  mouth, 
then  that  of  Sagis,  and  then  Volane,  formerly  called 
Olane ;  all  of  these  form  the  Flavian  Canal,  which  was 
first  made  from  the  Sagis  by  the  Tuscans,  thus  dis- 
charffinfj  the  flow  of  the  river  across  into  the  marshes 
of  the  Atriani  called  the  Seven  Seas,  with  the  famous 
harbour  of  the  Tuscan  to\\Ti  of  Atria  which  formerly 
gave  the  name  of  Atriatic  to  the  sea  now  called  the 
Adriatic.  Next  come  the  deep-water  mouths  of 
Carbonaria  and  the  Fosses  of  PhiHstina,  called  by 
others  Tartarus,  all  of  which  originate  from  the 
overflow  of  the  Philistina  Canal,  with  the  addition 
of  the  Adige  from  the  Trentino  Alps  and  of  the 
Bacchighone  from  the  district  of  Padua.  A  part  of 
these  streams  also  forms  the  neighbouring  harbour 
of  Brondolo,  as  Ukewise  that  of  Chioggia  is  formed 
by  the  Brenta  and  Brentella  and  the  Clodian  Canal. 
With  these  streams  the  Po  unites  and  flows  through 
them  into  the  sea,  according  to  most  authorities 
forming  between  the  Alps  and  the  sea-coast  the  figure 
of  a  triangle,  hke  what  is  called  the  Delta  formed 

89 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

figuram  inter  Alpes  atque  oram  maris  facere  proditus, 

122  stadiorum  ii  ^  circuitu.  pudet  a  Graccis  Italiae 
rationem  mutuari,  Metrodorus  tamcn  Scepsius  dicit, 
quoniam  circa  fontem  arbor  multa  sit  picea,  quales 
Gallice  vocentur  padi,  hoc  nomen  accepisse,  Ligurum 
quidcm  lingua  amncm  ipsum  Bodincum  vocari, 
quod  significet  fundo  carentem.  cui  argumento 
adest  oppidum  iuxta  Industria  ^  vetusto  nomine 
Bodincomagum,  ubi  praecipua  altitudo  incipit. 

123  XVII.  Transpadana  appcllatur  ab  eo  rcgio  unde- 
cima,  tota  in  mediterranco,  cui  marina  •^  cuncta 
fructuoso  alveo  inportat.  oppida  V^ibi  Forura, 
Segusio,  coloniae  ab  Alpium  radicibus  Augusta 
Taurinorum,  inde  navigabili  Pado,  antiqua  Ligurum 
stirpe,  dcin  Salassorum  Augusta  Praetoria  iuxta 
geminas  Alpium  fores,  Graias  atque  Pocninas, — his 
Poenos,  Grais  Herculem  transisse  memorant, — 
oppidum  Eporedia  Sibyllinis  a  populo  Roniano 
conditum    iussis, — eporedias    Galli    bonos    equorum 

124  domitores  vocant, — Vercellae  Libiciorum  ex  Salluis 
ortae,  Novaria  ex  Vertamacoris,  Vocontiorum  hodie- 
que  pago,  non  (ut  Cato  existimat)  Ligurum,  ex  quibus 
Laen  et  Marici  condidere  Ticinum  non  procul  a 
Pado,  sicut  Boi  Transalpibus  profccti  liaudem 
Pompeiam,    Insubres   Mediolanum.      Orumbiviorum 

'  Edd. :  V.  *  V.l.  Industriam.  *  Mayhoff :  maria. 

"  Now  Monte  di  Po. 

*  Now  the  Little  and  Great  St.  Bernard  passcs :  the  name 
of  the  fornur  .survivcs  in  the  'Graian  Alps.' 
'  Now  Pavia. 

90 


BOOK    III.  xvi.  I2I-XVII.  124 

by  the  Nile  in  Egypt ;  the  triangle  measures  250 
miles  in  circumference.  One  is  ashamed  to  borrow 
an  account  of  Italy  from  the  Greeks ;  nevertheless, 
Metrodorus  of  Scepsis  says  that  the  river  has  received 
the  name  of  Padus  because  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
its  source  there  are  a  quantity  of  pine-trees  of  the 
kind  called  in  the  GalHc  dialect  padi,  while  in  fact 
the  Ligurian  name  for  the  actual  river  is  Bodincus, 
a  word  that  means  '  bottomless.'  This  theory  is 
supported  by  the  fact  that  the  neighbouring  town  of 
Industria,"  where  the  river  begins  to  be  particularly 
deep,  had  the  old  name  of  Bodincomagum. 

XVn.  The  eleventh  region  receives  from  the  river  GaiUa 
the  name  of  Transpadana ;  it  is  situated  entirely  Jaj^ta 
inland,  but  the  river  carries  to  it  on  its  bounteous 
channel  the  products  of  all  the  seas.  Its  towns  are 
Seluzzo  and  Susa,  and  the  colony  of  Turin  at  the 
roots  of  the  Alps  (here  the  Po  becoraes  navigable), 
sprung  from  an  ancient  Ligurian  stock,  and  next 
that  of  Aosta  Praetoria  of  the  Salassi,  near  the  twin 
gateways  of  the  Alps,  the  Graian  pass  and  the 
Pennine,* — history  says  tliat  the  latter  was  the  pass 
crossed  by  the  Carthaginians  and  the  former  by  Her- 
cules — and  the  town  of  Ivrea,  founded  by  the  Roman 
nation  by  order  of  the  Sibylline  Books — the  name 
comes  from  the  GaUic  word  for  a  man  good  at  breaking 
horses — ,  VercelH,  the  towTi  of  the  Libicii,  founded 
from  the  Sallui,  and  Novara  founded  from  Verta- 
macori,  a  place  belonging  to  the  Vocontii  and  now-a- 
days  a  village,  not  (as  Cato  thinks)  belonging  to  the 
Ligurians  ;  from  whom  the  Laevi  and  Marici  founded 
Ticinum  ^  not  far  from  the  Po,  just  as  the  Boians, 
coming  from  the  tribes  across  the  Alps,  founded  Lodi 
and  the  Insubrians  Milan.     According  to  Cato,  Como, 

91 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

stirpis  esse  Comum  atque  Bcrgomum  et  Licini 
Forum  aliquotque  circa  populos  auctor  est  Cato, 
sed  originem  gentis  ignorare  se  fatetur,  quam 
docet  Cornelius  Alexander  ortam  a  Graecia  inter- 
pretatione  etiam  nominis  vitam  in  montibus  degen- 

125  tium.  in  hoc  situ  intcriit  oppidum  Orumbiviorum 
Parra,  unde  Bergomates  Cato  dixit  ortos,  etiam- 
num  prodente  se  altius  quam  fortunatius  situm. 
interiere  et  Caturiges  Insubrum  exsules  et  Spina 
supra  dicta,  item  Melpum  opulentia  praecipimm, 
quod  ab  Insubribus  et  Bois  et  Senonibus  delctum  eo 
die  quo  Camillus  V"eios  ceperit  Nepos  Cornelius 
tradidit. 

126  XVIII.  Sequitur  decima  regio  Italiae  Hadriatico 
mari  adposita,  cuius  Vcnetia,  fluvius  Silis  ex  monti- 
bas  Tarvisanis,  oppidum  Altinum,  flumcn  Li(|uentia 
ex  montibus  Opitcrginis  et  portus  eodem  nomine, 
colonia  Concordia,  flumina  et  portus  Reatinum, 
Tiliaventum  Maius  Minusque,  Anaxum  quo  Varanus 
defluit,  Alsa,  Natiso  cum  Turro,  praeflucnte  Aquileiam 

127  colnniam  xv  p.  a  mari  sitam.  Carnorum  haec  regio 
iunctaque  lapudum,  amnis  Timavos,  castellum 
nobile  vino  Pueinum,  Tergestinus  sinus,  colonia 
Tergeste,  xxxTTi  ab  Aquileia.  ultra  quam  sex 
milia  p.  Formio  amnis,  ab  Ravenna  ciAxxfx,  anticus 
auctae  ItaUae  terminus,  nunc  vero  Histriae ;    quam 

"•  I.e.  '  Orurabivii '  is  understood  to  come  from  opos  and  /Sior. 

'  In  39G  B.r. 

'  The  inhabitants  in  the  5th  c.  a.d.,  to  escape  frora  Attila 
and  thc  lluns,  fled  to  thc  adjoiniug  isiandd,  and  founded 
Venico. 

■*  Porhaps  the  Risaiio. 

'  In  the  time  of  Angustus,  before  Islria  was  added  to 
Italy. 

92 


BOOK    III.  .wii.  124-.W111.  127 

Bergamo,  Incino  and  some  surrounding  peoples  are 
of  the  Orumbivian  stoek,  but  he  confesses  that  he 
does  not  know  the  origin  of  that  race ;  whereas 
CorneHus  Alexander  states  that  it  originated  from 
Greece,  arguing  merely  by  the  name,  which  he 
renders  '  those  who  pass  their  lives  in  mountains.''' 
In  this  locahty  a  to\^Ti  of  the  Orumbivii  named 
Parra,  said  by  Cato  to  be  the  original  home  of  the 
people  of  Bergamo,  has  perished,  its  remains  still 
showing  its  site  to  have  been  more  loffcy  than  advan- 
tageous.  Other  communities  that  have  perished 
are  the  Caturiges,  an  exiled  section  of  the  Insubrians, 
and  the  above-mentioned  Spina,  and  also  the  excep-  §120. 
tionally  wealthy  town  of  Melpum,  which  is  stated  by 
Comelius  Nepos  to  have  been  destroyed  by  the 
Insubrians,  Boii  and  Senones  on  the  day*  on  which 
Camillus  took  Veii. 

X\'III.  Next  comes  the  tenth  region  of  Italy,  Venetia, 
on  tlie  coast  of  the  Adriatic  Sea.  In  it  are  Venetia,"^ 
the  river  Silo  that  rises  in  the  mountains  of  Treviso, 
the  town  of  Altino,  the  river  Liquenzo  rising  in  the 
mountains  of  Oderzo,  and  the  port  of  the  same  name, 
the  colony  of  Concordia,  the  river  and  port  of  llieti, 
the  Greater  and  Lesser  Tagliamento,  the  Stella, 
into  which  flows  the  Revonchi,the  Alsa,the  Natisone, 
with  the  Torre  that  flows  past  the  colony  of  Aquileia 
situated  15  miles  from  the  sea.  This  is  the  region 
of  the  Carni,  and  adjoining  it  is  tliat  of  the  lapudes, 
the  river  Timavo,  Castel  Duino,  famous  for  its  \vine, 
the  Gulf  of  Trieste,  and  the  colony  of  the  same 
name,  33  miles  from  Aquileia.  Six  miles  beyond 
Trieste  is  the  river  Formio,*^  189  miles  from  Ravenna, 
the  old  frontier  ^  of  the  enlarged  Italy  and  now  the 
boundary   of  Istria.     It   has   been  stated  by   many 

93 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

cognominatam  a  flumine  Histro  in  Hadriam  effluente 
e  Danuvio  amne  eodemque  Histro  exadversum 
Padi  fauces,  contrario  eorum  percussu  mari  interiecto 
dulcescente,  plerique  dixere  falso,  et  Nepos  etiam 

128  Padi  accola ;  nuUus  enim  ex  Danuvio  amnis  in  mare 
Hadriaticum  cffunditur.  dcceptos  credo  quoniam 
Argo  navis  flumine  in  mare  Hadriaticum  descendit'^ 
non  procul  Tergeste,  nec  iam  constat  quo  flumine. 
umeris  travectam  Alpes  diligentiores  tradunt,  subisse 
autem  Histro,  dein  Savo,  dein  Nauporto,  cui  nomen 
ex  ea  causa  est,  inter  Aemonam  Alpesque  exorienti. 

129  XIX.  Histria  ut  peninsula  excurrit.  latitudinem 
eius  xL,  circuitum  cx\-v  prodidere  quidam,  item 
adhaerentis  Liburniae  et  Flanatici  sinus,  alii  ccx5c\, 
alii  Liburniae  clxxx.  nonnulli  in  Flanaticum  sinum 
lapudiam  promoverc  a  tergo  Histriae  cxxx,  dein 
Liburniam  cL  fecere.  Tuditanus  qui  domuit  Histros 
in  statua  sua  ibi  inscripsit :  Ab  Aquileia  ad  Tityum 
flumen  stadia  mm.^  oppida  Histriae  civium  Romano- 
rum  Aegida,  Parentium,  colonia  Pola  quae  nunc 
Pietas  lulia,  quondam  a  Colchis  condita ;  abcst  a 
Tergeste    cv.     mox    oppidum    Nesactium    et    nunc 

^  descenderit  7  Raclcham. 
*  mi  Dellefsen  :  M. 


■  Ship'8  Harbour  (doubtless  euggeating  aLso  the  portage). 
Emona  on  ita  banks  iater  became  a  Koman  colony,  Julia 
Augusta,  and  is  the  modem  Laibach,  which  is  also  the  name 
of  tho  river. 

*  Now  the  Golfo  di  Quarnaro. 

•  C.  Scmpronius,  consul  129  b.c. 

'  I.e.  25U  miles;   the  MSS.  give  1000  stades,  i.e.  125  Roman 
miles.     The  Roman  miJe  waa  a  little  shorter  than  the  Englinh. 
'  Perhaps  Capo  d'lstria. 
^  Beiieved  to  be  Castel  Nuovo. 

94 


BOOK   III.  xviii.  127-XIX.  129 

authors,  even  including  Nepos,  who  Hved  on  the 
banks  of  the  Po,  that  Istria  takes  its  name  from  the 
stream  called  Ister  flowing  out  of  the  river  Danube 
(which  also  has  the  name  of  Ister)  into  the  Adriatic, 
opposite  the  mouths  of  the  Po,  and  that  their  currents, 
colhding  from  contrary  directions,  turn  the  interven- 
ing  sea  into  a  pool  of  fresh  water ;  but  these  state- 
ments  are  erroneous,  for  no  river  flows  out  of  the 
Danube  into  the  Adriatic.  I  beheve  that  they  have 
been  misled  by  the  fact  that  the  ship  Argo  came  down 
a  river  into  the  Adriatic  not  far  from  Trieste,  but  it 
has  not  hitherto  been  decided  what  river  this  was. 
More  careful  writers  say  that  the  Argo  Avas  portaged 
on  men's  shoulders  across  the  Alps,  but  that  she  had 
come  up  the  Ister  and  then  the  Save  and  then  the 
Nauportus,''  a  stream  rising  between  Emona  and  the 
Alps,  that  has  got  its  name  from  this  occurrence. 

XIX.  Istria  projects  in  the  form  of  a  peninsula.  istna. 
Some  authorities  have  given  its  breadth  as  40  miles 
and  its  circuit  as  125  miles,  and  the  same  dimensions 
for  the  adjoining  territory  of  Liburnia  and  the 
Flanatic  Gulf;''  othcrs  make  it  225  miles,  and 
others  give  the  circuit  of  Liburnia  as  180  miles. 
Some  carry  lapudia,  at  the  back  of  Istria,  as  far  as 
the  Flanatic  Gulf,  a  distance  of  130  miles,  and 
then  make  the  circuit  of  Liburnia  150  miles. 
Tuditanus,*^  who  conquered  the  Istrians,  inscribed 
the  following  statement  on  his  statue  there :  From 
Aquileia  to  the  river  Keriko  2000  furlongs.^  Towns  in 
Istria  with.  the  Roman  citizenship  are  Aegida,* 
Parenzo  and  the  colony  of  Pola,  the  present  Pietas 
Juha,  originally  founded  by  the  Colchians,  and  105 
miles  from  Trieste.  Then  comes  the  town  of 
Nesactium,/  and  the  river  Arsa,  now  the  frontier  of 

95 


PLINY:     NATURAL   IIISTORY 

finis  Italiae  fluvius  Arsia.     Polam  ab  Ancona  traiectus 
CXA  p.  est. 

130  In  mediterraneo  rcgionis  decimae  coloniae  Cre- 
mona,  Brixia  Cenomanorum  agro,  Venetorum  autem 
Ateste  et  oppida  Acelum,  Patavium,  Opitergium, 
Velunum,  Vicetia,  Mantua  Tuscorum  trans  Padum 
sola  reliqua.  Venetos  Troiana  stirpe  ortos  auctor  est 
Cato,  Cenomanos  iuxta  Massiliam  habitasse  in 
Volcis.  Feltini  et  Tridentini  et  Beruenses  Raetica 
oppida,  Raetorum  et  Euganeorum  Verona,Tulienses 
Camorum ;  dein,  quos  scrupulosias  dicere  non 
attineat,  Alutrenses,  Asseriates,  Flamonicnses  Vani- 
enses  et  alii  cognomine  Curici,  Foroiulienses  cogno- 
mine  Transpadani,  Foretani,  Nedinates,  Quarqueni, 

131  Tarvisani,  Togienses,  Varvari.  in  hoc  situ  interiere 
per  oram  Irmene,  Pellaon,  Palsicium,  ex  Venetis 
Atina  et  Caelina,  Carnis  Segcsta  et  Ocra,  Tauriscis 
Noreia.  et  ab  Aquileia  ad  xii  lapidcm  deletum 
oppidum  etiam  invito  senatu  a  M.  Claudio  Marcello 
L.  Piso  auctor  est. 

In  hac  regione  et  xi  lacus  incluti  sunt  amnesque 
eorum  partus,  aut  ahimni  si  modo  acccptos  reddunt, 
ut   Adduam   Larius,   Ticinum   Verbannus,    Mincium 


"  Tho  town  of  Flagogna.  *  Friuli. 

•  Nadiii.  ^*  Quero. 


96 


BOOK    III.  XTX.  129-131 

Italy.     The  distance   across   from   Ancona   to   Pola 
is  120  miles. 

In  the  interior  of  the  tenth  region  are  the  colonies  ^?^'y> . 
of  Cremona  and  Brescia  in  the  territory  of  the 
Cenomani,  and  Este  in  that  of  the  Veneti,  and  the 
towns  of  Asolo,  Padua,  Oderzo,  Belluno,  Vicenza 
and  Mantua,  thc  only  remaining  Tuscan  town  across 
the  Po.  According  to  Cato,  the  \'eneti  are  descended 
from  a  Trojan  stock,  and  the  Cenomani  lived  among 
the  Volcae  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Marseilles. 
There  are  also  the  Rhaetic  towns  of  Feltre,  Trent 
and  Berua,  Verona  which  belongs  to  the  Rhaeti  and 
Euganei  jointly,  and  ZugUo  which  belongs  to  the 
Carni ;  then  peoples  that  we  need  not  be  concerned 
to  designate  with  more  particularity,  the  Alutrenscs, 
Asseriates,  Flamonienses  "  Vanienses  and  other 
Flamonienses  surnamed  Curici,  the  Foroj  uHenscs  * 
surnamed  Transpadani,  Foretani,  Nedinates,'^  Quar- 
queni,"^  Tarvisani,*^  Togienses,  Varvari.  In  this  district 
there  have  disappeared,  on  the  coast-Hne,  Irmene, 
Pellaon,  Palsicium,  Atina  and  Caehna  belonging 
to  the  Veneti,  Segesta  and  Ocra  to  the  Carni, 
Noreia  to  the  Taurisci.  Also  Lucius  Piso  states 
that  a  tovm  12  miles  from  Aquilcia  was  destroyed 
bv  Marcus  Claudius  Marcellus,  although  against 
the  wish  of  the  Senate. 

This  reffion  also  contains  eleven  famous  lakes  and  Theiuaian 
the  rivers  of  which  they  are  the  source,  or  which,  ^*'*- 
in  the  case  of  those  that  after  entering  the  lakes 
leave  them  again,  are  augmented  by  them — for 
instance  the  Arlda  that  flows  through  Lake  Como, 
the  Ticino  through  Maggiore,  the  Mincio  through 
Garda,  the  Seo  through  the  Lngo  di  Seo,  and  the 

•  Treviso. 

97 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Benacus,  Ollium  Sebinnus,  Lambrum  Eupilis,  omnes 
incolas  Padi. 

132  Alpis  in  longitudinera  |xi  p.  patere  a  supero  mari 
ad  inferum  Caelius  tradit,  Timagenes  xxv  p.  deductis, 
in  latitudinem  autem  Cornelius  Nepos  c,  T.  Livius 
rn  stadiorum,  utcrque  diversis  in  locis ;  namque  et 
centum  milia  exccdunt  aliquando,  ubi  Germaniam 
ab  Italia  submovent,  nec  Lxx  inplent  reliqua  sui 
parte  graciles,  veluti  naturae  providentia.  latitudo 
Italiae  subter  radices  earum  a  \'aro  per  \'ada  Sabatia, 
Taurinos,  Comum,  Brixiam,  Wronam,  Vicetiani, 
Opitergium,  Aquileiam,  Tergeste,  Polam,  ad  ^  Arsiam 
DccxLv  coUigit. 

133  XX.  Incolae  Alpium  multi  populi,  sed  inlustres  a 
Pola  ad  Tergestis  regionem  Fecusses,  Subocrini, 
Catali,  Menoncaleni,  iuxtaque  Carnos  quondam 
Taurisci  appellati,  nunc  Norici ;  his  contermini 
Raeti  et  \'indelici,  omnes  in  multas  civitates  divisi. 
Raetos  Tuscorum  prolem  arbitrantur  a  Gallis  pulsos 
duce  Raeto.  verso  deinde  in  ^  Italiam  pectore 
Alpium     Latini     iuris     Euganeae    gentes,     quanmi 

134  oppida  xxxiv  enumcrat  Cato.  ex  his  TriumpiUni, 
venaHs  cum  agris  suis  populus,  dein  Camunni  con- 
pluresque  similes  finitimis  adtributi  municipiis. 
Lepontios   et  Salassos  Tauriscae  gentis  idem   Cato 

*  ad  a/id.  liafk/uitn.  *  in  add.  Dalerampius. 

'  The  stade  or  furlong  was  J  of  a  Roman  mile.  But  it 
lonka  as  if  the  t-ext  wore  wrniij,',  aa  what  follows  secms  to  ehow 
that  100  mile«  should  he  the  highcr  figure,  and  the  estimate 
of  3UO0  stades  attributed  to  Livy  is  improbably  large. 

^'  The  name  survives  in  Val  Trompia. 

'  Presumahly  they  acctipted  membership  of  the  Roman 
Empire  for  a  pccuniary  considenition. 

"  Val  Camonica.  •  \  al  Levuntina.  Val  d'Aosta. 

98 


BOOK    III.  XIX.  i3i-\x.  134 

Lambro    through    Lago    di    Pusiano — all    of   these 
streams  being  tributaries  of  the  Po. 

The  length  of  the  Alps  from  the  Adriatic  to  the  Therange 
Mediterranean  is  given  by  Caehus  as  1000  miles ; ''•'^"^'*'^*' 
Timagenes  puts  it  at  25  miles  less.  Their  breadth 
is  given  by  CorneUus  Nepos  as  100  miles,  by  Livy 
as  375  miles,"  but  they  take  their  measurements 
at  difTerent  points ;  for  occasionally  the  Alps  exceed 
even  100  miles  in  breadth,  where  they  divide  Germany 
from  Italy,  while  in  the  remaining  part  they  are  as 
it  were  providentially  narrow  and  do  not  cover  70 
miles.  The  breadth  of  Italy  at  the  roots  of  the  Alps, 
measured  from  the  river  Var  through  Vado,  the 
port  of  Savo,  Turin,  Como,  Brescia,  Verona,  Vicenza, 
Oderzo,  Aqui^-^ia,  Trieste  and  Pola,  to  the  river  Arsa, 
amounts  to  745  miles. 

XX.  The  Alps  are  inhabited  by  a  great  many  Aipine 
nations,  but  the  notable  ones,  between  Pola  and  the  ^'^'^"- 
district  of  Trieste,  are  the  Fecusses,  Subocrini,  Catali 
and  Menoncaleni,  and  next  to  the  Carni  the  peoples 
formerly  called  Taurisci  and  now  Norici ;  adjoining 
these  are  the  Raeti  and  VindeHci.  All  are  divided 
into  a  number  of  states.  The  Raeti  are  believed 
to  be  people  of  Tuscan  race  driven  out  by  the  Gauls ; 
their  leader  was  named  Raetus.  Then,  on  the  side 
of  the  Alps  towards  Italy,  are  the  Euganean  races 
having  the  Latin  rights,  whose  towns  listed  by  Cato 
number  34.  Among  these  are  the  Triumpilini,* 
a  people  that  sold  themselves  <^  together  with  their 
lands,  and  then  the  Camunni  <*  and  a  number  of 
similar  peoples,  assigned  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
neighbouring  municipal  towTis.  Cato  before  men- 
tioned  considers  the  Lepontii '  and  Salassi  /  to  be 
of  Tauriscan  origin,  but  almost  all  other  authors  give 

99 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

arbitratur;  ceteri  fere  Lepontios  relictos  ex  comi- 
tatu  Hcrculis  interpretatione  Graeci  nominis  credunt 
praeustis  in  transitu  Alpium  nive  membris ;  eiasdem 
exercitus  et  Graios  fuisse  Graiarum  Alpium  incolas 
praestantesque   genere    Euganeos,   inde   tract;o   no- 

135  mine  ;  caput  eorum  Stoenos.  Raetorum  Vennonen- 
ses  Sarunetesque  ortus  Rhcni  amnis  accolunt, 
Lepontinrum  qui  Ubcri  vocantur  fontcm  Rhodani 
eodem  Alpium  tractu.  sunt  praetcrea  Latio  donati 
incolae,  ut  Octodurcnses  et  finitimi  Ccntrones, 
Cottianae  civitatcs  et  Turi  Liguribus  orti,  ^agienni 
Ligures  et  qui  Montani  vocantur,  Capillatorumque 
plura  genera  ad  confinium  Ligustici  maris. 

13t)  Non  ahenum  videtur  hoc  loco  subicere  inscrip- 
tionem  e  tropaeo  Alpium,  quac  talis  est: 

Imp.  Caesari  divi  Jilio  Ang.  pont.  max.,  imp.  xiv, 
ir.  pot.  xvii,  S.  P.  Q.  R.,  quod  eius  ductu  auspiciisque 
gentes  Alpinae  ovmes  quae  a  viari  supero  ad  inferum 
periineba?it  sub  iviperium  p.  li.  sunt  redactae.  Gentes 
Alpinac    devictae     Triumpilini,     Camunni,     Venostes, 

'  '  Lipontius,'  from  AeiVtu. 

*  The  Little  St.  Bemard,  under  Mont  Blanc;  seo  p.  90, 
note  b. 

'  From  cvyfveioi  or  eOyerers. 
^*  In  Cantons  \'alai8  and  \'aud. 
'  Centron  in  Savoy. 
f  Near  Moiit  Cenia. 

'  An  arcii  with  a  portion  of  this  inscription  rcmaining  stood 
in  fairly  recent  times  near  Nicaea  in  Alhania. 

*  Adopted  80I1  of  bis  great-uncle  Juhus  Caesar. 
'  17  u.c. 

*  Some  of  these  are  identifiable  in  the  modern  place-names  : 
Venostes,  Val  Venosco;  Isarohi,  Val  de  Sarcho;  Breuni, 
Val  Brcgna;  (jenaunes,  Val  d'Agno;  Focunatea,  Vogogna  : 
Licatea,  Augsburg  on  thc  Lech;  Brixentcs,  Brixen;  Seduni, 
Sion ;  Medulli,  Maurienne ;  Ucenni,  Bourg  d^Oysana ;  Caturiges, 
loo 


BOOK    III.  XX.  134-136 

a  Greek  interpretation  to  their  name  and  believe 
that  the  Lepontii  ave  descended  from  companions 
of  Hercules  '  left  behind  '  "  because  their  limbs  had 
been  frostbitten  in  crossing  the  Alps ;  and  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Graian  *  Alps  were  also  Grai 
from  the  same  band,  and  that  the  Euganei  were  of 
specially  distinguished  family,  and  took  their  name 
from  that  fact ;  <^  and  that  the  head  of  these  arc 
the  Stoeni.  The  Raetian  tribes  Vennones  and 
Sarunetes  hve  near  the  sources  of  the  river  llhine, 
and  the  Lepontian  tribe  called  the  Uberi  at  the  source 
of  the  Rhone  in  the  same  district  of  the  Alps.  There 
are  also  other  native  tribes  that  have  received  Latin 
rights ;  for  instance,  the  Octodurenses  ^  and  their 
neighbours  the  Centrones,*  the  Cottian  states-^  and 
the  Turi  of  Ligurian  descent,  the  Ligurian  Vagienni 
and  those  called  the  Mountain  Ligurians,  and  several 
tribes  of  Long-haired  Ligurians  on  the  borders  of  the 
Ligurian  Sea. 

It  seems  not  out  of  place  to  append  here  the  in-  Arch  of 
scription  from  the  triumphal  arch  ?  erected  in  the '^"^''*''' 
Alps,  which  runs  as  follows  : 

To  the  Emperor  Caesar,  son  ^  of  Ihe  late  lamented 
Augusius,  Supreme  Ponlijf,  in  his  fnurteenth  year  of 
office  as  Commander-in-chief  and  sevenieenth  year' 
of  Tribuniiial  Authoriitj—erected  by  the  Senate  and 
People  of  Rome,  to  commemoraie  that  under  his 
leadership  and  auspices  all  the  Alpine  races  sireiching 
from  ihe  Adriatic  Sea  to  ihe  Mediterranean  rverc 
broughl  under  the  dominion  of  ihe  Roman  people. 
Alpine  races}   conquered—ihe   Triumpilini,   Camunni, 

Chorges;  Brigiani,  Brian^on;  Nemaloni,  Miolans;  Eguituri, 
Guiliaumes;    Velauni,  Bueil. 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

137  Vennonetes,  Jsarchi,  Breuni,  Genaunes,  Focunates, 
Vindelicorum  gentes  quatiuor,  Cosuanetes,  Rucinates, 
Licatrs,  Catenates,  Ambisontes,  liugusci,  Suanetes, 
Calucones,  Brixentes,  Leponti,  Uberi,  Nantuates, 
Seduni,  Varagri,  Salassi,  Acitavones,  Medulli,  Lcenni, 
Caturiges,  Brigiani,  Sobionti,  Brodionti,  Nemaloni, 
Edenates,  J'esubiani,  Veamini,  GalUtae,  Triullati, 
Ecdini,  Vergunni,  Eguituri,  Nematuri,  OratelU, 
Nerusi,    Velauni,  Suetri. 

138  Non  sunt  adiectae  Cottianae  civitates  xv  quae  non 
fucrant  hostiles,  item  adtributae  municipiis  ic\je 
Pompcia. 

Hacc  cst  Italia  dis  sacra,  hac  gcntcs  eius,  hacc 
oppida  populorum ;  supcr  hacc  Itaha  quae  L. 
AemiUo  Papo,^  C.  AtiUo  Regulo  coss.  nuntiato 
Gallico  tumultu  sola  sine  externis  ulHs  auxihis  atque 
ctiam  tunc  sine  Transpadanis  cquitum  l.\xx,  pcditum 
Dcc  armavit.  rnctallorum  omnium  fertihtate  nulUs 
cedit  terris ;  sed  interdictum  id  vetcre  consulto 
patrum  Itahae  parci  iubentium. 
130  XXI.  Arsiae  gens  Liburnorum  iungitur  usque  ad 
flumcn  Tityum.  pars  eius  fucre  Mcntorcs,  Himani, 
Encheleae,  Buni  et  quos  CaUimachus  Peucetios 
appcUat,  nunc  totum  uno  nomine  lUyricum  vocatur 
gencratim.  populorum  pauca  etfatu  digna  aut  faciUa 
nomina.     conventum  Scardonitanum  pctunt  lapudes 

*■  Edd.  :    Paulo. 


"  225  B.o.     Regulus  fell  io  action. 
roa 


BOOK    III.  XX.  137-XXI.  139 

Fenostes,  Vennonetes,  Isarchi,  Breuni,  Genaunes, 
Focunates,four  tribes  of  the  rindelici,  the  Cosuanetes, 
Rucinates,  Licates,  Catenates,  Ambisontes,  Rugusci, 
Suanetes,  Calucones,  Brixentes,  Leponti,  Uberi,  Nari- 
tuates,  Seduni,  Varagri,  Salassi,  Acitavones,  Medulli, 
Ucenni,  Caturiges,  Brigiani,  Sobionti,  Brodionti, 
Nemaloni,  Edenates,  Vesubiani,  Veamini,  Gallitae, 
Triullati,  Ecdini,  Vergunni,  Eguituri,  Nematuri, 
Oratelli,  Nerusi,  Velauni,  Suetri. 

This  list  does  not  include  the  15  states  of  the 
Cottiani  which  had  not  shown  hostiHty,  nor  those  that 
were  placed  by  tlie  law  of  Pompeius  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  municipal  towns. 

This  then  is  Italy,  a  land  sacred  to  the  gods,  and 
these  are  the  races  and  towns  of  its  peoples.  More- 
over  this  is  that  Italy  which,  in  the  consulship " 
of  Lucius  Aemihus  Papus  and  Gaius  Atihus  Regulus, 
on  receipt  of  news  of  a  rising  in  Gaul,  single-handed 
and  without  any  ahen  auxiharies,  and  moreover  at 
that  date  without  aid  from  Gaul  north  of  the  Po, 
equipped  an  army  of  80,000  horse  and  700,000  foot. 
She  is  inferior  to  no  country  in  abundance  of  mineral 
products  of  every  kind  ;  but  mining  is  prohibited 
by  an  old  resolution  of  the  Senate  forbidding  the 
exploitation  of  Italy. 

XXI.  The  race  of  the  Liburni  stretches  from  the  ^.e.  coa»t 
Arsa  to  the  river  Tityus.  Sections  of  it  were  the  "^  ■^'^'■*<"*«' 
Mentores,  Himani,  Encheleae,  Buni,  and  the  people 
called  by  Calhmachus  the  Pcucetii,  all  of  whom  are 
now  designated  collectively  by  the  one  name  of 
Illyrians.  Few  of  the  peoples  are  worthy  of  mention, 
nor  are  their  names  easy  to  pronounce.  To  the 
jurisdiction  of  Scardona  resort  the  lapudes  and  the 

103 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

et  Liburnorum  civitates  xiv,  ex  quibus  Lacinienses, 
Stulpinos,  Burnistas,  Olboncnses  nominare  non 
pigeat.  ius  Italicum  habent  eo  conventu  Alutae, 
Flanates  a  quibus  sinus  nominatur,  Lopsi,  Varvarini, 
inmunesque    Asseriates,    et     ex    insulis    Fertinates, 

140  Currictac.  Cetero  per  oram  oppida  a  Ncsactio 
Alvona,  Flanona,  Tarsatica,  Senia,  Lopsica,  Orto- 
plinia,  Vegium,  Argyruntum,  Corinium,  Aenona, 
civitas  Pasini,  flumcn  Tcdanium  quo  finitur  lapudia. 
insulae  eius  sinus  cum  oppidis  practer  supra  signifi- 
catas  Absortium,  Arba,  Crexi,  Gissa,  Portunata. 
rursus  in  continente  colonia  lader  quae  a  Pola  clx 
abest,  inde  xxx  Colentum  insula,  xvTn  ostium  Titii 
fluminis. 

141  XXII.  Libumiae  finis  et  initium  Delmatiae  Scar- 
dona  in  amne  eo  xTi  passuum  a  mari.  dein  Tario- 
tarum  antiqua  regio  et  castellum  Tariona,  promun- 
turium  Diomedis  vel,  ut  alii,  paeninsula  Hyllis 
circuitu  c,  Tragurium  civium  llomanoruni  marmore 
n()tum,Siculi  in  quem  locum  divus  Claudius  veteranos 

142  misit,  Salona  colonia  ab  lader  cxTi.  petunt  in  eam 
iura  viribus  discriptis  in  decurias  cccxlii  Dclmataei 
.\xv  Deuri,  ccxxxix  Ditiones,  cclxix  Maezaei,  Lii 
Sardcates.  in  hoc  tractu  sunt  Burnum,  Andctrium, 
TribuHum,  nobilitata  proeliis  castella.  pctunt  et 
ex  insulis  Issaei,  Colentini,  Separi,  Epetini.     ab  his 


"  Sinus  Flanaticup,  scc  §  129  note. 
"  Capo  di  ^an  Micolo. 


104 


BOOK    III.  XXI.   139-XX11.  142 

14  communities  of  the  Liburni,  of  which  it  may  not 
be  tedious  to  name  the  Lacinienses,  Stulpini, 
Burnistae  and  Olbonenses.  In  this  jurisdiction 
states  having  Italic  rights  are  the  Alutae,  the 
Flanates  from  whom  the  gulf "  takes  its  name,  the 
Lopsi,  the  Varvarini,  the  Asseriates  who  are  exempt 
from  tribute,  and  of  the  islands  BerAvitch  and  Karek. 
Morcover  alono:  the  coast  startinjr  from  Nesactium 
are  Albona,  Fianona,  Tersact,  Segna,  Lopsico, 
OrtopHnia,  Viza,  Argyruntum,  Carin,  Nona,  the  city 
of  the  Pasini  and  the  river  Zermagna,  at  which 
lapudia  terminates.  The  islands  of  the  gulf  with 
tiieir  towns  are,  besides  the  above  specified,  Absor- 
tium,  Arba,  Cherso,  Gissa,  Portunata.  Again  on 
the  mainhmd  is  the  colony  of  Zara,  IGO  miles  from 
Pola,  and  30  miles  from  it  the  island  of  Mortero, 
and  18  miles  from  it  the  mouth  of  the  river  Kerka, 

XXII.  At  the  city  of  Scardona  on  the  Kerka,  12  Daimaiia. 
miles  from  the  sea,Liburnia  ends  and  Dalmatia  begins. 
Then  comes  the  ancient  region  of  the  Tariotares 
and  the  fortress  of  Tariona,  the  Promontory  of 
Diomede,*  or  as  others  name  it  the  Peninsuhi  of 
HylHs,  measuring  100  miles  round,  Tragurium,  a 
place  possessing  Roman  citizensliip  and  famous  for 
its  marble,  SicuH  where  the  late  lamented  Chuidius 
sent  a  colony  of  ex-service  men ;  and  the  colony 
of  Spalato,  112  miles  from  Zara.  Spalato  is  the 
ccntre  for  jurisdiction  of  the  Delmataei  whose 
forces  are  divided  into  342  tithings,  Deuri  into  25 
tithings,  Ditiones  into  239,  Maezaei  269,  Sardeates 
52.  In  this  district  are  Burnum,  Andetrium  and 
TribuHum,  fortresses  that  are  famous  for  battles. 
Island  peoples  also  belonging  to  the  same  jurisdic- 
tion  are  the  Issaeans,  Colentini,  Separi  and  Epetini. 

105 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

castella  Peguntium,  Nareste,  Onium,  Narona  colonia 
tertii  conventus  a  Salona  lxxxv  p.,  adposita  cogno- 
minis  sui  flu\io  a  mari  xx  p.  M.  V';irro  lxxxix  civitates 

143  eo  ventitasse  auctor  est ;  nunc  soli  prope  noscuntur 
Cerauni  decuriis  xxiv,  Daursi  xvii,  Desitiates  ciii, 
Docleates  xxxiii,  Deretini  xiv,  Deraemestae  xxx, 
Dindari  xxxiii,  Glinditioncs  xliv,  Melcimiani  xxiv, 
Naresi  cii,  Scirtari  lxxii,  Siculotae  xxiv,  popula- 
toresque  quondam  Italiae  Vardaei  non  amplius  quam 
XX  decuriis.  praeter  hos  tenuere  tractum  eum 
Ozuaei,    Partheni,    Hemasini,    Arthitae,    Armistae. 

144  a  Narone  amne  c  p.  abcst  Epidaurum  colonia.  ab 
Epidauro  sunt  oppida  civium  Romanorum  Rhizinium, 
Acruium,  Butuanum,  Olcinium  quod  antea  Col- 
chinium  dictum  est  a  Colchis  condituin,  amnis 
Drino  superque  eum  oppidum  civium  Romanorum 
Scodra  a  mari  xviii ;  praeterea  multorum  Graeciae 
oppidorum  deficiens  memoria  nec  non  et  civitatium 
vahdarum :  eo  namcjue  tractu  fuere  Labeatae, 
Endirudini,  Sasaei,  Grabaei ;  proprieque  dicti  Illyri 
et  Taulanti  et  Pyraei.  retinet  ^  nomen  in  ora  Nym- 
phaeum  promunturium.  Lissum  oppidum  civium 
Romanorum  ab  Epidauro  c  p. 

145  XXIII.  A  Lisso  Macedonia  provincia.  gentes 
Partheni  et  a  tergo  eorum  Dassarctae,  montes 
Candaviae  a  Dyrrachio  Lxxviii  p.,  in  ora  vero  Denda 
civium    Romanorum,    Epidamnum    colonia    propter 

•    V.l.  retincnt. 

"  Now  Almissa.  *  Now  Mucarisea. 

*  Now  R&gusa  Vecchia.  '  Capo  Kodoai. 

lo6 


BOOK    III.  xAii.  i42-.\xiii.  145 

After  these  come  the  fortresses  of  Peguntium,*» 
Nareste  *  and  Onium.  and  the  colony  of  Narenta, 
the  seat  of  the  third  centre,  85  miles  from  Spalato, 
situated  on  the  river  also  called  Narenta  20  miles 
from  the  sea.  According  to  Marcus  Varro  89 
states  used  to  resort  to  it,  but  now  nearly  the 
onlv  ones  known  are  the  Cerauni  with  24:  tithings, 
the  Daursi  with  17,  Desitiates  103,  Docleates  33, 
Deretini  1-1,  Deraemestae  30,  Dindari  33,  Ghn- 
ditiones  44,  Melcumani  24,  Naresi  102,  Scirtari  72, 
Siculotae  24,  and  the  Vardaei,  once  the  ravagers 
of  Italy,  with  not  more  than  20  tithings.  Besides 
these  this  district  was  occupied  by  the  Ozuaei, 
Partheni,  Hemasini,  Arthitae  and  Armistae.  The 
colony  of  Epidaurum<^  is  100  miles  distant  from 
the  river  Naron.  After  Epidaurum  come  the 
following  towns  with  Roman  citizenship — Risine, 
Cattaro,  Budua,  Dulcigno,  formerly  called  Col- 
chinium  because  it  was  founded  by  the  Colchians ; 
the  river  Drino,  and  upon  it  Scutari,  a  towTi  with  the 
Roman  citizenship,  18  miles  from  the  sea ;  and  also 
a  number  of  Greek  towns  and  also  powerful  cities 
of  which  the  memory  is  fading  away,  this  district 
having  contained  the  Labeatae,  Endirudini,  Sasaei 
and  Grabaei ;  and  thc  Taulanti  and  the  Pyraei, 
both  properly  styled  IUyrians.  The  promontory  of 
Nymphaeum  '^  on  the  coast  still  retains  its  name. 
Lissum,  a  town  having  the  Roman  citizenship, 
is  100  miles  from  Epidaurum. 

XXIII.  At  Lissum  begins  the  Province  of  Mace-  Westccatt 
donia.     Its  races  are  the  Partheni  and  in  their  rear  uonia!^' 
the    Dassaretae.     The    mountains    of  Candavia    are 
78  miles  from  Durazzo,  and  on  the  coast  is  Denda, 
a  town  with  Roman  citizenship,  the  colony  of  Epi- 

107 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

inauspicatum  nomen  a  Romanis  Dyrrachium  appellata, 
flumen  Aous  a  quibusdam  Aeas  nominatum,  Apol- 
lonia  quondam  Corinthiorum  colonia  iv  p.  a  mari 
recedens,  cuius  in  flnibus  celebre  Nymphaeum 
accolunt  barbari  Amantes  et  Buliones.  at  in  ora 
oppidum  Oricum  a  Colchis  conditum.  inde  initium 
Epiri,  montes  Acroceraunia  quibus  hunc  Europae 
determinavimus  sinum.  Oricum  a  Salcntino  ItaUae 
promunturio  distat  iXxx. 

14f3  XXIV.  A  tergo  Carnorum  et  lapuduin,  qua  se 
fert  magnus  Hister,  Raetis  iunguntur  Norici ;  oppida 
eorum  Virunum,  Celeia,  Teurnia,  Aguntum,  luvavum, 
Vianiomina,  Claudia,  Flavium  Solvense.  Noricis 
iunguntur  lacus  Peiso,  deserta  Boiorum ;  iam  tamen 
colonia  divi  Claudi  Sabaria  et  oppido  Scarabantia 
luha  habitantur. 

147  XXV.  Inde  glandifera  Pannoniae,  qua  mitescentia 
Alpium  iuga  per  mcdium  IUyricum  a  septentrione  ad 
mcridiem  versa  moUi  in  dextra  ac  laeva  devexitate 
considunt.  quae  pars  ad  mare  Iladriaticum  spectat 
appeUatur  Delmatia  et  lUyricum  supra  dictum;  ad 
septentriones  Pannonia  vergit :  finitur  inde  Danuvio. 
in  ea  ccloniae  Aemona,  Siscia.  amnes  clari  et 
navigabiles  in  Danuvium  defluunt  Draus  e  Noricis 


"  Now  Durazzo.  '  TUo  Voioussa. 

«  Now  I'ollina.  ■*  In  §  97. 

'  Promuntiirium  lapygium. 
Perhaps  tbe  Nouaicdler  yee  near  Vienna. 

io8 


BOOK    III.  XXIII.  i45-.\.w.  147 

damnum  which,  on  account  of  the  ill-omened  sound 
of  that  name,  has  been  renamed  Dyrrachium"  by 
the  Romans,  the  river  Aous,^  called  by  some  Aeas, 
and  the  formcr  Corinthian  colony  of  Apollonia ' 
4  miles  distant  from  the  sea,  in  the  territory  of  which 
is  the  famous  Shrine  of  the  Nyinphs,  with  the  neigh- 
bouring  native  tribes  of  the  Amantes  and  Buhones. 
Actually  on  the  coast  is  the  town  of  Ericho,  founded 
by  the  Colchians.  Here  begins  Epirus,  with  the  Kpims. 
Acroceraunian  mountains,  at  which  we  fixed  '^  the 
boundary  of  this  Gulf  of  Europe.  The  distance 
between  Ericho  and  Cape  Leuca*"  in  Italy  is  80 
miles. 

XXIV.  Behind  the  Carni  and  lapudes,  alon»;  the  ^^''  ^pp^ 
course  of  the  mighty  Danube,  the  Raetians  are 
adjoined  by  the  Norici ;  their  towns  are  Wolk-Markt, 
Cilley,  Lurnfelde,  Innichen,  Juvavum,  Vienna, 
Clausen,  SoHeld.  Adjoining  the  Norici  is  Lake  Peiso,/ 
and  the  Unoccupied  Lands  of  the  Boii,  now  however 
inhabited  by  the  people  of  Sarvar,  a  colony  of  his 
late  Majesty  Claudius,  and  the  town  of  Sopron 
Julia. 

XX\'.  Tlien  come  the  acorn-producing  lands  of  ^annonia. 
the  province  of  Pannonia,  where  the  chain  of  the 
Alps  gradually  becomes  less  formidable,  and  slopes 
to  the  riglit  and  left  hand  with  gentle  contours 
as  it  traverses  the  middle  of  Illyria  from  north  to 
south.  The  part  looking  towards  the  Adriatic  is 
called  Dalmatia  and  Illyria  mentioned  above,  while  5139 
the  part  stretching  northward  is  Pannonia,  terminat- 
ing  in  that  direction  at  the  Danube.  In  it  are  the 
colonies  of  Aemona  and  Siscia.  Famous  navigable 
rivers  flowing  into  the  Danube  are  the  Drave  from 
Noricurn,    a    rather    violent   stream,   and   the    Save 

109 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

violentior,   Saus   ex   Alpibus   Camicis  placidior,   cxx 
intervallo,    Draus    per    Serretes,    Sirapillos,    lasos, 

148  Andizetes,  Saus  per  Colapianos  Breucosque.  popu- 
lorum  haec  capita ;  praeterea  Arviates,  Azali, 
Amantini,  Belgites,  Catari,  Cornacates,  Eravisci, 
Hercuniates,  Latovici,  Oseriates,  Varciani,  mons 
Claudius,  cuius  in  fronte  Scordisci,  in  tergo  Taurisci. 
insula  in  Savo  Metubarbis,  amnicarum  maxima. 
praeterea  amnes  memorandi  Colapis  in  Saum 
influens  iuxta  Sisciam  gemino  alveo  insulam  ibi 
efficit  quae  Segestica  appellatur,  alter  amnis  Bacun- 
tius  in  Saum  Sirmio  oppido  influit,  ubi  civitas  Sirmien- 
sium  et  Amantinorum.  inde  .\lv  Taurunum,  ubi 
Danuvio  miscctur  Saus ;  supra  influunt  V^^aldasus, 
Urpanus,  et  ipsi  non  ignobiles. 

149  XX\T.  Pannoniae  iungitur  provincia  quae  Moesia 
appcUatur,  ad  Pontuni  usque  cum  Danuvio  decurrens  ; 
incipit  a  confluente  supra  dicto.  in  ea  Dardani, 
Celcgeri,  Triballi,  Timachi,  Moesi,  Thraces  Pontoque 
contermini  Scythae.  flumina  clara  e  Dardanis 
Margus,  Pingus,  Timachus,  ex  Rhodope  Oescus,  ex 
Haemo  Utus,  Asamus,  leterus. 

150  Illyrici  latitudo  qua  maxinia  est  cccxxv  p.  colligit, 
longitudo  a  flumine  Arsia  ad  flumen  Drinium  dxxx  ; 
a  Drinio  ad  promunturium  Acroceraunium  clxxv 
Agrippa    prodidit,    universum    autem    sinum    ItaHae 


'  Despoto  Dagb  in  the  BalkaD  chain. 
"  The  Great  Balkan. 


IIO 


BOOK    III.  XXV.  i47-xx\'i.  150 

from  the  Carnian  Alps  which  is  more  gentle,  there 
being  a  space  of  120  miles  between  them ;  the 
Drave  flows  through  the  Serretes,  Sirapilh,  lasi 
and  Andizetes ;  the  Save  through  the  Colapiani 
and  Breuci.  These  are  the  principal  peoples ; 
and  there  are  besides  the  Arviates,  AzaH,  Amantini, 
Belgites,  Catari,  Cornacates,  Eravisci,  Hercuniates, 
Latovici,  Oseriates  and  Varciani,  and  Mount  Claudius, 
in  front  of  which  are  the  Scordisci  and  behind  it  the 
Taurisci.  In  the  Save  is  the  island  of  Zagrabia, 
the  largest  known  island  formed  by  a  river.  Other 
noteworthy  rivers  are  the  Culpa,  which  flows  into 
the  Save  near  Siscia,  where  its  channel  divides 
and  forms  the  island  called  Segestica,  and  another 
river  the  Bossut,  flowing  into  the  Save  at  the  town 
of  Sirmich,  the  capital  of  the  Sirmienses  and  Amantini. 
From  Sirmich  it  is  45  miles  to  Tzeruinka,  where  the 
Save  joins  the  Danube ;  tributaries  flowing  into 
the  Danube  higher  up  are  the  Walpo  and  the  Verbas, 
themselves  also  not  inconsiderable  streams. 

XXVI.  Adjoining  Pannonia  is  the  province  called  Thelower 
Moesia,  which  runs  with  the  course  of  the  Danube  -o<"»"*«- 
right  down  to  the  Black  Sea,  beginning  at  the  con- 
fluence  of  the  Danube  and  the  Save  mentioned 
above.  Moesia  contains  the  Dardani,  Celegeri, 
TribaUi,  Tiniachi,  Moesi,  Thracians  and  Scythians 
adjacent  to  the  Black  Sea.  Its  famous  rivers  are 
the  Morava,  Bek  and  Timoch  rising  in  the  territory 
of  the  Dardani,  the  Iscar  in  Mount  llhodope  °-  and 
the  Vid,  Osma  and  Jantra  in  Mount  Haemus.* 

Illyria  covers  325  miles  in  width  at  its  widest  point,  s.B.  eoastof 
and  530  miles  in  length  from  the  river  Arsa  to  the  fif^Y 
river  Drin ;  its  length  from  the  Drin  to  the  Promon- 
tory  of  Glossa  is  given  by  Agrippa  as  175  miles,  and 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

et  niyrici  ambitu  |xvTi|.  in  eo  duo  inaria  quo  dis- 
tinxiriius  fine,  lonium  in  prima  parte,  interius 
Hadriaticum  quod  Superum  vocant. 

151  Insulae  in  Ausonio  mari  praetcr  iam  dictas  mem- 
oratu  dignae  nullae,  in  lonio  paucae,  Calabro  litore 
ante  Brundisium  quarum  obiectu  portus  efticitur, 
contra  Apulum  litus  Diomedia  conspicua  monu- 
mcnto  Diomedis  et  altera  eodem  nominc  a  qui- 
busdam  Teutria  appcUata. 

Ill^Tici  ora  mille  amplius  insulis  frequcntatur, 
natura  vadoso  mari  aestuariisque  tenui  alveo  inter- 
cursantibus.  clarae  ante  ostia  Timavi  calidorum 
fontium  cum  acstu  maris  crcscontium,  iuxta  Ilis- 
trorum  agrum  Cissa,  Pullaria  et  Absyrtides  Grais 
dictae    a    fratre    Medeae    ibi    intcrfecto    Absyrto. 

152  iuxta  eas  Electridas  vocavere  in  quibus  proveniret 
sucinum  quod  illi  electrum  appellant,  vanitatis 
Graecae  certissimum  docvunentum,  adeo  ut  quas 
earum  designent  haut  umquam  constiterit.  contra 
lader  est  Lissa  et  quae  appcllatae,  contra  Liburnos 
Crateae  aliquot  nec  pauciores  Liburnicae,  Celadus- 
sae,  contra  Surium  Bavo  et  capris  laudata  Brattia, 
Issa    civium    Romanorum    et    cum    oppido    Pharia. 

<•  /.e.  tho  eea  eouth  of  the  Straits  of  Otrauto,  botween 
the  south  of  Italy  and  tireoce. 

"  South  of  the  toe  of  Italy  and  east  of  Sicily. 

•  Now  Tremiti. 
^  Now  Caprara. 

*  Bagai  di  Monte  Falcone. 

112 


BOOK   III.  xwi.  150-152 

the  entire  circuit  of  the  Italian  and  Illyrian  Gulf  as 
1700  miles.     This  gulf,  dehmited   as  we   described  ?  100. 
it,  contains  two  seas.  in  the  first  part  the  lonian  ° 
and    more   inland    the    Adriatic,  called  the   Upper 
Sea. 

There   are   no   islands   deserving   mention   in   the  isiandjs  s.  of 
Ausonian  Sea  *  besides  those  ah-eady  specified,  and  is^^f  ^2rt-" 
only  a  lew  in  the  lonian — those  lying  on  the  coast  «"«• 
of  Calabria  oti  Brindisi  and  by  their  position  forming 
a  harbour,  and  Diomede's  Island  "^  ofF  the  coast  of 
Apulia,    marked    by    the    monument    of   Diomede, 
and  another  island  <^  of  the  same  name  but  by  some 
called  Teutria. 

On  the  coast  of  Illyricum  is  a  cluster  of  more  than 
1000  islands,  the  sea  being  of  a  shoaiy  nature  and 
divided  into  a  network  of  estuaries  with  narrow 
channels.  The  notable  islands  are  those  off  the 
mouth  of  the  Timavo,  fed  by  hot  springs  *  that  rise 
with  the  tide  of  the  sea ;  Cissa  near  the  territory 
of  the  Ilistri ;  and  PuUaria  and  those  called  by  the 
Greeks  the  Absyrtidcs,  from  Medea's  brother 
Absyrtus  who  was  killed  there.  Islands  near  these 
the  Grecks  have  designated  the  Electrides,  because 
amber,  the  Grcek  for  which  is  electrum,  was  said  to 
be  found  there ;  this  is  a  vcry  clear  proof  of  Greek 
unrcliability,  seeing  that  it  has  never  been  ascer- 
tained  which  of  the  islands  they  mean.  Opposite 
to  the  Zara  are  Lissa  and  the  islands  ah-eady 
mentioned  ;  opposite  the  Liburni  are  several  called  §  140. 
the  Crateae,  and  an  equal  number  called  the  Libur- 
nicae  and  Celadussae ;  opposite  Surium  Bavo  and 
Brattia,  the  latter  celebrated  for  its  goats,  Issa  with 
the  rights  of  Roman  citizenship  and  Pharia,  on  wliich 
there  is  a  town.     Twenty-five  miles  from  Issa  is  the 

"3 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ab  Issa  Corcyra  Melaena  cognominata  cum  Cni- 
diomm  oppido  distat  .vxv,  inter  quam  et  IUyricum 
Melite,  unde  catulos  Melitaeos  appellari  Callima- 
chus  auctor  est.  xv  ab  ea  vii  Elaphites.  in  lonio 
autem  mari  ab  Orico  xh  ^  p.  Sasonis  piratica  statione 
nota. 

>  Brolier:  M.M. 


•  Now  Curzola  or  Karkas ;  the  Greek  name  '  Black  Corcyra ' 
is  due  to  its  pine  forests. 

*  More  usuaiiy  derived  from  the  better-known  Mehte,  Malta. 


114 


BOOK   III.  xA-vi.  152 

island  called  Corcyra  Melaena,"  with  a  town  founded 
from  Cnidos,  and  between  Corcyra  Melaena  and 
Illyricum  is  Meleda,  from  which  according  to  Calli- 
machus  Maltese  terriers  get  their  name.*  Fifteen 
miles  from  Meleda  are  the  seven  Stag  Islands,""  and 
in  the  lonian  Sea  tweh'e  '^  miles  from  Oricum  is 
Sasena,  notorious  as  a  harbour  for  pirates. 

'  So  called  from  their  combined  outlines,  Giupan  forming 
the  head,  Ruda  the  neck,  Mezzo  the  body,  Caiemotta  the 
haunches  and  Grebini  or  Petini  the  tail. 

*  The  MSS.  give  '  two.' 


"5 


BOOK   IV 


LIBER    IV 

1  I.  Tf.htius  Europae  sinus  Acrocerauniis  incipit 
montibus,  finitur  Hellesponto,  amplectitur  praeter 
minores  sinus  pcfx]  xxv  passuum.  in  eo  Epiros,  Acar- 
nania,  Aetolia,  Phocis,  Locris,  Achaia,  Messenia, 
Laconia,  Argolis,  Megaris.  Attica,  Boeotia,  iterum- 
que  ab  aUo  mari  eadem  Phocis  et  Locris,  Doris, 
Phthiotis,  ThessaHa,  Magnesia,  Macedonia,  Thracia. 
omnis  Graeciae  fabulositas  sicut  et  litterarum 
claritas  ex  hoc  primuni  sinu  effulsit,  quapropter 
paululum  in  eo  commorabimur. 

2  Epiros  in  universum  appellata  a  Cerauniis  incipit 
montibus.  in  ea  primi  Chaones  a  quibus  Chaonia, 
dein  Thesproti,  Antigonenses,  locus  Aornos  et 
pestifera  avibus  exhalatio,  Cestrini,  Perrhaebi  quorum 
mons  Pindus,  Cassiopaei,  Dr)'opes,  Selloc,  Hellopes, 
Molossi  apud  quos  Dodonaei  lovis  templum  oraculo 
inlustre,  Talarus  mons  centum  fontibus  circa  radices 

3  Theopompo  celebratus.  Epiros  ipsa  ad  Magnesiam 
Macedoniamque  tendens  a  tergo  suo  Dassaretas 
supra  dictos,  Hberam  gentem,  mox  feram  Dardanos 
habet.     Dardanis  laevo  TribalH  praetenduntur  latere 

"  The  firet  half  of  this  dcscription  enumerates  the  coaatal 
countries  of  Greece  beginning  at  the  N.W.  and  going  round  the 
Pcloponnese  and  up  the  E.  coast  aa  far  as  the  Straita  of 
Euripus  between  Euboea  and  the  mainland;  the  second  half 
of  thc  liat  goes  N.  from  that  point  and  round  the  N.  coaat  of  the 
Aegean  to  tbe  Dardaneiies. 

*  'Kopvos,  '  without  birda.' 
Il8 


BOOK    IV 

I.  The  third  gulf  of  Europe  begins  at  the  Moun-  Oreeeeand 
tains  of  Khimarra  and  ends  at  the  Dardanelles.     Its  ^^^ouhe 
coast-Hne  measures  1925  miles  not  including  smaller  Aegean. 
bays.     It     contains     Epirus,     Acarnania,     Aetolia, 
Phocis,  Locris,  Achaia,  Messenia,  Laconia,  ArgoHs, 
Megaris,  Attica  and  Boeotia ;   and  again,  on  the  side 
of  the  other  sea,  Phocis  and  Locris  before-mentioned 
and  Doris,  Phthiotis,  Thessaly,  Magnesia,  Macedonia 
and  Thrace."      All  the  legendary  lore  of  Greece  and 
Hkewise  its  glorous  Hterature  first  shone  forth  from 
this    gulf;    and  consequently  we  will  briefly  dwell 
upon  it. 

Epirus  in  the  wide  sense  of  the  term  begins  at  the  n.w.eoatt 
Mountains  of  Khimarra.  The  peoples  that  it  con-  "^  ^"^- 
tains  are  first  the  Chaones  who  give  their  name  to 
Chaonia,  and  then  the  Thesproti  and  Antigonenses ; 
then  comes  the  place  caHed  Aornos  *  with  exhalations 
that  are  noxious  to  birds,  the  Cestrini,  the  Perrhaebi 
to  whom  belongs  Mount  Pindus,  the  Cassiopaei,  the 
Drj'opes,  the  Selloi,the  Hellopes,the  Molossi  in  whose 
territory  is  the  temple  of  Zeus  of  Dodona,  famous  for 
its  oracle,  and  Mount  Talarus,  celebrated  by  Theo- 
pompus,  with  a  hundred  springs  at  its  foot.  Epirus 
proper  stretches  to  Magnesia  and  Macedonia,  and 
has  at  its  back  the  Dassaretae  above  mentioned,  a 
free  race,  and  then  the  savage  tribe  of  the  Dardani. 
On  the  left  side  of  the  Dardani  stretch  the  Triballi 

119 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

et  Moesicae  gentes,  a  fronte  iunguntur  Medi  ac 
Denseletae,  quibus  Threces  ad  Pontum  usque 
pertinentes.     ita  succincta  Rhodopcs,  mox  et  Ilaemi, 

4  vallatiir  excelsitas,  in  Epiri  ora  castellum  in  Acro- 
ccrauniis  Chimcra,  sub  eo  Aquae  Regiae  fons, 
oppida  Maeandria,  Cestria,  flumen  Thesprotiae 
Thyamis,  colonia  Buthrotum,  maximeque  nobilitatus 
Ambracius  sinus,  d  passuum  faucibus  spatiosum 
aequor  accipiens,  longitudinis  xxxvTi,  latitudinis  xv. 
in  eum  defertur  amnis  Acheron  e  lacu  Thesprotiae 
Acherusia  profluens  .xxxv  passuum  inde  et  mille 
pedum  ponte  mirabihs  omnia  sua  mirantibus.  in 
sinu  oppidum  Ambracia,  Molossorum  flumina  Aphas, 
Aratthus,  civitas  Anactorica,  locus  Pandosiae. 

5  Acarnaniae,  quae  antea  Curetis  vocabatur,  oppida 
Heracha,  Echinus,  et  in  ore  ipso  colonia  Augusti 
Actium  cum  templo  ApoUinis  nobiH  ac  civitate 
libera  NicopoHtana.  egressos  sinu  Ambracio  in 
lonium  excipit  Leucadium  Htus,  promunturium 
Leucates,  dein  sinus  et  Leucadia  ipsa  pacninsula 
quondam  Neritis  appellata,  opere  accolarum  abscisa 
continenti  ac  reddita  ventorum  flatu  congeriem 
harenae  adtumulantium,  qui  locus  vocatur  Diorj^ctos 
stadiorum  longitudine  trium ;  oppidum  in  ea  Leucas, 
quondam  Neritum  dictum.     deinde  Acarnarmm  urbes 


"  This  now  gives  ita  name  to  the  range. 

*  Mow  the  Calama. 

*  >iow  an  iBland,  bantti  Maura. 

I20 


BOOK   IV.  I.  3-5 

and  the  Moesic  races,  and  joining  them  in  front  are 
the  Medi  and  the  Denseletae,  and  joininjj  these  the 
Thracians  who  extcnd  all  ihe  way  to  the  Black  Sea. 
Such  is  the  girdle  that  walls  in  the  lofty  heights  of 
Despoto  Dagh  and  then  of  the  Great  Balkan.  On  the 
coast  of  Epirus  is  the  fortrcss  of  Khimarra  "  on  the 
Acroceraunians,  and  bclow  it  the  spring  named  the 
RoyalWater  andthetowns  of  Maeandriaand  Cestria, 
the  Thesprotian  river  Thyamis,*  the  colony  of  Butrinto, 
and  the  veiy  celebrated  Gulf  of  Arta,  whose  inlet, 
half  a  mile  wide,  admits  an  extcnsive  sheet  of  water, 
37  miles  long  and  15  miles  broad.  Into  it  discharges 
the  river  Acheron  flowing  from  the  Acherusian  Lake 
in  Thesprotia,  a  course  of  35  miles,  and  remarkable 
in  the  eyes  of  people  who  admire  all  the  achieve- 
ments  of  their  own  race  for  its  1000-foot  bridge. 
On  the  gulf  hes  the  town  of  Ambracia,  and  there  are 
the  Molossian  rivcrs  Aphas  and  Arta,  the  city  of 
Anactoria  and  the  place  whcre  Pandosia  stood. 

The  towns  of  Acarnania,  which  was  previously 
called  Curetis,  are  Heraclia,  Echinus,  and,  on  the 
actual  coast,  the  colonv  founded  by  Augustus,  Act- 
ium,  with  the  famous  temple  of  Apollo,  and  the  free 
city  of  Nicopohs.  Passing  fi-om  the  Gulf  of  Aml)racia 
into  the  lonian  Sea  we  come  to  the  coast  of  Leueadia 
and  Capo  Ducato,  and  then  to  the  gulf  and  the 
actual  peninsula  «^  of  I>cucadia,  formerly  callcd 
Neritis,  which  by  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants  was 
once  cut  ofF  from  lhe  mainland  and  which  has  been 
rcstored  to  it  by  the  mass  of  sand  pilcd  up  against  it 
by  the  violence  of  the  winds;  the  place  has  a  Greek 
name  meaning  '  canalized,'  and  is  600  yards  long.  On 
the  peninsida  is  the  town  of  Leucas,  formerly  called 
Neritus.     Then  come  the  Acarnanian  cities  of  Alyzia, 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Alyzia,  Stratos,  Argos  Amphilochicum  cognomina 
tum,  amnis  Achelous  e  Pindo  fluens  atque  Acamaniam 
ab  Aetolia  dirimens  et  Artemitam  insulam  adsiduo 
terrae  invectu  continenti  adnectens. 

6  II.  Aetolorum  popuU  Athamanes,  Tymphaei, 
Ephyri,  Aenienses,  Perrhaebi,  Dolopes,  Maraces, 
Atraces,  a  quibus  Atrax  amnis  lonio  mari  infunditur. 
Aetohae  oppidum  Calydon  vTi  d  passuum  a  mari 
iuxta  Evenum  amnem,  dein  Macynia,  Molycria, 
cuius  a  tergo  Chalcis  mons  et  Taphiassus.  at  in 
ora  promunturium  Antirrium,  ubi  ostium  Corin- 
thiaci  sinus  minus  m  p.  latitudine  influentis  Aetolos- 
que  dirimentis  a  Peloponneso.  promunturium  quod 
contra  procedit  appellatur  Rhion.  sed  in  Corinthio 
sinu  oppida  Aetohae  Naupactus,  Eupahmna,  et  in 
mediterraneo  Pleuron,  Ilahcarna.  montes  clari  in 
Dodone  Tomarus,  in  Ambracia  Crania,  in  Acarnania 
Aracynthus,  in  AetoUa  Achaton,  Panaetolium, 
Macynium. 

7  III.  Proxumi  AetoUs  Locri  cognominantur  Ozolae, 
immunes.  oppidum  Ocanthe,  portus  ApoUinis  Pha- 
estii,  sinus  Crisaeus ;  intus  oppida  Argyna,  Eupaha, 
Phaestum,  Calamisus.  ultra  Cirrhaei  Phocidis  cam- 
pi,  oppidum  Cirrha,  portus  Chalaeon,  a  quo  vil  p. 
introrsus  Uberum  oppidum  Delphi  sub  monte  Parnaso 

8  clarissimi  in  terris  oracuU  ApolUnis.  fons  CastaUus, 
amnis  Cephisus  praefluens  Delphos,  ortus  in  Lilaea 

"  '  Strong-smelling  ' — so  callcd  either  from  their  wearing 
undressed  hides  or  from  the  asphodel  growing  in  their  country 
or  from  its  vaporoua  springs. 

122 


BOOK   IV.  I.  5-III.  8 

Stratos,  and  Argos  surnamcd  Amphilochian,  and  the 
river  Achelous  flowing  from  Mount  Pindus  and 
separating  Acarnania  froni  Aetolia ;  the  continual 
deposits  of  earth  that  it  brings  down  are  linking  the 
island  of  Artemita  to  the  main  land. 

II.  The    Aetohan    peoples    are    the    Athamanes,  Aorthsid* 
Tymphaei,   Ephyri,  Aenienses,   Perrhaebi,  Dolopes,  corinth. 
Maraces  and  Atraces  in  whose  district  is  the  source 

of  the  river  Atrax  that  flows  into  the  lonian  Sea. 
The  towns  of  Aetoha  are  Calydon  on  the  river  Evenus 
seven  miles  and  a  half  from  the  sea,  and  then  Macynia 
and  Molycria,  behind  which  are  Mount  Chalcis  and 
Taphiassus.  On  the  coast  is  the  Promontory  of 
Antirrhium,  at  which  is  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  of 
Corinth,  less  than  a  mile  broad,  whose  channel 
separates  the  Aetolians  from  the  Morea.  The 
promontory  that  juts  out  opposite  is  called  Rhium. 
Aetolian  towns  on  the  Gulf  of  Corinth  are  Lepanto, 
Eupalimna,  and  inland  Pleuron  and  Hahcarna. 
Notable  mountains  are  Tomarus  in  the  district  of 
Dodona,  Crania  in  Ambracia,  Aracynthus  in  Acarn- 
ania,  and  Achaton,  PanaetoHum  and  Macynium  in 
AetoHa. 

III.  Next  to  the  Aetolians  are  the  Locrians,  sur- 
named  Ozolae,"  who  are  exempt  from  tribute,  Here 
are  the  town  of  Oeanthe,  the  harbour  of  Apollo 
Phaestius  and  the  gulf  of  Salona ;  and  inland  the 
towns  of  Argyna,  Eupalia,  Phaestum  and  Calamisus. 
Beyond  are  the  Cirrhaean  Plains  of  Phocis,  the  town 
of  Cirrha  and  the  port  of  Chalaeon,  seven  miles  inland 
from  which  is  Delphi,  a  free  town  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Parnassus  and  the  seat  of  the  oracle  of  Apollo,  the 
most  famous  in  the  world.  Here  are  the  Castalian 
Spring  and  the  river  Cephisus  flowing  past  Delphi ; 

123 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

urbe.  quondam  praeterea  oppidum  Crisa  et  cum 
Bulcnsibus  AnticjTa,  Naulochum,  Pyrrha,  Amphisa 
immunis,  Tithrone,  Tithorca,  Ambrysus,  Mirana, 
quae  regio  Daulis  appcllatur.  deinde  in  intumo 
sinu  angulus  Boeotiae  adluitur  cum  oppidis  Siphis, 
Thebis  quae  Corsiae  cognominatae  sunt  iuxta  montem 
Heliconem.  tertium  ab  hoc  mari  Boeotiae  oppidum 
Pagae,  unde  Pcloponnesi  prosiHt  ccrvix. 
0  IV.  Peloponnesus,  Apia  antea  appellata  et  Pelas 
gia,  paeninsula  Iiaut  ulU  terrae  nobiUtatc  postfercnda, 
inter  duo  maria  Aegaeum  et  lonium,  platani  folio 
similis,  propter  angulosos  reccssus  circuitu  dlxiii  p. 
colligit  auctore  Isidoro ;  eadem  per  sinus  paene 
tantundem  adicit.  angustiae  unde  procedit  Isthmos 
appcllantur.  in  eo  loco  inrumpentia  e  diverso 
quae  dicta  simt  maria  a  septentrione  et  exortu  eius 
omnem  ibi  latitudinera  vorant,  donec  contrario 
incursu  tantorum  aequorum  in  quinque  milium 
passuum  intcrvallum  exesis  utrimque  lateribus 
angusta  cervice  Pcloponnesum  contincat  Hellas. 
10  Corinthiacus  hinc,  illinc  Saronicus  appellatur  sinus ; 
Lecheae  hinc,  Cenchreae  illinc  angustiarum  termini, 
longo  et  ancipiti  navium  ambitu  quas  magnitudo 
plaustris  transvehi  prohibet,  quam  ob  causam  per- 

"  Tho  modem  name  Morca  moans  '  like  a  mulberry  leaf.' 

*  This  common  noun,  meuning  a  neck  of  iand,  cume  to  be 
attached  as  a  proper  name  to  the  neck  joining  the  Morea  to 
Central  Grccce. 

*  The  harbour  of  Corinth. 

'  The  harbour  on  the  Gulf  of  Egina. 

124 


BOOK    IV.  m.  8-iv.  lo 

it  rises  at  the  city  of  Lilaea.  There  was  also  formerly 
the  town  of  Crisa,  and  together  with  the  people  of 
Bulis  there  are  Anticyra,  Naulochus,  Pyrrha,  the 
tax-free  town  of  Salona,  Tithrone,  Tithorea,  Ambrysus 
and  Mirana,  the  district  also  called  DauUs.  Then 
right  up  the  bav  is  the  sea-board  corner  of  Boeotia 
with  ihe  towns  of  Siphae  and  Thebes  surnamed  the 
Corsian,  near  Mount  Hehcon.  The  third  town  of 
Boeotia  up  from  this  sea  is  Pagae,  from  which  projects 
the  neck  of  the  Morea. 

I\'.  The  Peloponnese,  which  was  previously  called  isihmuso/ 
Apia  and  Pelasgia,  is  a  peninsula  inferior  in  celebrity 
to  no  region  of  tlie  earth.  It  hes  between  two 
seas,  the  Aegean  and  the  lonian,  and  resembles  in 
shape  the  leaf  of  a  plane-tree  " ;  on  account  of  the 
angular  indentations  the  circuit  of  its  coast-hne, 
according  to  Isidore,  amounts  to  563  miles,  and 
nearly  as  much  again  in  addition,  measuring  the 
shores  of  the  bays.  The  narrow  neck  of  land  from 
which  it  projects  is  called  the  Isthmus.*  At  this 
place  the  two  seas  that  have  been  mentioned  en- 
croach  on  opposite  sides  from  the  north  and  east  and 
swallow  up  all  the  breadlh  of  the  peninsula  at  this 
point,  until  in  consequence  of  the  inroad  of  such 
large  bodies  of  water  in  opposite  directions  the  coasts 
on  either  side  have  been  eaten  away  so  as  to  leave  a 
space  between  them  of  only  five  miles,  with  the 
result  that  the  Morea  is  only  attached  to  Greece 
by  a  narrow  neck  of  land.  Thc  inlets  on  eithcr 
side  are  called  the  Gulf  of  Lepanto  and  the  Gulf 
of  Egina,  the  former  ending  in  Lecheae '  and 
the  latter  in  Cenchreae."^  The  circuit  of  the 
Morea  is  a  long  and  dangerous  voyage  for  vessels 
prohibited  by  their  size  from  being  carried  across  the 

125 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

fodere  navigabili  alveo  angustias  eas  temptavere 
Demetrius  rex,  dictator  Caesar,  Gaius  princeps, 
Domitius   Nero,   nefasto,   ut   oinnium   exitu   patuit, 

11  incepto.  in  medio  hoc  intcrvallo  quod  Isthmon 
appellavimus  adphcata  colli  habitatur  colonia  Corin- 
thus  antea  Ephyra  dicta  sexagenis  ab  utroque  Utore 
stadiis,  e  sumnia  sua  arce  quae  vocatur  Acrocorinthos, 
in  qua  fons  Pirene,  diversa  duo  maria  prospcctans. 
Lx.vxviii  p.  ad  Corintliiacum  sinum  traiectus  est 
Patras  a  Leucade.  Patrac,  colonia  in  longissimo 
promunturio  Pcloponnesi  condita  cx  adverso  Aetoliae 
et  fluminis  Eveni,  minus  m  p.,  ut  diclum  est,  intervallo 
in  ipsis  faucibus  sinum  Corinthiacum  Lx.xxv  in 
longitudinem  usque  ad  Isthmon  transmittunt. 

12  V.  Achaiae  nomcn  provinciae  ab  Isthmo  incipit. 
antca  Aegialos  vocabatur  propter  urbes  in  litore  per 
ordinem  dispositas.  primae  ibi  quas  diximus  Lecheae 
Corinthiorum  portus,  mox  Olyros  Pellenaeorum 
castellum,  oppida  HeHce,  Bura,  in  quae  refugere 
liaustis  prioribus,  Sicyon,  Aegira,  Aegium,  Erineos. 

13  intusCleonae,Hysiae.  Panhornms  portus  demonstra- 
tumque  iam  Rhium,  a  quo  promunturio  v  absunt 
Patrae    quas    supra    memoravimus,    locus    Pherae. 

"  The  projcct  was  rcnewcd  in  1889  and  complctcd  in  1893, 
withovit  disastrous  rcsults  cxccpt  to  the  financcs  of  the 
criKinal  promotcrs.     The  canai  is  aliout  four  milcs  long. 

'  Originally  the  district  of  Phthia  in  the  south  of  Thessaly 
had  this  nanie. 

'  The  Sca-coast. 

**  Headquarters  of  the  old  Achaoan  Lcague. 

•  Owing  to  an  earthfjuako  in  373  B.c. 
126 


BOOK    IV.  IV.  lo-v.  13 

isthmus  on  troUeys,  and  consequently  successive 
attempts  were  made  by  King  Demetrius,  Caesar  the 
dictator  and  the  emperors  Caligula  and  Nero,  to  dig 
a  ship-canal  through  the  narrow  part — an  undertaking  canal. 
which  the  cnd  that  befell  them  all  proves  to  have 
been  an  act  of  sacrilege."  In  the  middleof  this  neck 
of  land  which  we  have  called  the  Isthmus  is  the 
colony  of  Corinth,  the  former  name  of  which  was 
Ephyra ;  its  habitations  chng  to  the  side  of  a  hill, 
7|  miles  from  the  coast  on  either  side,  and  the  top  of 
its  citadel,  called  the  Corinthian  Heights,  on  which  is 
the  spring  of  Pirene,  commands  views  of  the  two  seas 
in  opposite  directions.  The  distance  across  the 
Isthmus  from  Leucas  to  Patras  on  the  Gulf  of  Corinth 
is  88  miles.  The  colony  of  Patras  is  situated  on  the 
longest  projection  of  the  Peloponnese  opposite  to 
Aetolia  and  the  river  Evenus,  separated  from  them 
at  the  actual  mouth  of  the  gulf  by  a  gap  of  less  than 
a  mile,  as  has  been  said ;  but  in  length  the  Gulf  of  §6. 
Corinth  extends  85  miles  from  Patras  to  the  Isthmus. 

V.  At  the  Isthmus  begins  the  province  named  Morca. 
Achaia.*  It  waspreviouslycalled  Aegialos*^  on  account 
of  the  cities  situated  in  a  row  on  its  coast.  The  first 
place  there  is  Lecheae  the  port  of  Corinth,  already 
mentioned,  and  then  come  Olyrus  the  fortress  of  the 
people  of  Trikala,  and  the  towns  of  Hehce**  and  Bura, 
and  those  in  which  their  inhabitants  took  refuge 
when  the  former  towns  were  swallowed  up  by 
the  sea,'  namely  Basihca,  Palaeokastro,  Vostitza 
and  Artotina.  Inland  are  Klenes  and  Hysiae.  Then 
come  the  port  of  Tekieh  and  Rhium  already  described, 
the  distance  between  which  promontory  and  Patras 
which  we  have  mentioned  above  isfive  miles  ;  and  then 
the  place  called  Pherae.     Of  the  nine  mountains  in 

127 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

in  Achaia  novem  montium  Scioessa  notissimus,  fons 
Cymothoe.  ultra  Patras  oppidum  Olenum,  colonia 
Dyme,  loca  Buprasium,  Hyrmine,  promunturium 
Araxus,  Cyllenius  sinus,  promunturium  Chelonates 
unde  Cyllenen  v  p.,  castelhmi  Phhum,  quae  regio  ab 
Homero  Araethyrea  dicta  est,  postea  Asopis. 

14  Inde  Eliorum  ager,  qui  antea  Epioe  vocabantur. 
ipsa  Elis  in  mcditerraneo,  et  a  Pylo  xiii  intus  delu- 
brum  Olympii  lovis,  ludorum  claritate  fastos  Graeciae 
complexum,  Pisaeorum  quondam  oppidimi,  prae- 
fluente  Alpheo  amne.  at  in  ora  promunturium 
Ichthys,  amnis  Alphcus — navigatur  vi — oppida 
Aulon,   Leprium,  promunturium   Platanodcs,  omnia 

15  haec  ad  occasum  versa.  ad  meridiem  autem  Cyparis- 
sius  sinus  cura  urbe  Cj^parisso  lx.\v  circuitu,  oppida 
Pylos,  Methone,  locus  Hclos,  promunturium  Acritas, 
sinus  Asinaeus  ab  oppido  Asinc,  Coronacus  a  Corone ; 
finiuntur  Tacnaro  promunturio.  ibi  regio  Messenia 
duodeviginti  montium,  amnis  Pamisus,  intus  autem 
ipsa  Messene,  Ithome,  OechaUa,  Arene,  Pteleon, 
Thryon,  Dorion,  Zancle,  variis  quaeque  clara  tem- 
poribus.     Imius  sinus  circuitus  txxx,  traiectus  vero 

XXX. 

16  Dehinc  a  Taenaro  ager  Laconicus  Ubcrae  gentis 
et     sinus     circuitu     cvi,     traiectu     x.vxviii.    oppida 


•  lliad,  II.  57. 

*  Destroyed  by  the  Eleans  in  572  B.c. 


128 


BOOK    IV.  V.  13-16 

Achaia  the  best  known  is  Scioessa ;  and  there  is  also 
the  spring  of  Cymothoe.  Beyond  Patras  is  the  town  of 
Kato-Achaia,  the  colony  of  Dynie,  the  places  called 
Buprasiuni  and  Hyrmine,  the  promontory  of  Capo 
Papa,  the  Bay  of  Cyllene,  the  promontory  of  Cape 
Tornese  5  miles  from  Cyllene,  the  fortress  of  PhHus, 
the  district  round  which  was  called  Araethyrea  by 
Homer"  and  afterwards  Asopis. 

Then  begins  the  territory  of  the  Eleans,  who  were 
formerly  called  the  Epioi.  EHs  itself  is  in  the 
interior,  and  13  miles  inland  from  Pilo  is  the  shrine 
of  Zeus  of  Olvmpus,  which  owing  to  the  celebrity 
of  its  Games  has  taken  possession  of  the  calendar 
of  Greece ;  here  once  was  the  town  of  Pisa,*  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  Rufia.  On  the  coast  are  the 
promontorv  of  Katakolo,  the  river  Rufia,  navigable 
for  6  miles,  tlie  towns  of  Aulon  and  Leprium,  and  the 
promontory  of  Platanodes,  all  these  places  lying  v/est- 
ward.  Southward  are  the  Gulf  of  Cyparissus  with 
the  city  of  Cyparissus  on  its  shore,  which  is  75  miles 
round,  the  towns  of  Pilo  and  Modon,  the  place  called 
Helos,  the  promontory  of  Capo  Gallo,  the  Asinaean 
Gulf  named  from  the  town  of  Asine,  and  the  Coronaean 
named  from  Corone ;  the  Hst  ends  with  the  promon- 
tory  of  Cape  Matapan.  Here  is  the  ten-itory  of 
Messenia  with  its  18  mountains,  and  the  river  Pyr- 
natza ;  and  inland,  the  city  of  Messene,  Ithome, 
Oechalia,  Sareni,  Pteleon,  Thryon,  Dorion  and 
Zancle,  all  of  them  celebrated  at  different  periods. 
The  gulf  measures  80  miles  round  and  30  miles 
across. 

At  Cape  Matapan  begins  the  territory  of  the  free  Sparta. 
nation   of  Laconia,  and  the   Laconian  Gulf,  which 
measures  106  miles  round  and  38  miles  across.     The 

I2q 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Taenanim,  Amyclae,  Pherae,  Leuctra,  et  intus 
Sparta,  Therapne,  atque  ubi  fuere  Cardamyle, 
Pitane,  Anthea,  locus  Thyrea,  Gerania,  mons 
Taygetus,  amnis  Eurotas,  sinus  Acgilodes,  oppidum 
Psamathus,  sinus  Gytheates  ab  oppido  ex  quo 
Cretam  insulam  certissimus  cursus.  omnes  autem 
Maleo  promunturio  includuntur. 

17  Qui  sequitur  sinus  ad  Scyllaeum  ArgoHcus 
appellatur,  traiectu  l,  idem  ambitu  clxii.  oppida 
Boea,  Epidaurus  Limera  cognomine,  Zarax,  Cyphans 
portus.  amnes  Inachus,  Erasinus,  inter  quos  Argos 
Hippium  cognominatum  supra  locum  Lernen  a 
mari  mm,  novemque  additis  miUbus  Mycenae  et  ubi 
fuisse  Tiryntha  tradunt  et  locus  Mantinea.  montes 
Artemisius,  Apesantus,  Asterion,  Parparus  ahique 
XI  numero  ;  fontcs  Niobe,  Amymone,  Psamathe. 

18  A  Scyllaeo  ad  Isthmum  Exxx  p.  oppida  Hermione, 
Troezen,  Coryphasium,  appellatumque  aUas  Inachium 
aUas  Dipsium  Argos ;  portus  Schoenitas,  sinus 
Saronicus  oUm  querno  nemore  redimitus,  unde  nomen 
ita  Graecia  antiqua  appeUante  quercum.  in  eo  Epi- 
daurum  oppidum  Aesculapi  delubro  celebre,  Spiraeum 
promunturium,  portus  Anthedus  et  Bucephalus  et 
quas  supra  dixeramus  Cenchreae,  Isthmi  pars  altera 
cum  delubro  Neptuni  quinquennaUbus  incluto  ludis. 

"  This  recurring  use  of  loctix  may  imply  that  the  town  of 
the  name  had  disappeared,  though  thla  is  more  explicitly 
Btated  in  othcr  cases. 

*  From  ita  breed  of  horses.         «  Now  the  Gulf  of  Egina. 

'  Dapco^iSfj,  al  hia  TraAaioTTjTa  K()(r]vvlai  Spufj,  Hcsychius; 
aapwviSas,  Spvs,  8ia  ro  atoTjpoTa  Kal  avvtaTpafi.(j,€vov  tov  <f>Xoi6v 
<;^€iv,  Schol.  ad.  Callimachum  Jov.  22  ^  TroAAds  f<f>vTT(pd( 
oapojviSas. 

'  A  mistake:  the  Isthmian,  liko  thc  Nemean,  Games  were 
e\'ery  two  years :  c/.  Tavpo<f>6vw  TpKrqpihi,  Pindar,  Ntm.  VI.  40. 

130 


BOOK    IV.  V.  16-18 

towns  are  Kimaros,  Amyclae,  Chitries,  Levtros,  and 
inland  Sparta,  Therapne,  the  sites  of  the  former 
Cardamyle,  Pitane  and  Anthea,  the  place  called " 
Thyrea,  Gerania,  the  mountain  range  of  Pente 
Dactyli,  the  river  Niris,  the  Gulf  of  Scutari,  the  town 
of  Psamathus,  the  Gulf  of  Gytheum  called  from  the 
town  of  that  name,  from  which  is  the  safest  crossing 
to  the  island  of  Crete.  All  these  places  are  bounded 
by  the  promontory  of  Capo  Sant'  Angelo. 

The  bay  that  comes  next,  extending  to  Capo  SkyH,  Ouif  of 
is  called  the  Gulf  of  Nauplia ;  it  is  50  miles  across  "^^^"^' 
and  162  miles  round.  The  towns  on  it  are  Boea, 
Epidaurus  surnamed  Limera,  Zarax,  and  the  port 
of  Cyphanta.  The  rivers  are  the  Banitza  and  the 
Kephalari,  between  which  hes  Argos  surnamed 
llippium,*  above  the  place  called  Lerne,  two  miles 
from  the  sea,  and  nine  miles  further  on  Mycenae  and 
the  traditional  site  of  Tiryns  and  the  place  called 
Mantinea.  The  mountains  are  Malvouni,  Fuka, 
Asterion,  Parparus  and  others  numbering  eleven ; 
the  springs,  Niobe,  Amymone  and  Psamathe. 

From  Capo  Skyli  to  the  Isthmus  of  Corinth  is  80  Saronie 
miles.  The  towns  are  Hermione,  Troezen,  Cory- 
phasium  and  Argos,  sometimes  called  Inachian  Argos 
and  sometimes  Dipsian ;  then  comes  the  harbour  of 
Schoenitas,  and  the  Saronic  Gulf,'^  formerly  encircled 
with  oak  woods  from  which  it  takes  its  name,  this 
being  the  old  Greek  word  for  an  oak.*^  On  it  is  the 
town  of  Epidaurus  famous  for  its  shrine  of  Aescula- 
pius  ;  the  promontory  of  Capo  Franco  ;  the  ports  of 
Anthedus  and  Bucephalus,  and  that  of  Cenchreae 
mentioned  above,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Isthmus, 
with  the  temple  of  Poseidon,  famous  for  the  Isthmian 
Games  celebrated  there  every  four'  years. 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

19  Tot  sinus  Peloponnesi  oram  lancinant,  tot  maria 
adlatrant,  siquidem  a  septentrione  lonium  inrunipit, 
ab  occidente  Siculo  pulsatur,  a  meridie  Cretico 
urguetur,  ab  oriente  brumali  Aegaeo,  ab  oricrue 
solstitiali  Myrtoo  quod  a  Megarico  incipiens  sinu 
totam  Atticen  adluit. 

20  VI.  Mediterranca  eius  Arcadia  maxime  tenet 
undique  a  mari  remota,  initio  Drymodes,  mox 
Pelasgis  appellata.  oppida  eius  Psophis,  Mantinea, 
Stymphaluni,  Tegea,  Antigonca,  Orchomenum,  Phe- 
neirni,  Pallantium  unde  Palatium  Romae,  Megale 
Pohs,  Gortyna,  Bucolium,  Carnion,  Parrhasie,  Thel- 
pusa,  Melaenae,  Heraea,  Pylae,  Pallene,  Agrae, 
Epium,  Cynaethae,  Lepreon  Arcadiae,  Parthenium, 
Alea,  Methydrium,  Enispe,  Macistum,  Lampia, 
Chtorium,   Cleonae.     inter   quae   duo   oppida   regio 

21  Nemea  est  Bembinadia  vocitata.  montes  in  Arcadia 
Pholoe  cum  oppido,  item  Cyllene,  Lycaeus  in  quo 
Lycaci  lovis  delubrum,  Maenalus,  Artemisius,  Par- 
thenius,  Lampeus,  Nonacris,  praeterque  ignobiles 
VIII.  amnes  Ladon  e  paludibus  Phcnei,  Erymanthus 
e    monte    eiusdem    nominis    in    Alpheum    defluens. 

22  rehquae  civitates  in  Achaia  dicendae  Ahpheraei, 
Abeatae,  Pyrgenses,  Paroreatae,  Paragenitae,  Tor- 
tuni,  Typanei,  Thriusi,  Tritienses.    universae  Achaiae 

"  Apu/xa>87js,  '  wooded.' 

*  /.€.  Mantinea,  which  was  taken  and  partly  dcstroyod  by 
Aratus,  and  rcnained  after  Antigonus  Doson,  who  had 
a«8ist«d  him  and  who  rcstored  it. 

'  There  was  anothcr  place  of  the  same  name  in  Elis. 

■*  From  the  viUage  of  Bembina  there. 

132 


BOOK   IV.  V.  19-V1.  22 

So  many  are  the  bays  that  pierce  the  coast  of  the 
Peloponnese,  and  so  many  seas  howl  round  it,  inas- 
much  as  it  is  invaded  on  the  north  by  the  lonian  Sea, 
lashed  on  the  west  by  the  Sicihan,  and  beset  by  the 
Cretan  on  the  south,  by  the  Aegean  on  the  south-east 
and  on  the  north-east  by  the  Myrtoan  which  starting  at 
the  Gulf  of  Megara  washes  the  whole  coast  of  Attica. 

VI.  Most  of  the  interior  of  the  Peloponnese  is  ^'^^'j"""-^ 
occupied  by  Arcadia,  which  on  every  side  is  remote 
from  the  sea;  it  was  originally  called  Drymodes,* 
and  later  Pelasgis.  Its  towns  are  Psophis,  Mantinea, 
Stymphalus,  Tegea,  Antigonea,*  Orchomenus, 
Pheueus,  Pallantium  (from  which  the  Palatium  at 
Rome  gets  its  name),  Megalopohs,  Gortyna,  Buco- 
Uum,  Carnion,  Parrhasia,  Thelpusa,  Melaenae, 
Heraea,  Pylae,  Pallene,  Agrae,  Epium,  Cynaethae, 
Lepreon  in  Arcadia,<=  Parthenium,  Alea,  Methy- 
drium,  Enispe,  Macistimi,  Lampia,  Chtorium  and 
Cleonae.  Between  the  last  two  towns  is  the  district 
of  Nemea  commonly  called  Bembinadia.<*  The 
mountains  in  Arcadia  are  Pholoe,*  with  a  town  of 
the  same  name,  Cyllene  also  with  a  town,  Lycaeus 
on  which  is  the  shrine  of  Zeus  Lycaeus,  Maenalus, 
Artemisius,  Parthenius,  Lampeus,  Nonacris,  and 
also  eight  others  of  no  note.  The  rivers  are  the 
Landona  flowing  iVom  the  marshes  of  Fonia  and  the 
Dogana  flowing  down  from  the  mountain  of  the  same 
name  into  the  Alpheus.  The  remaining  states  in 
Achaia  deserving  of  mention  are  those  of  the  AH- 
pheraei,  Abeatae,  Pyrgenses,  Paroreatae,  Para- 
genitae,  Tortuni,  Typanei,  Thriusi  and  Tritienses. 
Freedom  was  given    to    the    whole    of  Achaia   by 

•  Thifl  and  the  six  following  are  now  named  Olono,  ZjTia, 
Nomiai,  lloihon,  Turniki,  Partheni,  Zembi. 

m 


PLINY:    NATUHAL   HISTORY 

libertatem  Domitius  Nero  dedit.  Peloponnesus 
in  latitudinem  a  promunturio  Maleae  ad  oppidum 
Aegium  Corinthiaci  sinus  cxc  patet,  at  in  transver- 
sum  ab  Elide  Epidaurum  cxx^-,  ab  Olympia  Argos 
per  Arcadiam  lxviTi  ;  ab  eodem  loco  ad  Pylum  iam 
dicta  mensura  est.^  universa  autem,  velut  pensante 
aequorum  incursus  natura,  in  montes  vi  atque  lxx 
attollitur. 

23  VII.  Ab  Isthmi  angustiis  Hellas  incipit,  a  nostris 
Graecia  appellata.  in  ea  prima  Attice,  antiquitus 
Acte  vocata.  attingit  Isthmum  parte  sui  quae 
appellatur  Megaris  ab  colonia  Megara,  e  regione 
Pagarum.  duo  haec  oppida  excurrente  Pcloponneso 
sita  sunt,  utraque  ex  parte  velut  in  umeris  Helladis, 
Pagaei  et  amplius  Aegosthenenses  contributi  Mega- 
rensibus.  in  ora  autem  portus  Schoenos,  oppida 
Sidous,    Cremmvon,    Scironia    saxa    vT    longitudine, 

24  Gerania,  Megara,  Eleusin;  fuere  et  Oenoe  et 
Prol)alinthos.  nunc  sunt  ab  Isthmo  lv  Piraeeus  et 
Phalera  portus  muro  v  ^  recedentibus  Athenis  iuncti. 
libera  haec  civitas,  nec  indiga  ullius  praeconii 
amplius,  tanta  claritas  superfluit.  in  Attica  fontes 
Cephisia,  Larine,  Callirroe  Enneacrunos,  montes 
Brilessus,  Aegialeus,  Icarius,  Hymettus,  Lycabettus, 

*  [ab  eodem  loco  .   .  .  mensura  est]  ?  Rackkam. 

*  Rackham  :  v  muro. 


"  Nero  gave  up  hia  family  name  of  Domitius  when  adopted 
by  Claudius  to  succeed  him  aa  Emperor. 

*  Viz.  in  §  14 ;  but  this  irrelevant  insertion  lookB  like  an 
interpolation.  The  mcasurements  of  the  Pcloponnese  are 
given  from  south  to  north  and  then  from  west  to  ea.st,  first 
at  the  widest  point  and  afterwards  farther  south  at  the  level 
of  thc  Gulf  of  Nauplia. 

»34 


BOOK   IV.  VI.  22-vii.  24 

Domitius  Nero."  The  Peloponnese  measures  190 
miles  across  from  Cape  Malea  to  the  town  of  Vostitza 
on  the  Gulf  of  Corinth,  and  in  the  other  direction  125 
miles  from  Ehs  to  Epidauros  and  68  miles  from 
Olympia  through  Arcadia  to  Argos.  (The  distance 
between  Olympia  and  Pylos  has  been  given  already.') 
Nature  has  compensated  for  the  inroads  of  the  sea 
by  the  mountainous  character  of  the  entire  region, 
there  being  76  peaks  in  all. 

\TI.  At  the  narrow  part  of  the  Isthmus  begins  Aittca, 
Hellas,  called  in  our  language  Greece.  In  this  the 
first  region  is  Attica,  named  in  antiquity  Acte.  It 
touches  thelsthmus  with  thepart  of  it  namedMegaris, 
from  Megara,  the  colony  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Isthmus  from  Pagae.  These  two  towns  are  situated 
where  the  Peloponnese  projects,  and  stand  on  either 
side  of  the  Isthmus,  as  it  were  on  the  shoulders  of 
Hellas,  Pagae  and  also  Aegosthena  "^  being  assigned 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  Megara.  On  the  coast  are  the 
harbour  of  Porto  Cocosi,  the  towns  Leandra  and 
Cremmyon,  the  Scironian  Rocks  ^  six  miles  in  length, 
Gerania,  Megara  and  Levsina ;  formerly  there 
were  also  Oenoe  and  Probahnthos.  There  now  are 
the  harbours  of  Piraeus  and  Phaleron,  55  miles  from 
the  Isthmus,  and  joined  by  wall  to  Athens  5  miles 
away.  Athens  is  a  free  city,  and  requires  no  further 
advertisement  here  as  her  celebrity  is  more  than 
ainple.  In  Attica  are  the  springs  of  Cephisia, 
Larine,  and  the  Nine  Wells  of  CalHrrhoe,  and  the 
mountains  of  Brilessus,'  Aegialeus,  Icarius,  Hymettus 

*  Just  north  of  Pagae  at  the  east  end  of  the  Gulf  of  Corinth. 
'  Now  Kaki  Scala. 

*  Believed  to  be  another  name  for  Pentelicus,  now  Mendeii, 
famous  for  its  marble  quarries. 

^35 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

locns  Disos,  a  Piraeeo  xlv  Sunium  promunturium, 
Thoricos  promunturium,  Potamos,  Steria,  Brauron, 
quondam  oppida,  Rhamnus  pasrus,  locus  Marathon, 
campus  Thriasius,  oppidum  Melita  et  Oropus  in 
confinio  Boeotiae. 

25  Cuius  Anthedon,  Onchestos,  Thespiae  Hberum 
oppidum,  Lebadea,  nec  cedentes  Athenis  claritate 
quae  cognominantur  Bocotiae  Thebae,  duorum 
numinum  Libcri  atque  HercuHs,  ut  volunt,  patria. 
et  Musis  natale  in  nemore  HeHconis  adsignant. 
datur  et  his  Thebis  saltus  Cithaeron,  amnis  Ismenus. 
praeterea  fontes  in  Boeotia  Oedipodia,  Psamathe, 
Dirce,  Epicrane,  Arethusa,  Hippocrene,  Aganippe, 
Gargaphie ;     montes    extra    praedictos    Mycalesus, 

2t)  Hadyhus,  Acontius.  rehqua  oppida  inter  Mcgari- 
cam  et  Thebas  Eleutherae,  HaHartus,  Plataeae, 
Pherae,  Aspledon,  Hvle,  Thisbe,  Er}'thrae,  GHssa, 
Copae,  iuxta  Cephisum  amncm  Lamiae  et  Anichiae, 
Medeon,  Phlvgone,  Acraephia,  Coronea,  Chaeronea. 
in  ora  autem  infra  Thebas  Ocalee,  Heleon,  Scolos, 
Schoenos,  Peteon,  Hyrie,  Mycalesos,  Ireseum, 
Pteleon,  Olvarum,  Tanagra  Hber  populus,  et  in  ipsis 
faucibus  Euripi  (|uem  facit  obiecta  insula  Euboea 
AuHs  capaci  nobiHs  portu.     Boeotos  Hvantas  anti- 

27  quitus  dixere.  Locri  deinde  Epicnemidii  cognomi- 
nantur  oHm  Leleges  appeUati,  per  quos  amnis 
Cephisus  defertur  in  mare ;  oppida  Opus,  unde  et 
sinus    Opuntius,    Cynus.     Phocidis    in    Htore    unum 


"  In  distinction  from  placea  of  the  same  name  in  Egypt, 
Phthiotis  and  Lucania. 

^  /.e.  on  tho  promontory  of  Cnemides  below  Mount 
CnemiB. 

«  Golfo  di  Talanti. 


136 


BOOK   IV.  VII.  24-27 

and  Lycabettus ;  the  place  called  Ilissus ;  the 
promontories  of  Capo  Colonna,  45  miles  from  Piraeus, 
and  Thoricos ;  the  former  towns  of  Potamos,  Steria 
and  Brauron,  the  village  of  llhamnus,  the  place  called 
Marathon,  the  Thriasian  Plain,  the  town  of  Mehta, 
and  llopo  on  the  border  of  Boeotia. 

To  Boeotia  belong  Anthedon,  Onchestus,  the  free  North-east 
town  of  Thespiae,  Livadhia,  and  Thcbes,  surnamed  ^^*|^-'^ 
Boeotian,<»  which  does  not  yield  even  to  Athens  in 
celebrity,  and  which  is  reputed  to  be  the  native  phice 
of  two  deities,  Liber  and  Hercules.  The  Muses  also 
are  assigned  a  birth-place  in  the  grove  of  Hehcon. 
To  this  city  of  Thebes  also  are  attributed  the  forest 
of  Cithaeron  and  the  river  Ismenus.  Besides  these 
Boeotia  contains  the  Springs  of  Oedipus  and  those  of 
Psamathe,  Dirce,  Epicrane,  Arethusa,  Hippocrene, 
Aganippe  and  Gargapliie ;  and  in  addition  to  the 
mountains  previously  meniioned,  Mycalesus,  Hadyhus 
and  Acontius.  The  remaining  towns  between  the 
Megarid  and  Thebes  are  Eleutherae,  HaHartus, 
Plataea,  Pherae,  Aspledon,  Hyle,  Thisbe,  Erythrae, 
GHssa,  Copae,  Lamiae  and  Anicliiae  on  the  river 
Cephisus,  Medeon,  Phlygone,  Acraephia,  Coronea 
and  Chaeronea.  On  the  coast  below  Thebes  are 
Ocalee,  Heleon,  Scolos,  Sclioenos,  Peteon,  Hyrie, 
Mycalesos,  Ireseum,  Pteleon,  Olyarum,  Tanagra 
Free  State,  and  right  in  the  channel  of  the  Euripus, 
formed  by  the  island  of  Euboea  Iving  opposite,  Auh's 
famous  for  its  spacious  harbour.  The  Boeotians  had 
the  name  of  Hyantes  in  earlier  days.  Then  come  the 
Locri  surnamed  Epicnemidii,*  and  formerly  called 
Leleges,  through  whose  territory  the  river  Cephisus 
flows  dowTi  to  the  sea  ;  and  the  towns  of  Opus,  which 
gives  its  name  to  the   Opuntian  Bay,<^  and  Cynus, 

137 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Daphnus,  introrsus  autem  Larisa  Elatea  et  in  ripa 
Cephisi,  ut  diximus,  Lilaea,  Delphosque  versae 
Cnemis  et  Hyampohs.  rursus  Locrorum  ora,  in 
qua  Larumna,  Thronium,  iuxta  quod  Boagrius  amnis 
defertur  in  mare,  oppida  Narj^cum,  Alope,  Scarphia. 
postea  Mahacus  sinus  ab  incoUs  dictiis,  in  quo 
oppida  Halcyone,  Aeconia,  Phalara. 

28  Doris  deinde,  in  qua  Sperchios,  Erineon,  Boion, 
Pindus,  Cytinum.     Doridis  a  tergo  mons  Oeta  est. 

Sequitur  mutatis  saepe  nominibus  Haemonia, 
eadem  Pclasgis  et  Pelasgicon  Argos,  HeUas,  eadem 
Thessaha  et  Dryopis,  semper  a  regibus  cognominata : 
ibi  genitus  rex  nomine  Graecus  a  quo  Graecia,  ibi 
Hellen  a  quo  Hellenes.  hos  eosdem  Homerus 
tribus  nominibus  appellavit  Myrmidonas  et  Hellenas 
et  Achaeos.  ex  his  Phthiotae  nominantur  Dorida 
accolentes ;  eorvun  oppida  Echinus,  in  faucibus 
Sperchii  fluminis  Thermopylarum  angustiae,  quo 
argumento  iv  inde  Heraclea  Trechin  dicta  est. 
mons  ibi  CaUidromus,  oppida  celebrata  Hellas,  Halos, 
Lamia,  Phthia,  Ame. 

29  VTII.  In  'niessaha  autem  Orchomenus  Minyius 
antea  dictus  et  oppidum  Alimon,  ab  aliis  Holmon, 
Atrax,  Palamna,  fons  Hyperia,  oppida  Pherae, 
quarum  a  tergo  Pieria  ad  Macedoniam  protenditiu-. 


»  Now  the  Gulf  of  Zeitoun. 
*  From  Tpaxys,  '  rugged.' 


138 


BOOK   IV.  VII.  27-vin.  29 

The  only  town  of  Phocis  on  the  coast  is  Daphnus, 
but  inland  are  Larisa,  Elatea,  and  on  the  banks  of  the 
Cephisus,  as  \ve  have  said,  Lilaea,  and,  facing  Delphi, 
Cnemis  and  Hyampolis.  Then  there  is  the  Locrian 
coast,  on  which  are  Larumna  and  Thronium,  near 
which  the  river  Boagrius  Hows  into  the  sea,  and  the 
towns  of  Narj'cum,  Alope  and  Scarphia.  Afterwards 
comes  the  Mahan  Gulf "  named  from  its  inhabitants 
and  on  it  are  the  towns  of  Halcyone,  Aeconia  and 
Phalara. 

Then  comes  Doris,  in  which  are  Sperchios,  Erineon, 
Boion,  Pindus  and  Cj-tinum.  In  the  rear  of  Doris  is 
Mount  Oeta. 

There  foUows  Haemonia,  which  has  often  changed 
its  name,  having  been  successively  called  Pelasgis 
or  Pelasgic  Argos,  and  Hellas,  Thessaly  and  Dryopis, 
always  taking  its  surname  from  its  kings :  it  was 
the  birthplace  of  the  king  named  Graecus  from 
whom  Greece  is  named,  and  of  king  Hellen  from 
whom  the  Hellenes  get  their  name.  These  same 
people  are  called  by  three  difFerent  names  in  Homer, 
Myrmidons,  Hellenes  and  Achaeans.  The  section  of 
the  Hellenes  adjacent  to  Doris  are  named  Phthiotae  ; 
their  towns  are  Akhino  and  Heraclea,  which  takes 
the  name  of  Trechin  ^»  from  the  Pass  of  Thermo- 
pylae  four  miles  away  in  the  gorge  of  the  river 
Ellada.  Here  is  Mount  Callidromus,  and  the 
notable  towns  are  Ilellas,  Halos,  Lamia,  Phthia  and 
Arne. 

V^III.  The   places   in    Thessaly   are    Orchomenus,  Thasaiv. 
formerly  called  the  Minyan,  and  the  town  of  Ahmon, 
otherwise   Holmon,   Atrax,   Palamna,  the   Hyperian 
Spring,    the    towns    of    Pherae    (behind    which    Hes 
Pieria  spreading   in  the  direction  of   Macedonia), 

139 


PLINTi':    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Larisa,  Gomphi,  Thebae  Thessalae,  nemus  Pteleon, 
sinus  Pagasicus,  oppidum  Pagasa,  idem  postea 
Demetrias  dictum,  Tricca,  Pharsah  campi  cum  civi- 
tate  libera,  Crannon,  Iletia.  montes  Phthiotidis 
Nvmphaeus  quondam  topiario  naturae  opere  spec- 
tabihs,  Buzvgaeus,  Donacoessa,  Bromiaeus,  Daphusa, 

30  Chimarone,  Athamas,  Stephane.  in  Thessalia  quat- 
tuor  atque  triginta,  quorum  nobiUssimi  Cercetii, 
Olvmpus  Pierius,  Ossa,  cuius  ex  adverso  Pindus  et 
Othrys  Lapitharum  scdes,  hi  ad  occasum  vergentes, 
ad  ortus  PeHus,  omnes  theatraH  modo  inflexi,  caveatis 
ante  eos  lxxv  urbibus.  flumina  ThessaUae  Api- 
danus,  Phoenix,  Enipeus,  Onochonus,  Pamisus,  fons 
Messeis,  lacas  Bocbeis,  et  ante  cunctos  claritate 
Penius  ortus  iuxta  Gomphos  interque  Ossam  et 
Olympum    ncmorosa    convalle    defluens    D    stadiis, 

31  dimidio  eius  spati  navigabiHs.  in  eo  cursu  Tempe 
vocant  v  passuum  longitudine  et  ferme  sesquiiugeri 
latitudine  ultra  visum  hominis  attollentibus  se  dextra 
laevaque  leniter  convexis  iugis  intus  vaUe  luco  ^  viri- 
dante.  hac  ^  labitur  Penius,  vitreus  calculo,  amoe- 
nus  circa  ripas  gramine,  canorus  avium  concentu. 
accipit  amnem  Orcon,  nec  recipit,  sed  olei  modo 
supematantem,  ut  dictum  est  Homero,  brevi  spatio 

*  Dtilejsen  :   sua  luce  (silva  late  Mayhoff). 

*  ac  Mayhoff. 

"  The  iugerum  was  about  two-thirds  of  an  acre,  but  was 
measured  in  an  oblong  240  ft.  iong  by  120  ft.  broad,  so  that 
hcrc  prcsumably  ita  brcadth  is  meant,  making  tho  gorge  160  ft. 
across. 

"  II.  II.  751  ff. 

01  T   a.y.(}>   ifnpTov  TiTapTjCTio»'  (pya  viyLovro, 
6s  p   <s  llijveio»' irpotti  KaX^tppoov  vScup, 

140 


BOOK    IV.  VIII.  29-31 

Larisa,  Gomphi,  Thessalian  Thebcs,  Ekn  Wood,  the 
Gulf  of  \'oIo,  the  town  of  Pagasa  subsequently 
called  Demctrias,  Tricca,  the  Pharsahan  Plains  with 
their  free  city,  Crannon,  Iletia.  The  mountains  of 
Phthiotis  are  Nymphaeus,  once  so  beautiful  for  its 
natural  landscape  gardening,  Buzygaeus,  Donacoessa, 
Bromiacus,  Daphusa,  Chimarone,  Athamas,  Ste- 
phane.  In  Thessaly  there  are  34,  of  which  the  most 
famous  are  Cercetii,  Pierian  Olympus  and  Ossa,  facing 
which  are  Pindus  and  Othrvs  the  abode  of  the  Lapi- 
thae — these  looking  to  the  west ;  and  looking  east  is 
Pelion ;  all  form  a  curve  Hke  a  theatre,  and  in  the 
hollow  in  front  of  them  lie  75  cities.  Thessaly 
contains  the  rivers  Apidanus,  Phoenix,  Enipeus, 
Onochonus  and  Pamisus  ;  the  spring  Messeis ;  Lake 
Boebeis ;  and  before  all  ahke  in  celebrity  the  river 
Peneus,  rising  close  to  Gomphi  and  flowing  down  a 
wooded  glen  betwecn  Ossa  and  Olympus  for  62J 
miles,  for  half  of  which  distance  it  is  navigable.  Part 
of  this  course  is  called  the  Vale  of  Tempe,  5  miles 
long  and  ncarly  an  acrc  and  a  half "  in  breadth,with 
gently  sloping  hills  rising  beyond  human  sight  on 
either  hand,  while  the  valley  between  is  verdant  with 
a  grove  of  trees.  Along  it  ghdes  the  Peneus,  ghttering 
with  pebbles  and  adorncd  with  grassy  banks,  melodi- 
ous  with  the  choral  song  of  birds.  Into  it  flows  the 
river  Orcus,  to  wliich  it  gives  no  intimate  welcome, 
but  merely  carries  it  for  a  brief  space  floating  on  its 
surface  Hke  a  skin  of  oil,  in  Homer's  phrase,*  and  then 

ouS'  o  y€  Ylrjveio)  avn^uayiTai  dpYVpoSivjj 
aAAa  Te  /uv  Ka9vTrep9ev  imppeei  tjJt'  eXaiov 
opKOv  yap  heLvov  ^Tvyos  vSaTos  eariv  a-noppoi^. 

Homer'8  opKov,  '  a  thing  to  6wcar  by,'  is  read  by  Pliiiy  aa  a 
proper  name. 

141 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

portatum  abdicat  pocnales  aquas   Dirisque  genitas 
argcnteis  suis  misccri  rccusans. 

32  IX.  Thessaliae  adnexa  Magnesia  est,  cuius  fons 
Libethra,  oppida  lolciis,  Ormcnium,  PjTrha,  Mcthone, 
OHzon,  promunturium  Sepias,  oppida  Castana, 
Spalathra,  promunturium  Aeantium,  oppida  Meliboca, 
Rhizus,  Er}'mnae,  ostium  Penii,  oppida  HomoHum, 
Orthc,  Iresiae,  PcHnna,  Thaumacie,  Gyrton,  Crannon, 
Acharne,  Dotion,  McHte,  Phylacc,  Potniae. 

Epiri,  Achaiae,  Atticae,  ThcssaHae  in  porrectum 
longitudo  ccccxc  traditur,  latitudo  cciiic. 

33  X.  Macedonia  postea  cl  populorum,  duobus  incluta 
regibus  quondamque  terrarum  impcrio,  Emathia 
antea  dicta.  haec  ad  Epiroticas  gentes  in  soHs 
occasum  rcccdcns  post  terga  Magnesiae  atque 
ThessaHae  infestatur  a  Dardanis  :  partem  eius 
septentrionalem  Paeonia  ac  Pelagonia  protegunt  a 
TribaUis.  oppida  Aegiae,  in  quo  sepcHri  mos  reges, 
Beroca,    et    in    regione    quae    Pieria    appcHatur    a 

34  nemore  Aeginium.  in  ora  Heraclea,  flumen  Apilas, 
oppida  Pydna,  Oloros,  amnis  HaHacmon.  intus 
Aloritac,  Vallaei,  Phylacaei,  Cyrrestae,  Tyrissaei, 
PcHa  colonia,  oppidum  Stobi  civium  Romanorum. 
mox  Antigonca,  Europus  ad  Axium  amnera,  eodem- 
que  nomine  per  quod  Rhoedias  fluit,  Scydra,  Eordaca, 

35  Mieza,    Gordyniae.     mox    in    ora    Ichnae,    fluvius 

•  I*liilip  and  Alcxandcr. 
142 


BOOK   IV.  viiT.  31-X.  35 

rejects  it,  refusing  to  allow  the  punitive  waters 
engendered  for  the  service  of  the  Furies  to  mingle 
with  its  own  silver  flood. 

IX.  Adjoining   Thessaly    is    Magnesia,   to    which  Coast  n.e. 
belong  the   spring   Libethra,   the   towns   of  lolcus,  "-^    lessay. 
Ormenium,    Pyrrha,    Methone    and    Ohzon,    Cape 
Sepias,  the  towns  of  Castana  and   Spalathra,  Cape 
Aeantium,  the  to^vns  Mehboea,  Rhizus  and  Erymnae, 

the  mouth  of  the  Peneus,  the  towns  HomoHum, 
Orthe,  Iresiae,  Pehnna,  Thaumacie,  Gyrton,  Crannon, 
Acharne,  Dotion,  MeHte,  Phylace  and  Potniae. 

The  total  length   of   Epii*us,  Achaia,  Attica  and  Dimmsions 
Thessaly  is  said  to  be  490  miles  and  the  total  breadth  "•''  "''^*'*- 
297  miles. 

X.  Next  comes  Macedonia,  with  150  nations,  and  NoTth  coast 
famous  for  two  kings  "  and  for  its   former  world-  %a''^'"^ 
wide    empire ;     it   was    previously    called   Emathia.  J^ace<i<>«w. 
It  stretches  westward  to  the  races  of  Epirus,  at  the 

back  of  Magnesia  and  Thessaly,  and  on  this  side  is 
exposed  to  the  inroads  of  the  Dardani,  but  its 
northern  part  is  protected  from  the  TribalH  by 
Paeonia  and  Pelagonia.  Its  towns  are  Aegiae,  the 
customary  burial  place  of  its  kings,  Beroea,  and  in  the 
district  caHed  Pieria  from  the  forest  of  that  name, 
Aeginium.  On  the  coast  are  Heraclea,  the  river 
Platamona,  the  towns  of  Pydna  and  Olorus,  and  the 
river  Vistritza.  Inland  are  the  Aloritae,  VaUaei, 
Phylacaei,  Cyrrestae  and  Tyrissaei,  the  colony  of 
Pella,  and  the  town  of  Stobi,  which  has  the  Roman 
citizenship.  Then  come  Antigonea,  Europus  on  the 
river  Axius,  and  the  town  of  the  same  name  through 
which  flows  the  Rhoedias,  Scydra,  Eordaea,  Mieza 
and  Gordyniae.  Then  on  the  coast  Ichnae  and  the 
river  Axius.     The  neighbours  of  Macedonia  on  this 

143 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Axius ;  ad  hunc  fincm  Dardani,  Treres,  Picrcs 
Macedoniam  accolunt,  ab  hoc  amne  Paeoniae  gentes 
Paroraei,  Eordenses,  Almopi,  Pelagones,  Mygdones, 
montes  Rhodope,  Scopius,  Orbelus ;  dein  praeia- 
cente  gremio  terrarum  Arethusii,  Antiochicnses, 
Idomenenses,  Doberi,  Aestrienses,  AUantenses, 
Audaristcnses,  MorylH,  Garresci,  Lyncestae,  Othryo- 
nei  et  hberi  Amantini  atque  Orcstac,  coloniae 
Bulhdcnses     et     Dienses,     Xylopohtae,     Scotussaci 

36  hberi,  Heraclea  Sintica,  Tyinphaci,  Toronaei.  in 
ora  sinus  Macedonica  oppithim  Chahtstra  et  intus 
Pyloros,  Lctc,  medioquc  htoris  flexu  Thcssalonice 
hberae  condicionis  (ad  hanc  a  Dyrrhachio  ccxlv), 
Therme,  in  Thermaico  sinu  oppida  Dicaca,  Pahnan- 
drea,  Scionc,  promunturium  Canastracuni,  oppida 
Pallcne,  Phlcgra.  qua  in  rcgione  montes  Ilvpsi/onus, 
Epitus,  Algion,  Elaeuomne,  oj)pida  Nyssos,  Phry  xelon, 
Mendae,  et  in  Pahenensi  isthrno  quondani  Potidaca, 
nunc    Cassandrea    colonia,    Anthemus,    Olophyxus, 

37  sinus  Mecyberna,  oppida  MisceHa,  Ampeh)s,  'J  orone, 
Singos,  Telos,  fretum  quo  montem  Atho  Xcrxes 
Persarum  rex  contincnti  abscidit  in  longitudine 
passuum  md.  mons  ipsc  a  planitie  excurrit  in  mare 
ad  XXV  ^  passuum,  ambitus  radicis  ct  colhgit.  oppi- 
dum  in  cacumine  fuit  Acrathoon,  nunc  sunt  Urano- 
pohs,     Palaeliorium,     Thyssas,     Cleonae,     Apollonia 

38  cuius  incolae  Macro])i  cognominaiitur.  oppidum 
Cassera,  faucesque  alterac  isthmi,  Acanthus,  Stagira, 

*  Dellefsen  :    in  maria  lxxv. 


"  Now  Monte  Santo. 

*  The  MSS.  give  7.5  milca;   the  actual  lcngth  is  40. 

*  Long-lived. 

144 


BOOK   IV.  X.  35-38 

frontier  are  the  Dardani,  Treres  and  Pieres,  and 
after  the  river  Axius  eome  the  Paeonian  races  of  the 
Paroraei,Eordenses,Almopi,PelagonesandMygdones, 
and  the  mountains  of  Rhodope,  Scopius  and  Orbelus  ; 
then,  in  the  fold  of  ground  lying  in  front  of  them, 
the  Arethusii,  Antiochienses,  Idomcnenses,  Doberi, 
Acstrienses,  Allantenses,  Audaristenses,  Morylli, 
Garresci,  Lyncestae,  Othryonei,  and  the  free  peoples 
of  the  Amantini  and  Orestae  ;  the  colonies  Bullidenses 
and  Dienses;  the  Xylopolitae,  the  free  Scotussaei, 
Heraclca  Sintica,  the  Tymphaei,  the  Toronaei.  On 
the  Maccdonian  coast  of  the  gulf  are  the  town  of 
Chalastra  and,  farther  in,  Pylorus,  Lete,  and  at 
the  centre  of  the  curve  of  the  coast  the  free  city  of 
Saloniki  (from  there  to  Durazzo  is  245  miles),  Therme, 
and  oi\  Ihe  Gulf  of  Saloniki  the  towns  of  Dicaea, 
Palinandrea  and  Scione,  Cape  Paliuri,  and  the  towns 
of  Pallcne  and  Phlegra.  The  mountains  in  this 
district  are  Hypsizonus,  Epitus,  Algion  and 
Elaeuomne ;  the  towns  are  Nyssus,  Phryxelon, 
Mcndae,  and  on  the  Isthmus  of  Pallene  what  was 
formerly  Potidaea  but  is  nowthecolonyof  Cassandrea, 
Anthemus,  Olophyxus,  Mecyberna  Bay,  the  towns 
of  Miscella,  Ampelos,  Torone,  Singos,  Telos,  and  the 
canal,  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  by  which  the 
Persian  king  Xerxes  cut  off  Mount  Athos  "  from  the 
mainland.  The  actual  mountain  projects  from  the 
level  plain  into  the  sea  for  a  distance  of  25  miles,^  and 
its  circumference  at  its  base  amounts  to  150  miles. 
lliere  was  once  a  town  on  its  summit  called  Acra- 
thoon ;  the  prcsent  towns  on  it  are  Uranopolis, 
Palaehorium,  Thyssus,  Cleonae,  and  ApoUonia,  the 
inhabitants  of  which  are  called  Macrobii.*'  Then  the 
town  of  Cassera,  and  the  other  side  of  the  isthmus, 

145 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Sithone,  Heraclea,  et  regio  Mygdoniae  subiacens, 
in  qua  recedentes  a  mari  Apollonia,  Arethusa.  in 
ora  rursus  Posidium  et  sinus  cum  oppido  Cermoro, 
Amphipolis  Hberum.  gens  Bisaltae.  dein  Macedoniae 
terminus  amnis  Strymo  ortus  in  Haemo ;  memoran- 
dum  in  septem  lacus  eum  fundi  priusquam  dirigat 
cursum. 

39  Haec  est  Macedonia  terrarum  imperio  potita 
quondam,  haec  Asiam,  Armeniam,  Hiberiam,  Alban- 
iam,  Cappadociam,  Syriam,  Aeg^^ptum,  Taurum, 
Caucasiun  transgressa,  haec  in  Bactris,  Medis, 
Persis  dominata  toto  oriente  possesso,  haec  etiam 
Indiae  vnctrix  per  vestigia  Liberi  Patris  atque 
HercuHs  vagata,  haec  eadem  est  Macedonia  cuius 
uno  die  Paulus  Aemihus  imperator  noster  lxxii 
urbcs  direptas  vendidit.  tantam  difFerentiam  sortis 
praestitere  duo  homines. 

40  XI.  Thracia  sequitur,  inter  vaHdissimas  Em*opae 
gentes,  in  strategias  l  divisa.  populorum  eius 
quos  nominare  non  pigeat  amnem  Strymonem 
accolunt  dextro  latere  Denseletae  et  Medi  ad 
Bisaltas  usque  supra  dictos,  laevo  Digerri  Bessorum- 
que  multa  nomina  ad  Mestum  amnem  ima  Pangaei 
montis  ambientem  inter  Haletos,  Diobessos,  Carbi- 
lesos,  inde  Brysas,  Sapaeos,  Odomantos.  Odrysarum 
gens  fundit  Hebrum  accolentibus  Cabyletis,  Pyro- 
geris,    Drugeris,    Caenicis,    Hypsaltis,    Benis,    Cor- 

41  pilHs,    Boltiaeis,    Edonis.      eodem    sunt    in    tractu 


"  Alexandcr  the  Great  and  L.  Acmilius  Paullus,  who 
conqucrcd  the  Macedonian  nionarch  PeraeuB  at  Pydna,  181 
B.c,  and  by  the  order  of  the  Senatc  gavc  his  soldiera  72  towns 
to  pillage  hecause  they  had  sided  with  Perseu». 

^"  The  Roman  praefecturae. 

146 


BOOK   IV.  X.  38-xi.  41 

Acanthus,  Stagira,  Sithone,  Heraclca,  and  the  district 
of  Mygdonia  lying  below,  in  which  at  some  distance 
from  the  sea  are  Apollonia  and  Arethusa,  and  on  the 
coast  again  Posidium  and  the  bay  with  the  town  of 
Cermorus,  the  free  city  of  Amphipolis,  and  the 
tribe  of  the  Bisaltae.  Then  comes  the  river  Struma 
which  rises  in  Mount  Haemus  and  forms  the  boundary 
of  Macedonia ;  it  is  worth  recording  that  it  spreads 
out  into  seven  lakes  before  it  proceeds  on  its  course. 

Such  is  Macedonia,  which  once  won  a  world-wide 
empire,  marched  across  Asia,  Armenia,  Iberia, 
Albania,  Cappadocia,  Syria,  Egypt,  Mount  Taurus 
and  the  Hindu  Kush,  was  lord  over  the  Bactrians, 
Medes  and  Persians,  owned  the  entire  East,  and  even 
roamed  in  the  tracks  of  Father  Liber  and  of  Hercules 
and  conquered  India ;  and  this  also  is  the  Macedonia 
72  of  whose  cities  our  general  AemiUus  PauUus 
pillaged  and  sold  in  a  single  day.  So  great  the 
difference  in  her  lot  bestowed  upon  her  by  two 
individuals !  " 

XI.  Next  comes  Thrace,  one  of  the  most  powerful  Thraet. 
nations  of  Europe,  divided  into  fifty  commands.'' 
Of  its  peoples  those  whom  we  ought  not  to  omit  to 
name  are  the  Dcnscletae  and  the  Medi,  who  Hve  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  river  Struma  right  up  to  the 
Bisaltae  above  mentioned,  and  the  Digerri  and  the 
various  sections  of  the  Bessi  on  the  left  bank,  as 
far  as  the  river  Mesto  that  winds  round  the  foot  of 
Mount  Pilat  Tepeh,  passing  through  the  Haleti,  Dio- 
bessi  and  Carbilesi,  and  then  the  Brysae,  Sapaei  and 
Odomanti.  The  race  of  the  Odrysae  owns  the  source 
of  the  Maritza,  on  the  banks  of  which  Hve  the 
Cabyleti,  Pyrogeri,  Drugeri,  Caenici,  Hypsalti,  Beni, 
CorpiUi,  Bottiaei   and  Edoni.     In  the  same  district 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Staletae,  Priantae,  Dolongac,  Thyni,  Celaletae 
maiores  Haemo,  minores  Rhodopae  subditi.  inter 
quos  Hebrus  amnis,  oppidum  sub  Rhodope  Ponero- 
poUs  antea,  mox  a  conditore  PhiHppopoUs,  nunc  a 
situ  Trimontium  dicta.  Haemi  excelsitas  vi  passuum 
subitur.  aversa  eius  et  in  Histrum  devexa  Moesi, 
Getae,  Aodi,  Scaugdae  Clariaeque,  et  sub  iis  Arraei 
Sarmatae  quos  Areatas  vocant  Scythaeque  et  circa 
Ponti  litora  Moriseni  Sithonique  Orphei  vatis 
genitores  optinent. 

42  Ita  finit  Hister  a  septentrione,  ab  ortu  Pontus  ac 
Propontis,  a  meridie  Aegaeum  mare,  cuius  in  ora 
a  Strymone  Apollonia,  Oesyma,  Neapolis,  Batos. 
intus  Phihppi  colonia  (absunt  a  Dyrrhacliio  cccxxv) 
Scotussa,  Topiros  civitas,  Mesti  amnis  ostium,  mons 
Pangaeus,  Heraclea,  Olynthos,  Abdera  Ubera  civitas, 
stagnum  Bistonum  et  gens.  oppidum  fuit  Tirida 
Diomedis  equorum  stabulis  dirum ;  nunc  sunt 
Dicaea,  Ismaron,  locus  Parthenion,  Phalesina,  Maro- 

43  nea  prius  Orthagurea  dicta,  mons  Serrium,  Zone  ;  tum 
lociis  Doriscum  x  hominum  capax :  ita  Xerxes  ibi 
dinumerant  exercitum ;  os  Hebri,  portus  Stentoris, 
oppidum  Aenos  liberum  cimi  Polydori  tumulo,  Cico- 


"  Son  of  Priam  and  Hcciilja,  murdercd  for  his  trcasure  by 
their  son-in-Jaw  Polymnestor,  king  of  Thrace,  Virgil,  Aen. 
lU.  45. 

148 


BOOK    IV.  XI.  41-43 

are  the  Staletae,  Priantae,  Dolongae,  Thyni,  and  the 
Greater  Celaletae  at  the  foot  of  the  Great  Balkan 
and  the  Lesser  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Rhodope. 
Between  these  tribes  runs  the  river  Maritza,  and 
below  Rhodope  is  the  to^vn  formerly  called 
PoneropoHs,  then  Philippopolis  aftcr  its  founder,  and 
now  Trimontiuni  froni  its  site.  To  the  summit  of 
the  Great  Balkan  is  a  journey  of  six  miles.  Its 
opposite  side  skiping  down  towards  the  Danube  is 
inhabited  by  thc  Moesi,  Getae,  Aodi,  Scaugdae  and 
CLiriae,  and  below  them  the  Sarmatian  Arraei  caUed 
Arcatae,  and  the  Scythians,  and  round  the  shores  of 
the  Black  Sca  the  Moi'iseni  and  the  Sithoni,  the 
anccstry  of  the  poet  OrjDheus. 

Thus  Thrace  is  bounded  by  the  Danube  on  the 
north,  the  Black  Sea  and  Sea  of  Marmara  on  the  east, 
and  the  Aegean  Sea  on  the  south,  on  the  coast  of 
which  after  leaving  the  Struma  we  come  to  ApoUo- 
nia,  Osima,  Kavallo  and  Batos.  Inland  is  the  colony 
of  Fihba,  at  a  distance  of  325  miles  from  Durazzo, 
Scotussa,  the  state  of  Topiros,  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Mestus,  the  mountain  of  Pilat  Tepeh,  Melenik,  Agia 
Maria,  the  free  city  of  Abdera,  the  Lagos  Buru  and 
the  pcople  of  the  Bistoni.  Here  once  was  the  town 
of  Tirida,  formidable  on  account  of  the  stables  of 
tlie  horses  of  Diomedc  ;  and  there  now  are  the  towns 
of  Dicaea  and  Ismaron,  the  place  callcd  Parthcnion, 
Phalcsina,  Marogna  foi-merly  called  Orthagurea, 
Mount  Serrium,  Zone ;  and  then  the  place  called 
Doriscus,  a  plain  large  enough  to  hold  10,000  men, 
as  it  was  in  detachmcnts  of  that  number  that  Xerxes 
there  counted  liis  army ;  the  mouth  of  the  Maritza, 
the  harbour  of  Stentor,  the  free  town  of  Enos 
with  the    Funeral    Mound    of  Polydorus,"  a  district 

voL.  II.  p        149 


PLIXY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

num  quondam  regio.  a  Dorisco  incurvatur  ora  ad 
Macron  Tichos  cxii  p.,  circa  quem  locum  fluviiLs  Melas 
a  quo  sinus  appellatur.  oppida  Cypsela,  Bisanthe, 
Macron  Tichos  dictum  quia  a  Propontide  ad  Melana 
sinum  inter  duo  maria  porrectus  murus  procurrentem 

44  excludit  Cherronesum.  namque  Thracia  altero 
latere  a  Pontico  Htore  incipiens,  ubi  Hister  amnis 
inmergitur,  vel  pulehcrrimas  in  ea  parte  urbes  habet, 
HistropoHn  Milesiorum,  Tomos,  Callatim  quae  antea 
Cerbatis  vocabatur.  Heracleam  habuit  et  Bizonen 
terrae  hiatu  raptam,  nunc  habet  DionysopoHm 
Crunon  antea  dietam ;  adluit  Zyras  amnis.  totum 
eum  tractum  Scythae  Aroteres  cognominati  tenuere. 
eorum  oppida  Aphrodisias,  Libistus,  Zygere,  Rhoco- 
bae,  Eumenia,  Parthenopohs,  Gerania,  uV)i  Pygmaeo- 
rum  gens  fuisse  proditur:    Calizos  barbari  vocabant, 

45  creduntque  a  gruibus  fugatos.  in  ora  a  Dionyso- 
poli  est  Odessus  Milesiorum,  flumen  Pannysis,  oppi- 
dum  Tetranaulochus.  mons  HacmUs  vasto  iugo 
procumbens  in  Pontum  oppidum  habuit  in  vertice 
Aristaeum;  nunc  in  ora  Mesembria,  Anehialum,  ubi 
Messa  fuerat.  Astice  regio  habuit  oppidum  An- 
thium,  nunc  est  Apollonia.  flumina  Panisos,  luras, 
Tearus,  Orosines,  oppida  Thynias,  Halmydesos, 
Develcon  (cum  stagno  quod  nunc  Deultum  vocatur) 
veteranorum,     PhinopoUs,     iuxta     quam     Bosporus. 


"  Now  the  Gulf  of  Enos. 
»  See  §  92  n. 


BOOK   IV.  XI.  43-45 

formerly  belonging  to  thc  Cicones.  From  Doriscus 
the  coast  makes  a  curve  of  112  miles  to  Long  Wall, 
round  whicli  flows  the  Black  Iliver  that  gives  its 
name  to  the  bay."  The  towns  are  Ipsala,  Rodosto, 
Long  Wall,  so  called  because  its  fortifications  extend 
between  the  two  seas,  from  the  Sea  of  Marmara  to  the 
Gulf  of  Enos,  cutting  oflT  the  projecting  GaUipoH 
Peninsula.  For  the  other  side  of  Thracc  begins  at  East  coast 
the  coast  of  the  Bhxck  Sea  where  the  Danube  flows  ''/^''"■'"■«' 
into  it ;  and  this  region  comprises  its  finest  cities, 
Kostendsje,  a  colony  from  Nliletus,  Temesvar  and 
CoUat,  formerly  called  Cerbatis.  It  formerly  had 
Heraclea  and  Bizone,  which  was  swaUowed  up  by  an 
earthquake,  and  it  stiU  has  the  City  of  Dionysus, 
previously  caUed  Crunos,  which  is  washed  by  the 
river  Zyras.  The  whole  of  this  region  was  occupied 
by  the  Scythian  tribe  caUed  the  Ploughmen,  their 
to^^Tis  being  Aphrodisias,  Libistus,  Zygere,  Rhocobae, 
Eumenia,  Parthenopohs  and  Gerania,  stated  to  have 
been  the  abode  of  the  race  of  Pigmics :  their  name 
in  the  local  dialect  used  to  be  Catizi,  and  there  is  a 
Ijchef  that  they  were  driven  away  by  cranes.  On 
the  coast  after  the  City  of  Dionysus  come  the  Milesian 
colony  of  N^^arna,  the  river  Daphne-Soni  and  the  town 
of  Four  Roadstcads.  The  enormous  ridge  of  the 
Grcat  BaUian  projecting  into  the  Black  Sea  formerly 
had  on  its  summit  the  to^vTi  of  Aristaeum,  and  on  the 
coast  now  are  Missiori  and  Akiah  on  the  former  site 
of  Messa.  The  region  of  Astice  had  a  town  of 
Anthium,  which  is  now  ApoUonia.''  The  rivers  are 
the  Panisos,  luras,  Tearus,  Orosines ;  the  towns 
Tiniada,  Midjeh,  Zagora  (with  its  marsh  now  caUed 
Deultum),  a  colony  of  veterans,  and  Phinopohs,  near 
which  are  the  Straits  of  Constantinople.     From  tlie 

151 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ab  Histri  ostio  ad  os  Ponti  passuum  pliT  fecere, 
Agrippa  lx  adiecit ;  inde  ad  murum  supra  dictum 
CL,  ab  eo  Cherronesus  cxxvi. 

46  Sed  a  Bosporo  sinus  Casthencs,  portus  Senimi  et 
alter  qui  MuHerum  cognominatur,  promunturium 
Chryseon  Ceras  in  quo  oppidum  Byzantium  libcrae 
condicionis  antea  I^ygos  dictum ;  abest  a  Dyrrhachio 
Dccxi    p. :     tantum   patet   longitudo   tcrrarum   inter 

47  Hadriaticum  mare  et  Propontidem.  amnes  Bathy- 
nias,  Pidaras  sive  Athid;is,  oppida  Selvmbria,  Perin- 
thus  latitudine  cc  pedum  contincnti  adnexa.  intus 
Bizye  arx  rcgum  Thraciae  a  Terci  ncfasto  invisa 
hirundinibus,  rcgio  Caenica,  colonia  PlaviopoHs  ubi 
antea  Caela  oppidum  vocabatur,  et  a  Bizye  L  p. 
Apros  colonia,  quae  a  PhiHppis  abest  ctxxxTx.  at 
in  ora  amnis  Erginus,  oppidum  fuit  Ganos ;  descritur 

48  et  Lysimachea  iam  in  Cherroneso.  alius  namque 
ibi  Isthmos  angustias  similcs  eodem  nomine  et  pari 
latitudine  inlustrat ;  duae  urbes  utrimque  Htora  haut 
dissimiH  modo  tenuere,  Pactye  a  Propontide,  Cardia 
a  Melane  sinu,  haec  ex  facie  loci  nomine  accepto, 
utracque  conprchcnsae  postea  Lysimachea  v  p.  a 
Longis    Muris.     Cherronesos    a    Propontide    habuit 


•  Constantinople,  Stamboul. 

•  Thc  legendar}'  king  of  Thrace,  who  violated  Philomela  the 
eieter  of  his  wiie  Procne.  Philomela  becarae  a  nightingale 
and  Procnea  swallow  ;  oraccording  toanothcr  account  Philo- 
mela  a  swallow  and  Procne  a  nightingale. 

'  Hexaniila  now  occupies  the  sito. 

'  The  word  is  regarded  as  a  proper  name,  properly  belonging 
to  the  lethmus  of  Corinth. 

•  Like  Corinth  and  Lechacum  on  their  Isthmus. 
/  See§43. 

'  Thi   Crock  for  '  hcart,'  KapSia.  *  Seo  §  4.'}. 


BOOK    IV.  XI.  45-48 

mouth  of  the  Danube  to  the  outlet  of  thc  Black  Sea 
was  reckoned  as  552  miles,  but  Agrippa  made  it  60 
miles  more ;  and  from  that  point  to  the  wall  above 
mentioned  is  150  miles,  and  from  there  to  the  end 
of  the  Gallipoli  Peninsula  126  miles. 

On  lcaving  the  Dardanelles  we  come  to  the  Bay  of  siantboul. 
Casthencs,  the  Old  Men's  Harbour  and  the  other 
called  the  \Vomcn's  Harbour,  and  the  promontory  of 
the  Golden  Horn,  on  whicli  is  the  town  of  Byzantium," 
a  free  state,  formcrly  called  Lygos ;  it  is  711  miles 
from  Durazzo,  so  great  being  the  space  of  land 
between  the  Adriatic  and  the  Sea  of  Marmara. 
There  are  the  rivers  Bathynias  and  Pidaras  or 
Athidas,  and  the  towns  of  Selymbria  and  Perinthus 
which  are  connected  with  the  mainland  by  an  isthmus 
200  ft.  wide.  Inland  are  Vizia,  a  citadel  of  the 
kings  of  Thrace  that  is  hated  by  swallows  because 
of  the  outrage  committed  by  Tereus,*  the  disti'ict  of 
Caenica,  the  colony  of  Flaviopolis  on  the  site  of 
the  former  town  callcd  Caehi,  and  50  miles  from  Vizia 
the  colony  of  Apros,  which  is  189  miles  distant  from 
Phihppi.  On  the  coast  is  the  river  Erkene,  and  once 
stood  the  town  of  Ganos ;  Lysimachea "  on  the 
GaUipoh  Peninsula  is  also  now  becoming  deserted. 
But  at  this  point  there  is  another  ^  Isthmus  which  OaiHpoii. 
marks  similar  narrows  with  tlie  same  name  and  is  of 
about  equal  width ;  and  in  a  not  dissimilar  manner^ 
two  cities  occupied  the  shores  on  either  side,  Pactye 
on  the  side  of  the  Sca  of  Marmara  and  Cardia  on 
that  of  the  Gulf  of  Enos,/  the  latter  city  taking  its 
name  ?  from  the  conformation  of  the  place  ;  both  were 
subsequently  united  with  the  city  of  Lysimachea, 
five  miles  from  Long  Wall.''  On  the  Marmara 
side  of  GalHpoH  Peninsula  were  Tiristasis,  Crithotes 

153 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Tiristasin,  Crithoten,  Cissam  flumini  Aegos  adpositam; 
nunc  habet  a  colonia  Apro  xxTi  p.  Resisthon  ex  ad- 

49  verso  coloniae  Parianae.  et  Hellcspontus  vii  ut 
diximus^  stadiis  Europam  ab  Asia  dividens  rv  inter 
se  contrarias  urbes  habet,  in  Europa  CaUipoHm  et 
Seston  et  in  Asia  Lampsacon  et  Abydon.  dein 
promunturium  Cherronesi  Mastusia  adversum  Sigeo, 
cuius  in  fronte  obHqua  Cynossema  (ita  appellatur 
Hecubae  tumulus),  statio  Acliaeorum,  et  turris, 
delubrum  Protesilai  et  in  extrema  Cherronesi 
fronte,  quae  vocatur  AeoHum,  oppidimi  Elaeus. 
dein  petenti  Melana  sinum  portus  Coelos  ct  Pan- 
hormus  et  supra  dicta  Cardia. 

50  Tertius  Europae  sinus  ad  hunc  modum  clauditur. 
montes  extra  praedictos  Tliraciac  Edonus,  Gyge- 
meros,  Meritus,  Melamphyhos,  flumina  in  Hebrum 
cadentia  Bargus,  Syrmus.  Macedoniae,  Thraciae, 
Hellesponti  longitudo  est  supra  dicta  (quidam 
Dccxx  faciunt),  latitudo  ccclxxxiv  est. 

51  Aegaeo  mari  nomen  dedit  scopulus  inter  Tenum 
et  Chium  verius  quam  insula,  Aex  nomine  a  specie 
caprae  (quae  ita  Graecis  appehatur),  repente  e 
medio  mari  exiHens.  cemunt  cum  ab  dextcra  parte 
Antandrum  -  navigantes  ab  Achaia,  dirum  ac  pcsti- 
ferum.  Acgaei  pars  Myrtoo  datur;  appellatur  ab 
insula  parva  quae  cernitur  Macedoniam  a  Geraesto 

'  [ut  dixinnis]  ?  rM.  -  Dellcjsen  :  Andrum. 


"  This  has  not  in  fact  Ijeen  said  before. 
^  Kiiidbhas,  a  littlc  aouth  of  Anzac. 


154 


BOOK   IV.  XI.  48-51 

and  Cissa  lying  on  the  Goat's  River ;  and  tliere  is  now 
Resisthos,  22  miles  from  the  colony  of  Apros, 
opposite  to  the  colony  of  Parium.  Also  the 
Dardanelles,  which  as  we  have  said "  divide  Em-ope 
from  Asia  by  a  space  not  quite  a  mile  across,  have 
four  cities  facing  one  another  on  the  opposite  sides, 
GalHpoH  and  lalova  in  Kurope  and  Lamsaki  and 
Avido  in  Asia.  Then  on  GalUpoU  there  is  the  pro- 
montory  of  Capo  Helles  opposite  to  Jeni-Hisari,  on 
the  slanting  side  of  which  is  the  Bitch's  Tomb  (the 
name  givcn  to  the  funeral  mound  of  Hccuba),  the 
naval  station  of  the  Greeks  in  the  Trojan  war,  and  a 
tower,  the  shrine  of  Protesilaus,  and  at  the  point 
of  the  peninsula,  which  is  caUed  AeoUum,  the  town  of 
Elaeus.  Then  as  you  make  for  the  Gulf  of  Enos 
you  have  the  harbours  of  Coelos  *  and  Panormus  and 
Cardia  above  mentioned. 

This  rounds  off  the  third  Gulf  of  Europe.  The 
mountains  of  Thrace,  beside  those  already  mentioned, 
are  Edonus,  Gygemeros,  Meritus  and  Melam^ihyUus ; 
the  rivers  are  the  Bargus  and  the  Syrmus,  which  fall 
into  the  Maritza.  The  length  of  Maccdonia,  Thrace 
and  the  Hellespont  has  been  mentioned  previously  §  -16. 
(some  make  it  720  miles) ;  the  breadth  is  38i  miles. 

The  Aegean  Sea  takes  its  name  from  an  island,  or  Aegean  Sea. 
more  truly  a  rock  suddenly  springing  out  of  the  middle 
of  the  sea,  between  Tenos  and  Chios,  namcd  Aex 
from  its  resemblance  to  a  she-goat — ai^  being  the 
Greek  word  for  the  animal.  In  sailing  from  Achaia 
to  Antandro,  this  rock  is  sighted  on  the  starboard 
side,  and  it  is  a  sinister  threat  of  disaster.  One 
section  of  the  Aegean  is  distinguished  as  the  Myrtoan 
Sea ;  it  takes  its  name  frorn  the  small  island  of  Myrtos 
sighted  as  you  sail  from  Geraestus  in  the  direction  of 

155 


PLIXY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

petentibus  haut  procul  Euboeae  Carysto.  Romani 
omnia  haec  maria  duobus  nominibus  appcllant, 
Macedonicum  quacumque  Macedoniam  aut  Thraciam 
attingit,  Graecicnse  qua  Graeciam  adluit ;  nam 
Graeci  et  lonium  dividunt  in  Siculum  ac  Creticum 
ab  insulis,  item  Icarium  quod  est  inter  Samum  et 
Myconum,  cctera  nomina  sinus  dedere  quos  diximus. 

52  XII.  Et  maria  quidem  gentcsquc  in  tertio  Europae 
sinu  ad  hunc  modum  se  habent,  insulae  autem : 
ex  adverso  Thesprotiae  a  Buthroto  xTi  p.,  eadcm  ab 
Acroceraimiis  l,  cum  urbe  eiusdem  nominis  Corcyra 
liberae  civitatis  et  oppido  Cassiope  templocpie  Cassi 
lovis,  xcvii  in  longitudinem  patcns,  Homero  dicta 
Scheria  et  Phaeacia,  CaUimacho  etiam  Drepane. 
circa  eam  aliquot,  sed  ad  Itaham  vcrgens  Otlironos, 
ad  Leucadiam  Paxoe  duac,  v  discrctae  a  Corcyra, 

53  nec  procul  ab  iis  ante  Corcyram  Ericusa,  Marathe, 
Elaphusa,  Malthace,  Trachie,  Pythionia,  Ptychia, 
Tarachie,  et  a  Phalario  Corcyrae  promunturio 
scopulus  in  quem  mutatam  UHxis  navem  a  simili 
specie  fabula  est.  ante  Loucadiam  autem  et 
AetoHam  ^  permultae,  quarum  Teleboides,  eaedem- 
que  Taphiae  ab  incoHs  appeHantur,  Taphias,  Carnos, 
Oxia,  Prinoessa,  ante  AetoHam  Echinades,  AegiaHa, 
Cotonis,  Thyatira,  Geoaris,  Dionysia,  Cyrnus,  Chalcis, 

64  Pinara,    Nystrus.     ante    eas    in    alto    CephaUania, 
Zacynthus,  utraque  libera,  Ithaca,  DuHchium,  Same, 
^  Mayhoff :  Achaiam. 
•  Now  Magnisi,  Kalamota  and  Kastos. 


BOOK   IV.  xi.  51-X11.  54 

Macedonia,  not  far  from  Carystus  in  Euboea.  The 
Romans  call  all  these  seas  by  two  names,  the  Mace- 
donian  Sea  wherever  it  touches  Macedonia  or 
Thrace  and  the  Grecian  Sea  where  it  washes  the 
coast  of  Greece ;  while  the  Greeks  divide  the  lonian 
Sea  too  into  the  Sicihan  and  the  Cretan,  named  from 
the  islands,  and  also  give  the  name  of  Icarian  to  the 
part  between  Samos  and  Myconos,  and  the  other 
Greek  names  are  taken  from  the  gulfs  that  we 
have  mentioned. 

XII.  So  much  for  the  arrangement  of  the  seas  and  isiandsdcwn 
the  nations  in  the  tliird  Gulf  of  Europc.  The  islands  l^^^^^f 
are  as  follows :  opposite  to  Thesprotia,  12  miles  from 
Buthrotus  and  also  50  from  Acroceraunia,  Hes  Corfu, 
with  a  city  of  the  same  name,  a  free  state,  and  the 
towTi  of  Cassopo,  and  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Cassius ; 
the  island  is  97  miles  long.  In  Homer  it  has  the  names 
of  Scheria  and  Phaeacia,  and  in  CalHmachus  also  that 
of  Drepane.  Several  ishmds  He  round  it,  especially 
Fano  on  the  side  towards  Italy  and  Paxo  and  Antipaxo 
towards  Leucadia,  both  5  miles  away  from  Corfu. 
Not  far  from  these,  lying  ofF  Corfu,  are  Ericusa, 
Marathe,  Elaphusa,  Malthace,  Trachie,  Pythionia, 
Ptychia  and  Tarachie,  and  off  the  promontory  of 
Corfu  caHed  Capo  Drasti  the  rock  into  which 
(according  to  the  story,  which  is  due  to  the  similarity 
of  shape)  the  ship  of  Ulysses  was  changcd.  Off 
Leucadia  and  AetoHa  are  a  very  large  number, 
among  which  those  caUed  the  Teleboides,  and  also 
by  their  inhabitants  the  Taphiae,  are  Ta})hias, 
Carnos,  Oxia,  and  Prinoessa;"  ofF  AetoHa  are  the 
Echinades,  AcgiaHa,  Cotonis,  Thyatira,  Geoaris, 
Dionysia,  Cyrnus,  Chalcis,  Pinara,  Nystrus.  Off 
these  out  at  sea  He  Cephallenia  and  Zante,  both  free, 

157 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Crocyle.  a  Paxo  Cephallania  qiiondam  Melaena 
dicta  X  p.  abest,  circuitu  patet  xciii ;  Same  diruta 
a  Romanis  adhuc  tamen  oppida  tria  habet.  inter 
hanc  et  Achaiam  cum  oppido  magnifica  et  fertiUtate 
praecipua  Zacynthus,  ahquando  appellata  Hyrie, 
Cephallnniae  meridiana  parte  xxv  abest;  mons 
Elatus    ibi    nobiUs.     ipsa    circuitu     colligit     xxxvi. 

55  ab  ea  Ithaca  3cv  distat,  in  qua  mons  Neritus ;  tota 
vero  circuitu  patet  xxv.  ab  ea  Araxum  Peloponnesi 
promunturium  xv.  ante  hanc  in  alto  Asteris,  Prote, 
ante  Zacynthum  xxxv  in  eurum  ventum  Strophades 
duae,  ab  aUis  Plotae  dictae.  ante  Cephallaniam 
Letoia,  ante  Pylum  iii  Sphageae,  totidcm  ante 
Messenen  Oenussae. 

56  In  Asinaeo  sinu  tres  Thyrides,  in  Laconico  Tega- 
nissa,  Cothon,  Cythera  cum  oppido,  antea  Porphyris 
appeUata — haec  sita  est  a  Maleae  promunturio  v 
passuum  ancipiti  propter  angustias  ibi  navium  ambitu ; 
in  ArgoUco  Pityusa,  Arine,  Ephyre ;  contra  Hermio- 
nium  agrum  Tricarenus,  Aperopia,  Colonis,  Aristera; 

57  contra  Troezenium  Calauria  d  distans,  Plateis, 
Belbina,  Lasia,  Baucidias  ;  contra  Epidaurum  Cecry- 
phalos,  Pityonesos  vi  a  continente,  ab  hac  Aegina 
liberae     condicionis    xv,    cuius    xviii    praenavigatio 

"  So  called  from  ita  fir-trces ;   now  Scopo. 
*  At  the  south  of  the  Arpolid. 

158 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  54-57 

Itliaca,  Dulichium,  Same,  and  Crocyle.  Cephallenia, 
formerly  called  in  Greek  the  Black  Island,  is  10 
miles  from  Paxo,  and  measures  93  miles  in  circum- 
ference ;  Same  has  been  demoHshed  by  the  Romans, 
but  still  possesses  three  towns.  Between  Same  and 
the  coast  of  Acliaia  Ues  Zante,  distino;uished  by  its 
fine  town  and  remarkable  for  the  fertility  of  its  soil; 
it  was  at  one  time  called  Hyrie.  It  is  25  miles  from 
the  southern  part  of  Cephallenia,  and  on  it  is  the 
celebrated  mountain  of  Elatus."  It  measures  36 
miles  in  circumference.  At  a  distance  of  15  miles 
from  Zante  is  Ithaca,  on  which  is  Monte  Stefano ; 
its  whole  circumference  mcasures  25  miles.  The 
distance  from  it  to  the  Pcloponnesian  promontory  of 
Araxus  is  15  miles.  Off  Ithaca  in  the  open  sea  are 
Asteris  and  Prote,  and  off  Zante  at  a  distance  of  35 
miles  to  the  south-east  are  the  two  Strophades, 
called  by  other  people  the  Plotae.  Off  Cephallenia 
is  Letoia,  oif  Pylos  the  three  Sphageae  and  ofF 
Messene  the  three  Oenussae. 

In  the  Messenian  Gulf  are  the  three  Thyrides,  and  isiand$ 
in  the  Gulf  of  Laconia  Teganissa,  Cothon  and  Cerigo  Qreecef 
with  thc  town  of  that  name — the  former  name  of 
this  island  was  Porphyris ;  it  hes  5  miles  from  Cape 
Malea,  ^vhich  is  dangerous  to  circumnavigate  because 
of  the  narrowness  of  the  strait.  In  the  Gulf  of 
NaupUa  are  Pityusa,  Arine  and  Ephyre ;  opposite 
the  territory  of  Hermione  *  Tricarenus,  Aperopia, 
Colonis  and  Aristera ;  opposite  that  of  Troezen, 
Calauria  half  a  mile  away,  Plateis,  Belbina,  Lasia 
and  Baucidias;  opposite  Epidaurus,  Cecryphalos 
and  Pityoncsus  6  miles  from  the  mainland.  Fifteen 
miles  from  Pityonesus  is  Aegina,  a  free  state,  which 
is  18  miles   long  as  you  sail   past  it,  and  20  miles 

159 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

est,  cadem  autem  a  Piraeeo  Atheniensium  portu  xx 
abcst,  ante  Oenone  vocitata.  Spiraeo  promunturio 
obiacent  Eleusa,  Adendros,  Craugiae  duae,  Caeciac 
duae,  Selacosa ;  et  a  Cenchreis  ^  Aspis  vn  et  in 
Megarico  sinu  Methurides  iv,  Aegila  autem  xv  a 
Cythera,  eademque  a  Cretae  Phalasarna  oppido  xxv. 

58  Ipsa  Creta  altero  latere  ad  austrum  altero  ad 
septentrioncm  vcrsa  inter  ortum  occasumque  porri- 
gitur,  centum  urbium  clara  fama.  Dosiades  eam  a 
Crete  nympha,  Hesperidis  filia,  Anaximander  a 
rege  Curetum,  Phihstides  Mallotes  et  Crates  pri- 
mum  Aeriam  dictam,  deinde  postea  Curetim,  et 
Macaron  nonnulh  a  temperie  caeh  appellatam 
existimavere.  latitudine  nusquam  l  excedens  et 
circa  mediam  sui  partem  maxime  patens  longitudinc 
implet  ccLxx,  circuitu  dlxxxix,  flectensque  se  in 
Crcticum  pclagus  ab  ea  dictum  qua  longissima  cst  ad 
orientem  promunturium  .Samonium  adversum  Rhodo, 
ad  occidcntem  Criumctopon  Cyrenas  versus  expeUit. 

51»  Oppida  eius  insignia  Phalasarna,  Elaea,  Cisamon, 
Pergamum,  Cvdonea,  Minoium,  Apteron,  Pantoma- 
trium,  Amphomala,  Rhithymna,  Panhormum,  Cytae- 
um,  Apollonia,  Matium,  Heraclea,  Miletos,  Ampelos, 
Hierapytna,  Lebena,  Hicrapohs,  et  in  mediterraneo 
Gortyna,  Phaestum,  Gnosus,  Polyrrhenum,  .Myrina, 
Lycastos,  Rhamnus,  Lyctos,  Diimi,  Asium,  Pyloros, 
Rhytion,  Elatos,  Pherae,  Holopyxos,  Lasos,  Elcu- 
thernae,  Therapnae,  Marathusa,  Gytisos,  et  ahorum 

'  Mayhoff:   Selacosa,  Dacenchrus. 

•  Probably  Cape  San  Sidero,  not  Cape  Salomon,  in  spite  of 
tbe  name. 
'  The  Greek  name  survivca  in  the  modem  Capo  Crio. 
'  The  modem  Canca. 
'  The  aite  is  now  occupied  by  Candia. 

i6o 


BOOK   IV.  xii.  57-59 

distant  from  Piraeus,  the  port  of  Athens;  its  name 
used  to  be  Oenone.  Offthe  promontory  of  Spiraeum 
lie  Eleusa,  Adendros,  the  tvvo  Craugiae,  the  two 
Caeciae  and  Selacosa ;  and  Aspis  7  miles  from 
Cenchreae  and  Methurides  in  the  Bay  of  Megara 
4  miles ;  while  Aegila  is  15  miles  from  Cythera  and 
25  from  the  Cretan  town  of  Phalasarna. 

Crete  itself  stretches  east  and  west  with  one  side  Crete. 
facing  south  and  the  othcr  north  ;  it  is  celebrated  for 
the  rcnown  of  its  100  cities.  Dosiades  held  the  view 
that  it  took  its  name  from  the  nymph  Crete,  daughter 
of  Hesperis,  Anaximander  that  it  was  named  from 
the  king  of  the  Curetes,  PhiHstidcs  of  Mallos  and 
Crates  that  it  was  first  called  Aeria  and  then  subse- 
quently  Curetis ;  its  Greek  appellation,  '  the  Island 
of  the  Blest,'  is  thought  by  some  to  be  due  to 
the  mildness  of  its  cHmate.  Its  breadth  nowhere 
exceeds  50  miles,  its  widcst  part  being  about  the 
middle ;  its  length  is  fully  270  miles  and  its  circum- 
ference  589  miles ;  its  longest  side  forms  a  curve 
towards  the  Cretan  Sea  which  takes  its  name  from  it, 
its  easternmost  projection,  Cape  Samonium,"  point 
ing  towards  Rhodes  and  its  westcrnmost,  the  Ram's 
Forehead,''  towards  Cyrene. 

The  important  cities  of  Crete  are  Phalasarna,  Elaea, 
Cisaraon,  Pcrgamum,  Cydonia,*"  Minoium,  Apteron, 
Pantomatrium,  Amphomala,  Rhithymna,  Panhormum, 
Cytaeum,  ApoUonia,  Matium,''  Heraclea,  Miletos, 
Ampclos,  Hierapytna,  Lcbcna  and  HicrapoUs ;  and 
in  the  interior  Gortyna,  Phaestus,  Cnossus, 
Polyrrhenum,  Myrina,  Lycastos,  Rhamnus,  Lyctus, 
Dium,  Asium,  Pyloros,  Rhytion,  Elatos,  Pherae, 
Holopyxos,  Lasos,  Eleuthcrnae,  Therapnae,  Mara- 
thu-sa,  Gytisos,  and  about  60  other  towns  of  which 

i6i 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

cirfitcr     lx     oppidorum     mcmoria     cxtat.     montes 

60  Cadistus,  Idacus,  Dictynnaeus,  Cor}'cus.  ipsa  abcst 
promunturio  suo  quod  vocatur  Criumetopon,  ut 
prodit  Agrippa,  a  Cyrenarum  promunturio  Phycunte 
cxxv,  item  Cadisto  a  Malea  Peloponncsi  lxxx,  a 
Carpatho  insula  promunturio  Samonio  lx  in  favonium 
ventum ;   haec  inter  eam  et  Rhodum  interiacet. 

61  Reliquae  circa  eam  ante  Peloponnesum  duae 
Cor)-coe,  totidcm  Mylae,  et  latcre  septentrionali 
dextra  Cretam  habcnti  contra  Cydoneam  Leuce 
et  duae  Budroe,  contra  Matium  Dia,  contra  Itanum 
promunlurium  Onysia,  Lcuce,  contra  Hierapytnam 
Chrysa,  Gaudos.  eodem  tractu  Ophiussa,  Butoa, 
Ramnus,  circumvectisque  Criumetopon  tres  Acusa- 
gorus  appcllatae.  ante  Sanionium  promunturium 
Phocoe,  Platiae,  Stirnidcs,  Naulochos,  Ilarmedon, 
Zephyre. 

62  At  in  Helladc,  etiamnum  in  Acgaeo,  Lichades, 
Scai-phia,  Corese,  Phoc;isia  conpluresque  aHae  ex 
advcrso  Atticae  sine  oppidis  et  ideo  ignobiles ;  sed 
contra  Eleusina  clara  Salamis.  ante  eam  Psyttalia, 
a  Sunio  vero  Helene  v  distans.  dein  Ceos  ab  ea 
totidem,  quarn  nostri  quidam  dixere  Ceam,  Gracci 
et  Hydrusam,  avolsam  Euboeae  ;  quingcntos  longa 
stadios  fuit  quondam,  mox  quattuor  fere  partibus 
quae  ad  Bocotiam  vergebant  eodem  mari  devoratis 

•  Now  Ra8  el-Sem. 

162 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  59-^2 

only  the  memory  exists.  The  mountains  are 
Cadistus,  Ida,  Dictynna  and  Corycus.  The  distance 
of  the  island  at  its  promontory  called  the  Ram's 
Forehead  from  the  promontory  of  Cyrene  named 
Phycus  "  is  stated  by  Agrippa  to  be  125  miles,  and 
at  Cadistus  from  Malea  in  the  Morea  80;  at  the 
promontory  of  Samonium  it  is  60  miles  west  of  the 
island  of  Skarpanto,  which  Ues  between  it  and 
Rhodes. 

The  remaining  ishinds  lying  round  Crete  are,  uiandt  of 
towards  the  Morea,  the  two  callcd  Corycos  and  the  ^'^^^'- 
two  called  Myla  ;  on  the  north  side  having  Crete 
on  the  right  and  opposite  to  Cydonea  are  Leuce  and 
the  two  called  Budroe,  opposite  to  Matium  is  Dia. 
opposite  to  the  promontor}-  of  Itanum  are  Onysia 
and  Leuce,  and  opposite  to  Hierapytna  Chrysa  and 
Gaudos.  In  the  same  region  are  Ophiussa,  Butoa  and 
Rhamnus,  and  after  rounding  the  Ram's  Forehead 
the  three  callcd  Acusagorus.  OfF  the  promontory  of 
Samonium  are  the  Phocoi,  Platiae  and  Stirnides,  and 
Naulochos,  Harmedon  and  Zephyre. 

Forming  part  of  Hellas  but  still  in  the  Aegean  Sea  isiands  up 
are  the  Lichades,  Scarphia,  Corese,  rhocasia,  and  a  o/oreece. 
number  of  others  facing  Attica  that  have  no  towns  on 
them  and  are  consequently  unimportant.  Opposite 
Eleusis  is  the  farnous  island  of  Salamis.  In  front  of 
it  is  Psyttalea,  and,  at  a  distance  of  5  miles  from 
Sunium,  Helene.  Then  at  the  same  distance  from 
Helene  is  Ceos,  called  by  some  Romans  Cea  and  by 
the  Greeks  also  Hydrusa.  This  is  an  island  that  has 
been  tom  away  from  Euboea ;  it  was  formerly 
62^  miles  long,  but  more  recently  about  four-fifths 
of  it  lying  in  the  direction  of  Boeotia  has  also  been 
swallowed  up  by  the  sea,  leaving  the  towns  of  luhs 

163 


PLINY:     NATIRAL   HISTORY 

oppida  habet  reliqua  lulida,  Carthacam ;  intercidere 
Coresus,  Poeeessa.  ex  hac  profectam  delicatiorem 
feminis  vestem  auctor  est  Varro. 

63  Euboea  et  ipsa  avoLsa  Boeotiae  tam  modico  inter- 
fluente  Euripo  ut  ponte  iungatur,  ad  meridiem 
promunturiis  duobus,  Geraesto  ad  Atticam  vcrgente 
et  ad  Hellespontum  Caphereo,  insignis,  a  septentrione 
Cenaeo,  nusquam  latitudinem  ultra  xL  extendit, 
nusquam  infra  mm  contrahit,  sed  in  longitudinem 
universae  Boeotiae  ab  Attica  ad  Thessaliam  usque 

64  praetenta  in  cl,  circuitu  vero  ccclxv.  abcst  ab  Helles- 
ponto  parte  Capherei  ccxxv,  urbibus  quondam  Pyrrha, 
Portlimo,  Neso,  Cerintho,  Oreo,  Dio,  Aedcpso,  Ocha, 
Qcchalia,  nunc  Chalcide  cuius  ex  adverso  in  conti- 
nenti  Aulis  est,  Geraesto,  Eretria,  Carysto,  Oritano, 
Artemisio,  fonte  Arethusa,  flumine  Lelanto  aquisque 
calidis  quae  Hellopiae  vocantur  nobilis,  notior  tamen 
marmore  Carystio.  antea  vocitata  est  Chalcodontis 
aut  Macris,  ut  Dionysius  et  Ephorus  tradunt,  ut 
Aristides  Macra,  ut  Callidemus  Chalcis  aere  ibi 
primimi  rcperto,  ut  Menaechmus  Abantias,  ut 
poetae  vulgo  Asopis. 

65  Extra  cam  in  Myrtoo  multae,  sed  maxime  inlustres 
Glauconncsos  et  Acgila  et  a  promunturio  Gcraesto 
circa  Delum  in  orbem  sitae,  unde  et  nomen  traxere 
164 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  62-65 

and  Carthaea,  while  Coresus  and  Grassy  Island  have 
disappearcd.  Varro  states  that  this  island  used  to 
export  an  exceptionally  fine  kind  of  cloth  used  for 
ladies'  dresses. 

Euboea  itself  also  is  sundered  from  Boeotia  by  so 
moderate  a  channel,  the  Euripus,  that  it  is  joined 
to  the  mainland  by  a  bridge.  At  the  south  end  it 
has  two  marked  promontories,  Capo  Mandih  point- 
ing  towards  Attica  and  Kavo  Doro  towards  the 
Dardanelles ;  at  the  north  it  has  Cape  Lithadha. 
Its  breadth  nowhere  exceeds  40  miles  and  nowhere 
contracts  below  two  miles  ;  its  length  stretches  along 
the  whole  of  I5oeotia  from  Attica  to  Thessaly  and 
measures  150  miles,  while  its  circumference  is  365 
miles.  At  its  south-easternmost  point  its  distance 
from  the  Dardanelles  is  225  miles.  Its  notable 
cities  were  formerly  Pyrrha,  Porthmos,  Nesos,  Cerin- 
thos,  Oreus,  Dium,  Aedepsos,  Ocha  and  Oechaha; 
those  now  noteworthy  are  Chalcis  (opposite  which  on 
the  mainland  is  Auhs),  Geraestus,  Eretria,  Carystus, 
Oritanum  and  Artemisium,  as  well  as  the  Spring  of 
Arethusa,  the  river  Lclantus  and  the  warm  springs 
known  as  the  Hellopiae.  Euboea  is,  however,  still 
better  known  for  the  marble  of  Carystus.  It  used 
formerly  to  be  called  Chalcodontis  or  according  to 
Dionysius  and  Ephorus  Macris,  but  Macra  according 
to  Aristides,  and  according  to  Calhdemus  Chalcis, 
because  copper  was  first  discovered  there  ;  according 
to  Menaechmus  its  name  was  Abantias,  while  in 
poetry  it  is  commonly  called  Asopis. 

In  the   Myrtoan   Sea  besides  Euboea  are  many  isiavds  of 
islands,  the  best  known  being  Glauconnesus  and  the  ^Jj/^^*'"''' 
Aegila  islands,  and  otF  Capo  Mandih  the  Cyclades,  ?''o«p. 
lying  round  Delos  in  a  circle  which  has  given  them 

165 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Cyclades.  prima  earum  Andrus  cum  oppido  abest 
.1  Geraesto  x,  a  Ceo  .vxxvTTi.  ipsam  Myrsilus  Cauron, 
deinde  Antandron  cognominatam  tradit,  Calliniachus 
Lasiam,  alii  Nonagriam,  Hydrusam,  Rpagrim.  patet 
circuitu  xciii.  ab  eadem  Andro  passus  mille  et 
a  Delo  XV  Tenos  cum  oppido  in  xv  porrecta,  quam 
propter  aquarum  aliundantiam  Aristoteles  Ilydrusam 

CG  appellatam  ait,  aliqui  Ophiusam.  ceterae  Myconus 
cimi  monte  Dimasto  a  Delo  xv,  Siphnus  ante  Meropia 
et  Acis  appellata  circuitu  xxviii,  Seriphus  xv,  Prepe- 
sinthus,  Cythnos,  ipsaque  longe  clarissima  et  Cycla- 
dum  media  ac  templo  Apollinis  et  mercatu  celebrata 
Delos,  quae  diu  fluctuata,  ut  proditur,  sola  motum 
terrae  non  sensit  ad  M.  Varronis  actatem  :  Mucianus 
prodidit  bis  concussam.  hanc  Aristotclcs  ita  ap- 
pellatam  tradidit  quoniam  repente  apparuerit  enata, 
Aglaosthenes  Cynthiam,  alii  Ortygiam,  Asteriam, 
Lagiam,  Chlamydiam,  Cyncthum,  Pyrpilcn  igne  ibi 
primum  repcrto.  cingitur  v  passuum,  adsurgit 
Cynthio  monte. 

67  Proxima  ei  Rhene  quam  AnticHdes  Celadusam 
vocat,  item  Artemiten,  Celadinen;  Syros  quam 
circuitu   patere    xx   prodiderunt   veteres,    Mucianus 

•  A^Aoj,  '  manifest.' 
i66 


BOOK    IV.  XII.  65-67 

thcir  name.  The  first  of  these  is  Andro  ^vith  a  town 
of  the  same  name,  10  miles  from  Mandili  and  38  fioin 
Ceos.  Myrsilus  tells  us  that  Ceos  was  once  called 
Cauros,  and  hiter  Antandros ;  CalHmacluis  says  it 
had  the  name  of  Lasia,  others  Nonagria  or  Hydrusa  or 
Epagris.  Its  circuit  measures  93  miles.  At  a  distance 
of  a  mile  from  Andros  and  15  miles  from  Delos  is 
Tino,  with  a  city  of  the  same  name  ;  this  island  is  15 
miles  in  length.  Aristotle  says  that  owing  to  its 
abundance  of  springs  it  once  was  called  Hydrusa ; 
others  give  its  old  name  as  Ophiusa.  The  other 
islands  are :  Mykono,  with  Mount  Two  Breasts,  15 
miles  from  Delos ;  Siphnus,  previously  called 
Meropia  and  Acis,  28  miles  round ;  Serpho  15  milcs 
round ;  Prepesintlius ;  Cythnos ;  and  by  far  the 
most  famous  of  the  Cyclades  and  lying  in  the  middle 
of  them,  Delos,  celebrated  for  its  temple  of  Apollo 
and  for  its  commerce.  According  to  the  story,  Delos 
for  a  long  time  floated  adrift ;  also  it  was  the  only 
island  that  down  to  the  time  of  Marcus  Varro  had 
never  felt  an  earthquake  shock ;  Mucianus  however 
states  that  it  has  suffered  twice  from  earthquake. 
Aristotle  has  recorded  that  it  owes  its  name  "  to 
its  having  suddenly  appeared  emerging  from  the 
water;  Aglaosthenes,  however,  calls  it  the  Isle  of 
Cynthus,  and  others  Quail  Island,  Star  Island,  Hare 
Island,  Cloak  Island,  Dog  Island,  and  Fiery  Island 
becausc  fire  was  first  discovered  there.  It  measures 
five  miles  in  circumference.  Its  only  eminence  is 
Mount  Cynthius. 

Next  to  Delos  is  Rhene,  which  Anticlides  calls 
Celadusa,  and  also  Artemites  and  Celadine ;  Syros, 
stated  by  old  writers  to  measure  20  miles  in  circuit, 
but  by  Mucianus  160  miles ;    Olearos ;    Paros,  with 

167 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

CLX ;  Olcaius ;  rarus  cum  oppido,  ab  Delo  xxxviii 
niarniore  nobilis,  quam  primo  Platean,  postea 
Minoida  vocarunt.  ab  ea  vTi  d  Naxus,  a  Delo 
3cviii,  cum  oppido,  quam  Stronjfylen,  deinde  Diam, 
mox  Dionysiada  a  vincarum  fcrtilitatc,  alii  Siciliam 
Minorem  aut  Callipolim  appellarunt.  patet  circuitu 
Lxxv  p.,  dimidioquc  maior  est  quam  Parus. 

68  Et  hactcnus  quidcm  Cycladas  scrvant,  cetcras  quae 
secuntur  Sporadas.  sunt  autem  Helene,  Phacusa, 
Nicasia,  Schinusa,  Pholcgandros,  et  a  Naxo  .xxxviii  p. 
Icaros,  quae  nomen  mari  dedit,  tantundem  ipsa  in 
longitudinem  patens,  cum  oppidis  duobus,  tertio 
amisso,  antea  vocitata  DoUche  et  Macris  et  Ich- 
thyoessa.  sita  est  ab  exortu  solstitiaH  DeH  l, 
eademque  a  Samo  xxxv,  inter  Euboeam  et  Andrum 
X  passuum  freto,  ab  ea  Gcraestum  cxTi  d  passuum. 

6'.t  Nec  deinde  scrvari  potest  ordo ;  acervatim  ergo 
ponentur  rcHquae  :  Scyros  ;  los  a  Naxo  xviii,  Homeri 
sepulchro  vcncranda,longitudine  xxTi,  antea  Phocnicc 
appcllata ;  Odia;  Olctandros;  Gyara  cum  oppido, 
circuitu  xv,  abest  ab  Andro  lxii  ;  ab  ea  Syrnos 
L.YXX ;  Cynethus ;  Telos  unguento  nobilis,  a  CaUi- 
macho  Agathusa  appeUata ;    Donusa ;    Patmus  cir- 

70  cuitu  XXX ;  Corassiae,  Lcbinthus,  Gyrus,  Cinara, 
Sicinus  quae  antca  Oenoe ;  HeracHa  quae  Onus ; 
Casos  quae  Astrabe  ;  Cimolos  quae  Echinusa;  Melos 
cum     oppido    quam    Aristides     MimbHda     appcHat, 


'  The  Scattcrcd  Islands. 

*  Now  l'ira,  'Jctussa,  Hacchia,  Schinusa  and  Polecandro. 
'  'J  liis  is  an  ovcrstatcnicnt. 

•*  Naraed  from  the  son  of  Dacdahis,  who  fcll  into  the  sea 
herc;    now  Nikaria. 

x68 


BOOK    IV.  xii.  67-70 

the  town  of  that  name,  38  miles  from  Delos,  famous 
for  its  mai-ble,  and  originally  called  Platea  and  after- 
wards  Minois.  Seven  and  a  half  miles  from  Paros 
and  18  from  Delos  is  Naxos  with  its  town,  which  was 
called  Strongyle  and  then  Dia  and  afterwards  the 
Island  of  Dionysus  because  of  the  fertihty  of  its 
vineyards,  and  by  others  Little  Sicily  or  CalHpolis. 
Its  circuit  measures  75  miles  and  it  is  Jialf  as  large 
again  as  Paros. 

So  far  the  islands  are  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  isiands  of 
Cyclades,  but  the  remainder  that  follow  are  called  ^Aegem. 
the  Sporades."  They  are  Helene,  Phacusa,  Nicasia, 
Schinusa,  Pholegandros,*  and  38  miles  from  Naxos 
and  the  same  number  of  milcs  in  length,«  Icaros,'* 
which  has  given  its  name  to  the  surrounding  sea ; 
it  has  two  towns,  a  third  having  disappeared ;  it  was 
formerly  called  Doliche  or  Long  Island,  also  Fish 
Island.  It  lies  50  miles  north-east  of  Delos  and  35 
miles  from  Samos ;  between  Euboea  and  Andros 
there  is  a  channel  10  miles  >vide,  and  the  distance 
from  Icaros  to  Geraestus  is  112^  miles. 

After  these  no  regular  order  can  be  kept,  so  the  oiher isiatids 
remaining  islands  shall  be  given  in  a  group :  Scyro ;  X?«jn^^ 
Nio,  18  miles  from  Naxos,  venerable  as  the  burial- 
place  of  Homer,  22  miles  long,  previously  called 
Phoenice  ;  Odia;  Olctandros  ;  Gioura,  with  a  to^vn 
of  the  same  name,  15  miles  in  circumference,  62  miles 
distant  from  Andros ;  80  milcs  from  Gioura,  Syrnos ; 
Cynethus  ;  Telos,  noted  for  its  unguent,  and  called  by 
Calhmachus  Agathusa;  Domisa;  Patmos,  30  miles 
in  circumference ;  the  Corassiae,  Lebitha,  Lero, 
Zinari ;  Sikino,  previously  Oenoe  ;  Heraclia  or  Onus ; 
Casos  or  Astrabe  ;  KimoH  or  Echinusa  ;  Milo,  with 
the  town  of  that  name,  called  by  Aristides  MimbHs, 

169 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Aristoteles  Zephyriam,  Callimachus  Mimallida,  Hera- 
clides  Siphin  et  Acytan :  haec  insularum  rotundis- 
simaest;  Buporthmos  ;  Machia  ;  Hypere,  quondam 
Patage,  ut  aUi,  Platage,  nunc  Amorgos ;  Polyaegas ; 
Sapyle ;  Thera,  cum  primum  emersit  Calliste  dicta : 
ex  ea  avolsa  postea  Therasia,  atque  intcr  duas  enata 
mox  Automate,  eadem  Hiera,  et  in  nostro  aevo 
Thia  iuxta  easdem  enata.  distat  los  a  Thera 
XXV  p. 

71  Secuntur  Lea,  Ascania,  Anaphe,  Hippuris.  Asty- 
palaea  hberae  civitatis,  circuitus  lxxxvui,  abest  a 
Cadisto  Cretae  cx3cv,  ab  ea  Platea  lx,  unde  Caminia 
XXXVIII ;  Azibintha,  Lamse,  Atragia,  Pharmacusa, 
Thetaedia,  Chalcia,  Calymna  in  qua  oppidum,  Coos, 
Eulimna,  a  qua  Carpathum  quae  nomen  Carpathio 
mari  dcdit  xxv.  inde  Rhodum  Africo  vento  l;  a 
Carpatho  Casum  vTi,  a  Caso  Samonium  Cretae  pro- 
munturium  xxx.  in  Euripo  autem  Euboico,  primo 
fere  introitu,  Petaliae  iv  insulae,  et  in  exitu  Atalante. 
Cycladcs  et  Sporades  ab  oriente  Utoribus  Icariis 
Asiae,  ab  occidente  Myrtois  Atticae,  a  septentrione 
Aegaeo  mari,  a  meridie  Cretico  et  Carpatliio  inclusae 
per  Dcc  in  longitudinem  et  per  cc  in  latitudinem 
iacent. 

72  Pagasicus  sinus  ante  se  habet  Euthiam,  Cicyne- 
thum,  Scyrum  supra  dictam  sed  Cycladum  et  Spora- 

"  Bctwccn  Crete  and  Rhodes. 
»  Sce  §  2'J. 
170 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  70-72 

by  Aristotle  Zephyria,  by  Callimachus  MimaUis  and 
by  Herachdes  Siphis  and  Acytas — the  most  circular 
in  shape  of  i'.\\  the  islands  ;  Buporthmos ;  Machia ; 
Hj-pere,  formerly  called  Patage,  or  by  others  Platage, 
now  Amorgo;  Polyaegas;  Sapyle ;  Santorin,  called 
Fair  Island  when  it  fii'st  emerged  from  the  water; 
Therasia  subsequently  detached  from  it,  and 
Automate  or  Holy  Island,  which  soon  afterwards 
arose  between  the  two,  and  Thia,  which  emerged  near 
the  same  islands  in  our  own  day.  The  distance 
between  Santorin  and  Nio  is  25  miles. 

There  follow  Lea,  Ascania,  Namphi,  and  Hippm-is. 
StampaUa,  a  free  state,  measuring  88  miles  in 
circumference,  is  125  miles  from  Cadistus  in  Crete ; 
Platea  60  miles  from  StampaUa,  and  Caminia  38 
miles  from  Platea;  Azibintha,  Lamse,  Atragia, 
Pharmacusa,  Thctacdia,  Karki,  Kalymni  with  its 
town,  Coos,  EuUmna,  and  at  a  distance  of  25  miles 
from  it  Skarpanto,  which  has  given  its  name  to  the 
Carpathian  Sea."  From  there  to  Rhodes,  a  south- 
west  course,  is  50  miles ;  from  Skarpanto  to  Casus  is 
7  milcs,  from  Casus  to  Cape  Samonium  in  Crete  30. 
In  the  Euripus  between  Euboea  and  the  mainland, 
almost  at  the  first  entrance,  are  the  four  PetaUae 
Islands,  and  at  its  outlet  Talanti.  The  Cyclades  and 
the  Sporades  are  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Asiatic 
coasts  of  the  Icarian  Sea,  on  the  west  by  the  Attic 
coasts  of  the  Myrtoan  Sea,  on  the  north  by  the  Aegean 
Sea  and  on  the  south  by  the  Cretan  and  Carpathian 
coasts ;  these  islands  occupy  an  area  700  miles  long 
and  200  miles  broad. 

Across  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  of  Volo  ^*  Ue  Euthia,  /siands  0/ 
Trikeri,  Skyro,  previously  mentioned,  and  in  fact  the  ^ege^^ 
outermost  of  the  Cyclades  and  Sporades,  Gerontia 

171 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

dum  extimam,  Gerontiam,  Scandiram ;  Thermaeus 
Iresiam,Solymniam,Eudcmiam,Neam  quae  Minervae 
sacra  est;  Athos  ante  se  iv,  Peparethum  cum  oppido, 
quondam  Evoenum  dictam  novem  milia,  Sciathum 
XV,  Imbinim  cum  oppido  iTxxxvTTi ;  eadem  abest  a 
Mastusia   Cherronesi    xxTi   p.,   ipsa  circuitus    lxii   d 

73  perfimditur  amne  IHsso.  ab  ea  Lcmnos  xxTi,  quae 
ab  Atho  Lx.xxvii ;  circuitu  patet  cxv  d  p.,  oppida 
habet  Hephaestiam  et  Myrinam  in  cuius  forum 
solstitio  Atlios  eiaculatur  umbram.  ab  ea  Thasos 
Ubera  vi,  ohm  Aeria  vel  Aethria  dicta;  indc  Abdera 
continentis  xxTi,  Athos  lxIi  d,  tantundem  insula 
Samothrace  Ubera  ante  Hebrum,  ab  Imbro  xxxii, 
a  Lemno  .vxTi  d  p.,  a  Thraciae  ora  xxxvifi,  circuitus 
.xxxv-;  attoUitur  monte  Saoce  x  p.  ahitudinis,  vel 
inportuosissima  omnium.  CalUmaclius  cam  antiquo 
nomine  Dardaniam  vocat. 

74  Intcr  Cherronesum  et  Samotliracen,  utrimque  fere 
XV  Haloncsos,  ultra  Gethone,  Lamponia,  Alope- 
conncsus  haut  procul  a  Coelo  Chcrronesi  ])ortu,  et 
quaedam  ignobiles.  desertis  quoque  reddantur  in 
hoc  sinu  quarum  modo  inveniri  potuere  nomina : 
Avesticos,  Samos,  Cissyros,  Charbrusa,  Calathusa, 
ScyUia,     Dialcon,     Dictaea,     Melantliia,     Dracanon, 

•  Thia  is  nearly  double  the  actuai  distancc. 

*  Cf.  Sophoclcs  (Schol.  ad  Thcocr.  Id.  G.  72)  'AOo)?  a/cia^ei 
vuyra  Arjiivias  oAdj.  Myrina  at  thc  S.W.  corncr  of  Lcmnos  lics 
at  a  distance  of  ahout  50  milca  duo  S.E.  of  .Mount  Athos, 
•which  i3  G350  ft.  high. 

«  The  text  clamuurs  for  emendation — Wannington  sug- 
gests  M  p. — unless  indccd  the  figure  rcally  givea  not  the  height 
of  the  peak  but  the  lcngth  of  the  path  up  it.  Baedckcr, 
Medilerranean,  p.  ."iS.S,  gives  the  highest  point  on  .Saraothraco 
as  52."iO  ft.,  a  little  undcr  a  mile,  and  the  aititude  of  Mont 
Blanc  19  just  undcr  3  mile.s  English  :  tho  Roman  mile  waa 
142  yards  shorter  than  the  EngUsh. 


BOOK    IV.  XII.  72-74 

and  Scandira ;  across  the  Gulf  of  Saloniki  Iresia 
Solymnia,  Eudemia  and  Nea,  the  last  an  island 
sacred  to  Minerva ;  across  the  Gulf  of  Athos  He  four 
islands,  Piperi  with  the  town  of  that  name  and  formerly 
called  Evoenus,  9  miles  ofF,  Sciathos  15  miles,  and 
Embro  with  its  town  88  miles ;  the  distance  bctween 
Embro  and  Mastusia  on  the  GallipoH  Peninsula  is 
22  miles.  Embro  is  62i  miles  in  circuit ;  it  is  watered 
by  the  river  IHssus.  Twenty-two  miles  from  Embro 
is  StaHmene,  wliich  Hes  87  "  miles  from  Mount  yVthos ; 
its  circuit  measures  115  J  miles,  and  on  it  are  the  towns 
of  Hephaestia  and  Myrina — the  market  place  of  the 
latter  is  reached  by  the  shadow  of  Mount  Atlios  * 
at  mid-summer.  Six  miles  from  Stalimene  is  Thasos, 
a  free  state,  formerly  called  Aeria  or  Aethria ;  Abdera 
on  the  mainland  is  22  miles  from  Thasos,  and 
Athos  62|  miles,  and  the  island  of  Samothrace,  a 
free  state,  off  the  river  Maritza,  is  the  same  distance 
from  Thasos,  32  miles  from  Embro,  22|  from  StaH- 
mene,  and  38  from  the  coast  of  Thrace ;  its  circuit 
measures  35  miles,  and  on  it  rises  Monte  Nettuno, 
which  is  10  miles  high.''  Embro  gives  the  worst 
ancliorage  for  vessels  of  all  the  islands.  It  is  men- 
tioned  by  CaHimachus  under  its  ancient  name  of 
Dardania. 

Between  the  GalHpoH  peninsula  and  Samothrace,  isiatuUo/ 
about  15  miles  from  each,  is  the  island  of  Skopelo,  ^'^'■^■'^^iieaii. 
and  beyond  it  are  Gethone,  Lamponia,  Alopeconncsus, 
which  is  not  far  from  Coelos  the  port  of  GaHipoH, 
and  some  others  of  no  importance.  We  may  also 
specify  the  names  of  uninhabited  islands  in  the  Gulf 
so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  ascertain  them : 
Avesticos,  Sarnos,  Cissyros,  Charbrusa,  Calathusa, 
ScyUia,    Dialcon,    Dictaca,    Melanthia,    Dracanon, 

173 


PLINY:    NATURAL   IIISTORY 

Arconesus,  Diethusa,  Ascapos,  Capheris,  Mesate, 
Aeantion,  Patcronnesos,  Patcria,  Calathe,  Neriphus, 
Pclcndos. 

75  Quartus  e  magnis  Europae  sinus  ab  Hellesponto 
incipiens  Maeotis  ostio  finitur.  sed  totius  Ponti 
forma  breviter  conplectcnda  est,  ut  faciUus  partcs 
noscantur.  vastum  mare  praeiacens  Asiae  et  ab 
Euro])a  porrecto  Cherronesi  Htore  expulsum  an- 
gusto  mcatu  inrumpit  in  terras,  vii  stadiorum,  ut 
dictum  est,  inter\allo  Europam  auferens  Asiae. 
primas  angustias  Hellespontum  vocant ;  hac  Xcrxes 
Persarum  rcx  constrato  in  naxdbus  ponte  duxit  exer- 
citum.  porrigitur  deinde  tenuis  euripus  lxxxvi 
spatio     ad     Priapum     urbem     Asiac,     qua     Magnus 

70  Alexander  transcendit.  inde  exspatiatur  aequor 
rursusque  in  artum  coit.  laxitas  Propontis  appellatur, 
angustiae  Thracius  Bosporus,  latitudine  quingen- 
torum  passuum  qua  Darius  pater  Xcrxis  copias  ponte 
transvexit ;  tota  ab  Hellesponto  longitudo  ccxxxix. 

Dein  vastum  mare  Pontus  iMixinus,  qui  quondam 
Axenus,  longe  refugientes  occupat  terras  magnoque 
litorum  flexu  retro  curvatus  in  cornua  ab  his  utrim- 
que  porrigitur,  ut  sit  plane  arcus  Scythici  forma. 
medio  flcxu  iungitur  ostio  Macotii  lacus  ;  Ciinnierius 
Bosporus  id  os  vocatur,  u  quingentos  passus  hititu- 

77   dine.     at  inter   duos    Bosporos    Thracium   et    Cim- 


"  Tbe  Inhospitable  Sea  (c/.  VI.  I),  so  describcd  aa  being 
stomiy,  cold  and  witliout  the  shcltcr  of  islands  on  which  Greek 
navigators  wcrc  accustonicd  to  rcly ;  but  the  oniinous  name 
was  euphemisticaUy  altered  into  Euxine,  '  Hospitaljle.' 

*  Shaped  in  two  curves  mecting  in  an  angle  at  the  middle. 
This  describes  the  north  coast  of  the  Black  Sea,  tho  central 
projcction  being  the  Thracian  Chcrsonese,  the  Crimea.  The 
more  or  less  straight  south  coast  ia  the  bowstring. 

174 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  74-77 

Arconesus,  Diethusa,  Ascapos,  Capheris,  Mesate, 
Aeantion,  Pateronnesus,  Pateria,  Calathe,  Neriphus, 
Pelendos. 

The  fourth  of  the  great  Gulfs  of  Europe  begins  at  ^'ac*^  Sea. 
the  Dardanelles  and  ends  at  the  entrance  of  the  Sea 
of  Azov.  But  in  order  more  easily  to  indicate  the 
di^isions  of  the  Black  Sea  we  must  glve  a  brief 
description  of  its  shape  as  a  whole.  It  is  a  vast  body 
of  Avater  lying  in  front  of  Asia  and  shut  out  from 
Europe  by  the  promontory  of  GalhpoU  ;  but  it  forces 
an  entrance  into  the  interior  by  a  narrow  winding 
channel,  and  separates  Europe  from  Asia,  as  has  been 
said,  by  a  strait  that  is  less  than  a  mile  wide.  The  V^^- 
first  part  of  the  narrows  is  called  the  Dardanelles ; 
here  the  Persian  king  Xerxes  made  the  bridge  of 
boats  across  which  he  led  his  army.  From  there  a 
narrow  channel  86  miles  long  extcnds  to  the  Asiatic 
city  of  Priapus ;  it  was  here  that  Alexandcr  the 
Great  crosscd.  From  this  point  the  water  bcgins  to 
widen  out,  and  afterwards  narrows  again.  The  wide 
part  is  called  the  Sea  of  Marmara  and  the  narrows 
the  Straits  of  Constantinople ;  at  the  point  where 
Xerxcs'  father  Darius  conveycd  his  forces  across  by 
means  of  a  bridge  it  is  500  yards  wide,  and  its  entire 
length  from  the  Dardanelles  is  239  miles. 

Then  comes  the  vast  extent  of  the  Black  Sea, 
formerly  the  Axenus,"  which  cncroaclics  on  a  large 
area  of  the  continent,  and  with  a  great  bend  of  its 
coasts  curves  back  into  liorns  and  from  thcm  strctches 
out  on  either  side,  producing  exactly  the  shape  of  a 
Scythian  bow.*  In  the  middle  of  the  curve  it  is 
joined  by  the  mouth  of  the  Sea  of  Azov  ;  this  apcrture 
is  called  the  Straits  of  Kertsch,  and  measurcs  two  and 
a  half  miles  across.     The  distance  in  a  straight  Une 

175 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

merium  directo  cursu,  ut  auctor  est  Polybius,  d 
intersunt.  circiiitu  vero  totius  Ponti  viciens  semel  l, 
ut  auctor  est  \'arro  et  fere  veteres ;  Ncpos  Cornelius 
cccL  adicit,  Artemidorus  vicies  semcl  et  decem 
novem  milia  facit,  Agrippa  |xxv|  xl,  Mucianus  |xxiv| 
XXV.     simili  modo  de  Europae  latere  mensuram  alii 

78  [xTv]  LxxTx  determinavere,  alii  |xl|.  ^L  Varro  ad  luinc 
modum  metitur :  ab  ostio  Ponti  Apolloniam  clxxxvTi 
D  p.,  Callatim  tantundem,  ad  ostium  Histri  cxxv,  ad 
Borjsthenem  cct,  Cherronesum  Heracleotarum  op- 
pidum  ccclxxv  p.,  ad  Panticapaeum  quod  aliqui 
Bosporum  vocant,  extremum  in  Europae  ora,  ccxii  d, 
quae  summa  efficit  |xiii{  xxxvii  d.  Agrippa  a  Byzantio 
ad  flumen  Histrum  i5xL,  inde  Panticapaeum  dcxxxv. 

Lacus  ipse  Maeotis  Tanain  amnem  ex  Ripaeis 
montibus  defluentem  accipions,  novissimum  inter 
Europam  Asiamque  fmem,  |xiv|  vi  circuitu  patere 
traditur,  ab  aUis  jxTj  xxv.  ab  ostio  eius  ad  Tanais 
ostium  directo  cursu  ccclxxv  esse  constat.  accolae 
sinus  eius  in  mentione  Thraciae  dicti  sunt  HistropoHn 
usque. 

79  Inde  ostia  Ilistri.  ortus  hic  in  Gcrmania  iugis 
montis  Abnouae  ex  adverso  llaurici  GalUae  oppidi, 
multis  ultra  Alpes  milibus  ac  per  innumeras  lapsus 


»  Thia  name  is  applied  vaguely  to  all  the  rangea  of  Xorthcrn 
Europe  and  Asia.  Aa  a  mattcr  of  fact  the  Don  riscs  in  the 
centre  of  E^uropcan  Rusaia. 

*  At  Donaueschingea. 

<■  The  Black  Foreat. 

^  Xaniccl  after  the  Raurici  of  Gallia  Belgica;  probably 
Aiigst  ncar  Baael. 

176 


BOOK   IV.  XTT.  77-79 

between  the  two  straits,  the  Dardanelles  and  Kaffa, 
measures  according  to  Polybius  500  miles.  The  whole 
circumference  of  the  Black  Sea  according  to  Varro 
and  the  old  authorities  generally  is  2150  miles,  but 
Cornehus  Nepos  adds  350  miles,  while  Artcmidorus 
makes  it  2119  milcs,  Agrippa  2540,  and  Mucianus 
2425.  There  is  a  similar  dififcrcnce  of  opinion  as  to 
the  measurement  of  the  European  shore,  some  fixing 
it  at  1479  miles  and  others  at  1100.  Marcus  Varro 
gives  the  measurement  as  foUows :  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Black  Sea  to  ApoUonia  187^  miles  ;  from  there 
to  Collat  the  same ;  to  the  mouth  of  the  Danube 
125;  to  the  Dnieper  250 ;  to  the  to\\Ti  of  Cherronesus 
of  the  Heracleotae  375  miles ;  to  Kertsch,  by  some 
called  Bosporus,  the  last  point  on  the  coast  of  Europe, 
212^  miles — the  total  making  1337i  miles.  Agrippa 
makcs  it  540  miles  from  Istamboul  to  the  river 
Danube  and  635  miles  from  the  Danube  to  Kertsch. 

The  actual  Sea  of  Azov,  which  receives  the  Don  seaoj  Azoi 
flowing  down  from  the  Ripaean  Mountains,"  the 
river  being  the  extreme  boundary  between  Europe 
and  Asia,  is  said  to  measure  1406,  or  according  to 
other  authorities  1125,  milcs  in  circumference.  The 
distance  in  a  straight  Une  between  the  entrance  of 
the  Sea  of  Azov  and  the  mouth  of  the  Don  is  agreed 
to  be  375  miles.  Tlie  inhabitants  of  thc  coasts  of  §  4 1/. 
this  great  Gulf  as  far  as  Istere  have  been  mentioned 
in  our  account  of  Thrace. 

We   then  come   to  the   mouths   of  the   Danube.  Geographyo 
It  riscs  *  in  Germany  in  the  range  of  Mount  Abnoua,*'     *    """  '" 
opposite  to  the  GalHc  town  of  Rauricum,''  and  flows 
for  a  course  of  many  miles  beyond  the  Alps,  and 
through    innumerable    tribes,    under    the    name    of 
Danube ;    then  its  volume  of  water  increases  enor- 

177 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

gentes  Danuvi  nomine,  immenso  aquarum  auctu  et 
unde  primum  Illyricum  alluit  Hister  appellatus,  lx 
amnibus  receptis,  mcdio  ferme  eorura  niunero 
navigabili,  in  Pontum  vastis  sex  fluminibus  evolvitur. 
primum  ostium  Peuces,  mox  ipsa  Peuce  insula,  in 
qua  proximus  alveus  Sacer  ^  appellatus  xTx  p.  magna 
palude  sorbetur.  ex  eodem  alveo  et  super  Histro- 
polin  lacus  gignitur  lxiii  passuum  ambitu :  Halmyrin 
vocant.  secundum  ostium  Naracustoma  appellatur, 
tertium  Calon  Stoma  iuxta  insulam  Sarmaticam, 
quartum  Pseudostomon,  dein  insula  Conopon  Dia- 
basis,  postea  Borion  Stoma  et  Psilon  Stoma.  singula 
autem  ora  tanta  sunt  ut  prodatur  in  xl  passuum 
longitudinis  vinci  mare  dulcemque  intellcgi  haustum. 

80  Ab  eo  in  plenum  quidem  omnes  Scytharum  sunt 
gentes,  variae  tamen  litori  apposita  tenuere,  alias 
Getae,  Daci  Romanis  dicti,  alias  Sarmatae,  Graecis 
Sauromatae,  eorumque  Hamaxobii  aut  Aorsi,  alias 
Scythae  degeneres  et  a  servis  orti  aut  Trogodytae, 
mox  Alani  et  Rhoxolani.  superiora  autem  inter 
Danuvium  et  Hercynium  saltum  usque  ad  Pannonica 
hiberna  Carnunti  Germanorumque  ibi  confmium 
campos  et  plana  Iaz)'ges  Sarmatac,  montes  vero  et 

81  saltus  pulsi  ab  his  Daci  ad  Pathissum  amnem.  a 
Maro,  sive  Duria  est  a  Suebis  regnoque  Vanniano 

*  Saccr  (uld.  Urliclis. 

'  The  mountains  stretching  round  Bohemia  and  through 
Moravia  into  Hungary. 

178 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  79-8i 

mously  and  from  the  point  where  it  first  enters 
lUyria  it  is  called  the  Hister ;  aftcr  receiving  60 
tributary  rivers,  nearly  half  of  which  are  navigable, 
it  is  discharged  into  the  Black  Sea  by  six  vast  channels. 
The  first  of  these  is  the  mouth  of  Piczina,  close  to  the 
island  of  that  name,  at  which  the  nearest  channel, 
called  the  Iloly  River,  is  swallowed  up  in  a  marsh 
19  miles  in  extent.  Opening  from  the  same  channel 
and  above  Istere  spreads  a  lake  measuring  63 
miles  round,  named  the  Saltings.  The  second  is 
called  the  Xarakian  Mouth ;  the  third,  next  the 
island  of  Sarmatica,  Fair  Mouth;  the  fourth, 
False  Mouth ;  then  comes  the  island  of  Mosquito 
Crossing,  afterwards  the  North  Mouth  and  the  Barren 
Mouth.  These  mouths  are  each  of  them  so  large 
that  for  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  so  it  is  said,  the 
sea  is  overpowered  and  the  water  tastes  fresh. 

From  this  point  all  the  races  in  general  are  Popuiaiions 
Scythian,  though  various  sections  have  occupied  "Znube"'" 
the  lands  adjacent  to  the  coast,  in  one  place  the 
Getae,  called  by  the  llomans  Dacians,  at  another  the 
Sarmatae,  called  by  the  Greeks  Sauromatae,  and  the 
section  of  them  called  Waggon-dwellers  or  Aorsi, 
at  another  the  base-born  Scythians,  descendcd  from 
slaves,  or  else  the  Cave-dwellers,  and  then  the 
Alani  and  Rhoxolani.  The  higher  parts  between 
the  Danube  and  the  Hercynian  Forest "  as  far  as 
tlie  wintcr  quarters  of  Pannonia  at  Carnuntum  and 
the  plains  and  level  country  of  the  German  frontiers 
there  are  occupied  by  the  Sarmatian  lazyges,  while 
the  Dacians  whom  they  have  driven  out  hold  the 
mountains  and  forests  as  far  as  the  river  Theiss. 
From  the  river  Maros,  or  else  the  Dora  if  it  is  that 
which    scparatcs    thern    from    the    Suebi    and    the 

179 


PLINYi    NATURAL  HISTORY 

dirimens  eos,  aversa  Basternae  tcnent  aliique  inde 
Germani.  Atfrippa  totum  eum  tractum  ab  Ilistro 
ad  oceanum  bis  ad  decies  centcnuin  ^  milium  pas- 
suum  in  longitudinem,  quattuor  milibus  minus 
cccc  ^  in  latitudincm,  ad  flumen  V^istlam  a  desertis 
Sarmatiae  prodidit.  Scytharum  nomen  usquequa- 
que  transiit  ^  in  Sarmatas  atque  Germanos ;  nec 
aliis  prisca  illa  duravit  appcllatio  quam  qui  extremi 
frentium  harum  ignoti  prope  ceteris  mortalibus 
dcgunt. 

82  Vcrum  ab  Histro  oppida  Cremniscoe,  Aepolium, 
montcs  Macrocremni,  clarus  amnis  Tyra,  oppido 
nomen  inponens  ubi  antea  Ophiusa  dicebatur.  in 
eodem  insulam  spatiosam  incolunt  Tyragetae ;  abest 
a  Pseudostomo  Histri  ostio  c.xxx.  mox  Axiacae 
cognomines  flumini,  ultra  quos  Crobyzi,  flumen 
Rhode,  sinus  Sangarius,  portus  Ordcsos.  et  a  Tyra 
cxx  flumen  Bory-sthencs  lacusque  et  gens  eodcm 
nomine  et  oppidum  ab  mari  rccedens  xv  passuum, 

83  Olbiopolis  et  MilctopoHs  antiquis  nominibus.  rursus 
Htore  portus  Achaeorum,  insula  AchiHis  tumulo 
eius  viri  clara,  et  ab  ea  cx3t\'  passuum  paeninsula  ad 
formam  gladii  in  transversum  porrecta,  exercitatione 
eiusdem  cognominata  Dromos  Achilleos,  cuias  longi- 
tudincm  T7\\x  tradidit  Agrippa.  totum  eum  trac- 
tum  tenent  Sardi  Scytliac  et  Siraci.  indc  silvestris 
regio    Hylaeum    mare    quo    adluitur   cognominavit ; 

*  Jan  :  ccntum. 

*  Mayhnff :  varia  codd. 
'  Niebuhr :  transit. 


•"  A   rhicf  of   tbc   Vadi,   mafle   king   of   the  Swabians   by 
Germanicus,  a.d.  19. 
*  Now  the  Teligul. 

l8o 


BOOK    IV.  XII.  81-83 

Kingdom  of  Vannius,"  the  opposite  side  of  the  eountry 
is  oocupied  by  the  Basternae  and  then  other  German 
tribes.  Agrippa  describes  the  whole  of  this  area 
from  the  Danube  to  the  sea  as  being  1200  miles  in 
length  by  396  in  breadth,  as  far  as  the  river  Vistula 
in  the  direction  of  the  Sarmatian  desert.  The  name 
of  Scythians  has  spread  in  every  direction,  as  far  as 
the  Sarmatae  and  the  Germans,  but  this  old  designa- 
tion  has  not  continued  for  any  except  the  raost 
outlying  sections  of  these  races,  hving  almost  unknown 
to  the  rest  of  mankind. 

After  the  Danube  come  the  towns  of  Cremniscoi  -^'o'^'''  <»air 
and  Aepohum,  the  Macrocremni  Mountains,  and  yca. 
the  famous  river  Dniester,  which  gives  its  name  to 
the  town  on  the  site  which  previously  was  called 
Ophiusa.  A  large  island  in  the  Dniester,  inhabited 
by  the  Tyragetae,  is  130  miles  from  the  False  Mouth 
of  the  Danube.  Then  come  the  Axiacae  named 
from  the  river  Axiaces,*  and  beyond  them  the  Cro- 
byzi,  the  river  Rhode,  the  Sangarian  Gulf,  the  port  of 
Ordesus,  and  120  miles  from  the  Dniester  the  river 
Dnieper  and  the  lake  and  tribe  of  the  same  name, 
and  the  town  15  miles  inland  from  the  sea,  the  old 
names  of  which  were  Olbiopolis  and  Miletopohs. 
Returning  to  the  coast,  we  come  to  the  Port  of 
the  Achaeans  and  the  Isle  of  Achilles,  famous  for 
the  tomb  of  that  hero,  and  125  miles  from  it  a  penin- 
sula  stretching  out  at  a  slant  in  the  shape  of  a  sword, 
and  called  the  Race-course  of  Achilles  from  having 
been  his  exercising  ground ;  its  length  is  given  by 
Agrippa  as  80  miles.  The  whole  of  this  stretch 
is  occupied  by  the  Scythian  Sardi  and  Siraci. 
Then  there  is  a  wooded  region  that  hag  given  its 
name  to  the  Forest  Sea  that  washes  its  coast ;    tlie 

VOL.  TI.  ^         ^^' 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Enoecadioe  vocantur  incolae.  ultra  Panticapes 
amnis  qui  Nomadas  et  Gcorgos  disterminat,  mox 
Acesinus.  quidam  Panticapen  confluere  infra  01- 
biam  cum  Borysthene  tradunt,  diligentiores  Hypa- 
nim,  tanto  errore  eorum  qui  illum  in  Asiae  parte 
prodidere. 

84  Mare  subit  magno  recessu,  donec  v  passuum  inter- 
vallo  absit  a  Maeotide,  vasta  ambiens  spatia  mul- 
tasque  gentes ;  sinus  Carcinites  appellatur.  flumen 
Pac}Tis,  oppida  Navarum,  Carcine,  a  tcrgo  lacus 
Buces  fossa  emissus  in  mare.  ipse  Buces  a  Coreto 
Maeotis  lacus  sinu  petroso  discluditur  dorso.  recipit 
amnes  Bucem,  Gerrhum,  Hypanim,  ex  diverso 
venientes  tractu  :  nam  Gerrhus  Basilidas  et  Nomadas 
separat,  Hj^panis  per  Nomadas  et  Hylaeos  fluit 
manu  facto  alveo  in  Bucen,  naturali  in  Coretum : 
regio  Scythia  Sindica  nominatur. 

85  Sed  a  Carcinite  Taurica  incipit,  quondam  mari 
circrunfusa  et  ipsa  qua  nunc  campi  iacent ;  dein 
vastis  attolHtur  iugis.  triginta  sunt  eorum  popuH, 
ex  iis  mediterranei  xxiii,  vi  oppida  Orgocyni,  Chara- 
ceni,  Assyrani,  Stactari,  AcisaHtae,  CaHordi,  iugum 
ipsiun    Scythotauri  tenent.     cluduntur  ab  occidente 

"  On  the  west  of  the  Tauric  Cheraonese,  the  modern  Crimoa. 
'  The  7  tribes  named  with  the  23  above  make  up  the  30. 

182 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  83-85 

inhabitants  are  called  the  tribe  of  the  Indigenae. 
Beyond  is  the  river  Somara,  which  forms  the 
boundars'  between  the  Nomad  and  Agricultural 
tribes,  and  then  the  Acesinus.  Some  authorities 
say  that  below  Olbia  the  Somara  flows  into  the 
Dnieper,  but  the  more  accurate  make  the  Bug  a 
tributary  of  the  Dnieper — so  erroneous  it  is  to  put 
the  latter  in  a  region  of  Asia. 

Here  the  sea  runs  in,  forming  a  large  gulf,  until  auifoj 
there  is  only  a  space  of  five  miles  separating  it  from  '^^^ropou. 
the  Sea  of  Azov,  and  it  forms  the  coasthne  of  vast 
tracts  of  land  and  numerous  races  ;  this  is  called  the 
Gulf  of  Negropoh.<»  Here  is  the  river  Pacyris,  the 
towns  of  Navarum  and  Carcine,  and  behind  them 
Lake  Buces,  which  discharges  into  the  sea  by  an 
artificial  channel.  Lake  Buces  itself  is  shut  ofF  by 
a  rocky  ridge  from  the  Bay  of  Coretus  in  the  Sea 
of  Azov.  Into  it  run  the  rivers  Buces,  Gerrhus 
and  Bug,  coming  from  different  directions :  for  the 
Gerrhus  separates  the  Nomads  and  the  Basihdes, 
while  the  Bug  flows  through  the  Nomads  and 
Foresters  and  discharges  by  an  artificially  made 
channel  into  the  Buces  and  by  a  natural  channel  into 
the  Coretus :  this  region  has  the  name  of  Scythia 
Sindica. 

At  the  river  Carcinites  begins  the  Crimea,  itself  CHmea. 
also  formerly  surrounded  by  the  sea  where  there  are 
now  low-lying  stretches  of  land,  though  afterwards 
it  rises  in  huge  mountain  ridges.  The  population 
includes  30  tribes ;  of  these  23  hve  in  the  interior, 
6  towns  are  occupied  by  the  Orgocyni,  Characeni, 
Assyrani,  Stactari,  Acisahtae  and  Cahordi,  and  the 
Scythotauri  *  occupy  the  actual  ridge.  On  the  west 
side  they  are  adjoined  by  the  New  Peninsula  and  on 

183 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Cherroneso  Nea,  ab  ortu  Scythis  Sataucis.  in  ora 
a  Carcine  oppida  Taphrae  in  ipsis  angustiis  peninsulae, 
mox  Heracka  Cherronesus  Hbcrtate  a  Romanis 
donatum ;  Megarice  vocabatur  antea,  praecipui 
nitoris  in  toto  eo  tractu  custoditis  Graeciae  moribus, 

86  V  passuum  ambiente  muro.  inde  Parthenium 
promunturium,  Taurorum  civitas  Placia,  Symbolum 
portus,promunturium  Criumetopon  adversum  Caram- 
bicon  Asiae  promunturium  pcr  medium  Kuxinum 
procurrens  clCxx  intervallo,  quae  maxime  ratio  Scythici 
arcus  formam  efficit.  ab  eo  Taurorum  portus  multi  et 
lacus.  oppidum  Theodosia  a  Criumetopo  cxxv  p.,  a 
Cherroneso    vero    ctxv.     ultra   fuere   oppida  Cytae 

87  Zephyrium,  Acrae,  Nymphaeum,  Dia ;  restat  longe 
vahdissimum  in  ipso  Bospori  introitu  Panticapaeura 
Milesiorum,  a  Theodosia  lxxxvii  d  p.,  a  Cimmerio 
vero  oppido  trans  fretum  sito  mm  d,  ut  diximus, 
passus :  haec  ibi  latitudo  Asiam  ab  Europa  separat, 
eaque  ipsa  pedibus  plerumque  pervia  glaciato  freto. 
Bospori  Cimmerii  longitudo  ^  .\iT  D  passuum  oppida 
habet  Hermisium,  Mvrmecium  et  intus  insulam 
Alopecen.  per  Maeotim  autcm  ab  extremo  isthmo, 
qui  locus  Taphrae  vocatur,  ad  os  Bospori  cclx  longi- 
tudo  colHgitur. 

88  A  Taphris  per  continentem  introrsus  tenent 
Auchetae  apud  quos  Hypanis  oritur,  Neuroe  apud 

*  PintianiLs :    latitudo. 


Aia-burun,  the  southem  point  of  the  Crimea. 
Cf.  §  76. 


184 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  85-58 

the  east  by  the  Satauci  Scythians.  The  toA^-ns  on  the 
coast  after  Carcine  are  Taphrae  at  the  actual  neck 
of  the  pcninsula,  and  then  tlie  Heraclean  Peninsula, 
a  place  on  which  Rome  has  recently  bestowed 
freedom ;  it  was  formerly  called  Megarice,  and  is 
the  most  highly  cultured  community  in  all  this 
region  owing  to  its  having  preserved  the  manners  of 
Greece  ;  it  is  encircled  by  a  wall  measuring  five  miles. 
Then  come  the  Virgin's  Cape,  Placia  a  citv  of  the 
Tauri,  the  port  of  Balaklava,  Ram's  Head  Cape," 
jutting  out  into  the  middle  of  the  Black  Sea  opposite 
to  Cape  Kerempi  in  Asia  with  a  space  bctween  them 
of  170  miles,  which  is  chiefly  the  reason  that  produees 
the  shape  of  a  Scythian  bow.*  After  this  come  a 
number  of  harbours  and  lakes  belonging  to  the 
Tauri.  The  town  of  Theodosia  is  125  miles  from 
Ram's  Head  and  1G5  from  the  Peninsula.  Beyond  it 
there  were  in  former  times  the  towns  of  Cytae, 
Zephyrium,  Acrae,  Nymphaeum  and  Dia;  while  by 
far  the  strongest  of  them  all,  the  Milesian  city  of 
Kertsch,  at  the  actual  mouth  of  the  Straits,  still 
stands ;  it  is  87^  miles  from  Theodosia  and  2|  miles, 
as  we  have  said,  from  the  town  of  Cimmerium  situated 
across  the  Straits — this  is  the  width  that  here  separ- 
ates  Asia  from  Europe,  and  even  this  can  usually  be 
crossed  on  foot  when  the  Gulf  is  frozen  over.  On 
the  Straits  of  Kertsch,  the  length  of  which  is  12^ 
miles,  are  the  towns  of  Hermisium  and  Myrmecium, 
and  inside  the  Straits  is  the  island  of  Alopece. 
The  coast  of  the  Sea  of  Azov,  from  the  place  called 
Taphrae  at  the  end  of  the  isthmus  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Straits  of  Kertsch  measures  altogether  260  miles. 
After  Taphrae,  the  interior  of  the  mainland  is 
occupied  by  the  Auchetai  and  the  Neuroi,  in  whose 

185 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

quos  Bor}'sthenes,  Geloni,  Thyssagetae,  Budini, 
Basilidae  et  caeruleo  capillo  Agathyrsi ;  super  eos 
Nomades,  deinde  Anthropophagi,  a  Buce  vero  super 
Maeotim  Sauromatae  et  Essedones.  at  per  oram 
ad  Tanain  usque  Maeotae,  a  quibus  lacus  nomen 
accepti,  ultimique  a  tergo  eorum  Arimaspi.  mox 
Ripaei  montes  et  adsiduo  nivis  casu  pinnarum 
simihtudine  Pterophoros  appellata  regio,  pars  mundi 
damnata  a  rerum  natura  et  densa  mersa  cahgine, 
neque  in  aho  quam  rigoris  opere  ^  gehdisque  Aqui- 
89  lonis  conceptacuhs.  pone  eos  montcs  ultraque 
Aquilonem  gens  fehx  (si  credimus),  quos  Hyper- 
boreos  appehavere,  annoso  degit  aevo,  fabulosis 
celebrata  miracuhs.  ibi  creduntur  esse  cardines 
mundi  extremique  siderum  ambitus  scmcnstri  hice 
et  una  die  ^  sohs  aversi,^  non,  ut  imperiti  dixere,  ab 
aequinoctio  vemo  in  autumnum :  semel  in  anno 
solstitio  oriuntur  iis  soles,  brumaque  semel  occidunt. 
regio  aprica  fehci  temperie,  omni  adflatu  noxio 
carens.  domus  iis  nemora  lucique,  et  deorum 
cultus  viritim  gregatimque,  discordia  ignota  et 
aegritudo  omnis.  mors  non  nisi  satietate  vitae, 
epulatis  dehbutoque  senio  luxu,  e  quadam  rupe  in 
mare  sahentibus  * :    hoc  genas  sepulturae  beatissi- 

1  ilendalatet. 

*  [et  una  die]  SolTnsen. 

*  V.  l.  adversi. 

*  Cae-iariius :  salientium. 


"  See  §  78.  note. 

*  The  Latin  text  is  comipt. 

l86 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  88-89 

territories  respectively  are  the  sources  of  the  Bug 
and  the  Dnicper,  the  Geloni,  Thyssagetae,  Budini, 
BasiHdae  and  Agathyrsi,  the  last  a  dark-haired 
people ;  al)ove  them  are  the  Nomads  and  then  the 
Cannibals,  and  after  Lake  Buces  above  the  Sea  of 
Azov  the  Sauromatae  and  Essedones.  Along  the 
coast,  as  far  as  the  river  Don,  are  the  Maeotae  from 
whom  the  sea  receives  its  name,  and  last  of  all  in  the 
rear  of  the  Maeotae  are  the  Arimaspi.  Then  come 
the  Ripaean  Mountains "  and  the  region  called 
Pterophorus,  because  of  the  feather-hke  snow  con- 
tinually  falHng  there ;  it  is  a  part  of  the  world  that 
Hes  under  the  condemnation  of  nature  and  is  plunged 
in  dense  darkness,  and  occupied  only  by  the  work  of 
frost  and  the  chilly  hn-king-places  of  the  north  wind.* 
Behind  these  mountains  and  beyond  the  north  wind  The  Hyper- 
there  dweHs  (if  we  can  beHeve  it)  a  happy  race  of ''^^""'" 
people  caHed  the  Hyperboreans,  who  Hve  to  extreme 
old  age  and  are  famous  for  legendary  marvels.  Here 
are  beHeved  to  be  the  hinges  on  which  the  firmament 
turns  and  the  extreme  Hmits  of  the  revolutions  of 
the  stars,  with  six  months'  dayHght  and  a  single  day 
of  the  sun  in  retirement,  not  as  the  ignorant  have 
said,  fi-om  the  spring  equinox  till  autumn:  for  these 
people  the  sun  rises  once  in  tlie  year,  at  midsummer, 
and  sets  once,  at  midwinter.  It  is  a  genial  region, 
with  a  delightful  cHmate  and  exempt  from  every 
harmful  blast.  The  homes  of  the  natives  are  the 
woods  and  groves ;  they  worship  the  gods  severaHy 
and  in  congregations ;  all  discord  and  aH  sorrow  is 
unknown.  Death  comes  to  them  only  when,  owing 
to  satiety  of  Hfe,  after  liolding  a  banquet  and  anoint- 
ing  their  old  age  with  Uixury,  they  leap  from  a  certain 
rock  into  the  sea :    this  mode  of  burial  is  the  most 

187 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

90  mum.  quidam  eos  in  prima  parte  Asiae  litonim 
posuere,  non  in  Europa,  quia  sunt  ibi  simili  consuetu- 
dine  et  situ  Attacorum  nomine ;  alii  medios  fecere 
eos  inter  utrumque  solcm,  antipodum  occasus 
exorientemque  nostrum,  quod  fieri  nullo  modo  potest 
tam  vasto  mari  interveniente.  qui  non  alibi  quam 
in  semcnstri  luce  constituere  eos,  sercrc  matutinis, 
meridie  metere,  occidente  fetus  arborum  decerpere, 

91  noctibus  in  specus  condi  tradidcrunt.  nec  licct 
dubitare  de  gente  ea:  tot  auctores  produnt  frugum 
primitias  solitos  Delum  mittere  Apollini,  qucm 
praecipuc  colunt.  virgines  ferebant  eas  hospitiis 
gentium  pcr  annos  aliquot  venerabiles,  donec  violata 
fide  in  proximis  accolarum  finibus  deponere  sacra  ea 
instituere,  hique  ad  conterminos  deferre,  atque  ita 
Delum  usque.     mox  et  lioc  ipsum  exolevit. 

Sarmatiae,  Scythiae,  Tauricae,  omnisque  a  Borys- 
thene  amne  tractus  longitudo  bccccLxxx,  latitudo 
Dccxvi  a  M.  Agrippa  tradita  est;  ego  incertam  in 
hac  tcrrarum  parte  mcnsuram  arbitror. 

Verum  instituto  ordine  reliqua  huius  sinus  dican- 
tur ;  et  maria  quidem  cius  nuncupavimus. 

•  E.g.  Herodotus  iv.  32  ff. 
i88 


BOOK   IV.  XII.  89-91 

blissful.  Some  authorities  have  placed  these  people 
not  in  Europe  but  on  the  nearest  part  of  the  coasts  of 
Asia,  because  there  is  a  race  there  with  similar  customs 
and  a  similar  location,  named  the  Attaci ;  others 
have  put  them  midway  between  the  two  suns,  the 
sunscts  of  the  antipodes  and  our  sunrise,  but  this 
is  quite  impossible  because  of  the  enormous  expanse 
of  sea  that  comes  between.  Those  who  locate  them 
merely  in  a  region  having  six  months  of  dayhght 
have  recorded  that  they  sow  in  the  morning  periods, 
reap  at  midday,  pluck  the  fruit  from  the  trees  at 
sunset,  and  retire  into  caves  for  the  night.  Nor  is  it 
possible  to  doubt  about  this  race,  as  so  many  authori- 
ties  "  state  that  tliey  regularly  send  the  first  fruits  of 
their  harvests  to  Dclos  as  offerings  to  Apollo,  whom 
they  specially  worship.  These  offerings  used  to  be 
brought  by  virgins,  who  for  many  years  were  held 
in  veneration  and  hospitably  entertained  by  the 
nations  on  the  route,  until  because  of  a  violation  of 
good  faith  they  instituted  the  custom  of  depositing 
their  offerings  at  the  nearest  frontiers  of  the  neigh- 
bouring  people,  and  these  of  passing  them  on  to 
their  neighbours,  and  so  till  they  finally  reached 
Delos.  Later  this  practice  itself  also  passed  out  of 
use. 

The  territories  of  Sarmatia,  Scythia  and  Taurica,  Measure- 
and  the  whole  region  from  the  river  Dnieper  are  ??^'"'-^ 
stated  by  Marcus  Agrippa  to  mcasure  980  miles  in 
length  and  716  in  breadth ;    but  for  my  own  part 
I  consider  that  in  this  part  of  the  world  estimates  of 
measurement  are  uncertain. 

But  in  conformity  with  the  plan  set  out  the  remain- 
ing  features  of  this  gulf  must  be  stated.  Its  seas 
we  have  specified.  §  75/. 

189 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

92  XIII.  Hellespontus  insulas  non  habet  in  Europa 
dicendas.  in  Ponto  duae,  m  d  ab  Europa,  xTv  ab 
ostio,  Cyaneac,  ab  aliis  Symplegades  appellatae, 
traditaeque  fabulis  inter  se  concucurrisse,  quoniam 
parvo  discretae  intervallo  ex  adverso  intrantibus 
geminae  cemebantur  paulumque  deflexa  acie  coeun- 
tium  speciem  praebebant.  citra  Histrum  Apollonia- 
rum  ^  una  lxx\  a  Bosporo  Thracio,  ex  qua  M.  LucuUus 
Capitolinum  Apollinem  advexit.     inter  ostia  Histri 

93  quae  essent  diximus.  ante  Borysthenen  Achillea 
est  supra  dicta,  eadem  Leuce  et  Macaron  appellata. 
hanc  temporum  horum  demonstratio  a  Borysthene 
CXL  ponit,  a  Tyra  cxx,  a  Peuce  insula  L.  cingitur  cir- 
citer  .\  p.  reliquae  in  Carcinite  sinu  Cephalonnesos, 
Spodusa,  Macra.  non  est  omittenda  multorum 
opinio,  priusquam  digredimur  a  Ponto,  qui  maria 
omnia  interiora  illo  capite  nasci,  non  Gaditano  freto, 
existimavere  haut  inprobabiU  argumcnto,  quoniam 
aestus  semper  e  Ponto  profluens  numquam  reciprocet. 

94  Exeundum  deinde  est  ut  extera  Europae  dicantur, 

^  Rackham  :    Apollonitarum  atU  Apolloiiiatarum. 

"  Later  Sozopolis,  now  Sizeboli,  see  §  45  ;  and  for  the  other 
ApoUonia  see  VI.  32. 

"  A  colossal  work  about  50  ft.  high,  brought  to  Rome  by 
M.  Licinius  LucuUus  when  he  retired  from  his  province  of 
Macedonia  in  71  B.r.  After  being  carried  in  his  triumph  it 
was  set  up  in  the  Capitol. 

190 


BOOK   IV.  XIII.  92-94 

XIII.  In  the  Dardanelles  there  are  no  islands  isiands  o/ 
that  deserve  mention  belonging  to  Europe.  There  s^a  "^ 
are  two  in  the  Black  Sea,  1|  miles  from  the  European 
coast  and  14  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  straits,  the 
Fanari,  called  by  others  the  Symplegades,  these 
being  the  islands  about  which  there  is  the  tradition 
that  they  once  clashed  together :  the  story  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  they  are  separated  by  so  small  a 
gap  that  by  persons  entering  the  Black  Sea 
directly  facing  them  they  were  seen  as  two,  and 
then  when  the  line  of  sight  became  slightly  oblique 
they  gave  the  appearance  of  coming  together.  On 
this  side  of  the  Danube  there  is  one  of  the  islands  " 
called  Apollonia,  80  miles  from  the  Thracian 
Bosphorus ;  from  this  island  Marcus  Lucullus 
brought  the  statue  *  of  Apollo  of  the  Capitol.  We 
have  stated  the  places  in  the  Delta  of  the  Danube.  §  79. 
OfF  the  mouth  of  the  Dnieper  is  the  Island  of 
Achilles  mentioned  above,  which  also  has  the  Greek  §  83. 
names  of  the  White  Island  and  Island  of  the  Blest. 
Modern  investigation  shows  the  position  of  this 
island  to  be  140  miles  from  the  Dnieper ,  120  from 
the  Dniester,  and  50  from  the  island  of  Peuce.  It  is 
about  10  miles  in  circuit.  The  remaining  islands  in 
the  Gulf  of  Carcinites  are  Cephalonnesus,  Spodusa 
and  Macra.  Before  we  leave  the  Black  Sea,  we  must 
not  omit  the  opinion  held  by  many  persons  that  all 
the  waters  of  the  Mediterranean  are  derived  from  this 
source,  and  not  from  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar;  the 
reason  that  they  give  for  this  view  is  not  an  improbable 
one — viz.  that  the  tide  is  always  flowing  out  of  the 
Black  Sea  and  never  ebbing  in  the  other  direction. 

Next  we  must  leave  the  Black  Sea  to  describe  the  isiandsof 

-  T-i  1  •  ii_       T)  •  '^  Northern 

nuter  regions  01  Europe,  and  crossmg  tne  Kipaean  ocean. 

191 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

transgressisque  Ripaeos  montes  litus  oceani  septen- 
trionalis  in  lacva,  doncc  pcrvcniatur  Gadis,  lcjjfendum. 
insulac  complures  sine  nominibus  co  situ  traduntur, 
ex  quibus  antc  Scythiam  quae  appcllatur  Baunonia 
unam  abcsse  dici  cursu,  in  quam  vcris  tempore 
fluctibus  electrum  eiciatur,  Tiniacus  prodidit.  reli- 
qua  litora  inccrta  signata  faina.  septcntrionalis  ^ 
occanus :  Amalchium  cum  Ilecatacus  appcllat  a 
Parapaniso  amnc,  qua  Scytliiam  adUiit,  quod  nomcn 

9r)  eius  gentis  lingua  significat  congclatum ;  Philcmon 
Morimarusam  a  Cimbris  vocari,  hoc  cst  mortuum 
mare,  inde  usque  ad  promunturium  Rusbcas,  ultra 
dcinde  Cronium.  Xcnophon  Lampsaccnus  a  Htore 
Scytharum  tridui  navigationc  insulam  esse  inmcnsae 
magnitudinis  Balciam  tradit,  candcm  Pytheas 
B.asiliam  nominat.  fcruntur  et  Oeonae  in  quis  ovis 
avium  et  avenis  incolae  vivant,  aliac  in  quibus  equinis 
pcdibus  homincs  nascantur  Ilippopodcs  ajipcUati, 
Panotiorum  ^  ahae  in  quibus  nuda  aUoqui  corpora 
pracgrandcs  ipsorum  aurcs  tota  contcgant. 

fi6  Incipit  deinde  clarior  apcriri  fama  ab  gente  In- 
guaeonum  quae  cst  prima  in  Gcrmania.  mons 
Sacvo  ibi  inmcnsus  ncc  Ripacis  iugis  minor  inmancm 
ad  Cimbrorum  usquc  promunturium  cfiicit  sinum, 
qui  Codanus  vocatur  rcfcrtus  insuHs  quarum  claris- 
sima  cst  Scatinavia,  inconpcrtae  magniludinis,  por- 

*   Vel    incerta.   signata  fama   septcntrionalia  .  .  .  sed  cf. 
§  9G  ««»7. 

'  Sillig  ex  Isidoro  (Phanesiorum  alii  e  Solino) :  fancsionim. 


"  Sce  p.  17G,  notc  a. 

*  rrosiimahly  thc  iylands  of  tlio  Baltic. 

*  Hciigoland,  or  pcrhaps  Burnholra. 

192 


BOOK   IV.  XIII.  94-96 

Mountains  "  must  coast  to  the  left  along  the  sliore  of 
the  northern  ocean  until  we  reach  Cadiz.  In  this 
direction  a  number  of  islands  ^  are  reported  to  exist 
that  have  no  names,  but  according  to  the  account  of 
Timaeus  there  is  one  named  Baunonia,<^  ly^^e?  ^^ 
Scythia,  at  a  distance  of  a  day's  voyage  from  the 
coast,  on  the  beach  of  which  in  spring  time  amber  is 
cast  up  by  the  waves.  The  rest  of  thcse  coasts  are 
only  known  in  detail  by  reports  of  doubtful  authority. 
To  the  north  is  the  ocean ;  beyond  the  river  Para- 
panisus  where  it  washes  the  coast  of  Scythia  Heca- 
taeus  calls  it  the  Amalchian  Sea,  a  name  that  in  the 
language  of  the  natives  means  '  frozen  ' ;  Philemon 
says  that  the  Cimbrian  name  for  it  is  Morimarusa 
(that  is,  '  Dead  Sea  ')  from  the  Parapanisus  to  Cape 
Rusbeae,  and  from  that  point  onward  the  Cronian 
Sea.  Xenophon  of  Lampsacus  reports  that  three 
days'  sail  from  the  Scythian  coast  there  is  an  island 
of  enormous  size  called  Balcia  ;  Pytheas  gives  its  name 
as  Basiha.  Also  some  islands  called  the  Oeonae  are 
reported  of  which  the  inhabitants  hve  on  birds' 
eggs  and  oats.  and  others  on  which  people  are  born 
with  horses'  feet,  which  gives  them  their  Greek 
name ;  there  are  others  called  the  All-ears  Islands  in 
which  the  natives  have  very  large  ears  covering  the 
whole  of  their  bodies,  which  are  otherwise  left  naked. 
From  this  point  more  definite  information  begins 
to  open  up,  beginning  with  the  race  of  the  Inguaeones, 
the  first  that  we  come  to  in  Gcrmany.  Here  there 
is  an  enormous  mountain,  the  Saevo,  as  big  as  those 
of  the  Ripacan  range,  which  forms  an  enormous 
bay  reaching  to  the  Cimbrian  promontory ;  it  is 
named  the  Codanian  Gulf,  and  is  studded  witli  islands. 
The  most  famous  of  these  is  Scandinavia ;    its  size 

193 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

tionein  tantum  eius,  quod  notum  sit,  Hille^ionimi 
gente  quingentis  incolente  pagis,  quae  alterum 
orbcm     terrarum     eam     appcllat.     nec     minor     est 

97  opinione  Aeningia.  quidam  haec  habitari  ad  Vist- 
lam  usque  fluvium  a  Sarmatis,  Venedis,  Sciris,  Hirris 
tradunt,  sinum  Cylipenum  vocari,  et  in  ostio  insulam 
Latrim,  mox  alterum  sinum  Lagnum  conterminum 
Cimbris.  promunturium  Cimbrorum  excmTons  in 
maria  longe  paeninsulam  efficit  quae  Tastris  appella- 
tur.  x.xiii  inde  insulae  Romanis  armis  cognitae ; 
earum  nobilissimae  Burcana,  Fabaria  nostris  dicta  a 
frugis  multitudine  ^  sponte  provenientis,  item 
Glaesaria  a  sucino  militiae  appellata,  a  barbaris 
Austeravia,  praeterque  Actania. 

98  Toto  autem  mari  ad  Scaldim  usque  fluvium  Germa- 
niae  accolunt  gentes  haud  explicabili  mensura : 
tam  immodica  prodentium  discordia  est.  Graeci 
et  quidam  nostri  |xxv|  oram  Germaniae  tradiderunt, 
Agrippa  cum  Raetia  et  Norico  longitudinem  dclx.vxvi, 
latitudinem  ccxlviii,  (XIV.)  Raetiae  prope  unius 
maiore  latitudine,  sane  circa  excessum  eius  subactae, 
nam  Gcrmania  multis  postea  annis  nec  tota  percognita 

99  est.  si  coniectarc  pcrmittitur,  haut  multum  ora 
deerit  Graecorum  opinioni  et  longitudini  ab  Agrippa 
proditae. 

Germanorum    genera    quinque :     \'andiH    quorum 
^  siniilitudine  vulg. 


The  capc  of  Skagen  on  thc  north  of  Jutland. 
Burkhum,  at  tbc  moutb  uf  tbe  Ems. 


194 


BOOK   IV.  XIII.  96-xiv.  99 

has  not  been  ascertained,  and  so  far  as  is  known, 
only  part  of  it  is  inhabited,  its  natives  being  the 
Hilleviones,  who  dwell  in  500  villages,  and  call  their 
island  a  second  world.  Aeningia  is  thought  to  be 
equally  big.  Some  authorities  report  that  these 
regions  as  far  as  the  river  Vistula  are  inhabited  by 
the  Sarmati,  Venedi,  Sciri  and  Hirri,  and  that  there 
i:i;  a  gulf  named  Cyhpenus,  with  the  island  of  Latris 
at  its  mouth,  and  then  another  gulf,  that  of  Lagnus, 
at  which  is  the  frontier  of  the  Cimbri.  The  Cimbrian 
promontory  projects  a  long  way  into  the  sea,  forming 
a  peninsula  called  Tastris."  Then  there  are  twenty- 
three  islands  known  to  the  armed  forces  of  Rome ; 
the  most  noteworthy  of  these  are  Burcana,''  called 
by  our  people  Bean  Island  from  the  quantity  of  wild 
beans  growing  there,  and  the  island  which  by  the 
soldiery  is  called  Glass  Island  from  its  amber,  but 
by  the  barbarians  Austeravia,  and  also  Actania. 

The  whole  of  the  sea-coast  as  far  as  the  German  river  Popuiation 
Scheldt  is  inhabited  by  races  the  extent  of  whose  terri-  Europe. 
tories  it  is  impossible  to  state,  so  unhmited  is  the  dis- 
agreement  among  the  writers  who  report  about  them. 
The  Greek  writei-s  and  some  of  our  own  have  given 
the  coast  of  Germany  as  measuring  2500  miles, 
while  Agrippa  makes  the  length  of  Germany  includ- 
ing  Raetia  and  Noricum  686  miles  and  the  breadth 
248  miles,  (XIV.)  whereas  the  breadth  of  Raetia  alone 
almost  excccds  that  figure  ;  though  to  be  sure  it  was 
only  conquered  about  the  time  of  Agrippa's  death — 
for  Germany  v/as  expkired  many  years  after,  and  that 
not  fully.  If  one  may  be  allowed  to  conjecture,  the 
coast  will  be  found  to  be  not  much  shorter  than  the 
Greek  idea  of  it  and  the  length  given  by  Agrippa. 

There  are  five  Gerrnan  races :    the  Vandals,  who  aermany, 

195 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

pars  Burgodiones,  Varinnae,  Charini,  Gutones ; 
altcrum    genus    Inguaeones,    quorum    pars    Cimbri, 

100  Teutoni  ac  Chaucorum  gentes ;  proximi  autem 
Rheno  Istiaeones,  quorum  pars  Sicambri ;  mediter- 
ranei  Hermiones,  quorum  Suebi,  Hermunduri,  Chatti, 
Cherusci ;  quinta  pars  Peucini,  Basternae  supra 
dictis  contermini  Dacis.  amnes  clari  oceanum 
deHuunt  Guthalus,  \'isculus  sive  Vistla,  Albis,  Visur- 
gis,  Amisis,  Rhenus,  Mosa.  introrsus  vero  nullo 
inferias  nobihtate  Hercynium  iugum  praotenditur. 

lul  XV.  In  Rheno  autem  ipso,  prope  c  in  longitu- 
dinem,  nobihssima  Batavorum  insula  et  Canncne- 
fatium,  et  ahae  Frisiorum,  Chaucorum,  Frisiavonum, 
Sturiorum,  Marsaciorum  quae  stemuntur  inter 
Hehnium  ac  Flevum.  ita  appellantur  ostia  in  quae 
effusus  Rhenus  a  septentrione  in  lacus,  ab  occidente 
in  amnem  Mosam  se  spargit,  medio  inter  haec  ore 
modicum  nomini  suo  custodiens  alveum. 

102  X\'I.  Ex  adverso  huius  sitas  Britannia  insula  clara 
Graecis  nostrisque  monimentis  intcr  septentrionem 
et  occidentem  iacet,  Germaniae,  GaHiae,  Hispaniae, 
multo  maximis  Europae  partibus  magno  inter\-aHo 
adversa.  Albion  ipsi  nomen  fuit,  cum  Britanniae 
vocarentur  omnes  de  quibus  mox  paulo  dicemus. 
haec  abest  a  Gesoriaco  Morinorum  gentis  litore 
proximo  traiectu  L.  circuitu  patere  |xxxxviiT|  €xxv 
Pytheas  et  Isidorus  tradunt,  xxx  prope  iam  annis 

•  Perhaps  thc  Oder. 

'  Used  as  a  general  name  for  all  the  mountains  of  Southcrn 
and  Central  Germany. 

'  Dionysiua  Periegc-n-i,  Tacuv  tol  ^tyidos  ntpnLai.ov ,  ovbt  rts 
oAAt}  Ni^aot;  €v  7Ta.aai.ai  Bpcravvtcrtf  iao(f>apil,(i. 

•  lioulogne. 

•  This  \a  an  overetatement  evcn  if  meaaured  to  the  Roman 
fort  of  Rutupiae,  Richborough. 

196 


BOOK   IV.  XIV.  99-xvi.  102 

include  the  Burgodiones,  Variniiae,  Charini  and 
Gutones ;  the  second  race  the  Inguaeones,  including 
Cimbri,  Teutoni  and  the  tribes  of  the  Chauci ;  nearest 
to  the  Rhine  the  Istiaeones,  including  the  Sicambri ; 
inland  the  Hermiones,  including  the  Suebi,  Her- 
munduri,  Chatti  and  Cherusci ;  and  the  fifth  section 
the  Peucini,  and  the  Basternae  who  march  with  the 
Dacians  above  mentioned.  Notable  rivers  that  flow 
into  the  Ocean  are  the  Guthalus,"  the  Visculus  or 
Vistuhi,  the  Elbe,  the  Weser,  the  Ems,  the  Rhine  and 
the  Meuse.  In  the  interior  stretches  the  Hercinian 
range*  of  mountains,  which  is  inferior  to  none  in 
grandeur. 

XV.  In  the  Rhine  itself,  the  most  notable  island  is  The  Wdne. 
that  of  the  Batavi  and  Cannenefates,  which  is  almost 

a  hundred  miles  in  length,  and  others  are  those 
of  the  Frisii,  Chauci,  Frisiavones,  Sturii  and  Marsacii, 
which  He  between  Briel  and  VHeland.  The  latter 
give  their  names  to  the  mouths  into  which  the  Rhine 
divides,  discharging  itself  on  the  north  into  the  lakes 
there  and  on  the  west  into  the  river  Meuse,  while 
at  the  middle  mouth  between  these  two  it  keeps  a 
small  channel  for  its  own  name. 

XVI.  Opposite  to  this   region  lies  the  island  of  iiritain. 
Britain,  famous  in   the  Greek  records '  and  in  our 

own ;  it  lies  to  the  north-west,  facing,  across  a 
wide  channel,  Germany,  Gaul  and  Spain,  countries 
which  constitute  by  far  the  greater  part  of  Europe. 
It  was  itself  named  Albion,  while  all  the  islands  about 
which  we  shall  soon  briefly  speak  were  called  the 
Britains.  Its  distance  from  Gesoriacum'^  on  the  coast 
of  the  Morini  tribe  by  the  shortest  passage  is  50 
miles.'  Its  circumference  is  reported  by  Pytheas  and 
Isidorus  to  measure  4875  miles ;   nearly  thirty  years 

197 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

notitiam  eius  Romanis  armis  non  ultra  vicinitatem 
silvae  Calidoniae  propagantibus.  Agrippa  longitu- 
dinem    dccc   esse,   latitudinem    ccc   credit,    eandem 

103  Hiberniae,  sed  longitudinem  cc  minorem.  super 
eam  haec  sita  abest  brevissimo  transitu  a  Silurum 
gente  xxx.  reliquarum  nulla  c.\.w  amplior  circuitu 
proditiu-.  sunt  autcm  xl  Orcades  modicis  inter  se 
discretae  spatiis,  vii  Acmodae,  xxx  Hebudes,  et  inter 
Hiberniam  ac  Britanniam  Mona,  Monapia,  Riginia, 
Vectis,  Silumnus,  Andros,  infra  vero  Sambis  et 
Axanthos,  et  ab  adversa  in  Germanicum  mare  sparsae 
Glaesariae  ^     quas     Electridas     Graeci     recentiores 

104  appellavere,  quod  ibi  electrum  nasceretur.  ultima 
omnium  quae  memorantur  Tyle,  in  qua  solstitio 
nullas  esse  noctes  indicavimus,  cancri  signum  sole 
transeunte,  nuUosque  contra  per  brumam  dies; 
hoc  quidam  senis  mensibus  contiiu'.is  fieri  arbitrantur. 
Timaeus  historicus  a  Britannia  introrsum  sex  dierum 
navigatione  abesse  dicit  insulam  .\Iictim  in  qua 
candidum  plumbum  proveniat ;  ad  eam  Britannos 
vitiHbus  navigiis  corio  circumsutis  navigare.  sunt 
qui  et  ahas  prodant,  Scandias,  Dumnam,  Bergos, 
maximainque  omnium  Bcrricen,  ex  qua  in  Tylen 
navdgetur.  a  Tyle  unius  diei  navigatione  mare 
concretum  a  nonnuUis  Cronium  appellatur. 

1  Edd.,  cf.  §  97  :  Glaeriae. 

"  Probably  the  Grampian  Hills. 
^  South  \Valc8. 
'  See97/wi. 

•*  Possiblv  XW.  Norway. 

*  Probably  St.  Michaers  Mount  ofiF  Cornwall,  in  spite  of  tho 
distance  stated. 
'  Possibly  Barra. 
»  Poasibly  Lewia. 

198 


BOOK   IV.  XVI.  102-104 

ago,  its  exploration  was  carried  by  the  arnied  forces 
of  Rome  to  a  point  not  beyond  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Caledonian  Forest."  Agrippa  beHeves  the 
length  of  the  island  to  be  800  niiles  and  its  breadth 
300,  and  the  breadth  of  Ireland  the  same  but  its 
length  200  miles  less.  Ireland  Hes  beyond  Britain,  ireiand. 
the  shortest  crossing  being  from  the  district  ^"  of  the 
Silures,  a  distance  of  30  miles.  Of  the  remaining 
islands  it  is  said  that  none  has  a  circumference  of 
more  than  125  miles.  There  are  the  40  Orkneys 
separated  by  narrow  channels  from  each  other,  the 
7  Slietlands,  the  30  Hebrides,  and  between  Ireland 
and  Britain  the  Islands  of  Anglesea,  Man,  Rackhn, 
White-horn,  Dalkey  and  Bardsey ;  south  of  Britain 
are  Sian  and  Ushant,  and  opposite,  scattered  about 
in  the  direction  of  the  German  Sea,  are  the  Glass 
Islands,*^  which  the  Greeks  in  more  modern  times  have 
callcd  the  Electrides,  from  the  Greek  word  for  amber, 
which  is  produced  there.  The  most  remote  of  all 
those  recorded  is  Thule,'*  in  which  as  we  have  y/'"'«- 
pointed  out  there  are  no  nights  at  midsummer  when  ^^-  '^^* 
the  sun  is  passing  through  the  sign  of  the  Crab,  and 
on  the  othcr  hand  no  days  at  midwinter ;  indeed 
some  writers  think  this  is  the  case  for  periods  of  six 
months  at  a  tinie  wilhout  a  break.  The  historian 
Timaeus  says  there  is  an  island  named  Mictis  * 
lying  inward  six  days'  sail  from  Britain  where  tin 
is  found,  and  to  which  the  Britons  cross  in  boats 
of  osier  covered  with  stitched  hides.  Some  writers 
speak  of  otlier  islands  as  well,  the  Scandiae,  Dumna, 
Bergos,/ and  Berrice,?  the  largest  of  all,  from  which 
the  crossing  to  Thule  starts.  One  day's  sail  from 
Thule  is  the  frozen  ocean,called  by  some  the  Cronian 
Sea. 

199 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

105  XVII.  Gallia  omnis  Comata  uno  nomine  appillata 
in  tria  populorum  gcncra  dividitur,  amnibus  maxime 
distineta :  a  Scalde  ad  Sequanam  Bclgica,  ab  eo  ad 
Garunnam  Celtica  eademque  Lugdunensis,  inde  ad 
Pyrenaei  montis  excursum  Aquitanica,  Aremorica 
antea  dicta.  univcrsam  oram  |.vvTi|l  Agrippa, 
Galliarum  inter  Rhenum  et  Pyrenaeum  atque 
occanum  ac  montes  Cebennam  et  lures,  quibus 
Narbonensem  Galliam  excludit,  longitudinem  ccccxx, 
latitudinem  ccc.wiii  computavit. 

106  A  Scaldi  incolunt  extera  Texuandri  pluribus 
nominibus,  dein  Menapi,  Morini,  Oromarsaci  iimcti 
pago  qui  Chersiacus  vocatur,  Britanni,  Ambiani, 
Bellovaci,  Bassi ;  introrsus  Catoslugi,  Atrcbates, 
Nervi  liberi,  Veromandui,  Suaeuconi,  Sucssiones 
Hberi,  Ulmanectes  Hberi,  Tungri,  Sunuci,  Frisiavones, 
Baetasi,  Lcuci  Hberi,  TreveriUbcri  antea,et  Lingones 
foederati,  Rcmi  foederati,  Mcdiomatrici,  Sequani, 
Raurici,  Helveti ;  coloniae  Equestris  et  Raurica. 
Rhenum  autcm  accolentes  Germaniae  gentium  in 
eadem  provincia  Nemetes,  Triboci,  Vangiones,  in 
Ubiis  colonia  Agrippincnsis,  Guberni,  Batavi  et 
quos  in  insulis  diximus  Rlicni. 

107  XVIII.  Lujrdunensis  GaUia  habet  Lexovios,  Velio- 
casses,  Galetos,  Venctos,  Abrincatuos,  Ossismos, 
flumen  clarum  Ligerem,  sed  paeninsulam  specta- 
tiorem  excurrentem  in  oceanum  a  fine  Ossismorum 


"  Cologne,  nnmrd  aftcr  Agrippina  (the  wifeof  Claudias),  who 
wos  liorn  therc. 

"  Hritiany,  ending  in  Cape  Finistero. 


BOOK   IV.  XVII.  105-XV111.  107 

XVII.  The  whole  of  Gaul  included  under  the  Gaul. 
general  name  of  Long-liaired  divides  into  three  races 
of  people,  which  are  chiefly  separated  by  the  rivers: 
from  the  Scheldt  to  the  Seine  is  Belgic  Gaul,  from 
the  Seine  to  the  Garonne  Celtic  Gaul,  also  called 
Lyonese,  and  from  the  Garonne  to  the  projection 
of  the  Pyrenees  Aquitanian  Gaul,  previously  called 
Armorica.  Agrippa  reckoned  the  entire  length  of 
the  coast  at  1750  miles,  and  the  dimensions  of  thc 
Gauls  between  the  Rhine  and  the  Pyrenees  and  thc 
ocean  and  the  mountains  of  the  Cevennes  and  Jura, 
wliich  exclude  the  Narbonne  division  of  Gaul,  as — 
length  420  miles,  brcadth  318  miles. 

The  part  beginning  at  the  Scheldt  is  inhabited  by  Bdgium  am 
the  Texuandri,  who  have  several  names,  and  then  the  tcrn  France. 
Menapi,  the  Morini,  the  Oromarsaci  adjacent  to  the 
canton  called  Chersiacus,  the  Bretons,  the  Ambiani, 
the  Bellovaci  and  the  Bassi ;  and  more  in  the  interior 
the  Catoslugi,  Atrebalcs,  Nervi  (a  free  people), 
Veromandui,Suaeuconi,Suessiones  (free),  Ulmanectes 
(free),  Tungri,  Sunici,  Frisiavones,  Baetasi,  Leuci 
(free),  Treveri  (fonnerly  free),  Lingones  (federated), 
llemi  (federated),  Mediomatrici,  Sequani,  Raurici, 
Helveti ;  and  the  Equestrian  and  Rauric  colonies. 
The  races  of  Germany  living  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhine  in  the  same  province  are  the  Nemetes, 
Triboci  and  Vangiones,  and  among  the  Ubii  the 
Colony  of  Agrippina,"  the  Guberni,  the  Batavi  and 
the  people  whom  we  have  already  mentioncd  as  §  101. 
dwelling  on  the  islands  of  the  Rhine. 

XVni.  To    Lyonese    Gaul    belong   the    Ijexovu,  Centrai  and 
Veliocasses,  Galeti,  Veneti,  Abrincatui,  Ossismi,  the  lyancet 
famous  river  Loire,  and  also  the  still  more  remarknble 
peninsula  *  that  runs  out  into  the  ocean  from  the 

20I 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

circuitu  dcxxv,  cenice  in  latitudinem  cxxv.  ultra 
eum  Namnetes,  intus  autem  Aedui  foederati, 
Camuteni  focderati,  Boi,  Senones,  Aulerci  qui 
cognominantur  Eburovices  et  qui  Ccnomani,  Neldi 
liberi,  Parisi,  Tricasses,  Andicavi,  Viducasses,  Bodio- 
casses,  Venelli,  Coriosvelites,  Diablinti,  Rhedones, 
Turones,  Atesui,  Secusiani  liberi,  in  quorum  agro 
colonia  Lugdunum. 

los  XIX.  Aquitanicae  sunt  Ambilatri,  Anagnutes, 
Pictones,  Santoni  liberi,  Bituriges  liberi  cognomine 
V^ivisci,  Aquitani  unde  nomen  provinciae,  Scdibo- 
viates ;  mox  in  oppidum  contributi  Convenae, 
Begerri,  Tarbelli  Quattuorsignani,  Cocosatcs  Sexsig- 
nani,  Venami,  Onobrisates,  Belendi ;  saltus  P^Tcnaeus, 
infraque  Monesi,  Oscidatcs  Montani,  Sybillates, 
Camponi,  Bcrcorcates,  Pinpcdunni,  Lassunni,  Vel- 
lates,  Toruates,  Consoranni,  Ausci,  Elusatcs,  Sot- 
tiatcs,  Oscidates  Campestres,  Succasses,  Latusates, 
Bjisaboiates,    Vassci,    Sennates,    Cambolectri    Ages- 

l(i9  sinates.  Pictonibus  iuncti  autem  Bituriges  liberi 
qui  Cubi  appellantur,  dein  Lemo^ices,  Arverni  libcri, 
Gabales.  rursus  Narbonensi  provinciae  contermini 
Ruteni,  Cadurci,  Nitiobroges,  Tarneque  amne  dis- 
creti  a  Tolosanis  Pctrocori. 

Maria  circa  oram  ad  Rhenum  septentrionalis 
oceanus,  intcr  Rhenum  ct  Sequanam  Britannicus, 
inter  eum  et  Pyrenaeimi  Gallicus.  insulac  conplurcs 
^'^enetorum,  et  quae  Veneticae  appellantur  et  in 
Aquitanico  sinu  Uliaros. 

"  Bclle  lale,  Morbihan  and  others. 


BOOK   IV.  XVIII.  107-XIX.  109 

boundary  of  the  Ossismi  and  measures  625  miles 
round  and  125  miles  across  at  its  neck.  Beyond  that 
neck  are  the  Xamnetes,  and  in  the  interior  the  Aedui 
(federated),  Carnuteni  (federated),  Boii,  Senones, 
Aulerci  (both  those  named  Eburovices  and  those 
named  Cenomani),  Neldi  (free),  Parisii,  Tricasses, 
Andicavi,  Viducasses,  Bodiocasses,  VenelH,  Corios- 
vehtes,  Diabhnti,  Rhedones,  Turones,  Atesui,  and 
Secusiani  (free),  in  whose  territory  is  the  colony  of 
Lyons. 

XIX.  To  Aquitanian  Gaul  belong  the  Ambilatri,  Souih-west- 
Anagnutes,  Pictones,  Santoni  (free),  Bituriges,  also  ^*'"^'"'""^' 
named  Vivisci  (free),  Aquitani  (vvho  give  their  name 
to  the  province),  Sediboviates ;  then  the  Convenae 
together  forming  one  town,  the  Begerri,  the  Tarbelh 
Quattuorsignani,  Cocosates  Sexsignani,  Venami, 
Onobrisates,  Belendi ;  the  Pyrenean  pass;  and 
below  the  Moncsi,  Mountain  Oscidates,  Sybil- 
lates,  Camponi,  Bei'corcates,  Pinpcdunni,  Lassunni, 
Vellates,  Toruates,  Consoranni,  Ausci,  Elusatcs, 
Sottiates,  Oscidates  of  the  Plain,  Succasses,  Latusates, 
Basaboiates,  Vassei,  Sennates  and  the  Cambolectri 
Agessinates.  Joining  on  to  the  Pictones  are  the 
Bituriges  called  Cubi  (free),  then  the  Lemovices, 
Arverni  (free),  Gabales,  and  again,  marching  with 
the  province  of  Galha  Narbonensis,  the  Ruteni, 
Cadurci,  Nitiobroges,  and  separated  by  the  river 
Tarn  from  the  people  of  Toulouse,  the  Petrocori. 

The  seas  roimd  the  coast  are :  as  far  as  the  Rhine 
the  Northern  ocean,  between  the  Rhine  and  the 
Seine  the  British  Sea,  and  between  thc  Seine  and  the 
Pyrenees  the  Galhc  Sea.  Thcre  are  a  number  of 
islands  <»  of  the  Veneti,  botli  those  called  the 
Veneticae  and  Oleron  in  the  Gulf  of  Aquitania, 

203 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

110  XX.  A  Pyrcnaei  promunturio  Hispania  incipit,^ 
anc^ustior  non  Gallia  modo  verum  etiam  semetipsa, 
ut  diximus,  inmensum  quantum  hinc  oceano  illinc 
Hiberico  mari  comprimentibus.  ipsa  Pyrenaei  iuga 
ab  exortu  aequinoctiali  fusa  ^  in  oceasum  brumalem  "^ 
brexnores  latere  septentrionali  *  quam  meridiano  ^ 
Hispanias  faciunt.  proxima  ora  Citerioris  est  eius- 
demque  Tarraconensis  situs ;  a  Pyrcnaeo  per  ocea- 
num  Wsconum  saltus,  Olarso,  \'ardulorum  oppida, 
Morogi,    Mcnosca,   Vesperies,   Amanum   portus   ubi 

111  nunc  Flaviobrica  colonia;  civitatium  novem  regio 
Cantabrorum,  flumen  Sauga,  portus  Yictoriac  lulio- 
bricensium  (ab  co  loco  fontes  Hiberi  xL  p.),  portus 
Blendium,  Orgenomcsci  e  Cantabris,  portus  corum 
Vereasucca,  regio  Asturum,  Noega  oppidum,  in 
paeninsula  Pcsici ;  et  dcinde  conventus  Lucensis,  a 
flumine  Na\ialbione  Cibarci,  Egivarri  cognomine 
Namarini,  ladovi,  Arroni,  Arrotrcbae ;  proniun- 
turium  Celticum,  amnes  I-lorius,  Nelo,  Celtici 
cognomine  Neri  et  super  Tamarci  quorum  in  pacnin- 
sula   tres   arae   Sestianae  Augusto   dicatae,  Copori, 

'  incipit<(ibi)  ?  Dellejnen.  *  i\is&  v.l.  om. 

'  brumali  Detlefsen.  *  septcntrionali  v.l.  om. 

'  brumalem  breviores  quam  latere  meridiano  Mayhoff. 


"  /.e.  the  eastem  extremity  of  the  Pyrcnees,  Cape  Creux. 

*  l.e.  than  the  sizc  into  which  it  widens  out  south  and  west 
of  where  the  Pyrenees  cut  it  off  from  France.  Oceanus  means 
the  Bay  of  Biecay  as  part  of  the  Atlantic;  Hibericum  Mare 
is  the  Guif  of  Lyons,  SimLs  Gallicus,  which  is  more  usually 
deacribed  as  part  of  Mare  Balearicum,  the  name  Mare  Hiberi- 
cum  being  kept  for  the  part  of  the  Meditcrranean  between 
the  Balearic  Isiands  and  the  .Straits  of  Gibraitar. 

•  Both  text  and  mcAning  are  extremely  doubtful.  Possibly 
what  is  meant  is  that,  whcreas  the  south  of  Spain  ia  all  sea- 

204 


BOOK    IV.  xx.  iio-iii 

XX.  At  the  promontory  "  of  the  Pyrenees  begins  Spain. 
Spain,  which  is  narrower  not  only  than  Gaul  biit  even 
than  itself,''  as  we  have  said,  seeing  how  enormously 
it  is  pressed  together  on  one  side  by  the  ocean  and 
on  the  other  by  the  Iberian  Sea.  The  actual  chain 
of  the  Pyrenees,  spreading  from  due  east  to  south- 
west,  makes  the  Spanish  provinces  shortcr  on  thc 
northern  side  than  on  the  southern.<^  On  the  nearest 
coast  is  situated  Hither  or  Tarragonian  Spain ;  along 
the  sea-coast  '^  from  the  Pyrenees  are  the  forest  of 
the  Vascones,  Olarso,  the  towns  of  the  Varduh, 
Morogi,  Menosca,  Vesperies  and  the  port  of  Amanum, 
the  present  site  of  the  colony  of  Flaviobrica ;  then 
the  district  of  the  nine  states  of  the  Cantabri,  the 
river  Sauga,  the  port  of  Victory  of  the  JuHobricenses  ^ 
(from  this  place  the  sources  of  the  Ebro  are  40  miles 
distant),  the  port  of  Blendium,  the  Orgenomesci  (a 
branch  of  the  Cantabrians),  their  port  Vereasueca, 
the  district  of  the  Asturcs,  the  town  of  Noega,/the 
Pesici  on  a  peninsula ;  and  then,  belonging  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  Lugo,  startingfromthe  river  Navialbio, 
the  Cibarci,  tlie  Egivarri  surnamed  Namarini, 
ladovi,  Arroni,  Arrotrebae  ;  the  Celtic  Promontory,? 
the  rivers  Florius  and  Nelo,  the  Celts  surnamed  Neri, 
and  above  them  the  Tamarci,  on  wliose  peninsula 
arethe  three  Altars  of  Scstius  dcdicated  to  Augustus, 

coast,  part  of  the  ndrthem  boundary  is  formed  by  tho 
Pyrenees.  That  range,  however,  runs  almost  due  east  and 
west,  though  mountainous  country  does  stretch  from  it  S.W. 
across  the  peninsula. 

•^  I.e.  along  the  Spanish  coast  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay  going 
wcstward. 

•  Now  Santander. 
f  Now  Navia. 

*  FiDistcrre. 

205 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

oppidum    Noeta,    Celtici    cognominc    Praestamarci, 
Cileni.     ex  insulis  noniinandae  Corlicata  ct  Aunios. 

112  a  Cilenis  conventus  Bracarum  Helleni,  Grovi, 
castellum  Tyde,  Graccorum  sobolis  omnia ;  insulae 
Siccae,  oppidum  Abobrica,  Minius  amnis  Tv  ore 
spatiosus,  Leuni,  Seurl)i,  Bracarum  oppidum  Augusta, 
quos  super  Gallaccia ;  flumen  Limia;  Durius  amnis 
ex  maximis  Hispaniae,  ortus  in  Pelendonibus  et 
iuxta  Numantiam  lapsus,  dcin  per  Arevacos  Vaccae- 
osque  disterminatis  ab  Asturia  \cttonibus,  a  Lusi- 
tania  Gallaecis,  ibi  quoque  lurdulos  a  Bracaris 
arcens.  omnisque  dicta  rcgio  a  Pyrenaeo  metallis 
referta  auri,  argenti,  ferri,  plumbi  nigri  albique. 

113  XXI.  A  Durio  Lusitania  incipit :  Turduli  veteres, 
Paesuri,  flumen  Vagia,  oppidum  Talabrica,  oppidum 
et  flumen  Aeminium,  oppida  Coniumbrica,  CoUippo, 
Eburobrittium.  excurrit  dcinde  in  altum  vasto 
cornu  promunturium,  quod  aliqui  Artabrum  appel- 
laverc,  alii  Magnum,  multi  Olisipponense  ab  oppido, 
terras,  maria,  caelimi  discriminans.  illo  finitur 
Hispaniae    latus    et    a    circuitu    eius    incipit    frons. 

114  XXII.  Septentrio  hinc  occanusquc  Gallicus,  occasus 
illinc  et  oceanus  Atlanticus.  promunturi  cxcursum 
Lx  prodiderc,  alii  xc,  ad  Pyrenaeum  indc  non  pauci 
poTjL,  et  ibi  gentem  Artabrum,  quae  numquam  fuit, 

"  See  p.  6,  note  6. 

*  A  tribe  deacended  from  them  were  in  Farther  Spain,  III  8. 

•  Capo  de  la  Koca. 

<*  I.e.  the  coast  from  Cape  Roca  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tagua  to 
the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.  Pliny  thinks  that  thc  coast  from  Cape 
Roca  to  Finistcrre  faces  north. 

2o6 


BOOK   IV.  XX.  iii-xxii.  114 

the  Copori,  the  to^\Ti  of  Noeta,  the  Celts  surnamed 
Praestamarci,  the  Cileni.  Of  the  islands  must  be 
specified  Corticata  and  Aunios.  After  the  Cilem", 
in  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Bracae  are  the  Helleni,  the 
Grovi  and  Tyde  Castle,  all  people  of  Greek  stock; 
the  Dry  Islands,  the  town  of  Abobrica,  the  river 
Minho  four  miles  wide  at  its  mouth,  the  Leuni,  the 
Seurbi,  Augusta,  a  town  belonging  to  the  Bracae, 
above  whom  is  Gallaecia ;  the  Limia  stream  and  the 
river  Douro,  one  of  the  largest  in  Spain,  which 
rises  in  the  district  of  the  Pelendones  and  passing 
by  Numantia  then  flows  through  the  Arevaci  and 
Vaccaei,  separating  the  Vettones  from  Asturia  and 
the  Gallaeci  froni  Lusitania,  and  at  this  point  also 
separating  the  Turduh  from  the  Bracari.  The  whole 
of  the  district  mentioned,  from  the  Pyrenees  onward, 
is  fuU  of  mines  of  gold,  silver,  iron,  lead  and  tin. 

XXI.  From  the  Douro  begins  Lusitania :  <*  the  Portugai. 
old  TurduH,*  the  Paesuri,  the  river  Vouga,  the  town 
of  Talabrica,  the  town  and  river  Agueda,  the  towns 
of  Coimbra,  Leiria  and  Eboro  di  Alcobaza.  Then 
there  runs  out  into  the  sea  a  promontory  "  shaped 
hke  a  vast  horn,  called  by  some  people  Artabrum,  by 
otliers  the  Great  Cape,  and  by  many  Cape  Lisbon 
after  the  town ;  this  headland  sharply  divides  tlie 
land  and  sea  and  chmate.  This  eape  ends  the  side 
of  Spain.  and  after  rounding  it  the  front  "^  of  Spain 
begins.  XXII.  On  one  side  of  it  is  the  north 
and  the  GalHc  Ocean,  and  on  the  other  the  west 
and  the  Atlantic.  The  distance  to  which  this  pro- 
montory  projects  has  been  given  as  60  miles,  and 
by  others  as  90  miles ;  the  distance  from  here  to 
the  Pyrenees  many  give  as  1250  miles,  and  place 
here    a    race    of    Artabres,    which     never    existed, 

207 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

manifesto  errore :  Arrotrebas  enim,  quos  ante 
Celticum  diximus  promunturium,  hoc  in  loco  posuere 
litteris  permutatis. 

115  Erratum  et  in  amnibus  inclutis.  ab  Minio,  qucm 
supra  diximus,  cc  (ut  auctor  est  Varro)  abest  Ae- 
minius,  quem  alibi  quidam  intellegunt  et  Limaeam 
vocant,  Oblinonis  antiquis  dictus  multumque  fabu- 
losus.  ab  Durio  Tagus  cc  interveniente  Munda ; 
Tagus  aurifcris  harcnis  celebratur.  ab  co  clx 
promunturium  Sacrum  e  media  prope  Hispaniae 
fronte  prosilit.  |"xrv]  inde  ad  Pyrenaeum  medium 
colHgi  V^arro  tradit,  ad  Anam  vero,  quo  Lusitaniam 
a  Baetica  discrevimus,  cxxvi,  a  Gadibus  cii  additis. 

116  Gentes  Celtici,  Turduli  et  circa  Tagum  V^ettones; 
ab  Ana  ad  Sacrum  Lusitani.  oppida  a  Tago  memora- 
biHa  in  ora  OHsippo  equarum  e  favonio  vento  con- 
ceptu  nobile,  Salacia  cognominata  Urbs  Imperatoria, 
Merobrica,  promunturium  Sacrum  et  alterum  Cuneus, 
oppida  Ossonoba,  Balsa,  MyrtiHs. 

117  Universa  provincia  dividitur  in  conventus  tres, 
Emeritensem,  Pacensem,  ScaHabitanum,  tota  popu- 
lorum  XLV,  in  quibus  coloniae  sunt  quinque,  munici- 

•  Probably  Punta  de  Sagrcs, 

2o8 


BOOK    IV.  xxii.  114-117 

the  error  being  obvious;  they  have  put  here,  with 
an  alteration  in  the  spelling  of  the  name,  the  Arro- 
trebae,  whom  we  spoke  of  before  we  came  to  the 
Celtic  Promontory.  ^  ni. 

Mistakes  have  also  been  made  in  regard  to  the 
important  rivers.  From  the  Minho,  which  we  spoke 
of  above,  the  distance  to  the  Agueda  according  to  §  112. 
Varro  is  200  miles,  though  others  place  the  latter 
elsewhere  aiid  call  it  the  Limaea ;  in  early  times  it 
was  called  the  River  of  Forgetfulness,  and  a  great 
many  stories  were  told  about  it.  Two  hundred  miles 
from  the  Douro  is  the  Tagus,  the  Mondego  coming 
between  them  ;  the  Tagus  is  famous  for  its  auriferous 
sands.  At  a  distance  of  nearly  160  miles  from  the 
Tagus  is  Cape  St.  Vincent,  projecting  from  nearly 
the  middle  of  the  front  of  Spain.  The  distance  from 
Cape  St.  Vincent  to  the  middle  of  the  Pyrenees  is 
stated  by  Varro  to  amount  to  1400  miles ;  from  St. 
VMncent  to  the  Guadiafia,  which  we  indicated  as  the 
boundary  between  Lusitania  and  Baetica,  he  puts 
at  126  miles,  the  distance  from  the  Guadiana  to 
Cadiz  adding  another  102  miles. 

The  peoples  are  the  Celtici,  the  TurduH,  and  on  the 
Tagus  the  V^ettones  ;  and  between  the  Guadiana  and 
Cape  St.  Vincent  the  Lusitanians.  The  notable 
towns  on  the  coast,  beginning  at  the  Tagus,  are : 
Lisbon,  famous  for  its  mares  which  conceive  from  viii.  lee 
the  west  wind ;  Alcazar  do  Sal,  called  the  Imperial 
City  ;  Santiago  de  Cacem  ;  Cape  St.  Vincent,  and  the 
other  promontory  called  the  Wedge  ;  <»  and  the  towns 
of  Estombar,  Tavira  and  Mertola. 

The  wliole  province  is  divided  into  three  associa-  organiiation 
tions,  centred  at   Merida,  Beja  and  Santarem.     It  o/S,"'' 
consists  of  45  peoples  in  all,  among  whom  there  ai'e 

209 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

pium  civium  Romanorum,  Lati  antiqui  iii,  stipendia- 
ria  XXXVI.  coloniac  Augusta  Emerita  Anae  fluvio 
adposita,  Mctellincnsis,  Pacensis,  Norbensis  Caesa- 
rina  cognomine  (contributa  sunt  in  eani  Castra 
Servilia,  Castra  Caecilia) ;  quinta  est  Scallabis  quae 
Praesidium  lulium  vocatur.  municipium  civium 
Romanorum  Olisippo  Fclicitas  lulia  cognominatum. 
oppida  veteris   Lati   Ebora,   quod   idem   Liberalitas 

118  lulia,  et  Myrtilis  ac  Salacia,  quae  diximus.  stipen- 
diariorum  quos  nominare  non  pigeat,  praeter  iam 
dictos  in  Baeticae  cognominibus,  Augustobricenses, 
Aeminienses,  Aranditani,  Axabricenses,  BaLsenses, 
Caesarobricenses,  Capercnses,  CaurieiLscs,  Colarni, 
Cibilitani,  Concordienses,  Elbocori,  Interamnienses, 
Lancienses,  Mirobricenses  qui  Celtici  cognominantur, 
Medubricenses  qui  Plumbari^  Occlenses,  Turduli  qui 
Bardili  et  Tapori. 

Lusitaniam  cum  Asturia  et  Gallaccia  patere 
longitudine  dxl,  latitudine  dxx.\vi,  Agrippa  prodidit. 
omnes  autem  Hispaniae  a  duobus  Pyrcnaei  promun- 
turiis  per  maria,  totius  orae  circuitu  IxJv^ixl  xxiv 
colligere  existimantur,  ab  aliis  |xxvi|. 

119  Ex  advcrso  Ccltiberiae  conplures  sunt  insulae  Cas- 
siteridcs  dictae  Graecis  a  fertilitate  plumbi  albi,^  et 
e  rcgione  Arrotrcbarum  promuntiu"i  Dcorum  vi,  quas 
aliqui  Fortunatas  appellavere.  in  ipso  vero  capite 
mox  Baeticae  ab  ostio  freti  p.  xw  Gadis,  longa,  ut 

*  albi  add.  Warmington. 
2IO 


BOOK   IV.  XXII.  II 7-1 19 

five  colonies,  one  municipality  of  lloman  citizens, 
three  with  the  old  Latin  rights  and  36  that  pay 
tribute.  The  colonies  are  Merida  on  the  river 
Guadiana,  Medellin,  Beja,  and  Alcantara  surnamed 
Caesarina  (to  this  Trucillo  and  Caceres  are  assigned)  ; 
and  the  fifth  is  that  of  Santarem,  which  is  called  the 
Garrison  of  Julius.  The  municipahty  of  Roman 
citizens  is  Lisbon,  surnamed  the  Success  of  Juhus. 
The  towns  witli  the  old  Latin  riglits  are  Evora,  which 
is  also  called  the  Generosity  of  Juhus,  and  Mertola 
and  Alcazar  do  Sal  which  we  have  mentioned.  Of  §iic. 
the  tributary  towTis  that  deserve  mention,  besides 
those  already  specified  in  the  hst  of  names  of  those  m  i3. 
belonging  to  Baetica,  are  Augustobriga,  Aemia, 
Arandita,  Axabrica,  Balsa,  Caesarobrica,  Capera, 
Coria,  Colarna,  Cibihta,  Concordia,  Elbocox'ium, 
Interamnium,  Lancia,  Malabriga  surnamed  Celtic, 
Medubriga  surnamed  Plumbaria,  Ocelum,  the  Tur- 
duH  also  called  Bardih,  and  the  Tapori. 

The  dimensions  of  Lusitania  combined  with  Asturia 
and  Gallaecia  are  given  by  Agrippa  as :  length  540 
miles,  breadth  536  miles.  The  provinces  of  Spain 
taken  all  together,  measured  from  the  two  pro- 
montories  of  the  Pyrenees  along  the  sea  hne,  are 
estimated  to  cover  by  tlie  circumference  of  the  whole 
coast  2924  miles,  or  by  others  2600  miles. 

Opposite  to  Celtiberia  are  a  number  of  islands "  rsianUs  ufj 
called  by  the  Greeks  the  Tin  Islands  in  consequence  ^"'* 
of  their  abundance  of  that  metal ;  and  facing  Cape 
Finisterre  are  the  six  Islands  of  the  Gods,  which  some 
people  have  designated  the  Islcs  of  BHss.  But 
immediately  at  the  beginning  of  Baetica  comes 
Cadiz,  25  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Strait,  an  island 

"  Probably  tbe  Scilly  Islands. 

211 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Polybius  scribit,  xii,  lata  fii.  abest  a  continente 
proxima  parte  minus  pedes  dcc,  reliqua  plus  vTi ; 
ij)sius  spatium  xv  est.  habet  oppiduin  civium 
Romanorum  qui  appellantur  Augustani  urbe  lulia 
12u  Gaditana.  ab  eo  latere  quo  Hispaniam  spectat 
passibus  fere  c  altera  insula  cst  m  longa  passus,  m 
lata,  in  qua  prius  oppidum  Gadium  fuit ;  vocatur 
ab  Ephoro  et  Philistide  Erjthea,  a  Timaco  et  Sileno 
Aphrodisias,  ab  indigenis  lunonis.  maiorem  Ti- 
macus  Potimusam  a  puteis  vocitatam  ait,  nostri 
Tarteson  appcllant,  Pocni  Gadir  ita  Punica  lingua 
saepem  significante ;  Erythea  dicta  est,  quoniam 
Tyri  aborigines  corum  orti  ab  Erythro  mari  fere- 
bantur.  in  hac  Gerj-ones  habitasse  a  quibusdam 
existimantur  quorum  ^  armcnta  Hercules  abduxerit ; 
sunt  qui  aham  esse  cam  et  contra  Lusitaniam 
arbitrentur,  eodcmque  nomine  quondam  ^  ibi 
appellatam.^ 

121  XXIII.  Pcracto  ambitu  Europae  rcddenda  con- 
summatio  est,  ne  quid  non  in  expcdito  sit  noscere 
volentibus.  longitudinem  eius  Artemidorus  atque 
Isidorus  a  Tanai  Gadcs  |lxxvii|  .vIv  prodiderunt. 
Polybius  latitudinem  Europae  ab  ItaHa  ad  oceanum 
scripsit  |.\1(L  essc,  etiam  tum  inconpcrta  magnitudinc. 

122  est  autem  ipsius  Italiae,  ut  diximus,  |.\|  .\x  ad  Alpes, 

'    V.l.  existimatur  ruius. 

^  Jidd.  quandam. 

*  Caesarius :  appellant. 

212 


BOOK    IV.  xxii.  119-XX111.  122 

according  to  Polybius's  account  measuring  12  miles 
in  length  and  3  miles  in  breadth.  Its  distance  from 
the  mainland  at  the  nearest  point  is  less  than  233 
yards.  but  at  other  places  it  is  more  than  7  miles; 
the  circuit  of  the  island  is  15  miles.  It  has  a  town 
whose  population  have  the  Roman  citizenship  and 
are  called  Augustans,  the  title  of  their  city  being 
Julia  Gaditana.  On  the  side  facing  Spain  at  a 
distance  of  about  100  yards  is  another  island  one 
mile  long  and  one  mile  broad,  on  which  the  town  of 
Cadiz  was  previously  situated  ;  Ephorus  and  Philistus 
call  this  island  Erythea,  and  Timaeus  and  Silcnus 
call  it  Aphrodisias,  but  its  native  name  is  the  Isle 
of  Juno.  The  larger  island  according  to  Timaeus  is 
kno\vn  as  Potimusa  from  its  wells,  but  our  people  call 
it  Tartesos  and  the  Punic  name  is  Gadir,  which  is 
Carthaginian  for  a  fence;  it  was  called  Erythea, 
because  the  original  ancestors  of  the  Carthaginians, 
the  Tyrians,  were  said  to  have  come  from  the  Red 
Sea.  This  island  is  believed  by  some  people  to  have 
been  the  home  of  the  Geryones  whose  cattle  were 
carried  off  bv  Hercules ;  but  others  hold  that  that 
was  another  island,  lying  off  Lusitania,  and  that  an 
island  there  was  once  called  by  the  same  name. 

XXIII.  Having  completed  the  circuit  of  Europe  Dimensions 
we  must  now  give  its  complete  dimensions,  in  order  °'  "■^"p^- 
that  those  who  desire  this  information  may  not  be 
left  at  a  loss.  Its  length  from  the  Don  to  Cadiz  is 
given  by  Artemidorus  and  Isidorus  as  7714  miles. 
Polybius  stated  the  breadth  of  Europe  from  Italy 
to  the  ocean  as  1150  miles,  but  its  exact  magnitude 
had  not  been  ascertained  even  in  his  day.  The  length 
of  Italy  itself  up  to  the  Alps  is  1020  miles,  as  we 
stjitid;    .",r.d   from  the  Alps  through  Lyons  to  the  11143. 

voT,.  TT.  II       213 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

unde  per  Lugdunum  ad  portxim  Morinorum  Britan- 
nicum,  qua  videtur  mensuram  agere  Polybius,  |xi| 
Lxix ;  sed  certior  mensura  ac  longior  ad  occasum 
solis  aestivi  ostiumque  Rheni  per  castra  legionum 
Germaniae  ab  iisdem  Alpibus  dirigitur,  |3aT|  xuii. 
Hinc  deinde  Africa  atque  Asia  dicentur. 


214 


BOOK    IV.  xxiii.  122 

harbour"  of  fche  Morini,  the  port  on  the  British 
channel,  the  line  of  measurement  that  Polybius 
appears  to  take,  is  1169  miles,  but  a  better  ascer- 
tained  measurement  and  a  longer  one  is  that  starting 
also  from  the  Alps  but  going  north-west  through  the 
Camp  of  the  Legions  in  Germany  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Rhine— 1243'miles. 

Next  after  this  we  shall  speak  of  Africa  and  Asia. 

"  Gesoriacum,  now  Boulogno. 


ar.'; 


BOOK   V 


LIBER   V 

1  I.  Africam  Guafx-i  Libvam  appollavere  et  mare 
ante  eam  Libycum.  Aegypto  finitur ;  nec  alia 
pars  terrarum  pauciores  recipit  sinus  longe  ab 
occidente  ^  litorum  obliqu(j  spatio.  populorum  eius 
oppidorumque  nomina  vel  maxime  sunt  ineffabilia 
praeterquam  ipsorum  linguis ;  et  alias  castella 
ferme  inhabitant. 

2  Principio  terrarum  Mauretaniae  appellantur, 
usque  ad  C.  Caesarem  Germanici  filium  regna, 
saevitia  eius  in  duas  divisae  provincias.  pro- 
munturium  Oceani  extremum  Ampelusia  nominatur  a 
Graecis.  oppida  fuere  Lissa  et  Cotte  ultra  columnas 
Herculis,  nunc  est  Tingi  quondam  ab  Antaeo 
conditum,  postea  a  Claudio  Cacsare,  cum  coloniam 
faceret,  appellatum  Traducta  lulia ;  abest  a  Baelone 
oppido  Baeticae  proximo  traiectu  xxx.  ab  eo  .\xv  in 
ora  Oceani  eolonia  Augusti  lulia  Constantia  Zulil, 
regum  dicioni  exempta  et  iura  in  Baeticam  petere 
iussa.     ab  ea  xxxv  colonia  a  Claudio  Caesare  facta 

^  [loDge  ab  occidente]  Dalecamp. 


"  Cape  Spartel. 

"  Prcsumably    in    mcmory    of  a   prcvious   colony    '  trans- 
fcnrcd  '  from  Tangier  to  Spain  in  the  time  of  Julius  Caesar. 
'  Arzilla,  in  the  territory  of  Fez. 

2l8 


BOOK   V 

I.  TiiE  Greeks  give  to  Africa  the  name  of  Libya,  i/nca. 
and  they  call  the  sea  lying  in  front  of  it  the  Libyan 
Sea.  It  is  bounded  by  Egypt.  No  other  part  of 
the  earth  has  fewer  bays  or  inlets  in  its  coast,  whicli 
stretches  in  a  long  slanting  hne  from  the  west.  The 
names  of  its  peoples  and  towns  are  absolutely  un- 
pronounceable  except  by  the  natives ;  and  for  the 
rest,  they  mostly  reside  in  fortresses. 

The  Ust  of  its  countries  begins  with  the  two  called  Thetico 
Mauretania,  which  down  to  the  time  of  the  emperor  '''""■'^"'"''"' 
Caliguhi  were  kingdoms,  but  by  his  cruelty  were 
divided  into  two  provinces.  The  outermost  promon- 
tory  projecting  into  the  ooean  is  named  by  the 
Greeks  Ampelusia."  Beyond  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar 
there  were  once  the  towns  of  Lissa  and  Cotte ;  but 
at  the  present  day  there  is  only  Tangier,  which 
was  originally  founded  by  Antaeus  and  subsequently 
entitled  Traducta  JuHa  ^  by  tlie  emperor  Claudius 
when  he  establislied  a  colony  there.  It  is  30  miles 
distant  from  the  town  of  Baelon  in  Baetica,  where 
the  passage  across  is  shortest.  On  the  Atlantic 
coast  25  miles  from  Tangier  is  JuHa  Constantia 
ZuHl,''  a  colony  of  Augustus,  which  is  exempt  irom 
the  government  of  the  native  kings  and  included 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  Baetica.  Thirty-five  miles 
from  ZuHl  is  Lixus,  made  a  colony  by  the  emperor 

219 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

3  Lixos,  vel  fabulosissime  antiquis  narrata :  ibi  regia 
Antaei  certamenque  cum  Hercule,  et  Hesperidum 
horti.  adfunditur  autem  aestuarium  e  mari  flexuoso 
meatu,  in  quo  draconis  ^  custodiae  instar  fuisse  nunc 
interpretantur ;  amplectitur  intra  se  insulam,  quam 
solam  e  vicino  tractu  aliquanto  excelsiore  non 
tamen  aestus  maris  inundant.  exstat  in  ea  et  ara 
Herculis  nec  praeter  oleastros  aliud  ex  narrato  illo 

4  aurifero  nemore.  minus  profecto  mirentur  por- 
tentosa  Graeciae  mendacia  de  his  et  amne  Lixo 
prodita  qui  cogitent  nostros  nuperque  paulo  minus 
monstrifica  quaedam  de  iisdem  tradidisse,  prae- 
validam  hanc  urbem  maioremque  Magna  Carthagine, 
praeterea  ex  adverso  eius  sitam  et  prope  inmenso 
tractu  ab  Tingi,  quaeque  alia  Cornelius  Nepos 
avidissime  credidit. 

5  Ab  Lixo  XL  in  ineditcrraneo  altera  Augusti  colonia 
est  Babba,  lulia  Campestris  appellata,  et  tcrtia 
Banasa  lxxv  p..  Valentia  cognominata.  ab  ea  xxxv 
^'^olubile  oppidum,  tantundem  a  mari  utroque  distans. 
at  in  ora  a  Lixo  L  amnis  Sububus  praeter  Banasam 
coloniam  defluens,  magnificus  et  navigabilis.     ab  eo 

*  V.l.  dracones. 

"  Their  golden  apples  were  guarded  by  a  serpent. 
'  Cf.  the  nanie  '  Serpentine  '  in  London. 
'  Tho  Wadi  Draa. 

"*  Thc  original  city,  bo  called  in  distinction  from  its  colony 
in  Spain,  Carthago  Nova.  now  Cartagena. 
'  J.e.  on  the  same  meridian;  this  is  of  course  a  mistake. 


BOOK  V.  I.  2-5 

Claudius,  about  which  the  most  marvellous  legends 
are  told  by  the  old  writers :  this  was  the  site  of  the 
palace  of  Antaeus  and  the  scene  of  his  combat  with 
Hercules,  and  here  were  the  sjardens  of  the  Ladies 
of  the  West."  As  a  matter  of  fact  an  arm  of  the  sea 
stretches  inland  here  ^vith  a  winding  channel  which, 
as  people  nowadays  explain  the  story,  had  some 
resemblance  to  a  guardian  serpent ;  *  it  embraces 
within  it  an  island  which,  although  the  neighbouring 
district  is  considerably  elevated,  is  nevertheless  the 
only  portion  not  flooded  by  the  tides.  On  the  island 
there  also  rises  an  altar  of  Hercules,  but  of  the 
famous  grove  in  the  story  that  bore  the  golden  fi*uit 
nothing  else  except  some  wild  olive  trees.  No  doubt 
less  wonder  may  be  felt  at  the  portentous  falsehoods 
of  Greece  put  about  concerning  these  serpents  and 
the  river  Lixus''  by  people  who  reflect  that  our  own 
countrymen,  and  these  quite  recently,  have  reported 
Uttle  less  miraculous  stories  about  the  same  matters, 
stating  that  this  city  is  exceedingly  powerful  and 
greater  than  Great  Carthage''  ever  was,  and  more- 
over  that  it  is  situated  in  a  Une  with  ^  Carthage 
and  at  an  almost  immeasurable  distance  from 
Tangier,  and  all  the  other  details  swallowed  so 
greedily  by  CorneHus  Nepos. 

In  the  interior,  40  miles  from  Lixus,  is  another 
colony  of  Augustus,  Babba,  called  Julia.  On  The 
Plains,  and  75  miles  further,  a  third,  Banasa,  which 
has  the  surname  of  Valentia.  Thirty-five  miles  from 
Banasa  is  tlie  tovvn  of  Volubile,  whioh  is  at  the  same 
distance  from  the  coasts  of  the  Atlantic  and  the 
Mediterranean.  On  the  shore,  50  miles  from  Lixus, 
is  tlie  river  Sebou,  flowing  by  the  colony  of  Banasa, 
a    fine    river    available    for    naviffation.     The    same 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

totidem  milibus  oppidum  Sala  eiusdem  nominis  fluvio 
inpositum,  iam  solitudinibus  vicinimi  elephanto- 
rumque  gregibus  infestum,  multo  tamen  magis 
Autololum   gente,   per   quam   iter   est   ad   montem 

6  Africae  vel  fabulosissimum  Atlantem.  e  mediis 
hxmc  harenis  in  caelum  attolli  prodidere,  aspenma, 
squalentem  qua  vergat  ad  litora  oceani  cui  cognomen 
impos\iit,  eundem  opacum  nemorosumque  et  scatebris 
fontium  riguum  qua  spectet  Africam,  fructibus 
omnium    generum    sponte    ita    subnascentibus    ut 

7  numquam  satias  voluptatibus  desit.  incolarum  ne- 
minem  interdiu  cerni,  silere  omnia  haut  aHo  quam 
solitudinum  horrore,  subire  tacitam  reUgionem  animos 
propius  accedentium  praeterque  horrorem  elati 
super  nubila  atque  in  vicina  lunaris  circuli ;  eundem 
noctibus  micare  crebris  ignibus,  Aegipanum  Satyro- 
rumque  lascivia  inpleri,  tibiarum  ac  fistulae  cantu 
tympanorumque  et  cymbaloriun  sonitu  strepere. 
haec  celebrati  auctores  prodidere  praeter  Herculi 
et  Perseo  laborata  ibi.  spatium  ad  eum  inmensum 
incertumque. 

8  Fuere  et  Hannonis  Carthaginiensium  ducis  com- 
mentarii  Punicis  rebus  florentissimis  explorare 
ambitum    Africae    iussi,    quem    secuti    plerique    a 

•  Written  in  Punic  and  still  extant  in  a  Greek  translation, 
see  Vol.  I,  Index,  Hanno,  and  Book  I,  §  169. 


BOOK   V.  I.  5-8 

nuinber   of  miles   from   the   Sebou   is  the   town   of 

Sallee,  situated  on  the  river  of  the  same  name ;  this 

town  is  on  the  very  edge  of  the  desert,  and  is  beset 

by   herds   of  elephants,   but   much   more   seriously 

harried  by  the  Autololes  tribe,  through  whose  terri- 

tory  lies  the  road  to  Mount  Atlas,  which  is  the  sub-  HountAtia 

ject  of  much  the  most  marvellous  stories  of  all  the 

mountains  in  Africa.     It  is  reported  to  rise  into  the 

sky  out  of  the  middle  of  tlie  sands,  a  rugged  eminence 

covered  with  crags  on  the  side  facing  towards  the 

coast  of  the  Ocean  to  which  it  has  given  its  name, 

but  shaded  by  dense  woods  and  watered  by  gushing 

springs   on  the  side  facing  Africa,  where  fruits   of 

all  kinds  spring  up  of  their  own  accord  with  such 

luxuriance   that    pleasure    never   lacks   satisfaction. 

It  is  said  that  in  the  day-time  none  of  its  inliabitants 

are   seen,   and  that   all  is   silent   with   a  terrifying 

silence  hke  that  of  the  desert,  so  that  a  speechless 

awe  creeps  into  the  hearts  of  those  who  approach 

it,  and  also  a  dread  of  the  peak  that  soars  above 

the  clouds  and   reaches  the   neighbourhood   of  the 

moon's  orb ;  also  that  at  night  this  peak  flashes  with 

frequent  fires  and  swarms  with  the  Avanton  gambols 

of  Goat-Pans  and  Satyrs,  and  echoes  with  the  music 

of  flutes   and   pipes   and   thc   sound   of  drums   and 

cymbals.     These    stories    havc    been    pubUshed    by 

celebrated  authors,  in  addition  to  the  labours  per- 

formed  in  this  region  by  Hercules  and  Perseus.     It 

is   an    immense   distance   away,    across    unexplored 

country. 

There  were  also  once  extant  some  notes  "  of  the  /crpioration 
Carthaginian  commander  Hanno,  who  at  the  nxost  If^^frLa!^ 
flourishing  period  of  the  Punic  state  was  ordered  to 
explore  the  circuit  of  Africa.     It  is  Hanno  whom 

233 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Graecis  nostrisque  et  alia  qiudem  fabulosa  et  urbes 
multas  ab  eo  conditas  ibi  prodidere,  quarum  nec 
memoria  uUa  nec  vestigium  exstat. 

9  Scipione  Aemiliano  res  in  Africa  gerente  Polybius 
annalium  conditor  ab  eo  accepta  classe  scrutandi 
illius  orbis  gratia  circumvectus  prodidit  a  monte  eo  ad 
occasum  versas  saltus  plenos  feris  quas  gcncrat 
Africa ;  ad  Humcn  Anatim  ccccxcvi,  ab  eo  Lixum 
ccv  Agrippa,  Lixum  a  Gaditano  freto  cxii  abesse ; 
inde  sinum  qui  vocetur  Sagigi,  oppidum  in  pro- 
munturio  Mulelacha,  flumina  Sububum  et  Salat, 
portum  Rutubis  a  Lixo  ccxxiv,  inde  promunturium 
Solis,  portum  llhysaddir,  Gaetulos  Autoteles,  flumen 
Quosenum,  gentes  Velatitos  et  Masatos,  flumcn 
Masatliat,   flumen    Darat,   in   quo  crocodilos  gigni. 

10  dein  sinum  ncxvi  includi  monlis  Bracae  promunturio 
excurrcnte  in  occasum,  quod  appcllotur  Surrcntium. 
postea  flumen  Salsum,  ultra  quod  Aethiopas  Perorsos, 
quorum  a  tcrgo  Pharusios.  his  iungi  in  mediter- 
raneo  Gaetulos  Daras,  at  in  ora  Aethiupas  Daralitas, 
flumen  Bambotum  crocodiHs  et  hippopotamis  re- 
fertum.  ab  eo  montes  perjictuos  usque  ad  eum 
quem  Theon  Ochema  dicemus.  indc  ad  pro- 
munturium      Hcspcrium      navigatione     dierum     ac 

"  In  the  Tliird  Punic  War,  when  Carthage  waus  destroyod, 
146  B.c. 

'  Pcrhaps  the  Om-Rabya.  '  Mount  Kakulinia. 

224 


BOOK   V.  I.  8-IO 

the  majority  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  writers  have 
followed  in  the  accounts  that  they  have  pubUshed 
of  a  number  of  cities  founded  by  him  there  of  which 
no  memory  or  trace  exists,  not  to  speak  of  other 
fabulous  stories. 

Scipio  AemiHanus,  during;  his  command  in  Africa," 
placed  a  fleet  of  vessels  at  the  service  of  the  historian 
Polybius  for  the  purpose  of  niaking  a  voyage  of  dis- 
covery  in  that  part  of  the  world.  After  saiUng  round 
the  coast,  Polybius  reported  that  beyond  Mount 
Atlas  in  a  westerly  direction  there  are  forests  teem- 
ing  with  the  wild  animals  that  Africa  engenders. 
Agrippa  says  that  to  the  river  Anatis*  is  a  distance 
of  496  miles,  and  from  the  Anatis  to  Lixus  205 
miles ;  that  Lixus  is  112  miles  from  the  Straits 
of  Gibraltar  and  that  then  come  the  gulf  called 
Sagigi  Bav,  the  town  on  Cape  Mulelacha,  the  rivers 
Sebou  and  Sallee,  the  port  of  Mazagan  224  miles 
from  Lixus,  then  Capo  Blanco,  the  port  of  Safi,  the 
Gnetulian  Free  State,  the  river  Tensift,  the  Velatili 
and  Masati  tribes,  the  river  Mogador,  and  the  river 
Sous,  in  which  crocodiles  are  found.  Then,  he  states, 
a  gulf  616  miles  across  is  enclosetl  by  the  promontory 
of  the  Atlas  chain  projecting  westward,  callod  Cape 
Ger.  After  this  the  river  Assa,  beyond  which  is  the 
Aethiopian  tribe  of  the  Perorsi,  and  in  their  rear 
the  Pharusii.  Adjoining  these  in  the  interior  are 
the  GaetuUan  Darae,  and  on  the  coast  the  Aethiopian 
Daratitae  and  the  river  Non,  which  is  full  of  croco- 
diles  and  hippopotamuses.  From  the  Non  runs  a 
line  of  mountains  extending  right  to  the  peak"^  of 
which  the  Greek  name  is,  as  we  shall  state,  the  vi.  197. 
Chariot  of  the  (iods.  The  distance  from  this  peak 
to  Cape  Roxo  he  gives  as  a  voyage  of  ten  days  and 

225 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

noctium  decem.  in  inedio  eo  spatio  Atlantem 
locavit  a  ceteris  omnibus  in  extremis  Mauretaniae 
proditum. 

11  Romana  arma  primum  Claudio  principe  in  Maure- 
tania  bellavere  Ptolcmaeum  regem  a  Gaio  Caesare 
interemptum  ulciscente  liberto  Aedemone,  refu- 
gientibiLsquc  barbaris  ventum  constat  ad  montem 
Atlantem.  nec  solum  consulatu  perfunctis  atque  e 
senatu  ducibus  qui  tum  res  gessere  sed  equitibus 
quoque  Romanis  qui  ex  eo  praefuere  ibi  Atlantem 

12  penetrasse  in  gloria  fuit.  quinque  sunt  (ut  diximus) 
Romanae  coloniae  in  ea  provincia,  perviumquc 
fama  ^  videri  potcst ;  sed  id  plerumquc  fallacissimum 
cxperimento  deprehenditur,  quia  dignitates,  cum 
indagare  vera  pigeat,  ignorantiae  pudorc  mcntiri 
non  piget,  haut  alio  fidei  proniore  lapsu  quam  ubi 
falsae  rei  gravis  auctor  existit.  equidem  minus 
miror  inconperta  quaedam  esse  equestris  ordinis 
viris,  iam  vero  et  senatum  inde  intrantibus,  quam 
luxuriae,  cuius  efficacissima  vis  sentitur  atque 
maxima,  cum  ebori,  citro  silvae  cxquirantur,  omnes 

13  scopuli  GactuH  muricibus,  purpuris.     indigcnae  ta- 

*  V.l.  faraae. 
226 


BOOK  V.  1.  ia-13 

nights;  and  in  the  middle  of  this  space  he  places 
Moimt  Atlas,  which  all  other  authorities  give  as 
situated  at  the  farthest  point  of  Mauretania. 

The  first  occasion  on  which  the  armed  forces  of  Rcmun 
Rome  fought  in  Mauretania  was  in  the  principate  f,^'^'^ 
of  Claudius,  when  King  Ptolemy  had  been  put  to  A/nca. 
death  by  CaUgula  and  his  freedman  Aedemon  was 
seeking  to  avenge  him ;  and  it  is  an  accepted  fact 
that  our  troops  went  as  far  as  Mount  Atlas  in  pur- 
suit  of  the  routed  natives.  And  not  only  were  the 
ex-consuls  and  generals  drawn  from  the  senate  who 
commanded  in  that  campaign  able  to  boast  of  having 
penetrated  the  Atlas  range,  but  this  distinction  was 
also  shared  by  the  Knights  of  Rome  who  subse- 
quently  governed  the  country.  The  province  con- 
tains,  as  we  have  said,  five  Roman  colonies,  and,  §^2fE. 
to  judge  by  common  report,  the  place  might  well  be 
thought  to  be  easily  accessible ;  but  upon  trial  this 
criterion  is  discovered  to  be  for  the  most  part  ex- 
ceedingly  fallacious,  because  persons  of  high  position, 
although  not  incHned  to  search  for  the  truth,  are 
ashamed  of  ignorance  and  consequently  are  not 
reluctant  to  tell  falsehoods,  as  creduUty  is  never 
more  easily  let  do^\Ti  than  when  a  false  statement  is 
attested  by  an  authority  of  weight.  For  my  own 
part  I  am  less  surprised  that  some  things  are  outside 
the  knowledge  of  gentlemen  of  the  equestrian  order, 
some  of  whom  indeed  nowadays  actually  get  into 
the  senate,  than  that  anything  should  be  unknown 
to  luxury,  which  acts  as  an  extremely  great  and 
powerful  stimulus,  inasmuch  as  forests  are  ransacked 
for  ivory  and  citrus-wood  and  all  the  rocks  of 
GaetuHa  explored  for  the  murex  and  for  purple. 
The  natives,  however,  inform  us  that  on  the  coast 

227 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

men  tradunt  in  ora  ab  Salat  cL  flumen  Asanam 
marino  haustu  sed  portu  spectabile,  mox  amncm 
quem  vocant  Fut,  ab  co  ad  Dirim — hoc  enim  Atlanti 
nomen  esse  eorum  lingua  convenit — cc,  interveniente 
flumine  cui  nomcn  est  Ivor;  ibi  pauca  ^  extare  circa 
vestigia  habitati  quondam  soli,  vinearum  palmeto- 
rumque  reh'quias. 

14  Suetonius  PauHnus,  quem  consulem  \idimus, 
primus  Romanorum  ducvun  transgressus  quoque 
Atlantem  aliquot  miliuni  spatio  prodidit  de  excelsi- 
tate  quidem  eius  quae  ceteri,  imas  radices  densis 
altisque  repletas  silvis  incognito  genere  arborum, 
proceritatem  spectabilem  esse  enodi  nitore,  frondes 
cupressi  similes  praeterquam  gravitate  odoris,  tenui 
eas  obduci  lanugine,  quibus  addita  arte  posse  quales 
e    bombyce    vcstes    confici.      verticem    altis    etiam 

15  aestate  operiri  nivibus.  dccumis  se  eo  per\'enisse 
castris  et  ultra  ad  fluvium  qui  Ger  vocatur  per  soli- 
tudines  nigri  pulveris,  cmincntibus  intcrdum  velut 
exustis  cautibus,  loca  inhabitabilia  fervorc  quaniquam 
hibemo  tempore  experto.  qui  proximos  inliabitent 
saltus  refertos  elcphantorum  fcrarumque  et  ser- 
pentium    omni    genere    Canarios    appellari,    quippe 

^  ilayhoff :  ibi  favo,  ibi  fama  cl  alia. 


"  Thc  m(xlern  Daran. 

*  Consul  66  A.D.,  propraetor  in  Mauretania  42  a.d.;    the 
father  of  the  biographer  of  the  Caesars. 

228 


BOOK    V.  I.  13-15 

150  miles  from  the  Sallee  is  the  River  Asana, 
which  is  a  tidal  river  but  which  is  notable  for  its 
harbour;  and  then  the  river  which  they  call  the 
Fut,  and  200  miles  from  it,  after  crossing  a  river 
named  Ivor,  the  Diiis  "  range — tliat  is  agreed  to  be 
the  native  nanie  for  the  Atlas ;  and  that  in  the 
neighbourhood  are  traces  of  the  land  having  formerly 
been  inhabited — remains  of  vineyards  and  palm- 
groves. 

Suetonius  PauHnus,  who  was  consul  in  our  own 
times,^  was  the  first  lloman  commander  who  actually 
crossed  the  Atlas  range  and  advanced  a  distance  of 
many  miles  beyond  it.  His  report  as  to  its  remark- 
able  altitude  agrees  with  that  of  all  the  other 
authorities,  but  he  also  states  that  the  regions  at 
the  base  of  the  range  are  filled  vith  dense  and 
lofty  forests  of  trees  of  an  unknown  kind,  with  very 
tall  trunks  remarkable  for  their  glossy  timber  free 
from  knots,  and  foliage  Hke  that  of  the  cypress 
except  for  its  oppressive  scent,  the  leaves  being 
covered  with  a  thin  downy  floss,  so  that  with  the 
aid  of  art  a  dress-material  like  that  obtained  from 
the  silk-worm  can  be  made  from  them.  The  summit 
(the  report  continued)  is  covered  with  deep  snow- 
drifts  even  in  summer.  Ten  days'  march  brought 
him  to  this  point  and  beyond  it  to  the  river  called 
the  Ger,  across  deserts  covered  with  black  dust 
occasionally  broken  by  projections  of  rock  that 
looked  as  if  they  had  been  burnt,  a  region  rendered 
uninhabitable  by  its  heat,  although  it  was  winter 
time  when  he  explored  it.  He  states  that  the  neigh- 
bouring  forests  swarm  with  every  kind  of  elephant 
and  snake,  and  are  inhal)ited  by  a  tribe  called  the 
Canarii,  owing    to   the    fact    that    they   have    their 

229 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

victum  eius  animalis  promiscuum  his  esse  et  dividua 
ferarum  viscera. 

16  lunctam  Aethiopum  gentem  quos  Perorsos  vocant 
satis  constat.  luba  Ptolemaei  pater,  qui  primus 
utrique  Mauretaniae  imperitavit,  studiorum  claritate 
memorabilior  etiam  quam  regno,  similia  prodidit  de 
Atlante,  praeterque  gigni  herbam  ibi  euphorbeam 
nomine  ab  inventore  medico  suo  appellatam,  cuius 
lacteimi  sucum  miris  laudibus  celebrat  in  claritate 
visus  contraque  serpentes  et  venena  omnia  privatim 
dicato  volumine. — Et  satis  superque  de  Atlante. 

17  Tingitanae  provinciae  longitudo  clx.x  est.  gentes 
in  ea:  quondam  praecipua  Maurorum  (unde  nomen) 
quos  plerique  Maurusios  dixerunt,  attenuata  bellis 
ad  paucas  recidit  familias.  proxima  iUi  Masaesylorimi 
fuerat ;  simih  modo  extincta  est.  Gaetulae  nunc 
tenent  gentes,  Baniurae  multoque  validissimi  Auto- 
teles  et  horum  pars  quondam  Nesimi,  qui  avolsi  his 

18  propriam  fecere  gentem  versi  ad  Aethiopas.  ipsa 
provincia  ab  oriente  montuosa  fert  elephantos,  in 
Abyla   quoque   monte   et   quos   Septem    Fratres   a 

"  Milk-wort,  Euphorbia  antiguorum. 
*  Or  possibly  '  dedicated  to  him  personally.' 
«  Now  Djebel  Mousa. 
230 


BOOK   V.  I.  15-18 

diet  in  common  with  the  canine  race  and  share  ^vith 
it  the  flesh  of  wUd  aninials. 

It  is  well  ascertained  that  the  next  people  are 
the  Aetliiopian  tribe  called  the  Perorsi.  Juba,  thc 
father  of  Ptolemy,  -vvho  was  the  first  ruler  to  hold 
sway  over  both  the  Mauretanias,  and  who  is  even 
more  distinguished  for  his  renown  as  a  student  than 
for  his  royal  sovereignty,  has  published  similar  facts 
about  Mount  Atlas,  and  has  stated  in  addition  that 
a  plant  grows  there  called  the  euphorbia,"  named 
after  his  doctor  who  discovered  it ;  in  a  volume 
devoted  solely  to  the  subject  of  this  plant*  he  sings 
the  praises  of  its  milky  juice  in  very  remarkable 
terras,  stating  it  to  be  an  aid  to  clear  sight  and 
an  antidote  against  snake-bite  and  poisons  of  all 
kinds. — This  is  enough,  or  more  than  enough,  about 
Mount  Atlas. 

The  province  of  Tangier  is  170  miles  in  length.  NoTihcoam 
It  contains  the  following  tribes :  the  Moors  (from  j^j^^J^"' 
whom  it  takes  its  name  of  Mauretania),  by  many  Aigfria. 
writers  called  the  Maurusii,  wei-e  formerly  the  lead- 
ing  race,  but  they  have  been  thinned  by  wars  and 
are  now  reduced  to  a  few  famiHes.  The  next  race 
to  this  was  previously  that  of  the  MasaesyH,  but 
this  has  been  wiped  out  in  a  similar  manner.  The 
country  is  now  occupied  by  the  GaetuHan  tribes,  the 
Baiiiurae  and  the  Free  State,  by  far  the  most  power- 
ful  of  them  all,  and  the  Nesimi,  who  were  formerly 
a  section  of  the  Autoteles,  but  have  spHt  ofF  from 
them  and  formed  a  separate  tribe  of  their  own 
in  the  direction  of  the  Aethiopians.  The  province 
itself  produces  elephants  in  its  mountainous  district 
on  the  eastern  side  and  also  on  Mount  Ceuta  and 
the  range  of  peaks  called  the  Seven  Brothers  ^'  from 

231 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

simili  altitudine  appellant;  freto  imnrunent  ii  iuncti 
Abylae.  ab  his  ora  interni  maris,  flumen  Tamuda 
navigabile,  quondam  et  oppidum ;  flumen  Laud  et 
ipsum    navigiorum    capax,    Illiysaddir    oppidum    et 

19  portus,  Malvane  fluvius  navigabilis.  Siga  opjndum 
ex  adverso  Malacae  in  Hispania  situm,  Syphacis 
regia,  alterius  iam  Mauretaniae  ;  namque  diu  regum 
nomina  optinuere,  ut  Bogutiana  appelhiretur  extuma, 
itemque  Bocchi  quae  nunc  Caesariensis.  ab  ea 
Portus  Magnus  a  spatio  appellatus,  civium  Roman- 
orum  oppidum  ^ ;  amnis  Mulucha,  Bocchi  Masae- 
sylorumque    finis ;    Quiza    Xenitana    (Peregrinorimi 

20  Oppidum) ;  Arsennaria  Latinorum,  iii  a  mari ; 
Cartenna  colonia  Augusti  legione  ^  secunda,  item 
colonia  eiusdcm  deducta  cohorte  praetoria  Gunugu ; 
pronuinturium  Apollinis  oppichunque  ibi  celeberri- 
mum  Caesarea,  antea  vocitatum  lol,  lubae  regia  a 
divo  Claudio  coloniae  iure  donata;  eiusdem  iussu 
deductis  vcteranis  Oppidum  Novimi  et  Latio  dato 
Tipasa,  itemque  a  V^espasiano  imperatore  eodcm 
munere  donatum  Icosium ;  colonia  Augusti  Rus- 
guniae,  Rusucurium  civitate  honoratum  a  Claudio, 
Rusazus  colonia  Augusti,  Saldae  colonia  eiusdem, 
item    Igilgili ;     oppidum   Tucca   inpositum    mari    et 

21  flumini    Ampsagae.     intus    colonia    Augusta    quae 

*  V.l.  oppido. 

*  1.  Mudler:  legio. 

"  Mauretania  Caesariensis,  now  Algeria. 
*  A  Latinised  adjective  from  ^(vos. 
'  Perhaps  Algiere. 
'  Now  the  Wadi-el-Kobir. 

232 


BOOK   V.  I.  i8-2i 

tlieir  similarity  of  height ;  these  mountains  join  on 
to  Mounh  (  euta  and  overlook  tlie  Straits  of  Gibraltar. 
At  the  Scven  Brothcrs  begins  the  coast  of  the 
Mcditerranean,  and  next  come  the  navigable  river 
Bedia  and  the  site  of  a  former  town  of  the  same 
name,  the  river  Gomera,  also  navigable  for  vessels, 
thc  tov/n  and  harbour  of  Safi,  and  the  navigable 
river  Maluia.  Oppositc  to  Malaga  in  Spain  is 
situated  the  town  of  Aresgol,  thc  cajntal  of  King 
Sypliax,  whcrc  we  reach  the  second  Mauretania  "  — 
for  these  regions  for  a  long  time  took  the  names 
of  thcir  kings,  Further  Mauretania  being  called  the 
Lan(]  of  Bogut  and  simiharly  the  present  Caesariensis 
the  Land  of  Bocchus.  Afler  Aresgol  come  the  port 
called  from  its  size  Great  Harbour,  a  town  with 
Roman  citizenship ;  the  river  Muhicha,  tJie  frontier 
betwecn  the  Land  of  Bocchus  and  1  he  MasacsyU ; 
Quiza  Xenitana  **  (' AUcnville ') ;  Arzcn,  a  town 
with  Latin  rights,  three  miles  from  the  sea ;  Tenez, 
a  colony  of  Augustus,  wherc  the  Second  Legion  was 
settled,  and  Gunugu,  Hkewise  a  colony  of  the  same 
emperor  and  the  settlcmont  of  a  practorian  cohort ; 
Cape  Mestagan,  and  on  it  the  famous  town  of 
Cacsarea,'^  previously  called  lol,  thc  capiial  of  King 
Juba,  to  which  cok.nial  rights  were  granted  by  his 
late  ^Lajcsty  Claudius ;  New  Tovvn,  founded  as  a 
settlemcnt  of  veteran  troops,  and  Tipasa,  grantcd 
Latin  rights  by  the  same  emperor's  orders,  and  also 
Icosium  given  the  same  privilege  by  the  empcror 
Vcspasian ;  Rusguniae,  a  cokmy  of  Augustus,  Rus- 
ucurium,  given  the  honour  of  citizenship  by  Claudius, 
Rusazus,  a  colony  of  Augustus,  Saldae,  acolony  of  the 
same,  IgilgiU  Hkewise ;  the  town  of  Zucca,  situated 
on  tlie  sea  and  the  river  Ampsaga.''     In  the  interior 

233 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

item  Succhabar,  item  Tubusuptu,  civitates  Timici, 
Tigavae,  flumina  Sardaval,  Aves,  Nabar,  gens 
Macurcbi,  flumen  Usar,  gens  Nababes.  flunien 
Ampsaga  abest  a  Caesarca  cccxxii.i  utriusque 
Mauretaniae  longitudo  [x|  xxxviii,  latitudo  cccclxvTi. 

22  II.  Ab  Ampsaga  Numidia  est  Masinissae  clara 
nominc,  Metagonitis  terra  a  Graecis  appellata, 
Numidae  vero  Nomades  a  permutandis  pabulis, 
mapalia  sua,  hoc  est  domos,  plaustris  circimifcrentes. 
oppida  Culhi,  Rusiccade,  et  ab  eo  ad  xlviii  in  medi- 
terraneo  colonia  Cirta  Sitianorum  cognomine,  et 
aha  intus  Sicca,  hberumque  oppidum  Bulla  Rcgia.  at 
in  ora  Tacatua,  Hippo  Regius,  flumcn  Armua, 
oppidum  Tabraca  civium  Romanorum.  Tusca  fluvius 
Numidiae  finis.  ncc  praeter  marmoris  Numidici 
ferarumque  proventum  ahud  insigne  ei. 

23  III.  A  Tusca  Zeugitana  regio  et  quae  proprie 
vocetur  Africa  est.  tria  promunturia,  Candidum, 
mox  Apolhnis  adversum  Sardiniae,  Mcrcuri  adversum 
Sicihae,  in  altum  procurrcntia  duo  efficiunt  sinus, 
Hipponiensem  proxinuim  ab  oppido  (juod  Hipponem 
Dirutum  vocant,  Diarrhytum  Graecis  dictum  propter 
aquarum  inrigua,  cui   finitimum  Thcudalis  immune 

24  oppidum,  longius  a  htore ;  dein  promunturium 
ApoUinis,  et  in  aUero  sinu  Utica  civium  Romanorum, 

^  ocxu  Brotier. 


"  Tho  modom  Constantine.  Sitius  scrved  under  Caesar,  and 
receivcd  a  pjant  of  the  place  after  the  defeat  of  Juba. 

*  A  reaidenco  or  foundation  of  the  Kinga  of  Numidia; 
thcre  was  also  a  small  place  named  Bulla  Mensa  south  of 
Carthagc. 

*  '  Irrigated,'  '  canalised.' 

234 


BOOK  V.  I.  2I-III.  24 

is  the  colony  of  Augusta,  also  called  Succhabar,  and 
Ukewise  Tubusuptu,  the  independent  cities  of 
Timici  and  Tigavae,  the  rivers  Sardaval,  Aves  and 
Nabar,  the  Macurebi  tribe,  the  river  Usar,  and  the 
Nababes  tribe.  Froni  the  river  Anipsaga  to  Caesarea 
is  322  niiles.  The  length  of  the  two  Mauretanias  is 
1038  miles  and  the  breadth  467  miles. 

II.  At    the    river    Ampsaga    begins    Numidia,    a  Numidia. 
country  rendered  famous  by  the  name  of  Masinissa. 

The  Greelcs  called  it  Metagonitis,  and  they  named 
its  people  the  Nomads,  from  their  custom  of  fre- 
quently  changing  their  pasturage,  carrying  their 
mapalia,  that  is  their  homes,  about  the  country  on 
waggons.  The  towns  are  Chollum  and  Sgigada, 
and  in  the  interior  about  48  miles  from  the  latter 
the  colony  of  Cirta,  called  Cirta  of  the  Sitiani,"  and 
another  colony  further  inland,  Sicca,  and  the  free 
town  of  King's  Bulla.''  On  the  coast  are  Tagodet, 
King's  Hippo,  the  river  Mafragg,  and  the  town  of 
Tabraca,  which  has  Roman  citizenship.  The  boun- 
dary  of  Numidia  is  the  river  Zaina.  The  country 
produces  nothing  remarkable  beside  the  Numidian 
marble  and  wikl  beasts. 

III.  Beyond  the  Zaina  is  the  district  of  Zeugitana  AfHca 
and  the  region  properly  to  be  called  Africa.     Three  (^rvnmaand 
promontories  run  out  into  the  sea,  White  Cape  and  ^'''^'''O- 
then   Cape   Farina   facing  Sardinia   and   Cape   Bon 

facing  Sicily ;  tliese  form  two  bays — the  Bay  of 
Hippo  next  the  town  called  Hippo  Dirutus,  in  Greek 
Diarrhytus,"^  which  name  is  due  to  its  irrigation 
channels,  and  adjacent  to  this,  furlher  from  the 
coast,  Theudahs,  a  town  exempt  from  tribute ;  and 
then  Cape  Farina,  and  on  the  second  bay  Utica, 
which  has  the   rights   of  Roman  citizensliip ;    it  is 

235 


PLINY:    NATUIL\L   HISTORY 

Catonis  morte  nobilis,  flumen  Bagrada,  locus  Castra 
Comelia,  colonia  Carthago  Magnae  in  vestigiis 
Carthaginis,  colonia  Maxula,  oppida  Carpi,  Misua 
et  hberum  Clypea  in  promunturio  Mercuri,  itcm 
Hbera  Curubis,  Neapolis. 

Mox  Africae  ipsius  aUa  distinctio.  Libvphoenices 
vocantur  qui  Byzacium  incolunt:  ita  appcllatur 
regio  ccL  p.  circuitu,  fertihtatis  eximiae,  cuni  cente- 

25  sima  fruge  agricolis  fenus  reddente  terra.  hic 
oppida  hbcra  Leptis,  Hadrumetinn,  RiL^pina,Thapsus. 
indc  Thenae,  Aves,  Macomades,  Tacapc,  Sabrata 
contingens  Syrtim  Minorcm,  ad  qiuxra  Numidiae  et 
Africae  ab  Ampsaga  longitudo  m-xxx,  latitudo  qua 
cognitum  est  cc.  ea  pars  quam  Africam  appcUa- 
vimus  dividitur  in  duas  provincias,  Vetrrcm  et 
Novam,  discretas  fossa  intcr  Africanum  scquentem  et 
reges  Thenas  iisque  perducta,  quod  oppidum  a 
Carthagine  abest  ccxvi, 

26  IV.  Tertias  sinus  dividitur  in  geminos,  duarum 
Syrtium  vadoso  ac  reciproco  mari  diros.  ad 
proximam,  quae  minor  est,  a  Carthagine  ccc  Polybius 
tradit,  ipsam  centimi  miUum  passuum  aditu,  tre- 
ccntorum  ambitu.  et  terra  autcm  sidcrum  obser- 
vatione  ad  eam  per  dcserta  harcnis  perque  scrj^entes 
iter  est.    excipiunt  saltus  rcpleti  ferarum  muhitudine, 

"  Scipio  Africanus  tho  clder  carapcd   hero  on  landing   in 
Africa  204  b.c. 
'  See  §  4  note. 

'  Scipio  Aerailianus,  son  of  Aerailiue  Paulus. 
'  Micipsa  and  two  other  sons  of  Masinissa. 

236 


BOOK   V.  III.  24-iv.  26 

famous  as  the  scene  of  the  death  of  Cato.  Then 
there  is  the  river  Merjerdah,  the  place  called  the 
Camp  of  CorneUus,"  the  colony  of  Carthage  on  the  CariUage. 
site  of  Great  Carthagc,^  the  colony  of  Maxula,  the 
towns  of  Carpi.  Misua  and  Clypea,  the  last  a  free 
town  on  Cape  Mercury,  where  are  also  the  free 
towns  Kurbah  and  Nabal. 

Thcn  comes  another  section  of  Africa  proper. 
The  inhabitants  of  Byzacium  are  called  Libyphoeni- 
cians,  Byzacium  being  the  name  given  to  a  region 
measuring  250  miles  round,  a  district  of  exceptional 
fertiHty,  the  soil  paying  the  farmers  interest  at 
the  rate  of  a  hundredfold.  Here  are  the  free  towns 
of  Lempta,  Sousa,  Monastir,  Demas,  and  then 
Taineh,  Aves,  ^Lahometa,  Cabes  and  Sabart  on  the 
edge  of  the  Lesser  Syrtis ;  from  the  Ampsaga  to 
this  point  the  length  of  Numidia  and  Africa  is  580 
miles  and  the  breadth  so  far  as  ascertained  200  miles. 
The  part  that  we  have  called  Africa  is  divided  into 
two  provinces,  the  Old  and  the  New ;  the  division 
between  these,  as  agreed  between  the  younger 
Scipio  '^  and  the  Kings,<*  is  a  dyke  running  right 
tlirough  to  the  to^™  of  Tainch,  which  is  216  miles 
from  Carthage. 

IV.  The  third  gulf  is  divided  into  two  bays,  which  TheGnifof 
are  rendered  formidable  by  the  shallow  tidal  waters  theauifof 
of  the  two  Syrtes.    The  distance  between  the  nearest  '^'^''™- 
Syrtis,  which  is  the  smaller  of  the  two,  and  Carthage 
is  said  by  Polybius  to  be  300  miles ;    and  he  gives 
its  width  across  as  100  miles  and  its  circuit  as  300 
miles.     There  is  however  also  a  way  to  it  by  land, 
that   can    be   found    by   observation    of   the    stars, 
across  a  desert  abandoned  to  the  sand  and  swarm- 
ing  with  serpents.     Next  come  forests  filled  with  a 

237 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

et  introrsus  elephantorum  solitudines,  mox  deserta 
vasta   ultraque  Garamantcs    ab   Augilis  dieruni   xii 

27  itinere  distantcs.  super  illos  fuere  gcns  Psylli,  super 
quos  lacus  Lycomedis  desertis  circvmidatus.  Augilae 
ipsi  medio  fere  spatio  locantur,  ab  Aethiopia  quae 
ad  occidentem  vergit  et  a  regione  quae  duas  Syrtis 
interiacet  pari  utrimque  intervallo.  scd  Htore  inter 
duas  Syrtis  cci. ;  ibi  civitas  Oeensis,  Cinyps  fluvius  ac 
regio,  oppida  NeapoUs,  Taphra,  Habrotonum,  Leptis 
altera  quae  cognominatur  Magna.  inde  Syrtis  Maior 
circuitu    ucxxv,  aditu   autem  cccxil ;    accolit  ^  gens 

28  Cisippadum.  in  intimo  sinu  fuit  Ora  Lotophagon 
quos  quidam  Machroas  ^  dixere,  ad  Philacnorimi  Aras : 
ex  harena  sunt  hae.  ab  his  non  procul  a  continente 
palus  vasta  amnem  Tritonem  nomenque  ab  eo 
accipit,  Pallantias  appcUata  Callimacho  et  citra 
Minorcm  Syrtim  esse  dicta,  multis  vero  inter  duas 
Syrtis.  promunturium  quod  Maiorcm  includit 
Borion  appellatur;   ultra  Cyrenaica  provincia. 

29  Ad  hunc  finem  Africa  a  fluvio  Ampsaga  populos 
Dx\'i  habet  qui  Romano  pareant  impcrio ;  in  his 
colonias  sex,  praeter  iam  dictas  Uthinam,  Thuburbi ; 
oppida  civium  Romanorum  xv,  ex  quibus  in  medi- 
terraneo   dicenda    Absuritanum,    Abutucense,   Abo- 

•  Mayhoff:  inde  atoolit. 

*  V.l.  AJachroas. 


"  Here   denoting   the   denizens   of  Phazania,  Fezzan,   the 
largest  oasis  in  the  Sahara. 

*  One  legend  gave  it  as  her  Mrthplace. 

238 


BOOK  V.  IV.  26-29 

multitude  of  wild  beasts,  and  further  inland  desolate 
haunts  of  elephants,  and  then  a  vast  desert,  and 
beyond  it  the  Garamantes  °  tribe,  at  a  distance  of 
twelve  days'  journey  from  Aujelah,  Beyond  these 
was  formerly  the  Psylh  tribe,  and  beyond  them 
Lake  Lynxama,  surrounded  by  desert.  Aujelah 
itself  is  situated  almost  in  the  middle,  at  an  equal 
distance  on  either  side  from  the  Ethiopia  that 
stretches  westward  and  from  the  region  lying  between 
the  two  Syrtes.  But  by  the  coast  between  the  two 
Syrtes  it  is  250  miles ;  here  are  the  independent 
city  of  Oea,  the  river  Cinyps  and  the  district  of  that 
name,  the  toAVTis  of  NeapoHs,  Taphra,  Habrotonum 
and  the  second  Leptis,  called  Great  Leptis.  Then 
comes  the  Greater  Syrtis,  measuring  625  miles 
round  and  312  wide  at  the  entrance,  near  which 
dwells  the  race  of  the  Cisippades.  At  the  end  of 
this  Gulf  was  once  the  Coast  of  the  liOtus-oaters, 
the  people  called  by  some  the  Machroae,  extending 
to  the  Altars  of  the  Phihieni — these  are  formed  of 
heaps  of  sand.  After  these,  not  far  from  tho  shore 
of  the  mainland,  there  is  a  vast  swamp  into  which 
flows  the  river  Tritonis,  the  name  of  which  it  bears ; 
Callimachus  calls  it  the  Lake  of  Pallas.^  He  places 
it  on  the  nearer  side  of  the  Lesser  Syrtis,  but  many 
writers  put  it  between  the  two  Syrtes.  The  promon- 
tory  shutting  in  the  Greater  Syrtis  is  called  Cape 
Trajuni ;   beyond  it  is  the  province  of  Cyrene. 

Between  the  rivoi-  Ampsaga  and  this  boundary 
Africa  contains  516  peoples  that  accept  allegiance 
to  Rome.  These  include  six  colonies,  Uthina  and 
Thuburbi,  in  addition  to  those  already  mentioned  ;  §§  22,  24. 
15  towns  with  Roman  citizenship,  among  which  in 
the  interior  must  be  mentioned  those  of  Absurae, 

239 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

riense,  Canopicum,  Chimavense,  Simittuense,  Thunu- 
sidense,  Thuburnicense,  Thinidriunense,  Tibigense, 
Ucitana  duo,  Maius  et  Minus,  ^'agcnse ;  oppidum 
Latinum  unum  Uzalitanum  ;   oppidum  stipendiarium 

30  unum  Castris  Corneliis ;  oppida  libera  xxx,  ex  quibus 
dicenda  intus  AchoUitanum,  Accaritanum,  Avinense, 
Abziritanum,  Canopitanum,  Mclizitanum,  Mate- 
rense,  Salaphitanum,  Tusdritanum,  Tiphicense,  Tuni- 
sense,  Theudense,  Tagesense,  Tigcnse,  Ulusubri- 
tanum,  Vagense  aUud,  Vigense,  Zamcnse.  ex  rehquo 
numero  non  ci\atates  tantum  sed  pleraeque  etiam 
nationes  iure  dici  possunt,  ut  Natabudes,  Capsitani, 
Musulami,  Sabarbares,  MassyH,  Nicives,  Vamacurcs, 
Cinithi,  Musuni,  Marchubi,  et  tota  Gaetulia  ad 
flumen  Nigrim,  qui  Africam  ab  Aelhiopia  dirimit. 

31  V.  Cyrenaica  (eadem  Pentapolitana  regio)  inlu- 
stratur  Hammonis  oraculo  quod  a  Cyrcnis  abest 
ccccp.,  fonte  Sohs,urbibus  maxime  quinquc,Berenice, 
Arsinoe,  Ptolemaide,  ApoUonia  ipsaque  Cyrene. 
Berenice  in  SjTtis  extimo  cornu  est,  quondam  vocata 
Hesperidum  supra  dictiirurn,  vagantibus  Graeciae 
fabulis ;  nec  procul  antc  oppidum  fluvius  Leton, 
lucus    sacer,    ubi    Hesperidum    horti    memorantur. 

32  abest  ab  Lepti  ccclxxv  ;  ab  ea  Arsinoe  Teuchira 
vocitata  xliii,  et  dcinde  Ptolemais  antiquo  nomine 
Barce    xxii ;     mox    xl   promunturium    Phycuus   per 


"  From  which  Tunis  takes  its  name. 
*  The  birthplace  of  St.  Augustine. 


240 


BOOK   V.  IV.  29-v.  32 

Abutucum,  Aborium,  Canopicum,  Chimavis,  Simit- 
tuum,  Thunusidum,  Thuburnicum,  Thinidrumum, 
Tibiga,  the  two  towns  called  Ucita,  the  Greater  and 
the  Lesser,  and  Vaga ;  one  town  with  Latin  rights, 
Uzalita  ;  one  tributary  tOAvn  at  the  Camp  of  Cornelius  ; 
30  free  towns,  of  which  must  be  mentioned  ir\  the 
interior  the  towns  of  Achollita,  Accarita,  Avina, 
Abzirita,  Canopita,  MeUzita,  Matera,  Salapliita, 
Tusdrita,  Tiphica,  Tunisa,"  Theuda,  Tagesa,  Tiga, 
Ulusubrita,  a  second  Vaga,  Viga  and  Zama.*"  Of 
the  remaining  number  most  can  rightly  be  entitled 
not  merely  cities  but  also  tribes,  for  instance 
the  Natabudes,  Capsitani,  Musulami,  Sabarbares, 
MassyU,  Nicives,  Vamacures,  Cinithi,  Musuni, 
Marchubi,  and  the  whole  of  GaetuHa  as  far  as 
the  river  Quorra,  which  separates  Africa  from 
Ethiopia. 

V.  Notable  places  in  the  district  of  Cyrenaica  Cymmica 
(the  Greek  name  of  Avhich  is  the  Land  of  the  Five  "'^'^" ' 
Cities)  are  the  Oracle  of  Ammon,  which  is  400 
miles  from  the  city  of  Cyrene,  the  Fountain  of  the 
Sun,  and  especially  five  cities,  Benghazi,  Arsinoe, 
Tolmeita,  Marsa  Sousah  and  Cyrene  itself.  Benghazi 
is  situated  at  the  tip  of  the  horn  of  the  Syrtis ;  it 
was  formerly  called  the  City  of  the  Ladies  of  the 
West,  mentioned  above,  as  the  myths  of  Greece  5  3. 
often  change  their  locaUty  ;  and  in  front  of  the  to\vn 
not  far  away  is  the  river  Leton,  with  a  sacred  grove, 
reputed  to  be  the  site  of  the  gardens  of  the  Ladies 
of  the  West.  Benghazi  is  375  miles  from  Leptis ; 
and  Arsinoe  is  43  miles  from  Benghazi,  commonly 
called  Teuchira,  and  then  22  milcs  further  Ptolemais, 
the  old  name  of  which  was  Barce ;  then  40  miles 
on  the  cape  of  Ras  Sem  projects  into  the  Cretan 

241 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Creticum  mare  excurrit,  distans  cccl  p.  a  Taenaro 
Laconicae  promunturio,  a  Creta  vero  ipsa  ccxxv. 
post  id  Cyrene,  a  mari  xi  passuum,  ab  Phycunte 
ApoUoniam  xxiv,  ad  Cherronesum  lxxxviii,  unde 
Catabathmima  ccxvi.  accolunt  Marmaridae,  a  Parae- 
toni  ferme  regione  ad  Syrtim  Maiorem  usque  poi-- 

33  recti ;  post  eos  Acrauceles  ac  iam  in  ora  Syrtis  Nasa- 
mones,  quos  antea  Mesammones  Grai  appellavere 
ab  argumento  loci,  medios  inter  harenas  sitos. 
Cyrenaicus  ager  xv  p.  latitudine  a  Htore  et  arboribus 
fertilis  habetur,  intus  eodem  spatio  frugibus  tantum, 
mox  XXX  latitudine  et  ccL  longitudine  lasari  modo. 

34  Post  Nasamonas  Asbytae  et  Macae  vivont;  ultra 
eos  Amantes  xii  dierum  itinere  a  Syrtibus  Maioribus, 
ad  occidentem  et  ipsi  versus  harenis  circumdati, 
puteos  tamen  haut  difficile  binum  ferme  cubitorum 
altitudine  inveniunt  ibi  restagnantibus  Maurctaniae 
aquis.  domus  sale  montibus  suis  exciso  ceu  lapide 
construunt.  ab  his  ad  Trogodytas  hiberni  occasus 
plaga  dicrum  septem  iter,  cum  qiiibus  cornmcrcium 
gemmae    tantiun    quam    carbunculum    vocamus    ex 

35  Aetliiopia  invectae.  intervenit  ad  soHtudines  Africae 
supra   Minorem  Syrtim  dictas   versa  Phazania,  ubi 

*  The  distance  is  said  to  be  really  264  milca. 
242 


BOOK   V.  V.  32-35 

Sea,  350  miles "  distant  from  Cape  Matapan  in 
Laconia  and  225  miles  from  Crete  itself.  After  the 
cape  of  Ras  Sem  is  Cyrene,  11  miles  from  the  sea, 
from  Ras  Sem  to  the  harbour  of  Cyrene  being  24 
miles  and  to  Ras  El  Tin  88  miles,  from  which  it  is 
216  miles  to  the  Canyon.  The  inhabitants  of  this 
coast  are  the  Marmaridae,  reaching  almost  all  the 
way  from  the  region  of  El  Bareton  to  the  Greater 
Syrtis ;  after  these  are  the  Acrauceles  and  then  on 
the  edge  of  the  Syrtis  the  Nasamones,  formerly 
called  by  the  Greeks  Mesammones  by  reason  of 
their  locality,  the  word  meaning  '  in  the  middle 
of  the  sands  '.  The  territory  of  Cyrene  for  a 
breadth  of  15  miles  from  the  coast  is  thought  to  be 
good  even  for  growing  trees,  but  for  the  same  space 
further  inland  to  grow  only  corn,  and  aftenvards  over 
a  strip  30  miles  wide  and  250  miles  long  nothing 
but  silphium. 

After  the  Nasamones,  we  come  to  the  dwellings 
of  the  Asbytae  and  Macae ;  and  beyond  them, 
twelve  days'  journey  from  the  Greater  Syrtis,  the 
Amantes.  These  also  are  surrounded  by  sands  in 
the  western  direction,  but  neverthcless  they  find 
water  witliout  difficulty  at  a  depth  of  about  three 
feet,  as  the  district  receives  the  overfiow  of  the 
waters  of  Mauretania.  They  build  their  houses  of 
blocks  of  salt  quarried  out  of  their  mountains  like 
stone.  From  these  it  is  a  journey  of  7  days  in  a 
south-westerly  quarter  to  the  Cave-dwellers,  with 
whom  our  only  intercourse  is  the  trade  in  the  precious 
stone  imported  from  Ethiopia  which  we  call  the 
carbuncle.  Before  reaching  them,  in  the  direction  §  26. 
of  the  African  desert  stated  already  to  be  beyond 
the  Lesser  Syrtis,  is  Fezzan,  where  we  have  subju- 

243 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

gentem  Phazaniorum  urbesque  Alelen  et  Cillibam 
subegimus,  item  Cydamum  e  regione  Sabratae.  ab 
his  mons  longo  spatio  in  occasum  ab  ortu  tendit  Atcr 
nostris    dictus    a    natura,    adusto    similis    aut    solis 

36  repercussu  accenso.  ultra  eum  deserta,  mox  Thelgae 
oppidum  Garamantum,  itemque  Dcbris  adfuso  fontc 
a  medio  die  ad  mediam  noctem  aquis  ferventibus 
totidemque  horis  ad  medium  diem  rigentibus, 
clarissimiunque  Garama  caput  Garamantum :  omnia 
amiis  Romanis  superata  et  a  Cornelio  Balbo  triumph- 
ata,  uni  huic^  omnium  externo  curru-  et  Quiritium 
iure  donato :  quippe  Gadibus  genito  cintas  Romana 
cum  Balbo  maiorc  patruo  data  est.  et  hoc  mirum, 
supra  dicta  oppida  ab  eo  capta  auctores  nostros 
prodidisse,  ipsum  in  triumpho  praeter  Cydamum  et 
Garamam  omnium  aliarum  gentium  urbiumquc 
nomina  ac  simulacra  duxisse,  quae  iere  hoc  ordinc : 

37  Tabudium  oppidum,  Niteris  natio,  Milgis  Gemella 
oppidum,  Bubeium  natio  vel  oppidum,  Enipi  natio, 
Thubcn  oppidum,  mons  nomine  Niger,  Nitibrum, 
Rapsa  oppida,  \'iscera  nntio,  Dccri  ojipichmi,  flumen 
Nathabur,  Tliapsagum  oppidum,  Tamiagi  natio, 
Boin  oppidum,  Pcge  oppidum,  flumcn  Dasibari ; 
mox  oppida  continua  Baraciun,  Buluba,  Alasit,  Galsa, 

^  Hardnuin  :  nnius. 

*  V.l.  curru  extcmo  (Jortasse  curru  uni  huic  omnium  extomo 
Hnclham). 

244 


BOOK   V.  V.  35-37 

gated  the  Fezzan  tribe  and  tlie  cities  of  Mellulen 
and  Zala,  as  well  as  Gadamez  in  the  direction  of 
Sabrata.  After  these  a  long  range  stretches  from 
east  to  west  which  our  people  from  its  nature  call 
the  Black  Mountain,  as  it  has  the  appearance  of 
having  suifered  from  fire,  or  else  of  being  scorched 
by  the  reflection  of  the  sun.  Beyond  this  mountain 
range  is  the  desert,  and  then  a  tovm  of  the  Gara- 
mantes  called  Thelgae,  and  also  Bedir  (near  which 
tliere  is  a  spring  of  which  the  water  is  boiling  hot 
from  midday  to  midnight  and  then  freezing  cold  for 
the  same  number  of  hours  until  midday)  and  Garama, 
the  celebrated  capital  of  the  Garamantes :  all  of 
which  places  have  been  subdued  by  the  arms  of 
Rome,  being  conquered  by  Cornehus  Balbus,  who 
was  given  a  triumph — the  only  foreigner  ever  so 
honoured — and  citizen  rights,  since,  although  a 
nalive  of  Cadiz,  he  together  ■with  his  great-uncle, 
Balbus,  was  presented  ^nth  our  citizenship.  There 
is  also  this  remarkable  circumstance,  that  our  writers 
have  handed  down  the  names  of  the  towns  mentioned 
above  as  having  been  taken  by  him,  and  have  stated 
that  in  his  own  triuraphal  procession  beside  Cydamum 
and  Garama  were  carried  the  names  and  images  of 
all  the  other  races  and  cities,  which  went  in  this 
order :  the  to^^Ti  of  Tibesti,  the  Niteris  tribe,  the 
town  of  Milgis  Gemella,  ihe  tribe  or  town  of  Febabo, 
the  tribe  of  the  F.nipi,  the  town  of  Thuben,  the 
mountain  known  as  the  Black  Mountain,  the  towns 
called  Nitibrum  and  Rapsa,  the  Im-Zera  tribe,  the 
to^\Ti  of  Om-El-Abid,  the  river  Tessava,  the  to^vn  of 
Sava,  the  Tamiagi  tribe,  the  town  of  Boin,  the  town 
of  Winega,  the  river  Dasibari ;  then  a  series  of 
towns,  Baracum,  Buluba,  Alasit,  Galsa,  Balla,  Misso- 

VOL.   TI.  I  245 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Balla,  Maxalla,  Cizania ;  mons  Gyri  in  quo  gemmas 
nasci  titulus  praecessit. 
38  Ad  Garamantas  iter  inexplicabile  adhuc  fuit 
latronibus  gentis  eius  puteos — qui  sunt  non  alte  fodi- 
endi  si  locorum  notitia  adsit — harenis  operientibus. 
proxumo  bello,  quod  cum  Oeensibus  gessere  initiis 
Vespasiani  imperatoris,  conpendium  viae  quadridui 
deprehensum  est ;  hoc  iter  vocatur  Praeter  Caput 
Saxi.  finis  Cyrenaicus  Catabathmos  appellatur, 
oppidum  et  valUs  repente  convexa.  ad  eimi  ter- 
minvun  Cyrenaica  Africa  a  Syrti  Minore  [x]  Lx  in 
longitudinem  patet,  in  latitudinem  qua  cognitum  est 


DCCCX. 

39  VI.  Quae  sequitur  regio  Mareotis  Libya  appellatur 
Aeg}'pto  contermina.  tenent  Marmarides,  Adyrma- 
chidae,  dein  Mareotae.  mensura  a  Catabathmo 
Paraetonium  lxxx\'I.  in  eo  tractu  intus  Apis  interest, 
nobilis  reHgione  Aegypti  locus.  ab  eo  Paraetonium 
LXii  D,  inde  Alexandriam  cc.  latitudo  clxix  est. 
Eratosthenes  a  Cyrenis  Alexandriam  terrcstri  itinere 

40  Dxxv  prodit.  Agrippa  totius  Africae  a  mari  Atlantico 
cum  Inferiore  Aegypto  |xxxj  longitudinem,  Polybius 
et  Eratosthenes  dihgentissimi  existimati  ab  oceano 
ad  Carthagincm  Magnam  \xT\,  ab  ea  Canopum,  NiH 

246 


BOOK   V.  V.  37-vi.  40 

lat,  Cizania  ;  and  Mount  Goriano,  its  effigy  preceded 
by  an  inscription  that  it  was  a  place  where  precious 
stones  were  produced. 

Hitherto  it  has  been  impossible  to  open  up  the 
road  to  the  Garamantes  country,  because  brigands 
of  that  race  fill  up  the  wells  with  sand — these  do 
not  necd  to  be  dug  very  deep  if  you  are  aided 
by  a  knowledge  of  the  localities.  In  the  last  war 
waged  with  the  people  of  Oea,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  principate  of  Vespasian,  a  short  route  of  only 
four  days  was  discovered,  which  is  kno^vn  as  By 
the  Head  of  the  Rock.  The  last  place  in  Cyrenaica 
is  called  the  Canyon,  a  towTi  and  a  suddenly 
descending  valley.  The  length  of  Cyrenaic  Africa 
from  the  Lesser  Syrtis  to  this  boundary  is  1060 
miles,  and  the  breadth,  so  far  as  ascertained,  810 
miles. 

VI.  The  district  that  follows  is  called  Libya  Libya. 
Mareotis ;  it  borders  upon  Egypt.  It  is  occupied 
by  the  Marmarides,  the  Adyrmachidae,  and  then 
the  Mareotae.  The  distance  between  the  Canyon 
and  Paraetonium  is  86  miles.  Between  them  in 
the  interior  of  this  district  is  Apis,  a  place  famous 
in  the  Egyptian  rehgion.  The  distance  from  Apis 
to  Paraetonium  is  62|-  miles,  and  from  Paraetonium 
to  Alexandria  200  miles.  The  district  is  169  miles 
in  breadth.  Eratosthenes  gives  the  distance  by 
land  from  Cyrenae  to  Alexandria  as  525  miles. 
Agrippa  made  the  length  of  the  whole  of  Africa 
from  the  Atlantic,  including  Lower  Egypt,  300 
miles ;  Polybius  and  Eratosthenes,  who  are  deemed 
extremely  careful  writers,  made  the  distance  from 
the  Ocean  to  Great  Carthage  1100  miles,  and  from 
Great  Carthage  to  the  nearest  mouth  of  the  Nile, 

247 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

proximum  ostium,  fxvT|  xxVin  feccrunt,  Isidorus  a 
Tingi  Canopum  Ixxxvj  xcix,  Artemidorus  xl  m 
minus  quam  Isidorus. 

41  \'II.  Insulas  non  ita  multas  complectuntur  hacc 
maria.  clarissima  est  Meninx,  longitudine  xxv,  lati- 
tudinc  XXII,  ab  Eratosthcne  Lotophagitis  appellata. 
oppida  habet  duo,  Meningen  ab  Africae  latere  et  ab^ 
altero  Thoar,ipsa  adextro  Syrtis  Minoris  promunturio 
passibus  md  sita.  ab  ea  c  p.  contra  lacvum  Ccrcina 
cum  urbe  eiusdem  nominis  hbera,  longa  xxv,  lata 
dimidium  cius  ubi  phuimum,  at  in  extremo  non 
plus  V — ^huic  perparva  Carthaginem  versus  Cercinitis 

42  ponte  iungitur.  ab  his  l  fere  passuum  Lopadusa, 
longa  VI ;  mox  Gaulos  et  Galata,  cuius  terra  scorpiones, 
dirum  animal  Africae,  necat.  dicuntur  et  in  Clupea 
cmori,  cuius  ex  adverso  Cossyra  cum  oppido.  at 
contra  Carthaginis  sinum  duae  Aegimoeroe ;  Arae 
autem,  scopuli  verius  quam  insulae,  inter  Siciliam 
maxime  et  Sardiniam  ;  auctores  sunt  et  has  quondam 
habitatas  subsedisse. 

43  VIII.  Interiore  autem  ambitu  Africae  ad  meridiem 
versus  superque  Gaetulos,  intervcnicntibus  descrtis, 
primi  omnium  Libyes  Aegyptii,  deinde  Leucoe 
Aethiopes  habitant.     super  eos  Aethiopum  gentes 

^  al)  add.  Ruckliam. 
248 


BOOK  V.  VI.  40-vin.  43 

Canopus,  1628  miles ;  Isidorus  makes  the  distance 
from  Tangier  to  Canopus  3599  milcs,  but  Artemidorus 
niakes  it  40  niiles  less  than  Isidurus. 

\ TI.  These  seas  do  not  contain  vcry  many  islands.  isianiUoff 
The  most  famous  is  Zerba,  25  miles  loncj  and  22  miles 
broad,  called  by  Eratosthenes  Lotus  Eaters'  Island. 
It  has  two  towns,  Meninx  on  the  side  of  Africa  and 
Thoar  on  ihe  other  side,  the  island  itself  lying  ofF 
the  promontory  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  Lesser 
SjTtis,  at  a  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half  away.  A 
hundred  miles  from  Zerba  and  lying  off  the  left- 
liand  promontory  is  the  island  of  Cercina,  with  the 
free  city  of  the  same  name ;  it  is  25  miles  long  and 
measures  half  that  distance  across  where  it  is  widest, 
but  not  more  than  5  miles  across  at  its  end ;  and 
joined  to  it  by  a  bridge  is  the  extremely  small  island 
of  Cercinitis,  which  looks  towards  Carthage.  About 
50  miles  from  these  is  Lopadusa,  6  miles  long ;  then 
come  Gaulos  and  Galata,  the  soil  of  the  latter  having 
the  property  of  kilUng  scorpions,  that  pest  of  Africa. 
It  is  also  said  that  scorpions  cannot  Uve  at  Clupea, 
opposite  to  which  Hes  Pantellaria  with  its  town. 
Opposite  the  Gulf  of  Cartliage  Ue  the  two  Aegi- 
moeroi ;  but  the  Altars,  which  arc  more  truly  rocks 
than  islands,  are  chiefly  between  Sicily  and  Sar- 
dinia.  Some  authorities  state  that  even  the  Altars 
were  formerly  inhabited  but  that  their  level  has 
sunk. 

VIII.  In  the  interior  circuit  of  Africa  towards  the  Peopiesof 
south  and  beyond  the  Gaetulians,  after  an  inter- ""* '"'*^''^- 
mcdiate  strip  of  desert,  the  first  inhabitants  of  all 
are   the   Egyptian    Libyans,   and   then   the   people 
called    in    Greek    tlie    White    Ethiopians.     Beyond 
these    are    the    Ethiopian    clans    of   the    Nigritae, 

249 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Nigritae  a  quo  dictum  est  flumine,  Gjrmnetes  Pharusii, 
iam  oceanum  attingentes  quos  in  Mauretaniae  fine 
diximus  Perorsi.  ab  his  omnibus  vastae  solitudines 
orientem  versus  usque  ad  Garamantas  Augilasque  et 
Trogodytas,  verissima  opinione  eorum  qui  desertis 
Africae  duas  Aethiopias  superponunt,  et  ante  omnis 
Homeri  qui  bipertitos  tradit  Aethiopas,  ad  orientcm 
occasumque  versos. 

44  Nigri  fluWo  eadem  natura  quae  Nilo  ;  calamum  ac 
papyram  et  easdem  gignit  animantes  iisdemque 
temporibus  augescit.  oritur  inter  Tarraehos  Aethio- 
pas  et  Oechahcas ;  horum  oppidum  Magium.  qui- 
dam  sohtudinibus  interposuerunt  Atlantas  eosque 
iuxta  Aegipanas  semiferos  et  Blemmyas  et  Gampha- 
santas  et  Satyros  et  Himantopodas. 

45  Atlantes  degeneres  sunt  huniani  ritus,  si  credimus ; 
nam  neque  nominum  ullorum  inter  ipsos  appelhitio 
est,  et  solem  orientem  occidcntemque  dira  inpre- 
catione  contuentur  ut  exitialem  ipsis  agrisque,  neque 
in  somno  visunt  quaha  rehqui  mortales.  Trogodytae 
specus  excavant ;  hae  iUis  domus,  xictus  serpcntium 
cames,  stridorque,  non  vox  :  adeo  sermonis  com- 
mercio  carent.  Garamantcs  matrimoniorum  exortes 
passim  cum  feminis  degunt.     Augilae  inferos  tantum 

*  Od.  I.  23  f. 

*  It  is  not  certain  that  this  is  the  river  now  known  by  this 
name. 

*  Herod.  IV.  183  rtTpiyaai  Kari  nep  al  vvKTtpiBes. 

350 


BOOK  V.  VIII.  43-45 

named  after  the  river  which  has  been  raentioned,  §  30. 
the  Pharusian  Gymnetes,  and  then  bordering  on  the 
Ocean  the  Perorsi  whom  we  have  spoken  of  at  the  §  10. 
frontier  of  Mauretania.  Eastward  of  all  of  these  there 
are  vast  uninliabited  regions  spreading  as  far  as  the 
Garamantes  and  Augilae  and  the  Cave-dwellers — 
the  most  reliable  opinion  being  that  of  those  who 
place  two  Ethiopias  beyond  the  African  desert,  and 
especially  Homer,"  who  tells  us  that  the  Ethiopians 
are  divided  into  two  sections,  the  eastward  and  the 
westward. 

The  river  Niger  ^  has  the  same  nature  as  the  Nile : 
it  produces  reeds  and  papyrus,  and  the  same  animals, 
and  it  rises  at  the  same  seasons  of  the  year.  Its 
source  is  between  the  Ethiopic  tribes  of  the  Tarraelii 
and  the  Oechalicae ;  the  town  of  the  latter  is 
Magium.  In  the  middle  of  the  desert  some  place 
the  Atlas  tribe,  and  next  to  them  the  half-animal 
Goat-Pans  and  the  Blemmyae  and  Gamphasantes 
and  Satyrs  and  Strapfoots. 

The  Atlas  tribe  have  fallen  below  the  level  of 
human  civilization,  if  we  can  beUeve  what  is  said; 
for  they  do  not  address  one  another  by  any  names, 
and  when  they  behold  the  rising  and  setting  sun, 
they  utter  awful  curses  against  it  as  the  cause  of 
dLsaster  to  themselves  and  their  fields,  and  when 
they  are  asleep  they  do  not  have  dreams  Uke  the 
rest  of  mankind.  The  Cave-dwellers  hollow  out 
caverns,  which  are  their  dwelUngs ;  they  Uve  on  the 
flesh  of  snakes,  and  they  have  no  voice,  but  only 
make  squeaking  noises,*^  being  entirely  devoidof  inter- 
course  by  speech.  The  Garamantes  do  not  practise 
marriage  but  Uve  with  their  women  promiscuously. 
The  Augilae  only  worship  the  powers  of  the  lower 

251 


PLIXY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

colunt.     Gamphasantes  nudi  proeliorumque  expertes 

46  nulli  externo  congregantur.  Blemmyis  traduntur 
capita  abesse  ore  et  oculis  pectori  adfixis.  Satyris 
praeter  figuram  nihil  moris  humani.  Aegipanum 
qualis  vulgo  pingitur  forma.  Himantopodes  lori- 
pedes  quidam  quibus  serpendo  ingrcdi  natura  sit. 
Pharusi,  quondam  Persae,  comites  fuisse  dicuntur 
Herculis  ad  Hesperidas  tendentis. 

Nec  de  Africa  plura  quae  memorentur  occurrunt. 

47  IX.  Adhaeret  Asia,  quam  patere  a  Canopico  ostio 
ad  Ponti  ostium  Timosthcnes  |xxvi|  xxxviii  p.  tradidit, 
ab  ore  autem  Ponti  ad  os  Maeotis  Eratosthenes  |xv| 
XLV,  univcrsam  vero  cum  Acgypto  ad  Tanain  Arte- 
midonis  et  Isidorus  |T[  xiii  dccl.^  maria  eius  conplura 
ab  accolis  traxere  nomina,  quare  simul  indicabuntur. 

48  Proxima  Africae  incolitur  Aegyptus,  introrsus  ad 
meridicm  recedens  donec  a  tergo  praetendantur 
Aethiopes.  inferiorem  eius  partem  Nilus  dextera 
laevaque  divisus  ampiexu  suo  determinat,  Canopico 
ostio  ab  Africa,  ab  Asia  Pelusiaco,  clxx  passuum 
intervallo.  quam  ob  causam  inter  insulas  quidam 
Aegyptum  retulere,  ita  se  findente  Nilo  ut  triquetram 

^  Varia  edd. 

"  These  figurefl  aro  uncertain  in  tbo  Lntin  text. 
252 


BOOK   V.  VIII.  45-ix.  48 

world.  The  Gamphasantes  go  naked,  do  not  engage 
in  battle,  and  hold  no  intercourse  with  any  foreigner. 
The  Bleniniyae  are  reported  to  have  no  heads,  their 
mouth  and  eyes  being  attached  to  their  chests.  The 
Satyrs  have  nothing  of  ordinary  humanity  about  them 
except  human  shape.  The  form  of  the  Goat-Pans 
is  that  wliich  is  commonly  shown  in  pictures  of 
them.  The  Strapfoots  are  people  with  feet  Uke 
leather  thongs,  whose  nature  it  is  to  crawl  instead 
of  walking.  The  Pharusi,  originally  a  Persian  people, 
are  said  to  have  accompanied  Hercules  on  his 
journey  to  the  Ladies  of  the  West.  Nothing  more 
occurs  to  us  to  record  about  Africa. 

IX.  Joining  on  to  Africa  is  Asia,  the  extent  of 
which  from  the  Canopic  mouth  of  the  Nile  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Black  Sea  is  given  by  Timosthenes  as 
2638  miles ;  Eratosthenes  gives  the  distance  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Black  Sea  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Sea  of  Azov  as  1545  miles ;  and  Artemidorus  and 
Isidorus  give  the  whole  extent  of  Asia  including 
Egypt  as  far  as  the  river  Don  as  5013|  miles.*  It 
possesses  several  seas,  named  after  the  tribes  on 
their  shores,  for  which  reason  they  will  be  mentioned 
together. 

The  inhabited  country  next  to  Africa  is  Egypt,  Egypi. 
which  stretches  southward  into  the  interior  to  where 
tlie  Etliiopians  border  it  in  the  rear.  The  boun- 
daries  of  its  lower  part  are  formed  by  the  two 
branches  of  the  Nile  embracing  it  on  the  right  and 
on  the  left,  the  Canopic  mouth  separating  it  from 
Africa  and  the  Pelusiac  from  Asia,  with  a  space  of 
170  miles  between  the  two  mouths.  This  has  caused 
some  authorities  to  class  Egypt  as  an  island,  because 
the  Nile  divides  in  such  a  manner  as  to  produce  a 

253 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

terrae  figuram  efficiat ;  ideoque  multi  Graecae 
litterae  vocabulo  Delta  appellavere  Aegyptum. 
mensura  ab  unitate  alvei,  unde  se  primum  findit  in 
latera,  ad  Canopicum  ostium  cxlvi,  ad  Pelusiacum 
cLvi  est. 

49  Summa  pars  contermina  Aethiopiae  Thebais  voca- 
tur.  dividitur  in  praefecturas  oppidorum  quas 
nomos  vocant — Ombiten,  ApoUonopoliten,  Hermon- 
thiten,  Thiniten,  Phaturiten,  Coptiten,  Tcntyriten, 
Diospoliten,  AntaeopoUten,  AphroditopoHten,  Lyco- 
poHten.  quae  iuxta  Pelusium  est  regio  nomos 
habet  Pharbaethiten,  Bubastiten,  Sethroiten,  Tani- 
ten.  rehqua  autem  Arabicum,  Hammoniacum  ten- 
dentem  ad  Hammonis  lovis  oraculum,  Oxyryncliiten, 
LeontopoUten,  Athribiten,  CynopoUten,  Hermo- 
poUten,  Xoitcn,  Mendcsium,  Sebennytcn,  Cabasiten, 
LatopoUten,  HcUopoUten,  Prosopitcn,  PanopoUten, 
Busiriten,  Onuphiten,  Saiten,  Ptenethum,  Ptem- 
phum,  Naucratiten,  MeteUiten,  GynaccopoUten, 
Menelaiten,    Alexandriae    regionem ;    item    Libyae 

50  Mareotis.  HeracleopoUtes  est  in  insula  NiU  longa 
p.  L,  in  qua  et  oppidum  HcrcuUs  appeUatum. 
Arsinoitae  duo  sunt ;  hi  et  Memphites  usque  ad 
summum  DeUa  perveniunt,  cui  sunt  contermini  ex 
Africa  duo  Oasitae.  quidam  ex  his  aUqua  nomina 
pcrmutant  et  substituunt  aUos  nomos,  ut  Hcro- 
opoUten  et  CrocodilopoUten.  inter  Arsinoiten  autem 
ac  Memphiten  lacus  fuit  circuitu  ccL  aut,  ut  Mucianus 

254 


BOOK   V.  IX.  48-50 

piece  of  land  sliaped  like  a  triangle ;  and  conse- 
quently  many  have  called  Egypt  by  the  name  of 
the  Greek  letter  Delta.  The  distance  from  the 
point  where  the  single  channel  first  spUts  into 
branches  to  the  Canopic  mouth  is  146  miles  and  to 
the  Pelusiac  mouth  156  miles. 

The  uppermost  part  of  Egypt,  mai-ching  with 
Ethiopia,  is  called  the  Thebaid.  It  is  divided  into 
prefcctures  of  towns,  called  '  nomes  ' — the  Ombite, 
ApollonopoUte,  Hermonthite,  Thinite,  Phaturite, 
Coptite,  Tentyrite,  Diospohte,  Antaeopolite,  Aphro- 
ditopohte  and  LycopoHte  nomes.  The  nomes  be- 
longing  to  the  district  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Pelu- 
sium  are  the  Pharbaethite,  Bubastite,  Sethroite  and 
Tanite.  The  remaining  nomes  are  called  the  Arabic, 
Hammoniac  (on  tlie  way  to  the  oracle  of  Jupiter 
Ammon).  Oxyrhynchite,  Leontopohte,  Athribite, 
CynopoUte,  HermopoUte,  Xoite,  Mendesian,  Seben- 
nyte,  Cabasite,  LatopoUte,  IleUopoUte,  Prosopite, 
PanopoUte,  Busirite,  Onuphite,  Saite,  Ptenethus, 
Ptemphus,  Naucratite,  MetelUte,  GynaecopoUte, 
Menelaite — these  forming  the  region  of  Alexandria ; 
and  Ukewise  Mareotis  belonging  to  Libya.  The 
HeracleopoUte  nome  is  on  an  ishind  of  the  Nile 
measuring  50  miles  long,  on  which  is  also  the  town 
called  the  City  of  Hercules.  There  are  two  nomes 
called  the  Arsinoite ;  these  and  the  Memphite  ex- 
tend  to  the  apex  of  the  Delta,  adjacent  to  which 
on  the  side  of  Africa  are  the  two  Oasite  nomes. 
Certain  authorities  alter  some  out  of  these  names 
and  substitute  other  nomes,  for  instance  the  Hero- 
poUte  and  CrocodilopoUte.  Between  the  Arsinoite 
and  Memphite  nomes  there  was  once  a  lake 
measuring  250,  or  according  to  Mucianus's  account 

255 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

tradit,  ccccL  et  altitudinis  quinquaginta  passuum, 
manu  factus,  a  rege  qui  fecerat  Moeridis  appellatus, 
inde  lxii  p.  abest  Memphis,  quondam  arx  Acgypti 
regum,  unde  ad  Hammonis  oraculum  xii  dierum  iter 
est,  ad  scissuram  autem  Nili,  quod  appellavimus 
Delta,  XV. 

51  X.  Nilus  incertis  ortus  fontibas,  ut  pcr  dcserta  et 
ardentia  et  inmenso  longitudinis  spatio  ambulans 
famaque  tantum  inermi  quaesitus  sine  bcllis  quae 
ceteras  omnis  terras  invenere,  originem,  ut  luba  rex 
potuit  exquircre,  in  monte  inferioris  Mauretaniae 
non  procul  oceano  habet  lacu  protinus  stagnante, 
quem  vocant  NiUdcn.  ibi  pisces  reperiuntur  ala- 
betae,  coracini,  sihiri;  crocodilus  quoque  inde  ob 
argumentum  lioc  Cacsareae  in  Isco  dicatus  ab  eo 
spectatur  hodie.  praeterea  observatum  est,  prout 
in  Mauretania  nives  imbresve  satiaverint,  ita  Nilum 

52  increscere.  ex  hoc  lacu  profusus  indignatur  fluerc 
per  harenosa  et  squalcntia,  conditque  se  ahquot 
dierum  itinere,  mox  aho  lacu  maiore  in  Caesaricnsis 
Mauretaniae  gente  Masaesylum  erumpit  et  homi- 
num  coetus  veluti  circumspicit,  iisdem  animahum 
argumentis.  iterum  harenis  reccptus  conditur  rursus 
XX  dierimi  desertis  ad  proximos  Aethiopas,  atque  ubi 

256 


BOOK  V.  IX.  50-x.  52 

450,  miles  roiind,  and  250  feet  deep,  an  artificial  sheet 
of  water,  called  the  Lake  of  Moeris  aftcr  the  king 
who  made  it.  Its  site  is  62  miles  from  Memphis, 
the  former  citadel  of  the  kings  of  Egypt,  and  from 
Memphis  it  is  12  days'  journey  to  the  Oracle  of 
Ammon  and  15  days'  journey  to  the  place  where 
the  Nile  divides  and  forms  what  we  have  called  the 
Delta. 

X.  The  sources  from  which  the  Nile  rises  have  TUe  yue. 
not  been  ascertained,  proceeding  as  it  does  through 
scorching  deserts  for  an  enormously  long  distance 
and  only  ha\ing  been  explored  by  unarmed  investi- 
gators,  without  the  wars  that  have  discovered  all 
other  countries ;  but  so  far  as  King  Juba  was  able 
to  ascertain,  it  has  its  origin  in  a  mountain  of  lower 
Mauretania  not  far  from  the  Ocean,  and  imme- 
diately  forms  a  stagnant  lake  called  Nihdes.  Fish 
found  in  this  lake  are  the  alabeta,  coracinus  and 
silurus ;  also  a  crocodile  was  brought  from  it  by 
Juba  to  prove  his  theory,  and  placed  as  a  votive 
oifering  in  the  temple  of  Isis  at  Caesarea,  where  it 
is  on  view  to-day.  Moreover  it  has  been  observed 
that  the  Nile  rises  in  proportion  to  excessive  falls  of 
snow  or  rain  in  Mauretania.  Issuing  from  this  lake 
the  river  disdaias  to  flow  through  arid  deserts  of 
sand,  and  for  a  distance  of  several  days'  journey  it 
hides  underground,  but  afterwards  it  bursts  out  in 
another  larger  lake  in  the  territory  of  the  Masacsyles 
clan  of  Mauretania  Caesariensis,  and  so  to  speak 
makes  a  survey  of  the  communities  of  mankind, 
proving  its  identity  by  having  the  same  fauna. 
Sinking  again  into  the  sand  of  the  desert  it  hides  for 
another  space  of  20  days'  journey  till  it  reaches  the 
nearest    Ethiopians,    and   when    it    has    once    more 

257 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

itenun  sensit  hominem,  prosilit  fonte,  ut  verisimile 

53  est,  illo  quem  Nigrum  vocavere.  inde  Africam  ab 
Aethiopia  dispescens,  etiamsi  non  protinus  populis, 
feris  tamen  et  beluis  frequens  silvarumque  opifex, 
medios  Aethiopas  secat  cognominatus  Astapus,  quod 
illarum  gentium  lingua  significat  aquam  e  tenebris 
profluentem.  insulas  ita  innimaeras  spargit,  quas- 
damque  tam  vastae  magnitudinis,  quamquam  rapida 
celeritate,  ut  tamen  dierum  v  cursu,  non  breviore, 
travolet,  circa  clarissimam  earum  Meroen  Astobores 
laevo  alveo  dictus,  hoc  est  ramus  aquae  venientis  e 
tenebris,  dextra  vero  Astusapes,  quod  lateris  signi- 

54  ficationem  adicit,  nec  ante  Nilus  quam  se  totum  aquis 
rursus  concordibus  iunxit,  sic  quoque  etiamnum  Giris 
ante  nominatus  per  aliquot  miha,  et  in  totum  Homero 
Aegyptus  ahisque  Triton.  subinde  insuhs  impactus, 
totidem  incitatus  inritamentis,  postremo  inclusus 
montibus,  nec  ahunde  torrentior,  vectus  aquis  pro- 
perantibus  ad  locum  Aethiopicum  ^  qui  Catadupi 
vocatur,^  novissimo  catarracte  inter  occursantis 
scopulos  non  fluere  inmenso  fragore  creditur  sed 
ruere.  postea  lenis  et  confractis  ^  aquis  domitaque 
violentia,   ahquid   et  spatio   fessus,   multis   quamvis 

*  Rackham :  Aethiopum. 

*  V.l.  vocantur. 

*  V.l.  levia  et  confractus. 


•  Od.  iv.  477. 

*  The  northernmost,  now  the  First  Cataract. 


258 


BOOK  V.  X.  52-54 

become  aware  of  man's  proximity  it  leaps  out  in  a 
fountain,  probably  the  one  called  the  Black  Spring. 
From  this  point  it  forms  the  boundary  Hne  between 
Africa  and  Ethiopia,  and  though  the  river-side  is  not 
immediately  inhabited,  it  teems  with  wild  beasts 
and  animal  life  and  produces  forests ;  and  where 
the  river  cuts  through  the  middle  of  Ethiopia  it 
has  the  name  of  Astapus,  which  in  the  native 
language  means  '  water  issuing  from  the  shades 
below.'  It  strews  about  such  a  countless  number  of 
islands,  and  some  of  them  of  such  vast  size,  that  in 
spite  of  its  very  rapid  flow  it  nevertheless  only  flies 
past  them  in  a  course  of  five  days,  and  not  shorter; 
while  making  the  circuit  of  the  most  famous  of  these 
islands,  Meroe,  the  left-hand  channel  is  called 
Astobores,  that  is  '  branch  of  water  coming  out  of 
the  shades,'  and  the  right-hand  channel  Astusapes, 
which  means  '  side  branch.'  It  is  not  called  Nile 
until  its  waters  are  again  reconciled  and  have  united 
in  a  single  stream,  and  even  then  for  some  miles 
it  still  has  the  name  of  Giris  which  it  had  previ- 
ously.  Its  name  in  Homer"  is  Aegyptus  over  its 
whole  course,  and  with  other  writers  it  is  the  Triton. 
Every  now  and  then  it  impinges  on  islands,  which 
are  so  many  incitements  spurring  it  forward  on  its 
way,  till  finally  it  is  shut  in  by  mountains,  its  flow 
being  nowhere  more  rapid ;  and  it  is  borne  on  with 
hurr}'ing  waters  to  the  place  in  Ethiopia  called  in 
Greek  the  Downcrash,  where  at  its  last  cataract  * 
owing  to  the  enormous  noise  it  seems  not  to  run 
but  to  riot  between  the  rocks  that  bar  its  way. 
Afterwards  it  is  gentle,  the  violence  of  its  waters 
having  been  broken  and  subdued,  and  also  it  is 
somewhat  fatigued  by  the  distance  it  has  raced, 

259 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

faucibus  in  Aegyptium  mare  se  evomat,  certis  tamen 
diebus  auctu  magno  per  totam  spatiatus  Aegyptum 
fecundus  innatat  terrae. 

55  Causas  huius  incrementi  varias  prodidere,  sed 
maxime  probabiles  etesiarum  eo  tempore  ex  adverso 
flantiimi  repercussum,  ultra  in  ora  acto  mari,  aut 
imbres  Aethiopiae  aestivos  iisdem  etesiis  nubila  illo 
ferentibus  e  reliquo  orbc.  Timaeus  mathematicus 
occultam  protulit  rationem :  Phiahim  appellari 
fontem  eius,  mergique  in  cuniculos  ipsum  amnem 
vapore  anhelantem  fumidis  cautibus  ubi  conditur; 
venma  solc  per  eos  dies  comminus  facto  extrahi 
ardoris  vi  et  suspensum   abundare  ac  ne  devoretur 

50  abscondi ;  id  evenire  a  canis  ortu  per  introitimi  soUs 
in  leonem,  contra  perpendiculimi  fontis  sidere  stante, 
crun  eo  tractu  absumantur  umbrae — plerisque  e 
diverso  opinatis  largiorem  fluere  ad  septentriones  sole 
discedente,  quod  in  cancro  et  leone  evenit,  ideoque 
tunc  minus  siccari,  rursus  in  capricornum  et  austrinum 


»  Tho  80Uth-eaatern  Mediterranean  along  tho  coaat  of  Egypt. 
*  These  blow  for  forty  days  at  midsummer. 

260 


BOOK  V.  X.  54-56 

and  it  belches  out,  by  many  mouths  it  is  true,  into 
the  Egyptian  Sea."  For  a  certain  part  of  the  year 
however  its  volume  greatly  increases  and  it  roams 
abroad  over  the  whole  of  Egypt  and  inundates  the 
land  ^Wth  a  fertilising  flood. 

Various  explanations  of  this  rising  of  the  river  have 
been  given ;  but  the  most  probable  are  either  the 
backwush  caused  by  what  are  called  in  Greek  the 
Annual  Winds,*  which  blow  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion  to  the  current  at  that  period  of  the  year,  the 
sea  outside  being  driven  into  the  mouths  of  the 
river,  or  the  summer  rains  of  Ethiopia  which  are 
due  to  the  same  Annual  Winds  bringing  clouds 
from  the  rest  of  the  world  to  Egypt.  The  mathe- 
matician  Timaeus  produced  a  verv  recondite  theory 
— that  the  source  of  the  Nile  is  a  spring  called 
Phiala,  and  that  the  river  buries  itself  in  burrows 
underground  and  breathes  forth  vapour  owing  to  the 
steaming  hot  rocks  among  which  it  hides  itself ;  but 
that  as  the  sun  at  thc  period  in  question  comes 
nearer  the  river  water  is  drawn  out  by  the  force 
of  the  heat  and  rises  up  and  overflows,  and  with- 
draws  itself  to  avoid  being  swallowed  up.  This, 
he  says,  begins  to  occur  at  the  rising  of  the  Dogstar, 
when  the  sun  is  entering  the  sign  of  the  Lion,  the 
sun  standing  in  a  vertical  Hne  above  the  spring,  at 
which  season  in  that  region  shadows  entirely  dis- 
appear — though  the  general  opinion  on  the  contrary 
is  that  the  flow  of  the  Nile  is  more  copious  when 
the  sun  is  departing  towards  the  north,  which 
happens  when  it  is  in  the  Crab  and  the  Lion,  and 
that  consequently  the  river  is  dried  up  less  then ; 
and  again  when  the  sun  returns  to  Capricorn  and 
towards  the  south  pole  its  waters  are  absorbed  and 

261 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

polum  reverso  sorberi  et  ob  id  parcius  fluere.  sed 
Timaeo  si  quis  extrahi  posse  credat,  umbrarum 
defectus  his  diebus  et  locis  sine  fine  adest. 

57  Incipit  crescere  luna  nova  quaecumque  post 
solstitium  est,  sensim  modiceque  cancrum  sole 
transeunte,  abundantissime  autem  leonem,  et  residit 
in  virgine  iisdem  quibus  adcrevit  modis.  in  totum 
autem  revocatur  intra  ripas  in  libra,  ut  tradit  Hero- 
dotus,  centesimo  die.  cum  crescit,  reges  aut  prae- 
fectos  navigare  eo  nefas  iudicatum  est.     auctus  per 

58  puteos  mensurae  notis  deprehenduntur.  iustum 
incrementum  est  cubitorum  xvi.  minores  aquae 
non  omnia  rigant,  ampliores  detinent  tardius  re- 
cedendo ;  hae  serendi  tempora  absumunt  solo 
raadente,  illae  non  dant  sitiente.  utnmique  reputat 
provincia ;  in  xii  cubitis  famem  sentit,  in  xiii  etiam- 
nima  esurit,  xiv  cubita  hilaritatem  adferimt,  xv 
securitatem,  xvi  delicias.  maximum  incrementum 
ad  hoc  aevi  fuit  cubitorum  xviii  Claudio  principe, 
minimum  v  Pharsahco  bello,  veluti  necem  Magni 
prodigio  quodam  flumine  aversante.  cum  stetere 
aquae,    apertis    moUbus    admittuntur;     ut    quaeque 


•  Even  when  the  sun  is  in  the  south,  so  that  if  Timaeus^s 
explanation  wero  right,  the  Nile  would  be  high  all  the  year 
round. 

"  II.  19. 

262 


BOOK   V.  X.  56-58 

its  volume  consequently  reduced.  But  if  anybody 
is  inclined  to  accept  the  possibility  of  Timaeus's 
explanation  that  the  waters  of  the  river  are  di-awn 
out  of  the  earth,  there  is  the  fact  that  in  these 
regions  absence  of  shadows  goes  on  continuously  at 
this  season." 

The  Xile  begins  to  rise  at  the  next  new  moon 
after  midsummer,  the  rise  being  gradual  and  moderate 
while  the  sun  is  passing  through  the  Crab  and  at 
its  greatest  height  when  it  is  in  the  Lion ;  and  when 
in  Virgo  it  begins  to  fall  by  the  same  degrees 
as  it  rose.  It  subsides  entirely  within  its  bauks, 
according  to  the  account  given  by  Herodotus,*  on  thc 
hundredth  day,  when  the  sun  is  in  the  Scales.  The 
view  has  been  held  that  it  is  unlawful  for  kings  or 
rulers  to  sail  on  the  Nile  when  it  is  rising.  Its 
degrees  of  increase  are  detected  by  means  of  wells 
marked  with  a  scale.  An  average  rise  is  one  of 
24  feet.  A  smaller  volume  of  water  does  not  irrigate 
all  localities,  and  a  larger  oTie  by  retiring  too 
slowly  retards  agriculture ;  and  the  Latter  uses  up 
the  time  for  sowing  because  of  the  moisture  of  the 
soil,  while  the  former  gives  no  time  for  sowing 
because  the  soil  is  parched.  The  province  takes 
careful  note  of  both  extremes :  in  a  rise  of  18  feet 
it  senses  famine,  and  even  at  one  of  19|  feet  it 
begins  to  feel  hungry,  but  21  feet  brings  cheerful- 
ness,  22^  feet  complete  confidence  and  24  feet 
delight.  The  largest  rise  up  to  date  was  one  of 
27  feet  in  the  principate  of  Claudius,  and  the  smallest  41-6I  a.d 
7^  feet  in  the  year  of  the  war  of  Pharsahis,  as  if  the  48b.o. 
river  were  attempting  to  avert  the  murder  of  Pompey 
by  a  sort  of  portent.  When  the  rise  comes  to  a 
standstill,  the  floodgates  are  opened  and  irrigation 

263 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

liberata     est     terra,     seritur.      idem     amnis    unus 
omnium  nullas  exspirat  auras. 

59  Dicionis  Aegj^ptiae  esse  incipit  a  fine  Aethiopiae 
Syene :  ita  vocatur  paeninsula  mille  passuum  ambitu 
in  qua  Castra  sunt  latere  Arabiae  et  ex  adverso 
insulae  iv  Philae,  dc  p.  a  Nili  fissura,  unde  appcllari 
diximus  Delta.  hoc  spatium  edidit  Artcmidorus,  et 
in  eo  CCL  oppida  fuisse,  luba  cccc,  Aristocreon  ab 
Elephantide  ad  mare  dccl.  Elephantis  insula  intra 
novissimum  catarracten  fv  p.  et  supra  Syenen  xvi 
habitatur,  navigationis  Aegyptiae  finis,  ab  Alexandria 
DLXxxv  p, — in  tantum  erravere  supra  scripti.  ibi 
Aethiopicae  conveniunt  naves ;  namque  eas  pHcatiles 
umeris  transferunt  quotiens  ad  catarractas  ventum 
est. 

60  XL  Aegyptus  super  ceteram  antiquitatis  gloriam 
XX  urbium  sibi  Amase  regnante  [habitata]  ^  praefert, 
nunc  quoque  multis  ctiamsi  ignobiHbus  frequens. 
celebratur  tamen  Apolhnis,  mox  Leucotheae,  Dios- 
poHs  Magna,  eadeni  Thebe,  portarum  centum  nobiHs 
fama,  Coptos  Indicarum  Arabicarumque  mercium 
Nilo  proximum  cmporiuni,  mox  Veneris  oppidum  ct 
iterum  lovis  ac  TcntjTis,  infra  quod  Abydus  Mem- 

*  Om.  cum  uno  codice  liackfiam. 

•  66!)--525  B.o. 
264 


BOOK  V.  X.  58x1.  60 

begins ;  and  each  strip  of  land  is  so^vn  as  the  flood 
relinquishes  it.  It  may  be  added  that  the  Nile  is 
the  only  river  that  emits  no  exhalations. 

It  first  comes  within  the  territory  of  Egypt  at  the 
Ethiopian  frontier,  at  Assuan — that  is  the  name  of 
the  peninsula  a  mile  in  circuit  in  which,  on  the 
Arabian  side,  the  Camp  is  situated  and  ofF  which 
He  the  four  islands  of  Philae,  600  miles  from  the 
place  where  the  Nile  spUts  into  two  channels — the 
point  at  which,  as  we  have  said,  the  island  called  the 
Deha  begins.  This  is  the  distance  given  by  Artemi- 
dorus,  who  also  states  that  the  island  formerly  con- 
tained  250  towns  ;  Juba,  however,  gives  the  distance 
as  400  miles.  Aristocreon  says  that  the  distance 
from  Elephantis  to  the  sea  is  750  miles — Elephantis 
is  an  inhabited  island  4  miles  below  the  last  cataract 
and  16  above  Assuan;  it  is  the  extreme  Umit 
of  navigation  in  Egypt,  being  585  miles  from  Alex- 
andria — so  far  out  in  their  calculations  have  the 
above-named  authors  been.  Elephantis  is  the  point 
of  rendezvous  for  Ethiopian  vessels,  which  are  made 
collapsible  for  the  purpose  of  portage  on  reaching 
the  cataracts. 

XI.  In  addition  to  boasting  its  other  glories  of  the  cuiesof 
past  Egypt  can  claim  the  distinction  of  having  had  ^^^'' 
in  the  reign  "  of  King  Amasis  20,000  cities ;  and 
even  now  it  contains  a  very  large  number,  although 
of  no  importance.  However,  the  City  of  Apollo  is 
notable,  as  is  also  the  City  of  Leucothea  and  the 
Great  City  of  Zeus,  also  caUed  Thebes,  renowned  for 
the  fame  of  its  hundred  gates,  Coptos  the  market 
near  the  Nile  for  Indian  and  Arabian  merchandise, 
and  also  the  Town  of  Venus  and  the  Town  of  Jove 
and  Tentyris,  below  which   is  Abydos,  famous  for 

265 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

nonis  regia  et  Osiris  templo   inclutum,  vii  d  p.   in 

61  Libyam  remotum  a  flumine.  dein  Ptolemais  et 
Panopolis  ac  Veneris  iterum,  et  in  Libyco  Lycon,  ubi 
montes  finiunt  Thebaidem.  ab  iis  oppida  Mercuri, 
Alabastron,  Canum  et  supra  dictum  Herculis. 
deinde  Arsinoes  ac  iam  dicta  Memphis,  inter  quam 
et  Arsinoiten  nomon  in  Libyco  turres  quae  pyramides 
vocantur,  labvrinthus  in  Moeridis  lacu  nullo  addito 
Mgno  exaedificatus  et  oppidum  Crialon.^  unum 
praeterea  intus  et  Arabiae  conterminum  claritatis 
magnae,  Solis  oppidum. 

62  Sed  iure  laudetur  in  Htore  Aegyptii  maris  Alex- 
andria  a  Magno  Alexandro  condita  in  Africae  parte 
ab  ostio  Canopico  .\Ti  p.  iuxta  Mareotim  lacum,  qui 
locus  antea  Rhacotes  nominabatur.  metatus  est 
eam  Dinochares  architectus  pluribus  modis  memora- 
biH  ingcnio,  ~v  p.  laxitate  insessa  ad  effigiem  Mace- 
donicae  chlamydis  orbe  gyrato  laciniosam,  dextra 
laevaque  anguloso  procursu,  iam  tum  tamen  quinta 

63  situs  parte  regiae  dicata.  Mareotis  lacus  a  meridiana 
urbis  parte  euripo  e  Canopico  ostio  mittit  ex  medi- 
terraneo  commercia,  insulas  quoque  plures  amplexas, 
xxx  traiectu,  ccL  ambitu,  ut  tradit  Claudius  Caesar. 
alii    schoenos    in    longitudinem    patere    xl    faciunt, 

^  Crocodilon  Hardouin  ex  IJdt.  II.  147. 


"  At  XII.  53  Pliny  gives  the  schoenus  (a  Persian  measure) 
ae  either  40  or  32  stadea  (see  p.  98,  n.  o),  viz.  nearly  5  or 
nearly  4  milea. 

266 


BOOK  V.  XI.  60-63 

the  palace  of  Memnon  and  the  temple  of  Osiris,  in 
the  interior  of  Libya  7|  miles  from  the  river,  Then 
Ptolemais  and  PanopoUs  and  another  Town  of  Venus, 
and  on  the  Libyan  side  Lycon,  where  the  Province 
of  Thebes  is  bounded  by  a  mountain  range.  Beyond 
this  are  the  Towns  of  Mercury,  and  of  the  Alabastri, 
the  Town  of  Dogs,  and  the  Town  of  Hercules  men- 
tioned  above.  Then  Arsinoe's  Town  and  Memphis 
already  mentioned,  between  which  and  the  Arsinoite 
district  on  the  Libyan  side  are  the  towers  called 
pyramids,  and  on  Lake  Moeris  the  Labyrinth,  in 
the  construction  of  which  no  timber  was  used  with 
the  masonry,  and  the  town  of  the  Criah.  There  is 
one  place  besides  in  the  interior  and  bordering  on 
the  Arabian  frontier  which  is  of  great  renown, 
Heliopolis. 

But  justice  requires  that  praise  shall  be  bestowed  Aiexandria. 
on  Alexandria,  built  by  Alexander  the  Great  on  the 
coast  of  the  Egyptian  Sea  on  the  side  of  Africa, 
12  miles  from  the  Canopic  mouth  and  adjoining  Lake 
Mariout ;  the  site  was  pre\aously  named  Rhacotes. 
It  was  laid  out  by  the  architect  Dinochares,  who  is 
famous  for  his  talent  in  a  variety  of  ways  ;  it  covered 
an  area  spreading  15  miles  in  the  shape  of  a  Mace- 
donian  soldier's  cape,  with  indentations  in  its  cir- 
cumference  and  projecting  corners  on  the  right  and 
left  side ;  while  at  the  same  time  a  fifth  of  the  site 
was  devoted  to  the  King's  palace.  Lake  Mariout, 
which  lies  on  the  south  side  of  the  city,  carries 
traffic  from  the  interior  by  means  of  a  canal  from 
the  Canopic  mouth  of  the  Nile ;  also  it  includes  a 
considcrable  number  of  islands,  being  30  miles  across 
and  250  miles  in  circumference,  according  to  Claudius 
Caesar.     Others  make  it  40  schoeni "  long  and  reckon 

267 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

schoenumque  stadia  xxx,  ita  fieri  longitudinis  cl  p., 
tantundem  et  latitudinis. 

64  Sunt  in  honore  et  intra  decursus  Nili  multa  oppida, 
praecipue  quae  nomina  ostiis  dedere,  non  omnibus — 
XII  enim  reperiuntur,  superque  quattuor  quae  ipsi 
falsa  ora  appellant — sed  celeberrimis  vii,  proximo 
Alexandriae  Canopico,  dein  Bolbitino,  Sebcnnj^tico, 
Phatnitico,  Mendesico,  Tanitico,  ultimoque  Pelusiaco. 
praeterea  Butos,  Pharbaethos,  Lentopolis,  Athribis, 
Isidis  Oppidum,  Busiris,  Cynopohs,  Aphrodites,  Sais, 
Naucratis,  unde  ostium  (juidam  Naucratiticum  nomi- 
nant  quod  aHi  Heracleoticum,  Canopico  cui  proximum 
est  praeferentes. 

65  XII.  Ultra  Pelusiacum  Arabia  est,  ad  Rubrum 
Mare  pertinens  et  odoriferam  illam  ac  divitem  et 
beatae  cognomine  inclutam.  haec  Cattabanum  et 
Esbonitarum  et  Scenitarum  Arabum  vocatur,  steriUs 
praeterquam  ubi  Syriae  confinia  attingit,  nec  nisi 
Casio  monte  nobilis.  his  Arabes  iunguntur,  ab 
oriente  Canclilei,  a  meridie  Cedrei,  qui  deinde  ambo 
Nabataeis.  Heroopoliticus  vocatur  alterque  Aelani- 
ticus  ^  sinus  Rubri  maris  in  Aegyptum  vergentis,  cl 
intervallo  inter  duo  oppida,  Aelana  et  in  nostro  mari 

^  V.ll.   Laclaniticus   et  alia :     Laeaniticus   vel  Aelaniticus 
JUayhoff  coU.  VI.  156,  165. 


"  I.e.  Arahia  Petraea,  adjoining  Egypt. 
'  Arabia  Felix. 

'  *  Tent-dweliera  '  (<•/.  VI.  143),  the  modern  Bedouins. 
268 


BOOK   V.  XI.  63-xii.  65 

the  sckoenus  as  30  furlongs,  which  makes  the  length 
150  miles,  and  they  give  the  same  figure  for  the 
breadth. 

There  are  also  many  considerable  towns  in  the  Townsof 
region  of  the  lower  parts  of  the  Nile,  especially  those  °^"^ " '  ^' 
that  have  given  their  names  to  the  mouths  of  the 
river,  though  not  all  of  these  are  named  after  towns — 
for  we  find  that  there  are  twelve  of  them,  besides 
four  raore  that  the  natives  call  '  false  mouths  ' — but 
the  seven  best  known  are  the  Canopic  mouth  nearest 
to  Alexandria  and  then  the  Bolbitine,  Sebennytic, 
Phatnitic,  Mendesic,  Tanitic,  and  last  the  Pelusiac. 
Besides  the  towns  that  give  their  names  to  the 
mouths  there  are  Butos,  Pharbaethos,  Leontopolis, 
Atliribis,  the  Town  of  Isis,  Busiris,  Cynopohs, 
Aphrodite's  Town,  Sais,  and  Naucratis,  after  which 
some  people  give  the  name  of  Naucratitic  to  the 
mouth  called  by  others  the  Heracleotic,  and  mention 
it  instead  of  the  Canopic  mouth  wliich  is  next  to  it. 

XII.  Beyond  the  Pelusiac  mouth  of  the  Nile  is  Arahia. 
Arabia,"  extending  to  the  Red  Sea  and  to  the 
Arabia  known  by  the  siu-name  of  Happy  *  and 
famous  for  its  perfumes  and  its  wealth.  This  bears 
the  names  of  the  Cattabancs,  Esbonitae  and  Scenitae*^ 
tribes  of  Arabs ;  its  soil  is  barren  except  where  it 
adjoins  the  frontier  of  Syria,  and  its  only  remark- 
able  feature  is  the  El  Kas  mountain.  The  Arabian 
tribe  of  the  Canchlei  adjoin  those  mentioned  on 
the  east  and  that  of  the  Cedrei  on  the  south,  and 
both  of  these  in  tlieir  turn  adjoin  the  Nabataei. 
The  two  gulfs  of  the  Red  Sea  where  it  converges  on 
Kgypt  are  called  the  Gulf  of  Suez  and  the  Gulf  of 
Akaba ;  between  tlie  two  towns  of  Akaba  and 
Guzzah,  which  is  on  the  Mcditerrancan,  thcre  is  a 

269 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Gazain.  Agrippa  a  Pelusio  Arsinoeii  Rubri  marls 
oppidum  per  deserta  cxxv  p.  tradit.  tam  parvo 
distat  ibi  tanta  rerum  naturae  diversitas ! 

66  XIII.  luxta  Syria  litus  occupat,  quondam  terrarum 
maxuma  et  plurimis  distincta  nominibus :  namque 
Palaestine  vocabatur  qua  contingit  Arabas,  et  ludaea, 
et  Coele,  exin  Phoenice,  et  qua  recedit  intus  Dama- 
scena,  ae  magis  etiamnum  meridiana  Babylonia,  et 
eadem  Mesopotamia  inter  Euphraten  et  Tigrin, 
quaque  transit  Taurum  Sophene,  citra  vero  eam 
Commagene,  et  ultra  Armeniam  Adiabene  Assyria 

67  ante  dicta,  et  ubi  Ciliciam  attingit  Antiochia.  longi- 
tudo  eius  inter  Ciliciam  et  Arabiam  cccclxx  p.  est, 
latitudo  a  Seleucia  Pieria  ad  oppiduni  in  Euphrate 
Zeugma  clxxv.  qui  subtilius  dividunt  circumfundi 
S}Tia  Phoenicen  volunt,  et  esse  oram  maritimam 
Syriae,  cuias  pars  sit  Idumaea  et  ludaea,  dein 
Phoenicen,  dein  Syriam.  id  quod  praeiacet  mare 
totum  Phoenicium  appellatur.  ipsa  gens  Phoenicum 
in  magna  gloria  litterarum  inventionis  et  siderum 
navaUumque  ac  bellicarum  artium. 

68  XIV.  A  Pelusio  Chabriae  castra,  Casius  mons, 
delubrum  lovis  Casii,  tumulus  Magni  Pompei. 
Ostracine  Arabia  finitur,  a  Pelusio  Lxv  p.  mox 
Idumaea  incipit  et  Palaestina  ab  emersu  Sirbonis 
270 


BOOK   y.  xii.  65-xiv.  68 

space  of  150  miles.  Agrippa  says  that  the  distance 
from  Pelusium  across  the  desert  to  the  town  of 
Ardscherud  on  the  Red  Sea  is  125  miles :  so  small  a 
distance  in  that  region  separates  two  such  different 
regions  of  the  world  ! 

XIII.  The  next  country  on  the  coast  is  Syria,  ^yna- 
formcrly  the  greatest  of  lands.  It  had  a  great  many 
divisions  with  different  names,  the  part  adjacent  to 
Arabia  being  formerly  called  Palestine,  and  Judaea, 
and  HoUow  Syria,then  Phoenicia  and  the  more  inland 
part  Damascena,  and  that  still  further  south  Baby- 
lonia  as  well  as  Mesopotamia  between  the  Euphrates 
and  the  Tigris,  the  district  beyond  Mount  Taurus 
Sophene,  that  on  this  side  of  Sophene  Commagene, 
that  beyond  Armenia  Adiabene,  which  was  previously 
called  Ass)Tia,  and  the  part  touching  Cihcia  Antio- 
chia.       Its     length     between     Cihcia     and     Arabia 

is  470  miles  and  its  breadth  from  Seleukeh 
Pieria  to  BridgetOAvn  on  the  Euphrates  175  miles. 
Those  who  divide  the  country  into  smaller  parts  hold 
the  \iew  that  Phoenicia  is  surrounded  by  Syria,  and 
that  the  order  is — the  seacoast  of  Syria  of  which 
Idumaea  and  Judaea  are  a  part,  then  Phoenicia, 
then  Syria.  The  whole  of  the  sea  lying  off  the  coast 
is  called  the  Phoenician  Sea.  The  Phoenician  race 
itself  has  the  great  distinction  of  having  invented  the 
alphabet  and  the  sciences  of  astronomy,  navigation 
and  strategy. 

XIV.  After  Pelusiimi  come  the  Camp  of  Chabrias,  idumaea, 
Mount  El  Kas  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Casius,  and  the  samaHa! 
tomb   of  Pompey   the    Great.     At   Ras   Straki,   65 
miles    from    Pelusium,    is    the    frontier    of   Arabia. 
Then  begins  Idumaea,  and  Palestine  at  the  point 
wliere  the  Scrbonian  Lake  comes  into  vicw.     This 

271 


PLIN^':    NATURAL   HISTORY 

lacus,  quem  quidatn  cL  circuitu  tradidere :  Herodotus 
Casio  monti  adplicuit ;  nunc  est  palus  modica. 
oppida  Rhinocolura  et  intus  Rhaphea,  Gaza  et  intus 
Anthedon,  mons  Argaris.  regio  per  oram  Samaria, 
oppidum    Ascalo    liberum,   Azotos,    lamneae    duae, 

69  altera  intus ;  lope  Phoenicum,  antiquior  terrarum 
inundatione,  ut  ferunt,  insidet  collem  praeiacente 
saxo  in  quo  vinculorum  Andromedae  vestigia 
ostendunt ;  colitur  illic  fabulosa  Ceto.  inde  Apol- 
lonia,  Stratonis  turris,  eadem  Caesarea,  ab  Herode 
rege  condita,  nunc  colonia  Prima  I-lavia  a  Vespasiano 
imperatore  deducta,  finis  Palaestines  clxxxix  p.  a 
confinio  Arabiae.  dein  Phoenice,  intus  autem 
Samaria;  oppida  Neapolis,  quod  antea  Mamortha 
dicebatur,  Sebaste  in  monte,  et  altiore  Gamala. 

70  XV.  Supra  Idumaeam  et  Samariam  ludaea  longe 
lateque  funditur.  pars  cius  Svriae  iuncta  Galilaea 
vocatur,  Arabiae  vero  et  Aegypto  proxima  Peraea, 
asperis  dispersa  montibus  et  a  ceteris  ludaeis  lordane 
amne  discreta.  rehqua  ludaea  dividitur  in  toparchias 
decem  quo  dicemus  ordine :  Hiericuntem  palmetis 
consitam,  fontibus  riguam,  Emmaum,  Lvddam, 
lopicam,  Acrcbitenam,  Gophaniticam,  Thamniticam, 
Bethleptephenen,  Orinen,  in  qua  fuere  Hierosolyma 


"  Deucalion'8,  not  Noah'8,  is  mcant. 

*  To  be  caten  by  the  sea-monster,  K-qroi,  from  which  she 
waa  rescued  by  Pcrscus.  Tho  monstcr  secms  to  have  been 
commcmoratcd  in  the  local  cult. 

272 


BOOK   V.  XIV.  68-xv.  70 

lake  is  recorded  by  some  WTiters  as  having  measured 
150  milcs  romid — Herodotus  gave  it  as  reaching  the 
foot  of  Mount  El  Kas ;  but  it  is  now  an  inconsider- 
able  fen.  There  are  the  towns  of  El-Arish  and 
inland  Refah,  Gaza  and  inland  Anthedon,  and  Mount 
Argaris.  Further  along  the  coast  is  the  region  of 
Samaria,  the  free  town  Ascalon,  Ashdod,  the  two 
towns  named  lamnea,  one  of  them  inland ;  and  the 
Phoenician  city  of  Joppa.  This  is  said  to  have 
existed  before  the  flood;"  it  is  situated  on  a  hill, 
and  in  front  of  it  is  a  rock  on  wliich  they  point  out 
marks  made  by  the  chains  with  which  Andromeda 
was  fettered ;  *  here  there  is  a  cult  of  the  legendary 
goddess  Ceto.  Next  Apollonia,  and  the  Tower  of 
Strato,  otherwise  Caesarea,  founded  by  King  Herod, 
but  now  the  colony  called  Prima  Fla^ia  estabUshed 
by  the  Emperor  Vespasian ;  this  is  the  frontier  of 
Palestine,  189  miles  from  the  confines  of  Arabia. 
After  this  comes  Phoenicia,  and  inland  Samaria; 
the  towns  are  Naplous,  formerly  called  Mamortha, 
Scbustieh  on  a  mountain,  and  on  a  loftier  mountain 
Gamala. 

XV.  Beyond  Idimnaca  and  Samaria  stretches  the  Judaea. 
wide  expanse  of  Judaea.  Tlie  pai-t  of  Judaea  adjoin- 
ing  Syria  is  called  Gahlee,  and  that  next  to  Arabia 
and  Egypt  Peraea.  Peraea  is  covered  with  rugged 
mountains,  and  is  separated  from  the  other  parts  of 
Judaea  by  the  river  Jordan.  The  rest  of  Judaea  is 
divided  into  ten  Local  Government  Areas  in  the 
following  order :  the  district  of  Jericho,  which  has 
numerous  palm-groves  and  springs  of  water,  and 
those  of  Emmaus,  Lydda,  Joppa,  Accrabim,  Juiria, 
Timnath-Serah,  Beth-lebaoth,  tlie  Hills,  the  district 
that  formerly  contained  Jerusalem,  by  far  the  most 

273 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

longe  clarissima  urbium  orientis,  non  ludaeae  modo, 
Herodium  cum  oppido  inlustri  ciasdem  nominis. 

71  lordanes  amnis  oritur  e  fonte  Paniade,  qui  cogno- 
men     dedit     Caesareae     de     qua     dicemus.     amnis 

•moenus  et  quatenus  locorum  situs  patitur  ambitiosus 
accolisque  se  praebens  velut  invitus  Asphaltiten 
lacum  dirum  natura  petit,  a  quo  postremo  ebibitur 
aquasque  laudatas  perdit  pestilentibus  mixtas.  ergo 
ubi  prima  convallium  fuit  occasio,  in  lacum  se  fundit 
qucm  plures  Genesaram  vocant,  xvi  p.  longitudinis, 
vl  latitudinis,  amoenis  circumsaeptum  oppidis,  ab 
oriente  luliade  et  Hippo,  a  mcridie  Tarichea,  quo 
nomine    aHqui    et    lacum    appellant,    ab    occidente 

72  Tiberiade  aquis  caUdis  salubri.  Asphaltites  nihil 
praeter  bitumen  gignit,  unde  et  nomen.  nuUum 
corpus  animahum  recipit,  tauri  camehque  fluitant ; 
inde  fama  nihil  in  eo  mergi.  longitudine  excedit  c  p,, 
latitudine  maxima  Lxxv  implet,  minima  v"i.  prospicit 
eimi  ab  oriente  Arabia  Nomadum,  a  meridie  Machae- 
rus,  secunda  quondam  arx  ludaeae  ab  Hierosolymis. 
eodem  latere  est  cahdus  fons  medicae  salubritatis 
Cahirroe  aquarum  gloriam  ipso  nomine  praeferens. 


"  The  valley  of  the  Jordan  runa  in  a  straight  linc  almost 
to  the  Dead  Sea,  but  the  stream  itself  windti  in  numeruus  curves. 

274 


BOOK  V.  XV.  70-72 

famous  city  of  the  East  and  not  of  Judaea  only, 
and  Herodium  with  the  celebrated  town  of  the 
same  name. 

The  source  of  the  river  Jordan  is  the  spring  ofTheJordan 
Panias  from  which  Caesarea  described  later  takes  DeadSea. 
its  second  name.  It  is  a  dehghtful  stream,  winding  §  74. 
about  "  so  far  as  the  conformation  of  the  locahty 
allows,  and  putting  itself  at  the  service  of  the  people 
who  dwell  on  its  banks,  as  though  moving  with 
reluctance  towards  that  gloomy  lake,  the  Dead  Sea, 
which  ultimately  swallows  it  up,  its  much-praised 
waters  minghng  with  the  pestilential  waters  of  the 
lake  and  being  lost.  For  this  reason  at  the  first 
opportunity  afforded  by  the  formation  of  the  valleys 
it  ^ndens  out  into  a  lake  usually  called  the  Sea  of 
Gennesareth.  This  is  16  miles  long  and  6  broad, 
and  is  sldrted  by  the  pleasant  towns  of  Bethsaida 
and  Hippo  on  the  east,  El  Kereh  on  the  south  (the 
name  of  which  place  some  people  also  give  to  the 
lake),  and  Tabariah  with  its  salubrious  hot  springs 
on  the  west.  The  only  product  of  the  Dead  Sea  is 
hitumen,  the  Greek  word  for  which  gives  it  its 
Greek  name,  Asphaltites.  The  bodies  of  animals  do 
not  sink  in  its  waters,  even  bulls  and  camels  floating ; 
this  has  given  rise  to  the  report  that  notliing  at  all 
can  sink  in  it.  It  is  more  than  100  miles  long,  and 
fully  75  miles  broad  at  the  broadest  part  but  only 
G  miles  at  the  narrowest.  On  the  east  it  is  faced 
by  Arabia  of  the  Nomads,  and  on  the  south  by 
Machaerus,  at  one  time  next  to  Jerusalem  the  most 
important  fortress  in  Judaea.  On  the  same  side 
there  is  a  hot  spring  possessing  medicinal  value,  the 
name  of  which.  Calhrrhoe,  itself  proclaims  the 
celebriLy  of  its  waLers. 

275 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

73  Ab  occidonte  litora  Esscni  fugiunt  iisque  qua 
noccnt,  gcns  sola  et  in  toto  orbe  practer  ccteras 
mira,  sine  ulla  fcmina,  omni  venere  abdicata,  sine 
pecunia,  socia  palmaruin.  in  diem  ex  aequo  con- 
venarum  turba  rcnascitur  large  frequcntantibus  quos 
vita  fcssos  ad  morcs  eorum  fortima  ^  fluctibus  agitat. 
ita  per  scculorum  milia  (incredibile  dictu)  gens 
aetcrna  est  in  qua  nemo  nascitur:  tam  fecunda  illis 
aliorum  vitae  paenitcntia  est ! 

Infra  hos  Engada  oppidum  fuit,  secundum  ab 
Hierosolymis  fertilitate  palmetorumque  nemoribus, 
nunc  alterum  bustum.  inde  Masada  castellum  in 
rupe  et  ipsum  haut  procul  Asphaltite.  et  hactcnus 
ludaea  est. 

74  XVI.  lungitur  ei  latere  Syriae  Decapohtana  rcgio 
a  numero  oppidorum,  in  quo  non  omnes  cadcm 
observant,  plurimi  tamen  Damascum  cpoto  riguis 
amne  Chrysorroa  fertilem,  Philadelphiam,  Rhaji- 
hanam  (omnia  in  Arabiam  recedentia),  ScythopoUm 
(antea  Nysam,  a  Libero  Patre  sepulta  nutrice  ibi) 
Scythis  deductis,  Gadara  Hieromicc  praefluente,  et 
iam  dictum  Hippon,  Dion,  Pcllam  aquis  divitem, 
Galasam,  Canatham.  intercurrunt  cinguntque  has 
urbes  tetrarchiae,  rcgnorum  instar  singulae,  et  in  • 
regna    contribuuntur,    Trachonitis,    Panias    (in    qua 

1  Mayhojf :  fortunao.  *  in  v.l.  om 

276 


BOOK   V.  x^-.  73-xvi.  74 

On  the  west  side  of  the  Dead  Sea,  but  out  of  range 
of  the  noxious  exhahitioiis  of  the  coast,  is  the  soHtary 
tribe  of  the  Essenes,  which  is  remarkable  beyond  all 
the  other  tribes  in  the  ■whole  world,  as  it  has  no 
women  and  has  renounccd  all  sexual  dcsire,  has  no 
money,  and  has  only  palm-trees  for  company.  Day 
by  day  the  throng  of  refugees  is  recruited  to  an 
equal  number  by  numerous  accessions  of  persons 
tired  of  Hfe  and  driven  thither  by  the  waves  of 
fortune  to  adopt  thcir  manners.  Thus  through 
thousands  of  ages  (incredible  to  relate)  a  race  in 
wliich  no  one  is  born  Hves  on  for  ever :  so  proHfic 
for  their  advantage  is  other  men's  weariness  of  Hfe ! 

L}ing  below  the  Essenes  was  formerly  the  town 
of  Engedi,  second  only  to  Jerusalem  in  the  fertiHty 
of  its  land  and  in  its  groves  of  palm-trees,  but  now 
Hke  Jerusalem  a  heap  of  ashes.  Next  comes  Masada, 
a  fortress  on  a  rock,  itself  also  not  far  from  the 
Dead  Sea.     This  is  the  Hmit  of  Judaea. 

X\T.  Adjoining  Judaea  on  the  side  of  Syria  is  The 
the  region  of  DecapoHs,  so  called  from  the  number  ^"""p^^^^- 
of  its  to-wns,  though  not  all  writers  keep  to  the  same 
towns  in  the  Hst ;   most  hoAvever  include  Damascus, 
A\ith  its  fertile  water-meadows  that  drain  the  river 
Chrysorrhoc,  Philadelphia,  Raphana  (all  these  three 
withdraA^-n    toAvards    Arabia),   Sc}-thopoHs   (formerly 
Xysa,  after  Father  Liber's  nurse,  whom  he  buried 
there)   where   a   colony   of    Scytliians   are   settled ; 
Gadara,     past     which     flows     the     river     Yarmak; 
Hippo  mentioned  already,  Dion,  PeHa  rich  with  its§7i. 
waters,    Galasa,     Canatha.     Between    and    around 
these   cities   run   tetrarchies,   each    of  them    equal 
to  a  kingdom,  and  they  are  incorporated  into  king- 
doms — Trachonitis,    Panias    (in    which    is    Caesarea  §  7i. 

voL.  II.  K      277 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Caesarea    cuin    supra    dicto    fonte),    Abila,    Arca, 
Ampeloessa,  Gabe. 

75  XVII.  Hinc  rcdeundum  est  ad  oram  atque 
Phoenicen.  fuit  oppidum  Crocodilon,  est  flumen; 
memoria  urbium  Dorum,  Sycaminum.  promun- 
turium  Carmelum  et  in  monte  oppidum  eodem 
nomine,  quondam  Acbatana  dictum.  iuxta  Cietta, 
Geba,  rivus  Pacida  sive  Belus,  vitri  fertiles  harenas 
parvo  litori  miscens ;  ipse  e  palude  Cendebia  a 
radicibus  Carmeli  profluit.  iuxta  colonia  Claudi 
Caesaris  Ptolemais,  (juae   quondam  Acce,  oppidum 

76  Ecdippa,  promunturium  Album.  Tyros,  quondam 
insula  pracalto  mari  dcc  passibus  divisa,  nunc  vero 
Alexandri  oppugnantis  operibus  continens,  olim  partu 
clara  urbibus  genitis  Lepti,  Utica,  et  illa  Romani 
imperii  aemula  terrarumque  orbis  avida  Cartha- 
gine,  etiam  Gadibus  extra  orbem  eonditis :  nunc 
omnis  eiiLS  nobilitas  concliylio  atque  purpura  constat. 
circuitus  .\Tx  est,  in  ora  ^  Palaetyro  inclasa  ;  oppidum 
ipsum  XXII  stadia  optinet.  inde  Sarepta  et  Ornithon 
oppida  et  Sidon  artifex  vitri  Thebarumque  Boeo- 
tiarum  parens. 

77  A  tergo  eius  Libanus  mons  orsus  md  stadiis 
Zimyram  usque  porrigitur  Coeles  Syriae  quae  ^ 
cognominatur.     huic   par    intervcniente   valle  mons 

*  in  ora?  Mayhoff:   intra. 

*  Backham  :  quae  Coeles  Syriao  aul  quae  Coele  Syria. 

°  Ta  Aujpa  and  }L.VKanLi'ti>v  ttoAi?. 

*  Believed  to  have  been  named  after  Ptolemy  I,  who  cn- 
liirgcd  it. 
"^  Now  Acre. 

•^  I.e.  Ras  el  Abiad,  ita  modern  name. 
'  Fonnded  by  Cadmus,  eon  of  Agenor  King  of  Sidon. 

278 


BOOK   V.  XVI.  74  wii.  77 

with    the    spring    mentioned    above),    Ahila,    Arca, 
Ampeloessa  and  Gabe. 

X\'II.  From  this  point  we  must  go  back  to  the  Phoenida, 
coast  and  to  Phoenicia.  There  was  fbvmerly  a  town 
called  Crocodilon,  and  there  is  still  a  river  of  that 
name  ;  and  the  cities  of  Dora  and  Sycamini,"  of  which 
only  the  memory  exists.  Then  comes  Cape  Carmel, 
and  on  a  mountain  the  town  of  the  same  namc, 
formerly  called  Acbatana.  Next  are  Getta,  Geba, 
and  the  river  Pacida  or  Belus,  which  covers  its 
narrow  bank  with  sand  of  a  lcind  used  for  making 
glass ;  the  river  itself  flows  out  of  the  marsh  of 
Cendebia  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Carmel.  Close  to 
this  river  is  Ptolemais,*  a  colony  of  the  Emperor 
Claudius,  formerly  called  Acce  ;  '^  and  then  the  town 
of  Ach-Zib,  and  the  White  Cape.'^  Next  Tyre,  Tyrcand 
once  an  island  separated  from  the  mainland  by  '  '  °^' 
a  very  deep  sea-channel  700  yards  wide,  but  now 
joined  to  it  by  the  works  constructed  by  Alexander 
when  besieging  the  place,  and  formerly  famous  as 
the  mother-city  from  which  sprang  the  cities  of 
Leptis,  Utica  and  the  great  rival  of  Rome's  empire 
in  coveting  world-sovereignty,  Carthage,  and  also 
Cadiz,  which  slie  founded  outside  the  confines  of  thc 
world  ;  but  the  entire  renown  of  Tyre  now  consists 
in  a  shell-fish  and  a  purple  dye !  Tlie  circumference 
of  tlie  city,  inchiding  Old  Tyre  on  the  coast,  measures 
19  miles,  tlie  actual  town  covering  2|  miles.  Next 
are  Zarephath  and  Bird-town,  and  the  mother-city 
of  Thebes*  in  Boeotia,  Sidon,  Avhere  glass  is  made. 

Behind  Sidon  begins  Mount  Lebanon,  a  chain  ex-  Mount 
tending  as  far  as  Zimyra  in  the  district  called  Hollow 
Syria,    a    distance    of    nearly    190    miles.     Facing 
Lebanon,    with    a    valley    between,    stretches    the 

279 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

adversus  Antilibanus  obtenditur  quondam  muro 
coniunctas.  post  eum  introrsus  Decapolitana  regio 
praedictaeque  cum  ea  Tetrarchiae  et  Palaestines  tota 

78  laxitas ;  in  ora  autem  subiecta  Libano  fluvius 
Magoras,  Bcrj-tus  colonia  quae  Felix  lulia  appellatur, 
Leontos  Oppidum,  flumen  Lycos,  Palaebyblos, 
flumen  Adonis,  oppida  Byblos,  Botrys,  Gigarta, 
Trieris,  Calamos,  Tripolis  quam  T}Tii  et  Sidonii  et 
Aradii  optinent,  Orthosia,  Eleutheros  flumen,  oppida 
Zimyra,  Marathos,  contraque  Arados  septem  stadio- 
mm  oppidum  et  insula  duccntis  passibus  a  continente 
dl^^tans ;  regio  in  qua  supradicti  desinunt  montes ; 
et  interiacentibus  campis  Bargylus  mons. 

79  XVIII.  Incipit  hinc  rursus  Syria,  desinente 
Phoenice.  oppida  Came,  Balanea,  Paltos,  Gabala, 
promunturium  in  quo  Laodicea  libera,  Dipolis, 
Heraclea,  Charadras,  Posidium.  dein  promunturium 
Syriae  Antiochiae;  intas  ipsa  Antiochia  Hbera, 
Epi  Daphnes  cognominata,  Oronte  amne  dividitur  ;  in 
promunturio  autem  Seleucia  libera  Pieria  appellata. 

80  super  eam  mons  eodem  quo  alius  nomine,  Casius, 
cuius  excelsa  altitudo  quarta  vigilia  orientem  per 
tenebras  solem  aspicit,  brevi  circumactu  corporis 
diem  noctemque  pariter  ostendens.  ambitus  ad 
cacumen  .\lx  p,  est,  altitudo  per  directum  iv.      at 


•  A  celebrated  grove  dcdicated  to  Apollo. 
280 


BOOK   V.  x\ii.  77-.\viii.  80 

equally  long  range  of  Counter-Lebanon,  which  was 
formerly  connected  ^\ith  Lebanon  by  a  wall.  Behind 
Counter-Lebanon  inhind  is  the  region  of  the  Ten 
Cities,  and  with  it  the  tetrarchies  ah-eady  men-  §  74. 
tioned,  and  the  whole  of  the  wide  expanse  of  Pales- 
tine;  while  on  the  coast,  below  Mount  Lebanon, 
are  the  river  Magoras,  the  colony  of  Beyrout  called 
Juha  FeHx,  Lion's  Town,  the  river  Lycus,  Palaeby- 
blos,  the  river  Adonis,  the  towns  of  Jebeil,  Batrun, 
Gazis,  Trieris,  Calamos  ;  Tarabhs,  inliabited  by  people 
from  Tyre,  Sidon  and  Ruad ;  Ortosa,  the  river  Eleu- 
theros,  the  towas  of  Zimyra  and  Marathos  ;  and  facing 
them  the  seven-furlong  town  and  island  of  Ruad, 
330  yards  from  the  mainland ;  the  region  in  whicli 
the  mountain  ranges  above  mentioned  terminate ; 
and  beyond  some  intervening  plains  Mount  Bargylus. 

X^TIL  At  this  point  Phoenicia  ends  and  Syria  Sijria 
begins  again.  There  are  the  to^vns  of  Tartus, 
Banias,  Bolde  and  Djebeleh;  the  cape  on  which 
the  free  town  of  Latakia  is  situated ;  and  DipoUs, 
Heraclea,  Charadrus  and  Posidium.  Then  the  cape 
of  Antiochian  Syria,  and  inhmd  the  city  of  Antioch 
itself,  which  is  a  free  tovm  and  is  called  '  Antioch 
Near  Daphne,' "  and  which  is  separated  from  Daphne 
by  the  river  Orontes ;  while  on  the  cape  is  the  free 
town  of  Seleukeh,  called  Pieria.  Above  Selcukeh  is  a 
mountain  having  tlie  same  name  as  the  other  one,  5C8- 
Casius,  which  is  so  extremely  lofty  that  in  the 
fourth  quarter  of  the  night  it  commands  a  view  of 
the  sun  rising  through  the  darkness,  so  presenting 
to  the  observer  if  he  merely  turns  round  a  view  of 
day  and  night  simultaneously.  The  winding  route 
to  the  summit  nieasures  19  miles,  the  perpendicuhn* 
height  of  ihe  nuiuntain  being  4  iniles.     On  the  coast 

281 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

in  ora  amms  Orontes  natus  inter  Libanum  et  Antili- 
banum  iuxta  Heliopolim.  oppida  Rhosos — et  a  tergo 
Portae  quae  SjTiae  appellantur,  intervallo  Rhosiorum 
montium  et  Tauri, — in  ora  oppidum  Myriandros, 
mons  Amanus  in  quo  oppidum  Bomilae.  ipse  ab 
Syris  Ciliciam  separat. 

81  XIX.  Nunc  interiora  dicantur.  Coele  habet 
Apameam  Marsya  amne  di\isam  a  Nazerinorum 
tetrarchia,  Bambycen  quae  alio  nomine  Hierapolis 
vocatur,  Syris  vero  Maljog — ibi  prodigiosa  Atargatis, 
Graecis  autem  Derceto  dicta,  coHtur — ,  Chalcidem 
cognominatam  Ad  Belum,  unde  regio  Chalcidena 
fertiUssima  Syriae,  et  inde  Cyrresticae  Cyrrum, 
Gazetas,  Gindarenos,  Gabenos,  tetrarchias  duas  quae 
Granucomatitae  vocantur,  Hemesenos,  Hylatas, 
Ituraeorum  gentem  et  qui  ex  his  Baethaemi  vocantur, 

82  Mariamnitanos,  tetrarchiam  quae  Mammisea  apella- 
tur,  Paradisum,  Pagras,  Penelenitas,  Seleucias 
praeter  iam  dictam  duas,  quae  ad  Euphraten  et  quae 
ad  Belum  vocantur,  Tardytenses.  reHqua  autem 
Syria  habet  (exceptis  quae  cum  Euphrate  dicentur) 
Arbethusios,  Beroeenses,  Epiphanenses  ad  Orontem, 
Laodicenos  qui  ad  Libanum  cognominantur,  Leu- 
cadios,  Larisaeos,  praeter  tetrarchias  in  regna 
discriptas  barbaris  nominibus  xvn. 


"  Astarte,  Iialf  woman,  half  fish. 
282 


BOOK   V.  xviii.  80-xix.  82 

is  the  river  Orontes,  which  rises  between  Lebanon 
and  Counter-Lebanon,  near  Baalbec.  The  towns 
are  Rhosos, — and  behind  it  the  pass  called  the  Gates 
of  S}Tia,  in  between  the  Rhosos  Mountains  and 
Mount  Taurus, — and  on  the  coast  the  town  of 
Myriandros.  and  Mount  Alnia-Daoh,  on  which  is  the 
town  of  Bomitae.  This  mountain  separates  CiUcia 
from  Syria. 

XIX.  Now  let  us  speak  of  the  places  inhind.  iniand 
Hollow  S^-ria  contains  the  town  of  Kuhit  el  Mudik,  '^^'^"'' 
separated  by  the  river  Marsyas  from  the  tetrarchy 
of  the  Nosairis ;  Bambyx,  which  is  also  named  the 
Holy  Citv,  but  wliich  the  Svrians  call  Mabog — here 
the  monstrous  goddess  Atargatis,"  the  Greek  name 
for  wliom  is  Derceto,  is  worshipped ;  the  place  called 
Chalcis  on  Behxs,*  which  gives  its  name  to  the  i-egion 
of  Chalcidene,  a  most  fertile  part  of  Syria ;  and 
then,  belonging  to  Cyrrestica,  Cyrras  and  the 
Gazetae,  Gindareni  and  Gabeni ;  the  two  tetrarchies 
called  Granucomatitae;  the  Hemeseni,  the  Hylatae, 
the  Ituraei  tribe  and  a  branch  of  them  called  the 
Baethaemi ;  the  Mariamnitani ;  the  tetrarchy  called 
Mammisea ;  Paradise,  Pagrae,  Penelenitae ;  two 
places  called  Seleucia  in  addition  to  the  place  of  that 
name  already  mentioned,  Seleucia  on  the  Euphrates  S^'-*- 
and  Seleucia  on  Belus ;  and  the  Tardytenses. 
The  remainder  of  Syria  (excepting  the  parts  that 
will  be  spoken  of  with  the  Euphrates)  contains  the 
Arbethusii,  the  Beroeenses,  the  Epiplianenses  on 
the  Orontes,  the  Laodiceans  on  Lebanon,  the 
Leucadii  and  the  Larisaei,  besides  seventeen 
tetrarchies  divided  into  Idngdoms  and  bearing  bar- 
barian  names. 

*  Porhaps  tbe  mountain  Djebel  el  Sommaq. 

283 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

83  XX.  Et  de  Euphrate  hoc  in  loco  dixisse  aptissi- 
mum  fuerit.  oritur  in  praefectura  Armeniae  Maioris 
Caranitide,  ut  prodidere  ex  iis  qui  proxime  viderant 
Domitius  Corbulo  in  monte  Aga,  Licinius  Mucianus 
sub  radicibus  montis  quem  Capoten  appellat,  supra 
Zimaram  xn  p.,  initio  Pyxurates  nominatus.  fluit 
Derzencn     primum,     mox     Anaeticam,     Armeniae 

84  regiones  a  Cappadocia  excludens.  Dascusa  abest  a 
Zimara  ia.xv  p.  inde  navigatur  Sartonam  l,  Meli- 
tenen  Cappadociae  xxiv,  Elegeam  Armeniae  .\ 
acceptis  fluminibus  Lyco,  Arsania,  Arsano.  apud 
Elegeam  occurrit  ei  Tauras  mons,  nec  resistit 
quamquam  .xTi  p.  latitudine  praevalens.^  Ommam 
vocant  inrumpentem,  mox  ubi  perfregit,  Euphraten, 

8.5  ultra  quoque  saxosum  et  violentum,  Arabiam  inde 
hxeva,  Orroeon  dictaui  regioneni,  trischocua  nicnsura 
dextraque  Conimagenen  disterniinat,  pontis  tanien 
ctiani  ubi  Tauruni  expugnat  patiens.  apud  Claucho- 
poUm  Cappadociae  cursum  ad  occasum  solis  agit ; 
priiiio  hunc  illic  in  pugna  Tnurus  aufcrt,  viclusque  et 
abscisus  sibimet  aHo  modo  vincit  ac  fractum  exjiellit 
iii    nieridiem.    ita    naturae    dimicatio   iUa    aequatur 

^  V.l.  jiraevalenti. 
284 


BOOK   V.  XX.  83-85 

XX.  A  description  of  the  Euphrates  also  will  come  TheHver 
most  suitably  at  this  place.  It  rises  in  Caranitis,  a  "^  ^" 
prefecture  of  Greater  Armenia,  as  has  been  stated 
by  two  of  the  persons  who  have  seen  it  nearest  to 
its  source — Domitius  Corbulo  putting  its  source  in 
Mount  Aga  and  Licinius  Mucianus  at  the  roots  of 
a  mountain  the  name  of  which  he  gives  as  Capotes, 
tweh'e  miles  above  Zimara.  Near  its  source  the 
river  is  called  Pyxurates.  Its  course  divides  first  the 
Derzene  region  of  Armenia  and  then  the  Anaetic 
from  Cappadocia.  Dascusa  is  75  miles  from  Zimara ; 
and  from  Dascusa  the  river  is  navigable  to  Sartona, 
a  distance  of  50  miles,  to  MeHtene  in  Cappadocia 
24  miles,  and  to  Elegea  in  Armenia  10  miles,  receiving 
the  tributary  streams  Lycus,  Arsania  and  Arsanus. 
At  Elegea  it  encounters  Mount  Taurus,  wliich  how- 
ever  does  not  bar  its  passage  although  forming  an 
extremely  powerful  barrier  12  miles  broad.  The 
river  is  called  the  Omma  wliere  it  forces  its  way 
into  the  range,  and  later,  where  it  emerges,  the 
Euphrates ;  beyond  the  range  also  it  is  full  of  rocks 
and  has  a  violent  current.  From  this  point  it  forms 
the  frontier  between  the  district  of  Arabia  called 
the  country  of  the  Orroei  on  the  left  and  Commagene 
on  the  right,  its  breadth  being  three  cables'  length, 
although  even  where  it  forces  its  passage  through 
the  Taurus  range  it  j)crmits  of  a  bridge.  At  Claudio- 
polis  in  Cappadocia  it  directs  its  course  towards  the 
west ;  and  there  for  the  first  time  in  this  combat 
Mount  Taurus  carries  the  stream  out  of  its  course, 
and  though  conquered  and  cleft  in  twain  gains  the 
victory  in  another  manner  by  breaking  its  career 
and  forcing  it  to  take  a  southerly  direction.  Thus 
this   duel   of  nature   becomes   a   drawn  battle,  the 

285 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

hoc  eunte  quo  vult,  illo  prohibente  ire  qua  velit.  a 
catarractis  iterum  navigatur.  xL  p.  inde  Cgm- 
magenes  caput  Samosata. 

86  XXI.  Arabia  supra  dicta  habet  oppida  Edessam 
quae  quondam  Antiochia  dicebatur,  Callirrhoen  a 
fonte  nominatam,  Carrhas  Crassi  clade  nobiles. 
iungitur  praefectura  Mesopotamiae  ab  Assyriis 
originem  trahens,  in  qua  Anthemusia  et  Niceplioriuni 
oppida.  mox  Arabes  qui  Praetavi  vocantur ;  horum 
caput  Singara.  a  Samosatis  autem,  latere  Syriae, 
Marsyas  amnis  influit.  Cingilla  Commagenen  finit, 
Imeneorum  civitas  incipit.  oppida  adhiuntur  Epi- 
phania  et  Antiochia  quae  ad  Euphraten  vocatur,^ 
item  Zeugma  fxxTi  p.  a  Samosatis,  transitu  Euphratis 
nobile:    ex  adverso  Apameam  Seleucus,  idem  utri- 

87  usque  conditor,  ponte  iunxerat.  qui  cohaerent 
Mesopotamiae  Rhoali  vocantur.  at  in  Syria  oj^pida 
Europum,  Thapsacum  quondaui,  nunc  Amphipolis, 
Arabes  Scenitae.  ita  fertur  usque  Suram  locum,  in 
quo  conversus  ad  orientem  relinquit  Syriae  Pahny- 
renas  soHtudines  quae  usque  ad  Petram  urbem  et 
regionem  Arabiac  Felicis  appellatae  pertinent. 

88  Palmyra  urbs  nobilis  situ,  divitiis  soli  et  aquis 
aniociiis,    vasto    undique    ambitu    harenis    includit 

^  Itackham :  vocantur. 

•  See  §  65  n. 
286 


BOOK   V.  XX.  85-xxi.  88 

river  reachingthe  goalof  its  choice  but  the  mountaiii 
preventing  it  from  reaching  it  by  the  course  of  its 
choice.  After  passing  the  Cataracts  the  stream  is 
again  navigable ;  and  40  miles  from  this  point  is 
Samosata  the  capital  of  Commagene. 

XXI.  Arabia  above  mentioned  contains  the  towns  Mesopo- 
Edessa,  which  was  formerly  called  Antiochia,  oTAe'  ^*^"' 
Calhrrhoe,  named  from  its  spring,  and  Carrhae,  Euphrates. 
famous  for  the  defeat  of  Crassus  there.  Adjoining 
it  is  the  prefecture  of  Mesopotamia,  which  derives 
its  origin  from  the  Assyrians  and  in  which  are  the 
towns  of  Anthemusia  and  Nicephorium.  Then 
comes  the  Arab  tribe  called  the  Praetavi,  whose 
capital  is  Singara.  Below  Samosata,  on  the  Syrian 
side,  the  river  Marsyas  flows  into  the  Euphrates. 
At  Cingilla  the  territory  of  Commagene  ends  and 
the  state  of  the  Imenei  begins.  The  towns  washed 
by  the  river  are  Epiphania  and  Antioch  (called 
Antioch  on  the  Euphrates),  and  also  Bridgetown,  72 
miles  from  Samosata,  famous  as  a  place  where  the 
Euphrates  can  be  crossed,  Apamea  on  the  opposite 
bank  being  joined  to  it  by  a  bridge  constructed  by 
Seleucus,  the  founder  of  both  towns.  The  people 
contiguous  to  Mesopotamia  are  called  the  llhoali.  In 
Syria  are  the  town  of  Europus  and  the  town  formerly 
called  Thapsacus  and  now  AmphipoHs,  and  an  Arab 
tribe  of  Scenitae.'^  So  the  river  flows  on  to  the 
place  named  Sura,  where  it  takes  a  turn  to  the 
east  and  leaves  the  Syrian  desert  of  Palmyra  which 
stretches  right  on  to  the  city  of  Petra  and  the  region 
called  Arabia  Felix. 

Palmyra  is  a  city  famous  for  its  situation ,  for  the  rich-  paimt/ra. 
ness  of  its  soil  and  for  its  agreeable  springs  ;  its  fields 
are  surrounded  on  every  side  by  a  vast  circuit  of  sand, 

287 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

agros,  ac  velut  terris  exempta  a  reruni  natura,  privata 
sorte  inter  duo  imperia  summa  Romanorum  Partho- 
rumque,  et  ^  prima  in  discordia  semper  utrimque 
cura.  abest  ab  Seleucia  Parthorum  quae  vocatur  ad 
Tigrim  cccxxxvii  p.,  a  proximo  vero  Syriae  litore 
ccin  et  a  Damasco  xxvii  propius. 

89  Infra  Palmyrae  soUtudines  Stelendena  regio  est 
dictaeque  iam  Hierapolis  ac  Beroea  et  Chalcis.  ultra 
Palmyram  quoque  ex  solitudinibus  his  aliquid  obtinet 
Hemesa,  item  Elatium,  dimidio  propior  Petrae  quam 
Damascus.  a  Sura  autem  proxime  est  Philiscum 
oppidum  Parthorum  ad  Euphraten;  ab  eo  Seleuciam 
dierum  decem  navigatio,  totidemque  fere  Babylonem. 

liO  scinditur  Euphrates  a  Zeugmate  dlxxxxi  p.  circa 
vicum  Massicen,  et  parte  laeva  in  Mesopotamiam 
vadit  per  ipsam  Seleuciam,  circa  eam  praefluenti 
infusus  Tigri ;  dexteriore  autem  alveo  Babylonem 
quondam  Chaldaeae  caput  petit,  mediamque  per- 
means,  item  (juam  Mothrim  vocant,  distrahitur  in 
paludes.  increscit  autem  ct  ipse  NiH  modo  statis 
diebus  paulum  difFerens  ac  Mesopotamiam  inundat 
sole  optinente  .xx  partem  cancri ;  minui  incipit  in 
virginem  e  leone  transgresso,  in  totum  vero  remeat  in 
XXIX  parte  virginis. 

91  XXII.  Sed  rede.Tmus  ad  oram  Syriae,  cui  proxima 
est    CiHcia.     flumen    Diaphanes,    mons    Crocodilus. 

'  cst  Mayhojf. 
288 


I 


BOOK   V.  XXI.  88-xxii.  91 

and  it  is  as  it  were  isolated  by  Natnre  from  the  world, 
having  a  destiny  of  its  own  between  thc  two  mighty 
empires  of  Rome  and  Parthia,  and  at  the  first  moment 
of  a  quarrel  betwcen  them  always  attracting  the 
attention  of  both  sides.  It  is  337  miles  distant  from 
Partliian  Seleucia,  generally  known  as  Seleucia  on 
the  Tigris,  203  miles  from  the  nearcst  part  of  the 
Syrian  coast,  and  27  miles  less  from  Damascus. 

Below  the  Desert  of  Palmyra  is  the  district  of 
Stelendena,  and  Holy  City,  Beroea  and  Chalcis 
already  mentioned.  Beyond  Palmyra  also  a  part  of  §§8i,83. 
this  desert  is  claimed  by  Hemesa,  and  a  part  by 
Elatium,  which  is  half  as  far  as  Damascus  is  from 
Petrae.  Quite  near  to  Sura  is  the  Parthian  to^\Ti  of 
PhiHscum  on  the  Euphrates ;  from  Phihscum  to 
Seleucia  is  a  voyage  of  ten  days,  and  about  the  same 
to  Babylon.  At  a  point  594  miles  from  Bridgetown, 
the  Euphrates  divides  round  the  village  of  Massice, 
the  left  branch  passing  through  Seleucia  itself  into 
Mesopotamia  and  falHng  into  thc  Tigris  as  it  flows 
round  that  city,  while  the  right-hand  channel  makes 
for  Babylon,  the  former  capital  of  Chaldea,  and 
passing  through  the  middle  of  it,  and  also  through 
the  city  called  Mothris,  spreads  out  into  marshes. 
Like  the  Nile,  the  Euphrates  also  increases  in 
volume  at  fixed  periods  with  httle  variation,  and 
floods  Mesopotamia  when  the  sun  has  reached  thc 
20th  degree  of  the  Crab ;  but  when  the  sun  has 
passed  through  the  Lion  and  entered  Virgo  it  begins 
to  sink,  and  when  the  sun  is  in  the  29th  degree  of 
Virgo  it  retums  to  its  channcl  entirely. 

XXH.  But  let   us  return  to  the  coast  of  Sy ria,  Asta  Minor: 
adjoining    which    is    CiUcia.      Here    are    the    river  ^oining'^ 
Diaphanes,  Mount  Crocodile,  the  Gates  of  Mount  «(«tonj. 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

portae  Amani  montis.  flumina  Andrncus,  Pinarus, 
Lvcus,  sinus  Issicus,  oppidum  Issos,  item  Alexandria, 
flumen  Chlorus,  oppidum  Aegaeae  liberimi,  amnis 
Pyramus,  portae  Ciliciae,  oppida  Mallos,  Magirsos 
et  intas  Tarsos,  campi  Alei,  oppida  Casyponis,  Mopsos 
liberum     PjTamo     inpositum,     T}tos,     Zephyrium, 

92  Anchiale ;  anines  Saros,  Cydnos  Tarsum  Hberam 
urbem  procul  a  mari  secans ;  regio  Celenderitis  cimi 
oppido,  locus  Xyniphaeum,  Soloe  Cilicii  nunc  Pom- 
peiopolis,  Adana,  Cibyra,  Pinare,  Pedalie,  Ale, 
SeHnus,  Arsinoe,  lotape,  Dorion,  iuxtaque  mare 
CorA-cos,  eodem  nomine  oppidum  et  portus  et  specus. 
mox  flumen  Calycadnus,  promunturium  Sarpedon, 
oppida   Holmoe,    Myle,   promunturium   et   oppidum 

Q.i  Veneris  a  quo  proxime  Cypras  insula.  sed  in  conti- 
nente  oppida  Mysanda,  Anemurium,  Coracesium, 
finisque  antiquus  Ciliciae  Melas  amnis.  intus  autem 
dicendi  Anazarbeni  qui  nunc  Caesarea,  Augusta, 
Castabala,  Epiphania  quae  antea  Oeniandos,  Eleasa, 
Iconium,  Seleucia  supra  amnem  Calycadnum  Tra- 
cheotis  cognomine,  ab  mari  relata  ubi  vocabatur 
Hermia.  praeterea  intus  flumina  Liparis,  Bombos, 
Paradisus,  mons  Imbarus. 

94  XXIII.  Ciliciae  PamjihvHam  omnes  iunxere 
neglecta  gente  Isaurica.  oppida  eius  intus  Isaura, 
CHbanus,  Lalasis ;  decurrit  autem  ad  mare  Anemuri 
e    regione    supra    dicti.     simiH    modo    omnibus    qui 


"  Founded   by  Aloxander  the  Great  to  commemorate  his 
victory  over  Darius;  tho  name  survivcs  as  Scanderoon. 

290 


BOOK   V,  XXII.  91-XX111.  q.\ 

Alma-Daarh,  the  rivers  Androcus,  Pinarus  and  Lyciis, 
the  Gulf  of  Issos,  the  town  of  Issos,  likewise 
Alexandria,"  the  river  Chlorus,  the  free  town  of 
Aegaeae,  the  river  Pyramus,  the  Gates  of  CiUcia, 
the  towns  of  Mallos  and  Magirsos  and  in  the  interior 
Tarsus,  the  Aleian  Plains,  the  towns  of  Casyponis, 
Mopsos  (a  free  town  on  the  river  Pyramas),  Tyros, 
Zephyrium  and  Anohiale ;  and  the  rivers  Saros  and 
Cydnos,  the  latter  cutting  through  the  free  city  of 
Tarsus  at  a  great  distance  from  the  sea ;  the  district 
of  Celenderitis  with  its  town,  the  place  Nymphaeum, 
Soloi  of  Cihcia  now  Pompeiopolis,  Adana,  Cibyra, 
Pinare,  Pedalie,  Ale,  SeUhus,  Arsinoe,  lotape, 
Dorion,  and  on  the  coast  Corycos,  there  being  a  town 
and  harbour  and  cave  of  the  same  name.  Then  the 
river  Calycadnus,  Cape  Sai*pedon,  the  towns  of 
Holmoe  and  Myle,  and  thc  promontory  and  town 
of  \'cnus,  a  short  distance  from  which  Hes  the  island 
of  Cyprus.  On  the  mainland  are  the  towns  of 
Mysanda,  Anemurium  and  Coracesium  and  the 
rivcr  Melas,  the  formcr  boundary  of  CiUcia.  Places 
worthy  of  mention  in  the  interior  are  Anazarbeni 
(the  present  Caesarea),  Augusta,  Castabala,  Kpi- 
phania(pre\iously  calledOeniandos),Elcusa,  Iconium, 
and  beyond  the  river  Calycadnus  Scleucia,  called 
Seleucia  Tracheotis,  a  city  moved  from  the  sea- 
shore,  where  it  used  to  be  called  Hermia.  Besides 
these  there  are  in  the  interior  the  rivers  Liparis, 
Bombos  and  Paradisus,  and  Mount  Imbarus. 

XXIII.  All  the  authorities  havc  made  Pamphylia  rsauria. 
join  on  to  Cilicia,  overlooking  the  people  of  Isauria. 
The  inland  towns   of  Isauria   are   Isaura,    Clibanus 
and  Lalasis ;   it  runs  down  to  the  sea  over  against 
Anemiuium   above    mentioned.      Similarly   all    who  §  03. 

291 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

eadem  composuere  ignorata  est  contermina  illi  gens 
Omanadxim  quonmi  intus  oppidum  Omana.  cetera 
castella  xliv  inter  asperas  convalles  latent. 

XXn'.  Insident  verticem  Pisidae  quondam  appel- 
lati  SohTni,  quormn  colonia  Caesarea,  eadem 
Antiochia,  oppida  Oroanda,  Sagalessos. 

95  XX\'.  Hos  includit  Lycaonia  in  Asiaticam  iurisdic- 
tionem  versa,  cum  qua  conveniunt  Philomelienses, 
Tymbriani,  Leucolithi,  Pelteni,  Tyrienses.  datur  et 
tetrarchia  ex  Lycaonia  qua  parte  Galatiae  conter- 
mina  est,  civitatium  xiv,  urbe  celeberrima  Iconio. 
ipsius  Lycaoniae  celebrantur  Thebasa  in  Tauro,  Ide 
in  confinio  Galatiac  atque  Cappadociae.  a  latere 
autem  eius  super  Pamphyliam  veniunt  Thracum 
suboles  Milyac,  quorum  Arycanda  oppidum. 

96  XX\T.  Pamphylia  antea  Mopsopia  appellata  est. 
mare  Paniphyliimi  CiHcid  iungitur.  oppida  Side  et 
in  monte  Aspendum,  Phmtanistum,  Perga ;  pro- 
munturium  LeucoUa ;  mons  Sardemisus ;  amnes 
Eurymedon  iuxta  Aspendum  fluens,  Catarractes, 
iuxta  quem  Lymessus  et  Olbia  ultimaque  eius  orae 
Phaselis. 

97  XXVII.  lunctum  mare  Lycium  est  gensque  Lycia, 
unde  vastos  ^  sinus  Taurus  mons  ab  Eois  veniens 
litoribus    Chelidonio    promunturio    disterminat,    in- 

^  Sillig  :  vastus. 
292 


BOOK   V.  xxiii.  94-.\.\vii.  97 

have  written  on  the  same  subject  have  ignored  the 
tribe  of  the  Omanades  bordering  on  Isauria,  whosc 
town  of  Omana  is  in  the  intcrior.  There  are  44  othcr 
fortresses  lying  hiddcn  among  ruggcd  valleys. 

XXIV.  The  crcst  of  thc  mountains  is  occupicd  by  Pisidia. 
the  Pisidians,  formerly  called  thc  Solymi,  to  whom 
bclong  thc  colony  of  Cacsarca  also  named  Antioch 

and  the  towns  of  Oroanda  and  Sagalcssos. 

XXV.  The    Pisidians   are   bordered   by  Lycaonia,  Lycamia. 
includcd  in  the  jurisdiction  of  the  pro\ince  of  Asia, 
which  is  also  the  centre  for  the  peoplcs  of  Philomel- 

ium,  Tymbrium,  Leucolithium,  Pelta  and  Tyriaeum. 
To  that  jurisdiction  is  also  assigned  a  tetrarchy  that 
forms  part  of  Lycaonia  in  the  division  adjoining 
Galatia,  consisting  of  14  statcs,  the  most  famous  city 
l)eing  Iconium.  Notable  placcs  bclonging  to  Lycaonia 
itsclf  are  Thebasa  on  Mount  Taurus  and  Ida  on  the 
frontier  between  Galatia  and  Cappadocia.  At  the 
side  of  Lycaonia,  beyond  Pamphylia,  comc  the 
Milyae,  a  tribe  of  Thracian  dcscent ;  their  town  is 
Ar)'canda. 

XX\  I.  Pamphylia  was  previously  called  Mopsopia.  Pamphylia. 
The  Pamphyhan  Sca  joins  on  to  the  Sea  of  CiHcia. 
PamphyHa  includes  the  towns  of  Side  and,  on  the 
mountain,  Aspcndus,  Plantanistus  and  Perga,  Cape 
Leucolla  and  Mount  Sardcmisus ;  its  rivcrs  arc  the 
Eurymcdon  flowing  past  Aspcndus  and  thc  Catarrh- 
actes  on  which  are  Lyrnessus  and  011)ia  and  PhascHs, 
thc  last  place  on  the  coast. 

XXVII.  Adjoining  Pamphylia  are  the  Sea  of  Lycia  Mount 
and   the   Lycian  tribc,  at  thc  point  where    Mount  '''''"'™*- 
Taurus  coming  from  the  Eastern  sliorcs  forms  the 
Chclidonian    Promontory    as    a   boundary    between 
vast  bays.     It  is  itself  an  immense  range,  and  holds 

293 


PLINY:     NATl  RAL   HISTORY 

mensus  ipse  et  innumerarum  gentium  arbiter,  dextro 
latcre  septentrionalis,  ubi  primum  ab  Indico  mari 
exsurgit,  laevo  meridianus,  et  ad  occasum  tendens 
mediamque  distrahens  Asiam,  nisi  opprimenti  terras 
occurrerent  maria.  resilit  ergo  ad  septentriones, 
flexusque  inmensum  iter  quaerit,  velut  de  indiLstria 
rerum  natura  subinde  aequora  opponente,  hinc 
Phoenicium,     hinc     Ponticum,     illinc     Caspium     et 

98  Hyrcanium  contraque  Maeotium  lacum.  torquetur 
itaque  collisus  inter  haec  claustra,  et  tamen  victor 
flexuosus  evadit  usque  ad  cognata  Ripaeorum 
montiimi  iuga,  numerosis  nominibus  et  novis  qua- 
cumque  incedit  insignis,  Imaus  prima  parte  dictus, 
mox  Kmodus,  Paropanisus,  Circius,  Cambades, 
Pariades,  Choatras,  Oreges,  Oroandes,  Niphates. 
Taurus.  atque  ubi  se  quoque  exuperat  Caucasus,  ubi 
brachia  emittit  subinde  temptanti  maria  similis 
Sarpedon,    Coracesius.    Cragus,    iterumque    Taurus ; 

99  etiam  ubi  dehiscit  seque  populis  aperit  portarum 
tamen  nomine  unitatem  sibi  vindicans  quae  aliubi 
Armeniae  aliubi  Caspiae  aliubi  Ciliciae  vocantur. 
quin  etiam  confractus,  effugiens  quoque  maria, 
plurimis  se  gentium  nominibus  hinc  et  illinc  implet,  a 
dextra    Hyrcanius,    Caspius,    a    laeva     Parihedrus, 

•  'Himaeus'  and  'Emodua'  both  mean  'Hiraalaya,'  and 
ParopanisuB  is  Hindu  Kush. 

294 


BOOK   V.  x.xvii.  97-99 

the  balaiice  bctween  a  countless  nuiuber  of  tribcs ; 
its  right-hand  side,  where  it  first  riscs  out  of  the 
Indian  Ocean,  faces  north,  and  its  left-hand  side  faces 
south ;  it  also  stretches  westward,  and  would  divide 
Asia  in  two  at  the  middle,  were  it  not  that  in 
dominating  the  land  it  encounters  the  opposition  of 
seas.  It  thcrefore  recoils  in  a  northerly  dircction, 
and  forming  a  curve  starts  on  an  immense  route, 
Nature  as  it  were  designedly  throwing  seas  in  its 
way  at  intervals,  here  the  Phoenician  Sea,  here  the 
Black  Sea,  there  the  Caspian  and  the  Hyrcanian, 
and  opposite  to  them  the  Sea  of  Azov.  Consequently 
owing  to  their  impact  the  mountain  twists  about 
between  these  obstacles,  and  neverthcless  sinuously 
emerging  victorious  rcaches  the  kindred  ranges  of 
the  llipaean  Mountains.  The  range  is  designated  by 
a  number  of  names,  receiving  new  ones  at  each  point 
in  its  advance :  its  first  portion  is  called  Imaus, 
then  Emodus,"  Paropanisus,  Circius,  Cambades, 
Pariades,  Choatras,  Oregcs,  Oroandcs,  Niphates, 
Taurus,  and  where  it  overtops  even  itsclf,  Cau- 
casus,  while  wherc  it  occasionally  throws  out 
arms  as  if  trying  to  invade  the  sea,  it  becomes 
Sarpedon,  Coracesius,  Cragus,  and  once  again 
Taurus ;  and  even  where  it  gapes  open  and  makes  a 
passage  for  mankind,  ncverthelcss  claiming  for  itself 
an  unbroken  continuity  by  giving  to  these  passes 
the  name  of  Gates :  in  one  place  they  are  callcd 
the  Armenian  Gates,  in  anothcr  the  Caspian,  and 
in  another  the  CiHcian.  Moreover  when  it  has 
been  cut  short  in  its  carecr,  rctiring  also  from  the 
sea,  it  fiUs  itself  on  either  side  with  the  namcs  of 
numerous  races,  on  the  right-hand  side  being  called 
the  Hyrcanian  Mountain  and  the  Caspian,  and  on 

295 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Moschicus,  Amazonicus,  Coraxicus,  Scythicus  appel- 
latus,  in  universum  vero  Graece  Ceraunius. 

100  XXVm.  In  Lycia  igitur  a  promunturio  eius 
oppidum  Simena,  mons  Chimaera  noctibus  flagrans, 
Hephaestium  civitas  et  ipsa  saepe  flagrantibus  iugis. 
oppidum  Olympus  ibi  fuit,  nunc  sunt  montana 
Gagae,  Cor)'dalla,  Rhodiopolis,  iuxta  mare  Limyra 
cum  amne  in  quem  Arycandus  influit,  et  mons 
Masicitus,  Andria  civitas,  Myra,  oppida  Aperiac  et 
Antiphellos  quae  quondam  Habesos,  atque  in 
recessu  Phellos.  dein  Pyrrha  itcmque  Xanthus  a 
mari  XV,  flumenque  eodcm  nomine ;  deinde  Patara, 
quae  prius  Pataros,  et  in  monte  Sidyma,  promim- 

101  turium  Cragus.  ultra  par  sinus  priori ;  ibi  Pinara 
et  quae  Lyciam  fmit  Telmessus.  Lycia  lxx  quondam 
oppida  habuit,  nunc  xxxvi  habet ;  ex  his  celeberrima 
praeter  supra  dicta  Canas,  Candyba  ubi  laudatur 
Eunias  nemus,  Podalia,  Choma  praefluente  Aedosa, 
Cyaneae,  Ascandiandalis,  Amelas,  Noscopium,  Tlos, 
Telandrus.  conprehendit  in  mediterrancis  et  Caba- 
liam,  cuius   tres   urbes   Oenianda,   Balbura,   Bubon. 

i02  a  Tclmesso  Asiaticum  mare  sive  Carpathium  et  quae 
proprie  vocatur  Asia.  in  duas  eam  partes  Agrippa 
divisit.  unam  inclusit  ab  oriente  Phrygia  et  Lyca- 
onia,  ab  occidente  Aegaeo  mari,  a  meridie  Aegyptio, 
296 


BOOK   V.  XXVII.  99-xxviii.  102 

the  left  the  Parihedrian,  Moschian,  Amazonian, 
Coraxian,  Scythian ;  whereas  in  Greek  it  is  called 
throughout  the  whole  of  its  course  the  Ceraunian 
Mountain. 

XX\'III.  In  Lycia  therefore  after  leaving  the  Lyda. 
promontory  of  Mount  Taurus  we  have  the  town  of 
Siinena,  ^lount  Chimaera,  which  scnds  forth  flames 
at  night,  and  the  city-state  of  Hephaestium,  which 
also  has  a  mountain  range  that  is  often  on  fu*e.  The 
town  of  Olympus  stood  here,  and  there  are  now  the 
mountain  villages  of  Gagae,  Corydalla  and  Rhodio- 
poHs,  and  near  the  sea  Limyra  with  tlie  river  of 
which  the  Arycandus  is  a  tributary,  and  Mount 
Masicitus,  the  city-state  of  Andria,  Myra,  the  towns 
of  Aperiae  and  Antiphellos  formerly  called  Habesos, 
and  in  a  corner  Phellos.  Then  comes  Pyrrha,  and 
also  Xanthus  15  miles  from  the  sea,  and  tlie  river 
of  the  same  name ;  and  then  Patara,  previously 
Pataros,  and  Sidyma  on  its  mountain,  and  Cape 
Cragus.  Beyond  Cape  Cragus  is  a  bay  as  large 
as  the  one  before ;  liere  are  Pinara  and  Tehiiessus. 
the  frontier  town  of  Lycia.  Lycia  formerly  contained 
70  towns,  but  now  it  has  36 ;  of  these  the  most 
famous  besides  those  mentioned  above  are  Canas, 
Candyba  the  site  of  the  famous  grove  of  Eunia, 
PodaHa,  Choma  past  which  flows  the  Aedesa, 
Cyaneae,  AscandiandaUs,  Amehis,  Noscopium,  Tlos, 
Telandrus.  It  includes  also  in  its  interior  CabaHa, 
with  its  three  cities,  Ocnianda,  Balbura  and  Bubon. 
After  Telmessus  begins  the  Asiatic  or  Carpathian 
Sea,  and  Asia  properly  so  called.  Agrippa  divided 
this  country  into  two  parts.  One  of  these  he  en- 
closed  on  the  east  by  Phrygia  and  Lycaonia,  on  the 
west    by    the    Aegean    Sea,    on    the   south    by   the 

297 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

a  septentrione  Paphlagonia ;  huius  longitudinem 
ccccLxx,  latitudinem  cccxx  fecit.  alteram  deter- 
minavit  ab  oriente  Armenia  minore,  ab  occidente 
Phrygia,  Lycaonia,  PamphyHa,  a  septentrione  pro- 
vincia  Pontica,  a  meridie  mari  PamphyHo,  longam 
ULXxv,  latam  cccxxv. 

103  XXIX.  In  proxima  ora  Caria  est,  mox  lonia,  ultra 
eam  AeoHs.  Caria  mediae  Doridi  circumfunditur, 
ad  mare  utroque  latere  ambiens.  in  ea  pronmnturium 
PedaHum,  amnis  Glaucus  deferens  Tehnedium,  oppida 
Daedala,  Crya  fugitivorum,  Humen  Axon,  oppidum 
Calynda.  amnis  Indus  in  Cibyratarum  iugis  ortus 
recipit  lx  perennes   fluvios,  torrcntes   vero  ampHus 

104  centimi.  oppidum  Caunos  Hberum,  dein  Pyrnos, 
portus  Cressa,  a  quo  Rhodus  insula  passuum  xx, 
locus  Loryma,  oppida  Tisanusa,  Paridon,  Larymna, 
sinus  Thymnias,  promunturium  Aphrodisias,  op- 
pidum  Hydas,  sinus  Schoenus,  regio  Bubassus ; 
oppidum  fiiit  Acanthus,  aHo  nomine  Dulopolis.  est 
in  pronmnturio  Cniilos  Hbera,  Triopia,  dein  Pegusa 

105  et  Stadia  appellata.     ab  ea  Doris  incipit. 

Sed  prius  terga  et  mediterraneas  iurisdictiones 
indicasse  conveniat.  una  appellatur  Cibyratica ; 
ipsum  oppidum  Phrygiae  est ;  conveniunt  eo  xxv 
civitates  celeberrima  urbe  Laodicea.  inposita  est 
Lyco    flumini,   latera    adluentibus    Asopo   et   Capro, 

2Q8 


BOOK   V,  xwui.  io2-xxi.\'.  105 

Egyptian  Sea,  and  on  the  north  by  Paphlagonia; 
the  length  of  this  part  he  made  470  miles  and  the 
breadth  320  miles.  The  other  half  he  bounded  on 
the  east  by  Lesser  Armenia,  on  the  west  by  Phrygia, 
Lvcaonia  and  Pamphylia,  on  the  north  by  the  Province 
of  Pontus  and  on  the  south  by  the  Pamphylian  Sea, 
making  it  575  miles  long  and  325  miles  broad. 

XXIX.  On  the  adjcuning  coast  is  Caria  and  tlien  caria. 
lonia  and  beyond  it  AeoUs.  Caria  entirely  surrounds 
Doris,  encircHng  it  right  down  to  the  sea  on  both 
sides.  In  Caria  are  Cape  Pedahum  and  the  river 
Glaucus,  with  its  tributarv  the  Telmedius,  the  towns 
of  Daedala  and  Crya,  the  latter  a  settlement  of 
refugees,  the  river  Axon,  and  the  town  of  Calynda. 
The  river  Indus,  rising  in  the  mountains  of  the 
CibjTatae,  receives  as  tributaries  60  streams  that 
are  constantly  floAWng  and  more  than  100  mountain 
torrents.  There  is  the  free  town  of  Caunos,  and  then 
Pyrnos,  Port  Cressa,  from  which  the  isLmd  of  Rhodes 
is  20  miles  distant,  the  phice  Loryma,  the  towns  of 
Tisanusa,  Paridon  and  Larymna,  Thymnias  Bay, 
Cape  Aphrodisias,  the  toAvn  of  Hydas,  Schoenus 
Bay,  and  the  district  of  Bubassus  ;  there  was  formerly 
a  town  Acantlius,  otherwise  named  Dulopolis.  On  a 
promontory  stand  the  free  city  of  Cnidus,  Triopia, 
and  then  Pegusa,  also  called  Stadia.  After  Pegusa 
begins  Doris. 

But  before  we  go  on  it  may  be  as  well  to  describe 
the  back  parts  of  Caria  and  the  jurisdictions  of 
tlie  interior.  One  of  these  is  called  Cibyratica  ;  the 
actual  town  of  Cibyra  belongs  to  Phrygia,  and  is  the 
centre  for  25  city-states,  the  most  famous  being  the 
city  of  Laodicea.  Laodicea  is  on  the  river  Lycus, 
its  sides  being  washed  by  the  Asopus  and  the  Caprus  ; 

299 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

appellata  primo  Diospolis,  dein  Rhoas.  reliqui  in  eo 
conventu  quos  nominare  non  pigeat  Hydrelitae, 
Themisones,  Hierapolitae.  alter  conventus  a  Syn- 
nade  accepit  nomen ;  conveniunt  Lycaones,  Appiani, 
Corpeni,    Dorylaei,     Midaei,     lulienses,    et    reliqui 

106  ignobiles  populi  xv.  tertius  Apameam  vadit  ante 
appellatam  Celaenas,  dein  Ciboton ;  sita  est  in  radice 
montis  Signiae,  circumfusa  Marsya,  Obrima,  Orba 
fluminibus  in  Maeandrum  cadentibus ;  Marsyas  ibi 
redditur  ortus  ac  paulo  mox  conditur.^  ubi  certavit 
tibiarum  cantu  cum  ApoUine,  Aulocrene  est :  ita 
vocatur  convalUs  .\  p.  ab  Apamea,  Phrygiam  petenti- 
bus.  ex  hoc  conventu  deceat  nominare  Metro- 
politas,  DionysopoHtas,  Euphorbcnos,  Acmonenses, 
Peltenos,  Silbianos ;   reliqui  ignobiles  ix. 

107  Doridis  in  sinu  Leucopolis,  Hamaxitos,  Eleus, 
Etene ;  dein  Cariae  oppida  Pitaium,  Eutane,  Hali- 
carnassus.  sex  oppida  contributa  ei  sunt  a  Magno 
Alexandro,  Theangela,  Side,  Medmassa,  Uranium, 
Pedasum,  Telmisum ;  habitatur  inter  duos  sinus, 
Ceramicum  et  lasium.  inde  Myndus  et  ubi  fuit 
Palaemyndus,  Nariandos,  Neapolis,  Caryanda,  Ter- 
mera  Hbera,  BargyHa  et  (a  quo  sinus  lasius)  oppidum 

108  lasus.  Caria  interiorum  nominum  fama  praenitet : 
quippe  ibi  sunt  oppida  Mylasa  Hbera,  Antiochia  ulii 

'  Rackham  :  conditua. 
300 


BOOK   y.  XXIX.  105-108 

its  original  name  was  the  City  of  Zeus,  and  it  was 
afterwards  called  llhoas.  The  rest  of  the  peoples 
belonging  to  the  same  jurisdiction  whom  it  may  not 
be  amiss  to  mention  are  the  HydreHtae,  Themisones 
and  HierapoUtae.  Another  centre  has  received  its 
name  from  Synnas  ;  it  is  the  centre  for  the  Lycaones, 
Appiani,  Corpeni,  Dorylaei,  Midaei,  Juhenses  and 
15  other  peoples  of  no  note.  A  third  jurisdiction 
centres  at  Apamea,  previously  called  Celaenae,  and 
tlien  Cybotos ;  Apamea  is  situated  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Signia,  with  the  rivers  Marsyas,  Obrima  and 
Orba,  tributaries  of  the  Maeander,  flowing  round  it ; 
the  Marsyas  here  emerges  from  underground,  and 
buries  itself  again  a  httle  later.  Aulocrene  is  the 
place  where  Marsyas  had  a  contest  in  flute-playing 
with  Apollo  :  it  is  the  name  given  to  a  gorge  10  miles 
from  Apamea,  on  the  way  to  Phrj^^gia.  Out  of  this 
jurisdiction  it  would  be  proper  to  name  the  Metro- 
politae,  Dionysopohtae,  Euphorbeni,  Acmonenses, 
Pelteni  and  Silbiani ;  and  there  are  nine  remaining 
tribes  of  no  note. 

On  the  Gulf  of  Doris  are  LeucopoHs,  Hamaxitos, 
Eleus,  Etene ;  then  there  are  the  Carian  towns  of 
Pitaium,  Eutane  and  HaHcarnassus.  To  the  juris- 
diction  of  HaHcarnassus  six  towns  were  assigned  by 
Alexander  the  Great,  Theangela,  Side,  Medmassa, 
Uranium,  Pedasum  and  Telmisum ;  the  last  is 
situated  between  two  bays,  those  of  Ceramus  and 
lasus.  Next  we  come  to  Myndus  and  thc  former  site 
of  Old  Myndus,  Nariandos,  Neapolis,  Caryanda,  the 
free  town  Termera,  BargyHa  and  lasus,  the  town 
that  gives  its  name  to  the  bay.  Caria  is  especially 
distinguished  for  the  famous  Hst  of  places  in  its 
interior,    for    here   are    Mylasa,    a    free   town,    and 

301 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

fucre  SjTnmaethos  et  Cranaos  oppida ;  nunc  eam 
circumfluuiit  Maeander  et  Orsinus.  fuit  in  eo  tractu 
et  Maeandropolis  ;  est  Eumenia  Cludro  flumini  adpo- 
sita,  Glaucus  amnis,  Lysias  oppidum  et  Orthosia, 
Berecynthius  tractus,  Nysa,  Trallis,  eadem  Euanthia 
et    Seleucia    et    Antiochia  dicta.     adluitur    Eudone 

109  amne,  perfunditur  Thebaide ;  (luidam  ibi  Pygmaeos 
habitasse  tradunt.  praeterea  sunt  Thydonos, 
Pyrrha,  Eurome,  Heraclea,  Amyzon,  Ahabanda 
hbera  quae  convcntum  eum  cognominavit,  Strato- 
nicea  hbera,  Hynidos,  Ccramus,  Troezene,  Phorontis. 
longinquiores  eodem  foro  disceptant  Orthronienses, 
Ahdienses,  Euhippini,  Xystiani,  Hydisscnses,  Apollo- 
niatae,  Trapezopohtae,  Aphrodisicnses  hberi.  praeter 
haec  sunt  Coscinus,  Harpasa  adposita  fluvio  Harpaso, 
quo  et  Trallicon  cum  fuit  adlucbatur. 

110  XXX.  Lydia  autem  perfusa  flexuosis  Maeandri 
amnis  recursibus  super  loniam  procedit,  Phrygiae  ab 
exortu  solis  vicina,  ad  septentrionem  Mysiae,  meri- 
diana  parte  Cariam  am])lectens,  Maeonia  antea 
appellata.  celebratur  maxime  Sardibus  in  latere 
Tmoli  montis,  qui  antea  Timolus  appellabatur,  vitibus 
consito  conditis  ^  ;  ex  quo  profluente  Pactolo  eodem- 
que  Chrysorroa  ac  fonte  Tarni,  a   Maeonis  civitas 

111  ipsa  Ilyde  vocitata  est,  clara  stagno  Gygaeo.     Sardi- 


*  vitibus  consito  conditia  Rackham:  conditus  au<  conditia 
aut  vitibus  consitus. 

302 


BOOK   V.  xxix.  loS-xxx.  III 

Antiochia  which  occupies  the  sites  of  the  former 
towiis  of  Symmaethus  and  Cranaos ;  it  is  now 
surrounded  by  the  rivers  Maeander  and  Orsinus. 
This  region  formerly  also  contained  Maeandropolis ; 
in  it  are  Eumenia  on  the  river  Chidrus,  the  river 
Glaucus,  the  town  of  Lysias,  and  Orthosia,  the 
district  of  Berecynthus,  Nysa,  and  TralHs  also  called 
Euanthia  and  Seleucia  and  Antiochia.  It  is  washed 
by  the  river  Eudon  and  the  Thebais  flows  througli 
it ;  some  record  that  a  race  of  Pygmies  formerly 
hved  in  it.  Therc  are  also  Thydonos,  Pyrrha, 
Eurome,  Heraclea,  Amyzon,  the  free  town  of 
Alabanda  which  has  given  its  name  to  this  juris- 
diction,  the  free  to^^Ti  of  Stratonicea,  Hynidos, 
Ceramus,  Troezene  and  Phorontis.  At  a  greater 
distance  but  resorting  to  the  same  centre  for  juris- 
diction  are  tlie  Orthronienses,  Ahdienses,  Euliippini, 
Xystiani,  Hydissenses,  Apolloniatae,  Trapezopolitae 
and  Aphrodisienses,  a  fi*ee  people.  Besides  these 
places  there  are  Coscinus  and  Harpasa,  the  latter 
on  the  river  Harpasus,  which  also  passes  the  site  of 
the  former  town  of  Tralhcon. 

XXX.  Lydia,  bathed  by  the  ever-returning  Lydu 
sinuosities  of  the  river  \Laeander,  extends  above 
lonia;  it  is  bordered  by  Phrygia  to  the  east  and 
Mysia  to  the  north,  and  with  its  southern  portion  it 
erabraces  Caria.  It  was  previously  called  Maeonia. 
It  is  specially  famous  for  the  city  of  Sardis,  situated 
on  the  vine-cLad  side  of  Mount  Tmolus,  the  former 
name  of  which  was  Timolus.  From  Tmolus  flows 
the  Pactolus,  also  called  the  Chi-ysorrhoas,  and  the 
source  of  the  Tamus ;  and  the  city-state  of  Sardis 
itself,  which  is  famous  for  the  Gygaean  Lake,  used 
to  be  called  Hyde  by  the  pe()])lc  of  Maconia.    This 

Z02> 


PLIN^':    NATURAL   IIISTORY 

ana  nunc  appellatur  ea  iurisdictio,  conveniuntque  in 
eam  extra  praedictos  Macedones  Cadieni,  Phila- 
delpliini,  et  ipsi  in  radice  Tmoli  Cogamo  flumini 
adpositi  Maeonii,  Tripolitani,  iidem  et  Antonio- 
poUtae — Maeandro  adluuntur — ,  Apollonihieritae, 
Mysotimolitae  et  alii  ignobiles. 

112  XXXI.  lonia  ab  lasio  sinu  incipiens  numerosiore 
ambitu  litorum  flectitur.  in  ea  primus  sinus  Basilicus, 
Posideum  promunturium  et  oppidum  oraculum 
Branchidarum  appellatum,  nunc  Didymaei  ApoUinis, 
a  litore  stadiis  .\.\,  ct  inde  cl.\.\.\  Milctus  loniae  caput, 
Lelegeis  antea  et  Pityusa  et  Anactoria  nominata, 
super  xc  urbium  per  cuncta  maria  genetrix,  nec 
fraudanda  cive  Cadmo  qui  primus  prorsam  orationem 

113  condere  instituit.  amnis  Maeander  ortus  e  lacu  in 
raonte  Aulocrene  plurimisque  adfusus  oppidis  et 
repletus  fluminibus  crebris,  ita  sinuosus  flexibus 
ut  saepe  credatur  reverti,  Apamenam  primum 
pervagatur  regionem,  mox  Eumeneticam,  ac  dein 
Hyrgaleticos  campos,  postremo  Cai-iam,  placidus 
omnisque  eos  agros  fertilissimo  rigans  limo,  ad 
decunmm  a  Mileto  stadium  lenis  inlabitur  mari. 
inde  mons  Latmus,  oppida  Heraclea  montis  eius 
cognominis  Carice,  Myuus  quod  primo  condidisse 
lones  narrantur  Athenis  profecti,  Naulochum, 
304 


BOOK   y.  x\\.  iii-.wxi.  113 

jurisdiction  is  now  called  the  district  of  Sardis,  and 
besides  the  people  before-named  it  is  the  ccntre  for 
the  Macedonian  Cadieni,  the  Philadelphini,  and  tlie 
Maeonii  themselves  who  are  situated  on  the  river 
Cogamus  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Tmolus,  the  Tripohtani, 
also  called  Antoniopohtae — their  territory  is  washed 
by  the  river  Maeander — ,  the  Apollonihieritae,  the 
Mysotimohtae  and  other  people  of  no  note. 

XXXI.  At  the  Gulf  of  lasus  lonia  begins.  It  has  a  loma. 
M-inding  coast,  with  a  rather  large  number  of  bays. 
The  first  is  the  Royal  Bay,  then  the  cape  and 
to^vn  of  Posideum,  and  the  shrine  once  called  the 
oracle  of  the  Branchidae,  now  that  of  Didymaean 
Apollo,  2h  miles  from  the  coast ;  and  22i  miles  from 
it  Miletus,  the  capital  of  lonia,  which  formerly  bore 
the  names  of  Lelegeis  and  Pityusa  and  Anactoria, 
the  mother  of  over  90  cities  scattered  over  all  thc 
seas ;  nor  must  she  be  robbed  of  her  claim  to  Cadmus 
as  her  citizen,  the  author  who  originated  composition 
in  prose.  From  the  mountain  Kake  of  Aulocrene 
rises  the  river  Maeander,  which  washes  a  large 
number  of  cities  and  is  replenished  by  frequent 
tributaries ;  its  windings  are  so  tortuous  that  it  is 
often  believed  to  turn  and  flow  backwards.  It  first 
wanders  through  the  region  of  Apamea,  afterwards 
that  of  Kumenia,  and  then  the  plains  of  HjTgale, 
and  finally  the  country  of  Caria,  its  tranquil  waters 
irrigating  all  these  regions  with  mud  of  a  most 
fertilising  quality ;  and  it  ghdes  gently  into  the  sea 
a  mile  and  a  quarter  from  Miletus.  Next  comes 
Mount  Latmus,  the  towns  of  Heraclea  belonging  to 
the  mountain  so  designated  in  the  Carian  dialect, 
Myus  which  is  recorded  to  have  been  first  founded 
by  lonian  cmigrants  from  Athens,  Naulochum,  and 

305 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Priene.     in    ora    quae   Troglea   appellatur    Gessus 
aninis.    regio  omnibus  lonibus  sacra  et  ideo  Panionia 

11-4  appellata.  iuxta  a  fugitivis  conditum  (uti  nomen 
indicio  est)  Phygela  fuit  et  Marathesium  oppidum. 
supra  haec  Magnesia  Maeandri  cognomine  insignis, 
a  Thessalica  Magnesia  orta ;  abest  ab  Epheso  xv  p., 
Tralhbus  eo  ampHus  mmm.  antea  Thessaloche  et 
AndroUtia  nominata ;  et  Utori  adposita  Derasidas 
insulas    secum    abstuUt    mari.    intus    et    Thyatira 

11.")  adluitur  Lyco,  Pelopia  aliquando  et  Euhippia 
cognominata. 

In  ora  autem  Matium,  Ephesus  Ama7X»num  opus, 
multis  antea  expetita  nominibus :  Alopes  cum 
pugnatum  apud  Troiam  est,  mox  Ortygiae,  Amorges ; 
vocata  est  et  Smyrna  cognomine  Trachia  et  Hae- 
monion  et  Ptelea.  attolUtur  monte  Pione,  adluitur 
Caystro  in  CiHiianis  iugis  orto  multosque  amnes 
deferente  et  stagnum  Pegaseum,  quod  Phyrites 
amnis  expelUt.  ab  his  multitudo  limi  est  (juae  terras 
propagat  mediisque  iam  canipis  Syrien  insuhim  adie- 
cit.  fons  in  urbe  CalUppia  et  templum  Dianae 
conplexi  e  diversis  regionibus  duo  SeUnuntes. 

IK)  Al)  Epheso  Matium  ahud  Colophoniorum  et  intus 
ipsa  Colophon,  Haleso  adfluente.  inde  ApolUnis 
Clarii  fanum,  Lebedos — fuit  et  Notium  oppidum — , 

"  I.e.  the  channcl  botween  tho  islands  and  the  shore  haa  dried 
up,  and  thoy  are  now  part  of  Magneaia. 
*• '  Sillig  reads  Mantium  (^iavT^lov,  oracular  Bhrino). 

306 


BOOK   V.  XXXI.  113-116 

Priene.  At  the  part  of  the  coast  called  Troglea  is 
tlie  river  Gessus.  The  district  is  sacred  with  all 
louians,  and  is  consequently  called  Panionia.  Next 
there  was  formerly  a  town  founded  by  refugees — 
as  its  name  Phygela  indicatc^ — and  another  called 
Marathesium.  Above  these  places  is  Magnesia, 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  Magnesia  on  Maeander, 
an  ofFshoot  from  Magnesia  in  Thessaly ;  it  is  15 
miles  from  Ephesus,  and  3  miles  more  from  Tralles. 
It  previously  had  the  names  of  Thessaloche  and 
AndroUtia.  Being  situated  on  the  coast  it  has  appro- 
priated  the  Derasides  islands  from  the  sea."  Inland 
also  is  Thyatira,  washed  by  the  Lycus ;  once  it  was 
called  Pelopian  or  Euhippian  Thyatira. 

On  the  coast  again  is  Matium,*  and  Ephesus  built 
by  the  Amazons,  previously  designated  by  many 
names — that  of  Alope  at  the  time  of  the  Trojan 
War,  later  Ortygia  and  Amorge ;  it  was  also  called 
Smyrna  Trachia  and  Haemonion  and  Ptelea.  It  is 
built  on  the  slope  of  Mount  Pion,  and  is  watered  by 
the  Cayster,  whicli  rises  in  the  Cilbian  range  and 
brings  down  the  waters  of  many  streams,  and  also 
drains  the  Pegasaean  Marsh,  an  overflow  of  the  river 
Phyrites,  From  these  comes  a  quantity  of  mud 
which  advances  the  coastUne  and  has  now  joined 
the  island  of  Syrie  on  to  the  mainland  by  the  flats 
interposed.  In  the  city  of  Epliesxis  is  the  spring 
called  Callippia,  and  a  temple  of  Diana  surroimded 
by  two  streams,  both  called  ScHnus,  coming  from 
different  directions. 

After  leaving  Ephesus  thc-re  is  another  Matium,*^ 
which  belongs  to  Colophon,  and  Coloplion  itself 
lying  more  inland,  on  the  river  Halesus.  Then  thc 
temple  of  Clarian  Apollo,  Lebedos — formerly  there 

307 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

promunturium  CjTcnaeum,  mons  Mimas  cl  p. 
excurrens  atque  in  contincntibus  campis  residens. 
quo  in  loco  Magnus  Alexander  intercidi  planitiem 
eam  iusserat  vii  m  d  p.  longitudine,  ut  duos  sinus 
iungeret  Er\i;hrasque  cum  Mimante  circumfundcret. 

117  iuxta  eas  fuerunt  oppida  Pteleon,  Helos,  Dorion, 
nunc  est  Aleon  fluvius,  Corynaeum  Mimantis  pro- 
munturium,  Clazomenae,  Parthenie  et  Hippi,  Chytro- 
phoria  appellatae  cum  insulae  essent ;  Alexander 
idemperduostadiacontinentiadnecti  iussit.  interiere 
intus  Daphnus  et  Hermesta  et  Sipylum  quod  ante 
Tantalis  vocabatur,  caput  Maeoniae,  ubi  nunc  est 
stagnum  Sale ;  obiit  et  ArchaeopoUs  substituta 
Sipylo  et  inde  illi  Colpc  et  huic  Libade. 

118  Regredientibus  inde  abest  .\n  p.  ab  Amazone  con- 
dita,  restituta  ab  Alexandro,  in  ora  Smyrna,  amne 
Melete  gaudens  non  procul  orto.  montes  Asiae 
nobihssimi  in  hoc  tractu  fere  expUcant  se :  Mastusia 
a  tergo  Smyrnae  et  Termetis  Olympi  radicibus  iunctis 
in    Dracone    desinit,    Draco    in    Tmolo,    Tmolus    in 

119  Cadmo,  ille  in  Tauro.  a  Smyrna  Hermus  amnis 
campos  facit  ^  et  nomini  suo  adoptat.  oritur  iuxta 
Dorylaum  Phn,-giae  civitatcm,  multosque  colUgit 
fluvios,  inter  quos  Phrygem  qui  nomine  genti  dato  a 

^  secat  MayhoJJ. 


"  An  unknown  town  :  or  perhapa  '  TermctiB,'  another 
mountain. 

*>  Perhaps  tbe  text  should  be  altored  to  give  '  cuts  througb 
thc  plains  and  givcs  thcm  its  nanio.' 

308 


BOOK   V.  x\xi.  116-119 

was  also  the  town  of  Notium — ,  Cape  Cyrenaeum, 
and  Mount  Mimas  which  projects  150  miles  into  the 
sea  and  slopes  do-\vTi  into  the  plains  adjoining.  It 
was  here  that  Alexander  the  Great  had  given  orders 
for  a  canal  7^  miles  long  to  be  cut  across  the  level 
ground  in  question  so  as  to  join  the  two  bays  and  to 
make  an  island  of  Erythrae  with  Mimas.  Near 
Erythrae  were  formerly  the  towns  of  Pteleon,  Helos 
and  Dorion,  and  there  is  now  the  river  Aleon, 
Cor\'naeum  the  promontory  of  Mimas,  Clazomenae, 
and  Parthenie  and  Hippi,  which  were  called  the 
Chytrophoria  when  they  were  islands ;  these 
Alexander  also  ordered  to  be  joined  to  the  mainland 
by  a  causeway  a  quarter  of  a  niile  in  length.  Places 
in  the  interior  that  exist  no  longer  were  Daphnus 
and  Hermesta  and  Sipylum  previously  called  Tantahs, 
the  capital  of  Maeonia,  situated  where  there  is  now 
the  marsh  named  Sale ;  ArchaeopoHs  which  replaced 
Sipylus  has  also  perished,  and  later  Colpe  which 
replaced  Archaeopolis  and  Libade  which  replaced 
Colpe. 

On  retuming  thence  to  the  coast,  at  a  distance  of 
12  miles  we  come  to  Smyrna,  founded  by  an  Amazon 
and  restored  by  Alexander;  it  is  refreshed  by  the 
river  Meles  which  rises  not  far  off.  The  most  famous 
niountains  of  Asia  mostly  He  in  this  district :  Mastusia 
behind  Smyrna  and  Termes,"  joining  on  to  the 
roots  of  Olympus,  ends,  and  is  followed  by  Mount 
Draco,  Draco  by  Tmolus,  Tmolus  by  Cadmus,  and 
that  range  by  Taurus.  After  Smyrna  the  river 
Hermus  forms  level  plains*  to  whicli  it  gives  its  name. 
It  rises  at  the  Phrygian  city-state  of  Dorylaus,  and 
has  many  tributary  rivers,  among  them  the  Phryx 
which  forms  the  frontier  between  the  race  to  which 

voL.  ti.  L       309 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Caria  eam  dLsterminat,  Hyllum  et  Cr}'on,  et  ipsos 
Phrygiae,  Mysiae,  Lydiae  amnibus  repletos.  fuit 
in  ore  eius  oppidum  Temnos,  nunc  in  extremo 
sinu  Myrmeces  scopuli,  oppidum  Leucae  in  pro- 
munturio  quod  insula  fuit  finisque  loniae  Phocaea. 
12u  Smyrnaeum  conventum  magna  pars  et  Aeoliae  quae 
mox  dicetur  frequentat,  praeterque  Macedones 
H\Tcani  cognominati  et  Magnetes  a  Sipylo.  verum 
Kphesum  alterum  lumen  Asiae  remotiores  con- 
veniunt  Caesarienses,  MetropoHtae,  Cilbiani  inferi- 
ores  et  superiores,  Mysomacedones,  Mastaurenses, 
Briullitae,  Hj^paepeni,  Dioshieritae. 

121  XXXII.  Aeolisproxima  est,  quondam  Mysia  appel- 
lata,  et  quae  Hellesponto  adiacet  Troas.  ibi  a 
Phocaea  Ascanius  portus ;  dein  fuerat  Larisa,  sunt 
Cyme,  M}Tina  quae  Sebastopolim  se  vocat,  et  intus 
Aegaeae,  Itale,  Posidea,  Neon  Tichos,  Temnos.  in 
ora  autem  Titanus  amnis  et  civitas  ab  eo  cognomi- 
nata;  fuit  et  Gr}'nia,  nunc  tantum  portus,  oUm 
insula  adprehensa ;  oppidum  Elaea  et  ex  Mysia 
veniens    Caicus    amnis ;    oppidum    Pitane ;    Canaitis 

122  amnis.  intercidere  Canae,  Lysimachea,  Atamea, 
Carene,  Cisthene,  Cilla,  CocyHum,  Thebe,  Astyre, 
Chrysa,  Palaescepsis,  Gergitha,  Neandros :  nunc  est 
Perperene  civitas,  Heracleotes  tractus,  Coryphas 
oppidum,  amnes  Grjdios,  Ollius,  regio  Aphrodisias 
quae    antea    Politice    Orgas,   regio    Scepsis,  flumen 


310 


BOOK   V,  XXXI.  119-xxxn.  122 

it  gives  its  name  and  Caria,  and  the  Hyllus  and  the 
Cryos,  themselves  also  augmented  by  the  rivers  of 
Phrygia,  Mysia  and  Lydia.  At  the  mouth  of  the 
Hermus  there  was  once  the  town  of  Temnos,  and 
now  at  the  end  of  tho  bay  are  the  rocks  called  the 
Ants,  the  town  of  Leucae  on  a  headland  that  was 
formerly  an  island,  and  Phocaea,  the  frontier  town 
of  lonia.  The  jurisdiction  of  Smyrna  is  also  the  centre 
resorted  to  by  a  large  part  of  AeoHa  which  ^vill 
now  be  described,  and  also  by  the  Macedonians 
called  Hyrcani  and  the  Magnesians  from  Sipylus. 
But  Ephesus,  the  other  great  luminary  of  Asia,  is 
the  centre  for  theCaesarienses,  MetropoUtae,  Upper 
and  Lower  Cilbiani,  Mysomacedones,  Mastaurenses, 
BriulHtae,  Hypaepeni  and  Dioshieritae. 

XXXH.  Next  is  Aeohs,  once  called  Mysia,  and 
Troas  lying  on  the  coast  of  the  Dardanelles.  Here 
after  passing  Phocaea  we  come  to  Port  Ascanius, 
and  then  to  the  place  wliere  once  stood  Larisa  and 
where  now  are  Cyme,  Myrina  which  styles  itself 
Sebastopohs,  and  inland  Aegaeae,  Itale,  Posidea,  New 
Wall,  Temnos.  On  the  coast  are  the  river  Titanus 
and  the  city-state  named  after  it,  and  also  once  there 
was  Gr}'nia,  now  only  a  harbour,  formerly  an  ishmd 
that  had  been  joined  to  the  mainland ;  the  town  of 
Elaea  and  the  river  Caicus  coming  from  Mysia ;  the 
town  of  Pitane ;  the  river  Canaitis.  Canae  has  dis- 
appeared,  as  have  Lysimachea,  Atarnea,  Carene, 
CLsthene,  Cilla,  CocyUum,  Thebe,  Astyre,  Chrysa, 
Palaescepsis,  Gergitha.  Neandros ;  but  there  still 
exist  the  city-state  of  Perperene,  the  district  of  Hera- 
cleotes,  the  town  of  Coryphas,  the  rivers  Gryhos 
and  OUius,  the  district  of  Aphrodisias  wliich  was 
formerly  PoUtice  Orgas,  the  district  of  Scepsis,  and 

311 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTOllY 

Evenum,  cuius  in  ripis  inlercidere  Lyrnesos  et 
Miletos.  in  hoc  tractu  Ide  mons,  et  in  ora  quae 
sinum  cognominavit  et  conventum  Adramytteos 
olim  Pedasus  dicta,  flumina  Astron,  Cormalos, 
Crianos,    Alabastros,    Ilieros    ex    Ida ;     intus    mons 

123  Gargara  eodemque  nominc  oppidum.  rursus  in 
litore  Antandros  Edonis  prius  vocata,  dein  Cimmeris, 
Assos,  eadem  Apollonia ;  fuit  et  Palamedium  oppi- 
dum.  promunturium  Lectum  disterminans  Aeolida 
et  Troada.  fuit  et  Polymedia  civitas,  Chrj'sa  et 
Larisa  alia :  Zminthium  temphmi  durat.  intus 
Colone  intercidit.  deportant  Adramytteum  negotia 
ApoUoniatae  a  Rhyndaco  amne,  Eresi,  MiletopoUtae, 
Poemaneni,  Macedones  Asculacae,^  PoUchnaei,  Pio- 
nitae,  CiUces  Mandacandcni,  Mysi-  Abretteni  et 
Hellespontii  appellati  et  aUi  ignobiles. 

124  XXXIII.  Troadis  primus  locus  Hamaxitus,  dein 
Cebrenia  ipsaque  Troas  Antigonia  dicta,  luinc 
Alexandria,  colonia  Romana ;  oppidum  Nee;  Sca- 
niander  amnis  navigabiUs  et  in  promunturicj  quondam 
Sigeum  oppidum.  dein  portus  Achaeorum,  in 
quem  influit  Xanthus  Simoenti  iunctus  stagnumque 
prius  faciens  Palaescamander.  ceteri  Homero  cele- 
brati,  Rhesus,  Heptaporus,  Caresus,  Rhodius,  vestigia 
non  habent ;    Granicus  diverso  tractu  in  Propontida 


'  a  Scylace  Dellefsen. 

"  Mayhoff:  Mysia  (iii  Mysia  iJ ermolaus). 


312 


BOOK   V.  xxxu.  i22-.\xxiii.  14 

the  river  Evenus,  011  the  banks  of  which  stood 
Lyrnesus  and  Miletos,  both  now  in  ruins.  In  this 
region  is  Mount  Ida,  and  on  the  coast  Adraniytteos, 
formerly  called  Pedasus,  which  has  given  its  nanie  to 
the  bay  and  to  the  jurisdiction,  and  the  rivers 
Astron,  Cornialos,  Crianos,  Alabastros,  and  Holy 
River  coniing  from  Mount  Ida ;  inland  are  Mount 
Gargara  and  the  town  of  the  same  name.  On  the 
coast  again  are  Antandros  previously  called  Edonis, 
then  Cimmeris,  and  Assos,  which  is  the  same  as 
Apollonia ;  and  formerly  there  was  also  the  town 
of  Palamedium.  Then  Cape  Lectum  which  marks 
the  frontier  between  the  AeoHd  and  the  Troad ;  also 
there  was  once  the  city-state  of  Polymedia,  and 
Chrysa  and  another  Larisa  :  the  temple  of  Zmintheus 
still  stands.  Colone  inland  has  disappeared. 
Adramytteos  is  resorted  to  for  legal  business  by 
the  people  of  Apollonia  on  the  river  Rhyndacus, 
the  Eresi,  MiletopoUtae,  Poemaneni,  Macedonian 
Asculacae,  Polichnaei,  Pionitae,  the  Cilician  Man- 
dacandeni,  the  Mysian  peoples  known  as  the  Abret- 
teni  and  the  Hellespontii,  and  others  of  no  note. 

XXXIII.  The  first  place  in  the  Troad  is  Hamaxitus,  The  Troad, 
then  come  Cebrenia,  and  thcn  Troas  itself,  formerly  a'ifj^^i„g 
called    Antigonia    and    now    Alexandria,    a   Roman  rcgions. 
colony ;     the    town    of   Nee ;     the    navigable    river 
Scamander ;   and  on  a  promontory  was  formerly  the 
town  of  Sigeum.    Then  the  Harbour  of  the  Achaeans, 
into  which  flows  the  Xanthus  unitcd  with  the  Simois, 
and  the  Palaescamander,  which  previously  forms  a 
marsh.    Of  the  rest  of  the  places  celebrated  in  Ilomer, 
Rhesus,    Heptaporus,    Caresus,    Rhodius,    no    traces 
remain ;    and  the  Granicu.s  flows  by  a  different  route 
into  the  Sea  of  Marmara.     However  there  is  even 

3^3 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

fluit.     pst  tanien  et  nunc  Scamandria  civitas  parva, 
ac  MM  D  p.  remotum  a  portu  Ilium  immune,  unde 

125  omnis  rerum  claritas.  extra  sinum  sunt  Rhoetea 
litora  Rhoeteo  et  Dardanio  et  Arisbe  oppidis  habitata. 
fuit  et  Achilleon  oppidum  iuxta  tumulum  Achillis 
conditum  a  Mytilenaeis  et  mox  Atheniensibus  ubi 
classis  eius  steterat  in  Sigeo ;  fuit  et  Aeantion  a 
RhodiLs  conditum  in  altero  cornu.  Aiace  ibi  sepulto, 
XXX  stadiorum  intervallo  a  Sigeo  et  ipsa  statione 
classis  suae.  supra  Aeolida  et  partem  Troadis  in 
mediterraneo  est  quae  vocatur  Teuthrania,  quani 
Mysi  antiquitus  tenuere  :  ibi  Caicns  amnis  iam  dictus 
oritur ;   gens  ampla  per  se,  etiam  cum  totum  Mysia 

126  appellaretur.  in  ea  Pioniae,  Andera,  Idale,  Stabu- 
lum,  Conisium,  Teium,  Balce,  Tiare,  Teuthranie, 
Sarnaca,  Haliserne,  Lycide,  Parthenium,  Cambre, 
Oxyopum,  Lygdamum,  Apollonia,  longeque  clarissi- 
mum  Asiae  Pergamum,  quod  intermeat  Selinus, 
praefluit  Cetius  profusixs  Pindaso  monte.  abest 
haut  procul  Elaea,  quam  in  litore  diximus.  Perga- 
mena  vocatur  eius  tractus  iurisdictio ;  ad  eam  con- 
vcniunt  Thyatircni,  Mossyni,  Mygdones,  Bregmeni, 
Hierocometae,  Perpereni,  Tiareni,  Hierolophienses, 
HermocapeHtae,    Attalenses,    Panteenses,    Apollo- 

127  nidienses  aliaeque  inhonorae  civitates.  a  Rhoeteo 
Dardanium     oppidum     parvum     abest    stadia     lxx. 


BOOK   V.  xx.xiii.  134-127 

now  the  small  city-state  of  Scamandcr,  and  2h  miles 
fi*om  its  harbour  lUum,  a  town  exempt  from  tribute, 
the  scene  of  all  the  famous  story.  Outside  the  bay 
are  the  Rhoetean  coasts,  occupicd  by  the  towns  of 
Rhocteum,  Dardanium  and  Arisbe.  Formerly  there 
was  also  the  toAvn  of  Achillcon,  founded  near  to  the 
tomb  of  Achilles  by  the  people  of  Mitylene  and 
aftervvards  rebuilt  by  the  Athenians,  where  the 
fleet  of  Achilles  was  stationed  at  Sigeum ;  and  also 
there  once  was  Aeantion,  founded  by  the  Rhodians 
on  the  other  horn  of  the  bay,  which  is  the  place  where 
Ajax  Avas  buried,  at  a  distance  of  3f  miles  from 
Sigeum,  and  from  the  actual  place  where  his  fleet 
was  stationed.  Inland  bchind  AeoHs  and  a  part  of 
the  Troad  is  the  district  called  Teuthrania,  inhabited 
in  ancient  times  by  the  Mysians — -this  is  where  the 
river  Caicus  aheady  mentioned  rises  ;  Tcuthrania  was  §  i-i- 
a  considerable  independent  clan,  even  when  the 
whole  district  bore  the  name  of  Mysia.  Places  in 
Teuthrania  are  Pioniae,  Andera,  Idalc,  Stabulum, 
Conisimn,  Teium,  Balce,  Tiare,  Teuthranic,  Sarnaca, 
Hahsernc,  Lycidc,  Parthenium,  Cambre,  Oxyopum, 
Lygdamum,  Apollonia,  and  by  far  thc  most  famous 
place  in  Asia,  Pergamum,  which  is  traversed  by  the 
river  Selinus  and  bordered  by  the  river  Cetius, 
flowing  down  from  Mount  Pindasus.  Not  far  away 
is  Elaea,  which  we  mentioned,  on  the  coast.  Thc§i2i. 
jurisdiction  of  this  district  is  called  the  Pergamene, 
and  it  is  the  centre  for  the  Thyatireni,  Mossyni, 
Mygdones,  Bregmeni,  Hierocometae,  Perpereni, 
Tiareni,  Hierolophicnses,  HermocapeUtac,  Atta- 
lenses,  Panteenses,  Apollonidienscs  and  othcr  city- 
states  of  no  note.  At  a  distance  of  8j  milcs 
from   Rhoeteum  is  the  small  town  of  Dardanium. 

315 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

inde  xviii  promunturium  Trapeza,  unde  primum 
concitat  se  Hellespontus.  ex  Asia  interisse  gentes 
tradit  Eratosthenes  Solymorum,  Lelegum,  Be- 
brycum,  Colycantiorum,  Tripsedorum ;  Isidorus 
Arieneos  et  Capreatas  ubi  sit  Apamea  condita  a 
Seleuco  rege,  inter  Ciliciam,  Cappadociam,  Catao- 
niam,  Armeniam  et,  quoniam  ferocissimas  gentes 
domuisset,  initio  Damca  vocata.^ 

128  XXXIV.  Insulariun  ante  Asiam  prima  est  in 
Canopico  ostio  Nili,  a  Canopo  Menelai  gubernatore, 
ut  ferunt,  dicta.  altera  iuncta  ponte  Alexandriae, 
colonia  Caesaris  dictatoris,  Pharos,  quondam  diei 
navigatione  distans  ab  Aegypto,  nunc  a  turri  nocturnis 
ignibus  cursum  navium  regens ;  namque  fallacibus 
vadis  Alexandria  tribus  omnino  aditur  alveis  maris, 
Stegano,  Posideo,  Tauro.  in  Phoenicio  deindc  mari 
est  ante  lopen  Paria,  tota  oppidum,  in  qua  obiectam 
beluae  Andromedam  ferunt,  et  iam  dicta  Arados, 
inter  quam  et  contincntem  l  cubita  alto  mari,  ut 
auctor  est  Mucianus,  e  fonte  dulcis  aqua  tubo  coriis 
facta  usque  a  vado  trahitur. 

129  XXXV.  Pamphylium  mare  ignobilis  insulas  habet, 
Cilicium  ex  quinque  maximis  Cyprum  ad  ortum 
occasumque  CiUciae  ac  Syriae  obiectam,  quondam 
novem  regnorum  sedem.  huius  circuitum  Timo- 
sthenes   cccc.txvii    d   p.    prodidit,    Isidorus   ccclxxv. 

^  Rackham :  Dameam  vocatam. 


"  From  the  Greek  Sa/xd^o). 


316 


BOOK   V.  XXXIII,  127-XXXV.  129 

Eighteen  miles  from  it  is  Cape  Trapeza,  from  which 
point  the  Dardanelles  start.  A  list  of  Asiatic  races 
now  extinct  given  by  Eratosthenes  inchides  the 
Solynii,  Leleges,  Bcbryces,  Colycantii  and  Tripsedi ; 
Isidore  gives  the  Arienei  and  the  Capreatae  at  the 
place  where  Apamea  stands,  foundcd  by  King 
Seleucus,  between  Cihcia,  Cappadocia,  Cataonia  and 
Armenia.  Apamea  was  originally  called  Damea " 
because  it  had  subdued  some  extremely  fierce  tribes. 

XXXIV.  Of  the  islands  oflf  the  coast  of  Asia  the  isiandsoff 
first  is  at  the  Canopic  mouth  of  the  Nile,  and  takes  coasL 
its    name,    it    is    said,    from    Menelaus's    helmsman 
Canopus.     The  second,  called  Pharos,  joined  bya 
bridge  to  Alexandria,  was  settled  by  the  Dietator 
Caesar;    it  was  formerly  a  day's  sail  from  Egypt, 

but  now  it  carries  a  Hghthouse  to  direct  the  course  of 
vessels  at  night ;  for  owing  to  the  treacherous  shoals 
Alexandria  can  be  reachcd  by  only  three  channels 
of  the  sea,  those  of  Stcganus,  Posideum  and  Taiu"us. 
Then  in  the  Phoenician  Sea  off  Joppa  Ues  Paria, 
the  whole  of  which  is  a  town — it  is  said  to  have  been 
the  place  where  Andromeda  was  exposed  to  the 
monster, — and  Arados,  mentioned  already  ;  between  §  78. 
which  and  the  mainland,  according  to  Mucianus, 
fresh  water  is  brought  up  from  a  spring  at  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  which  is  75  fect  deep,  by  means  of  a 
leather  pipe. 

XXXV.  The  Pamphyhan  Sea  contains  some  islands  Cyprus. 
of  no  note.    The  Cihcian  Sea  has  five  of  considerable 
size,  among  them  Cyprus,  which  Hes  east  and  west 

off  the  coasts  of  CiHcia  and  Syria ;  it  was  formerly 
the  seat  of  nine  kingdoms.  Its  circumference  is 
given  by  Timosthenes  as  measuring  427^  miles  and 
by  Isidore  as  375  miles.    Its  length  betwecn  the  two 

317 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

longitudinem  inter  diio  promunturia,  Clidas  et  Aca- 
manta,  quod  est  ab  occasu,  Artemidonus  clxii  d, 
Timostlienes  cc.  vocatam  antea  Acamantida  Philo- 
nides,  Cerastim  Xenagoras  et  Aspeliam  et  Ama- 
thusiam     et     Macariam,     Astynomus     Crypton     et 

130  Colinian.  oppida  in  ea  ,\v,  Neapaphos,  Palaepaphos, 
Curias,  Citium,  Corinaeum,  Salamis,  Amathus,  Lape- 
thos,  Soloe,  Tamasos,  Epidaurum,  Chytri,  Arsinoe, 
Carpasium,  Golgoe;  fuere  et  ^-  Cinjrria,  Mareum, 
Idahum.  abest  ab  Ancmurio  Cihciae  l;  mare  quod 
praetenditur  vocant  Aulona  CiHcium.  in  eodem  situ 
Eleusa  insula  est,  et  quattuor  ante  promunturium 
ex  adverso  SjTiae  Chdes,  rursusque  ab  altero  capite 
Stiria,  contra  Neam  Paphum  Hiera  et  Cepia,  contra 

131  Salamina  Salaminiae.  in  Lycio  autem  mari  Illyris, 
Telendos,  Attelebussa,  Cypriae  tres  steriles  et  Dio- 
nysia  prius  Charaeta  dicta ;  dein  contra  Tauri 
promunturium  pestiferae  navigantibus  CheUdoniae 
totidem.  ab  liis  cum  oppido  Leucolla  Pactyae,  Lasia, 
N}Tnphais,  Macris,  Megista  cuius  civitas  interiit ; 
multae  deinde  ignobiles.  sed  contra  Chimaeram  Doli- 
chiste,  Choerogyhon,  Crambusa,  Rhoge,  Xenagora  ^ 
VIII,  Daedaleon  duae,  Crycon  tres,  Strongyle,  et 
contra  Sidyma  Antiochi  Glaucumque  versus  amnem 
Lagussa,  Macris,  Didymae,  Helbo,  Scope,  Aspis,  et 
(in  qua  oppidum  interiit)  Telandria  proximaque 
Cauno  llhodussa. 


Mayhojf:  et  ibi  aut  ot  in. 
V.II.  Genagora,  Enagora. 


318 


BOOK   V.  XXXV.  1 29-131 

capes  of  Clidac  and  Acamas,  the  latter  at  its  west 
end,  is  given  by  Artemidorus  as  162^  and  by  Timos- 
thenes  as  200  miles.  According  to  Philonides  it  was 
previously  called  Acamantis,  according  to  Xenagoras 
Cerastis  and  Aspelia  and  Amathusia  and  Macaria, 
and  according  to  Astynomus  Cryptos  and  Colinias. 
It  contains  15  towns,  New  and  Old  Paphos,  Cm-ias, 
Citium,  Corinaeum,  Salamis,  Amathus,  Lapethos, 
Soloe,  Tamasos,  Epidaurus,  Chytri,  Arsinoe, 
Carpasium  and  Golgoe ;  and  formerly  there  were 
also  Cinyria,  Mareimi  and  Idalium.  It  is  50  miles 
from  Anemurius  in  Cilicia ;  the  sea  lying  between 
is  called  the  Cilician  Aulon.  In  the  same  neighbour- 
hood  isthe  island  of  Eleusa,  and  the  four  Clides  oif 
the  cape  facing  Syria,  and  again  off  a  second  head- 
land  Stiria,  and  towards  New  Paphos  Hiera  and 
Cepia,  and  towards  Salamis  the  Salaminiae.  In  the 
Lycian  Sea  are  IUyris,  Telendos,  Attelebussa,  the 
three  barren  Cyprian  islands  and  Dionysia,  formerly 
called  Charaeta ;  then  opposite  to  Cape  Taurus, 
the  CheUdonian  islands,  the  same  in  number,  frauglit 
with  disaster  for  passing  vessels.  Next  to  these 
the  Pactyae  with  the  town  of  Leucolla,  Lasia, 
Nymphais,  Macris  and  Megista,  the  city-state  on 
which  has  ceased  to  exist ;  and  then  a  number  of 
islands  of  no  note.  But  opposite  to  Chimaera  are 
Dolichiste,  Choerogylion,  Crambusa,  Rhoge,  the 
eight  called  the  Xenagora  ishinds,  the  two  called 
Daedaleon,  and  the  three  called  Cryeon ;  Strongyle, 
and  opposite  Sidyma  Antiochi  and  towards  the  river 
Glaucus  Lagussa,  Macris,  Didymae,  Helbo,  Scope, 
Aspis  and  Telandria  (the  town  on  which  has 
ceased  to  exist)  and  nearest  to  Mount  Caunus 
Rhodussa. 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

132  XXXVI.  Sed  pulcherrima  est  libera  Rhodos. 
circuitii  cxxv  aut,  si  potius  Isidoro  credimus,  ciii. 
habitata  urbibus  Lindo,  Camiro,  lalyso,  nunc  Rhodo, 
distat  ab  Alexandria  Aegypti  dlxxxiii,  ut  Isidorus 
tradit,  ut  Eratosthenes  cccclxvTu,  ut  Mucianus  b,  a 
Cypro  cL.vxvi.  vocitata  est  antea  Ophiussa,  Asteria, 
Aethria,  Trinacrie,  Corymbia,  Poeeessa,  Atabyria  ab 

133  rege,  dein  Macaria  et  Oloessa.  Rhodiorum  insulae 
Cai-pathas  quae  mari  nomen  dcdit,  Casos  Achne 
olim,  Nisyros  distans  a  Cnido  .\v  d,  Porphyris  antea 
dicta,  et  eodem  tractu  mcdia  intcr  Rhodum  Cni- 
dumque  Syme.  cingitur  xxxvii  d  ;  portus  benigne 
praebet  viii.  praeter  lias  circa  Rhodum  Cyclopis, 
Teganon,  Cordylusa,  Diabatae  iv,  Hymos,  Chalce 
cum  oppido,  Teutlusa,  Narthecusa,  Dimastos, 
Progne,  et  a  Cnido  Cisserusa,  Therionarcia,  Calydne 
cum  tribus  oppidis  Notio,  Nisyro,  Mendetero,  et 
in  Arconneso  oppidum  Ceramus.  in  Cariae  ora  quae 
vocantur  Argiae    numero    xx,  et  Hyetusa,   I^epsia, 

134  Leros.  nobilissima  autem  in  eo  sinu  Coos  ab  Hali- 
carnaso  xv  distans,  circuitu  c,  ut  plures  existimant 
Merope  vocata,  Cea  ut  Staphylus,  Meropis  ut 
Dionysius,  dein  Nymphaea.  mons  ibi  Prion ;  et 
Nisyron  abruptam  ilU  putant,  quae  Porphyris  antea 

"  Built  about  408  b.c.  by  the  three  old  towns  conjointly, 
to  scrvo  as  tho  capital  of  the  island. 

320 


BOOK   V.  x.xxvi.  132-134 

XXXVI.  But  the  most  beautiful  is  the  free  island  Riiodes. 
of  Rhodes,  which  nieasures  125,  or,  if  we  prefer  to 
beHeve  Isidore,  103  miles  round,  and  which  contains 
the  cities  of  Lindus,Camirus  and  Ialysus,and  nowthat 
of  Rhodcs."  Its  distance  from  Alexandria  in  Egypt 
is  583  miles  according  to  Isidore,  468  according  to 
Eratosthenes,  500  according  to  Mucianus ;  and  it  is 
176  miles  fi-om  Cj^rus.  It  was  previously  called 
Ophiussa,  Asteria,  Aethria,  Trinacrie,  Corymbia, 
Poeeessa,  Atabyria  after  its  king,  and  subsequently 
Macaria  and  Oloessa.  Islands  belonging  to  the 
Rhodians  are  Carpathus  which  has  given  its  name 
to  the  Carpathian  Sea,  Casos,  formerly  Achne, 
Nisyros,  previously  called  Poq^hyris,  15j  miles  dis- 
tant  from  Cnidus,  and  in  the  same  neighbourhood 
lying  between  Rhodes  and  Cnidus,  Syme.  Syme 
measiu*es  37|  miles  in  circumference ;  it  provides 
the  welcome  of  eight  harbours.  Other  islands 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rhodes  besides  those 
mentioned  are  Cyclopis,  Teganon,  Cordylusa,  the 
four  Diabatae,  Hymos,  Chalce  with  its  town, 
Teutlusa,  Narthecusa,  Dimastos,  Progne,  and  in 
the  direetion  of  Cnidus  Cisserusa,  Therionarcia, 
Calydne  with  the  three  towns  of  Notiimi,  Nisyrus  and 
Mendeterus,  and  the  town  of  Ceramus  on  Arconnesus. 
Off  the  coast  of  Caria  are  the  Argiae,  a  group  of 
twenty  islands,  and  Hyetusa,  Lepsia  and  Leros.  But 
the  most  famous  island  in  this  gulf  is  that  of  Cos,which 
is  15  miles  distant  from  HaUcarnassus  and  100  miles 
in  circumference ;  it  is  gcnerally  beUeved  to  have 
been  caUed  Merope,  but  according  to  Staphylus  its 
former  name  was  Cea  and  according  to  Dionysius 
Meropis  and  later  Nyrnphaea.  On  Cos  is  Mount 
Prion ;   and   the   island   of  Nisyros,  formerly  caUed 

321 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

dicta  est.  hinc  Caryanda  cum  oppido ;  nec  procul  ab 
Halicamaso  Pidossus.  in  Ceramico  autem  sinu 
Priaponesos,  Hipponesos,  Pserema,  Lampsa,  Aemyn- 
dus,  Passala,  Crusa,  Pjrrrhaeciusa,  Sepiusa,  Melano, 
pauhmnque  a  continente  distans  quae  vocata  est 
Cinaedopolis  probrosis  ibi  relictis  a  rege  Alexandro. 

135  XXX\'II.  loniae  ora  Aegeas  et  Corseas  habet  et 
Icaron,  de  qua  dictiun  est,  Laden  quae  prius  Late 
vocabatur,  atque  inter  ignobiles  aliquot  duas  Came- 
litas  Mileto  vicinas,  Mycalae  Trogilias  tres,  Philion, 
Argennon,  Sandalion,  Samon  liberam  circuitu 
Lxxxvii  D  aut,  ut  Isidorus,  c.  Partheniam  primum 
appellatam  Aristotelestradit,postea  Dryusam,deinde 
Anthemusam ;  Aristocritus  adicit  Melampliyllum, 
dein  Cyparissiam,  alii  Parthenoarrlmsam,  Stephanen. 
amnes  in  ea  Irnbrasus,  Chesius,  Hibiethes,  fontes 
Gigartho,  Leucothea,  mons  Cercetius.  adiacent 
insulac  Klnpara,  Nymphaea,  Achillea. 

136  XXX\III.   Par  claritate   ab   ea   distat   xciv   cum 

oppido  Chios  Ubera,  quam  Aethaliam  Ephorus  prisco 

nomine  appellat,  Metrodorus  et  Cleobulus  Chiam  a 

Chione  nynipha,  ahqui  a  nive,  et  Macrin  et  Pityusam. 

montemhabetPelinnaeum,marmorChium.*    circuitu 

cxxv  coUigit,  ut  veteres  tradidere,  Isidorus  Tx  adicit. 

^  [maroior  CUium]  'i   Kackham. 
322 


BOOK   V.  xx.wi.  i34-.\.\\-vni.  136 

Poi-phyris,  is  believed  to  have  been  severed  from  Cos. 
Next  to  Cos  we  come  to  Caryanda  with  its  town ;  and 
not  far  from  Halicarnassvis,  Pidossus.  In  the  Ceramic 
Bay  are  Priaponesus,  Hipponesus,  Pserema,  Lampsa, 
Aemyndus,  Passala,  Ci-usa,  Pyrrhaeciusa,  Sepiusa, 
Melano,  and  at  only  a  small  distance  from  the  main- 
land  the  island  named  CinaedopoHs,  because  certain 
persons  of  disgraceful  character  were  deposited  there 
by  Alexander  the  Great. 

XXX\'n.  Oft'  the  coast  of  lonia  are  Aegeae  and  isianJs  njy 
Corseae,   and    Icarus   previously   mentioned,    Lade,  i^alnos'"'^^^^' 
formerly  called  Late,  and  among  some  islands  of  no  iv.  g8. 
importancc   the   two   Camelitae   near   Miletus,   the 
three    Trogihae    near    Mycala,    Phihos,    Argennos, 
Sandahos,    and    the    free    island    of   Samos,    which 
measures  87i,  or  according  to  Isidore,  100  miles  in 
circumference.     Aristotle   records  that  it   was   first 
called     Parthenia,    afterwards     Dryusa,    and     then 
Anthemusa;    Aristocritus  adds  the  names   Melam- 
phyllus,  and  later  Cyparissia,  others  Parthenoarrhusa 
and  Stcphane.     Samos  contains  the  rivers  Imbrasus, 
Chcsius   and   Hibiethes,   the   springs   Gigartho   and 
Leucothea,  and  Mount  Cercetius.     Adjacent  islands 
are  llhypara,  Nyniphaea  and  Achillea. 

XXX\'III.  Nincty-four  milcs  from  Samos  is  thc  cviioj. 
equally  famous  free  island  of  Chios  with  its  town. 
This  island  Ephorus  designates  by  its  ancient  name 
of  Aethaha,  while  Metrodorus  and  Cleobulus  call 
it  Chia  after  the  nymph  Chione,  though  some  say 
that  name  is  derived  from  the  Greek  word  for  snow. 
Other  namcs  for  it  are  Macris  and  Pityusa.  It  contains 
Mount  Pchnnaeus,  in  wlnch  Chian  marble  is  quarried. 
Its  circumfercnce  amounts  to  125  miles,  according 
to  old  accounts,  but  Isidore  adds  9  miles  to  that 

323 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

posita  est  inter  Samum  et  Lesbum,  ex  adverso  maxime 

137  Er}i;hrarum.  finitimae  sunt  Tellusa  quam  alii 
Daphnusam  scribunt,  Oenusa,  Elaphitis,  Euryanassa, 
Arginusa  cum  oppido.  iam  hae  circa  Epliesum  et 
quae  Pisistrati  vocantur  Anthinae,  Myonnesos,  Diar- 
rheusa  (in  utraque  oppida  intercidere),  Pordoselene 
eum  oppido,  Cerciae,  Halone,  Commone,  Illetia, 
Lepria,  Aethre,  Sphaeria,  Procu^ae,  Bolbulae,  Pheate, 
Priapos,  Syce,  Melane,  Aenare,  Sidusa,  Pele, 
Drymusa,  Anhydros,  Scopelos,  Sycussa,  Marathusa, 

138  Psile,  Perirrheusa,  multaeque  ignobiles.  clara  vero 
in  alto  Teos  cum  oppido,  a  Chio  Lxxi  d,  tantundem  ab 
Erythris.  iuxta  Zmyrnam  sunt  Peristerides,  Carteria, 
Alopece,Elaeusa,  Bacchina,  Pystira,  Crommyonnesos, 
Megale.  ante  Troada  Ascaniae,  Plateae  tres,  dein 
Lamiae,  Plitaniae  duae,  Plate,  Scopelos,  Getone, 
Arthedon,  Coele,  Lagusae,  Didymae. 

139  XXXIX.  Clarissima  autem  Lesbos,  a  Chio  lxv, 
Himerte  et  Lasia,  Pelasgia,  Aegira,  Aethiope,  Ma- 
caria  appellata.  fuit  ix  oppidis  inclula:  ex  his 
Pyrrha  hausta  est  mari,  Arisbe  terrarum  motu 
subversa,  Antissam  Methymna  traxit  in  se,  ipsa  ix 
urbibus  Asiae  in  xxxvii  p.  vicina.  et  Agamede  obiit 
et  Hiera;  restant  Eresos,  Pyrrha  et  libera  Mytilene 
annis  md  potens.     tota  in.sula  circuitur,  ut  Isidorus, 

140  cLxviii,  ut  veteres  cxcv.     moiites   habet   Lepctym- 

"  ThJB  was  the  harbour-suburb  of  the  town  of  the  same 
narae  stated  just  above  to  have  beon  submerged:  Strabo 
XIV.  618. 

324 


BOOK   V.  .\.\x\'iii.  i36-x.\.\ix.  140 

figure.  It  is  situated  between  Samos  and  Lesbos 
and  directly  opposite  to  Erythrae.  Neighbouring 
islands  are  Tellusa,  by  other  \\Titers  called  Daphnusa, 
Oenusa,  Elaphitis,  Euryanassa  and  Arginusa  with  its 
town.  These  islands  bring  us  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  Ephesus,  where  are  also  those  called  the  Islands 
of  Pisistratus,  Anthinae,  Myonnesus,  Dian-heusa  (the 
towns  on  both  these  islands  have  disappeared), 
Pordoselene  with  its  town,  Cerciae,  Halone, 
Commone,  Illetia,  Lepria,  Aethi-e,  Sphaeria,  Pro- 
cusae,  Bolbulae,  Pheate,  Priapos,  Syce,  Melane, 
Aenare,  Sidusa,  Pele,  Drymusa,  Anhydros,  Scopelos, 
Sycussa,  Marathusa,  Psile,  Perirrheusa,  and  many 
others  of  no  note.  Out  at  sea  is  the  famous  island 
of  Teos  with  its  town,  ll^  miles  from  Chios  and  the 
same  distance  from  Erythrae.  Near  Smyrna  are  the 
Peristerides,  Carteria,  Alopece,  Elaeusa,  Bacchina, 
Pystira,  Crommyonnesos,  Megale.  Oft'  the  Troad 
are  Ascaniae,  the  three  Plateae,  then  Lamiae,  the 
two  PUtaniae,  Platc,  Scopelos,  Getone,  Arthedon, 
Coele,  Lagusae,  Didymae. 

XXXIX.  The  most  famous  island  is  Lesbos,  65  Lesboa. 
iniles  from  Chios ;  it  was  formerly  called  Himerte 
and  Lasia,  Pelasgia,  Aegira,  Aethiope  and  Macaria. 
It  had  nine  noteworthy  towns :  of  these  Pyrrha  has 
been  swallowed  up  by  the  sea,  Arisbe  destroyed  by 
eartliquake  and  Antissa  absorbed  by  Methymna, 
which  itself  Ues  near  nine  cities  of  Asia,  along  a 
coastline  of  37  miles.  Agamede  and  Hiera  have 
also  ceased  to  exist ;  but  there  remain  Eresos,  Pyrrha" 
and  the  free  city  of  Mytilene,  which  has  been 
powerful  for  1500  years.  The  circuit  of  the  whole 
island  measures  168  miles  according  to  Isidore  and 
195  miles  according  to  old  authorities.    The  mountains 

325 


PLINY:    NATURAL  IIISTORY 

num,  Ordymnuni,  Macistum,  Creonem,  Olympura. 
a  proxima  continente  abest  vn  d  p.  insulae  adpositae 
Sandalium,  Leucae  v,  ex  iis  Cydonea  cum  fonte 
calido ;  Arginussae  ab  Aege  Tv  p.  distant,  dein 
Phcllusa,  Pedna.  extra  Hellespontum  adversa  Sigeo 
litori  iacet  Tenedus,  Leucophrys  dicta  et  Phoenice  et 
Lyrnesos ;  abest  a  Lesbo  fivi,  a  Sigeo  xii  d. 

141  XL.  Impetum  deinde  suniit  Hellespontus,  et 
mari  ^  incumbit,  vorticibus  Hmitem  fodiens  donec 
Asiam  abrumpat  Europae.  promuuturium  id  appel- 
lavimus  Trapezam.  ab  eo  x  p.  Abydum  oppidum, 
ubi  angustiae  vii  stadiorum ;  deiiidc  Percote  oppi- 
dum  et  Lampsacum  antea  Pityusa  dictum,  Parium 
colonia  quam  Homerus  Adrastiain  appellavit,  oppi- 
dum  Priapos,  amnis  Aesepus,  Zelia,  Propontis  (ita 
appelhitur  ubi  se  dilatat   mare),  Humen  Granicum, 

142  Artace  portus  ubi  oppidum  fuit.  ultra  insula  quam 
continenti  iunxit  Alexander,  in  qua  oppidum  Mile- 
sioriun  Cyzicum  ante  vocitatum  Arctonnesos  et 
DoHonis  et  Didymis,  cuius  a  vertice  moas  Didymus. 
mox  oppida  Placia,  Ariace,  Scylace,  quorum  a  tergo 
mons  Olympus  Mysius  dictus,  civitas  Olympena. 
amnes  Horisius  et  Rhyndacus  ante  Lycus  vocatus ; 
oritur  in  stagno  Artynia  iuxta  MiletopoHin,  recipit 
Maceston    et   plerosque  aHos,  Asiam  Bithyniamque 

^  Urlichs :  mare. 


"  Ono  of  tho  Loucao,  '  Wliite  Islanda ' ;  shouM  its  narao  bo 
Acglo,  '  liadianco  *  ? 
"  11.  II.  828. 

326 


BOOK   V.  xx\ix.  140-XL.  142 

on  Lesbos  are  Lepetymnus,  Ordymnus,  Macistus, 
Creone  and  Olympus.  It  is  7|  miles  distant  from 
the  nearest  point  of  the  mainland.  Adjacent  islands 
are  Sandalium  and  the  five  Leucae,  which  include 
Cydonea  with  its  hot  sprinc^ ;  four  miles  from  Aege  " 
are  the  Arginussae  and  then  Phellusa  and  Pedna. 
Outside  the  Dardanelles  and  opposite  the  coast  of 
Sigeimi  Hes  Tenedos,  also  called  Leucophrys  and 
Phoenice  and  Lyrnesos ;  it  is  56  miles  from  Lesbos 
and  12|  from  Sigeum. 

XL.  Here  the  current  of  the  Dardanelles  becomes  riie 
stronger,  and  comes  into  coUision  with  the  sea,  under-  anTMysia. 
mining  the  bar  with  its  eddies  until  it  separates  Asia 
from  Europe.  We  have  already  given  the  name  of  §127. 
the  promontory  here  as  Trapeza.  Ten  miles  from 
it  is  the  town  of  Abydus,  where  the  strait  is  only 
7  furlongs  wide ;  then  the  town  of  Percote,  and 
Lampsacus  formerly  called  Pityusa,  the  colony 
of  Parium,  called  by  Homer*  Adrastia,  the  tow^i  of 
Priapos,  the  river  Aesepus,  Zeha,  and  the  Sea  of 
Marmara  (the  name  given  to  the  Straits  where  the 
sea  widens  out),  the  river  Granicus  and  the  harbour 
of  Artace,  where  there  once  was  a  town.  Beyond  is 
the  island  which  Alexander  joined  to  the  mainland 
and  on  which  is  the  Milesian  town  of  Cyzicus, 
formerly  called  Arctonnesus  and  DoUonis  and 
Didymis ;  above  it  is  Mount  Didymus.  Then  the 
towns  of  Placia,  Ariace  and  Scylace,  and  in  their 
rear  the  mountain  called  the  Mysian  Olympus  and 
the  city-state  of  Olympena.  The  rivers  are  the 
Horisius  and  the  Ilhyndacus,  formerly  callcd  tlie 
Lycus :  this  riscs  in  the  marsli  of  Artynia  near 
MiletopoHs,  and  into  it  flow  the  Macestos  and  several 
other  rivers ;    it  forms  the  boundary  between  Asia 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

143  disterminans.  ea  appellata  est  Cronia,  dein  Thessalis 
dein  Malianda  et  StnTmonis ;  hos  Homerus  Hali- 
zonas  dixit,  quando  praecingitur  gens  mari.  urbs 
fuit  inmensa  Atussa  nomine,  nunc  sunt  xii  civitates, 
inter  quas  Gordiu  Come  quae  luliopolis  vocatur,  et  in 
ora  Dascylos.  dein  flumen  Gelbes,  et  intus  Helgas 
oppidum  quae  Germanicopolis,alio  nomine  Boos  Coete, 
sicut  Apamea  quae  nunc  Myrlea  Colophoniorum, 
flumen    Echeleos    anticus    Troadis    finis    et    Mysiae 

144  initium.  postea  sinus  in  quo  flumen  Ascanium, 
oppidum  Bryalion,  amnes  Hylas  et  Cios  cum  oppido 
eiusdem  nominis,  quod  fuit  emporium  non  procul 
accolentis  Phrygiae,  a  Milesiis  quidem  conditum,  in 
loco  tamen  qui  Ascania  Phrygiae  vocabatur ;  qua- 
propter  non  aliubi  aptius  de  ea  dicatur. 

145  XLI.  Phrygia  Troadi  superiecta  populisque  a 
promunturio  Lecto  ad  flumen  Echeleum  praedictis 
septentrionaU  sui  parte  Galatiae  contermina,  meri- 
diana  Lycaoniae,  Pisidiae  Mygdoniaeque,  ab  oriente 
Cappadociam  attingit.  oppida  ibi  celeberrima  prae- 
ter  iam  dicta  Anc}Ta,  Andria,  Celaenae,  Colossae, 
Carina,  Cotyaion,  Ceraine,  Conium,  Midaium.  sunt 
auctores  transisse  ex  Europa  Moesos  et  Brygos  et 
Thynos,  a  quibus  appellentur  Mysi,  Phryges,  Bithyni. 

146  XLII.  Simul  dicendum  videtur  et  de  Galatia,  quae 
supoqjosita  agros  maiore  ex  parte  Phr}'giae  tenet 

•  //.  II.  856. 
328 


BOOK   V.  XL.  i42-.\ui.  146 

and  Bithynia.  This  district  was  formerly  named 
Cronia,  theii  ThessaHs,  and  then  Mahanda  and 
Strymonis ;  its  inhabitants  were  called  by  Homer" 
the  Halizones,  as  the  tribe  is  '  girdled  by  the  sea.'  It 
once  had  a  vast  city  namcd  Atussa,  and  it  now 
includes  twelve  city-states,  among  them  Gordiu  Come 
otherwise  called  JuHopoHs,  and  on  tlie  coast  Dascylos. 
Then  there  is  the  river  Gelbes,  and  inland  the  town 
of  Helgas,  also  called  GermanicopoHs,  another  narae 
for  it  being  Boos  Coete  ;  as  also  Apamea  now  known  as 
Myrlea  of  the  Colophonii ;  and  the  river  Echeleos 
which  in  early  times  was  the  frontier  of  the  Troad, 
and  at  which  Mysia  began.  Afterwards  the  bay  in 
whicli  are  the  river  Ascanius,  the  town  of  BryaHon, 
the  rivers  Hylas  and  Cios,  with  the  town  also  named 
Cios,  formerly  a  trading  station  for  the  neighbouring 
district  of  Phrygia,  founded  by  the  people  of  Miletus 
but  on  a  sitc  formerly  known  as  Ascania  of  Phrygia : 
consequently  this  is  as  suitable  a  place  as  any  other 
to  speak  about  Phrygia. 

XLI.  Phrygia  Hes  behind  Troas  and  the  peoples  purygia. 
already  mentioned  between  Cape  Lectum  and  the 
river  licheleus.  On  its  northern  side  it  marches  with 
Galatia,  on  its  southern  side  with  Lycaonia,  Pisidia 
and  Mygdonia,  and  on  the  east  it  extends  to 
Cappadocia.  Its  most  famous  towns  beside  the  ones 
already  mentioned  are  Ancyra,  Andria,  Celaenae,  §  i^^^f. 
Colossae,  Carina,  Cotyaion,  Ceraine,  Conium  and 
Midaium.  Some  authorities  say  that  the  Mysians, 
Phrygians  and  Bithynians  take  their  names  from  three 
parties  of  immigrants  who  crossed  over  from  Europe, 
the  Moesi,  Brygi  and  Thyni. 

XLII.  At  the  same  time  it  seems  proper  to  speak  Oaiatiam 
also  about  Galatia,  which  Hes  above  Phrygia  and  holds  ^^"j"]"' 

329 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

caputque  quondam  eius  Gordium.  qui  partem  eam 
insedere  Gallorum  Tolistobogii  et  \^oturi  et  Ambitouti 
vocantur,  qui  Maeoniae  et  Paphlagoniae  regionem 
Trogmi.  praetenditnr  Cappadocia  a  septentrione  et 
solis  ortu,  cuius  uberrimam  partem  occupavere 
Tectosages  ac  Toutobodiaci.  et  gentes^  quidem  hae ; 
populi  vero  ac  tetrarchiae  omnes  numero  cxcv. 
oppida   Tectosagum    Ancyra,    Trogmorum    Tavium, 

147  Tolistobogiorum  Pisinuus.  practer  hoscelebres  Acta- 
lenses,  Alassenses,  Comenses,  Didienses,  Hierorenses, 
Lystreni,  Neapolitani,  Oeandenses,  Seleucenses, 
Sebasteni,  Timoniacenses,  Thebaseni.  attingit  Ga- 
latia  et  Pamphyliae  Cabaliam  et  Milyas  qui  circa 
Barim  sunt  et  Cyllanicum  et  Oroandicum  Pisidiae 
tractum,  item  Lycaoniae  partem  Obizenen.  flumina 
sunt  in  ea  praeter  iam  dicta  Sangarium  et  Gallus,  a 
quo  nomen  traxere  Matris  Deum  sacerdotes. 

148  XLIII.  Nunc  rehqua  in  ora.  a  Cio  intus  in 
Bithynia  Prusa  ab  Hannibale  sub  Olympo  condita — 
inde  Nicaeam  xxv  p.  interveniente  Ascanio  lacu — , 
dein  Nicaea  in  ultimo  Ascanio  sinu,  quae  prius  Olbia, 
et  Prusias,  item  altera  sub  Hypio  monte.  fuere 
Pythopolis,  Parthenopolis,  Coryphanta.     sunt  in  ora 

1  TectosaKcs.    nc  ioto  lTa.ctu  gontos  Mayhoff  (scilicet  nomiiut 
in  hoc  loco  incertissime  Iradunlur). 

330 


BOOK   V.  xLii.  146-XL111.  148 

lands  that  for  the  most  part  were  taken  from 
that  coiintry,  as  was  Gordium,  its  former  capital. 
This  disti-ict  is  occupicd  by  Gallic  settlers  called 
the  Tolistobogii,  Votm-i  and  Ambitouti,  and  those 
occupying  the  Maeonian  and  Paplilagonian  region 
are  the  Trogmi.  Along  the  north  and  east  of  Galatia 
stretches  Cappadocia,  the  most  fertile  part  of  which 
has  been  occupied  by  the  Tectosages  and  Touto- 
bodiaci.  These  are  the  races  that  inliabit  the 
country ;  the  peoples  and  tetrarchies  into  which 
they  are  divided  number  195  in  all.  The  towns  are 
Ancyra  belonging  to  the  Tcctosages,  Taviima  to  the 
Trogmi  and  Pisinus  to  the  Tohstobogii.  Note- 
worthy  people  besides  these  are  the  Actalenses, 
Alassenses,  Comenses,  Didienses,  Hierorenses, 
Lystreni,  NeapoHtani,  Oeandenses,  Seleucenses, 
Sebasteni,  Timoniacenses  and  Thebaseni.  Galatia 
also  touchcs  on  CabaUa  in  Pamphyha  and  the  Milyae 
about  Baris ;  also  on  Cyllanicum  and  the  district  of 
Oroanda  in  Pisidia,  and  Obizene  which  is  part  of 
Lycaonia.  The  rivers  in  it  beside  those  ah-eady 
mentioned  are  the  Sakarya  and  the  Gallus ;  from 
the  latter  the  priests  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods  take 
their  name. 

XLIIL  Now  ve  give  the  remaindcr  of  the  places  DUhyjiia. 
on  this  coast.  Inland  from  Cios,  in  Bithynia,  is  Prusa, 
at  the  foot  of  Olympus,  founded  by  Hannibal 
— from  there  to  Nicaea  is  25  miles,  Lake  Ascanius 
coming  in  between — ;  then,  on  the  innermost  bay  of 
the  lake,  Nicaea,  which  was  formerly  called  Olbia, 
and  Prusias ;  then  a  second  place  also  named 
Prusias  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Hj-pius.  Places  that 
exist  no  longer  are  PythopoHs,  Parthenopohs  and 
Corj^phanta.     On  the  coast  are  the  rivers  Aesius, 

331 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HLSTORY 

amnes  Aesius,  Br}'azon,  Plataneus,  Areus,  Aesyros, 
Geodos  qui  et  Chrysorroas,  promunturium  in  quo 
Megarice  oppidum  fuit :  undc^  Craspcditcs  sinus 
vocabatur,  quoniam  id  oppidum  velut  in  lacinia  erat. 
fuit  et  Astacum,  undc  et  cx  co  Astaccnus  idem  sinus. 
fuit  et  Libyssa  oppidum  ubi  nunc  Hannibalis  tantum 
tumulus;   est  et  in  intimo  sinu  Nicomedia  Bithyniae 

149  praeclara.  Leucatas  promunturium  quo  inchiditur 
Astacenus  sinus  a  Nicomedia  xxxvii  d  p.  rursusque 
coeuntibus  terris  angustiae  pertinentcs  usque  ad 
Bosporum  Thracium.  in  liis  Calchadon  Ubera,  a  Nico- 
media  lxTi  d  p.,  Procorastis  antc  dicta,  dcin  Colpusa, 
postea  Caecorum  Oppidum,  quod  locum  ehgere 
nescissent,  vii  stadiis  distante  Byzantio  tanto  feU- 
ciore  omnibus  mocUs  sede.  ceterum  intus  in  Bithynia 
colonia  Apamcna,  Agrippenses,  luUopoUtae,  Bi- 
thynion.  flumina  Syrium,  Laphias,  Pharnacias, 
Alces,  Serinis,  Lilaeus,  Scopius,  liieros  qui  Bithyniam 

150  et  Galatiam  disterminat.  ultra  Calchadona  Chryso- 
poUs  fuit.  dcin  Nicopolis,  a  qua  nomen  etiamnum 
sinus  retinet  in  quo  portus  Amyci ;  dein  Naulochum 
promunturium,  Hestiae,^  templum  Neptuni.  Bosporos 
D  p.  intervallo  Asiam  Europae  iterum  auferens  abest  a 
Calchadone  xTi  d  p.,  indc  fauccs  primae  viii  dccl  p., 
ubi  SpiropoUs  oppidum  fuit.     tcnent  oram  omnem 

1   V.l.indQ. 

*  Rackham  {'Earla  ct  Mueller) :  Estiae. 

"  '  On  tho  fringe,'  usedof  tho  laat  porson  in  a  Groek  chorus. 
*  Thia  form  ia  well  attested,  though  Chalcedon  is  moro  ueual. 


BOOK   V.  xLii.  148-150 

Bryazon,  Plataneus,  Areus,  Aesyrus  and  Geodos, 
another  name  for  which  is  Chrysorrhoas,  and  the  head- 
land  on  which  formerly  the  town  of  Megarice  stood  : 
owing  to  which  the  gulf  used  to  have  the  name  of 
Craspedites,"  because  that  town  Avas  a  sort  of  tassel 
011  its  fringe.  There  was  also  formerly  the  tovm  of 
Astacus,  owing  to  which  the  gulf  in  question  was 
also  called  Astacus  Bay.  Also  there  was  a  town 
called  Libyssa  at  the  place  where  there  is  now  only 
the  tomb  of  Hannibal ;  and  also  at  the  far  extremity 
of  the  bay  stands  the  famous  city  of  Bithynian 
Nicomedia.  Cape  Leucatas  which  shuts  in  Astacus 
Bay  is  37|  miles  from  Nicomedia ;  and  then  the 
coasthnes  come  together  again,  forminjj  narrows 
that  extend  as  far  as  the  Straits  of  Constantinople. 
On  these  narrows  are  the  free  city  of  Calchadon,* 
previously  called  Procerastis,  62|  miles  from  Nico- 
demia,  then  Colpusa,  afterwards  Bhnd  Men's  Town 
— a  name  implying  that  its  founders  did  not  know 
how  to  choose  a  site,  Byzantium  a  site  so  much  more 
attractive  in  every  respect  being  less  than  a  mile 
away  !  Inland  in  Bithynia  are  the  colony  of  Apamea, 
Agrippenses,  JuhopoHtae  and  Bithynion.  The  rivers 
are  the  Syrium,  Laphias,  Pharnacias,  Alces,  Serinis, 
Lilaeus,  Scopius  and  Hieros,  which  forms  the  frontier 
between  Bithynia  and  Galatia.  Beyond  Calchadon 
formerly  stood  ChrysopoUs.  Then  Nicopohs,  from 
which  comes  the  name  still  given  to  the  bay  contain- 
ing  Port  of  Amycus  ;  then  Cape  Naulochum,  Hestiae 
and  Neptune's  Temple.  Then  come  the  Straits  of 
Constantinople,  the  channel  half  a  mile  wide  which 
again  separates  Asia  froin  Europe,  12|  miles  from 
Calchadon.  Then  the  mouth  of  the  Straits,  8|  miles 
wide,  where  once  stood  the  town  of  SpiropoUs.    The 

333 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Thyni,  interiora  Bithyni.  is  finis  Asiae  est  popu- 
lorumque  cclxxxii  qui  ad  cum  locum  a  fine  Lyciae 
nunicrantur.  spatium  Hellesponti  et  Propontidis  ad 
Bosporum  Thracium  esse  ccxaxi.x  p.  diximus ;  a 
Calchadone  Sigeum  Isidorus  cccxxii  d  p.  tradit. 
151  XLIV.  Insulae  in  Propontide  ante  Cyzicum  Ela- 
phonnesus,  unde  Cvzicenum  marmor,  eadem  Neuris 
et  Proconnesus  dicta ;  secuntur  Ophiussa,  Acanthus, 
Phoebe,  Scopelos,  Porphyrione,  Halone  cum  oppido, 
Delphacie,  Polydora,  Artacaeon  cum  oppido.  est  et 
contra  Nicomediam  Demonnesos,  item  ultra  Hera- 
cleam  adversa  Bithyniae  Thynias  quam  barbari 
Bithyniam  vocant.  est  et  Antiochia  et  contra 
fauces  Rhyndaci  Besbicos  xvTii  p.  circuitu ;  est  Elaea 
et  duae  Rhodusae,  Erebinthote,  Megale,  Chalcitis, 
Pityodes. 


334 


BOOK    V.  xLiM.   i5o-\Liv.    151 

whole  ot  the  cuast  is  iniiabited  by  the  Thynians  and 
the  interior  by  the  Bithynians.  This  is  the  end  of 
Asia  and  of  the  282  peoples  who  can  be  counted 
betwcen  the  frontier  of  Lycia  and  this  point.  The 
length  of  the  Dardanelles  and  the  Sea  of  Marmara 
to  the  Straits  of  Constantinople  we  stated  above  as  iv.io. 
239  miles,  and  the  distance  from  Calchadon  to 
Sigeum  is  given  by  Isidore  as  322|  miles. 

XLIV.  The  islands  in  the  Marmara  are,  Elaphon-  isiandsin 
nesus  off  Cyzicus,  from  which  is  obtained  the  Cyzicus  'propo,uu 
marble — it  is  also  called  Neuris  and  Proconnesus — , 
and  then  Ophiussa,  Acanthus,  Phoebe,  Scopelos, 
Porphyrione,  Halone  with  its  town,  Delphacie, 
Polydora  and  Artacaeon  with  its  town.  Also  off 
Nicomedia  is  Demonnesus,  and  also  beyond  Heraclea 
and  off  Bithynia  Thynias,  the  native  name  of  which 
is  Bithynia.  There  is  also  Antiochia,  and  off  the 
mouth  of  the  Rhjmdacus  Besbicos,  an  island  18  miles 
in  circumference ;  and  also  Elaea  and  the  two 
Rhodusae,  Erebinthote,  Megale,  Chalcitis  and 
Pityodes. 


335 


BOOK   VI 


LIBER   VI 

I.  PoNTUs  EuxiNus,  antea  ab  inhospitali  feritatc 
Axiims  appellatus,  peculiari  invidia  naturae  sine 
ullo  fine  indulgentis  aviditati  maris  et  ipse  in  ^ 
Europam  Asiamque  funditur.  non  fuerat  satis 
oceano  ambisse  terras  et  partem  earum  aucta 
inmanitate  abstulisse,  non  inrupisse  fractis  monti- 
bus  Calpeque  Africae  avolsa  taiito  maiora  absorhuisse 
quam  reliquerit  spatia,  non  per  Hellespontum  Pro- 
pontida  infudisse  iterum  terris  devoratis  :  a  Bosporo 
quoque  in  aliam  vastitatem  panditur  nulla  satietate, 
donec  exspatianti  lacus  Maeotii  rapinam  suam  iun- 
gant.  invitis  hoc  accidisse  terris  indicio  sunt  tot 
angustiae  atque  tam  parva  naturae  repugnantis  inter- 
valla,  ad  Hellespontum  dccclxxv  p.,  ad  Bosporos  duos 
vel  bubus  meabiU  transitu — unde  nomen  ambobus, — 
etiam  quaedam  in  dissociatione  germanitas  concors : 
alitum  (juippe  cantus  canumque  latratus  invicem 
audiuntur,  vocis  etiam  humanae  conunercia,  inter 
duos  orbes  manente  conloquio,  nisi  cum  id  ipsum 
auferunt  venti. 

1  V.l.  iiitor 


"  Sec  IV.  76  note.  Some  of  the  ancients  thovight  that  the 
name  was  diie  to  the  inhospitable  savagery  of  the  natives. 

*  /.€.  double  pacea,  say  5  feet. 

'  The  Thracian  and  the  Cimnierian  Bosporus ;  the  name '  Ox- 
lord,'  supposed  to  be  due  to  lo,  who  as  a  cow  traveraed  tho 
former  atrait,  was  also  givcn  to  othcrs. 

33^ 


BOOK   VI 

I.  The  Euxine  or  Black  Sea,  formerly  because  of  its  TUe  Biaci- 
inhospitable  roughness  called  the  Axine,"  owing  to  a  '^^''' 
pecuUar  jealousy  on  the  part  of  Nature,  which  here 
indulges  the  sea's  greed  wiihout  any  limit,  actually 
spreads  into  Europe  and  Asia.  The  Ocean  was  not 
content  to  have  encircled  the  earth,  and  with  still 
further  cruelty  to  have  reft  aw-ay  a  portion  of  her 
surface,  nor  to  have  forced  an  entrance  through  a 
breach  in  the  mountains  and  rent  Gibraltar  away 
from  Africa,  so  devouring  a  hirger  area  than  it  left 
remaining,  nor  to  have  swallowed  up  a  fm*ther  space 
of  land  and  flooded  the  Sea  of  Marmara  through 
the  Dardanelles ;  even  bcyond  the  Straits  of  Con- 
stantinople  also  it  widens  out  into  another  desolate 
expanse,  with  an  appetite  uasatisfied  until  the  Sea 
of  Azov  links  on  its  own  tresj)ass  to  its  encroachments. 
That  this  event  occurred  against  the  will  of  the  earth 
is  proved  by  the  number  of  narrows,  and  by  the  small- 
ness  of  the  gaps  left  by  Nature's  resistance,  measuring 
at  the  Dardanelles  875  paces,*  at  the  Straits  of  Con- 
stantinople  and  Kertsch  the  passage  being  actually 
fordable  by  oxen — which  fact  givcs  both  of  them  their 
name  '^ ; — and  also  by  a  certain  harmonious  affinity  con- 
tained  in  their  disseverance,  as  the  singing  of  birds 
and  barking  of  dogs  on  one  side  can  be  heard  on  the 
other,  and  even  the  interchange  of  human  speech, 
conversation  going  on  between  the  two  workls,  save 
whcn  the  actual  sound  is  carried  away  by  the  wind. 

339 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Mensuram  Ponti  a  Bosporo  ad  Maeotium  lacum 
quidam  fecere  |xiv|  xxxviii  d,  Eratosthenes  c  minorem 
Agrippa  a  Calchadone  ad  Phasim  \x\,  inde  Bosporum 
Cimmerium  ccclx.  nos  intervalla  generatim  j^one- 
mus  ^  conperta  in  aevo  nostro,  quando  etiam  in  ipso 
ore  Cimmerio  pugnatum  est. 

Ergo  a  faucibus  Bospori  est  amnis  Rebas,  quem 
ahqui  Rhesum  dixerunt ;  dein  Syris,  portus  Calpas, 
Sangarius  fluvius  ex  inclutis  ;  oritur  in  Phrj^gia,  accipit 
vastos  amnes,  inter  quos  Tembrogium  et  Gallum, 
idem  Sagiarius  plerisque  dictus ;  Corahus,  a  quo 
incipiunt  Mariandyni,  sinus  oppidumque  Heraclea 
Lyco  flumini  adpositum — abest  a  Ponti  ore  cc, — por- 
tus  Aconae  veneno  aconito  dirus,  specus  Acherusia, 
flumina  Paedopides,  Callichorum,  Sonautes,  oppidum 
Tium  ab  Heraclea  x3L\vTTi  p.,  fluvius  Bilhs.  II.  ultra 
quem  gens  Paphlagonia,  quam  Pylaemeniam  aliqui 
dixerunt,  inclusam  a  tergo  Galatia,  oppidum  Mastya 
Milesiorum,  dein  Cromna,  quo  loco  Enetos  adicit 
Nepos  Comehus,  a  quibus  in  Itaha  ortos  cognomines 
eorum  V^enetos  credi  debere  ^  putat,  Sesamon 
oppidum,  quod  nunc  Amastris,  mons  Cytorus  a  Tio 
Lxiii  p.,  oppida  Cimohs,  Stephane,  amnis  Parthenius. 
promunturium  Cerambis  vasto  excursu  abest  a 
Ponti  ostio  cccxxV,  ut  ahis  placuit,  cccl,  tantundem  a 


'  Gflenivs  :  ponimus. 

•  Mayhojf :   cretlero  (oa  de  re  Deilefsen). 


340 


BOOK   VI.  I.  3-II.  6 

The  dimension  of  the  Black  Sea  from  the 
Dai-danelles  to  the  Sea  of  Azov  is  given  by  sonie 
authorities  as  1438^  miles,  but  Eratosthenes  makes  it 
100  miles  less.  Agrippa  gives  the  distance  from 
Calchadon  to  the  river  Rion  as  1000  miles  and  from 
that  rivcr  to  the  Straits  of  Kertsch  as  360  milos, 
We  shall  state  the  distances  in  scctions  as  ascertaincd 
in  our  own  limc.  inasmuch  as  there  has  been  dispute 
even  about  the  mouth  of  the  Straits  of  Kertsch. 

Well  then,  after  the  mouth  of  the  Dardanelles  is 
the  river  Rebas,  called  by  some  the  Rhesus ;  then 
Syris,  and  Port  Calpas,  and  the  Sakarya,  a  famous 
river  wliich  rises  in  Phrygia  and  into  which  flow 
some  very  large  tributaries,  among  them  the 
Tembrogius  and  the  Gallas ;  its  name  is  commonly 
given  as  Sagiarius ;  the  Corahus  where  the  Marian- 
dyni  tcrritory  begins ;  the  bay  of  Hcraclea,  and  thc 
town  of  that  name  on  the  river  Lycus — it  is  200 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Black  Sea, — the  port 
of  Aconae,  of  evil  repute  for  the  poison  called  aconif  e, 
the  Acherusian  Cavern,  the  rivers  Paedopidcs, 
Callichorus  and  Sonautes,  the  to\\Ti  of  Tium  38 
miles  from  Heraclea,  and  the  river  BilUs.  H.  Beyond  Pnrhingonvi 
this  river  is  the  Paphhigonian  race,  called  by  some 
the  Pyhiemenian,  enclosed  to  the  rcar  by  Gahatia, 
the  Milesian  town  of  Mastya,  then  Cronma,  a  place 
with  which  Cornehus  Nepos  connects  thc  Eneti, 
from  whom  he  tliinks  the  Veneti  in  Italy  bearing  a 
similar  name  must  be  beheved  to  be  descended ; 
the  town  of  Sesamon,  now  called  Amastris ;  Mount 
Cytorus,  63  miles  from  Tium ;  the  towns  of  Cimolis 
and  Stephane  and  tlie  river  Partlienius.  The  great 
projection  of  Cape  Cerambis  is  325  miles,  or  according 
to  others  350  miles,  distant  from  the  mouth  of  thc 


M 


341 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Cimmerio  aut,  ut  aliqui  maluere,  cccxu  D.  fuit  et 
oppidum  codem  nomine  et  aliud  inde  Armine ;  nunc 
estcolonia  Sinope  a  Cvtoro  clxiv  ;  flumen  Evarchum,* 
gens  Cappadocum,  oppidum  Caturia  Zaccplum,  amnis 
Halys   a   radicibus   Tauri   per   Cataoniam   Cappado- 

7  ciamque  decurrens  ;  oppida  Gamge,  Carusa,  Amisum 
liberum  a  Sinope  cxxx,  eiusdemque  nominis  sinus 
tanti  recessus  ut  Asiam  pacne  insulam  faciat,  cc  haut 
amplius  per  continentem  ad  Issicum  Ciliciae  sinum. 
quo  in  omni  tractu  proditur  tres  tanttun  gentes 
Graccas  iure  dici,  Doricam  lonicam  Aeoh'cam, 
ceteras  barbarorum  esse.  Amiso  iunctum  fuit 
oppidum  Eupatoria  a  Mithridate  conditimi ;  victo 
eo  utrumque  Pompeiopolis  appellatum  est. 

8  III.  Cappadocia  intus  habet  coloniam  Claudi 
Caesaris  Archelaidem  quam  praeterfluit  Halys, 
oppida  Comana  quod  Sahus,  Neocaesaream  quod 
Lycus,  Amasiam  quod  Iris  in  regione  Gazacena,  in 
Colopene  vero  Sebastiam  et  Sebastopohm  (haec 
parva  sed  paria  supra  dictis),  rehqua  sui  parte 
Mehtam  a  Samiramide  conditam  haud  procul 
Euphrate,  Diocaesaream,  Tyana,  Castabala,  Magno- 
pohm,  Zelam  et  sub  monte  Argaeo  Mazacum  quae 

9  nunc  Caesarea  nominatur.  Cappadociae  pars 
praetenta     Armeniae      Maiori      Melitene     vocatur, 

'  Hardoiiin :  Vurecum. 

•  The  Kizil  Irmak  or  Red  Rivcr. 

*  This  Btrange  belief  goes  back  to  Herodotus.     The  difitance 
acrose  to  the  Gulf  of  Issus,  Scanderoon,  i.s  at  leaat  300  mile.s. 

'  King  of  Pontus,  finaliy  dcfcated  in  03  n.c,  by  Pompey. 

342 


BOOK    VI.  II.  6-ni.  9 

Black  Sea,  and  the  same  distance,  or,  by  an  estimate 
which  some  prefer,  312i  miles  from  the  Straits  of 
Kertsch.  There  was  formerly  also  a  to^vTi  of  the 
same  name,  and  then  another  called  Armine ;  and 
at  the  present  day  there  is  the  colony  of  S  ,nrib, 
164  miles  from  Mount  Cytorus  ;  the  river  Evarchus,  a 
tribe  of  Cappadocians,  the  town  of  Caturia  Zaceplum, 
and  the  river  Halys  "  that  flows  down  from  the  base  of 
Mount  Taurus  througli  Cataonia  and  Cappadocia; 
the  to^\-ns  of  Gamge  and  Carusa,  the  free  to-\\Ti  of 
Amisus  130  miles  from  Sinab,  and  the  bay  of  the 
same  name  which  runs  so  far  inland  as  to  give  to 
Asia  the  shape  of  a  peninsula,''  the  isthmus  measuring 
not  more  than  200  miles  across  to  the  Gulf  of  Lssus 
in  Cihcia.  It  is  reported  that  in  all  this  region  there 
are  only  three  races  that  can  rightly  be  designated 
Greek,  the  Dorian,  the  lonian  and  the  Aeolian,  all 
the  rest  being  tribes  of  barbarians.  To  Amisus  was 
attached  the  town  of  Eupatoria,  founded  by  Mithri- 
dates  ;  <^  after  he  had  been  conquered,  the  two  places 
were  united  under  the  name  of  PompeiopoHs. 

III.  Cappadocia  contains  in  its  interior  a  colony  cappadoda. 
of  Claudius  Caesar  named  Archelais,  past  which 
flows  the  river  Halys,  and  the  towns  of  Comana  on 
the  Sahus,  Neocaesarea  on  thc  Lycus,  and  Amasia 
on  the  Iris  in  the  region  of  Gazacena ;  while  in 
the  Colopene  region  are  Sebastia  and  Sebastopol, 
which  are  small  towns  but  equal  in  importance  to 
those  mentioncd  above ;  and  in  the  remaining  part 
of  Cappadocia  are  Melita,  founded  by  Samiramis, 
not  far  from  the  Euphrates,  Diocaesarea,  Tyana, 
Castabala,  Magnopohs,  Zela,  and  under  Mount 
Argaeus  Mazacas,  now  named  Caesarea.  The  part 
of  Cappadocia  adjaccnt  to  Grcater  Armenia  is  called 

343 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Commagenis  Cataonia,  Phrygiae  Garsauritis,  Sar- 
gaurasana  Cammaneni,  Galatiae  Morimene,  ubi 
disterminat  eas  Cappadox  amnis,  a  quo  nomen 
traxere  antea  Leucosyri  dicti.  a  Neocaesarea  supra 
dicta  Minorem  Armeniam  Lvcus  amnis  disterminat. 
est  et  Coeranus  intus  claras,  in  ora  autcm  ab  Amiso 
oppidum    et    flumen    Chadisia,    Lycastum,     a     quo 

10  Thcmisc}Tena  rcgio.  Iris  flumen  defercns  Lycum. 
civitas  Ziela  intus,  nobilis  clade  Triarii  et  victoria 
C.  Caesaris.  in  ora  amnis  Tlicrmodon  ortus  ad 
castellum  quod  vocant  Phanorian  jiraeterque  radices 
Amazoni  montis  lapsus  ;  fuit  oppidum  codcm  nomine 
et    .nlia    quinque,    Amazonium,   Themiscyra,    Sotira, 

11  Amasia,  Comana,  nunc  Matium  ^ ;  (I\")  gentcs  Cae- 
narum,  Chalybum,  oppidum  Cotyorum,  gentes 
Tibareni,  Massyni  notis  signantes  corpora,  gens 
Macrocephali,  oppidum  Cerasus,  portus  Cordule, 
gentes  Bcchircs,  Buxcri,  flumen  Melas,  gens  Macho- 
rones,  Sidcni  flumcnquc  Sidcnum  quo  alluitur 
oppidum  Polemonium  ab  Amiso  c.vx.  inde  flumina 
lasonium,  Mdantliium,  et  ab  Amiso  lxxx  Phamacea 
oppidum,  Tripohs  castehum  ct  fluvius,  item  PhilocaHa 
et   sinc    fluvio    item    LiviopoHs,    et    a    Pharnacca   c 

*  Mantium  Hermolati-a  (cf.  V.  115,  IIG). 

"  In  the  war  against  Mithradatea,  67  B.o. 

'  Over  Pharnaces,  son  of  Mithradates — the  victory  (in 
47  B.c.)  reported  by  Juliua  Caesar  to  the  scnate  in  the  words 
VVth',  vidi,  vici. 

'  Or  perbaps  '  Comana,  which  is  now  an  Oracular  Shrine.' 

344 


BOOK    VI.  III.  9-iv.   .1 

Melitene,  the  part  bordering  uii  Commagene 
Cataonia,  that  on  Phrygia  Garsauritis,  that  on 
CammaneneSargaurasana,that  on  Galatia  Morimene, 
where  the  boundary  between  the  two  countries  is 
formed  by  the  river  Cappadox,  from  which  the 
Cappadocians  take  tlieir  name — they  were  formerly 
called  the  Wliite  Syrians.  The  boundary  between 
Neocaesarea  iibove  mentioned  and  Lesser  Armenia 
is  the  river  Lycus.  In  the  interior  there  is  also  the 
notable  river  Coeranus,  and  on  the  coast  after  Amisas 
the  towTi  of  Chadisia  with  the  river  of  the  same  name, 
and  the  town  of  Lycastus,  after  which  the  district 
of  Themiscyra  begins.  The  river  here  is  the  Iris,  Themiscyra. 
with  a  tributary  the  Lycus.  Inland  is  Ziela,  the 
city-state  famous  for  the  defeat  "  of  Triarius  and  the 
victory  of  Gaiiis  Caesar.*  On  the  coast  is  the  river 
Thermodon,  which  rises  at  the  fortress  called  Phano- 
rias  and  flows  past  the  foot  of  the  mountain  Mason 
Dagh  ;  there  was  formerly  a  town  of  the  same  name 
as  the  river,  and  five  others,  Amazonium,  Themiscyra, 
Sotira,  Amasia  and  Comana,  and  now  there  is 
Matium;<^  (IV)  the  Caenares  and  Chalyl)os  tribes, 
the  town  of  the  Cotyi,  the  tribes  of  the  Tibareni  and 
the  Massyni — the  latter  practise  tattooing, — the 
Longhead  tribe,  the  town  of  Cerasus,  the  harbour 
of  Cordule,  the  Bcchires  and  Buxeri  tribes,  the  Black 
River,  the  Machorones  tribe,  the  Sideni,  and  the 
river  Sidenus  which  washes  the  town  of  Polemonium 
120  miles  from  Amisus.  Then  come  the  rivers 
lasonius  and  Melanthius,  and  80  miles  from  Amisus 
the  town  of  Pharnacea,  the  fortress  and  river  Tripolis, 
the  fortress  and  river  Philocalia  and  the  forlress  of 
Liviopolis,  which  is  not  on  a  river,  and  100  miles 
from  Pharnacea  the  free  tuwn  of  Trebizond,  shut  in 

345 


PLINY:    NATURAT-   HISTORY 

12  Trapezus  liberum  monte  vasto  clausum.  ultra  quod 
gens  Armenochalybes,  et  Maior  Armenia  xxx  p, 
distans.  in  ora  ante  Trapezunta  flumen  est  Pyxites, 
ultra  vero  gens  Sannorum  Heniochoriun,  flumen 
Absarrum  cum  castello  cognomini  ^  in  faucibus,  a 
Trapezunte  cxl.  eius  loci  a  tergo  montium  Hiberia 
est,  in  ora  vero  Heniochi,  Ampreutae,  Lazi,  flumina 
Acampseon,  Isis,  Mogrus,  Bathys,  gentcs  Col- 
chorum,  oppidum  Matium,  flumen  Heracleum  et 
promunturium  eodem  nomiiie,  clarissimusque  Ponti 

13  Phasis.  oritur  in  Moschis,  navigatur  quanilibet 
magnis  navigiis  xxxviii  D  p.,  inde  minoribus  longo 
spatio,  pontibus  cxx  pervius.  oppida  in  ripis  habuit 
conphira,  celeberrima  Tyndarida,  Circaeum,  Cygnum 
et  in  faucibus  Phasim  ;  maxime  autem  inclaruit  Aea, 
3cv  p.  a  mari,  ubi  Hippos  et  Cyaneos  vasti  amnes  e 
diverso  in  eum  confluunt.  nunc  habet  Surium 
tantum,  et  ipsum  ab  amnc  influente  ibi  cognomi- 
natum  usque  quo  magnarum  navium  capacem  esse 
diximus.  et  aHos  accipit  fluvios  magnitudinc  nurnero- 
que    mirabiles,    inter   quos    Glaucum ;     in   ore    eius 

14  insula  est'  sine  nomine,  ab  Absarro  lxx.  inde  aHud 
flumcn  Charien,  gens  Saltiae  antiquis  Plithirophagi 
dicti  et  aUa  Sanni,  flumen  Chobum  e  Caucaso  per 
Suanos  fluens,  dein  Rhoan,  regio  Cegritice,  amnes 
Sigania,     Thersos,     Astelphus,     Chrysorroas,     gens 


'  cognouiini  7    Mayhoff  :    oogiioiuine. 
•  ilayhoff:    insulae. 


346 


BOOK   VI.  IV.  11-14 

by  a  vast  mountain  range.  Beyond  Trebizond  begins 
the  Armenochalybes  tribe,  and  30  miles  fui-ther 
Greater  Armenia.  On  the  coast  before  reaching 
Trebizond  is  the  river  Pyxites,  and  beyond  Trebizond 
the  Charioteer  Sanni,  and  the  river  Absarrus  with 
the  fortress  of  the  same  name  in  its  gorge,  140  miles 
from  Trapezus.  Behind  the  mountains  of  this  dis- 
trict  is  Hiberia,  and  on  the  coast  the  Charioteers, 
the  Ampreutae  and  the  Lazi,  the  rivers  Acampseon, 
Isis,  Mogrus  and  Batliys,  the  Colchian  tribes,  the 
town  of  Matiimi,  the  River  of  Heracles  and  the  cape 
of  the  same  name,  and  the  Rion,  the  most  celebrated 
river  of  the  Black  Sea  region.  The  Rion  rises  among  vheriver 
the  Moschi  and  is  navigable  for  ships  of  any  size  ^^' 
for  38^  miles,  and  a  long  way  further  for  smaller 
vessels ;  it  is  crossed  by  120  bridges.  It  had  a 
considerable  number  of  towns  on  its  banks,  the  most 
notable  being  Tyndaris,  Circaeus,  Cygnus,  and  at 
its  mouth  Phasis ;  but  the  most  famous  was  Aea, 
15  miles  from  the  sea,  wliere  two  very  large  tributaries 
join  the  Rion  from  opposite  directions,  the  Hippos 
and  the  Cyaneos.  At  the  present  day  the  only  town 
on  the  Kion  is  Surium,  which  itself  also  takes  its  name 
from  a  river  that  enters  the  Rion  at  the  point  up  to 
which  we  said  that  it  is  navigable  for  large  vessels. 
It  also  receives  other  tributaries  remarkable  for  their 
size  and  number,  among  them  the  Glaucus ;  at  its 
mouth  is  an  island  with  no  name,  70  miles  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Absarnus.  Then  there  is  another  river, 
the  Charieis,  the  Saltiae  tribe  called  of  old  the 
Pine-seed-eaters,  and  another  tribe,  the  Sanni ; 
the  river  Chobus  flowing  from  the  Caucasas  through 
the  Suani  territory ;  then  Rhoan,  the  Cegritic 
district,  the  rivers  Sigania,  Thersos,  Astelphus  and 

347 


PLINY      NATURAL   HISrORY 

Absilae,  castellum  Sebastopolis  a  Phasitle  c,  gens 
Sanicarum,  oppidum  Cygnus,  flumen  et  oppidum 
Penius ;  deinde  multis  nominibus  Heniochorum 
gentes. 

15  V.  Subicitur  Ponti  regio  Colica.  in  qua  iuga 
Caucasi  ad  Ilipaeos  montes  torquentur,  ut  diclum  est, 
altero  latere  in  Euxinum  et  Maeotium  devexa,  altero 
in  Caspium  et  Hyrcanium  mare.  rehqua  litora  fere 
nationes  tenent  Melanchlaeni,  Coraxi  m-be  Col- 
chorum  Dioscuriade  iuxta  Ihivium  Antliemunta  nunc 
deserta,  quondam  adeo  clara  ut  Timosthenes  in  eam 
ccc  nationes  dissimilibus  Hnguis  descendere  prodi- 
derit ;    et  postea  a  nostris  cxxx  inteqoretibus  negotia 

16  gesta  ibi.  sunt  qui  conditam  eam  ab  Ampluto  et 
Thelchio  Castoris  ac  PoUucis  aiu-igis  putent,  a  quibus 
ortam  Heniochorum  gentem  fere  constat.  c-  a  ^  Dios- 
curiade  oppidum  Heracleum  distat,  a  Scbastopoh 
Lxx.  Achaci,  Mardi,  Cercetae,  post  eos  Serri, 
Cephalotomi.  in  intimo  eo  tractu  Pityus  oppidum 
opulentissimum  ixh  llcniochis  direplum  est.  a  tergo 
eius   Epagerritae,  Sarmatarum   popuhts,  in   Caucasi 

17  iugis,  post  qucm  Sauromatae.  ad  hos  profugerat 
Mithridates  Chiudio  principe,  narravitque  Thalos  iis 
esse    confinis    qui    ab    oriente    Caspii    maris    fauces 

'  Mayhoff :   ca  avU  a. 


•  Kstahlislied  as  king  ol'  Bosporus  by  Claudius  in  a.d.  41, 
but  later  rt-placed  by  hic  ijruther  Cotya. 

*  t>ic-  p.  3«>4,  note  6. 

348 


BOOK    VI.  IV.   14-V.  17 

Chrysorrhoas,  the  Absilae  tribe,  the  fortress  of 
Sebastopol  100  niile.s  from  Phasis,  the  Sanicae  tribe, 
the  town  of  Cygnus,  the  rivcr  and  town  of  Penius ; 
and  then  tribes  of  the  Charioteers  'WTth  a  variety  of 
names. 

V.  Below  this  lies  the  Black  Sea  district  named  CoUea. 
Colica,  in  which  the  Caucasus  range  curves  round 
to  the  Ripaean  Mountains,  as  we  have  previously  v.  98. 
statetl,  one  side  sloping  down  towards  the  Black  Sea 
and  the  Sea  of  Azov,  and  the  other  towards  the 
Caspian  and  Ilyrcanian  Sea.  The  tribes  occupying 
almost  all  the  rcst  of  the  coasLs  are  the  Blackcloalcs 
and  the  Coraxi,  witli  the  Colcliian  city  of  Dioscurias 
on  the  river  Anthemus,  now  deserted,  but  once  so 
farnoiis  that  according  to  Timosthenes  300  tribes 
speakiiig  different  languages  used  to  resort  to  it ;  and 
subsequently  bu.^^iness  was  carried  on  there  by  Roman 
traders  with  the  help  of  a  staff  of  130  interpreters. 
Some  people  think  that  Dioscui*ias  was  founded 
by  tlie  charioteers  of  Ca.stor  and  Polhix,  Ampliitus 
and  TlielchiiLS,  froni  whom  it  is  virtually  certain  that 
the  CharioLeer  tribe  are  descended.  The  town  of 
Heracleum  is  100  miles  from  Dioscurias  and  70  miles 
from  Sebastopol.  The  tribes  herc  are  the  Achaei, 
Mardi  and  Cercetae,  and  after  these  the  Serri  and 
Ceplialotomi.  In  the  interior  of  this  region  was  the 
extremely  wealthy  town  of  Pityus,  which  was  sacked 
by  the  Charioteers.  Behind  Pityus  are  the  Epagerri- 
tae,  a  Sarmntian  people  on  the  Caucasus  range,  and 
after  them  come  the  Sauromatians.  It  was  with 
this  tribe  that  Mithridates "  took  refuge  in  the 
principate  of  Claudius,  and  from  him  we  learn  tliat 
there  is  a  neighbouring  tribe,  the  Thali,  who  on  the 
eastem  side  extend  to  the  mouth  *  of  the  Caspian 

349 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

attinfferent ;  siccari  cas  aestu  recedente.  in  ora 
autem  iuxta  Cercetas  flumen  Icarus,  Achaci  ^  cum 
oppido  Hiero  et  flumine,  ab  Heracleo  rxxxvi.  inde 
promunturium  Crunoe,  a  quo  suj%vcilium  arduum 
tenent  Toretae,  civitas  Sindica  ab  Hiero  lxvii  d, 
flumen  Secheries. 

18  VI.  Inde  ad  Bospori  Cimmerii  introitum  LAX.xviii  D. 
Sed  ipsius  paeninsulae  inter  Pontum  et  Maeotium  la- 
cuiu  excurrentis  non  amplior  r.xvii  d  p.  longitudo  est, 
latitudo  nusquam  infra  duo  iugera ;  Eonem  vocant. 
ora  ipsa  Bospori  utrimque  ex  Asia  atque  Europa 
curvatur  in  Maeotim.  oppida  in  aditu  [Bospori 
primo]  2  Hermonasa,  dein  Cepoe  Milesiorum,  mox 
StratocUa  et  Phanagoria  ac  paene  desertum  Apaturos 
ultimoque  in  ostio  Cimmerium,  quod  antea  Cerberion 
vocabatur.  VII.  Inde  Maeotis  lacus  in  Europa 
dictus. 

19  A  Cimmerio  accolunt  Maeotici,  HaH,  Scrnes,  Serrei, 
Scizi,  Gnissi.  dein  Tanain  amnem  gemino  ore 
influentem  incolunt  Sarmatae,  Medorum  (ut  ferunl) 
suboles,  et  ipsi  in  multa  genera  divisi.  primi  Sauro- 
matae  Gynaecocratumenoe,  Amazonum  conubia ; 
dein  Naevazae,  Coitae,  Cizici,  Messeniani,  Coto- 
bacchi,  Cetae,  Zigae,  Tindari,  Tliussegetae,  Tyrcae 
usque  ad  soHtudines  saltuosis  convallibus  asperas, 
ultra    quas    Arimphaei    qui    ad    Ripaeos    pertinent 

20  montes.     Tanaim    ipsum    Scythae    Sinum     vocant, 


*  He.rmolaui  :    acuoHiiui  tl  alia  codd. 

•  Mayhoff. 


35° 


BOOK    VI.  V.  17-VI1.  20 

Sea,  where,  he  tells  as,  the  channel  dries  up  at  low 
tide.  On  the  coast  of  the  Black  Sea  near  the  Cercetae 
is  the  river  Icarus,  and  the  Achaei,  witli  their  Holy 
Town  and  River,  136  miles  from  Heracleuni.  Then 
comes  Cape  Cruni,  after  which  a  steep  cHff  is  occupied 
by  the  Toretae,  and  then  the  city-state  of  Sindica, 
67^  miles  from  Holy  'I"own,  and  the  river  Seclieries. 

VI.  The  distance  from  the  Seciieries  to  the  entrance  straiu  o/ 
to  the  Straits  of  Kertsch  is  88^  miles.  But  the  '^'^"''^- 
actual  peninsuhi  projecting  between  the  Black  Sea 
and  the  Sea  of  Azov  is  not  more  than  67|  miles  long, 
its  breadth  being  nowhere  below  80  yards ;  it  is 
called  Eone.  The  actual  coast  of  the  Straits  on 
both  the  Asiatic  and  the  European  sides  curves  into 
the  Sea  of  Azov.  The  towns  at  its  entrance  are 
Hermonasa  and  next  the  Milesian  town  of  Cepi, 
then  Stratocha  and  Phanagoria  and  the  almost 
deserted  town  of  Apaturos,  and  at  the  extreme  end 
of  the  mouth  Cimmerium,  the  former  name  of  which 
was  Cerberion.  VII.  Then  comes  the  Sea  of  Azov, 
which  is  held  to  be  in  Europe. 

After    passing    Cimmerium,    the    tribes    inhabit-  The  Don 
ing  the  coast  are  the  Maeotici,  HaU,  Sernes,  Serrei,  coa.^n  ** 
Scizi    and    Gnissi.     Next    come    the    two    moutlis  ^n/<»td. 
of  the   river   Don,   where   the   inhabitants    are  the 
Sarmatae,  said  to  be  descended   from   the   Medes, 
and  themselves  divided  into  a  number  of  sections. 
The  first  of  these  are  the  Matriarchal  Sauromatae, 
the  husbands  of  the  Amazons ;    then  the  Naevazae, 
Coitae,  Cizici,  Messeniani,  Cotobacchi,  Cetae,  Zigae, 
Tindari.  Thussegetae  and  Ty''^''^^»  which  brings  us  to 
uninhabited    deserts    intersected    by    wooded    glens, 
beyond  which  are  the  Arimphaei,  who  reach  to  the 
Ripaean  Mountains.     The  Don  itself  is  called  by  the 

351 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Maeotim  Temarundam,  qiio  significant  matrem  maris. 
oppidum  in  Tanais  quoque  ostio.  teniiere  finitima 
primo  Cares,  dcin  Clazomeni ;  et  Maeones,  postea 
Panticapaeenses.  sunt  qui  circa  Maeotim  ad  Cerau- 
nios  montes  has   tradant   gentes :    a   litore    Napras, 

21  supraquc  Essedonas  Colchis  iimctos  montium  cacu- 
minibus.  dein  Camacas,  Oranos,  Autacas,  Mazama- 
cas,  Cantiocaptas,  Agamathas,  Picos,  Rymosolos, 
Acascomarcos,  et  ad  iuga  Caucasi  Icatalas,  Imado- 
chos,  Ramos,  Andacas,  Tydios,  Carastaseos,  Authian- 
das ;  Lagouni  amnem  ex  montibus  Catlieis  in  quem 
defluat  Opharus,  ibi  gentes  Cauthadas,  Opharitas ; 
amnes  Menotharum,  Imityen  ex  niontibus  Cissiis; 
infra  ^  Agdeos,  Carnas,  Oscardeos,  Accisos,  Gabros, 
Gegaros,  circaque  fontem  Imityis  Imityos  et  Apar- 

22  taeos.  alii  influxisse  eo  Scythas  Auchetas,  Ather- 
neos,  Asampatas,  ab  his  Tanaitas  et  Inapacos  viritim 
deletos.  ahqui  flumen  Ocharium  labi  per  Canticos 
et  Sapeos,  Tanain  vero  transisse  Satharcheos  Herti 
cheos,  Spondolicos,  Synhietas,  Anasos,  Issos,  Cataee- 
tas,  Tagoras,  Caronos,  Neripos,  Agandeos,  Meanda- 
raeos,  Satharcheos  Spalaeos. 

23  VIII.  Peracta  est  int(»rior  ora  a  Cio  amne  omnesque 
accolae,  nunc  reddatur  ingens  in  mediterraneo  situs,^ 

■   Mayhojf :   iiitor.  *  ^faykuj/ :   siiius. 


BOOK   VI.  VII.  20-VIII.  23 

natives  the  Sinus,  and  the  Sea  of  Azov  the  Temarunda, 
which  means  in  their  language  '  the  mother  of  the 
sea.'  There  is  also  a  town  at  the  mouth  of  the  Don. 
The  neighbouring  districts  were  fii-st  occupied  by 
the  Carians,  then  by  the  Clazomenii  and  Maeones, 
and  afterwards  by  the  Panticapaeans.  Some  give 
the  following  list  of  tribes  round  the  Sea  of  Azov 
near  the  Ceraunian  Mountains  :  starting  from  the 
coast  tlie  Naprac,  and  higlier  up  the  Essedones, 
joining  on  to  the  Colchians  on  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains.  Then  the  Camacae,  Orani,  Autacae,  Maza- 
macae,  Cantiocaptae,  Agamathae,  Pici,  IlymosoH  and 
Acascomarci,  and  near  the  Caucasus  range  the 
Icatalae,  Imadochi,  Rami,  Andacae,  Tydii,  Carastasei 
and  Authiandes ;  the  river  Lagous  flowing  do^vn 
from  the  Cathean  Mountains,  with  its  tributary  the 
Opharus,  where  are  the  Cauthadae  and  Opharitae 
tribes ;  the  rivers  Menotharus  and  Imityes  flowing 
from  the  Cissian  Mountains  ;  below  these  the  Agdaei, 
Carnae,  Oscardei,  Accisi,  Gabri  and  Gegari,  and 
round  the  source  of  the  Imityes  the  Imityi  and 
Apartaei.  Other  writcrs  say  that  the  Scythian 
tribes  of  the  Auchetae,  Athcrnei  and  Asampatae 
have  spread  into  this  country,  and  have  destroyed 
the  Tanaitae  and  Inapaei  to  a  man.  Some  state 
that  the  river  Ocharius  runs  through  the  Cantici 
and  Sapei,  but  that  the  Don  has  passed  through 
the  Hertichean  tribe  of  Satharchei,  the  Spondolici, 
Synhietae,  Anasi,  Issi,  Cataeetae,  Tagorae,  Caroni, 
Neripi,  Agandei,  Meandaraei  and  Spalaean  Sathar- 
chei. 

VIII.  We  have  gone  ovcr  the  inner  coast  of  Asia  TheimeHor. 
from  the  river  Cius  and  all  the  tribcs  dwelUng  on  it ; 
let  us  now  give  an  account  of  the  vast  region  that  lies 

353 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

in  quo  multa  aliter  ac  veteres  proditurum  me  non  eo 
infitias,  anxia  perquisitis  ^  cura  rebus  nuper  in  eo 
situ  gestis  a  Domitio  Corbulone  regibusque  inde 
missis     supplicibus     aut     regum     liberis     obsidibus. 

24  ordiemur  autem  a  Cappadocum  gente.  longissime 
haec  Ponticarum  omnium  introrsus  recedens  Minorem 
Armeniam  Maioremque  et  Commagenen  laevo  suo 
latere  transit,  dextro  vero  omnes  in  Asia  dictas 
gentes,  plurimis  superfusa  populis  magnoque  impetu 
scandens  ad  ortum  solis  et  Tauri  iuga  transit  Lycao- 
niam,  Pisidiam,  Ciliciam,  vadit  super  Antiochiae 
tractum,  et  usque  ad  Cyrresticam  eius  regionem 
parte  sua  quae  vocatur  Cataonia  contendit.  itaque  ibi 
longitudo  Asiae  |xii'|    I  efficit,  latitudo  dcxl. 

25  IX.  Armenia  autem  Maior  incipit  a  Parihedris 
montibus,  Euphrate  amne,  ut  dictum  est,  aufertur 
Cappadociae  et,  qua  discedit  Kuphrates,  Meso- 
potamiae  haut  minus  claro  amne  Tigri.  utrumque 
fundit  ipsa,  et  initium  Mesopotamiae  facit  inter  duos 
amnes  sitae ;  quod  interest  ibi  tenent  Arabes  Orroei. 
sic  finem  us(jue  in  Adiabenen  perfert ;  ab  ea  trans- 
versis  iugis  inclusa  latitudinem  in  laeva  pandit  ad 
Cyrum  amnem  transversa  Araxen,  longitudinem  vero 
ad    Minorem    usque    Armeniam,    Absarro   amne   in 

^  Rackham  :   porquisita. 


"  I.e.  when  it  runs  the  fartheat  to  the  west. 
*  A  translation  of  '  Meaopotamia  '. 


354 


BOOK    VI.  VIII.  23-ix.  25 

in  the  interior.  I  do  not  deny  that  my  description 
of  it  will  diffcr  in  many  ]ioints  from  that  of  the  old 
Avriters.  as  I  have  devotcd  nuich  care  and  attention  to 
ascertaining  thoroughly  the  reccnt  events  in  that 
region  from  Domitius  Corbulo  and  the  kings  sent  from 
lliere  as  suppliants  or  king's  chiklren  sent  as  hostages. 
We  will  however  begin  with  the  Cappadocian  tribe. 
This  extcnds  farthest  into  the  intcrior  of  all  the 
peoples  of  Pontus,  passing  on  its  left-hand  side  Lesser 
and  Cireater  Armenia  and  Commagene  and  on  its 
right  all  the  tribes  of  Asia  mentioned  above ;  it 
spreads  over  a  very  large  number  of  peoples,  and 
rises  rapidly  in  elcvation  towards  the  east  in  the 
direction  of  tlie  Taurus  range,  passing  Lycaonia, 
Pisidia  and  CiHcia,  and  thcn  advances  above  the 
district  of  Antiochia,  the  part  of  it  called  Cataonia 
reaching  as  far  as  the  departmcnt  of  Antiochia 
named  Cyrrestica.  Consequcntly  the  length  of  Asia 
at  this  point  is  1250  miles  and  its  breadth  640 
miles. 

IX.  Greater    Armcnia    bcgins    at    the    Parihedri  Greater 
Mountains,  and  is  separatcd  fnim  Cappadocia,  as  we  ^'■'"""''- 
have  said,  by  the  river  Euphratcs  and,  when  the  v.  83. 
Euphrates  turns  aside,"  from   Mesopotamia  by  the 
equally    famous    river    Tigris.     Both    rivers    rise    in 
Armenia,  and  it  forms  the  beginning  of  Mesopotamia, 
the  tract  of  country  lying  between  these  two  rivers  ;  * 
the  intervening  space  is  occupicd  by  the  Orroean 
Arabs.     It  thus  extends  its  frontier  as  far  as  Adiabene, 
where  it  is  enclosed  by  rangcs  of  mountains  that 
stretch  across  it;    here  it  spreads  its  width  on  the 
left,  crossing  the   Aras,  to  the   river  Kur,  while  its 
length  reaches  right  to  Lesser  Armenia,  from  which 
it  is  separated  by  the  river  Absarrus,  which  flows 

355 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HLSTORY 

Pontiun     defluente     et     Parihedris     montibus     qui 
fundunt  Absarrum  discreta  ab  illa, 

26  X.  Cyrus  oritur  in  Heniochis  montibus  quos  alii 
Coraxicos  vocavere,  Araxes  eodem  monte  quo 
Euphrates  vi  p.  intervallo,  auctusque  amne  Usi  et 
ipse,  ut  plures  existimavere,  a  Cyro  defertur  in 
Caspium  mare. 

Oppida  celebrantur  in  Minore  Cacsarea,  Aza, 
Nicopolis,in  Maiore  Arsamosata  Euphrati  proximum, 
Tigri  Carcathiocerta,  in  excelso  autem  Tigranocerta, 

27  at  in  campis  iuxta  Araxen  Arlaxata.  universae 
magnitudinem  Aufidius  (iuiiu]ungicns  centcna  milia 
prodidit,  Claudius  Caesar  longiludinem  a  Dascusa  ad 
confinium  Caspii  maris  PviTi|  p.,  latitudinem  dimi- 
dium  cius  a  Tigranocerta  ad  Hibcriam.  dividitur, 
quod  certum  cst,  in  pracfccturas,  quas  strategias 
vocant,  quasdam  ex  his  vel  singula  regna  quondam, 
barbaris  nominibus  c,\x.  claudunt  eam  montes  ab 
oriente,  sed  non  statim,  Cerauni,  nec  Adiabene  regio. 

28  quod  interest  spatii  Cepheni  tenent ;  ab  his  iuga  ultra 
Adiabeni  tcncnt,  pcr  convalles  autem  proximi 
Armeniae  sunt  Mcnobardi  et  Moscheni.  Adiabenen 
Tigris  et  montes  invii  cingunt.  ab  laeva  eius  regio 
Mcdorum    est    ad    prospectum    Caspii    maris ;     ex 

•  The  Aras  formcd  a  separato  mouth  of  its  own  in  1897. 
3.56 


BOOK   VI.  IX.  2  5-\.  28 

into  the  Black  Sea,  and  by  thc  Parihedri  Mountains  in 
which  the  Absarrus  rises. 

X.  The  source  of  the  Kur  is  in  the  Heniochi  The  river 
Mountains,  which  are  called  by  some  persons  the  ^"^" 
Coraxici ;  while  the  Aras  rises  in  the  same  moun- 
tains  as  the  Euphratcs,  at  a  distance  of  six  miles  from 
it,  and  after  being  augmented  by  tlie  river  Usis, 
itself  also,  in  the  opinion  of  the  majority  of  writers, 
joins  the  Kur  and  is  carried  by  it  down  into  the 
Caspian  Sea." 

The  notable  towns  in  Lesser  Armenia  are  Caesarea,  f.essrr 
Ezaz  and  Nicopohs;  those  in  Greater  Armenia  are  •'"'"'""'• 
Arsamosata,  which  is  near  the  Euphrates,  Kharput  on 
the  Tigris  and  Sert  on  the  high  ground,  with  Artaxata 
in  the  plains  adioining  the  Araxes.  Aufidius  gives 
the  circumference  of  the  whole  of  Armenia  as  5000 
miles,  while  Claudius  Caesar  makes  its  length  from 
Dascusa  to  the  edge  of  the  Caspian  Sea  1300  miles 
and  its  breadth  from  Sert  to  Hiberia  half  that  amount. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  it  is  divided  into  120 
administrative  districts  with  native  names,  called 
in  Greek  military  commands,  some  of  wliich  were 
formerly  actual  separate  kingdoms.  It  is  shut  in  on 
the  east,  but  not  immediately,  by  the  Ceraunian 
Mountains  and  similarly  by  the  Adiabene  district. 
The  intcrvening  space  is  occupied  by  the  Cepheni, 
and  next  to  them  the  mountain  district  beyond  is 
occupied  by  the  Adiabeni,  while  along  the  valleys  the 
peoples  adjoining  Armenia  are  the  Menobardi  and 
Moscheni.  Adiabene  is  encircled  by  the  Tigris  and 
by  impassable  mountains.  The  district  on  the  left 
of  Adiabene  belongs  to  the  Medcs,  as  far  as  the  point 
where  the  Caspian  Sea  comes  into  view ;  this  sea 
derives  its  water  from  the  Ocean,  as  we  shall  say  in 

357 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

oceano  hoc,  ut  suo  loco  dicemus,  infunditur,  totumque 
Caucasis  niontibus  cingitur. 

Incolae  per  confinium  Armeniae  nunc  dicentur. 

29  XI.  Planitiem  omnem  a  Cyro  usque  Albanorum 
gens  tenet,  mox  Hiberum  discreta  ab  his  amne 
Alazone  ^  in  Cyrum  Caucasis  montibus  defluente. 
praevalent  oppida  Albaniae  Cabahica,  Hilieriae 
Hermastus  iuxta  flumen  et^Neoris.  regiones^Thasie 
et  Thriarc  usque  ad  Parihedros  montes;  ultra  sunt 
Colchicae  solitudines,  quarum  a  latere  ad  Ceraunios 
verso  Armenochalvbes  habitant  et  Moschorum 
tractus  ad  Hiberum  aninem  in  Cyrum  defluentem  et 
infra  eos  Sacasani  et  deinde  Macerones  ad  flumen 
Absarrum.  sic  plana  aut  devexa  optinentur ;  rursus 
ab  Albaniae  confmio  tota  montium  fronte  gentes 
Silvorum  ferae  et  infra  Lupeniornm,  mox  Diduri  et 
Sodi. 

30  XII.  Ab  iis  sunt  Portae  Caucasiae  magno  errore 
multis  Caspiae  dictae,  ingens  naturae  opus  montibus 
interruptis  repente,  ubi  fores  additae*  ferratis 
trabibas,  subter  medias  amne  diri  odoris  fluente 
citracjue  in  rupc  castello  quod  vocatur  Cumania  com- 
munito  ad  arcendas  transitu  gentes  innumeras,  ibi 
loci  terrarum  orbe  portis  discluso,  ex  advcrso  maxime 
Hermasti    oppidi    Hiberum.     a   portis   Caucasis   per 

*  UcrmolaUrS  e  Strah.  :    Ocazane.  *  ct  aM.  Rackham. 

*  Rackham  :   rogio.  *  K/.  obditae. 


"  Probably  the  pass  of  Dariel,  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the 
Caucasus  range;  also  called  Sarmaticae  Pylae.  Anothcr 
important  pass  is  betwcen  the  chief  north-eastem  spur  of  the 
range  and  the  Caspian  Sca,  near  Derbend;  it  was  called 
Albaniae  or  Caapiae  Pylae. 


Annentan 
:oast.t. 


BOOK   VI.  X.  zS-xn.  30 

the  proper  place,  and  is  entirely  surrounded  by  the  §  S6. 
Caucasus  Mountains. 

We  sliall  now  mention  the  pcoples  dwelling  along 
the  border  of  Armenia. 

XI.  AU  the  plain  from  the  Kur  onward  is  oc-  The 
cupied  by  the  race  of  the  Albani  and  then  that  of  thc 
Hibcrcs,  separated  from  the  Albani  by  the  river 
Alazon,  which  flows  down  from  Mount  Caucasus  into 
the  Cyrus.  Important  towns  are  Kablas-Var  in 
Albania  and  Hermastus  on  the  river  and  Neoris  in 
Hiberia.     The  districts  of  Thasie  and  Thriare  reach 

to  the  Parihcdri  Mountains,  and  beyond  them  is 
the  Colchian  desert,  on  the  side  of  which  towards 
the  Ceraunii  dwell  the  Armenochalybes,  and  the 
country  of  the  Moschi  reaching  to  the  river  Hiberus, 
a  tributary  of  the  Kur,  and  below  them  the  Sacasani 
and  then  the  Macerones  reaching  to  the  river 
Absarrus.  This  gives  the  population  of  the  plains 
or  mountain  slopes  ;  then  after  the  frontier  of  Albania 
the  whole  face  of  the  mountains  is  occupied  by  the  wild 
tribes  of  the  Silvi  and  below  them  those  of  the  Lupenii, 
and  afterwards  the  Diduri  and  Sodi. 

XII.  Onleavingtheseonecomestothe  Gatesof  the  a  Caucasian 
Caucasus,"   which   many   vcry   erroneously   call   the  '"''"• 
Caspian  Gates,  an  enormous  work  of  Nature,  who 

has  here  suddcnly  rent  thc  mountains  asundcr.  Here 
gates  have  been  placed,  with  iron-covered  bcams, 
under  the  centre  of  which  flows  a  river  emitting  a 
horrible  odour ;  and  on  this  side  of  it  on  a  i-ock 
stands  the  fortress  called  Cumania,  erected  for  the 
purpose  of  barring  the  passage  of  the  innumerable 
tribes.  At  this  spot  therefore  the  world  is  divided 
by  gates  into  two  portions  ;  it  is  just  opposite  the 
Hiberian  town  of  Hermastus.     licyond  the  Gates  of 

359 


PLINY:    NATURAI,   HISTORY 

montes  Gurdinios  Valli,  Suani,  indomitae  gentes,  auri 
tamen  mctalla  fodiunt.  ab  his  ad  Pontum  usque 
Heniochorum  plurima  genera,  mox  Achaeorum. 
ita  se  habet  terrarum  situs  ^  e  clarissimis. 

31  AHqui  inter  Pontum  et  Caspium  mare  ctclxxv  p. 
non  amphus  interesse  tradiderunt,  Cornclius  Nepos 
ccL :  tantis  iterum  angustiis  infestatur  Asia.  Claudius 
Caesar  a  Cimmerio  Bosporo  ad  Caspium  mare  cL  pro- 
didit,  cacjue  perfodere  cogitasse  Nicatorem  Seleucum 
quo  tempore  sit  ab  Ptolomaeo  Cerauno  interfectus. 
a  portis  Caucasiis  ad  Pontum  cc  esse  constat  fere. 

32  XIII.  Insulae  in  Ponto  Planctae  sive  Cyaneae  sive 
Symplcgades,  deinde  Apollonia,  Thynias  dicta  ut 
distingucrctur  ab  ea  quae  est  in  ]"l.uropa — distat 
continente  p.  m,  cingitur  iii — ct  contra  Pliarnaceam 
Chalceritis,  quam  Graeci  Ariam  dixerunt  Martique 
sacram,  et  in  ea  volucres  cum  advenis  pugnasse 
pinnarum  ictu. 

33  XIV.  Nunc  omnibus  quae  sunt  Asiae  intcriora 
dictis  Ripacos  montes  traa^cendat  animus  dextraque 
litore  oceani  incedat.  tribus  hic  partibus  caeli 
adluens  Asiam  Scythicus  a  septentrionc.  ab  oricnte 

'  linckhnm  (cf.  §  23):  pinua. 


"  Cf.  §  7. 

'  In  rcality  thc  shortcst  distancc  across  is  ncarly  GOO  milcs. 

«  Tlie  Urek-.Taki. 

<*  At  the  mouth  of  the  Danulic.  IV.  4.">,  1)2. 

'  .Sce  Wl. 


360 


BOOK   VI.  Mi.  3o-.\iv.  33 

the  Caucasus  among  the  Gurdinian  Mountains  are  the 
V^aUi  and  the  Suani,  races  never  yet  quelled,  who 
nevertheless  work  gold-mines.  After  tlicse,  right 
on  to  the  Black  Sea,  are  a  largc  number  of  tribes  of 
Charioteers  and  then  of  Achaei.  Such  is  the  present 
state  of  one  of  the  most  famous  regions  in  the  workl. 
Some  authoritics  have  reported  ihe  distance 
between  tlic  Black  Sea  and  tlie  Caspian  as  not  more 
than  375  miles,  while  Cornelius  Nepos  makes  it  250 
miles:  by  such  narrow  straits  is  Asia  for  a  second 
time "  beset.  Claudius  Caesar  gives  the  dis- 
tance  from  tlie  Straits  of  Kertsch  to  the  Caspian  Sea 
as  150  miles,*  and  statcs  that  Seleucus  Nicator  at 
the  tune  when  he  was  killed  by  Ptolcmy  Ceraunus 
was  contempkiting  cutting  a  channel  through  this 
isthmus.  It  is  practically  certain  that  the  distance 
from  the  Gates  of  the  Caucasus  to  the  Black  Sea  is 
200  niiles. 

XIII.  The  islands  in  the  Black  Sca  are  the  Planc-  njack  Sea 
tae,<^  otherwise  named  the  Cyaucae  or  Symplegadcs,  '^*''""''*- 
and   then   ApoUonia,   called  Thynias   to  distinguish 

it  from  the  island''  of  the  same  name  in  Europe — 
it  is  a  mile  away  from  the  mainhmd  and  three 
miles  in  circurnference — and  opposite  to  Pharnacea  ^ 
Chalceritis,  called  by  the  Greeks  the  Isle  of  Ares 
and  sacred  to  the  god  of  war ;  they  say  that  on  it 
there  were  birds  which  used  to  attack  strangers  with 
blows  of  their  wings. 

XIV.  Having  now  com])k>ted  our  description  of  the  Haces  mmh 
interior  of  Asia  let  us  in  imagination  cross  tlie  llipaean  ^^j^  ""^^ 
Mountains  and  proceed  to  the  right  along  the  shores 

of  the  Ocean.  Tliis  washes  the  coast  of  Asia  towards 
three  points  of  the  compass,  under  the  name  of  Scy- 
thian  Ocean  on  the  north,  Eastern  Ocean  on  the  east 

361 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Eous,  a  meridie  Indicus  vocatur;  varieque  per  sinus 
et  accolas  in  conplura  nomina  di^iditur.  verum 
Asiae   quoque   magna   portio   apposita   septentrioni 

34  iniuria  sideris  rigens  vastas  solitudines  habet.  ab 
extremo  aquilone  ad  initium  orientis  aestivi  Scythae 
sunt ;  extra  eos  ultraque  aquilonis  initia  Hyperboreos 
aliqui  posuere,  pluribus  in  Europa  dictos.  primum 
inde  noscitur  promunLurium  Celticae  Lytharmis, 
fluvius  Carambucis,  ubi  iassata  cum  siderum  vi 
Ripaeorum  montium  deficiunt  iuga,  ibique  Arim- 
phaeos  quosdam  accepimus,  haut  dissimilem  Hyper- 

35  boreis  gentem.  sedes  illis  nemora,  alimenta  bacae, 
capillus  iuxta  feminis  virisque  in  probro  existimatur, 
ritus  clementes.  itaque  sacros  haberi  narrant  invio- 
latosque  esse  etiam  feris  accolarum  populis,  nec  ipsos 
modo  sed  illos  quoque  qui  ad  eos  profugerint.  ultra 
eos  plane  iam  Scythae,  Cimmerii,  Cissi,  Anthi, 
Georgi  et  Amazonum  gens,  haec  usque  ad  Caspium 
et  Hyrcanium  mare. 

36  XV.  Nam  et  inrumpit  e  Scythico  oceano  in  aversa 
Asiae,  pluribus  nominibus  accolarum  appellatum, 
celeberrimum  ^  duobus  Caspium  et  Hyrcanium.  non 
minus  hoc  esse  quam  Pontum  Euxinum  Clitarchus 
putat,  Eratosthenes  ponit  et  mensurani  ab  exortu 

'  Rackham  :  celoberrimis  aut  Celtiberium  et. 

•  l.e.  Xorth-eaat. 
362 


BOOK   VI.  XIV.  22-\v.  36 

and  Iiulian  Ocean  on  tlie  soxith  ;  and  it  is  subdivided 
into  a  variety  of  designations  according  to  the  bays 
that  it  forms  and  the  people  dwelHng  on  its  coasts.  A 
great  portion  of  Asia  however  also,  adjoining  the  north, 
owing  to  the  severity  of  its  frosty  cHmate  contains 
vast  deserts.  From  the  extreme  north-north-east  to 
the  northernmost  point  at  which  the  sun  rises  in 
summer"  there  are  the  Scythians,  and  outside  of  them 
and  beyond  the  point  where  north-north-east  begins 
some  have  placed  the  Hyperboreans,  who  are  said 
by  a  majority  of  authorities  to  be  in  Europe.  After 
that  point  the  first  place  known  is  Lytharmis,  a 
promontory  of  Celtica,  and  the  river  Carambucis, 
where  the  range  of  the  Ripaean  Mountains  termin- 
ates  and  with  it  the  rigour  of  the  chmate  relaxes ; 
here  we  have  reports  of  a  people  called  the  Arim- 
phaci,  a  race  not  unHke  the  Hyperboreans.  They 
dwcU  in  forests  and  hve  on  ben*ies ;  long  hair  is 
deemed  to  be  disgraceful  in  the  case  of  women  and 
men  ahke ;  and  their  manners  are  mild.  Conse- 
quently  they  are  reported  to  be  deemed  a  sacred  race 
and  to  be  left  unmolested  even  by  the  savage  tribes 
among  their  ncighbours,  this  immunity  not  being  con- 
fined  to  themsehes  but  extended  also  to  people  who 
have  fied  to  them  for  refuge.  Beyond  them  we  come 
directly  to  the  Scythians,  Cimmerians,  Cissi,  Anthi, 
Georgi,  and  a  race  of  Amazons,  the  last  reaching  to 
the  Caspian  and  Hyrcanian  Sea. 

XV.  For  the  sea  actually  forces  a  passage  from  riie  caipian 
the  Scythian  Ocean  to  thc  back  of  Asia,  where  the  %Zt)^^ 
inhabitants  call  it  by  a  variety  of  names,  but  it  is  best  Ocean. 
known  by  two  of  them,  as  the  Caspian  Sea  and  the 
Hyrcanian.     CHtarchus  is  of  opinion  that  the  Caspian 
is  as  large  as  the  Black  Sea ;  Eratosthenes  also  gives 

363 


PLIN^^    NATURAL  HISTORY 

et  meridie  per  Cadusiae  et  Albaniae  oratn  vcccc 
stadia,  inde  per  Atiacos,  Amarbos,  Hyrcanos  ad 
ostium  Zoni  fluminis  iTnDccc,  ab  eo  ad  ostium 
laxartis    mmcccc,  quae    summa    efficit    |xv|    laxv  p. 

37  Artemidorus  hinc  detrahit  xx\-  p.  Agrippa  Caspium 
mare  gentesque  quae  circa  sunt  et  cum  iis  Armeniam, 
determinatas  ab  oriente  oceano  Serico,  ab  occidcnte 
Caucasi  iugis,  a  meridie  Tauri,  a  septentrione  oceano 
Scythico,  patere  qua  cognitum  est  cccclxxx  in  longi- 
tudinem,  in  latitudinem  ccxc  proditlit.  non  desunt 
vero  qui  eius  maris  universum  circuitum  a  freto 
[xxV|  tradunt. 

38  Inrumpit  autem  artis  faucibus  et  in  loiigitudinem 
spatiosis,  atque  ubi  coepit  in  latitudinem  pandi 
lunatis  obliquatur  comibus,  velut  ad  Maeotium  lacum 
ab  ore  de^cendens,  sicilis,  ut  auctor  est  M.  \'arro, 
similitudine.  primus  sinus  appellatur  Scythicus. 
utrimque  enim  accolunt  Scythae  et  per  angustias 
inter  se  commeant  hinc  Nomades  et  Sauromatae 
multis  nominibas,  illinc  Abzoae  non  paucioribus.  ab 
introitu  dextra  mucronem  ipsum  faucium  tenent 
Udini  Sc}-tharmn  populus ;  dein  per  oram  Albani,  ut 
ferunt,  ab  lasone  orti,  unde  ^   quod  mare  ibi   est  * 

:i9  Albanum  nominatur.     haec  gens  superfusa  montibus 
Caucasis    ad    Cyrum    amnem,    Anneniae   confinium 
*  Mayhoff :  ante.  '  ihi  eat  Mayhoff :   est  atU  abcst. 

•  Thia  really  discharges   into  the  Aral  Sea,  not   into  the 
Caspian. 

*  /.e.  the  imaginary  paaeage  by  whjch  it  waa  supposed  to 
communicate  with  the  Scythian  Ocean. 

364 


BOOK   VI.  XV.  36-39 

its  dimensions  on  the  south-east  side  along  the  coast 
of  Cadusia  and  Albania  as  725  miles,  from  there 
through  the  territories  of  the  Atiaci,  Aniarbi  and 
Hyrcani  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Zonus  600  miles, 
and  from  there  to  the  mouth  of  the  Syr  Daria " 
300  miles,  making  a  total  of  1575  miles.  Artemi- 
dorus  subtracts  25  miles  from  this  total.  Agrippa 
states  that  the  Caspian  Sea  and  the  races  surrounding 
it,  includmg  Armenia,  bounded  on  the  east  by  the 
Chinese  Ocean,  on  the  west  by  the  ranges  of  the 
Caucasus,  on  the  south  by  those  of  the  Taurus  and  on 
the  north  by  the  Scythian  Ocean,  so  far  as  is  known 
extend  480  miles  in  length  and  290  miles  in  breadth. 
But  there  are  some  authors  who  give  the  entire  cir- 
cuit  of  the  sea  in  question  from  the  straits''  as  2500 
milcs. 

Its  waters  make  their  way  into  this  sea  by  a  narrow 
mouth  of  considerable  lengtli ;  and  where  it  begins 
to  widen  out  it  curves  obHquely  with  crescent- 
shaped  horns,  as  though  desccnding  from  the  mouth 
to  the  Sea  of  Azov,  in  the  Ukeness  of  a  sickle,  as 
Marcus  \'arro  states.  Tlie  first  part  of  it  is  called 
the  Scythian  Gulf,  because  the  inhabitants  on  both 
sides  are  Scythians,  who  liold  communication  across 
the  narrows,  on  one  side  being  the  Nomads  and  the 
Sauromatae,  who  have  a  variety  of  names,  and  on 
the  other  the  Abzoae,  wilh  just  as  many.  Starting 
at  the  entrance,  on  the  right-hand  side  the  actual 
point  of  the  mouth  is  occupied  by  the  Scythian  tribe 
of  the  Udini ;  then  along  the  coast  are  the  Albani, 
said  to  be  descended  from  Jason,  after  whom  the  sea 
at  that  point  is  called  the  Alban  Sea.  This  race 
overflows  the  Caucasus  Mountains  and,  as  previously  §  29. 
stated,  comes  down  as  far  as  the  river  Kur,  whicli 

365 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

atque  Hiberiae,  descendit,  ut  dictum  est.  supra 
maritima  eius  Udinorumque  gentem  Sarmatae, 
Utidorsi,  Aroteres  praetenduntur,  quorum  a  tergo 
indicatae  iam  Amazones  et  Sauromatides.  flumina 
per  Albaniam  decurrunt  in  mare  Casus  et  Albanus, 
dein  Cambyses  in  Caucasis  ortus  montibus,  mox 
Cyrus  in  Coraxicis,  ut  diximus.  oram  omnem  a  Caso 
praealtis  rupibus  accessum  negare^  per  ccccxxv  p. 
auctor  est  Agrippa.  a  Cyro  Caspium  mare  vocari 
incipit ;   accolunt  Caspi. 

40  Corrigendus  est  in  hoc  loco  error  multorum,  etiam 
qui  in  Armenia  res  proxime  cum  Corbulone  gessere. 
namque  hi  Caspias  appellavere  portas  Hiberiae  quas 
Caucasias  diximus  vocari,  situsque  depicti  et  inde 
missi  hoc  nomen  iascriptum  habent.  et  Neronis 
principis  comminatio  ad  Caspias  portas  tendere 
dicebatur,  cum  petcret  illas  quae  per  Hiberiam  in 
Sarmatas  tendunt,  vi\  ullo  propter  oppositos  montes 
aditu  ad  Caspium  mare.  sunt  autem  aliae  Caspiis 
gentibus  iunctae,  quod  dinosci  non  potest  nisi  comi- 
tatu  rerum  Alexandri  Magni. 

41  XVI.  Namque  Persarum  regna,  quae  nunc  Par- 
thorum  intellegimus,  inter  duo  maria  Persicum  et 

1  Matjhojf  (acceaau  caroro  coll.  XII.  33  Jan) :   cormpta. 
366 


BOOK   VI.  XV.  39-xvi.  41 

forms  the  boundary  between  Armenia  and  Hiberia, 
Above  the  coastward  parts  of  Albania  and  the  Udini 
tribe  stretch  the  Sarmatae,  Utidorsi  and  Aroteres,  in 
the  rear  of  whom  we  have  alrcady  indicated  the  §  35. 
Amazons  and  Sauromatides.  The  rivers  running 
down  to  the  sea  through  Albania  are  the  Casus  and 
the  Albanus,  then  the  Cambyses,  which  rises  in  the 
Caucasus  Mountains,  and  then  the  Kur,  rising  in  the 
Coraxaci,  as  we  have  said.  The  whole  of  the  coast  §  26. 
from  the  Casus  is  stated  by  Agrippa  to  be  formed  of 
very  lofty  chffs  which  prohibit  landing  for  425  miles. 
The  sea  begins  to  have  the  name  of  Caspian  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Kur,  the  coast  being  inhabited  by 
the  Caspii. 

In  this  place  we  must  correct  a  mistake  made  by  NorOiern 
many  people,  even  those  who  recently  served  with  ?<"*'*• 
Corbulo  in  the  war  in  Armenia.  These  have  given 
the  name  of  Caspian  Gates  to  the  pass  in  Hiberia, 
which,  as  we  have  stated,  is  callcd  the  Gates  of  the§  30. 
Caucasus,  and  maps  of  the  region  sent  home  from 
the  front  have  this  name  written  on  them.  Also  the 
expedition  threatened  by  the  Emperor  Nero  was 
spoken  of  as  intended  to  pcnetrate  to  tlie  Caspian 
Gates,  whereas  it  was  really  aimed  at  the  pass  that 
gives  a  road  through  Hiberia  to  Sarmatia,  the 
mountain  barrier  atfording  scarcely  any  access  to  the 
Caspian  Sea.  There  are  however  othcr  Caspian 
Gates  adjoining  the  Caspian  tribes ;  the  distinction 
between  the  two  passes  can  only  be  estabhshed  by 
means  of  the  report  of  those  who  accompanied  the 
expedition  of  Alexander  the  Great. 

XVI.  Tlie  kingdom  of  the  Persians,  which  we  CountrUs 
now  know  as  Parthia,  hes  between  the  two  seas,  the  ^^'IZlafa 
Persian    and    the    Caspian,    on    the    hcights    ot"  thc  ^rmenia. 

367 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Ilyrcanium  Caucasi  iugis  attoUuntur.  utrinique  per 
devexa  laterum  Armeniae  Maiori  a  frontis  parte 
quae  vergit  in  Commagenen  Cephenia,  ut  diximus, 
copulatur,  eique  Adiabene  Assyriorum  initium,  cuius 
pars  est  Arbilitis,  ubi  Darium  Alexauder  debellavit, 

42  proxima  ^  Syriae.  totam  eam  Macedones  Mygdo- 
niam  cognominaverunt  a  similitudine.  oppida  Alex- 
andria,  item  Antiochia  quam  Ncsebin  vocant ;  abest 
ab  Artaxatis  dccl  p.  fuit  et  Ninos  inposita  Tigri 
ad  solis  occasum  spectans,  quondam  clarissima. 
rehqua  vero  fronte,  qua  tendit  ad  Caspium  niare, 
Atrapatene  ab  Armeniae  Otene  regione  discreta 
Araxe ;  oppidum  eius  Gazac,  ab  Artaxatis  ccccl  p., 
totidem  ab  Ecbatanis  Medorum,  quorum  pars  sunt 
Atrapateni. 

43  XVII.  Ecbatana  caput  Mediae  Seleucus  rex 
condidit,  a  Seleucia  Magna  dccl  p.  a  Portis  vero 
Caspiis  ivx ;  reliqua  Medorum  oppida  Phazaca, 
Aganzaga  ^,  Apamea  Rhagiane  cognominata.  causa 
Portarum  nominis  eadem  quae  supra,  interruptis 
angusto  transitu  iugis  ita  ut  vix  singuhi  mecnt 
plaustra,  longitudine  \ni  p.  toto  opere  manu  facto. 
dextra  laevaque  ambustis  similes  inpendent  scopuli, 
sitiente  tractu  per  xxvni  p. ;  angustias  impcdit 
corrivatus    saUs    e    cautibus    Hijuor    atque    eadem 

'  V.l.  proxime. 

*  Pliazaca,  Aganzaga  Hardouin  cnll.  Plol.  VI.  2  :   Phizgan- 

368 


BOOK    y\.  xvi.  4i-\vn.  43 

Caucasiis  range.  Greater  Armenia,  which  occupies 
the  front  of  the  mountain  sloping  towards  Comma- 
gene,  is  adjoined,  as  we  have  said,  by  Cephenia,  §28. 
which  Hcs  on  the  descent  on  both  sides  of  it,  and  this 
bv  Adiabene,  where  the  land  of  the  Assyrians  begins ; 
the  part  of  Adiabene  nearest  to  Syria  is  Arbilitis, 
where  Alcxander  conquered  Darius.  The  Mace- 
donians  have  given  to  thc  whole  of  Adiabenc  the 
namc  of  Mvgdonia,  from  its  likcness  to  Mygdonia  in 
Macedon.  Its  towns  are  Alcxandria  and  Antiochia, 
the  native  name  for  which  is  Ncsebis ;  it  is  750  miles 
from  Artaxata.  There  was  also  once  the  town  of 
Nineveh,  which  was  on  thc  Tigris  facing  west,  and  was 
formerly  very  famous.  Adjoining  thc  other  front  of 
Greater  Armenia,  which  stretches  to  the  Caspian 
Sea,  is  Atrapatene,  separated  from  the  district  of 
Otene  in  Armenia  h\  the  Aras ;  its  chief  tovm  is 
Gazae,  450  miles  from  Artaxata  and  the  samc 
distance  from  Hamadan,  the  city  of  the  Medes,  to 
which  race  the  Atrapatcni  bclong. 

XVII.  Hamadan,  thc  capital  of  Media,  which  was  iiedia. 
foundcd  by  King  Scleucus,  is  750  miles  from  Great 
Selcucia  and  20  milcs  from  the  Caspian  Gatcs.  The 
other  towns  of  Media  are  Phazaca,  Aganzaga  and 
Apamea,  called  Rhei.  The  reason  for  the  name 
'  Gates  '  is  thc  same  as  that  stated  above :  the  §  so. 
range  is  here  pierccd  by  a  narrow  pass  8  miles  long, 
scarccly  broad  enough  for  a  single  line  of  waggon 
traffic,  the  whole  of  it  a  work  of  enginecring.  It  is 
overhung  on  either  side  by  crags  that  look  as  if  they 
had  bccn  exposed  to  the  action  of  fire,  tlie  countrv 
over  a  range  of  28  milcs  being  entirely  w.atcrless ; 
the  narrow  passage  is  impedcd  by  a  stream  of  salt 
water  that  coUects  from  thc  rocks  and  fmds  an  exit 

369 


PLim^    NATURAL   HISTORY 

emissus.  praeterea  serpentium  multitudo  nisi  hieme 
transitimi  non  sinit. 

44  Adiabenis  conectuntur  Carduchi  quondam  dicti, 
nunc  Cordueni,  praefluente  Tigri,  his  Pratitae  irap' 
bSov  appellati,  qui  tencnt  Caspias  Portas.  his  ab 
latere  altero  occurrunt  deserta  Parthiae  et  Citheni 
iuga ;  mox  eiusdem  Parthiae  amoenissimus  situs 
qui  vocatur  Choara.  duae  urbes  ibi  Parthorum 
oppositae  quondam  Medis,  CalHope  et  alia  ^  in  rupe 
Issatis ;  ipsum  vero  Parthiae  caput  Hecatompylos 
abest    a    Portis    cxxxTfi    p. — ita    Parthorum   quoque 

4.'>  regna  foribus  discluduntur.  egressos  Portis  excipit 
protinus  gens  Caspia  ad  Htora  usque,  quae  nomen 
portis  et  mari  dedit ;  laeva  montuosa.  ab  ea  gente 
retrorsus  ad  Cyrum  amnem  produntur  ccxxv  p.,  ab 
eodem  amne  si  subeatur  ad  Portas  dcc  ;  hunc  enim 
cardinem  Alexandri  Magni  itinerum  fecere  ab  his 
Portis  ad  Indiae  principium  stadia  xvdclxxxx  pro- 
dendo,  inde-  ad  Bactra  oppidum,  quod  appellant 
Zariasta,  mmmdcc,  inde  ad  laxartem  amnem  v. 

46  XVIII.  A  Caspiis  ad  orientem  versus  regio  est 
Apavortene  dicta,  et  in  ea  fertiHtatis  inclutae  locus 
Dareium.  mox  gentes  Tapyri,  Anariaci,  Staures, 
Hyrcanj,  a  quorum  litoribus  idem  mare  Hyrcanium 
vocari  incipit  a  Humine  Sideri ;   citra  id  amnes  Mazi- 

*  alta  ?  Rackham.  *  inde  add.  Rackham, 

°  Or  '  which  haa  the  namc  of  Zariasta ' :  see  §  48  note. 
37° 


BOOK   VI.  XVII.  43-xviii.  46 

by  the  same  way.     Moreover  the  number  of  snakes 
renders  the  route  impracticable  except  in  winter. 

Joining  on  to  the  Adiabeni  are  the  peoplc  formerly 
called  the  Carduchi  and  now  the  Cordueni,  past  whom 
flows  the  river  Tigris,  and  adjoining  these  are  the 
'  Roadside  '  Pratitae,  as  they  are  called,  who  hold 
the  Caspian  Gates.  Running  up  to  these  on  the  other 
side  are  the  Parthian  deserts  and  the  Citheni  range ; 
and  then  comes  the  verv'^  agreeable  locahty,  also 
belonging  to  Parthia,  called  Choara.  Here  are  the 
two  Parthian  towns  formerly  serving  for  protection 
against  the  Medes,  CaUiope  and,  on  another  rock, 
Issatis ;  but  the  actual  capital  of  Parthia,  Heca- 
tompylos,  is  133  miles  from  the  Gates — so  effectively 
is  the  Parthian  kingdom  also  shut  off  by  passes. 
Going  out  of  the  Gates  one  comes  at  once  to  the 
Caspian  nation,  which  extends  down  to  the  coast: 
it  is  from  this  people  that  the  pass  and  the  sea  obtain 
their  name.  On  the  left  there  is  a  mountainous 
district.  Turning  back  from  this  people  to  the  river 
Kur  the  distance  is  said  to  be  225  miles,  and  going 
up  from  the  river  Kur  to  the  Gatcs  700  miles ;  for 
in  the  Itinerarics  of  Alexander  thc  Great  this  pass  is 
made  the  turning-point  of  his  expcditions,  the  distance 
from  these  Gates  to  the  frontier  of  India  being  given 
as  1961  miles,  from  the  fronticr  to  the  towTi  of  Balkh, 
which  is  the  name  given  to  Zariasta,"  462  miles,  and 
from  Zariasta  to  the  river  Syr  Darya  620  miles. 

XVHI.  Lying  to  the  east  of  the  Caspians  is  the  Region 
region  called  Apavortene,  in  which  is  Dareium,  a  ''"a^ans'. 
place   noted  for  its   fertility.     Then   there   are  the 
tribes  of  the  Tapyri,  Anariaci,  Staures  and  Hyrcani, 
from   whose   shores   the   Caspian    beyond    the   river 
Sideris    begins    to    be   called    thc    Hyrcanian    Sea ; 

371 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ris.  Straor,  omnia  ex  Caucaso.  sequitur  regio 
Margiane  apricitatis  inclutae,  sola  in  eo  tractu  viti- 
fera,  undique  inclusa  montibus  amocnis  ambitu 
stadiorum  md,  difficilis  aditu  propter  harenosas 
solitudines  pcr  cxx  p.,  ct  ipsa  contra  Partliiae  tractum 

47  sita.  in  qua  Alexander  Alexandriam  condiderat ; 
qua  diruta  a  barbaris  Antiochus  Seleuci  filius  eodcm 
loco  restituit  Syrianam  intcrfluente  Margo  qui  corri- 
vatur  in  Zotha  lacu  ^ ;  maluerat  illam  Antiochiam 
appellari.  ui-bis  amplitudo  circumitur  stadiis  uxx. 
in  hanc  Orodes  Romanos  Crassana  clade  captos 
deduxit.  ab  huius  excelsis  per  iuga  Caucasi  pro- 
tcnditur  ad  Bactros  usquc  gcns  Mardorum  fcra,  sui 
iuris.  sub  eo  tractu  gentes  Orciani,  Conimori, 
Berdrigac,  Harmatotropi,  Citomarae,  Comaiii.  Mur- 

48  rasiarae,  Mandruani ;  flvmiina  Mandrum,  Chindrum, 
ultraque  Chorasmi,  Gandari,  Paricani,  Zarangae, 
Arasmi,  Marotiani,  Arsi,  Gaeli  quos  Graeci  Cadusios 
appellavere,  Matiani ;  oppidum  Ileraclea  ab  Alcx- 
andro  conditum,  quod  deinde  subversum  ac  restitu- 
tum  Antiochus  Achaida  appellant ;  Drebices  quorum 
medios  finis  secat  Oxus  amnis  ortus  in  lacu  Oaxo ; 
Syrmatae,  Oxyttagae,  Moci,  Bateni,  Saraparae; 
Bactri     (juorum    oppidum     Zariasta,    cjuod     postea 

1  V.l.  Zothalo ;   is. 

•  Now  Mcrv.  *  Sce  V.  86. 


BOOK   VI.  xviii.  46-48 

while  on  this  side  of  the  Sideris  are  the  rivers  Maziris 
and  Straor,  all  three  streams  rising  in  the  Caucasus. 
Next  comes  the  Margiane  country,  famous  for  its 
sunny  climate — it  is  the  only  district  in  that  region 
where  the  vine  is  grown ;  it  is  shut  in  all  round  by  a 
beautiful  ring  of  mountains,  187  miles  in  circuit,  and 
is  difficult  of  access  on  account  of  sandy  deserts 
stretching  for  a  distance  of  120  miles ;  and  it  is 
itself  situated  opposite  to  the  region  of  Parthia. 
In  Margiane  Alexander  had  founded  a  city  "  bearing 
his  name,  which  was  destroyed  by  the  bar- 
barians,  but  Antiochus  son  of  Seleucus  re-estab- 
hshed  a  Syrian  city  on  the  same  site,  intersected 
by  the  river  Murghab,  which  is  canaUzed  into 
Lake  Zotha ;  he  had  preferred  that  the  city  should 
be  named  after  himself.  Its  circuit  measures  8| 
miles.  This  is  the  place  to  which  the  Roman 
prisoners  taken  in  the  disaster  *  of  Crassus  were 
brought  by  Orodes.  From  the  heights  of  Merv 
across  the  ridges  of  the  Caucasus  right  on  to  the 
Bactrians  extend  the  fierce  tribe  of  the  Mardi,  an 
independent  state.  Below  this  region  are  the 
tribes  of  the  Orciani,  Commori,  Berdrigae,  Ilarmato- 
tropi,  Citomarae,  Comani,  Murrasiarae  and  Man- 
druani ;  the  rivers  Mandrum  and  Chindrum,  and 
beyond  them  the  Chorasmi,  Gandari,  Paricani, 
Zarangae,  Arasmi,  Marotiani,  Arsi,  Gaeh  (called 
by  the  Greeks  the  Cadusii),  and  Matiani ;  the  town 
of  Heraclea,  founded  by  Alexander  and  subsequently 
overthrown,  but  restored  by  Antiochus,  who  gave  it 
the  name  of  Achais  ;  the  Drebices,  whose  territory  is 
intersected  by  the  river  Amu  Darya  rising  in  Lake 
Oaxus ;  the  Syrmatae,  Oxyttagae,  Moei,  Bateni, 
Saraparae ;    and  the  Bactri,  whose  town  was  called 

voL.  II  M       373 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Bactra,^    a    fluniine    appellatiim     est.     gens     haec 
optinet  aversa  montis  Paropanisi  exadversus  fontes 

49  Indi ;  includitur  flumine  Ocho.  ultra  Sogdiani,  oppi- 
dum  Panda  et  in  ultimis  eorum  finibus  Alexandria  ab 
Alexandro  Magno  conditum.  arae  ibi  sunt  ab 
Hercule  ac  Libero  Patre  constitutae,  item  Cyro  et 
Samiramide  atque  Alexandro :  fmis  omnium  eorum 
ductus  ab  illa  parte  terraruin,  includente  fluniine 
laxarte,  quod  Scythae  SiUm  vocant,  Alexander 
militesque  eius  Tanain  putavere  esse.  transcendit 
eum  amnem  Demodamas,  Seleuci  et  Antiochi  regum 
dux,  quem  maxime  sequimur  in  his,  arasque  ApolHni 
Didvmaeo  statuit. 

50  XIX.  Uhra  sunt  Scytharum  popuU.  Persae  illos 
Sacas  in  universum^  appellavere  a  proxima  gente, 
antiqui  Aramios.  Sc^iihae  ipsi  Persas  Chorsaros  et 
Caucasum  montem  Croucasim,  hoc  est  nive  candidum. 
multitudo  populorum  innumera  et  quae  cum  Parthis 
ex  aequo  degat ;  celeberrimi  eoruni  Sacae,  Massa- 
getae,  Dahae,  Essedones,  Astacae,  Rumnici,  Pestici, 
Homodoti,  Histi,  Edones,  Camae,  Camacae,  Euchatae, 
Cotieri,  Authusiani,  Psacae,  Arimaspi,  Antacati, 
Chroasai,   Oetaei ;    ibi    Napaei   interisse   dicuntur  a 

61  Palaeis.     nobiUa  apud  eos  flumina  Mandragaeum  et 

^  Rackham,  cf.  %  4.5  :  Zariafites  .  .  .  Bactrum. 
*  Gelen.  :   inversos,  invursum,  universos. 

"  Or  '  whose  town  is  Zariasta,  which  was  afterwards  called 
Bactra,  from  the  river.'  Authoritiea  differ  aa  to  which  was 
the  name  of  the  rivcr.     Cf.  §  45. 

374 


BOOK   VI.  .wiii.  48-xLx.  51 

Zariasta  from  the  river,  but  its  name  was  afterwards 

changed  to  Balkh."  This  race  occupies  the  oppo- 
site  side  of  the  Hindu  Kush  over  against  the 
sources  of  the  Indus,  and  is  enclosed  by  the  river 
Ochus.  Beyond  are  the  Sogdiani  and  the  town  of 
Panda,  and  on  the  farthest  confines  of  their  territory 
Alexandria,  founded  by  Alexander  the  Great.  At 
this  place  there  are  altars  set  up  by  Hercules  and 
Father  Liber,  and  also  l)y  Cyrus  and  Samiramis  and 
by  Alexander,  all  of  whom  found  their  Umit  in  tbis 
region  of  the  world,  where  they  were  shut  in  by  the 
river  Syr  Darya,  which  the  Scythians  call  the  Sihs 
and  which  Alexander  and  his  soldiers  supposed  to  be 
the  Don.  But  this  river  was  crossed  by  Demo- 
damas,  the  general  of  King  Seleucus  and  King 
Antiochus,  whom  we  are  chiefly  following  in  this  part 
of  our  narrative ;  and  he  set  up  altars  to  Apollo 
Didymaeus. 

XIX.  Beyond  are  some  tribes  of  Scythians.  To  seythian 
these  the  Persians  have  given  the  general  name 
of  Sacae,  from  the  tribe  nearest  to  Persia,  but  old 
WTiters  call  them  the  Aramii,  and  tlie  Scythians 
themseh'es  give  the  name  of  Chorsari  to  the  Persians 
and  call  Mount  Caucasus  Croucasis,  which  means 
'  white  with  snow.'  There  is  an  uncountable 
number  of  tribes,  numerous  enough  to  Hve  on  equal 
terms  with  the  Parthians ;  most  notable  among 
them  are  the  Sacae,  Massagetae,  Dahae,  Essedones, 
Astacae,  Rumnici,  Pestici,  Homodoti,  Histi,  Edones, 
Camae,  Camacae,  Euchatae,  Cotieri,  Authusiani, 
Psacae,  Arimaspi,  Antacati,  Chroasai  and  Oetaei ; 
among  them  the  Napaei  are  said  to  have  been 
destroyed  by  the  Palaei.  Notable  rivers  in  their 
country   are   the   Mandragaeus   and   the   Caspasus. 

375 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Caspasum.  nec  in  alia  parte  niaior  auctorum  incon- 
stantia,  credo  propter  innumeras  vagasque  gentes. 
haustum  ipsius  maris  dulcem  esse  et  Alexander 
Magnus  prodidit  et  M.  Varro  talem  perlatum 
Pompeio  iuxta  res  gerenti  Mithridatico  bello,  magni- 
tudiiie   haut   duhie  influentium   amnium   victo  sale. 

52  adicit  idem  Pompei  ductu  exploratum,  in  Bactros 
septem  diebus  ex  India  perveniri  ad  Bactrum  flumen 
quod  in  Oxum  influat,  et  ex  eo  per  Caspium  in  Cyrum 
subvectas  ^  et  v  non  aniplius  dierum  terreno  itinere 
ad  Phasim  in  Pontuni  Indicas  possc  devehi  merces. 

Insulae  toto  in  eo  niari  niultae,  volgata  una  maxime 
Zazata. 

53  XX.  A  Caspio  mari  Scythicoque  oceano  in  Eoum 
cursus  inflectitur  ad  orientem  conversa  Htorum  fronte. 
inhabitabihs  eius  prima  pars  a  Scythico  promunturio 
ob  nives,  proxima  inculta  saevitia  gentium.  Anthro- 
pophagi  Scythae  insident  humanis  corporibus  ves- 
centes ;  ideo  iuxta  vastae  sohtudines  ferarumque 
multitudo  haut  dissimilcm  hominum  inmanitatem 
obsidens.  iterum  deinde  Scythae  iterumque  deserta 
cum    beluis,    usque    ad    iugum   incubaiLs    inari   quod 

*  Gelen.  :  subvectos. 
"  The  second  wos  againat  Mithridates,  74-65  b.o. 


BOOK   VI.  XIX.  5i-.\x.  S3 

And  in  regard  to  no  other  region  is  there  more 
discrepancy  aniong  the  authoritics,  this  being  due 
as  I  beheve  to  the  countlcss  numbcrs  and  the 
nomadic  habits  of  the  tribcs.  The  water  of  the 
Caspian  Sea  itself  was  said  by  Alexander  the  Great 
to  be  SAvect  to  drink,  and  also  Marcus  Varro  states 
that  good  drinking  water  Avas  conveyed  from  it  for 
Pompcv  whcn  he  was  operating  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  rivcr  during  thc  Mithridatic  War;"  doubtless 
the  size  of  the  rivers  flo^ving  into  it  overcomes  thc 
salt.  Varro  further  adds  that  exploration  imder  the 
leadership  of  Pompey  ascertained  that  a  seven  days' 
journey  from  India  into  the  Bactrian  country  rcachcs 
the  river  Bactrus,  a  tributary  of  the  Aniu  Darya,  and 
that  Indian  merchandize  can  be  convcycd  from  the 
Bactrus  across  the  Caspian  to  tlie  Kur  and  thence 
with  not  more  than  five  days'  portagc  by  land  can 
rcach  Phasis  in  Pontus. 

lliere  are  many  islands  in  all  parts  of  the  Caspian 
Sea,  but  only  one  of  thcm,  Zazata,  is  particularly 
notable. 

XX.  After  leaving  the  Caspian  Sca  and  the  The  Fanher 
Scj-thian  Ocean  our  course  takes  a  bend  towards  ^''*'* 
the  Eastern  Sea  as  the  coast  turns  to  face  eastward. 
The  first  part  of  thc  coast  after  the  Scythian  pronion- 
tory  is  iminhabitable  on  account  of  snow,  and  the 
neighbouring  region  is  uncultivated  because  of  the 
savagerj'  of  the  tribes  that  inhabit  it.  This  is  the 
country  of  the  Cannibal  Scythians  who  eat  human 
bodies ;  consequently  the  adjaccnt  districts  are 
waste  deserts  thronging  with  wild  beasts  lying  in 
wait  for  human  bcings  as  savage  as  themselves. 
Then  we  come  to  more  Scythians  and  to  more 
deserts   inhabited   by    wild   beasts,   until   we   reach 

.    377 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

vocant  Tal>im  ;    nec   ante  dimidiam  ferme  longitu- 
dinem    eius   orae   quae   spectat   aestivom   orientem 

54  inhabitatur  illa  regio.  primi  sunt  hominum  qui 
vocantur^  Seres,  lanicio  silvarum  nobiles,  perfusam 
aqua  depectentes  frondium  canitiem,  unde  geminus 
feminis  nostris  labos  redordiendi  fila  rursusque  tex- 
endi :  tam  multipHci  opere,  tam  longinquo  orbe  pe- 
titur  ut  in  publico  matrona  traluceat.  Seres  mites 
quidem,  sed  et  ipsi  feris  similes  coetum  reliquorum 

55  mortalium  fugiunt,  commercia  exspectant.  primum 
eorum  noscitur  flumen  Psitharas,  proximum  Cambari, 
tertium  Lanos,  a  quo  promunturium  Chryse,  sinus 
Cirnaba,  flumen  Atianos,  sinus  et  gens  hominum  At- 
tacorarum,2  apricis  ab  omni  noxio  adflatu  seclusa 
collibus,  eadem  qua  Hyperborei  degunt  temperie; 
de  iis  privatim  condidit  volumen  Amometus,  sicut 
Hecataeus  de  Hyperboreis.  ab  Attacoris  gentis 
Thuni  et  Focari,  et,  iam  Indorum,  Casiri  introrsus  ad 
Scythas  versi— liumanis  corporibus  vescuntur;  No- 
mades  quoque  Indiae  vagantur  huc.  aliqui '  ab 
aquilone  contingi  ab  ipsis  et  Ciconas  dixere  et 
Brisaros. 

56  XXI.  Sed   undc   plane  constent  gentes,   Hemodi 

'  V.l.  noscantur. 

*  Attacoramra  ?   Brotier  :   Attacorum. 

*  huc.  aliqui  ?    Mayhoff :   huic  cui  (sunt  qui  edd.). 

'  Tho  substance  referred  to,  tliough  confused  with  silk,  is 
probably  cotton  made  into  calico  or  muslin.  For  silk  see 
XI.  76. 


BOOK   VI.  XX.  53-xxi.  56 

a  mountain  range  called  Tabis  which  forms  a  cUfF 
over  the  sea  ;  and  not  until  we  have  covered  nearly 
half  of  the  length  of  the  coast  that  faces  north-east 
is  that  region  inhabited.  The  first  human  occupants  CMna. 
are  the  people  called  the  Chinese,  who  are  famous 
for  the  woollen  substance "  obtained  from  their 
forests ;  after  a  soaldng  in  water  they  comb  off  the 
white  down  of  the  leaves,  and  so  supply  our  women 
with  the  double  task  of  unravelHng  the  threads  and 
weaving  them  together  again ;  so  manifold  is  the 
labour  employed,  and  so  distant  is  the  region  of  the 
globe  drawn  upon,  to  enable  the  Roman  matron  to 
flaunt  tran-sparent  raiment  in  pubHc.  The  Chinese, 
though  mild  in  character,  yet  resemble  ^vild  animals, 
in  that  they  also  shun  the  company  of  the  remainder 
of  mankind,  and  wait  for  trade  to  come  to  them.  The 
first  river  found  in  their  territory  is  the  Psitharas,  next 
the  Cambari,  and  third  the  Lanos,  after  which  come 
the  Malay  Peninsula,  the  Bay  of  Cimaba,  the  river 
Atianos  and  the  tribe  of  the  Attacorae  on  the  bay  of 
the  same  name,  sheltered  by  sunbathed  hills  from 
every  harmful  blast,  with  the  same  temperate  cHmate 
as  that  in  which  dwell  the  H}^erborei.  The  Attacorae 
are  the  subject  of  a  monograph  by  Amometus,  while 
the  Hyperborei  have  been  dealt  with  in  a  vohune 
by  Hecataeus.  After  the  Attacorae  there  are  the 
Thuni  and  Focari  tribes,  and  (coming  now  to  natives 
of  India)  the  Casiri,  situated  in  the  interior  in  the 
direction  of  the  Scythians — the  Casiri  are  cannibals  ; 
also  the  Nomad  tribes  of  India  reach  this  point  in 
their  wanderings.  Some  writers  state  that  these 
tribes  are  actually  in  contact  with  the  Cicones  and  iv.  43. 
also  the  Brisari  on  the  north. 

XXI.  We  now  come  to  a  point  after  which  there  india. 

379 


PLINY:    NATUllAL  HISTORY 

montes  adsurgunt,  Indorumque  gens  incipit,  non 
Eoo  tantum  mari  adiaoens  verum  et  meridiano  quod 
Indicum  appellavimus.  quae  pars  orienti  est  adversa, 
recto  praetenditur  spatio  ad  flexum  et  initio  Indici 
maris  |xvni|  lxxv  coUigit,  deinde  quae  se  flexit  ^  in 
meridiem,  fxxivj  lxx\',  ut  Eratosthenes  tradit,  usque 
ad  Indum  amnem  qui  est  ab  occidente  finis  Indiae. 

57  conplures  autem  totam  eius  longitudinem  xl  dierum 
noctiumque  velififo  navium  cursu  determinavere,  et 
a  septentrione  ad  meridiem  |xxviifj  L.  Agri])pa  longi- 
tudinis  |'xxxni|,  latitudinis  [xxTiT|  prodidit.  Posi- 
donius  ab  aestivo  solis  ortu  ad  hibernum  exortum 
metatus  est  eam,  adversam  GaUiae  statuens,  quam 
ab  occidente  aestivo  ad  occidcntem  hibernum  meta- 
batur,  totam  a  favonio ;  itaque  adverso  ^  eius  venti 
adflatu  iuvari  Indiam  salubremque  fieri  haut  dubia 

58  ratione  docuit.  alia  illi  caclifacies,  alii  siderum  ortus, 
binae  aestates  in  anno,  binae  messes  media  inter 
fllas  hieme  etesiarum  flatu,  uostra  vero  bruma  lenes 
ibi  aurae,  mare  navigabile.  gentes  ei  urbesque 
innumerae,  si  quis  omnes  persequi  velit.  etcnim 
patefacta  est  non  modo  Alexandri  Magni  armis 
regumque  qui  successere  ei,  circumvectis  etiam  in 
Hyrcanium  mare  et  Caspium  Seleuco  et  Antiocho 
praefectoque  classis  eorum  Patrocle,  verum  et  aUis 

^  Mayhoff :   doindo  qua  (ard  se)  flexit. 
*  V.l.  advcrsum  (-sam  Ilardouin). 

380 


BOOK  VL  xxi.  56-58 

is  complete  agreement  as  to  the  races^ — the  range  of 
moiintains  called  the  Himalayas.  Here  begins  the 
Indian  race,  bordering  not  only  on  the  Eastern  Sea 
but  011  the  southern  also,  which  we  have  designated 
the  Indian  Ocean.  The  part  facing  east  stretches  §  33. 
in  a  straight  hnc  until  it  comes  to  a  bend,  and  at  the 
point  where  the  Indian  Ocean  begins  its  total  length 
is  1875  miles ;  while  from  that  point  onward  the 
southerly  bend  of  the  coast  according  to  Eratosthcnes 
covers  2475  miles,  finally  reaching  the  river  Indus, 
which  is  the  western  boundary  of  India.  A  great 
many  authors  however  give  the  entire  length  of 
the  coast  as  being  forty  days'  and  nights'  sail  and 
the  measurement  of  the  country  from  north  to  south 
as  2850  miles.  Agrippa  says  tliat  it  is  3300  miles 
long  and  2300  miles  broad.  Posidonius  gives  its 
measurement  from  north-east  to  south-east,  making 
tlie  whole  of  it  face  the  west  side  of  Gaul,  of 
which  he  gives  the  measurement  from  noi*th-west 
to  south-west ;  and  accordingly  he  shows  by  an 
unquestionable  Une  of  argurnent  that  India  has  the 
advantage  of  being  exposed  to  the  current  of  tlie 
west  wind,  which  makes  it  healthy.  In  that  coun- 
try  the  aspect  of  the  heavens  and  the  rising  of  the 
stars  are  difFerent,  and  there  ai*e  two  summers  and 
two  harvests  yearly,  separated  by  a  winter  accom- 
panied  by  etesian  winds,  while  at  our  midwinter  it 
enjoys  soft  breezes  and  the  sea  is  navigable.  Its 
races  and  cities  are  beyond  counting,  if  one  wished 
to  enumerate  all  of  them.  For  it  has  been  brought  to 
knowledge  not  only  by  the  armed  forces  of  Alexander 
the  Great  and  tiie  lcings  who  succeeded  him,  Seleucus 
and  Antiochus,  and  their  admiral  of  the  fleet  Pat- 
rocles  having  sailed  round  even  into  the  Hyrcanian 

381 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

auctoribus  Graecis,  qui  cum  regibus  Indicis  morati, 
sicut  Megasthenes  et  Dienysius  a  Philadelpho  niissus 

59  ex  ea  causa,  vires  quoque  gentium  prodidere.  non 
tamen  est  diligentiae  locus,  adeo  diversa  et  incredi- 
bilia  traduntur.  Alexandri  Magni  comites  in  eo 
tractu  Indiae  quem  is  subegerit  scripserunt  v  oppi- 
dorum  fuisse,  nullum  mm  minus,^  gentium  ix,^ 
Indiamque  terliam  partem  esse  terrarum  omnium, 
multitudinem  populorum  innumeram,  probabiU  sane 
ratione :  Indi  enim  gentium  prope  soli  numquam 
migravere  fmibus  suis.  coHiguntur  a  Libero  Patre 
ad    Alexandrum    Magnum   reges   eorum  cliii   annis 

60  vi.ccccLi — adiciunt  et  menses  iii.  amnium  mira 
vastitas :  proditur  Alexandrum  nullo  die  minus 
stadia  dc  navigasse  Indo  nec  potuisse  ante  menses  v 
enavigare  adicctis  paucis  diebus,  et  tamen  minorem 
Gange  esse  constat.  Seneca  etiam  apud  nos  tenip- 
tata  Indiae  commentatione  lx  amnes  eius  prodidit 
gentes  duodeviginti  centumque.  par  labos  sit 
montes  enumerare ;  iunguntur  inter  se  Imavus, 
Hemodus,  Paropanisus,  Caucasus,  a  quibus  tota 
decurrit  in  planitiem  inmensam  et  Aegypto  similem. 

61  Verum     ut     tcrrena     demonstratio     intellegatur, 

*  Dellefsen  :   cogiminus  (Coo  minua  Jan). 

*  ix,  Detlefsen ;  mm  7   Mayhoff. 

•  Or  perhaps  '  nono  with  a  population  of  less  than  2000  ' ; 
but  the  tcxt  is  doubtful,  as  is  that  of  tho  foliowing  nunieral. 

^  Imavus  and  Hemodus  constitute  tho  Uimalayas  and 
Paropaniflus  is  the  Hindu  Kush. 

382 


BOOK   VI.  xxi.  58-61 

and  Caspian  Sea,  but  also  by  other  Greek  authors 
who  have  stayed  as  guests  wth  the  Indian  kings, 
for  instance  Nlegasthenes,  and  Dionysius  sent  by 
Philadelphus  for  that  purpose,  and  have  also  reported 
as  to  the  strength  of  these  nations.  Nevertheless 
there  is  no  possibihty  of  being  exact  as  to  this  matter, 
so  discrepant  and  so  difficult  to  beheve  are  the  accounts 
given.  Those  who  accompanied  Alexander  the 
Great  have  A\Titten  that  the  region  of  India  subdued 
by  him  contained  50CH)  towns,  none  less  than  two 
miles  in  circuit,"  and  nine  nations,  and  that  India 
forms  a  third  of  the  entire  surface  of  the  earth,  and 
that  its  populations  are  innumerable — which  is 
certainly  a  very  probable  theory,  inasmuch  as  the 
Indians  are  almost  the  only  race  that  has  never 
migrated  from  its  oa^ti  territory.  From  the  time 
of  Father  Liber  to  Alexander  the  Great  153  kings 
of  India  are  counted  in  a  period  of  6451  years  and 
three  months.  The  rivers  are  of  enormous  size : 
it  is  stated  that  Alexander  saiHng  on  the  Indus  did 
never  less  thar  75  iniles  a  day  and  yet  could  not 
reach  the  mouth  of  tlie  river  in  less  time  than  five 
months  and  a  few  days  over,  and  nevertheless  it  is 
certain  that  the  Indus  is  smaller  than  the  Ganges. 
Seneca  also,  who  among  our  own  wTiters  essayed 
an  account  of  India,  gives  its  rivers  as  60  in  number 
and  its  races  as  118.  It  would  be  an  equally  laborious 
task  to  enumerate  its  mountains ;  there  is  a  con- 
tinuous  chain  formed  by  Imavus,  Hemodus,  Paro- 
panisus  *  and  Caucasus,  from  which  the  whole  country 
slopes  down  into  an  immense  plain  resembling  that 
of  Eg>-pt. 

However,  in  order  to  give  an  idea  of  the  geo-  ^'ortfiem 
graphical  description  of  India  we  will  follow  in  the 

383 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Alexandri  Magni  vestigiis  insistemus.^  Diognetus  et 
Baeton  itinerum  eius  mensores  scripsere  a  portis 
Caspiis  Hecatompylon  Parthorum  quot  diximus  milia 
esse,  inde  Alexandriam  Arion,  quam  urbem  is  rex 
condidit,  dlx.w,  Prophthasiam  Drangarum  cxcix, 
Arachosiorum    oppidum    dlxv,  Hortospanum    clxxv, 

62  inde  ad  Alexandri  Oppidum  l.  (in  quibusdam 
exemplaribus  diversi  numeri  reperiuntur) — hanc 
urbem  sub  ipso  Caucaso  esse  positam  ;  ab  ea  ad 
flumen  Copheta  et  oppidum  Indorum  Peucolatim 
ccxxxvii,  unde  ad  flumen  Indum  et  oppiduin  Taxilla 
LX,  ad  Hydaspen  fluvium  clarum  cxx,  ad  Hvpasim  non 
ignobiliorem  cxcxc  ^  qui  fuit  Alexandri  itinerum 
terminus  exuperato  tamen  amne  arisque  in  adversa 
ripa    dicatis.     epistulae    quoque    regis    ipsius    con- 

63  sentiunt  his.  rehqua  inde  Seleuco  Nicatori  peragrata 
sunt :  ad  Sydrum  clxix,  lomanem  amnem  tantun- 
dem  (aliqua  excmphiria  adiciunt  v  passuum),  indc 
ad  Gangen  cxiid,  ad  Rhodaphan  dlxix  (aHi  cccxxv  in 
hoc  spatio  produnt),  ad  CalHnipaza  oppidum  tLxvii 
d  (aHi  cLXv),^  inde  ad  confluentem  lomanis  amnis  et 
Gangis  dc.vxv  (plerique  adiciunt  xiiid),  ad  oppidum 
PaHbothra    cccc.xxv,   ad    ostium    Gangis     dcx.xxvid. 

64  gentes  quas  memorare  non  pigoat  a  montibus 
Hemodis  (quorum  promunturiuin  Imaus  vocatur 
incolarum  Hngua  nivosum  sic  *  sigmficante)  Isari,  Co- 
siri,  Izi  et  per  iuga  Chirotosagi  multarumque  gentium 

^  Rackham :  insiBtimus  aui  insistamus. 
'  Mayhoff :    \  xxv|r.cccxc  codd. 

*  Warmington  :    CCLXV  codd. 

*  aic  add.  Mucller. 


'  §  44.  *  Now  Herat.  Now  Kandahar. 

384 


BOOK   VI.  XXI.  61-64 

footsteps  of  Alexander  the  Great.  Diognetus  and 
Baeton,thesurveyors  of  his  expeditions,writethat  the 
distance  from  the  Caspian  Gates  to  the  Parthian  City 
of  Hecatompvlos  is  the  number  of  milcs  that  we  stated 
above ; "  from  thence  to  the  city  of  Alexandria  *  of 
the  Arii,  which  Alexander  founded,  575  miles,  to 
the  city  of  the  Drangae,  Prophtliasia,  199  miles,  to 
the  tovm "  of  the  Arachosii  565  miles,  to  Kabul 
175  miles,  and  thence  to  Alexanders  Town  50  miles 
(in  some  copies  of  this  record  we  find  different 
numbers) :  this  city  is  stated  to  be  situated  imme- 
diately  below  the  Caucasus ;  fi*om  it  to  the  river 
Kabul  and  the  Indian  town  of  Peucolatis  237 
miles,  and  thence  to  the  river  Indus  and  the  town 
of  TaxiHa  60  miles,  to  the  famous  river  Jhelum 
120  miles,  to  the  not  less  notable  Beas  390  miles 
— this  was  the  terminus  of  Alexander's  journeys, 
although  he  crossed  the  river  and  dedicated  altars 
upon  the  opposite  bank.  The  king's  actual  dis- 
patches  also  agree  with  these  figures.  The  re- 
maining  distances  after  the  Beas  were  ascer- 
tained  by  the  exploration  of  Seleucus  Nicator ; 
to  the  Sutlej  169  miles,  to  the  river  Jumna  the  same 
(some  copies  add  5  miles),  thence  to  the  Ganges 
112^,  to  Rhodapha  5G9  (others  give  325  miles  in  this 
space),  to  the  town  of  Calhnipa/.a  167^  (others  165), 
thence  to  the  confluence  of  the  river  Jimina  and 
the  Ganges  625  (a  great  many  add  13^),  to  the  town 
of  Patna  425,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges  637|. 
The  races  worth  mentioning  after  leaving  the 
Hemodi  Mountains  (a  projection  of  which  is  called 
the  Imaus,  which  in  the  vernacular  means  '  snowy  ') 
are  the  Isari,  Cosiri,  Izi,  and  spread  over  the  range 
the   Chirotosagi   and   a   number  of  tribes   with   the 

385 


PLIISri':    NATURAL   HISTORY 

cognomen  Bra^manae,  quoriim  Mactocalingae ;  flu- 
mina  Prinas  et  Cainnas,  quod  in  Gangen  infliiit, 
ambo  navigabilia ;  gentes  Calingae  mari  proximi  et 
supra  Mandaei.  Malli  quorum  mons  Mallus,  finisque 
tractus  eius  Ganges. 

65  XXII.  Hunc  alii  incertis  fontibus  ut  Nilum  rigan- 
temque  vicina  eodem  modo,  alii  in  Scythicis  montibus 
nasci  dixerunt,  influere  in  eum  xix  amnes,  ex  his 
navigabiles  praeter  iam  dictos  Crenaccam,  Rhamnum- 
bovam,  Casuagum,  Sonum.  alii  cum  magno  fragore 
ipsius  statim  fontis  crumpere,  deiectumque  per 
scopulosa  et  abrupta,  ubi  primum  molles  planities 
contingat,  in  quodam  lacu  hospitari,  inde  lenem 
fluere,  ubi  minimum,  vTn  p.  latitudine,  ubi  modicum, 
stadiorum  c,  altitudine  nusquam  minore  passuum  xx, 
novissima    gente    Gangaridum    Calingarum :     regia 

66  Pertalis  vocatur.  regi  ljc  peditum,  equites  m, 
elephanti  dcc  in  procinctu  bellorum  excubant. 
namque  vita  mitioribus  populis  Indorum  multi- 
pertita  degitur:  tellurem  exeicent,  militiam  alii 
capessunt,  merces  alii  suas  evehunt  externasque 
invehunt,  res  publicas  optumi  ditissiinique  temperant, 
iudicia  reddunt,  regibus  adsident.  quintum  genus 
celebratae  illis  ^   et  prope  in  religionem  versae  sa- 

'  illis  ?    Mn>jhoff  :    illi  azt/ illic. 
386 


BOOK   VI.  XXI.  64-xxn.  66 

name  of  Bfagmanae,  among  them  the  Mactocalingae ; 
the  rivers  are  the  Prinas  and  Cainnas,  the  latter  a 
tributary  of  the  Ganges,  both  of  them  navigable ; 
then  the  tribes  of  the  Calingae  nearest  the  sea,  and 
further  inhind  the  Mandaei,  the  MalH  occupying 
Mount  Mallus,  and  the  river  Ganges,  which  is  the 
boundary  of  this  region. 

XXII.  The  Ganges  is  said  by  some  people  to  rise  The  Gangea 
from  unk.no^\Ti  sources  like  the  Nile  and  to  irrigate  "^^  'feiwns. 
the  neighbouring  country  in  the  same  manner,  but 
others  say  that  its  source  is  in  the  mountains  of 
Scj^hia,  and  that  it  has  nineteen  tributaries,  among 
which  the  navigable  ones  besides  those  already 
mentioned  are  the  Crenacca,  Rhamnumbova, 
Casuagus  and  Sonus.  Others  state  that  it  biu"sts 
forth  ^Wth  a  loud  roar  at  its  very  source,  and  after 
faUing  over  crags  and  chffs,  as  soon  as  it  reaches 
fairly  level  country  finds  hospitality  in  a  certain  lake, 
and  flows  out  of  it  in  a  gentle  stream  ^vith  a  breadth 
of  8  miles  where  narrowest,  and  12^  miles  as  its 
average  width,  and  nowhere  less  than  100  feet  deep, 
the  last  race  situated  on  its  banks  being  that  of  the 
Gangarid  Cahngae :  the  city  where  their  king  hves 
is  called  Pertahs.  This  monarch  has  60,000  infantry, 
1000  cavalry  and  700  elephants  always  equipped 
ready  for  active  service.  For  the  peoples  of  the 
more  civihsed  Indian  races  are  divided  into  many 
classes  in  their  mode  of  Hfe  :  they  cultivate  the  land, 
others  engage  in  military  service,  others  export 
native  merchandise  and  import  goods  from  abroad, 
while  the  best  and  wealthiest  administer  the  govern- 
ment  and  serve  as  judges  and  as  counsellors  of  the 
kings.  Tliere  is  a  fifth  class  of  persons  devoted  to 
wisdom,  which   is  held  in  high  honour  with  these 

387 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

pientiae  deditum  voluntaria  semper  morte  vitam 
accenso  prius  rogo  finit.  unum  super  haec  est  semi- 
ferum  ac  plenum  laboris  inmensi — a  quo  ^  supra  dicta 
continentur — venandi  elephantos  doraandique ;  his 
arant,  his  invehuntur,  haec  maxime  novere  pecuaria, 
his  mihtant  dimicantque  pro   finibus :    dilcctum  in 

67  bella  vires  et  aetas  atque  magnitudo  faciunt.  insula 
in  Gange  est  magnae  amphtudinis  gentem  continens 
unam  nomine  Modoffahnjjam.  ultra  siti  sunt  Modu- 
bae,  MoUndae,  Uberae  cum  oppido  eiusdem  nominis 
magnifico,  Modressae,  Praeti,  Aclissae,  Sasuri, 
Fassulae,  Colebae,  Orumcolae,  Abah,  Thalutae: 
rex  horum  peditum  E,  equitum  Iv,  elephantorum  iv 
in  armis  habet.  vaUdior  deinde  gens  Andarae, 
plurimis  vicis,  xxx  oppidis  quae  muris  turribusque 
muniuntur,  regi  praebet  peditum  c,  equitum  n, 
elephantos    m.  fertilissimi   sunt  auri  Dardae,  Setae 

68  vero  et  argenti.  sed  omnia  in  India  prope,  non 
modo  in  hoc  tractu,  potentia  claritateque  antecedunt 
Prasi  ampHssima  urbe  ditissimaque  Palibothra,  unde 
quidam  ipsam  gentem  Palibothros  vocant,  immo  vero 
tractum  universum  a  Gange.  regi  eorum  peditum 
bc,  equitum   \xx,  elephantorum  ix  per  omnes  dies 

*  V.l.  e  quo. 


"  The  t«xt  is  UDcertain ;  perhaps  the  sense  is  '  by  which 
are  supported.'  *  TLo  anciont  Andhraa. 


388 


BOOK   VI.  XAii.  66-68 

people  and  almost  elevated  into  a  religion;  those 
of  this  class  always  end  their  Ufe  by  a  voluntary 
death  upon  a  pyre  to  which  they  have  previously 
themsehes  set  Hght.  There  is  one  class  besides 
these,  half-wild  people  devoted  to  the  laborious 
task — from  which  the  chisses  above  mentioned  are 
kept  away  " — of  hunting  and  taming  elephants ; 
these  they  use  for  ploughing  and  for  transport, 
these  are  their  commonest  kind  of  cattle,  and  these 
they  employ  when  fighting  in  battle  and  defending 
their  country  :  elephants  to  use  in  war  are  chosen  for 
their  strength  and  age  and  size.  There  is  a  very 
spacious  island  in  the  Ganges  containing  a  single 
race  named  the  ModogaUnga  race.  Beyond  it  are 
situated  the  Modubae,  the  MoUndae,  the  Uberae 
with  a  magnificent  town  of  the  same  name,  the 
Modressae,  Praeti,  AcUssae,  Sasuri,  Fassulae, 
Colebae,  Orumcolae,  AbaU  and  Thalutae :  the  king 
of  the  Litter  tribe  has  an  arniy  of  50,000  infantry, 
4000  cavalry  and  -iOOO  elephants.  Next  come  the 
Andarae,''  a  more  powerful  tribe,  with  a  great  many 
viUages  and  thirty  towns  fortified  ■with  walls  and 
towers  ;  they  furnish  tlicir  king  with  100,000  infantry, 
2000  cavalry  and  1000  elejjhants.  The  country  of 
the  Dardae  produces  gold  in  great  quantity,  and  that 
of  the  Setae  silver  also.  But  almost  the  whole  of 
the  peoples  of  India  and  not  only  those  in  this 
district  are  surpassed  in  power  and  glory  by  the 
Prasi,  with  their  very  large  and  wealthy  city  of 
Patna,  from  which  some  people  give  the  name 
of  PuUbothri  to  the  race  itself,  and  indeed  to  the 
whole  tract  of  country  from  the  Ganges.  Their 
king  maintains  and  pays  a  standing  army  of  60,000 
foot,  30,000  horse  and  9000  elephants,    from  vvhich 

389 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

stipendiantiir,    unde   coniectatio    ingens    opum    est. 

69  ab  his  in  interiore  situ  Monaedes  et  Suari,  quorum 
mons  Maleus  in  quo  umbrae  ad  septentrionem  cadunt 
hieme,  aestate  in  austrum,  per  senos  menses.  sep- 
tentriones  eo  tractu  semel  anno  adparere,  nec  nisi 
quindecim  diebus,  Baeton  auctor  est,  hoc  idem 
pluribus  locis  Indiae  fieri  Megasthenes.  austrinum 
polum  Indi  Diamasa  vocant.  amnis  lomanes  in 
Gangen  per  Palibothros  decurrit  inter  oppida  Methora 

70  et  Chr}-sobora.  a  Gange  versa  ad  meridiem  plaga 
tinguntur  sole  populi,  iam  quidem  infecti,  nondum 
tamen  Aethiopum  modo  exusti ;  quantum  ad  Indum 
accedunt  tantum  colorem  ^  praeferunt.  Indus  statim 
a  Prasiorum  gente,  quorum  in  montanis  Pygmaei 
traduntur.  Artemidorus  inter  duos  amnes  |xxi| 
interesse  tradit. 

71  XXIII.  Indus  incolis  Sindus  appellatus  in  iugo 
Caucasi  montis  quod  vocatur  Paropanisus  adversus 
solis  ortum  effusus  et  ipse  undeviginti  recipit  amnes, 
sed  clarissimos  Hydaspen  quattuor  alios  adferentem, 
Cantabam  tris,  per  se  vero  navigabiles  Acesinum  et 
Hypasim,  quadam  tamen  aquarum  modestia  nus- 
quam  latior  L  stadiis  aut  altior  xv  passibus,  amplissi- 
mam  insulam  efficiens  quae  Prasiane  nominatur  et 

72  aliam    minorem     quae     Patale.     ipse     per     |xii|a, 

»  V.l.  colore  (colore  prae  <8e>   ferunt  DetU/sen). 
'  The  InduB  DelU. 


BOOK   VI.  XXII.  68-xxiii.  72 

the  vastness  of  his  wcalth  may  be  conjectured. 
Further  up  country  from  these  are  the  Monaedes 
and  the  Suari,  in  whose  domain  is  Mount  Maleus 
upon  which  shadows  fall  towards  the  north  in  winter 
and  towards  the  south  in  summer,  for  periods  of 
six  months  alternately.  According  to  Baeton  the 
constellation  of  the  Great  Bear  is  only  visible  in  this 
region  one  time  in  the  year,  and  only  for  a  period  of 
a  fortnight ;  and  Megasthenes  says  that  the  same 
thing  occurs  in  many  other  places  in  India.  The 
Indian  name  for  tlieir  southern  region  is  Diamasa. 
The  river  Jumna  runs  through  the  PaUbothri  country 
into  the  Ganges  between  the  towns  of  Muttra  and 
Chr}'sobora.  In  the  region  to  the  south  of  the 
Ganges  the  tribes  are  bro^vTied  by  the  heat  of  the 
sun  to  the  extent  of  being  coloured,  though  not  as 
yet  burnt  black  Uke  the  Ethiopians  ;  the  nearer  they 
get  to  the  Indus  the  more  colour  they  display.  We 
come  to  the  Indus  immediately  after  leaving  the 
Prasii,  a  tribe  in  whose  mountain  regions  there  is  said 
to  be  a  race  of  Pygmies.  Artemidoni';  gives  the 
distance  from  the  Ganges  to  the  Indus  as  2100  miles. 

XXIII.  The  Indus,  the  native  name  for  which  is  The  indus. 
Sindus,  rises  on  the  east  side  of  a  ridge  of  Mount 
Caucasus  called  Hindu  Kush  ;  in  its  course  it  receives 
nineteen  tributaries,  the  best  known  being  the 
Jhelum  which  brings  with  it  four  other  streams, 
the  Cantaba  which  brings  three,  and  the  Chenab 
and  the  Beas,  themselves  navigable  rivers.  Owing 
however  to  a  certain  Umitation  in  its  supply  of  water 
the  Indus  is  nowhere  more  than  6|  miles  wide  or 
75  feet  deep  ;  and  it  forms  an  island  of  considerable 
size  named  Prasiane  and  another  smaller  one  named 
Patale."     The  main  river  is  navigable  for  a  distance 

391 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

passuum  parcissimis  auctoribus  navigatur  et  quodam 
solis  comitatu  in  occasum  versus  oceano  infunditur. 
mensuram  orae  ad  cum  ponam,  ut  invenio,  genera- 
tim,  quamquam  inter  se  nullae  congruunt :  ab  ostio 
Gangis  ad  promunturium  Calingon  et  oppidum 
Dandaguda  dcxxv,  ad  Tropina  |.\n|  xxv,  ad  Perimulae 
promunturium,  ubi  est  celeberrimum  Indiae  em- 
porium,  dccl,  ad  oppidum  in  iiisula  quam  supra 
diximus  Patalam  ixxx. 

73  Gentes  montanae  inter  eum  et  lomanem  Caesi, 
Caetriboni  silvestres,  dein  Megallae  (quorum  regi  n 
elephanti,  peditum  equitumque  numerus  incertus), 
Chrysei,  Parasangae,  Asmagi,  tigri  fera  scatentes ; 
armant  peditum  xxx,  elephantos  ccc,  equites  dccc, 
hos  Indus  includit  montium  corona  circumdatos  et 
solitudinibus.  dcxxv  infra  solitudines  Dari,  Surae, 
iterumque  soHtudines  per  cL\xxvii,plerumque  harenis 
ambientibus    haut    alio    modo    quam    insulas    mari. 

74  infra  deserta  liaec  Maltaecorae,  Singae,  Moroae, 
Ilarungae,  Moruni.  hi  montium  qui  perpetuo 
tractu  oceani  in  ^  ora  pertinent  incolae  Hberi  et  regum 
expertes  multis  urbibus  montanos  optinent  coUes. 
Nareae  deinde,  quos  claudit  mons  altissimus  Indi- 
corum  Capitalia.     huius  incolae  alio  latere  late  auri 

*  in  a/ld.  Mayh>jJ. 
392 


BOOK   VI.  XXIII.  72-74 

of  1240  niiles  according  to  the  most  moderate 
accounts,  and  it  discharges  into  the  ocean  after 
following  the  sun's  course  in  some  measure  westward. 
I  will  give  the  measurement  of  the  coast-Hne  to  thc 
mouth  of  the  river  by  stages  as  I  find  it,  although 
none  of  the  various  reports  of  it  agree  with  one 
another ;  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges  to  the  Cape 
of  the  CaUngae  and  the  town  of  Dandaguda  625  miles, 
to  Tropina  1225  miles,  to  the  Cape  of  Perimula,  where 
is  the  most  celebrated  trading-place  of  India,  750 
miles,  to  the  town  of  Patala  on  the  island  which 
we  have  mentioned  above,  620  miles. 

Between  the  Indus  and  the  Jimina  are  the 
mountain  tribes  of  the  Caesi,  the  forester  Caetriboni, 
and  then  the  Megallae  (whose  king  possesses  500 
elephants  and  an  uncertain  number  of  infantry  and 
cavalry),  the  Chrysei,  the  Parasangae  and  the 
Asmagi,  whose  district  is  infested  by  the  wild  tiger; 
they  have  an  armed  force  of  30,000  foot,  300  elephants 
and  800  cavalry.  They  are  bounded  by  the  river 
Indus  and  surrounded  by  a  ring  of  mountains  and 
by  deserts.  Below  the  deserts  at  a  distance  of  625 
milcs  are  the  Dari  and  Surae,  and  then  descrt  again 
for  a  distance  of  187  miles,  these  pkices  for  the 
most  part  being  surromided  by  sands  exactly  as 
islands  are  surrounded  by  the  sea.  Below  these 
deserts  are  the  Maltaecorae,  Singae,  Moroae, 
Rarungae  and  Moruni.  These  peoples  are  the 
inhabitants  of  the  mountains  that  stretch  in  a 
continuous  range  on  the  coast  of  the  ocean ;  they 
are  free  people  having  no  kings,  and  they  occupy 
the  mountain  slopes  with  a  number  of  cities.  Next 
come  the  Nareae,  who  are  shut  in  by  the  Capitaha 
range,  the  highest  of  the  mountains  of  India.     The 

393 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

75  et  argenti  metalla  fodiunt.  ab  his  Oratae,  quorum 
regi  elephanti  quidem  x,  sed  amplae  vires  peditum, 
Suarataratae — et  hi  sub  rege  clephantos  non  alunt 
fiducia  equitum  peditimique — Odonbaeoraes,  Ara- 
bastrae  Thorace  urbe  pulchra  fossis  palustribus 
munita  per  quas  crocodih  humani  corporis  avidissimi 
aditum  nisi  ponte  non  dant.  et  ahud  apud  illos 
laudatur  oppidum  Automuha,  inpositum  htori  quinque 
amnium  in  unum  confluente  ^  concursu,  emporio 
nobih ;  regi  eorum  elephanti  mdc,  peditum  cE, 
equitum   v.     pauperior  Charmarum   rex  elephantos 

76  Lx  parvasque  rehquas  vires  habet.  ab  his  gens 
Pandae,  sola  Indorum  regnata  fcminis.  unam 
Hercuh  sexus  eius  genitam  fcrunt  ob  idque  grati- 
orcm,  praecipuo  regno  donatam.  ab  ea  deducentes 
originem  imperitant  ccc  oppidis ;  peditum  cl, 
elephantes  D.  post  hanc  trecentarum  urbium  seriem 
Derangae,  Posingae,  Butae,  Gogaraei,  Umbrae, 
Nereae,  Brangosi,  Nobundae,  Cocondae,  Nesei, 
Palatitac,  Salobriasae,  Orostrae  Patalam  insulam 
attingentes,  a  cuius  extremo  htore  ad  Caspias  portas 
I XIX I XXV  produntur. 

77  Hinc  deinde  accolunt  Indum  adverso  eo  scandente  ^ 
demonstratione     Mathoae,    Bohngae,    GaHitalutae, 

*  V.l.  confluentium. 

'  MayhoJJ :   adversufl  eos  cadente  (soandente  Urlichs). 

394 


BOOK   VI.  xxin.  74-77 

inhabitants  of  the  other  side  of  this  mountain  work 
a  wide  range  of  gold  and  silver  mines.  Next  to 
these  come  the  Oratae,  whose  king  has  only  ten 
elephants  but  a  large  force  of  infantry,  the 
Suarataratae — these  also  though  ruled  by  a  king 
do  not  keep  elephants  but  rely  on  cavalry  and 
infantr}' — the  Odonbaeoraes  and  the  Arabastrae, 
whose  fine  city  Thorax  is  guarded  by  marshy  canals 
which  crocodiles,  creatures  wth  an  insatiable 
appetite  for  human  flesh,  render  impassable  save 
by  way  of  a  bridge.  Another  town  in  their  country 
is  also  highly  spoken  of,  Automula,  which  is  situated 
on  the  coast  at  the  point  of  confluence  of  five  rivers, 
and  has  a  celebrated  market ;  their  king  possesses 
1600  elephants,  150,000  foot  and  5000  horse.  The 
king  of  the  Charmae  is  not  so  wealthy,  having  60 
elephants  and  small  forces  of  the  other  kinds.  The 
race  next  to  these  is  that  of  the  Pandae,  the  only 
people  in  India  ruled  by  queens.  They  say  that 
only  one  child  of  the  female  sex  was  born  to  Hercules, 
and  that  she  was  in  consequence  his  favourite  and 
he  bestowed  on  her  a  specially  large  kingdom. 
The  queens  deriving  their  descent  from  her  rule  over 
300  towns,  and  have  an  army  of  150,000  foot  and 
500  elephants.  After  this  Ust  of  300  cities  we  have 
the  Derangac,  Posingae,  Butae,  Gogaraei,  Umbrae, 
Nereae,  Brangosi,  Nobundae,  Cocondae,  Nesei, 
Palatitae,  Salobriasae  and  Orostrae,  the  last  people 
being  adjacent  to  the  island  of  Patala,  the  distance 
from  the  extreme  point  of  which  to  the  Caspian 
Gates  is  given  as  1925  miles. 

From  this  point  onward  the  tribes  dwelling  on  the 
Indus — our  enumeration  proceeding  up  stream — 
are   the    Mathoae,  Bolingae,   Gallitalutae,   Dimuri, 

395 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Dimuri,  Megari,  Ardabae,  Mesae,  Abi,  Suri,  Silae, 
mox  deserta  in  cct,  quibus  exuperatis  Organagae, 
Abortae,  Bassiiertae,  et  ab  his  solitudines  prioribus 
pares.  dein  Sorofages,  Arbae,  Marogomatrac,  Um- 
britae  Ceaeque  quorum  xii  nationcs  singulisque 
binae  urbes,  Asini  trium  iirbium  incolae :  caput 
eorum   Bucephala  Alexandri   rcgis  equo,  cui   fuerat 

78  hoc  nomen,  ibi  sepulto  conditum.  montani  supcr 
hos  Caucaso  subiecti  Sosaeadae,  Sondrae ;  trans- 
gressisque  Indum  ct  cum  eo  decurrentibus  Samara- 
biae,  Sambraccni,  Bisanibritac,  Orsi,  Andiscni, 
Taxilae  cum  urbc  cclcbri.  iam  in  plana  demisso 
tractu,  cui  univcrso  nomcn  Amcndnc,  popuh  quat- 
tuor,  Pcucohtae,  Arsagahtae,  Geretae,  Assoi :  etenim 
plerique  ab  occidcnte  non  Indo  amne  determinant 
sed  adiciunt  quattuor  satrapias,  Gedrosos,  Arachotas, 
Arios,    Paropanisidas,    ultimo    fme    Cophetc    fluvio, 

79  quae  omnia  Ariorum  esse  ahis  placct.  nec  non  ct 
Nysam  urbcm  plerique  Indiae  adscribunt  montem- 
que  Mcrum  Libero  Patri  sacrum  (unde  origo  fabuhie 
lovis  femine  editum),  item  Aspaganos  gentem  vitis 
et  lauri  et  buxi  pomorumque  omnium  in  Graecia 
nascentium  fcrtilem.  quae  memoranda  ac  prope 
fabulosa  de  fortilktate  terrae  et  gcncre  ^  frugum 
arborumquc  aut  ferarum  ac  volucrum  et  ahorum 
animahum   trathintur  suis  quaeque  locis   in  reliqua 

*  genoribus  vel  generationc  ?   Rnrkham. 

39(J 


BOOK    VI.  xxiii.  77-79 

Megari,  Ardabae,  Mesac,  Abi,  Suri  and  Silae ; 
then  250  miles  of  desert ;  and  after  traversing  that, 
the  Organagae,  Abortae  and  Bassuertae ;  and  next 
to  these  an  uninhabited  stretcli  equal  in  extent  to 
the  preceding  one.  Then  thc  Sorofages,  Arbae 
and  Marogomatrae ;  the  Umbritae  and  Ceae  com- 
prising  tweh'e  tribes  and  cach  race  possessing  two 
cities ;  the  Asini  inhabiting  three  cities,  their  chief 
place  being  Oxhead,  founded  to  be  the  bui-ial- 
place  of  King  Alexander's  charger  bearing  that 
name.  Mountain  tribes  above  these  under  the 
Hindu  Kush  range  are  the  Sosaeadae  and  Sondrae; 
and  crossing  the  Indus  and  foUowing  it  down-stream 
we  come  to  the  Samarabiae,  Sambraceni,  Bisambritae, 
Orsi  and  Andiseni,  and  the  Taxilae  with  their  famous 
city.  Then  the  region  slopes  down  to  level  ground, 
the  whole  having  the  name  of  Amenda ;  and  there 
are  four  tribes,  the  PeucoHtae,  Arsagahtae,  Geretae 
and  Assoi ;  indeed,  most  authorities  do  not  put  the 
western  frontier  at  the  river  Indus  but  include 
four  satrapies,  the  Gedrosi,  Arachotae,  Arii  and 
Paropanisidae,  with  the  river  Kabul  as  the  final 
boundary — the  whole  of  which  rcgion  others  con- 
sider  to  belong  to  thc  Arii.  Moreover  most  people 
also  assign  to  India  the  city  of  Nisa  and  Mount 
Merus  which  is  sacred  to  Fathcr  Liber  (this  being 
the  place  from  which  originatcd  the  myth  of  the 
birth  of  Liber  from  the  thigh  of  Jove),  and  the  same 
as  to  the  Aspagani  tribe,  a  district  producing  the 
vine,  the  bay  and  the  box  and  all  the  kinds  of  fruit 
indigenous  to  Greece,  Remarkable  and  almost 
fabulous  reports  as  to  fertihty  of  soil  and  variety 
of  crops  and  trees  or  wild  animals  and  birds  and 
other    living    creatures    will    be    recorded    in    their 

397 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

parte  operis  commemorabuntur,  quattuor  satrapiae 
mox  paulo,  ad  Taprobanen  insulam  festinante  animo. 

80  Sed  ante  sunt  aliae :  Patale  quam  significavimus 
in  ipsis  faucibus  Indi,  triquetra  figura,  ccxx  p. 
latitudine ;  extra  ostium  Indi  Chryse  et  Argyre, 
fertilis  metallis,  ut  credo  :  nam  quod  aliqui  tradiderc 
aureum  argenteumque  his  solum  esse  haut  facile 
crediderim.  ab  his  xx  p.  Crocala  et  ab  ea  xu  Bibaga 
ostreis  ac  conchyHis  referta,  dein  Coralliba  viii  a 
supra  dicta,  multaeque  ignobiles. 

81  XXIV.  Taprobanen  alterum  orbem  terrarum  esse 
diu  existimatum  est  Antichthonum  appellatione : 
ut  insulam  esse  liqueret  Alexandri  Magni  aetas 
resque  praestitere.  Onesicritus  classis  eius  prae- 
fectus  elephantos  ibi  mainres  bellicosioresque  quam 
in  India  gigni  scripsit ;  Megasthenes  flumine  dividi, 
incolasque  Palaeogonos  appellari,  auri  margaritarum- 
que  grandium  fertihores  quam  Indos.  Eratosthenes 
et    mensuram    prodidit,    longitudinis    vTi    stadium, 

82  latitudinis  v,  nec  urbes  esse  sed  vicos  dcc^  incipit 
ab  Eoo  mari  inter  ortum  occasumque  solis  Indiae 
praetenta  et  quondam  credita  xx  dierum  navigatione 
a    Prasiana    gente    distare,    mox,    quia    papjTaceis 

*  Dco  <L>  Siegelin  ex  Adiano. 

'  Suggeating  the  inhabitants  of  another  land-mass  balanc- 
ing  our  own  in  the  eouthcm  hemisphere — but  not  on  tho 
opposit«  Bide  of  the  earth  :  thero  is  of  course  no  suggcstion 
of  the  Antipodes. 

*  Ceylon  is  really  271^  miles  long  and  137J  broad, 

'  An  Indian  race  on  the  Gangea. 


BOOK   VI.  .xxiii.  79-xxiv.  82 

several  places  in  the  remainder  of  the  work,  and  the 
four  satrapies  will  be  described  a  little  below,  as  at 
present  our  mind  hastens  on  to  the  island  of  Ceylon. 

But  before  Ceylon  come  some  other  islands :  indian 
Patale,  which  we  have  indicated  as  situated  at  the  5*71'.'  "' 
very  mouth  of  the  Indus,  an  island  of  triangular 
shape,  220  miles  in  breadth ;  and  outside  the  mouth 
of  the  Indus  Chryse  and  Argyre,  both  of  which  I 
beheve  to  be  rich  in  minerals — for  I  find  it  hard  to 
beUeve  the  statement  of  some  ^\Titers  that  they 
only  have  gold  and  silver  mines.  Twenty  miles 
beyond  these  is  Crocala,  and  12  miles  further  Bibaga, 
which  is  full  of  oysters  and  other  shell-fish,  and  then 
Coralliba  8  miles  beyond  the  above-mentioned 
island,  and  many  of  no  note. 

XXn^  Ceylon,  under  the  name  of  the  Land  of  the  Ceyion. 
Counterlanders,"  was  long  considered  to  be  another 
world ;  but  the  epoch  and  the  acliievements  of 
Alexander  the  Great  supplied  clear  proof  of  its 
being  an  island.  Onesicritus,  a  commander  of 
Alexandcr's  navy,  wTitcs  that  elephants  are  bred 
there  of  larger  size  and  more  warhke  spirit  than  in 
India;  and  Megasthenes  says  that  it  is  cut  in  two 
by  a  river,  that  the  inhabitants  have  the  name  of 
Aborigines,  and  that  they  produce  more  gold  and 
large  pearls  than  the  Indians.  Eratosthenes  further 
givcs  the  dimensions  *  of  the  island  as  875  miles  in 
length  and  625  miles  in  breadth,  and  says  that  it 
contains  no  cities,  but  700  villages.  Beginning  at 
the  eastern  sea  it  stretches  along  the  side  of  India 
from  east  to  west ;  and  it  was  formerly  beheved  to 
be  a  distance  of  20  days'  sail  from  the  nation  of  the 
Prasii,<=  but  at  later  times,  inasmuch  as  the  voyage 
to  it  used  to  be  made  with  vessels  constructed  of 

399 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

navibus  armamentisque  Nili  peteretur,  ad  nostrarum 
na\ium  cursus  vii  dierum  intervallo  taxata.  mare 
interest  vadosum,  senis  non  amplius  altitudinis 
passibus,  sed  certis  eanalibus  ita  profundum  ut  nuUae 
anchorae  sidant :  ob  id  navibus  utrimque  prorae,  ne 
per  angustias  alvei  circumagi  sit  necesse ;  magnitudo 

83  ad  terna  milia  amphorum.  siderum  in  navigando 
nuUa  observatio — septentrio  non  cemitur;  volucres 
secum  vehunt  emittentes  saepius,  meatumque 
eanim  terram  petentium  comitantur.  nec  plus 
quaternis  niensibus  anno  navigant :  cavent  a  solstitio 
maxime  centum  dies,  tunc  illo  mari  hiberno, 

84  Hactenus  a  priscis  memorata.  nobis  diligentior 
notitia  Claudi  principatu  contigit  legatis  etiam  ex  ea 
insula  advectis.  id  accidit  hoc  modo  :  Anni  Plocami, 
qui  Maris  Rubri  vectigal  a  fisco  redemerat,  Hbertus 
circa  Arabiam  navigans  aquilonibus  raptus  praeter 
Carmaniam,  xv  die  Hippuros  portum  eius  invectus, 
hospitali  regis  clementia  sex  mensum  tempore 
inbutus    adloquio    percontanti    postea    narravit    Ro- 

85  manos  et  Caesarem.     mirum   in  modum  in  auditls 


"  The  big  two-handled  clay  wine-jar  Berved  as  a  standard 
meaaure  of  a  ship^s  capacity,  as  with  us  the  ton. 

400 


i 


BOOK   VI.  XXIV.  82-85 

reeds  and  with  the  rigging  used  on  the  Nile,  its 
distanee  was  fixed  with  reference  to  the  speeds  made 
by  our  ships  as  seven  days'  sail.  The  sea  bctween 
the  island  and  the  mainland  is  shallow,  not  more 
than  18  feet  deep,  but  in  certain  channels  so  deep 
that  no  anchors  hold  the  bottom :  for  tliis  reason 
ships  are  used  that  have  bows  at  each  end,  so  as  to 
avoid  the  necessity  of  coming  about  while  negotiating 
the  narrows  of  the  channel ;  the  tonnage  of  these 
vessels  is  as  much  as  three  thousand  barrels."  The 
Cingalese  take  no  observations  of  the  stars  in  navi- 
gation — indecd,  the  Great  Bear  is  not  visible ;  but 
they  carry  birds  on  board  with  them  and  at  fairly 
frequent  intervals  set  them  free,  and  foUow  the 
course  they  take  as  they  make  for  the  land.  They 
only  use  four  months  in  thc  year  for  voyages,  and 
they  particularly  avoid  the  hundred  days  foUowing 
midsiunmer,  when  those  seas  are  stormy. 

So  far  the  facts  stated  have  been  recorded  by  Orographt, 
the  early  vTiters.  We  however  have  obtained  more  "'(/f„giogy  „, 
accurate  information  during  the  principate  of  Ceyion. 
Claudius,  when  an  embassy  actually  came  to  Rome 
from  the  island  of  Ceylon.  The  circumstances  were 
as  follows  ;  Annius  Plocamus  had  obtained  a  contract 
from  the  Treasurj'  to  coUect  the  taxes  from  the  Red 
Sea;  a  freedman  of  his  while  saihng  round  Arabia 
was  carried  by  gales  from  the  north  beyond  the 
coast  of  Carmania,  and  after  a  fortnight  made  the 
harbour  of  Hippuri  in  Ceylon,  where  he  was  enter- 
tained  with  kindly  hospitahty  by  the  king,  and 
in  a  period  of  six  months  acquired  a  thorougli 
knowledge  of  the  language ;  and  afterwards  in  reply 
to  the  king's  enquiries  he  gave  him  an  account  of 
tlie   Romans  and  their  emperor.     The  king  among 

401 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

iustitiam  ille  suspexit,  quod  paris  ^  pondere  denarii 
essent  in  captiva  pecunia,  cum  diversac  imagines 
indicarent  a  pluribus  factos.  et  hoc  maxime  sol- 
licitatus  ad  amicitiam  legatos  quattuor  misit  principe 
eorum  Rachia.  ex  his  cognitum  d  esse  oppida, 
portum  contra  meridiem  adpositum  oppido  Palaesi- 
mundo  omnium  ibi  clarissimo  ac  regio,-  cc  plebis. 

86  stagnum  intus  Megisba  ccclxxv  p.  ambitu,  insulas 
pabuli  tantum  fertiles  complexum;  ex  eo  duos 
amnes  erumpere,  Palaesimundum  iuxta  oppidum 
eiusdem  nominis  influentem  in  portum  tribus  alveis, 
quinque  stadiorum  artissimo,  xv  amplissimo,  alterum 
ad  septentriones  Indiamque  versum,  Cydara  nomine. 
proximum  esse  Indiae  promunturium  quod  vocetur 
CoHacum,    quadridui    navigatione    medio    in    cursu 

87  Solis  insula  occurrente;  mare  ibi  *  colore  perviridi, 
praeterea  fruticosum  *  arboribus,  iubas  earum  guber- 
nacuUs  detcrgentibus.  Septentriones  Vergihasque 
apud  nos  veluti  in  novo  caelo  mirabantur,  ne  lunam 
quidem  apud  ipsos  nisi  ab  octava  in  xvi  supra 
terram    aspici    fatentes,    Canopum    hirere   noctibus, 

1  V.l.  pari. 

*  V.l.  rcfiia  (iae  aul  -iam  edd.). 
^  ibi  ?    Huyhoff:  in  aut  id. 

*  V.l.  fructuosum. 


•  Perhapa  a  titlo,  Rajah. 

'  Tliia  Beema  to  be  a  description  of  mangrove-swamps. 


402 


BOOK   VI.  XXIV.  85-87 

all  that  he  heard  was  remarkably  struck  with 
admiration  for  Roman  honesty,  on  the  ground  that 
among  the  money  found  on  the  captive  the  denarii 
were  all  equal  in  weight,  although  the  various 
figures  on  them  showed  that  they  had  been  coined 
by  several  emperors.  This  strongly  attracted  his 
friendship,  and  he  sent  four  envoys,  the  cliief  of 
whom  was  Rachias."  From  them  we  learnt  the 
following  facts  about  Ceylon :  it  contains  500  towns, 
and  a  harbour  facing  south,  adjacent  to  the  town  of 
Palaesimundus,  which  is  the  most  famous  of  all  the 
places  in  the  island  and  a  royal  residence,  with 
a  population  of  200,000.  Inland  (we  were  told) 
there  is  a  marsh  named  Megisba  measuring  375 
miles  round  and  containing  islands  that  only  produce 
pasturage ;  and  out  of  this  marsh  flow  two  rivers, 
Palaesimundus  running  through  three  channels 
into  the  harbour  near  the  town  that  bears  the  same 
name  as  the  river,  and  measuring  over  half  a  mile 
in  breadth  at  the  narrowest  point  and  nearly  two 
miles  at  the  widest,  and  the  other,  named  Cydara, 
flowing  north  in  the  direction  of  India.  The  nearest 
cape  in  India  (according  to  our  informants)  is  the  one 
called  Cape  Comorin,  at  a  distancc  of  four  days'  sail, 
passing  in  the  middle  of  the  voyage  the  Island  of 
the  Sun  ;  and  the  sea  there  is  of  a  deep  green  colour, 
and  also  has  thickets  of  trees  growing  in  it,*  the  tops 
of  which  are  brushed  by  the  rudders  of  passing 
vessels.  The  envoys  marvelled  at  the  new  aspect 
of  the  heavens  visible  in  our  country,  with  the 
Great  and  Little  Bear  and  the  Pleiads,  and  they  told 
us  that  in  their  own  country  even  the  moon  only 
appears  above  the  horizon  from  the  8th  to  the  16th 
day  of  the  month,  and  that  Canopus,  a  large  and 

403 


PLINY:    NATURAI.   HISTORY 

sidus  ingens  et  clarum.  sed  maxinie  mirum  iis 
erat  umbras  suas  in  nostrum  caelimi  cadere,  non  in 
suum,  solemque  ab  laeva  oriri  et  in  dextram  occidere 

88  potius  quam  e  diverso.  iidem  narravere  latus 
insulae  quod  praetenderetur  Indiae  x  stadiorum 
esse  ab  oriente  hiberno ;  ultra  montes  Hemodos 
Seras  quoque  ab  ipsis  aspici  notos  etiam  commercio : 
patrem  Rachiae  commeasse  eo :  advenis  sibi  Seras  ^ 
occursare.  ipsos  vero  excedere  hominum  magni- 
tudinem,  rulilis  comis,  caeruleis  oculis,  oris  sono 
truci,  nullo  commercio  linguae.  cetera  eadem  quae 
nostri  negotiatores :  fluminis  ulteriore  ripa  merces 
positas  iuxta  venaUa  tolli  ab  iis  si  placeat  permutatio, 
non  aliter  odio  iustiore  luxuriae  quam  si  perducta 
mens  illuc  usque  cogitet  quid  et  quo  petatur  et 
quare. 

89  Sed  ne  Taprobane  quidem,  quainvis  extra  orbem 
a  natura  relegata,  nostris  vitiis  caret :  aurum  argen- 
tumque  et  ibi  in  pretio,  marmor  testudinLs  simile, 
margaritae  gemmaecjue  in  honore  ;  multo  praestantior 
est  2  totus  ^  luxuriae  nostra  *  cumulus.  ipsorum 
opes  maiores  esse  dicebant,  sed  apud  nos  opulentiae 

*  Hardouin  :   advcnis  ibi  feras. 
'  Mayhoff :   praestantioros  et. 

=  V.l.  totius. 

*  Warmington :  nostrae. 


"  /.c,  towarda  tbe  north,  not  the  south. 


404 


BOOK   VI.  XXIV.  87-89 

brilliant  star,  lights  them  by  night.  But  what 
surprised  tliem  most  was  that  their  shadows  fell 
towards  oiu*  skv  and  not  towards  theirs,"  and  that 
the  sun  rose  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  observer 
and  set  towards  the  right  instead  ofvice  versa.  They 
also  told  us  that  the  side  of  their  island  facing 
towards  India  is  1250  miles  long  and  lies  south-east 
of  India ;  that  beyond  the  Himalayas  they  also  face 
towards  the  country  of  the  Chinese,  who  are  known  to 
them  by  intcrcourse  in  trade  as  well,  the  father  of 
Rachia  ha\-ing  travelled  there,  and  that  when  they 
arrived  there  the  Chinese  always  hastened  down  to 
the  beach  to  meet  them.  That  people  themselves 
(they  told  us)  are  of  more  than  normal  height,andhave 
flaxen  hair  and  blue  eyes,  and  they  speak  in  harsh 
tones  and  use  no  language  in  deaHng  with  travellers. 
The  remainder  of  the  envoys'  accoimt  agreed  with 
the  reports  of  our  traders — that  commodities  were 
deposited  on  the  opposite  bank  of  a  river  by  the 
side  of  the  goods  offered  for  salc  by  the  natives, 
and  they  took  them  away  if  satisfied  by  the  barter, — 
hatred  of  luxury  being  in  no  circumstances  more 
justifiable  than  if  the  imagination  travels  to  the 
Far  r.ast  and  reflects  what  is  procurcd  from  there 
and  what  means  of  trade  are  cmployed  and  for  what 
purpose. 

But  even  Ceylon,  although  banished  by   Nature  ciiujaUse 
beyond  the  confines  of  the   world,  is  not  without  a^j*"^* 
the   vices  that  belong  to  us :    gold  and  silver  are  cusumu. 
valued  there  also,  and  a  kind  of  marble  resembUng 
tortoise-shell    and    pearls    and    precious    stones    are 
held  in  honour ;   in  fact  the  whole  mass  of  luxury  is 
there  carried  to  a  far  higher  pitch  than  ours.     They 
told  us  that  there  was  greater  wcaltli  in  their  own 

VOL.  II.  Q         405 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

maiorem  usimi :  servom  nemini,  non  in  diem  aut 
interdiusomnum,  aedificia  modice  ab  humo  exstantia, 
annonam  numquam  augeri,  non  fora  litesve  esse,  coli 
Herculem,  eligi  regem  a  populo  senecta  clementiaque 
liberos  non  habentem,  et  si  postea  gignat,  abdicari, 

90  ne  fiat  hereditarium  regnum.  rectores  ei  a  populo 
xxxdari,nec  nisi  pluriimi  sententia  quemquam  capitis 
damnari ;  sic  quoque  appellationem  esse  ad  populum 
et  septuaginta  iudices  dari ;  si  liberent  ii  reum, 
amplius  xxx  iis  nuUani  esse  dignationem,  gravissimo 
probro.     regi  cultum  Liberi  Patris,  ceteris  Arabum. 

91  regem,  si  quid  delinquat,  morte  multari,  nullo 
interimente,  aversantibus  cunctis  et  commercia  etiam 
sermonis  negantibus.  festa  venatione  absumi :  gratis- 
simam  eam  tigribus  elephantisque  constare.  agros 
diligenter  coli,  vitis  usum  non  esse,  pomis  abundare. 
esse  et  in  piscatu  voluptatem,  testudinum  maxime, 
quarimi  superficie  familias  habitantium  contegi: 
tanta  reperiri  magnitudine.  vitam  hominum  centum 
annis  modicam. 

'  A  long  robe  with  a  train 
406 


BOOK   VI.  XXIV.  89-91 

country  than  in  ours,  but  that  we  made  more  use  of 
our  riches :  with  them  nobody  kcpt  a  slave,  every- 
body  got  up  at  sunrise  and  nobody  took  a  siesta 
in  the  middle  of  the  day ;  their  buildings  were  of 
only  moderate  height ;  the  price  of  corn  was  never 
inHated;  there  were  no  lawcourts  and  no  Htigation; 
the  deity  worshipped  was  Hercules ;  the  king  was 
elected  by  the  people  on  the  grounds  of  age  and 
gentleness  of  disposition,  and  as  having  no  children, 
and  if  he  afterwards  had  a  chikl,  he  was  deposed, 
to  prevent  the  monarchy  from  becoming  hereditary. 
Thirty  Governors,  they  told  us,  were  assigned  to  the 
king  by  the  people,  and  capital  punishment  could 
only  be  inflictcd  by  a  vote  of  a  majority  of  these ; 
and  even  then  there  was  a  right  of  appeal  to  the 
people,  and  a  jury  of  seventy  members  was  appointed 
to  try  the  case,  and  if  these  acquitted  the  accused 
the  thirty  Governors  were  no  more  held  in  any 
esteem,  bei  ng  utterly  disgraced.  The  king's  costume 
was  that  °  of  Father  Liber,  and  the  other  people  wore 
Arabian  dress.  If  the  king  committcd  a  deUnqueney 
he  was  punished  by  being  condemned  to  death, 
though  nobody  executed  the  sentence,  but  the  whole 
of  the  pcople  turned  their  backs  on  him  and  refused 
to  have  any  communication  with  him  or  even  to  speak 
to  him.  Holidays,  they  told  us,  were  spent  in  hunting, 
tiger  hunts  and  elephant  hunts  being  always  the 
most  popular.  Agriculture  was  industriously  prac- 
tised,  but  the  vine  was  not  grown,  although  orchard 
fruit  was  al)undant.  They  were  also  fond  of  fishing, 
especially  for  turtle,  the  shells  of  which  were  used 
as  roofs  for  family  dweUings — they  were  found 
of  so  large  a  size.  They  looked  upon  a  hundred 
years  as  a  moderate  span  of  Ufe. 

407 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Haec  conperta  de  Taprobane. 

92  XXV.  Quattuor  satrapiae  quas  in  hunc  locum 
distulimus  ita  se  habcnt.  a  proximis  Indo  gentibus 
montana.  Capisene  habuit  Capisam  urbem  quam 
diruit  Cyrus ;  Arachosia  cum  flumine  et  oppido 
eiusdem  nominis,  quod  quidam  Cufim  dixere,  a 
Samiramide  conditum  ;  amnis  Erymandus  praefluens 
Parabesten  Arachosiorum.  proximos  his  a  meridie 
ad  partem  Arachotarum  faciunt  Dexendrusos,  a 
septentrione  Paropanisidas,  Cartana  oppichim  sub 
Caucaso,  quod  postea  Tetragonis  dictuni.  haec 
regio  est  ex  advcrso  Bactriae ;  Arianorum  ^  deinde 
cuius  oppidum  Alexandria  a  conditore  dictum ; 
Syndraci,  Dangalae,  Parapinae,  Cataces,  Mazi; 
ad     Caucasum     Cadrusi,     oppidum     ab     Alexandro 

93  conditum.  infra  haec  omnia  planiora.^  ab  Indo 
Ariana  regio  ambusta  fervoribus  desertisque  cir- 
cumdata,  multa  tamen  interfusa  opacitate  cultores 
congregat  circa  duos  maxime  flu\"ios,  Tonberon  et 
Arosapen.  oppidum  Artacoana,  Arius  amnis  qui 
praefluit  Alexandriam  ab  Alexandro  conditam : 
patet  oppidum  stadia  xx.\ ;  multoque  pulchrius  sicut 
antiquius  Artacabcne,  iteruni  ab  Antioclio  munitum, 

1  Mayhoff :   adverso  Bactrianorum. 
*  Mayhoff,  cf.  §  92  :  omnia  ora. 

•  Now  Kandahar.  ♦  Now  Herat. 

408 


BOOK   VI.  xxiv.  91-XXV.  93 

This  is  the  information  that  was  given  to  us  about 
Ceylon. 

XXV.  The  folloMinof  is  the  arraneement  of  the  North- 
four  satrapies  which  we  deferred  to  this  place  jran,  <tc. 
in  our  account.  After  leaving  the  races  nearest  to  §  '^- 
India,  you  come  to  the  mountain  districts.  That 
of  Capisene  formerlv  had  a  city  named  Capisa,  which 
was  destroved  bv  Cyrus ;  next  Arachosia,  with  a 
river  and  toyn\  "  of  the  same  name — the  town,  which 
was  founded  by  Samiramis,  being  called  by  some 
%\Titers  Cufis ;  then  the  river  Erymandus,  flowing 
past  the  Arachosian  town  of  Parabeste.  Next  to 
the  Arachosii  \\Titers  place  the  Dexendrusi  on  the 
south  side,  adjoining  a  section  of  the  Arachotae, 
and  the  Paropanisadae  on  the  north ;  and  beneath 
the  Hindu  Kush  the  town  of  Cartana,  later  called 
Tetragonis.  This  region  is  opposite  to  Bactria,  and 
then  comes  the  region  of  the  Ariani,  whose  town  is 
called  Alexandria  *  after  its  founder;  the  Syndraci, 
Dangalae,  Parapinae,  Cataces  and  Mazi ;  near  the 
Hindu  Kush  the  Cadrusi,  whose  town  was  founded  by 
Alexander.  Below  these  places  the  whole  country 
is  more  level.  In  the  direction  of  the  Indus  is  the 
Arian  region,  which  is  scorched  by  glowing  heat 
and  encircled  by  deserts,  yet  extending  in  the  district 
between  them  with  plenty  of  sliade,  it  is  occupied 
by  numerous  farmers,  settled  especially  on  the 
banks  of  two  rivers,  the  Tonberos  and  the  Arosapes. 
There  is  a  town,  Artacoana,  and  a  river,  Arius,  which 
flows  past  Alexandria,  a  town  founded  by  Alexander 
which  covers  an  area  of  nearly  four  miles ;  and 
the  much  more  beautiful  as  well  as  older  town 
of  Artacabene,  the  fortifications  of  which  were 
renewed    by     Antiochus,    covers    an    area    of    ^\ 

409 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

94  stadia  qiiinquaginta.  Dorisdorsigi  gens ;  amnes 
Pliarnacotis,  Ophradus  ;  Prophthasia  ;  oppidum  Zara- 
spadum,  Drangae,  Euergetae,^  Zarangae,  Gedrusi; 
oppida  Peucolis,  Lyphorta,  Methorcum ;  deserta ; 
amnis  Manain,  Acutri  gens,  flumen  Eorum,  gens 
Orbi,  flumen  navigabile  Pomanus  Pandarum  finibus, 
item  Cabirus  Suarorum,  ostio  portuosum,  oppiduni 
Condigramma,    flumen    Cophes.     influunt    in    euin 

95  navigabiUa  Saddaros,  Paro>pus,  Sodamus.  Arianae 
partem  esse  Daritim  aliqui  volunt,  mensuramque 
produnt  utriusque  longitudinem  |xi.v|  l,  latitudinem 
dimidio  minorem  quam  Indiae.  aUi  Gedrusos  et 
Sires  posuere  per  cx.v.wiii  p.,  mox  Ichthyophagos 
Oritas  propria,  non  Indonmi  Hngua  loquentes  per 
cc  p.  (Ichthyophagos  omnes  Alexander  vctuit  piscibus 
vivere.)  deinde  posuere  Arbiorum  gentem  per  cc  p. 
ultra  deserta,  dein  Carmania  ac  Persis  atque  Arabia. 

96  XXVI.  Sed  priusquam  generatim  haec  perse- 
quamur  indicari  convenit  quae  prodidit  Onesicritus 
classe  Alexandri  circumvectus  in  mediterranea 
Persidis  ex  India,  enarrata  proxime  a  luba,  deinde 
eam  navigationem  quae  his  annis  comperta  servatur 
hodie. 

Onesicriti     et     Nearchi     navigatio     nec     nomina 
habet  mansionum  nec  spatia ;  primumque  Xylinepolis 

^  Hardouin  e  Strabone  :   Ariotae. 
410 


BOOK   VI.  XXV.  93-xxvi.  96 

miles.  Then  the  Dorisdorsigi  tribe;  the  rivers 
Pharnacotis  and  Ophradus ;  Prophthasia ;  the  town 
of  Zaraspadum,  the  Drangae,  Euergetae,  Zarangae 
and  Gedrusi ;  the  towns  of  Peucolis,  Lyphorta  and 
Methorcuni ;  a  space  of  desert ;  the  river  Manain, 
the  Acutri  tribe,  the  river  Eorus,  the  Orbi  tribe, 
the  navigable  river  Pomanus  at  the  frontier  of  the 
Pandae  and  the  Cabirus  at  that  of  the  Suari,  forming 
a  good  harbour  at  its  mouth  ;  the  town  of  Condi- 
gramma  and  the  river  Kabul.  Navigable  tributaries 
of  the  Kabul  are  the  Saddaros,  Parospus  and 
Sodamus.  Some  hold  that  Daritis  is  part  of  Ariana, 
and  they  give  the  dimensions  of  both  as — length 
1950  miles,  breadth  one  half  that  of  India.  Others 
place  the  Gedrusi  and  Sires  as  covering  an  area  of 
138  miles,  and  then  the  Fish-eating  Oritae,  who  do 
not  spcak  the  Indian  language  but  have  one  of  their 
own,  covering  a  space  of  200  miles.  (Alexander 
made  an  order  forbidding  a  fish  diet  to  all  the 
Fish-eaters.)  Next  they  put  the  race  of  the  Arbii, 
covering  200  miles.  Beyond  them  there  is  a  region 
of  desert,  and  then  come  Carmania,  Farsistan  and 
Arabia. 

XXVI.  But  before  we  go  on  to  a  detailed  account  Voyageo/ 
of  these  countries,  it  is  suitable  to  indicate  the  facts  o!,'e"crUus. 
reported  by  Onesicritus  after  sailing  with  the  fleet 
of  Alexander  round  from  India  to  the  interior  of 
Farsistan,  and  quite  recently  related  in  detail  by 
Juba,  and  then  to  state  the  sea-route  that  has  been 
ascertained  in  recent  times  and  is  followed  at  the 
present  day. 

The  record  of  the  voyage  of  Onesicritus  and 
Nearchus  does  not  include  the  names  of  the  official 
stopping   places    nor   the   distances  travelled ;    and 

411 


am 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ab    Alexnndro    condita,    unde    ceperunt    exordium, 
iuxta  quod  flumen  aut  ubi  fuerit  non  satis  explanatur. 

97  haec  tamen  digna  memoratu  produntur  :  Arbis  ^ 
oppidum  a  Nearcho  conditum  in  navigatione  et 
flumen  Arbium  -  navium  capax,  contra  insula  distans 
Lxx  stadia ;  Alexandria  condita  a  Leonnato  iussu 
Alexandri  in  fmibus  gentis ;  Argenus  portu  salubri ; 
flumen  Tonberura  na\igabile,  circa  quod  Parirae; 
deinde  Ichthyophagi  tam  longo  tractu  ut  xxx  dierum 
spatio  praenavigaverint ;  insula  quae  Solis  appellatur 
et  eadem  Nympharum  Cubile,  rubens,  in  qua  nulluni 

98  non  animal  absumilur  incertis  causis;  Ori  gens; 
flunien  Carmaniae  Hyctanis  portuosum  et  auro 
fertile.  ab  eo  primum  Septentriones  apparuisse 
adnotavere,  Arcturum  neque  omnibus  cerni  noctibas 
nec  totis  imiquam  ;  Achaemenidas  usque  illo  tenuisse ; 
aeris  et  ferri  metalla  et  arrenici  ac  mim  cxerceri. 
inde  promunturium  Carmaniae  est,  ex  quo in  adversam 
oram  ad  gentem  Arabiae  Macas  traiectus  distat 
v  p. ;  insulae  tres,  quarum  Oracta  tantum  habitatur 

99  aquosa  a  continente  .vx\'  p.,  insulae  quattuor  iam  in 
sinu  ante  Persida — circa  has  hydri  marini  vicenum 
cubitorum    adnatantes    terruere    classem — ,    insula 


*  Hardouin  :   ab  iis  aul  ab  his  aut  abies. 

*  MayhnJJ :   Nabrum. 


412 


BOOK   VI.  XXVI.  96-99 

to  begin  with,  no  sufficiently  clear  account  is 
given  of  the  position  of  the  city  of  Timbertown, 
founded  by  Alexander,  -which  was  their  starting 
point,  nor  is  the  river  on  which  it  stood  indicated. 
Nevertheless  they  give  the  foUo^ving  places  worth 
mentioning  :  the  town  of  Arbis,  founded  by  Nearchus 
during  his  voyage,  and  the  river  Arbium.  navigable 
by  ships,  and  an  island  opposite  to  Arl)is,  8|  miles 
distant ;  Alexandria,  founded  in  the  territory  of 
this  race  by  Leonnatus  at  the  order  of  Alexander ; 
Argenus,  with  a  serviceable  harbour;  the  navigable 
river  Tonberum,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  which  are 
the  Parirae ;  then  the  Fish-eaters,  covering  so  wide 
a  space  of  coast  that  it  took  30  days  to  sail  past  them  ; 
the  island "  called  the  Isle  of  the  Sun  and  also  the 
Couch  of  the  Nymphs,  the  soil  of  which  is  red  in 
colour,  and  on  which  all  animals  without  exception 
die,  from  causes  not  ascertained ;  the  Ori  tribe ; 
the  Carmanian  river  Hyctanis,  afFording  harbourage 
and  producing  gold.  The  travellers  noted  that  it 
was  here  that  the  Great  and  Little  Bear  first  became 
visible,  and  that  Arcturus  is  not  visible  at  all  on  some 
nights  and  never  all  night  long ;  that  the  rule  of  the 
Persian  kings  extended  to  this  point ;  and  that 
copper,  iron,  arsenic  and  red-lead  are  mined  here. 
Next  there  is  the  Cape  of  Carmania,  from  which  it 
is  a  passage  of  five  miles  to  cross  to  the  Arabian 
tribe  of  the  Macae  on  the  opposite  coast ;  three 
islands,  of  which  only  Oracta,  25  miles  from  the  main- 
land,  has  a  supply  of  frcsh  water  and  is  inhabited  ;  four 
islands  quite  in  the  gulf,  off  the  coast  of  Farsistan — - 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  these  the  fleet  was  terrified 
by  sea-serpents  30  ft.  long  that  swam  alongside — ; 

"  Now  Ashtola. 

413 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Aradus,  item  Gauratae,  in  quibus  Gyani  gens  ;  flumen 
Hj^peris  in  medio  sinu  Persico,  onerariarum  navium 
capax ;  flumen  Sitioganus,  quo  Pasargadas  septimo 
die  navigatur ;  flumen  navigabile  Plirj-stimus  ;  insula 
sine  nomine.  flumen  Granis  modicarima  navium  ^ 
per  Susianen  fluit,  dextra  eius  accolunt  Deximontani 
qui  bitimien  perficiunt ;  flumen  Zarotis  ostio  diflicili 
nisi  peritis ;  insulae  duae  parvae.  inde  vadosa 
navigatio  palustri  similis  per  euripos  tamen  quosdam 
peragitur;  ostium  Euphratis ;  lacus  quem  faciunt 
Eulaeus  et  Tigris  iuxta  Characen,  inde  Tigri  Susa. 

100  festos  dies  ibi  agentem  Alexandrum  invenerunt 
septimo  mcnse  postquam  digressus  ab  iis  fuerat 
Patalis.  tertio  navigationis.  sic  Alexandri  classis 
navigavit ;  postea  ab  Syagro  Arabiae  promunturio 
Patalen  favonio,  quem  Hippalum  ibi  vocant,  peti 
certissimum  videbatur,   |xiii|   xxxii  p.  aestimatione. 

101  secuta  aetas  propiorem  cursum  tutioremque  iudicavit 
si  ab  eodem  promunturio  Sigerum  portum  Indiae 
peteret,  diuque  ita  navigatum  est,  donec  conpendia 
invenit  mercator,  lucroque  India  admota  est ;  quippe 
omnibus  annis  navigatur  sagittariorum  cohortibus 
inpositis ;  etenim  piratae  maxime  infestabant. 

*  navium<capax>c<id.  vei. 

'  The  name  of  the  explorer  who  discovered  the  proper  use 
of  monsoona  between  Arabia  and  India. 

414 


BOOK   VI.  XXVI.  99-1  oi 

the  island  of  Aradus   and  that   of  Gauratae,  both 

inhabited  by  the  Gyani  tribe ;   at  the  middle  of  the 

Pcrsian  Gulf  the  river  Hj-peris,  navigable  for  mer- 

chant  vessels ;  the  river  Sitiogauus,  up  which  it  is 

seven  days'  voyage  to  Pasargadae ;    the  navigable 

river  Phrystimus ;  and  an  island  that  has  no  name. 

The  river  Granis,  carrying  vessels  of  moderate  size, 

flows  through  Susiane,  and  on  its  right  bank  dwell  the 

Deximontani,   who   manufacture   asphalt ;   the  river 

Zarotis,  the  mouth  of  which  is  difficult  to  navigate 

except  for  those  familiar  with   it;    and  two  small 

islands.     Then  comes  a  shallow  stretch  of  water  like 

a  marsh  which  nevertheless  is  navigable  by  way  of 

certain    channels ;     the    mouth    of  the    Euphrates ; 

a  lake  formed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Charax  by 

the  Eulaeus  and  the  Tigris ;   then  by  the  Tigris  they 

reached  Susa.     There  after  three  months'  voyaging 

they  found  Alexander  celebrating  a  festival ;   it  was 

seven    months  since   he  had  left  them    at    Patala. 

Such  was  the  route  followed  by  the  fleet  of  Alexander ;  Sea-rmte 

but  subsc(juently  it  was  thought  tliat  the  safest  Hne  is  {TTndia.  '" 

to  start  from  llas  Fartak  in  Arabia  with  a  west  wind 

(the  native  name  for  which  in  those  parts  is  Hippalus  ") 

and  make  for  Patale,  the  distance  being  reckoned 

as  1332  miles.     The  following  period  considered  it 

a  shorter  and  safer  route  to  start  from  the  same  cape 

and  steer  for  the  Indian  harbour  of  Sigerus,''  and  for  a 

long  time  this  was  the  course  followed,  until  a  mer- 

chant  discovered  a  shorter  route,  and  the  desire  for 

gain  brought  India  nearer;    indeed,  the  voyage  is 

made  every  year,  with  companics  of  archers  on  board, 

because  these  seas  used  to  be  very  greatly  infested 

by  pirates. 

*  Probably  Jaigarlx. 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Nec  pigebit  totum  cursum  ab  Aegj-pto  exponere 
nunc  primum  certa  notitia  patescente.  digna  res, 
nullo  anno  minus  hs|d[^  imperii  nostri  exhauriente 
India  et  merces  remittente  quae  apud  nos  centiplicato 

102  veneant.  mm  p.  ab  Alexandria  abest  oppidum 
luliopolis.  inde  na\-igant  Nilo  Coptum  cccix  p.  qui 
cursus  etesiis  flantibus  peragitur  xii  diebus.  a 
Copto  camelis  itur,  aquationum  ratione  mansionibus 
dispositis :  prima  appellatur  Hydreuma  xxii ;  se- 
cunda  in  monte  diei  itinere ;  tertia  in  altero  Hydreu- 
mate  a  Copto  Lxxxv ;  deinde  in  monte ;  mox  ad 
Hydreuma  Apollinis  a  Copto  clxxxiv  ;  rursus  in  monte ; 

103  mox  ad  Novum  Hydreuma  a  Copto  ccxxx.  est  et 
aliud  Ilydreuma  vetus — Trogodyticum  nominatur — 
ubi  praesidium  excubat  deverticulo  duum  niiliiun; 
distat  a  Novo  Hvdreumate  vii.  inde  Berenice 
oppidum,  ubi  portus  Rubri  maris,  a  Copto  cclv^Ti  p. 
sed  quia  maior  pars  itineris  conficitur  noctibus 
propter  aestus  et  stativis  dies  absumuntur,  totum  a 
Copto    Berenicen    iter    duodecimo    die    peragitur. 

104  na\igare  incipiunt  aestate  media  ante  canis  ortum 
aut  ab  exortu  protinus,  veniuntque  tricesimo  circiter 
die  Ocelim   Arabiae  aut   Canen   turiferae   regionis. 

1  V.l.  Idl]. 


»  Say  £425,000,  taking  mille  aeaterUum  as  £8  lOa.  gold. 
*  I.e.  '  Watering  Place.' 
'  Ncar  Ras  Benas. 
**  Hisn  Ghorab. 

416 


BOOK   VI.  XXVI.  101-104 

And  it  ^vill  not  be  amiss  to  set  out  the  whole  of  Sea-rouu 
the  voyage  from  Egypt,  now  that  rehable  knowledge  to^Tndia^ 
of  it  is  for  the  first  time  accessible.  It  is  an  import- 
ant  subject,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  in  no  year 
does  India  absorb  less  than  fifty  million  sesterces  <*  of 
our  empire's  wealth,  sending  back  merchandise  to 
be  sold  \vith  us  at  a  hundred  times  its  prime  cost. 
Two  miles  from  Alexandria  is  the  town  of  Juliopolis. 
The  voyage  up  the  Nile  from  there  to  Keft  is  309 
miles,  and  takes  12  days  when  the  midsummer 
trade-winds  are  blowing.  I'"rom  Keft  the  journey 
is  made  A\ith  camels,  stations  being  placcd  at  intervals 
for  the  purpose  of  watering ;  the  first,  a  stage  of  22 
miles,  is  called  Hydreuma*;  the  second  is  in  the 
mountains,  a  day's  journev  on  ;  the  third  at  a  second 
place  named  Hydreuma,  85  miles  from  Keft; 
the  next  is  in  the  mountains ;  next  we  come  to 
Apollo's  Hydreuma,  184  miles  from  Keft;  again 
a  station  in  the  mountains ;  then  we  get  to  New 
Hydreuma,  230  miles  from  Keft.  There  is  also 
another  old  Hydreuma  known  by  the  name  of 
Trogodyticum,  where  a  guard  is  stationed  on  outpost 
duty  at  a  caravanserai  accommodating  two  thousand 
travellers ;  it  is  scven  miles  from  New  Hydreuma. 
Then  comes  the  town  of  Berenice,<^  where  there  is 
a  harbour  on  the  Red  Sea,  257  miles  from  Keft. 
But  as  the  greater  part  of  the  journey  is  done  by 
night  because  of  the  heat  and  the  days  are  spent  at 
stations,  the  whole  journcy  from  Keft  to  Berenice 
takes  twelve  days.  Travelling  by  sea  begins  at 
midsummer  before  the  dogstar  rises  or  immediately 
after  its  rising,  and  it  takes  about  thirty  days  to 
reach  the  Arabian  port  of  Cella  or  Cane''  in  the 
frankincense-producing    district.     There    is    also    a 

417 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

est  et  tertius  portus  qui  vocatur  Muza,  quem  Indica 
navigatio  non  petit,  nec  nisi  turis  odorumque  Ara- 
bicorum  mercatores.  intus  oppidum,  regia  eius, 
appellatur  Sapphar,  aliudque  Save.  Indos  autem 
petentibus  utilissimum  est  ab  Oceli  egredi ;  inde 
vento  Hippalo  navigant  diebus  XL  ad  primum  empor- 
ium  Indiae  Muzirim,  non  expetendum  propter  vicinos 
piratas  qui  optinent  locum  nomine  Nitrias,  neque  est 
abundans  mercibus ;  praeterea  longe  a  terra  abest 
navium  statio,  lintribusque  adferuntur  onera  et 
egerunlur.     regnabat     ibi,     cum     proderem     haec, 

105  Caelobothras.  alius  utilior  portus  gentis  Ncacyndon, 
qui  vocatur  Becare;  ibi  regnabat  Pandion,  longe  ab 
emporio  in  ^  mediterraneo  distante  oppido  quod 
vocatur  Modura  ;  regio  autem  ex  qua  piper  monoxvHs 
lintribus  Bpcaren  convehunt  vocatur  Gsttonara. 
quae  omnia  gentium  portuumve  aut  oppidorum 
noniina    apud    neminem    priorum    reporiuntur,    quo 

106  apparct  mutari  locorum  status.  ex  India  renavigant 
mense  Aegvptio  Tvbi  incipiente,  nostro  Decembri, 
aut  utique  Mechiris  Aegyptii  intra  dicm  sextum, 
quod  fit  intra  idus  lanuarias  nostras ;  ita  evenit  ut 
eodem  anno  remeent.  navigant  autem  ex  India 
vento  \'ohurno  et,  cum  intravere  Rubrum  Mare, 
Africo  vel  Austro. 

*  V.l.  om.  in. 


"  See  above,  §  100. 

*  Probably  Pigcon  Island. 

•  In  fact,  it  waa  with  the  N.E.  monsoon. 


418 


BOOK   VI.  xxvi.  104-106 

third  port  named  Mokha,  which  is  not  called  at  on 
the  voyage  to  India,  and  is  only  used  by  merchants 
trading  in  frankincense  and  Arabian  perfumes. 
Inland  there  is  a  town,  the  residence  of  the  king 
of  the  district,  called  Sapphar,  and  another  called 
Save.  But  the  most  advantageous  way  of  sailing  to 
India  is  to  set  out  from  Cella  ;  from  that  port  it 
is  a  40  days'  voyage,  if  the  Hippalus  °  is  blowing,  to 
the  first  trading-station  in  India,  Cranganore — not  a 
desirable  port  of  call,  on  account  of  the  neighbouring 
pirates,  who  occupy  a  place  called  Nitriae,*  nor  is  it 
specially  rich  in  articles  of  merchandise  ;  and  further- 
more  the  roadstead  for  shipping  is  a  long  way  from 
the  land,  and  cargoes  have  to  be  brought  in  and 
carried  out  in  boats.  The  king  of  Muziris,  at  the  date 
of  publication,  was  Caelobothras.  There  is  another 
more  serviceable  port,  belonging  to  the  Neacyndi 
tribe,  called  Porakad ;  this  is  where  king  Pandion 
reigned,  his  capital  being  a  town  in  the  interior  a 
long  way  from  the  port,  called  Madura ;  while  the 
district  from  which  pepper  is  conveyed  to  Becare 
in  canoes  made  of  hollowed  tree-trunks  is  called 
Cottonara.  But  ail  these  names  of  tribes  and 
ports  or  towns  are  to  be  found  in  none  of  the  previous 
writers,  which  seems  to  show  that  the  local  condi- 
tions  of  the  places  are  changing.  Travellers  set  sail 
from  India  on  the  return  voyage  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Egyptian  month  Tybis,  which  is  our  December, 
or  at  all  events  before  the  sixth  day  of  the  Egyptian 
Mechir,  which  works  out  at  before  January  13  in  our 
calendar — so  making  it  possible  to  return  home  in 
the  same  year.  They  set  sail  from  India  with  a  south- 
east  wind,<^  and  after  entering  the  Red  Sea,continue 
the  voyage  with  a  south-west  or  south  wind. 

419 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Nunc  revertemur  ad  propositum. 

107  XXVII.  Carmaniae  oram  patere  duodeciens  quin- 
quaginta  milia  passuum  Nearchus  scripsit,  ab  initio 
eius  ad  flumen  Sabim  c  p. ;  inde  vineas  coli  et  arva 
ad  flumen  Ananim  x.w  milium  spatio.  regio  vocatur 
Armvsia  ;   oppida  Carmaniae  Zetis  et  Alexandria. 

XXVni.  Inrumpit  deinde  et  in  hac  parte  geminum 
mare  in  ^  terras,  quod  Rubrum  dixere  nostri,  Graeci 
Erythrum  a  rege  Er^thra,  aut,  ut  alii,  solis  reporcussu 
talem   reddi    existimantes   colorem,   alii   ab   harcna 

108  terraque,  alii  tali  aquae  ipsius  natura.  sed  in  duos 
dividitur  sinus.  is  qui  ab  oriente  est  Persicus 
appellatur,  jxxvj  circuitu,  ut  Eratosthenes  tradit. 
ex  adverso  est  Arabia,  cuius  [xv]  longitudo ;  rursus 
altero  ambitur  sinu  Arabico  nominato,  oceanum  qui 
influit  Azanium  appellant.  Persicum  introitu  v 
latitudinis  ahi,^  alii  iv  fecerunt ;  ab  eo  ad  intimum 
sinuxn  recto  cursu  \5iT\  xxv  propemodum  constat  esse, 

109  et  sitimi  eius  humani  capitis  effigie.  Onesicritus  et 
Nearchus  ab  Indo  amne  in  sinum  Persicum  atque 
illinc  Babylonem  Euphratis  paludibus  scripscrunt 
1  \vii|  esse. 

In  Carmaniae   angulo   Chelonophagi,   testudinum 

^   V.l.  ovi.  in.  *  alii  add.  Rackham. 


'  I.C.,   forms   two  t^ays  in   succession,   the   Red    Sea   and 
thd  Persian  Uull,  both  iucluded  here  under  the  name  of  Hubrum 

Marc, 

420 


BOOK    VI.  x.wi.   io6-\\vni.   loo 

We  will  now  return  to  our  main  subject. 

XX\'II.  Xearchus  writes  that  the  length  of  the  Carmania. 
coast  of  Carmania  is  1250  miles,  and  the  distance 
from  its  beginning  to  the  river  Sabis  100  miles; 
and  that  from  that  river  to  the  river  Ananis,  a  space 
of  25  miles,  there  are  vineyards  and  arable  land. 
The  district  is  called  Armysia ;  and  towns  of  Car- 
mania  are  Zetis  and  Alexandria. 

XXVIII.  Moreover  in  this  region  the  sea  then  The  Red 
makes  a  double  inroad  "  into  the  land ;  the  name  'persian 
given  to  it  by  our  countrymen  is  the  Red  Sea,  while  ^'"'^- 
the  Greeks  call  it  Erj^thrum,  from  King  Erythras,  or, 
according  to  others,  in  the  behef  that  the  water  is 
given  a  red  colour  by  the  reflexion  of  the  sun,  while 
others  say  that  the  name  comes  from  the  sand  and 
the  soil,  and  others  that  it  is  due  to  the  actual  water 
being  naturally  of  such  a  character.  However,  this 
sea  is  divided  into  two  bays.  The  one  to  the  east 
is  called  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  according  to  the 
report  of  Eratosthenes  measures  2500  miles  round. 
Opposite  is  Arahia,  with  a  coastline  1500  miles  in 
length,  and  on  its  other  side  Arabia  is  encompassed 
by  the  second  bay,  named  the  Arabian  Gulf;  the 
ocean  flowing  into  this  is  called  the  Azanian  Sea. 
The  width  of  the  Persian  Gulf  at  its  entrance  some 
make  five  and  others  four  miles ;  the  distance  in  a 
straight  line  from  the  entrance  to  the  innermost 
part  of  the  Gulf  has  been  ascertained  to  be  nearly 
1125  miles,  and  its  outhne  has  been  found  to  be  in 
the  Hkeness  of  a  human  head.  Onesicritus  and 
Nearchus  write  that  from  the  river  Indus  to  the 
Persian  Gulf  and  from  there  to  Babylon  by  the 
marshes  of  the  Euphrates  is  a  voyage  of  1700  miles. 
In  an  angle   of  Carmania    are    the  Turtle-eaters, 

421 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

superficie  casas  tegentes,  carne  vescentes  ;  a  fliunine 
Arabi  promunturium  ipsuxn  inhabitant,  praeter 
capita  toto  corpore  hirti  coriisque  piscium   vestiti. 

110  ab  horum  tractu  Indiam  versus  Cascandrus  deserta 
insula  in  oceano  l  p.  traditur,  iuxtaque  eam  freto 
interfluente  Stoidis  quaestuosa  margaritis.  a  pro- 
munturio  Carmanis  iunguntur  Harmozaei;  quidam 
interponunt  Arbios,  ccccxxi  p.  toto  Htore.  ibi 
Portus  Macedonum  et  Arae  Alexandri  in  promun- 

111  turio,  amnes  Siccanas,  dein  Dratinus  et  Salsum.  ab 
eo  promunturium  Themisteas ;  insula  Aphrodisias 
habitatur.  inde  Persidis  initium  ad  flumen  Oratim 
quo  dividitur  ab  Elymaide.  contra  Persidem  insu- 
lae  Psilos,  Cassandra,  Aracha  cxim  monte  praealto 
Neptuno  sacra.  ipsa  Persis  adversus  occasum  sita 
optinet  Htore  dl  p.,  etiam  in  luxum  dives,  in  Par- 
thorum  iam  pridem  translata  nomen. 

Horum  de  imperio  nunc  in  paucis. 

112  XXIX.  Regna  Parthorum  duodeviginti  sunt  omnia ; 
ita  enim  dividunt  provincias  circa  duo,  ut  dixinuis, 
maria,  Rubrum  a  meridie,  Hyrcanium  a  septentrione. 
ex  his  XI  quae  superiora  dicuntur  incipiunt  a  confinio 
422 


BOOK    VI.  xxviii.  109-XXIX.  112 

who  roof  their  houses  ^vith  the  shells  and  live  on  the 
flesh  of  turtles.  These  people  inhabit  the  promontory 
that  is  reached  next  after  leaving  the  river  Arabis. 
They  are  covered  all  over,  except  their  heads,  ^vith 
shaggy  hair,  and  they  wear  clothes  made  of  the  skins 
of  fishes.  After  the  district  belonging  to  these 
people,  in  the  dircction  of  India  there  is  said  to  be 
an  uninhabitcd  island,  Cascandrus,  50  miles  out  at 
sea,  aiid  next  to  it,  with  a  strait  flowing  between, 
Stoidis,  with  a  valuable  pearl-fishery.  After  the 
promontory  the  Carmanians  are  adjoined  by  the 
Harmozaei,  though  some  authorities  place  the  Arbii 
between  them,  stretching  all  along  the  coast  for  421 
miles.  Here  are  the  Port  of  the  Maccdonians  and 
the  Altars  of  Alexander  situated  on  a  promontory ; 
the  rivers  are  Siccanas  and  then  the  Dratinus  and 
the  Salsum.  After  the  Salsuin  is  Cape  Themisteas, 
and  the  inhabited  island  of  Aphrodisias.  Here  is 
the  beginning  of  Farsistan,  at  the  river  Tab,  which 
separates  Farsistan  from  Elymais.  Off  the  coast  of 
Farsistan  lie  the  islands  of  Psilos,  Cassandra  and 
Aracha,  the  last  with  an  extremely  lofty  moun- 
tain,  and  consecrated  to  Neptune.  Farsistan  itself 
occupies  550  miles  of  coast,  facing  west.  It  is 
wealthy  even  to  the  point  of  luxury.  It  has  long  ago 
changed  its  name  to  Parthia. 

We  will  now  give  a  brief  account  of  the  Parthian 
empire. 

XXIX.  The  Parthi  possess  in  all  eighteen  king-  Panhia. 
doms,  such  being  the  divisions  of  their  provinces  on 
the  coasts  of  two  seas,  as  we  have  stated,  the  Red  §4i. 
Sea  on  the  south  and  the  Caspian  Sea  on  the  north. 
Of  these  provinces  the  eleven  designated  the  Upper 
Kingdoms  begin  at  the  frontiers  of  Armenia  and  the 

423 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Armeniae  Caspiisque  litoribus  pertinent  ad  Scythas, 
cum  quibus  ex  aequo  degunt.  reliqua  vii  regna 
inferiora  appellantur.  quod  ad  Parthos  attinet, 
semper  fuit  Parthyaea  in  radicibus  montium  saepius 

113  dictorum  qui  omnes  eas  gentes  praetexunt.  habet 
ab  ortu  Arios,  a  meridie  Carmaniam  et  Arianos,  ab 
occasu  Pratitas  Medos,  a  septentrione  Hyrcanos,  un- 
dique  desertis  cincta.  ulteriores  Parthi  Nomades 
appellantur.  citra  deserta  ab  occasu  lu-bes  eorum 
quas  diximus,  Issatis  et  Calliope,  ab  oriente  aestivo 
Pyropimi,  ab  hiberno  Maria,  in  niedio  Hecatompylos, 
Arsace,  regio  Nisiaea  Parthyenes  nobilis,  ubi 
Alexandropolis  a  conditore. 

114  Necessarium  est  hoc  in  loco  signare  et  Medorum 
situm  terrariunque  faciem  circumagere  ad  Persicum 
mare,  quo  facilius  dein  reliqua  noscantur.  namque 
Media  ab  occasu  transversa  obUque  Parthiae  occur- 
rens  utraque  regna  praecludit.  liabet  ergo  ipsa  ab 
ortu  Caspios  et  Parthos,  a  meridie  Sittacenen  et 
Susianen  et  Persida,  ab  occasu  Adiabenen,  a  septen- 

115  trione  Anncniam.  Persae  Rubrum  mare  semper 
accoluere,  propter  quod  is  sinus  Persicus  vocatur. 
regio  ibi  maritima  Cyropolis,^  qua  vero  ipsa  sul)it  ad 
Medos  Climax  Megale  appellatur,  locus  arduo  montis 

*  Ilermolaus  e  Ptolemaeo  :   Cyribo  aut  Ceribobus  et  alia. 
424 


BOOK   VI.  xxix.  II 2-1 15 

shores  of  the  Caspian,  and  extend  to  the  Scythians, 
■\vith  whom  the  Parthians  live  on  terms  of  equaUty. 
The  remainingsevenkinijdoms  are  called  the  Lower 
Kingdoms.  So  far  as  the  Parthi  are  concerned, 
there  has  aUvays  been  a  country  named  Parthyaea 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  range,  already  men- 
tioned  more  than  once,  which  forms  the  boundary  s  41. 
of  all  these  races.  To  the  east  of  Parthyaea  are  the 
Arii,  to  tlie  south  Carmania  and  the  Ariani,  to  the 
west  tlie  Pratitae,  a  Median  race,  and  to  the  north  the 
Hyrcani ;  and  it  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  desert. 
The  more  remote  Parthians  are  called  the  Nomads. 
Short  of  the  desert  on  the  west  side  are  the  Parthian 
cities  mentioned  above,  Issatis  and  CaUiope ;  north-§44. 
east  is  Pyropum,  south-east  Maria,  mid  in  the  middle 
Hecatompylos,  Arsace,  and  the  fine  disti-ict  of 
Parthyene,  Nisiaea,  containing  the  city  named 
AlexandropoUs  after  its  founder. 

At  this  point  it  is  necessary  also  to  indicate  the  Oeo^aphy 
geographical  position  of  the  Medes,  and  to  trace  a„^  paHhia. 
the  formation  of  the  country  round  to  the  Persian 
Sea,  in  order  that  the  rest  of  tlie  account  that 
follows  may  be  more  easily  understood.  Media  Ues 
cross^vise  on  the  west  side,  meeting  Parthia  at  an 
angle,  and  so  shutting  off  both  groups  of  Parthian 
kingdoms.  Consequently  it  has  the  Caspian  and 
Parthian  people  on  its  east  side,  Sittacene,  Susiane 
and  Farsistan  on  the  south,  Adiabene  on  the  west, 
and  Armenia  on  the  north.  The  Persians  liavc  ahvays 
Uved  on  the  shore  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  is  the 
reason  why  it  is  called  the  Persian  Gulf.  The  coastal 
region  there  is  called  CyropoUs,  but  the  Greek  name 
of  the  place  where  it  runs  up  towards  the  Medes  is  the 
Great  Staircase,  frora  a  steep  gorge  ascending  the 

425 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ascensu  per  gradus,  introitu  angusto,  ad  Persepolim 
caput  regni  dirutam  ab  Alexandro.  praeterea  liabet 
in  extreniis  fmibus  Laodiceam  ab  Antiocho  conditam. 

116  inde  ad  orientem  Magi  optinent  Phrasargida  castel- 
lum,  in  quo  Cyri  sepulchrum  ;  est  et  horum  Ecbatana 
oppidum  translatum  ab  Dario  rege  ad  montes.  inter 
Parthos  et  Arianos  excurrunt  Paraetaceni.  his  a 
gentibus  et  Euphrate  infcriora  regna  includuntur ; 
rehqua  dicemus  a  Mesopotamia  exccpto  mucrone 
eius  Arabumque  populis  in  priore  dictis  volumine. 

117  XXX.  Mesopotamia  tota  Assyriorum  fuit,  vicatim 
dispersa  praeter  Babylona  et  Ninum.  Macedones 
eam  in  urbes  congregavere  propter  ubertatem  soli. 
oppida  practer  iam  dicta  habet  Seleuciam,  Laodi- 
ceam,  Artcmitam  ;  itcm  in  Arabum  gentc  qui  Orroei 
vocantur  et  .Mandani  Antiochiam  quae  a  praefecto 
Mesopotamiac     Nicanore   condita    Arabs  ^    vocatur. 

IIS  iuiiguntur  his  Arabes  introrsus  Eldamari,  supra  quos 
ad  Pallacontam  fiunicn  Bura  oppidum,  Salmani  et 
Masei  Arabes ;  Gurdiaeis  vero  iuncti  Azoni,  per  cjuos 
Zerbis  fluvius  in  Tigrim  cadit,  Azonis  Silices  montani 
et  Orontes,  quorum  ad  occidentem  oppidum  Gauga- 
^  Rackham  :   Arabis  aut  Arabes. 


"  To  distinjriiish  it  from  severai  other  citics  of  the    sarae 
name ;  its  site  is  not  known. 

426 


BOOK   VI.  XXIX.  115-XXX.  118 

mountain  by  stages,  with  a  narrow  entrance,  leading 
to  the  former  capital  of  the  kingdom,  PersepoHs, 
which  was  destroyed  by  Alexander.  Right  on  the 
frontier  the  region  also  possesses  the  city  of  Laodicea, 
founded  by  Antiochus.  To  the  east  of  Laodicea 
is  the  fortress  of  Phrasargis,  occupied  by  the  Magi, 
which  contains  the  tomb  of  Cyrus ;  and  another 
place  belonging  to  the  Magi  is  the  toAvn  of  Ecbatana 
which  King  Darius  transferred  to  the  mountains. 
Between  tlie  Parthi  and  the  Ariani  projects  the 
territory  of  the  Paraetaceni.  The  Lower  Kingdoms 
are  enclosed  by  these  races  and  by  the  Euphrates ; 
of  the  remaining  kingdoms  we  shall  speak  after 
describing  Mesopotamia,  with  the  exception  of  the 
point  of  that  country  and  the  Arabian  peoples 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  volume.  v.  86  fif, 

XXX.  The  whole  of  Mesopotamia  once  belonged  Mesopo- 
to  the  Assyrians,  and  the  population  was  scattered  ""'"''• 
in  villages,  with  the  exception  of  Babylon  and 
Nineveh.  The  Macedonians  collected  its  population 
into  cities,  because  of  the  fertiUty  of  the  soil.  Besides 
the  cities  already  mentioned  it  has  the  towns  of 
Seleucia,  Laodicea  and  Artemita;  and  also,  in  the 
territory  of  the  Arabian  tribe  called  the  Orroei  and 
Mandani,  Antioch,  which  was  founded  by  Nicanor 
when  Governor  of  Mesopotamia,  and  which  is  called 
Arabian  Antioch."  Adjoining  these,  in  the  interior, 
are  the  Arabian  tribe  of  the  Eldamari,  above  whom 
on  the  river  Pallaconta  is  the  town  of  Bura,  and  the 
Arabian  Salmani  and  Masei ;  but  adjoining  the 
Gurdiaei  are  the  Azoni,  through  whose  country 
flows  the  Zerbis,  a  tributary  of  the  Tigris,  and 
adjoining  the  Azoni  the  mountain  tribe  of  the 
Silices  and  the  Orontes ;    west  of  whom  is  the  town 

427 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

tnela,  item  Suae  in  rupibas.  supra  Silicas  Sitrae, 
per  quos  Lycus  ex  Armenia  fertur,  ab  Sitris  ad 
hibemum  exortum  Azochis  oppidum,  mox  in  cam- 
pestribus  oppida  Dios  Pege,  Polytelia,  Stratonicea, 

119  Anthemus.  in  vicinia  Euphratis  Nicephorion,  quod 
diximus ;  Alexander  iussit  condi  propter  loci  oppor- 
tunitatem.  dicta  est  et  in  Zeugmate  Apamea ; 
ex  qua  orientem  petentes  excipit  oppidum  Caphrena 
munituni,  quondam  stadiorum  Lxx  aniphtudine  et 
Satraj)arum    Regia    ajjpelhxtum    quo    tributa     cun- 

120  ferebantur,  nunc  in  arccni  redactum.  durant  ut 
fuere  Thebata  et  ductu  Pompei  Magni  terminus 
Romani  imperi  Oruros,  a  Zeugmate  ccl.^  sunt 
qui  tradunt  Euphraten  Gobaris  praefecti  opere 
diductum  esse  ubi  -  diximus  findi,  ne  praecipiti  cursu 
Babyloniam  infestaret,  ab  Assvriis  vero  universis 
appeUatum  Narmalchan,  quod  significat  regium 
flumen.  qua  dirivatur  oppidum  fuit  Agranis  e 
maximis  quod  diruere  Pcrsae. 

121  BabylonChaldaicarum  gentium  caput  diu  summam 
chiritatem  inter  urbes  obtinuit  in  toto  orbc,  propter 
quam  reliqua  pars  Mesopotamiae  Assyriaeque 
Babylonia  appellata  est,  l\    p.  amplexa    ii'    muris 


*  Loo  Mueller.  *  Muellcr  :   diductum  ubi  esse. 

'  II  add.  Mayhoff. 


42S 


BOOK   VI.  XXX.  118-121 

of  Gaiigamcla,  and  also  Suae  on  a  cliff.  Above  the 
Silices  are  the  Sitrae,  tlirough  whom  flows  the  Lycus 
from  its  source  in  Armenia,  and  south-east  of  the 
Sitrae  the  to^ATi  of  Azochis,  and  then  in  level  country 
the  towns  of  Zeus's  Spring,  Pol}i:elia,  Stratonicea  and 
Anthemus.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Euphrates 
is  Nicephorion,  mentioned  above ;  it  was  founded  v.  sc. 
by  order  of  Alexander  because  of  the  convenience  of 
the  site.  \Ve  have  also  mentioned  Apamea  opposite  v.  8c. 
Bridgetown ;  travelling  eastward  from  which  one 
comes  to  the  fortified  town  of  Cnphrena,  which 
formerly  measured  8|  miles  in  extent  and  was  callcd 
the  Court  of  the  Satraps,  being  a  centre  for  the  collec- 
tion  of  tribute,  but  which  has  now  been  reduced  to  a 
fortress.  Thebata  i-emains  in  the  same  condition  as 
it  was  formerly,  and  so  does  the  place  which  marked 
the  limit  of  the  Roman  Empire  under  the  leader- 
ship  of  Pompey,  Oruros,  250  miles  from  Bridgetown. 
Some  writers  record  that  the  Euphrates  was  diverted 
into  an  artificial  channel  by  the  governor  Gobares  at 
the  place  where  we  have  stated  that  it  divides,  in  v.  89. 
order  to  prevent  the  violence  of  its  current  from 
threatening  damage  to  the  district  of  Babylonia ;  and 
that  its  name  among  the  whole  of  the  Assyrians  is 
Narmalchas,  which  mcans  the  Iloyal  River.  At  the 
point  where  the  channel  divides  there  was  once  a 
very  large  town  named  Agranis,  which  was  destroyed 
by  the  Persians. 

Babylon,  which  is  the  capital  of  the  Chaldaean  DabyUm. 
races,  long  held  an  outstanding  celebrity  among  the 
cities  in  the  whole  of  the  world,  and  in  consequence 
of  this  the  remaining  part  of  Mesopotamia  and 
Assyria  has  received  the  name  of  Babylonia.  It  has 
two  walls  with  a  circuit  of  60  miles.  each  wall  being 

429 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

duccnos  pedes  altis,  quinquagenos  latis,  in  singulos 
pedes  ternis  digitis  mensura  ampliore  quam  nostra, 
interfluo  Euphrate,  mirabili  opere  utrobique.  durat 
adhuc    ibi    lovis    Beli   templum — inventor   hic    fuit 

122  sideralis  scientiae :  cetero  ad  solitudinem  rediit 
exhausta  vicinitate  Seleuciae  ob  id  conditae  a  Nica- 
tore  intra  xc  lapidem  in  confluente  Euphratis  fossa 
perducti  atque  Tigris,  quae  tamen  Babyloiiia  cog- 
noniinatur,  Hbera  hodie  ac  sui  iuris  Macedonumque 
moris.  ferunt  ei  plcbis  urbanae  dc  esse,  situm  vero 
moenium  aquilae  pandentis  alas,  agrum  totius 
oricntis  fertihssimum.  invicem  ad  lianc  exliaurien- 
dam  Ctesiphontem  iuxta  tertium  ab  ea  lapidem  in 
Chalonitide  condidere  Parthi,  quod  nunc  caput  est 
regnorum.  et  postquam  nihil  proficiebatur,  nuper 
Vologesus    rex    aHud    oppidum    Vologesocertam    in 

123  vicino  condidit.  sunt  etiamnum  in  Mesopotamia 
oppida :  Hippareni,^  Chaldaeorum  doctrina  ^  et 
hoc  sicut  Babylon,  iuxta  fluvium  qui  cadit  in  Narra- 
gam  unde  civitati  nomen  (muros  Hipparonorum 
Persae  diruere) ;  Orcheni  quoquc,  tertia  Chaldaeo- 
rum  doctrina,  in  eodem  situ  locantur  ad  meridiem 
versi ;  ab  his  Notitae  et  Orothophanilae  et  Gnesio- 
chartae. 

*  Rackham:   Hipparcnum. 

*  doctrina  clarum  (•dd.  vel. 

"  The  name  Baal  or  Bd  is  interpreted  by  Eusebius  as 
meaninp;  '  heaven  '. 

*  With  this  use  of  doclrina  cf.  studium  generale,  '  uni- 
versity  '. 

430 


BOOK    VI.  xxx.  1 21-123 

200  ft.  high  and  50  ft.  wide  (the  Assyrian  foot 
measures  3  inches  more  than  ours).  The  Euphrates 
flows  through  the  city,  with  marvellous  embank- 
ments  on  either  side.  Thc  temple  of  Jupiter  Belus  " 
in  Babylon  is  still  standing — Behis  ■\vas  tiie  discoverer 
of  the  scicnce  of  astronomy  ;  but  in  all  other  respects 
the  place  has  gone  back  to  a  desert,  having  been 
drained  of  its  population  by  the  proximity  of  Seleucia, 
founded  for  that  purpose  by  Nicator  not  quite  90 
miles  away,  at  the  point  where  the  canaUsed 
Euphrates  joins  the  Tigris.  However,  Seleucia  is 
still  described  as  being  in  the  territory  of  Babylon, 
although  at  the  present  day  it  is  a  free  and  indepen- 
dent  city  and  retain.s  the  Macedonian  manners. 
It  is  said  that  the  population  of  the  city  numbers 
600,000 ;  that  the  plan  of  the  walls  resembles  the 
shape  of  an  eagle  spreading  its  wings ;  and  that  its 
territory  is  the  most  fertile  in  the  whole  of  the  east. 
For  the  purpose  of  dra^nng  away  the  population  of 
Seleucia  in  its  turn,  the  Parthians  founded  Ctesiphon, 
which  is  about  three  miles  from  Seleucia  in  the 
Chalonitis  district,  and  is  now  the  capital  of  the 
kingdoms  of  Parthia.  And  after  it  was  found  that 
the  intended  purpose  was  not  being  achieved,  another 
town  was  recently  founded  in  the  neighbourhood  by 
King  Vologesus,  named  Vologesocerta.  There  are 
in  addition  the  foUowing  towns  in  Mesopotamia : 
Hippareni — this  also  a  school*  of  Chaldaean  learn- 
ing  hke  Babylon — situated  on  a  tributary  of  the 
river  Narraga,  from  which  the  city-state  takes  its 
name  (the  walls  of  Hippareni  were  demohshed 
by  the  Persians) ;  also  Orcheni,  a  third  seat  ^  of 
Chaldaean  learning,  is  situated  in  the  same  neighbour- 
hood  towards  the  south ;  and  next  Notitae  and 
Orothophanitae  and  Gnesiochartac. 

431 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

124  Euphrate  navigari  Babylonem  e  Persico  mari 
ccccxii  p.  tradunt  Nearchus  et  Onesicritus,  qui  vero 
postea  scripsere  ad  Seleuciam  ccccal,  luba  a  Baby- 
lone  Characen  clxxv  d,  fluere  aliqui  ultra  Babylona 
continuo  alveo,  priusquam  distrahatur  ad  rigua, 
LXAXvii,  universo  autera  cursu  |xii|  p.  inconstantiam 
mensurae  diversitas  auctorum  facit,  cum  Persae 
quoque   schoenos   et    parasangas    alii    aha   mensura 

12.J  determinent.  ubi  dcsiit  alveo  munire,  ad  confinium 
Characis  accedente  tractu,  statim  infestant  Attah 
latrones,  Arabum  gens,  ultra  quos  Scenitae.  ambitu 
vero  Euphratis  Nomades  Arabiae  usque  ad  deserta 
Syriae,  unde  in  mcridiem  flecti  eum  diximiis,  soli- 

12G  tudines  Palmyrenas  reUnquentem.  Selcucia  abest 
a  capite  Mcsopotamiae  Euphrate  ^  navigantibus 
lxi|  XXV  p.,  a  Mari  Rubro.  si  Tigri  navigetur,  cccxx, 
a  Zeugmate  dccxxiv.  Zeugma  abest  Seleucia  Syriae 
ad  nostrum  htiis  clxxv.      haec  est  ibi  latitudo  ter- 


rarum  inter  duo  maria,  Parthici  vero  regni  dccccxviii. 

XXXI.  Est  etiainnum  oppidum   Mesopotamiae  in 

ripa  Tigris  circa  confluentes,  quod   vocant   Digbam. 

^  Mayhoff :   Euphrat«n. 

"  See  p.  266,  n.  o.     The  parasang  was  30  stades,  say  3J 
miles. 

'  Including  the  Persian  Gulf,  p.  420,  n.  a. 

432 


BOOK   VI.  xxx.  124-XXX1.  126 

Nearchus  and  Onesicritus  report  that  the  Euphrates  The 
is  navigable  from  the  Persian  Sea  to  Babylon,  a  ^"pf^raies. 
distance  of  412  miles ;  but  subsequent  wTiters  say 
it  is  navigable  up  to  Seleucia,  4-10  miles,  and  .Tuba 
from  Bab)'lon  as  far  as  Charax,  175^  miles.  Some 
report  that  it  continues  to  flow  in  a  single  channel 
for  a  distance  of  87  miles  beyond  Babylon  before  it  is 
diverted  into  irrigation-channels,  and  tliat  its  entire 
course  is  1200  miles  long.  This  discrepancy  of 
measurement  is  due  to  the  variety  of  authors  that 
have  dealt  -w-ith  the  matter,  as  even  among  the 
Persians  difFerent  wTiters  give  different  measuremcnts 
for  the  length  of  the  schoenus  "  and  the  parasang. 
Where  it  ceases  to  afford  protection  by  its  channel, 
as  it  does  wlien  its  course  approaches  the  boundary 
of  Charax,  it  immediately  bcgins  to  be  infested  by 
the  AttaH,  an  Arabian  tribe  of  brigands,  beyond 
whom  are  the  Scenltae.  But  the  winding  course 
of  the  Euphrates  is  occupied  by  the  Nomads  of 
Arabia  right  on  to  the  desert  of  Syria,  where,  as  we 
have  stated,  the  river  makes  a  bend  to  the  south,  v.  87. 
quitting  the  uninhabited  districts  of  Palmyra.  The 
distance  of  Seleucia  from  the  beginning  of  Mesopo- 
tamia  is  a  voyage  by  the  Euphrates  of  1125  miles  ;  its 
distance  from  the  Red  Sea,  if  the  voyage  by  made  by 
the  Tigris,  is  320  miles,  and  from  Bridgetown  724 
miles.  Bridgetown  is  175  miles  from  Seleucia  on 
the  Mediterranean  coast  of  Syria.  This  gives  the 
breadtli  of  the  country  lying  between  the  Mediter- 
ranean  and  the  Red  Sea.''  The  extent  of  the  kingdom 
of  Parthia  is  918  miles. 

XXXI.   Moreover    therc   is  a  town  belonging  to  The  Tigris. 
Mesopotamia   on  the   bank   of  the   Tigris   near  its 
confluence  with  the  Euphrates,  the  name  of  which 

433 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

127  sed  et  de  Tigri  ippo  dixisse  convcniat.  oritur  in 
regione  Armeniae  Maioris  fonte  conspicuo  in  planitie  ; 
loco  nomen  Elecrosini  ^  est,  ipsi  qua  tardlor  fluit 
Diglito,  unde  concitatur,  a  celeritate  Tigris  incipit 
vocari — ita  appellant  Medi  sagittam.  influit  in 
lacum  Aretissam,  omnia  inlata  pondera  sustinentem 
et  nitrum  nebulis  exhalantem.  unum  genus  ei 
piscium  est,  idque  transourrentis  non  miscetur  alveo 
sicut    neque   e   Tigri   pisces   in   lacura   transnatant ; 

128  fertur  autem  et  cursu  et  colore  dissimilis,  trans- 
vectusque  occurrente  Tauro  monte  in  specum  mer- 
gitur  subterque  lapsus  a  latere  altero  eius  erumpit. 
locxis  vocatur  Zoaranda ;  eundem  esse  manifestum 
est  quod  demcrsa  perfert.  alterum  deinde  transit 
lacum  qui  Thespitcs  appellatur  rursusquc  in  cuniculos 
mergitur  et  post  x\n  p.  circa  Nyniphacum  redditur. 
tam  vicinum  Arsaniae  fluere  cum  in  regione  Archene 
Claudius  Caesar  auctor  est,  ut  cum  intumuere 
confluant  nec  tamen  misceantur,  leviorque  Arsanias 
innatet  mmmm  ferme  spatio,  mox  divisus  in  Euphraten 

*  liackham:  Elcgosine. 
434 


BOOK   VI.  XXXI.  126-128 

is  Digba.  But  some  statement  about  the  Tigris 
itself  may  also  be  suitable  here.  The  source 
of  the  Tigris  is  in  a  region  of  Greater  Armenia, 
and  is  clearly  visible,  being  on  level  ground ;  the 
name  of  the  place  is  Elegosine,  and  the  stream 
itself  in  its  comparatively  sluggish  part  is  named 
DigUtus,  but  where  its  flow  accelerates,  it  begins 
to  be  called  the  Tigris,  o^ing  to  its  swiftness — 
tigris  is  the  Persian  word  for  an  arrow.  It  flows 
into  Lake  Aretissa,  heavy  objects  thrown  into  which 
always  float  on  the  surface,  and  which  gives  oiF 
nitrous  vapours.  The  lake  contains  a  single  species 
of  fish,  which  never  enters  the  current  of  the  Tigris 
floAving  through  the  lake,  as  hkev\ise  the  fish  of  the 
river  do  not  swim  out  of  its  stream  into  the  water 
of  the  lake ;  but  the  riveir  travels  on  in  a  distinct 
course  and  v\ith  a  difFerent  colour,  and  when  after 
traversing  the  lake  it  comes  against  Mount  Taurus, 
it  plunges  into  a  cave,  gHdes  underground,  and 
bursts  out  again  on  the  other  side  of  the  moxmtain. 
The  name  of  the  place  where  it  emerges  is  Zoaranda ; 
and  the  identity  of  the  stream  is  proved  by  the  fact 
that  objects  thrown  into  it  are  carried  through  the 
tunnel.  Then  it  crosses  a  second  lake  called  Thes- 
pites,  and  again  burrows  into  underground  passages, 
re-emerging  22  miles  further  on  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Xymphaeum.  According  to  Claudius  Caesar,  the 
course  of  the  Tigris  in  the  Archene  district  is  so  close 
to  that  of  the  Arsanias  that  when  they  are  in  flood 
they  flow  together,  although  without  intermingHng 
their  waters ;  that  of  the  Arsanias  being  of  less 
specific  gravity  floats  on  the  surface  for  a  distance 
of  nearly  four  miles,  after  which  the  two  rivers 
separate,    and    the    Arsanias    discharges    into    the 

435 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

129  mergatur.  Tigris  autem  ex  Armenia  acceptis 
fluminibus  claris  Parthenia  ac  Nicephorione  Arabas 
Orroeos  Adiabcnosque  disterminans  et  quam  dixi- 
mus  Mesopotamiam  faciens,  lustratis  montibus 
Gurdiaeorum  circa  Apameam  Mesenes  oppidum, 
citra  Seleuciam  Babyloniam  cx.\v  p,  divisus  in  alveos 
duos,  altero  meridiem  ac  Seleuciam  petit  Mesenen 
perfundens,  altero  ad  septcntrioncm  flexus  eiusdem 
gentis  tergo  campos  Cauchas  secat,  ubi  remeavere 

VSO  aquae,  Pasitigris  appellatus.  postea  recipit  ex 
Media  Choaspen,  atque,  ut  diximus,  inter  Seleuciam 
et  Ctesiphontem  vectus  in  Lacus  Chaldaicos  se  fundit 
eosque  lxTi  p.  amplitudine  implet.  mox  vasto  alveo 
profusus  dextra  Characis  oppidi  infertur  mari  Pcrsico 
X  p.  ore.  intcr  duorum  amnium  ostia  xxv  p.  fuere, 
ut  alii  tradunt,  vn,^  utroque  navigabili ;  sed  longo 
tempore  Euphraten  praeclusere  Orcheni  et  ^  accolae 
agros  rigantes,  nec  nisi  per  Tigrim  defertur  in  mare. 

131  Proxima  Tigri  regio  Parapotamia  appcUatin-.  in 
ea  dictum  est  de  Mesene — oppidum  eius  Dabitha ; 
iungitur  Chalonitis  cum  Ctesiphonte,  non  palmetis 
modo  verum  et  olea  pomisque  arbusta  ^.  ad  eam 
pervenit    Zagrus    mons    ex    Armenia    inter    Mcdos 

*  xva  ?  RackluiTn. 

*  ut  aid  del.  et  cdd.,  ct  <alii>  ?  Rackham. 

*  Dctlefsen  :   arbustis. 

"  It  seema  morc  probable  that  the  altemative  figure  waa  17. 


BOOK   VI.  XXXI.  1 28-131 

Euphrates.  The  Tigris  hoAvever  after  receiving  as 
tributaries  from  Armenia  those  notable  rivers  the 
Parthenias  and  Nicephorion,  makes  a  frontier  between 
the  Arab  tribes  of  the  Orroei  and  Adiabeni  and  forms 
the  region  of  Mesopotamia  montioned  above ;  it§25. 
then  traverses  the  mountains  of  the  Gurdiaei,  flowing 
round  Apamea,  a  town  belonging  to  Mesene,  and 
125  miles  short  of  Babylonian  Seleucia  spHts  into 
two  channels,  one  of  which  flows  south  and  reaches 
Seleucia,  watering  Mesene  on  the  way,  while  the 
other  bends  northward  and  passing  behind  the  same 
people  cuts  through  the  plains  of  Cauchae ;  when 
the  two  streams  have  reunited,  the  river  is  called 
Pasitigris.  Aftervvards  it  is  joined  by  the  Kerkhah 
from  Media,  and,  as  we  have  said,  after  flowing§i22. 
between  Seleucia  and  Ctesiphon  empties  itself  into 
the  Chaldaean  Lakes,  and  broadens  them  out  to  a 
width  of  62  miles.  Then  it  flows  out  of  the  Lakes 
in  a  vast  channel  and  passing  on  the  right-hand  side 
of  the  tOAvn  of  Charax  discharges  into  the  Persian 
Sea,  the  mouth  of  the  river  being  10  miles  wide. 
The  mouths  of  the  two  rivei-s  used  to  be  25  miles 
apart,  or  as  others  record  7  "  miles,  and  both  were 
navigable ;  but  a  long  time  ago  the  Euphrates  was 
dammed  by  the  Orcheni  and  other  neighbouring 
tribes  in  order  to  irrigate  their  lands,  and  its  water 
is  only  discharged  into  the  sea  by  way  of  the  Tigris. 

The  country  adjacent  to  the  Tigris  is  called  Para-  Ttte  Tigris 
potamia.     It  contains  the  district  of  Mesene,  men-  ''^?"^- 
tioned  above  ;  a  town  in  this  is  Dabitha,  and  adjoining  §  129. 
it  is  Chalonitis,  with  the  town  of  Ctesiphon,  a  wooded 
district  containing   not   only   palm   groves   but   also 
oHves  and  orchards.     Mount  Zagrus  extends  as  far 
as   Chalonitis   from   Armenia,  coming  between  the 

voL.  11.  P     437 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Adiabenosque  veniens  supra  Paraetacenen  et  Persida. 
Chalonitis  abest  a  Perside  ccclxxx  p. ;  tantum  a 
Caspio   mari   et   a   Syria   abesse   conpendio   itineris 

132  aliqui  tradunt.  inter  has  gentes  atque  Mesenen 
Sittacene  est,  eadem  Ai"belitis  et  Palaestine  dicta. 
oppidum  eius  Sittace  Graecorum,  ab  ortu  et  Sabdata, 
ab  occasu  autem  Antiochia  inter  duo  flumina  Tigrim 
et  Tomadotum,  item  Apamea,  cui  nomen  Antiochus 
matris   suae   inposuit ;    Tigri  ^  circumfunditur  haec, 

133  dividitur  Archoo.  infra  est  Susiane,  in  qua  vetus 
regia  Persarum  Susa  a  Dario  Hystaspis  filio  condita. 
abest  ab  Seleucia  Babylonia  ccccL  p.,  tantundem  ab 
Ecbatanis  Medorum  per  montem  Carbantum.  in 
septentrionali  Tigris  alveo  oppidum  est  Barbitace; 
abest  a  Susis  cxxxv  p.  ibi  mortalium  solis  ^  aurum 
in  odio ;  contrahunt  id  defodiuntque,  ne  cui  sit  in 
usu.  Susianis  ad  orientem  versus  iunguntur  Oxii 
latrones  et    Mizaeorum   xl  populi   liberae  feritatis. 

134  supra    eos    parent    Parthis    Mardi    et    Saitae   ii    qui 

praetenduntur  supra  Elymaida,  quam  Persidi  in  ora 

iunximus.     Susa  a  Persico  mari  absunt  ccL  p.     qua 

subiit   ad  eam  chassis  Alexandri   Pasitigri,  vicus  ad 

lacum    Chaldaicum   vocatur    Aple,   unde  Susa   navi- 

gatione  lxii  d  p.  absunt.     Susianis  ab  oriente  proxi- 

mi    sunt  Cossiaei,  supra  Cossiaeos  ad  septentionem 

^  Gronovius :  Tigria. 

*  Pintianus  :  boU  (soli  auri  miro  odio  contrahunt  Mayhoff). 


BOOK   VI.  xxxi.  131-134 

Medes  and  the  Adiabeiii  above  Paraetacene  and 
Farsistan.  The  distance  of  Chalonitis  from  Farsistan 
is  380  miles,  and  some  persons  say  that  by  the  shortest 
route  it  is  the  same  distance  from  the  Caspian  Sea 
and  from  Syria.  Between  these  races  and  Mesene 
is  Sittacene,  which  is  also  called  Arbelitis  and 
Palaestine.  Its  town  of  Sittace  is  of  Greek  origin, 
and  also  to  the  east  of  this  is  Sabdata  and  to  the 
west  Antiochia,  which  hes  between  the  two  rivers, 
Tigris  and  Tornadotus,  and  also  Apamea,  which 
Antiochus  named  after  his  mother ;  this  to^vn  is 
surrounded  by  the  Tigris,  and  the  Archous  intersects 
it.  Below  is  Susiane,  in  which  is  situated  Susa,  the 
ancient  capital  of  the  Persian  monarchy,  founded  by 
Darius  son  of  Hystaspes.  Babylonia  is  450  miles 
from  Seleucia,  and  the  same  distance  from  Ecbatana 
of  the  Medes,  by  way  of  Mount  Carbantus.  On  the 
northern  channel  of  the  Tigris  is  the  to\vn  of  Barbitace, 
which  is  135  miles  from  Susa.  Here  are  the  only 
peo))le  among  mankind  who  have  a  hatred  for  gold, 
which  they  collect  together  and  bury,  to  prevent  any- 
one  from  using  it.  Adjoining  the  Susiani  on  the  east 
are  the  brigand  Oxii  and  the  forty  independent  and 
savage  tribes  of  the  Mizaei.  Above  these  and  subject 
to  the  Partliians  are  the  Mardi  and  Saitae  stretching 
above  Elymais,  which  we  described  as  adjacent  to§iii. 
Farsistan  on  tlie  coast.  The  distance  of  Susa  from 
the  Persian  Gulf  is  250  miles.  Near  where  the  fleet 
of  Alexander  came  up  the  Pasitigris  to  the  city  of 
Susa  is  a  village  on  the  Chaldaic  lake  called  Aple, 
the  distance  of  which  from  Susa  is  a  voyage  of  Q2^ 
miles.  The  nearest  people  to  the  Susiani  on  the 
east  side  are  the  Cossiaei,  and  beyond  the  Cossiaei 
to  the  north  is   Massabatene,  lying   below    Mount 

439 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Massabatene  sub  monte  Cambalido,  qui  est  Caucasi 
ramus,  inde  mollissimo  transitu  in  Bactros. 

13.J  Susianen  ab  Elvmaide  disterminat  amnis  Eulaeus 
ortus  in  Medis  modicoque  spatio  cuniculo  conditus 
ac  rursus  exortus  et  per  Massabatenen  lapsus.  cir- 
cumit  arcem  Susorum  ac  Dianae  templum  augustissi- 
mum  illis  gentibus,  et  ipse  in  magna  caerimonia, 
siquidem  reges  non  ex  alio  bibunt  et  ob  id  in  longinqua 
portant.  recipit  amnes  Hedyphon  praeter  Asylum 
Persarum  venientem,  Adunam  ex  Susianis.  oppi- 
dum  iuxta  eum  Magoa,  a  Charace  xv  p. ;  quidam  hoc 
in  extrema  Susiane  ponunt  solitudinibus  proximum. 

136  infra  Eulaevun  Elymais  est  in  ora  iuncta  Persidi,  a 
flumine  Orati  ad  Characem  ccxl  p. ;  oppida  eius 
Seleucia  et  Sostrate  adposita  monti  Chasiro.  oram 
quae  praeiacet  Minorum  Syrtium  vice  diximus 
inaccessam  coeno,  plurimum  limi  deferentibus  Brixa 
et  Ortacia  amnibus,  madente  et  ipsa  Elymaide  in 
tantum  ut  nullus  sit  nisi  circuitu  eius  ad  Persidem 
aditus.  infestatur  et  serpentibus  quos  flumina 
deportant.  pars  eius  maxume  invia  Characene 
vocatur  ab  oppido  Arabiae  claudente  regna  ea; 
440 


BOOK   VI.  xxxi.  134-136 

Cambalidus,  which  is  a  spur  of  the  Caucasus  range ; 
from  this  point  is  the  easiest  route  across  to  the 
country  of  the  Bactri. 

The  territory  of  Susa  is  separated  from  Elymais  Susa. 
by  the  river  Karun,  which  rises  in  the  country  of 
the  Medes,  and  after  running  for  a  modcrate  distance 
underground,  comes  to  the  surface  again  and  flows 
through  Massabatene.  It  passes  round  the  citadel 
of  Susa  and  the  temple  of  Diana,  which  is  regarded 
viiih  tlie  greatest  reverence  by  the  races  in  those 
parts  ;  and  the  river  itself  is  held  in  great  veneration, 
inasmuch  as  the  kings  drink  water  drawn  from  it 
only,  and  consequently  have  it  conveyed  to  places 
a  long  distance  away.  Tributaries  of  the  Karun 
are  the  Hedyphos,  which  flows  past  the  Persian 
town  of  Asylum,  and  the  Aduna  coming  from  the 
territory  of  the  Susiani.  On  the  Karun  lies  the 
town  of  Magoa,  15  miles  from  Charax — thougli 
some  people  locate  Magoa  at  the  extreme  edge  of 
the  territory  of  Susa,  close  to  the  desert.  Below 
the  Kariin  on  the  coast  is  Elj^mais,  which  marches 
with  Farsistan  and  extends  from  the  river 
Oratis  to  the  Charax,  a  distance  of  240  miles ;  its 
towTis  are  Seleucia  and  Sostrate,  situated  on  the 
flank  of  Mount  Chasirus.  The  coast  lying  in  front, 
as  we  have  stated  above,  is  rendered  inaccessible  §  99. 
by  mud,  Hke  the  Lesser  Syrtes,  as  the  rivers  Brixa 
and  Ortacia  bring  do^^Ti  a  quantity  of  sediment,  and 
the  Elymais  district  is  itself  so  marshy  that  it  is  only 
possible  to  reach  Farsistan  by  making  a  long  dctour 
round  it.  It  is  also  infested  with  snakes  carried  down 
by  the  streams.  A  particularly  inaccessiblc  part  of 
it  is  called  Characene,  from  Charax,  a  town  of  Arabia 
that  marlcs  the  frontier  of  these  kingdoms ;  about 

441 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

de  quo  dicemiis  exposita  prius  M.  Agrippae  sententia. 

137  namque  is  Mediam  et  Parthiam  et  Persidem  ab 
orientc  Indo,  ab  occidentc  Tigri,  a  scptentrione 
Tauro,  Caucaso,  a  meridie  Rubro  mari  terminatas 
patere  in  longitudinem  |xiii|  xx  p.,  in  latitudineni 
DcccxL  prodidit,  praeterea  per  se  Mesopotamiam 
ab  oriente  Tigri,  ab  occasu  Euphrate,  a  septentrione 
Tauro,  a  meridie  mari  Persico  inclusam,  longitudine 
Dccc  p.,  latitudine  cccl.v. 

138  Charax  oppidum  Persici  sinus  intimura,  a  quo 
Arabia  Eudaemon  cognominata  excurrit,  habitatur 
in  colle  manu  facto  inter  confluentes  dextra  Tigrim, 
laeva  Eulaeum,  fi  ^  p.  laxitate.  conditum  est  primum 
ab  Alexandro  Magno  colonis  ex  urbe  regia  Durine 
quae  tum  interiit  deductis  miUtumque  ^  inutilibus 
ibi  relictis ;  Alexandriam  appellari  iusserat,  pagum- 
que  Pellacum  a  patria  sua  qucm  proprie  Maccdo- 

139  num  fecerat.  flumina  id  oppidum  expugnavere. 
postea  restituit  Antiochus  quintus  regum  el  suo 
nomine  appellavit ;  iterum  quoque  infestatum  Spao- 
sines  Sagdodonaci  fihus,  rex  finitimonmi  Arabum, 
quem  luba  satrapen  Antiochi  fuisse  falso  tradit, 
oppositis    moHbus    restituit    nomenque    suum    dedit 

'  m  aiU  VI  edd.  *   V.l.  om.  que. 

"  The  fipure  should  perhaps  be  emended  to  3  or  even  6. 

*  Or  pcrhaps  *  thcse  settlers  being  invalided  soldiera  who 
had  been  left  at  Durine  '. 

*  J.e.  Charax  Spaosinou. 

442 


BOOK   VI.  xxxi.  136-139 

this  tovm  we  will  now  speak,  after  first  stating  the 
opinion  of  Marcus  Agrippa.  According  to  his  account 
the  countries  of  Media,  Parthia  and  Farsistan  are 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Indus,  on  the  west  by 
the  Tigris,  on  the  north  by  the  Taurus  and  Cau- 
casus  mountains,  and  on  the  south  by  the  Red  Sea, 
and  cover  an  area  1320  miles  in  length  and  840 
miles  in  breadth ;  he  adds  that  the  area  of 
Mesopotamia  by  itself,  bounded  by  the  Tigris  on 
the  east,  the  Euphrates  on  the  west,  Mount  Taurus 
on  the  north  and  the  Persian  Sea  on  the  south,  is 
800  miles  in  length  by  360  miles  in  breadth. 

The  town  of  Charax  is  situated  in  the  innermost  Charax 
recess  of  the  Persian  Gulf,  from  which  projects  the 
countrj'  called  Arabia  Felix.  It  stands  on  an 
artificial  elevation  between  the  Tigris  on  the  right 
and  the  Kariin  on  the  left,  at  the  point  where  these 
two  rivers  unite,  and  the  site  measures  two  "  miles 
in  breadth.  The  original  tovm  was  founded  by 
Alexander  the  Great  Mith  settlers  brought  from  the 
royal  city  of  Durine,  which  was  then  destroyed, 
and  vrith  ^  the  invalided  soldiers  from  his  army  who 
were  left  there.  He  had  given  orders  that  it  was  to 
be  called  Alexandria,  and  a  borough  which  he  had 
assigned  specially  to  the  Macedonians  was  to  be 
namcd  Pellaeum,  after  the  place  where  he  was  born. 
The  original  to\\Ti  was  destroyed  by  the  rivers,  but 
it  was  aftervvards  restored  by  Antiochus,  the  fifth 
lcing  of  Syria,  who  gave  it  his  own  name;  and  when 
it  had  been  ajrain  damajired  it  was  restored  andnamed 
after  himself<=  by  Spaosines  son  of  Sagdodonacus, 
king  of  the  neighbouring  Arabs,  who  is  WTongly 
stated  by  Juba  to  have  been  a  satrap  of  Antiochus ; 
he  constructed  embankments  for  the  protection  of 

443 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

emunito  situ  iuxta  in  longitudinem  vi  p.,  in  latitu- 
dinem  paulo  minus.  primo  afuit  a  litore  stadios 
X    et   maritimum    etiam    ipsa   portum   habuit,    luba 

140  vero  prodente  l  p. ;  nunc  abesse  a  litore  cxx  legati 
Arabum  nostrique  negotiatores  qui  inde  venere 
adfirmant.  nec  ulla  in  parte  plus  aut  celerius  pro- 
fecere  terrae  fluminibus  invectae ;  magis  illud  ^ 
mirum  est,  aestu  longe  ultra  id  acccdente  non 
repercussas. 

141  Hoc  in  loco  genitum  esse  Dionysium  terrarum 
orbis  situs  recentissimum  auctorem,  quem  ad  com- 
mentanda  omnia  in  orientem  praemiserit  divus 
Augustus  ituro  in  Armeniam  ad  Parthicas  Arabicas- 
que  res  maiore  fiUo,  non  me  practeriit,  nec  sum 
obhtus  sui  quemque  situs  dihgentissimum  auctorem 
visum  nobis  introitu  operis ;  in  hac  tamen  parte 
arma  Romana  sequi  placet  nobis  lubamquc  regem 
ad  eundem  Gaium  Caesarem  scriptis  voluminibus  de 
eadem  expeditione  Arabica. 

142  XXXII.  Arabia,  gentium  nulU  postferenda  ampU- 
tudine,  longissime  a  monte  Amano  e  regione  CiUciae 
Commagenesque  descendit,  ut  diximus,  muUis 
gentibus  eorum  deductis  illo  a  Tigrane  Magno, 
sponte  vero  ad  mare  nostrum  Utusque  Aegyptium, 

^  illud  Rackham  :  id. 

•  The  empcror'8  adopted  son,  his  grandson  Gaius. 
444 


BOOK   ^'I.  XXXI.  i39-xx.\ii.  142 

the  town,  and  raised  the  level  of  the  adjacent  ground 
over  a  space  of  six  miles  in  length  and  a  little  less  in 
breadth.  It  was  originally  at  a  distance  of  Ij  miles 
from  tlie  coast,  and  had  a  harbour  of  its  own,  but 
when  Juba  pubHshed  his  work  it  was  50  miles  inland  ; 
its  present  distance  from  the  coast  is  stated  by  Arab 
envoys  and  our  own  traders  who  have  come  from  the 
place  to  be  120  miles.  There  is  no  part  of  the  world 
where  earth  carried  down  by  rivers  has  encroached 
on  the  sea  further  or  more  rapidly  ;  and  what  is  more 
surprising  is  that  the  deposits  have  not  been  driven 
back  by  the  tide,  as  it  approaches  far  beyond  this  point. 

It  has  not  escaped  my  notice  that  Charax  was  the 
birthplace  of  Dionysius,  the  most  recent  Avriter 
dealing  with  the  geography  of  the  world,  who  was 
sent  in  advance  to  the  East  by  his  late  majesty 
Augustus  to  write  a  full  account  of  it  when  the 
emperor's  elder  son  "  was  about  to  proceed  to  Armenia 
to  take  command  against  the  Parthians  and  Arabians  ; 
nor  have  I  forgotten  the  view  stated  at  the  m.  2. 
beginning  of  my  work  that  each  author  appears  to 
be  most  accurate  in  describing  his  own  country ; 
in  this  section  however  my  intention  is  to  be  guided 
by  the  Roman  armies  and  by  King  Juba,  in  his 
volumes  dedicated  to  the  above-mentioned  Gaius 
Caesar  describing  the  same  expedition  to  Arabia. 

XXXII.  In  regard  to  the  extent  of  its  terri-  Arabia. 
tory  Arabia  is  infferior  to  no  race  in  the  world ; 
its  longest  dimension  is,  as  we  have  said,  the  slope  v.  85. 
down  from  Mount  Amanus  in  the  direction  of 
Cilicia  and  Commagene,  many  of  the  Arabian  races 
having  been  brought  to  that  country  by  Tigranes 
the  Great,  while  others  have  migrated  of  their  own 
accord  to  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Egyptian  coast, 

445 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

nt  docuimus,  nec  non  in  media  Syriae  ad  Libanum 
montcm    penetrantibus    Nubeis,    quibus    iunguntur 

143  Ramisi,  dcin  Teranci,  dein  Patami.  ipsa  vero 
paeninsula  Arabia  intcr  duo  maria  Rubrum  Persi- 
cumque  procurrens,  quodam  naturae  artificio  ad 
similitudinem  atque  magnitudinem  Italiae  mari 
circumfusa,  in  eandem  etiam  caeli  partem  nulla 
diffcrentia  spectat,  haec  quoque  in  illo  situ  felix. 
populos  eius  a  nostro  mari  usque  ad  Palmyrenas  ^ 
solitudines  diximus,  reliqua  nunc  inde  peragemus. 

Nomadas  infestatoresque   Chaldaeorum  Scenitae, 
ut  diximus,  cludunt,  et  ipsi  vagi,  sed  a  tabcrnaculis 

144  cognominati  quae  cihciis  metantur  ubi  libuit.  deinde 
Nabataei  oppidum  incolunt  Pctram  nomine  in  con- 
valle,  paulo  minus  li  p.  amplitudinis,  circumdatum 
montibus  inaccessis,  amne  interfluente.  abest  ab 
Gaza  oppido  Utoris  nostri  vc,  a  sinu  Persico  dcxxxv.* 
huc  convenit  utrumque  bivium,  eorum  qui  ex  Syria 
Palmyram  petierc  et  eorum  qui  a  Gaza  venerunt. 

145  a  Petra  incoluere  Omani  ad  Characcn  usquc  oppidis 
quondam  claris  ab  Samiramide  conditis  Abaesamide 
et  Soractia ;  nunc  sunt  solitudines.  dcinde  est 
oppidum  quod  Characenorum  regi  paret  in  Pasitigris 
ripa,  Forat  nomine,  in  quod  a  Petra  conveniunt, 
Characenque   inde    xu    p.   secundo   aestu   navigant. 

*  Edd.  Palmyrenae,  -rene  (an  Palmyrenes?   Mayhoff). 

*  Dcxxxv  {vel  Dccxxxv)  Wanninxjlon  :   cxxxv. 

"  Perhaps  we  sbould  reud  735;   the  MSS.  give  135. 
446 


BOOK   VI.  XXXII.  142-145 

as  we  have  explained,  and  also  the  Nubei  penetrating  v.65. 
to  the  middle  of  Syria  as  far  as  Mount  Lebanon 
adjoining  ■vvhom  are  the  Ramisi  and  then  the  Teranei 
and  then  the  Patami.  Arabia  itself  however  is  a 
peninsula  projecting  between  two  seas,  the  Red 
Sea  and  the  Persian  Gulf,  some  device  of  nature 
having  surrounded  it  by  sea  with  a  conformation 
and  an  area  resembling  Italy,  and  also  with  exactly 
the  same  orientation,  so  that  it  also  has  the  advantage 
of  that  geographical  position.  We  have  stated  the 
peoples  that  inhabit  it  from  the  Mediterranean  to 
the  deserts  of  Pahnyra,  and  we  will  now  recount 
the  remainder  of  them  from  that  point  onward. 

Bordering  on  the  Nomnds  and  thc  tribes  that 
harry  the  territories  of  the  Chaldaeans  are,  as  we 
have  said,  the  Scenitae,  thcmselves  also  a  wandering  v.  65,  86. 
people,  but  taking  their  name  from  their  tents  made  ^^"  ^"^* 
of  goat's-hair  cloth,  which  they  pitch  wherever  they 
fancy.  Next  are  the  Nabataeans  inhabiting  a  to^wTi 
named  Petra ;  it  lies  in  a  deep  valley  a  Uttle  less 
than  two  miles  wide,  and  is  surrounded  by  in- 
accessible  mountains  with  a  river  flowing  between 
them.  Its  distancc  from  the  town  of  Gaza  on  the 
Mediterranean  coast  is  600  miles,  and  from  the 
Persian  Gulf  635  miles."  At  Petra  two  roads  meet, 
one  leading  from  Syria  to  Palmyra,  and  the  other 
coming  from  Gaza.  After  Petra  the  country  as  far 
as  Charax  was  inhabited  by  the  Omani,  with  the  once 
famous  towns  of  Abacsamis  and  Soractia,  founded 
by  Samiramis ;  but  now  it  is  a  desert.  Then  there 
is  a  town  on  the  bank  of  the  Pasitigris  named  Forat, 
subject  to  the  king  of  the  Characeni ;  tliis  is  resorted 
to  by  people  from  Petra,  who  make  the  journey 
from  there  to  Charax,  a  distance  of  12   miles  by 

447 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

e  Parthico  autem  regno  navigantibus  vicus  Teredon 
infra  confluentem  Euphratis  et  Tigris ;  laeva  fluminis 

146  Chaldaei  optinent,  dextra  nomades  Scenitae.  quidam 
et  alia  duo  oppida  longis  intervallis  Tigri  praena\igari 
tradunt,  Barbatiam,  mox  Dumatham,  quod  abesse 
a  Petra  dierum  x  navigatione.  nostri  negotiatores 
dicunt  Characenorum  regi  parere  et  Apameam, 
sitam  ubi  restagnatio  Euphratis  c\im  Tigri  confluat, 
itaque  mohentes  incursionem  Parthos  operibus 
obiectis  inundatione  arceri. 

147  Nunc  a  Charace  dicemus  oram  Epiphani  prinium 
exquisitam.  locus  ubi  Euphratis  ostium  fuit,  flumen 
salsum,  promunturium  Caldone,  voragini  simiHus 
quam  mari  aestuarium  ^  per  Lorae,^  flumen  Achenum, 
deserta  c  p.  usque  ad  insulam  Icarum,^  sinus  Capeus 
quem  accolunt  Gauloj^es  et  Gattaei,  sinus  Gerraicus, 
oppidum   Gerra  v  p.  amplitudine;    turres  habet  ex 

148  sahs  quadratis  molibus.  a  htore  L  regio  Attene ; 
ex  adverso  Tyros  insula  totidem  milibus  a  Htore, 
plurimis  margaritis  celeberrima  cum  oppido  eiusdem 
nominis,  iuxtaque  altera  minor  a  promunturio  eius 
3m  D  p.  ultra  magnas  aspici  insulas  tradunt  ad  quas 

*  aestuarium  add.  Mayhoff.  *   V.L  oro. 

'  Hermolaus  :   Barum. 

*  Bahrein. 
448 


i 


BOOK   VI.  xxxii.  145-148 

water,  using  the  tide.  But  those  travelhng  by  water 
from  the  kingdom  of  Parthia  come  to  the  village 
of  Teredon  below  the  confluence  of  the  Euphrates 
and  the  Tigris  ;  the  left  bank  of  the  river  is  occupied 
by  the  Chaklaeans  and  the  right  bank  by  the  Scenitae 
tribe  of  nomads.  Some  report  that  two  other  towns 
at  long  distances  apart  are  also  passed  on  the  voyage 
down  the  Tigris,  Barbatia  and  then  Dumatha,  the 
latter  said  to  be  ten  days'  voyage  from  Petra.  Our 
merchants  say  that  the  king  of  the  Characeni  also 
rules  over  Apamea,  a  town  situated  at  the  con- 
fluence  of  the  overflow  of  the  Euphrates  with  the 
Tigris ;  and  that  consequently  when  the  Parthians 
threaten  an  invasion  they  are  prevented  by  the 
construction  of  dams  across  the  river,  which  cause 
the  country  to  be  flooded. 

We  \vi\\  now  describe  the  coast  from  Charax  The  Persim 
onward,  which  was  first  explored  for  King  Epiphanes.  ^"abianside. 
There  is  the  place  where  the  mouth  of  the  Euphrates 
formerly  was,  a  salt-water  stream;  Cape  Caldone; 
an  estuary  more  resembUng  a  whirlpool  than  open 
sea,  stretching  50  miles  along  the  coast ;  the  river 
Achenum ;  100  miles  of  desert,  extending  as  far  as 
Icarus  Island ;  Capeus  Bay,  on  which  dwell  the 
Gaulopes  and  the  Gattaei ;  the  Bay  of  Gerra  and  the 
town  of  that  name,  which  measures  five  miles  round 
and  has  towers  made  of  squared  blocks  of  salt. 
Fifty  miles  inland  is  the  Attene  district ;  and  opposite 
to  it  and  the  same  number  of  miles  distant  from  the 
coast  is  the  island  of  Tyros,"  extremely  famous  for 
its  numerous  pearls,  with  a  town  of  the  same  name, 
and  next  another  smaller  island  12^  miles  away 
from  the  cape  of  Tyros.  It  is  reported  that  beyond 
Tyros  some  large  islands  are  in  view   which  have 

449 


PLIXY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

non  sit  perventum,  huius  ambitum  cxii  d  p.,  a  Perside 
longius  abesse,  adiri  uno  alveo  angusto.  insula 
Ascliae,  gentes  Nochaeti,  Zurazi,  Borgodi,  Catharrei 

149  nomades,  flumen  Cjtios.  ultra  navigationem  incon- 
pertam  ab  eo  latere  propter  scopulos  tradit  luba 
praetermissa  mentione  oppidi  Omanorum  Batrasa- 
vaves  et  Omanae,  quod  priores  celebrem  portum 
Carmaniae  fecere,  item  Homnae  et  Attanae,  quae 
nunc  oppida  maxime  celebrari  a  Persico  raari  nostri 
negotiatores  dicunt.  a  flumine  Canis,  ut  luba,  mons 
adusto  similis,  gentes  Epimaranitae,  mox  Ichthyo- 
phagi,  insula  deserta,  gentes  Batliymi,  Eblythaci 
montes,  insula  Omoemus,  portus  Mochorbae,  insuhie 

150  Etaxalos,  Inchobrichae,  gens  Cadaei ;  insulae  sine 
nominibus  multae,  celebres  vero  Isura,  Rhinnea  et 
proxima  in  qua  scriptae  sunt  stelae  lapideae  Htteris 
incognitis ;  Coboea  portus,  Bragae  insulae  desertae, 
gens  Taludaei,  Dabanegoris  regio,  mons  Orsa  cum 
portu,  sinus  Duatas,  insulae  multae,  mons  Tricory- 
phos,  regio  Chardaleon,  insulae  Solanades,  Cachinna, 
item  Ichthyophagorum.  dein  Clari,  htus  Mamaeum 
ubi  auri  metalla,  regio  Canauna.  gentes  Apitami, 
Casani,  insula  Devade,  fons  Corahs,  Carpliati,  insulae 

151  Alaea,  Anmamethus,  gens  Darae ;  insulae  Chelonitis, 

■  I.t.,  on  thc  Arabian  side  of  the  Peraian  Gulf. 
*  I.e.,  the  Cynoa,  §  148  fin.  taken  to  mean  kwos- 

45° 


BOOK   VI.  XXXII.  148-151 

never  been  visited ;  that  the  circumference  of  Tyros 
measures  112^  miles  ;  that  its  distance  from  Farsistan 
is  more  than  that ;  and  that  it  is  accessible  only  by 
one  narrow  channel.  Then  the  island  of  Ascliae, 
tribes  named  Nochaeti,  Zurazi,  Borgodi  and  the 
nomad  Catharrei,  and  the  river  Cynos.  According  to 
Juba  the  voyage  beyond  on  that  side  "  has  not  been 
explored,  because  of  the  rocks — Juba  omits  to 
mention  Batrasavave,  the  town  of  the  Omani,  and 
the  town  of  Omana  which  previous  -vvriters  have 
made  out  to  be  a  famous  port  of  Carmania,  and  also 
Homna  and  Attana,  towns  said  by  our  traders  to  be 
now  the  most  frequented  ports  in  the  Persian  Gulf. 
After  the  Dog's  River,*  according  to  Juba,  there 
is  a  mountain  looking  as  if  it  had  been  burnt ; 
the  Epimaranitae  tribes,  then  the  Fish-eaters,  an 
iminhabited  island,  the  Bathymi  tribes,  the  Ebly- 
thaean  Mountains,  the  island  of  Omoemus,  Port 
Mochorbae,  the  islands  of  Etaxalos  and  Inchobrichae, 
the  Cadaei  tribe ;  a  number  of  islands  without 
names,  and  the  well-known  islands  of  Isura  and 
Rhinnea,  and  the  adjacent  island  on  which  there 
are  some  stone  pillars  bearing  inscriptions  •wTitten 
in  an  unkno^vn  alphabet ;  Port  Coboea,  the  un- 
habited  Bragae  islands,  the  Taludaei  tribe,  the 
Dabanegoris  district,  Mount  Orsa  \nth  its  harbour, 
Duatas  Bay,  a  number  of  islands,  Mount  Three 
Peaks,  the  Chardaleon  district,  the  Solonades  and 
Cachinna,  also  islands  belonging  to  the  Fish- 
eaters.  Then  Clari,  the  Mamaean  coast  with  its 
gold-mines,  the  Canauna  district,  the  Apitami  and 
Casani  tribes,  Devade  Island,  the  spring  CoraHs, 
the  Carphati,  the  islands  of  Alaea  and  Amnamethus. 
the  Darae  tribe ;   Chelonitis  Island  and  a  number  of 

451 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Ichthvophagon  multae,  Odanda  deserta,  Basa, 
multae  Sabaeorum.  flumina  Thanar,  Amnum,  insulae 
Doricae,  fontes  Daulotos,  Dora,  insuhie  Pteros, 
Labatanis,  Coboris,  Sambrachate  et  oppidum  eodem 
nomine  in  continente.  a  meridie  insulae  multae, 
niaxima  Camari,  flumen  Musecros,  portus  Laupas; 
Scenitae    Sabaei,  insulae  multae,  emporium    eorum 

152  Acila,  ex  quo  in  Indiam  navigatur;  regio  Amithos- 
catta,  Damnia,  Mizi  Maiores  et  Minores,  Drymatina, 
Macae;  horimi  ^  promunturium  contra  Carmaniam 
distat  L  p.  mira  res  ibi  traditur,  Numenium  ab  Antio- 
cho  rege  Mesenae  praepositum  ibi  vicisse  eodem  die 
classe  aestuque  reverso  iterum  equitatu  coiitra 
Persas  dimicantem  et  gemina  tropaea  eodem  in  loco 
lovi  ac  Neptvmo  statuisse. 

153  Insula  in  alto  obiacet  Ogyris,  clara  Erythra  rege 
ibi  sepulto;  distat  a  continente  cxxv  p.,  circumitur 
cxii  D.  nec  minus  altera  clara  in  Azanio  mari  Dios- 


curidu,  distans  a  Syagro  extumo  promunturio  cclxxx. 
Reliqui  in  continente  a  noto  etiamnum  Autaridae, 
in  montes  vii  dienim  transitus,  gens  Larendani  et 
Catapani,  ricbbanitae  pluribus  oppidis  sed  maximis 
Nagia  et  Thomna  templorum  lxv  :  haec  est  ampli- 
154  tudinis  significatio.     promunturium,  a  quo  ad  con- 

*  Outschmidt :  drimati  naumachaeorum  aut  alia. 


'  Scc  V.  65,  n.  *  Ras  Musandam. 

'  Ras  Fartak  in  Arabia. 


BOOK   VI.  XXXII.  151-154 

islands  of  the  Fish-eaters,  the  uninhabited  Odanda, 
Basa,  a  number  of  islands  beloiiging  to  the  Sabaei. 
The  rivers  Thanar  and  Aninuni,  the  Doric  Islands, 
the  Daulotos  and  Dora  springs,  the  islands  of  Pteros, 
Labatanis,  Coboris  and  Sambrachate  ^vith  the  town 
of  the  sanie  name  on  the  mainland.  Many  islands 
to  the  southward,  the  largest  of  which  is  Camari, 
the  river  Musecros,  Port  Laupas ;  the  Sabaei,  a 
tribe  of  Scenitae,"  owning  many  islands  and  a 
trading-station  at  Kalhat  which  is  a  port  of  embarka- 
tion  for  India  ;  the  district  of  Amithoscatta,  Damnia, 
the  Greater  and  Lesser  Mizi,  Drymatina,  the  Macae; 
a  cape*  in  their  territory  points  towards  Carmania, 
50  miles  away.  A  remarkable  event  is  said  to  have 
occurred  there :  the  governor  of  Mesene  appointed 
by  King  Antiochus,  Numenius,  here  won  a  battle 
against  the  Persians  with  his  fleet  and  after  the  tide 
had  gone  out  a  second  battle  with  his  cavalry,  and 
set  up  a  couple  of  trophies,  to  Jupiter  and  to  Neptune, 
on  the  same  spot. 

Out  at  sea  off  this  coast  lies  the  island  of  Ogyris, 
famous  as  the  burial-place  of  King  Er}i-hras ;  its 
distance  frcrm  the  mainland  is  125  milcs  and  it 
measures  11 2^^  miles  round.  Equally  famous  is  a 
second  island  in  tlie  Azanian  Sea,  the  island  of 
Socotra,  lying  280  miles  away  from  the  extreme 
point  of  Cape  Syagrus.<= 

The  remaining  tribes  on  the  mainland  situated  Theresto/ 
further  south  are  the  Autaridae,  seven  days'  journey  '^  *"' 
into  the  mountains,  the  Larendani  and  Catapani 
tribe,  the  Gebbanitae  with  several  toAvns,  of  which 
the  largest  are  Nagia  and  Thomna,  the  latter  with 
sixty-five  temples,  a  fact  that  indicates  its  size. 
Then  a  cape  the  distance  between  which  and  the 

453 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

tinentem  Trogodytarum  l;  Thoani,  Actaei,  Chatra- 
motitae,  Tonabaei,  Antiadalei  et  Lexianae,  Agraei, 
Cerbani,  Sabaei  Arabum  propter  tura  clarissimi  ad 
utraque  maria  porrectis  gentibus.  oppida  eorum  in 
Rubro  litore  Merme,  Marma,  Corolia,  Sabbatha, 
intus  oppida  Nascus,  Cardava,  Camus  et  quo  merces 

1C5  odorum  defenint  Thomala.  pars  eorum  Atramitae, 
quorum  caput  Sabota  lx  templa  muris  includens ; 
regia  tamen  ^  omnium  Mareliabata  sinum  obtinet  - 
xcvi,  refertum  insulis  odoriferis.  Atramitis  in  medi- 
terraneo  iunguntur  Minaei ;  mare  accolunt  et 
Aelamitae  oppido  eiusdem  nominis,  iis  iuncti  Chacu- 
latae  oppido  ^  Sibi  quod  Graeci  Apaten  vocant,  Arsi, 
Codani,  Vadaei  oppido  magno  Barasasa,  et  Lechieni ; 
Sygaros  insula  quam  canes  non  intrant  expositique 

156  circa  litora  errando  moriuntur.  sinus  intimus  in 
quo  Laeanitae,  qui  nomen  ei  dedere.  regia  eorum 
Agra  et  in  sinu  Laeana  vel,  ut  alii,  Aelana ;  nam  et 
ipsum  sinum  nostri  Laeaniticum  *  scripsere,  aUi 
Aelaniticum,  Artemidorus  Alaeniticum,  luba  Leani- 
ticum.^  circuitus  Arabiae  a  Charace  Laeana  colUgere 

*  V.l.  tamcn  eat. 

*  V.l.  obtinciit. 

*  oppido  ?    .Mayhoff :   oppidum. 

*  ilayhoff,  cf.  iG5,  V.  65  :    Aelaniticum. 

*  Mayhoff,  cf.  Plol.  VI.  6. 18  :    Lac-niticum. 


■•  '  Both  namos  seem  to  survive  in  the  name  Hadramaut 
454 


BOOK   VI.  xxxii.  154-156 

mainland  in  the  Cave-dwellers'  territory  is  50  miles  ; 
then  the  Thoani,  the  Actaei,  the  Chatramotitae," 
the  Tonabaei,  the  Antiadalei  and  Lexianae,  the 
Agraei,  the  Cerbani  and  the  Sabaei,*  the  best 
knoAVTi  of  all  the  Arabian  tribes  because  of  their 
frankincense — these  tribes  extend  from  sea  to  sea.<^ 
Their  towns  on  the  coast  of  the  Red  Sea  are  Merme, 
Marma,  Corolia,  Sabbatha,  and  the  inland  towns  are 
Nascus,  Cardava,  Carnus,  and  Thomala  to  which 
they  bring  down  their  perfumes  for  export.  One 
division  of  them  are  the  Atramitae,'*  whose  chief 
place  is  Sabota,  a  walled  town  containing  sixty 
temples  ;  the  royal  capital  of  all  these  tribes  however 
is  MareUabata,  which  hes  on  a  bay  measuring  94 
miles  round,  studded  ^\1th  islands  that  produce 
perfumes.  Adjoining  the  Atramitae  in  the  interior 
are  the  Minaei ;  and  dwelUng  on  the  coast  are  also 
the  Aelamitae  -Nvith  a  town  of  the  same  name,  and 
adjoining  them  the  Chaculatae  with  the  to^vTi  of 
Sibis,  the  Greek  name  of  which  is  Apate,  the  Arsi, 
the  Codani,  the  Vadaei  ^vith  the  large  to^vn  of 
Barasasa,  and  the  Lechieni ;  and  the  island  of 
Sygaros,  into  which  dogs  are  not  admitted,  and  so 
being  exposed  on  the  seashore  they  wander  about 
till  they  die.  Then  a  bay  running  far  inland  on  which 
hve  the  Laeanitae,  who  have  given  it  their  name. 
Their  capital  is  Agra,  and  on  the  bay  *  is  Laeana,  or 
as  others  call  it  Aelana ;  for  the  name  of  the  bay 
itself  has  been  written  by  our  people  '  Laeanitic  ', 
and  by  others  '  Aelanitic  ',  while  Artemidorus  gives 
it  as  '  Alaenitic  '  and  Juba  as  '  Leanitic  '.  The 
circumference  of  Arabia  from  Charax  to  Laeana  is 

*  Of  Yemen.  '  I.e.  from  the  Red  Sea  to  tho  Arabian. 

•  The  Gulf  of  Akaba. 

455 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

proditur  |xlvi|  lxv  p.,  luba  paulo  minus  |XLl  putat ; 
latissima  est  a  septentrione  inter  oppida  Heroeum 
et  Characen, 

157  lam  ^  et  reliqua  mediterranea  eius  dicantur. 
Nabataeis  Timaneos  iunxerunt  veteres ;  nunc  sunt 
Taveni,  Suelleni,  Araceni,  Arreni  oppido  in  quod* 
negotiatio  omnis  convenit,  Hemnatae,  Avalitae 
(oppida  Domata,  Haegra),  Tamudaei  (oppidum 
Baclanaza),  Cariati,  Acitoali  (oppidum  Phoda),  ac 
Minaei  a  rege  Cretae  Minoe,  ut  existimant,  originem 
trahentes,  quorum  Carmei.  oppidum  xvv  p.  Maribba, 
Paramalacvun,     et    ipsum    non    spernendum,    item 

158  Canon.  Rhadamaei  (et  horum  origo  Ilhadamanthus 
putatur,  frater  Minois),  Homeritae  Mesala  oppido, 
Hamiroei,  Gedranitae,  Phryaei,  Lysanitae,  Bachy- 
litae,  Samnaei,  Amaitaei  oppidis  Messa  et  Chenne- 
seri,  Zamareni  oppidis  Sagiatta,  Canthace,  Bacas- 
chami  Riphearina  oppido,  quo  vocabulo  hordeiun 
appellant,  Autaei,  Ethravi,  Cyrei  Elmataeis  oppido, 
Chodae  Aiathuri  in  montibus  oppido  xxv  p.  (in  quo 
fons     Aenuscabales,     quod     significat     camelorum), 

159  oppidxun  Ampelome,  colonia  Milesiorum,  Athrida 
oppidum,  CaHngi,  quorum  Mariba  oppidum  significat 
dominos  omnium,  oppida  Pallon,  Murannimal  iuxta 
flumen  per  quod  Euphraten  emcrgere  putant,  gentes 
Agraei   et   Ammoni,   oppidum    Athenae,   Caunaravi 


JJetlrfsen  :   nam. 

Mayhoff  :   oppiduin  in  quo. 


456 


BOOK   VI.  XXXII.  156-159 

said  to  amount  to  4665  miles,  though  Juba  thinks 
it  is  a  little  less  than  4000  miles ;  it  is  ^videst  at  the 
north,  between  the  towns  of  Heroeum  and  Charax. 

The  rest  of  its  inland  places  also  must  now  be 
stated.  Adjoining  the  Nabataei  the  old  authorities 
put  the  Timanei,  but  now  there  are  the  Taveni, 
Suelleni,  Araceni,  Arreni  (with  a  town  which  is  a 
centre  for  all  mercantile  business),  Hemnatae, 
Avalitae  (with  the  towns  of  Domata  and  Haegra), 
Tamudaei  (town  Baclanaza),  Cariati,  AcitoaH  (town 
Phoda),  and  the  Minaei,  who  derive  their  origin,  as 
they  believe,from  King  Minos  of  Crete  ;  part  of  them 
are  the  Carmei.  Fourteen  miles  further  is  the  town 
of  Maribba,  then  Paramalacum,  also  a  considerable 
place,  and  Canon,  to  which  the  same  applies.  Then 
the  Rhadamaei  (these  also  are  behevcd  to  descend 
from  Rhadamanthus  the  brother  of  Minos),  the 
Homeritae  with  thc  town  of  Mesala,  the  Hamiroei, 
Gedranitae,  Phryaei,  Lvsanitae,  Bachylitae,  Samnaei, 
the  Amaitaei  with  the  towns  of  Messa  and  Chenne- 
seris,  the  Zamareni  with  the  towns  of  Sagiatta  and 
Canthace,  the  Bacaschami  with  the  town  of 
Riphearina  (a  name  which  is  the  native  word  for 
barley),  the  Autaei,  Ethravi,  Cyrei  with  the 
town  of  Elmataei,  Chodae  with  the  town  of 
Aiathuris  25  miles  up  in  the  mountains  (in  which 
is  the  spring  called  Aenuscabalcs,  which  means  '  the 
fountain  of  thc  camels  '),  the  town  of  Ampelome,  a 
colony  from  Miletus,  the  town  of  Athrida,  the  Calingi, 
whose  town  is  named  Mariba,  meaning  '  lords  of  all 
men  ',  the  towns  of  Pallon  and  Murannimal,  on  a 
river  through  which  the  Euphrates  is  beheved  to 
discharge  itself,  the  Agraei  and  Ammoni  tribes,  a 
town  named  Athenae,  the  Caunaravi  (which  means 

457 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

(quod  significat  ditissimos  armento),  Chorranitae, 
Cesani,  Choani.  fuerunt  et  Graeca  oppida  Arethusa, 
Larisa,  Chalcis,  deleta  variis  bellis. 
ICO  Romana  arma  solus  in  eam  terram  adhuc  intulit 
Aelius  Gallus  ex  equestri  ordine ;  nam  C.  Caesar 
Augusti  filius  prospexit  tantum  Arabiam.  Gallus 
oppida  diruit  non  nominata  auctoribus  qui  ante 
scripserunt :  Ncgranam,  Nestum,  Nescam,  Magusum, 
Caniinacum,  Labaetiam,  et  supra  dictam  Maribam 
circuitu  vi,  item  Caripetam,  quo  longissime  processit. 

161  cetera  explorata  retulit :  Nomadas  lacte  et  ferina 
came  vesci ;  reliquos  vinum  ut  Indos  palmis  ex- 
primere,  oleum  sesamae ;  numerosissimos  esse 
Homeritas  ;  Minaeis  fcrtilcs  agros  palmetis  arbusto- 
que,  in  pecore  divitias ;  Cerbanos  et  Agraeos  armis 
praestare,  maxime  Chatramotitas  ;  Carreis  latissimos 
et  fertilissimos  agros ;  Sabaeos  ditissimos  silvarum 
fertihtate  odorifera,  auri  metallis,  agrorum  riguis, 
mcllis  ceraeque  proventu:  de  odoribus  suo  dicemus 

162  volumine.  Arabes  mitrati  degunt  aut  intonso  crine, 
barba  abraditur  praetcrquam  in  superiore  labro ; 
aUis  et  haec  intonsa.  mirumque  dictu  ex  innumeris 
popuUs    pars    aequa    in   commerciis    aut    latrociniis 

458 


BOOK   VI.  XXXII.  159-162 

'  very  rich  in  herds  '),  the  Chorranitae,  the  Cesani 
and  the  Choani.  Here  were  also  the  Greek  towns 
of  Arethusa,  Larisa  and  Chalcis,  but  they  have  been 
destroyed  in  various  wars. 

AeHus  Gallus,  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Knights,  Erpeduion 
is  the  only  person  Avho  has  hitherto  carried  the  ooWu**"* 
arms  of  Rome  into  this  country ;  for  Gaius  .Caesar 
son  of  Augustus  only  had  a  ghmpse  of  Arabia. 
Gallus  destroyed  the  follo\\ing  towns  not  named  by 
the  authors  who  have  wTitten  previously — Negrana, 
Nestus,  Nesca,  Magusus,  Caminacus,  Labaetia;  as 
well  as  Mariba  above  mentioned,  which  measures  §159. 
6  miles  round,  and  also  Caripeta,  Avhich  was  the  far- 
thest  point  he  reached.  The  other  discoveries  that 
he  reported  on  his  return  are :  that  the  Nomads  hve 
on  milk  and  the  flesh  of  wild  animals ;  that  the  rest 
of  the  tribes  extract  wine  out  of  palm  trees,  as  the 
natives  do  in  India,  and  get  oil  from  sesame;  that 
the  Homeritae  are  the  most  numerous  tribe ;  that 
the  Minaei  have  land  that  is  fertile  in  palm  groves 
and  timber,  and  wealth  in  flocks ;  that  the  Cerbani 
and  Agraei,  and  especially  the  Chatramotitae,  excel 
as  warriors ;  that  the  Carrei  have  the  most  extensive 
and  most  fertile  agricultural  land ;  that  the  Sabaei 
are  the  most  wealthy,  o^nng  to  the  fertility  of  their 
forests  in  producing  scents,  their  gold  mines,  their 
irrigated  agricultural  land  and  their  production  of 
honey  and  wax :  of  their  scents  we  shall  speak  in  [!ook  xn. 
the  volume  dealing  ^vith  that  subject.  The  Arabs 
wear  turbans  or  else  go  with  their  hair  unshom; 
they  shave  their  beards  but  wear  a  moustache — 
others  however  leave  the  beard  also  unshaven. 
And  strange  to  say,  of  these  innumerable  tribes  an 
equal  part  are  engaged  in  tradc  or  live  by  brigandage ; 

459 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTGRY 

degit ;  in  universum  gentes  ditissimae,  ut  apud 
quas  maximae  opes  Romanorum  Parthorumque 
subsidant,  vendentibus  quae  e  mari  aut  silvis  capiunt, 
nihil  invicem  redimentibus. 

163  XXXIII,  Nunc  reliquam  oram  Arabiae  contrariam 
persequemur.  Timosthenes  totum  sinum  quadridui 
na^ngatione  in  longitudinem  taxavit,  bidui  in  latitu- 
dinem,  angustias  vn  d  ^  p.,  Eratosthenes  ab  ostio 
|xii|  in  quamque  partem  ;  Artemidonis  Arabiae  latere 

164  [xvTi|  L,  Trogodytico  vero  |"xi|  lxxxiv  d  p.  Ptolomaida 
usque;  Agrippa  \x\'u\  xxxTi  sine  difFerentia  laterum. 
plerique  latitudinem  cccclxxv  prodiderunt,  faucisque 
hiberno  orienti  obversas  alii  iv,  alii  vn,  alii  xTT  patere. 

165  Situs  autem  ita  se  habet :  a  sinu  Laeanitico  alter 
sinus  quem  Arabes  Aean  vocant,  in  quo  Heroon 
oppidum  est.  fuit  et  Cambysu  inter  Nelos  et  Mar- 
chadas  deductis  eo  aegris  exercitus.  gens  Tyro, 
Daneon  Portus,  ex  quo  navigabilem  alveum  perducere 
in  Nilum  qua  parte  ad  Delta  dictuni  decurrit,  lxii  d 
intervallo,  quod  inter  flumen  et  Rubrum  Mare 
interest,  primus  omnium  Sesostris  Aegypti  rex 
cogitavit,  mox  Darius  Persarum,  deinde  Ptolemaeus 

*  Numeros  in  §§  163  sq.  varie  tradunt  codd.  et  edd. 

"  Prceumably  a  MS.  error  for  '  forty  *. 
460 


< 


BOOK   VI.  xxxn.  162-xxxni.  165 

taken  as  a  whole,  they  are  the  richest  races  in  the 
world,  becaiise  vast  wealth  from  llome  and  Parthia 
accunmlates  in  their  hands,  as  they  sell  the  produce 
they  obtain  from  the  sea  or  their  forests  and  buy 
nothinjT  in  return. 

XXXIII.  We  vdW  now  foUow  along  the  rest  of  the  The  consta 
coast  lying  opposite  to  Arabia.  Timosthenes  esti-  sea.^ 
mated  the  length  of  the  M'hole  gulf  at  four  «  days' 
sail,  the  breadth  at  two,  and  the  width  of  the  Straits 
of  Bab-el-Mandeb  as  1\  miles ;  Eratosthenes  makes 
the  length  of  the  coast  on  either  side  from  the 
mouth  of  the  gulf  1200  miles  ;  Artemidorus  gives  the 
length  of  the  coast  on  the  Arabian  side  as  1750 
miles  and  on  the  side  of  the  Cave-dwcller  country 
as  far  as  Ptolemais  1184+  miles ;  Agrippa  says  that 
there  is  no  difference  between  the  two  sides,  and  gives 
the  length  of  each  as  1732  miles.  Most  authorities 
give  the  breadth  as  475  miles,  and  the  mouth  of  the 
gulf  facing  south-west  some  make  4  miles  widc, 
others  7  and  others  12. 

The  lie  of  the  land  is  as  follows :  on  leaving  the 
Laeanitic  Gulf  there  is  another  gulf  the  Arabic  name 
of  which  is  Aeas,  on  which  is  the  town  of  Heroon. 
Formerly  there  was  also  the  City  of  Cambyses, 
between  the  Neli  and  the  Marchades ;  this  was  the 
place  where  the  invaUds  from  the  army  of  Cambyses 
were  settled.  Then  come  the  Tyro  tribe  and  the 
Harbour  of  the  Daneoi,  from  which  there  was  a  project 
to  carry  a  ship-canal  through  to  the  Nile  at  the  CancU/rom 
place  where  it  flows  into  what  is  called  the  Delta,  sea/° 
over  a  space  of  62+  miles,  which  is  the  distance 
between  the  river  and  the  Red  Sea ;  this  project 
was  originally  conceived  by  Sesostris  King  of  Egypt, 
and  latcr  by  the  Pcrsian  King  Darius  and  then  again 

461 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Sequens,  qui  et  duxit  ^  fossam  latitudine  pedum  c, 
altitudine  xxx,  in  longitudinem  xxxiv  d  p.  usque  ad 

166  Fontes  Amaros.  ultra  deterruit  inundationis  metus, 
excelsiore  tribus  cubitis  Rubro  Mari  conperto  quam 
terra  Aeg^qiti.  aliqui  non  eam  adferunt  causam, 
sed  ne  inmisso  mari  corrumperetur  aqua  Nili,  quae 
sola  potus  praebet.  nihilominus  iter  totum  terreno 
frequentatur,  a  mari  Aegv-ptio,  quod  est  triplex : 
unum  a  Peltisio  per  harenas,  in  quo  nisi  calami 
defixi  regant  via  non  reperitur  subinde  aura  vestigia 

167  operiente;  alterum  ii  ultra  Casium  Montem,  quod 
a  Lx  p.  redit  in  Pelusiacam  \nam — accolunt  Arabes 
Autaei ;  tertium  a  Gerro,  quod  Agipsum  ^  vocant, 
per  eosdem  Arabas^  lx  propius,  sed  asperum  monti- 
bus  et  inops  aquarum.  eae  omnes  ^iae  Arsinoen 
ducunt  conditara  sororis  nomine  in  sinu  Carandra  a 
Ptolomaeo  Philadelpho,  qui  primus  Trogodyticen 
excussit,  amnem  qui  Arsinoen  praefluit  Ptolomaeum 

168  appellavit.  mox  oppidum  parvum  est  Acnum — alii 
pro  hoc  Philoterias  scribunt — ,  deinde  sunt  Asarri, 
ex  Trogodytarum  conubiis  Arabes  feri,  insulae 
Sapirine,    Sc)i;ala,    mox    deserta    ad    Myoshormon, 

^  V.l.  qui  eduxit.  *  V.l.  Adipsum. 

'  Brotier  :   Arabes. 


"  A  variant  gives  '  the  Not  Thirsty  route  '. 
'  Ardscherud  near  Sucz. 


462 


BOOK   VI.  XXXIII.  165-168 

by  Ptolemy  the  Second,  who  did  actually  carry  a 
trench  100  ft.  broad  and  30  ft.  deep  for  a  distance 
of  34i  miles,  as  far  as  the  Bitter  Springs.  He  was 
deterred  from  carrying  it  further  by  fear  of  causing 
a  flood,  as  it  was  ascertained  that  the  level  of  the 
Red  Sea  is  4i  ft.  above  that  of  the  land  of  Egypt. 
Some  persons  do  not  adduce  this  reason  for  the 
abandonment  of  the  project,  but  say  that  it  was 
due  to  fear  lest  making  an  inlet  from  the  sea  would 
pollute  the  water  of  the  Xile,  which  affords  to 
Egj^pt  its  only  supply  of  drinking-water.  Neverthe- 
less  the  whole  journev  from  the  Egyptian  Sca  is 
constantly  pcrformed  by  land,  there  being  three 
routes :  one  from  Pelusium  across  the  sands,  a  route 
on  which  the  only  mode  of  finding  the  way  is  to 
follow  a  line  of  reeds  fixed  in  the  sand,  as  the  wind 
causes  footprints  to  be  covered  up  immediately ; 
another  route  beginning  two  miles  beyond  Mount 
Casius  and  after  60  miles  rejoining  the  road  from 
Pelusium — ak)ng  this  route  dwell  the  Arab  tribe  of 
tlie  Autaei ;  and  a  third  starting  from  Gerrum, 
called  the  Agipsum  "  route,  passing  through  the  same 
Arab  tribe,  which  is  60  miles  shorter  but  rough  and 
mountainous,  as  well  as  devoid  of  watcring-places. 
AU  these  routes  lead  to  Arsinoe,*  the  city  on  Caran-  -i/ncan  coojii 
dra  Bay  founded  and  named  after  his  sister  by  ° 
Ptolemy  Philadclphus,  who  first  thoroughly  explorcd 
the  Cave-dweller  country  and  gave  his  own  name  to 
the  rivcr  on  which  Arsinoe  stands.  Soon  after  comcs 
the  small  town  of  Aenum — other  writers  give  the 
name  as  Philoteriae  instcad, — and  then  there  are 
the  Asarri,  a  wild  Arab  tribe  sprung  from  inter- 
marriage  with  the  Cave-dwellers,  the  islands  of 
Sapirine   and   Scytala,   and   then   desert   stretching 

463 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ubi  fons  est  Ainos,  mons  Eos,  insula  lambe,  portus 
multi,  Berenice  oppidum  matris  Philadelphi  nomine, 
ad   quod  iter  a   Copto  diximus,   Arabes   Autaei   et 

169  Gebadaei.  XXXIV.  Trogodytice,  quam  prisci 
Midoen,  alii  Midioen  dixere,  mons  Pentedaotylos, 
insulae  Stenae  Dirae  aliquot,  Halonesi  non  pauciores, 
Cardamine,  Topazos,  quae  gemmae  nomen  dedit. 
sinus  insuhs  refertus,  ex  his  quae  Matreu  vocantur 
aquosae,  quae  Eratonos  sitientes ;  regum  his  prae- 
fecti  fuere.  introrsus  Candaei,  quos  Ophiophagos 
vocant,  serpentibus  vesci  adsueti ;    neque  aha  regio 

170  fertiUor  est  earum.  luba,  qui  \idetur  dihgentissime 
persecutus  haec,  omisit  in  hoc  tractu  (nisi  exem- 
plarium  vitium  est)  Berenicen  alteram  quae  Pan- 
chrysos  cognominata  est  et  tertiam  quae  Epi  Dires, 
insignem  loco :  est  enim  sita  in  cervace  longe  pro- 
currente,  ubi  fauces  Rubri  Maris  vn  d  ^  p.  ab  Arabia 
distant.     iasula  ibi  Cj^tis,  topazum   ferens   et   ipsa. 

171  ultra  silvae  sunt,^  ubi  Ptolomais  a  Philadelpho  condita 
ad  venatus  elephantorum,  ob  id  Epi  Theras  cogno- 
minata,  iuxta  lacum  Monoleum.  haec  est  regio 
secundo   volumine   a   nobis   significata,   in   qua   .\lv 

*  V.l.  fv  D,  c/.  §  163.  *  MayhoJJ:   ultra  ailvaa. 

"  Abu  Schaar. 
»  See  §  103. 

'  Zebirget  Island.     The  stone  i.s  really  chrysolit^,  not  topaz. 

**  So  called  from  the  neighbouring  mines  of  Jebel  Allaki 

from  whicb  the  Egyptiana  obtained  their  chioi  eupply  of  gold. 

464 


BOOK   VI.  xxxiii.  168-XXXIV.  171 

as  far  as  Myoshormos,'*  whcre  is  the  spring  of  Ainos, 
Mount  Eos,  lambe  Island,  a  number  of  harboxirs, 
the  town  of  Berenice  *  named  from  the  mother  of 
Philadelphus,  the  road  to  which  from  Coptus  \ve  have  §  103. 
described,  and  the  Arab  tribes  of  the  Autaei  and 
Gebadaei.  XXXIV.  Cave-dwellers'  country,  called  Trogodyuce 
in  former  times  Midoe  and  by  other  people  Mi- 
dioe,  Mount  Five-fingers,  some  islands  called  the 
Narrow  Necks,  the  Halonesi  about  the  same  in 
number,  Cardamine,  and  Topazos,'^  which  has  given 
its  name  to  the  precious  stone.  A  bay  crowded 
with  islands,  of  which  the  ones  called  the  Islands  of 
Matreos  have  springs  on  them  and  those  called 
Erato's  Islands  are  dry ;  these  islands  formerly 
had  govemors  appointed  by  the  Idngs.  Inland  are 
the  Candaei,  who  are  called  the  Ophiophagi  because 
it  is  their  habit  to  eat  snakes,  of  which  the  district 
is  exceptionally  productive.  Juba,  who  appears  to 
have  investigated  these  matters  extremely  carefully, 
has  omitted  to  mention  in  this  district  (unless  there 
is  an  error  in  the  copies  of  his  work)  a  second  town 
called  Berenice  which  has  the  additional  name  of 
All-golden,<^  and  a  third  called  Berenice  on  the  Neck, 
which  is  remarkable  for  its  situation,  being  placed  on 
a  neck  of  land  projecting  a  long  way  out,  where  the 
straits  at  the  mouth  of  the  Red  Sea  separate  Africa 
from  Arabia  by  a  space  of  only  7^  miles.  Here  is 
the  island  of  Cytis,  which  itself  also  produces  the 
chrysolite.  Beyond  there  are  forests,  in  which  is 
Ptolemais,  built  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  for  the 
purpose  of  elephant-hunting  and  consequently 
called  Ptolemy's  Hunting  Lodge ;  it  is  close  to 
Lake  Monoleus.  This  is  the  district  referred  to  by 
us  in  Book  II,  in  which  during  the  45  days  before  11.  8S, 

465 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

diebus  ante  solstitium  totidemque  postea  hora 
sexta  coiisumuntur  umbrae,  et  in  meridiem  reliqiiis 
horis  cadunt,  ceteris  diebus  in  septentrionem,  cum 
in  Berenice  quam  primam  posuimus  ipso  die  solstitii 
sexta  hora  umbrae  in  totum  absumantur  nihilque 
adnotetur  ahud  novi,  bcii  d  ^  p.  intervallo  a  Ptole- 
maide :  res  ingentis  excmph  locusque  subtihtalis 
inmensae,  mundo  ibi  dcprelienso,  cum  indubitata 
ratione  umbrarum  ]'!,ratosthenes  mensuram  terrae 
prodere  inde  coiiceperit.  ^ 

172  Hinc  Azanium  mare,  promunturium  quod  ahcjui 
Hippalum  scripsere,  hicus  Mandalum,  insuhi  Coloca- 
sitis,  et  in  aho  muUae  in  quibas  testudo  phiruma. 
oppidum  Sacae,  insuha  Daphnidis,  oppidum  Aduhton 
— Aegyptiorum  hoc  servi  profugi  a  doniinis  condidere. 

173  maximum  hic  einporium  Trogod}i^arum,  etiam 
Aethiopum — abest  a  Ptolemaide  ii  ^  dierum  naviga- 
tione ;  dcferunt  phu-imum  ebur,  rhinocerotum 
cornua,  hippopotamiorimi  coria,  chehum  *  testu- 
dinum,  sphingia,  mancipia.  supra  Aethiop.is  Aroteras 
insulae  quae  Ahaeu  vocantur,  item  Bacchias  et 
Antibacchias  et  Stratioton.  hinc  in  ora  Aethiopiae 
sinus  incognitus,  quod  miremur,  cuin  ulteriora 
niercatores  scrutentur;    promunturium  in  quo  fons 

174  Cucios,  expetitus  navigantibus ;    ultra  Isidis  portus, 

»  D  (uid.  )  Matjhoff,  cf.  II.  183.  »  V.l.  ceperit. 

*  V.l.  V.  *  choliuin  {xi^n-ov)  Mueller :  celtium. 


•  In  §  168;    two  othera  in  §  170. 

*  Or  pcrhape  '  the  place  was  the  scene  of  infinitely  protbund 
rosearch  '. 

'  'A8oi'Ai?  or  'ASouAt,  now  ZuJa.  The  vernacular  name 
seems  to  have  suggested  '  unenslaved,'  and  tho  spurious 
genitivc  WhovXnwv  is  Latinized  below,  §  174,  as  '  Adulitarum.' 

466 


BOOK   VI.  XXXIV.  1 71-174 

midsummer  and  the  same  number  of  days  after 
midsummer  shadows  contract  to  nothing  an  hour 
before  noon,  and  during  the  rest  of  the  day  fall  to  the 
south,  while  all  the  other  days  of  the  year  they  fall 
to  the  north  ;  on  the  other  hand  at  the  first  Berenice 
mentioned  above,"  on  the  actual  day  of  the  summer 
solstice  the  shadow  disappcars  altogether  an  hour 
before  noon,  but  nothing  else  unusual  is  observed — 
this  place  is  602|^  miles  from  Ptolemais.  The  phen- 
omenon  is  extremely  remarkable,  and  the  topic  is 
one  involving  infinitely  profound  research,''  it  being 
here  that  the  structure  of  the  world  was  discovered, 
because  Eratosthenes  derived  from  it  the  idea  of 
working  out  the  earth's  dimensions  by  the  certain 
method  of  noting  the  shadows. 

Next  come  the  Azanian  Sea,  the  cape  whose  name  n.e.  A/nca. 
some  writers  give  as  Hippalas,  Lake  Mandalum, 
Colocasitis  Island,  and  out  at  sea  a  number  of  islands 
containing  a  large  quantity  of  turtle.  The  town  of 
Sacae,  the  island  of  Daphnis,  Freemen's  Town,"^ 
founded  by  slaves  from  Egypt  who  had  run  aMay 
from  their  masters.  Here  is  very  large  trading 
centre  of  the  Cave-dwellers  and  also  the  Ethiopians 
— it  is  two  days'  sail  from  Ptolemais ;  they  bring 
into  it  a  large  quantity  of  ivory,  rhinoceros  horns, 
hippopotamus  hides,  tortoise  shell,  apes  and  slaves. 
Beyond  the  Ploughmen  Ethiopians  are  the  islands 
called  the  Isles  of  AHaeos,  and  also  Bacchias  and 
Antibaccliias,  and  Soldiers'  Island.  Next  there  is  a 
bay  in  the  coast  of  Ethiopia  that  has  not  been 
explored,  which  is  surprising,  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  traders  ransack  morc  remote  districts ;  and  a 
cape  on  which  is  a  sj)ring  named  Cucios,  resorted 
to  by  seafarers ;    and  further  on,   Port  of  Isis,  ten 

467 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

decem  dLeriim  remigio  ab  oppido  Adulitarum 
distans  ;  in  eum  TrofTod\-tis  ^  mvrra  confertur.  insulae 
ante  portimi  duae  Pseudopvlae  vocantur,  interiores 
totidem  Pylae,  in  altera  stelae  lapideae  litteris 
ignotis.  ultra  sinus  Abalitu,  dein  insula  Diodori  et 
aliae  desertae,  per  continentem  quoque  deserta, 
oppidum  Gaza ;  promunturium  et  portus  Mossylites, 
quo  cinnamum  devehitur:   hucusque  Sesostris  exer- 

175  citum  duxit.  aHqui  unum  Aethiopiae  oppidum 
ultra  ponunt  in  Htore  Barajraza. 

A  MossvUte  promunturio  Atlanticiun  mare  in- 
cipere  vult  luba,  praeter  Mauretanias  suas  (iadis 
usque  na\igandxmi  coro ;  cuius  tota  sententia  hoc  in 
loco  subtrahenda  non  est.  a  promunturio  Indorum 
quod  vocetur  Lepte  Acra,  ab  aliis  Depranum,  proponit 
recto  cursu  praeter  Exustam  ad  ^  MaUchu  insulas 
|xv|  p.  esse,  inde  ad  lociun  quem  vocant  Scaeneos 
ccxxv  p.,  inde  ad  insulam  Sadanum  cl;   sic  fieri  ad 

17C  apertiun  mare  jx\iii|  lx.w  p.  reUqui  omnes  propter 
ardorem  soUs  navigari  posse  non  putaverunt ;  quin 
et  commercia  ipsa  infestant  ex  insuUs  Arabes 
Ascitae  appellati,  quoniam  bubulos  utres  binos 
instementes  ponte  piraticam  exercent  sagittis  vene- 

»  Trogodytica?  c/.  XIT.  69,  Rachham. 
»  ad  Sol. :  et. 


*  See  §  172  n. 

*  Sce  XII  69. 

*  Pcrim  Island. 

*  Ranicses  II.  Kinp  of  Epypt  13.3.1  b.c,  sulidued  Ethiopia, 
a  great  part  of  Asia,  Thr.ue  and  Scythia :  Herodotus  II.  102  II. 

*  On  hia  Ethiopian  expedition. 

'  Broach  in  N.W.  India  is  meant. 

»  Really   African  :    a  common  confusion   in  early  eources 
ueed  by  Pliny. 

468 


BOOK   VI.  XXXIV.  174-176 

days'  row  distant  from  Freemen's  Town,"  and  a 
centre  to-  Avhich  Cave-dwellers'  myn-h  *  is  brought. 
There  are  two  islands  ofF  the  harbour  called  the 
False  Gates,  and  tAvo  inside  it  called  the  Gates,  on 
one  of  which  are  some  stone  monuments  with 
inscriptions  in  an  unknown  alphabet.  Further  on  is 
the  Bay  of  Abalitos,  and  then  Diodorus's  Island  <^ 
and  other  uninhabited  islands,  and  also  along  the 
mainland  a  stretch  of  desert ;  the  town  of  Gaza ; 
Mossylites  Cape  and  Harbour,  the  latter  the  port 
of  expKjrt  for  cinnamon.  This  was  the  farthest 
point  to  which  Sesostris  "^  led  his  army.«  Some 
writers  place  one  Ethiopian  town  on  the  coast  beyond 
this  point,  Baragaza./ 

Juba  holds  that  at  Cape  Mossyhtes  begins  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  navigable  with  a  north-west  wind 
along  the  coast  of  his  kingdora  of  the  Mauretanias 
as  far  as  Cadiz ;  and  his  wliole  opinion  must  not 
be  omitted  at  this  point  in  the  narrative.  He  puts 
forward  the  view  that  the  distance  from  the  cape  in 
the  Indian?  territory  called  in  Greek  tlie  Narrow 
Head,  and  by  others  the  Sickle,  in  a  straight  course 
past  Burnt  Island  to  Malichas's  Islands  is  1500  miles, 
from  there  to  the  place  called  Scaenei  225  miles, 
and  on  from  there  to  Sadanus  Island  150  miles — 
making  1875  miles  to  the  open  sea.  All  the  rest  of 
the  authorities  have  held  the  view  that  the  heat  of 
the  sun  makes  the  voyage  impossible ;  moreover 
actual  goods  conveyed  for  trade  are  exposed  to  the 
depredations  of  an  Arabian  tribe  Uving  on  the 
islands :  who  are  called  the  Ascitae  ^*  because  they 
make  rafts  of  timber  placed  on  a  pair  of  inflated 
oxhides  and  practise  piracy,  using  poisoned  arrows. 

*  From  aoKos,  a  wine-skin. 
VOL.  TI.  Q        469 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

natis.  gentes  Trogodytarnm  idem  luba  tradit 
Therotlioas  a  venatu  dictos,  mirae  velocitatis.  sieut 
Ichtlnophagos,  natnntes  ceu  maris  animalia,  Ban- 
genos,  Zangenas,  Thalibas,  Saxinas,  Sirecas,  Daremas, 

177  Doniazenes.  quin  et  accolas  NiH  a  Syene  non 
Aethiopum  populos  sed  Arabum  esse  dicit  usque 
Meroen,  Solis  quoque  oppidum,  quod  non  procul 
Memphi  in  Aegypti  situ  diximus,  Arabas  conditores 
habere.  sunt  qui  et  uUeriorem  ripam  Aethiopiae 
auferant  adnectantque  Africae.  (ripas  autem  in- 
coluere  propter  aquam.)^  nos  relicto  cuique  intelle- 
gendi  arbitrio  oppida  quo  traduntur  ordine  utrimque 
ponemus  a  Syene. 

178  XXXV.  Et  prius  Arabiae  latere  gens  Catadupi, 
deinde  Syenitae,  oppida  Tacompson  (quam  quidam 
appellarunt  Thaticen),  Aramum,  Sesamos,  Andura, 
Nasarduma,  Aindoma  Come  cum  Arabcta  et  Boggi- 
ana,  Leuphitorga,  Tautarene,  Meae,  Chindita,  Noa, 
Goploa,  Gistate,  Megada,  Lea,  Remni,  Nups,  Direa, 
Patigga,  Bagada,  Dumana,  Radata  (in  cjuo  fehs 
aurea   pro  deo  colebatur),   Boron,  in   mediterraneo 

179  Mallo  proximum  Meroe.  sic  prodidit  Bion.  luba 
aliter :  oppidum  munitum  ^  Mega  Tichos  inter 
Aegyptum  et  Aethiopiam,  quod  Arabes  Mirsion 
vocaverunt,  dein  Tacompson,  Aramuni,  Sesamum, 
Pide,  Mamuda,  Corambim  iuxta  bituininis  fontem, 
Amodata,  Prosda,  Parenta,  Mania,  Tessata,  Galles, 

*  ripas  .  .  .  aquam    secl.    Mayhoff,   alii  posl   .Meroen    vel 
habere  tr. 

*  Mayhoff :   Munto  et  alia. 


"  Thia  Bentence  is  probably  misplaced  or  interpoiatcd. 
470 


BOOK   VI.  xxxiv.  i76-xx\-A\  179 

Juba  also  speaks  of  some  tribes  of  Cave-dwellers 
called  tlie  Jackal-liunters,  because  of  their  skill 
in  hunting,  who  are  remarkable  for  their  s^\iftness, 
and  also  of  the  Fish-eaters,  who  can  s^nm  Uke 
creatures  of  the  sea ;  also  the  Bangeni,  Zangenae, 
Thahbae,  Saxinae,  Sirecae,  Daremae  and  Doma- 
zenes.  Juba  states  moreover  that  the  people 
inhabiting  the  banks  of  the  Nile  from  Syene  as  far 
as  Meroe  are  not  Ethiopian  but  Arabian  tribes  and 
also  that  the  City  of  the  Sun,  which  in  our  description 
of  Egypt  we  spoke  of  as  not  far  from  Mcmphis,  had  v.  ci. 
Arab  founders.  The  further  bank  also  is  by  some 
authorities  taken  away  from  Ethiopia  and  attached 
to  Africa.  (But  they  lived  on  the  banks  for  the  sake 
of  the  water.")  We  however  shall  leave  this  point 
to  the  reader  to  form  his  own  opinion  on  it,  and  shall 
enumerate  the  towns  on  either  bank  in  the  order 
in  which  they  are  reported,  starting  from  Syene. 

XXXV.  And  taking  the  Arabian  side  of  the  Nile  EtMopia 
first,  we  have  the  Catadupi  tribe,  and  then  the  Syeni-  ''^;^'?'^ 
tae,  and  the  towns  of  Tacompson  (which  some  have  MeroL 
callcd  Thalice),  Aramum,  Sesamos,  Andura,  Nasar- 
duma,  Aindoma  \'illage  with  Arabeta  and  Bongiana, 
Leuphitorga,  Tautarene,  Meae,  Chindita,  Noa,  Gop- 
loa,  Gistate,  Megada,  Lea,  Remni,  Nups,  Direa,  Pa- 
tinga,  Bagada,  Dumana,  Iladata  (where  a  golden  cat 
iLsed  to  be  worshipped  as  a  god),  Boron,  and  inland 
Meroe,  near  Mallos.  This  is  the  account  given  by 
Bion.  Juba's  is  different :  hes.iys  that  thereis  aforti- 
fied  town  called  the  Great  Wall  between  Egypt  and 
Ethiopia,  the  Arabic  name  for  wliich  is  Mirsios,  and 
then  Tacompson,  Aramum,  Sesamos,  Pide,  Mamuda, 
Corambis  near  a  spring  of  mineral  pitch,  Amodota, 
Prosda,    Parenta,    Mania,    Tessata,    Galles,    Zoton, 

471 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Zoton,  Graucomen,  Emeum,  Pidibotas,  Endonda- 
cometas,  Nomadas  in  tabernaculis\iventes,Cystaepen, 
Magadalcn  Parvam,  Prumin,  Nups,  Dicelin,  Patin- 
gan.  Breves,  Magus  Ncos,  Rgasmala,  Cramda. 
Denna,  Cadeum,  Mathena,  Batta,  Alanam,  Macua, 
Scammos,  Goram,  in  insula  ab  iis  Abale,  Androcalim, 
Serem,  Mallos,  Agocem. 

180  Ex  Africae  latcre  tradita  sunt  eodem  nomine 
Tacompsos  altera  sive  pars  prioris,  Mogore,  Saea, 
Aedosa,  Pelenariae,  Pindis,  Magassa,  Buma,  Lin- 
tuma,  Spintum,  Sidopt,  Gensoe,  Pindicitor,  Agugo, 
Orsum,  Suara,  Maumarum,  Urbim,  Mulon  (quod 
oppidum  Gracci  Hypaton  vocarunt),  Pagoartas, 
Zamnes  (unde  elephanti  incipiant),  MambH,  Berressa, 
Coetum.  fuit  quondam  et  Epis  oppidum  contra 
Meroen,  antequam  Bion  scriberet  deletum. 

181  Haec  sunt  prodita  usque  Meroen,  ex  quibus  hoc 
tempore  nulliun  prope  utroque  latere  exstat ;  certe 
sohtudines  nuper  renuntiavere  principi  Neroni 
missi  ab  eo  miHtes  praetoriani  cum  tribuno  ad 
explorandum,  inter  reHqua  bella  et  Aethiopicum 
cogitanti.  intravere  autem  et  eo  arma  Romana  divi 
Augusti  temporibus  duce  P.  Pctronio  et  ipso  equestris 
ordinis  praefccto  Aegypti.  is  oppida  eorum  ex- 
pugna\it  quae  sola  invenimus  quo  dicemus  ordine : 
Pselcin,  Primi,  Bocchin,  Forura  Cambu.sis,  Atteniam, 
472 


BOOK   VI.  x.\xv.  1 79-181 

Graucome,  Emeus,  Pidibotae,  Endondacometaej 
Nomad  tribes  living  in  tents,  Cystaepe,  Little  Maga- 
dale,  Prumis,  Nujis,  Dioelis,  Patingas,  Breves,  New 
Magus,  Egasmala,  Cramda,  Denna,Cadeus,  Mathena, 
Batta,  Alana,  Macua,  Scammos,  Gora,  and  on  an 
island  ofF  these  places  Abale,  Androcalis,  Seres, 
Mallos  and  Agoces. 

The  places  on  the  African  side  are  given  as  Tacomp- 
sus  (either  a  second  town  of  the  same  name  or  a 
suburb  of  the  one  previously  mentioned),  Mogore, 
Saea,  Aedosa,  Pelenariae,  Pindis,  Magassa,  Buma, 
Lintuma,  Spintum,  Sidopt,  Gensoe.  Pindicitor,  Agugo, 
Orsum,  Suara,  Maumarum,  Urbim,  Mulon  (the  town 
called  by  the  Greeks  Hypaton),  Pagoartas,  Zamnes 
(after  which  elephants  begin  to  be  found),  Mambli, 
Berressa,  Coetum.  There  was  also  formerly  a  town 
called  Epis,  opposite  to  Meroe,  which  had  been  de- 
stroyed  before  Bion  wrote. 

These  are  the  places  that  were  reported  as  far  as 
Meroe,  though  at  the  present  day  hardly  any  of  them 
still  exist  on  either  side  of  the  river ;  at  all  events 
an  exploring  party  of  praetorian  troops  under  the 
command  of  a  tribune  lately  sent  by  the  emperor 
Nero,  when  among  the  rest  of  his  wars  he  was 
actually  contemplating  an  attack  on  Ethiopia, 
reported  that  there  was  nothing  but  desert.  Never- 
theless  in  the  time  of  his  late  Majesty  Augustus 
the  arms  of  Rome  had  penetrated  even  into  those 
regions,  undcr  the  leadership  of  PubHus  Petronius, 
himself  also  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Knighthood, 
when  he  was  Governor  of  Egypt.  Petronius  cap- 
turcd  the  Arabian  towns  of  which  we  will  give  a  list, 
the  only  ones  we  have  found  there :  Pselcis,  Primi, 
Bocchis,  Cambyses'  Market,  Attenia  and  Stadissis, 

473 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Stadissim,  ubi  Nilus  praecipitans  se  fragore  auditum 

182  accolis  aufert ;  diripuit  et  Napata.  longissime  autem 
a  Syene  progressus  est  dccclxx  p.  nec  tamen  arma 
Romana  ibi  solitudinem  fecerunt :  Aegvptiorum 
bellis  attrita  est  Aethiopia  vicissim  imperitando 
serviendoque,  clara  et  potens  etiam  usque  ad  Troiana 
bella  Memnone  regnante;  et  Syriae  imperitasse 
eam  nostroque  litori  aetate  regis  Cephei  patet 
Andromedae  fabulis. 

183  Simili  modo  et  de  mensura  eius  varia  prodidere, 
primus  Dalion  ultra  Meroen  longe  subvectus,  mox 
Aristocreon  et  Bion  et  Basilis,  Simonides  minor 
etiam  quinquennio  in  Meroe  moratus  cum  de  Aethio- 
pia  scriberet.  nam  Timosthenes  classium  Philadelphj 
praefectus  sine  mensura  dierum  lx  a  Syene  Meroen 
iter  prodidit,  Eratosthenes  bcxxv,  Artemidorus  dc, 
Sebosus  ab  Aegj^pti  extremis  |xvi|  Lxxii,unde  proxime 

184  dicti  |xii|  L.i  verumomnishaec  fmitanuperdisputatio 
est,  quoniam  a  Syene  dccccxlv  ^  Neronis  exploratores 
renuntiavere  his  modis :  a  Syene  Hieran  Sycaminon 
Liv,  inde  Tama  Lxxii^  regione  Evonymiton  Acthio- 
pum,  Primi  cxx,  Acinam  lxiv,^  Pitaram  xxTI,^  Ter- 

*  Numeroa  varie  tradunt  codd. 


*  The  numerals  throughout  this  passage  vary  considerably 
in  the  MSS. 

474 


BOOK   VI.  XXXV.  181-184 

where  there  is  a  cataract  of  the  Nile  the  noise  of 
which  afFects  people  dwelling  ncar  it  with  deafness ; 
he  also  sacked  the  town  of  Napata.  The  farthest 
point  he  reached  was  870  niiles  from  Syene ;  but 
nevertheless  it  was  not  the  arms  of  llome  that  made 
the  country  a  desert :  Ethiopia  was  worn  out  by 
alternate  periods  of  dominance  and  subjection  in  a 
series  of  wars  ^nth  Egj^pt,  having  been  a  famous 
and  powcrful  country  even  down  to  the  Trojan 
wars,  when  Memnon  was  king ;  and  the  stories  about 
Andromeda  show  that  it  dominated  Syria  and  the 
coasts  of  the  Mediterranean  in  the  time  of  King 
Cepheus. 

Simihn-ly  there  have  also  been  various  reports  as 
to  the  dimensions  of  the  country,  which  were  first 
given  by  Dahon,  who  sailed  up  a  long  way  beyond 
Meroe,  and  then  by  Aristocreon  and  Bion  and 
Basilis,  and  also  by  the  younger  Simonides,  who 
stayed  at  Mci-oe  for  five  years  while  writing  his 
account  of  Ethiopia.  Furtlicr,  Timosthenes,  who  com- 
manded  the  navies  of  Philadelphus,  has  stated  the 
distance  from  Syene  to  Meroe  as  sixty  days'  journey, 
without  specifying  the  mileage  per  die?n,  while 
Eratosthencs  gives  it  as  625  miles  and  Artemidorus 
as  600  miles ;  and  Sebosus  says  that  from  the  extreme 
point  of  Egypt  to  Meroe  is  1672  miles,  whereas  thc 
authors  last  mentioncd  giveit  as  1250  "  miles.  But  all 
this  discrepancy  has  recently  been  ended,  inasmuch 
as  the  expcdition  sent  by  Ncro  to  explore  the 
country  liave  reported  that  the  distance  from  Syene 
to  Meroe  is  945  miles,  made  up  as  follows :  froni 
Syene  to  Holy  Mulberry  54  miles,  from  there  to 
Tama  72  miles  through  the  district  of  thc  Ethiopian 
Euonymites,  to  Primi  120  miles,  Acina  64  miles,  Pitara 

475 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTOllY 

gedum  ciii.i  insulam  Gagauden  esse  in  medio  eo 
tractu  ;  inde  primum  visas  aves  psittacos  et  ab  altera, 
quae  vocetur  Articula,  animal  sphinijion,  a  Tergedo 
c^Tiocephalos.  inde  Nabata  lxxx,  oppidum  id  parvum 
inter   praedicta   solum,   ab   eo   ad   insulam    Meroen 

185  ccciA.  herbas  circa  Meroen  demum  \iridiores, 
silvarumque  aliquid  apparuisse  ^  et  rhinocerotum 
elephantorumque  vestigia.  ipsum  oppidum  Meroen 
ab  introitu  insulae  abesse  lxx  p.,  iuxtaque  aliam 
insulam  Tadu  dextro  subeuntibus  alveo,  quae  portum 

i86  faceret ;  aedificia  oppidi  pauca.  regnare  feminam 
Candacen,  quod  nomen  multis  iam  annis  ad  reginas 
transisset ;  ^  delubrum  Hammonis  et  ibi  religiosum 
et  toto  tractu  sacella.  cetero  cum  potirentur  rerum 
Aethiopes,  insula  ea  magnae  claritatis  fuit.  tradunt 
armatonmi  ccL  dare  sohtam,   artificum*   iTi.     alii  ^ 

187  reges  Aethiopum  xlv  esse  '  hodie  tradimtur.  uni- 
versa  vero  gens  Actheria  appellata  est,  deinde 
Atlantia,  mox  a  Vulcani  filio  Aethiope.'  animalium 
honiinumque  monstrificas  etfigies  circa  extremitates 
eius  gigni  minime  mirum,  artifici  ad  formanda 
corpora    effigiesque     caelandas     mobilitate     ignea. 

*  Numeros  varie  IradurU  codd. 

*  V.l.  viridiores  eilvarum  apparuisse. 
'  Rackluim  :   transit  aut  transiit. 

*  elephantum  Dclltfsen. 

*  Mayhoff :  alare  rtu<  alere. 

*  6880  (ee)  Mayhojf :  et. 

'  V.l.  Aetliiope  Aethiopia. 

•  Perhaps  the  text  should  be  altered  to  '  elephanta  '. 
476 


BOOK   VI.  xxxv.  184-187 

22  miles,  Tergedus  103  miles.  The  i-eport  stated 
that  the  island  of  Gagaudes  is  half-way  between 
Syene  and  Meroe,  and  tliat  it  was  after  passing  this 
island  that  the  birds  called  parrots  were  first  seen, 
and  after  another,  named  Articula,  the  sphingion 
ape,  and  after  Tergedus  dog-faced  baboons.  The 
distance  from  Tergedus  to  Nabata  is  80  miles,  that 
little  town  being  the  only  one  among  those  mentioned 
that  survives ;  and  from  Nabata  to  the  island  of 
Meroe  is  360  miles.  Round  Meroe,  they  reported, 
greener  herbage  begins,  and  a  certain  amount  of 
forest  came  into  view,  and  the  tracks  of  rhinoceroses 
and  elephants  were  seen.  The  actual  town  of  Mero6 
they  said  is  at  a  distance  of  70  miles  from  the  first 
approach  to  the  island,  and  beside  it  in  the  channel 
on  the  right  hand  as  one  goes  up  stream  lies  another 
island,  the  Isle  of  Tados,  this  forming  a  harbour; 
the  town  possesses  few  buildings.  They  said  that 
it  is  ruled  by  a  woman,  Candace,  a  name  that  has 
passed  on  through  a  succession  of  queens  for  many 
years ;  and  that  rehgious  ceremonies  take  place  in  a 
temple  of  Hammon  in  the  town  and  also  in  shrines  of 
Ilammon  all  over  the  district.  Moreover  at  the  time 
of  the  Ethiopic  dominion  this  island  was  extremely 
celebrated.  It  is  reported  that  it  used  to  furnish 
250,000  armed  men  and  3000  artisans.«  At  the 
present  day  there  are  reported  to  be  forty-five  other 
kings  of  Ethiopia.  But  the  whole  race  was  called 
Aetheria,  and  then  Atlantia,  and  finally  it  took  its 
name  from  Aethiops  the  son  of  Vulcan.  It  is  by  no 
means  surprising  that  the  outermost  districts  of  this 
region  produce  animal  and  human  monstrosities, 
considcring  the  capacity  of  the  mobile  element  of 
fire  to  mould  their  bodies  and  carve  their  outHnes. 

477 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ferunt  certe  ab  orientis  parte  intima  gentes  esse 
sine  naribus,  aequali  totius  oris  planitie,  alias  supe- 

188  riore  labro  orbas,  alias  sine  linguis.  pars  etiam  ore 
concreto  et  naribus  carens  uno  tantum  foramine 
spirat  potumque  calamis  avenae  trahit  et  grana 
eiusdem  avenae  sponte  provenientis  ad  vescendum. 
quibusdam  pro  sermone  nutus  motusque  mem- 
brorum  est ;  quibusdam  ante  Ptolomaeum  Lathyrum 
regem  Aegypti  ignotus  fuit  usus  ignium.  quidam 
et  Pyginaeorum  gentem  prodiderunt  inter  paludis 
ex  quibus  Nilus  oriretur.  in  ora  autem  ubi  dice- 
mus  ^  continui  montes  ardentibus  similes  rubent. 

18'J  Trogodytis  et  Rubro  Mari  a  Meroe  tractus  omnis 
superponitur,  a  Napata  tridui  itinere  ad  Rubrum 
litus,  aqua  pluvia  ad  usum  conpluribus  locis  servata, 
fertilissima  regione  quae  interest  auri.  ulteriora 
Atabuh  Aethiopum  gens  tenent;  dein  contra 
Meroen  Megabarri,  quos  aliqui  Adiabaros  nomina- 
vere,     oppidum     habent     Apollinis ;      pars      eorum 

190  Nomades,  quae  elephantis  vescitur.  ex  adverso  in 
Africae  parte  Macrobii,  rursus  a  Megabarris  Mem- 
nones  et  Dabelli  dierumque  xx  intervallo  Critensi. 
ultra  eos  Dochi,  dein  Gymnetes  semper  nudi,  mox 
Andcrae,    Mattitae.    Mesagches :     hi    pudore  ^    atri 


»  MayhoffcoU.  §  197  :  desiimua  (c/.  §  \lZfin.). 
•  Mayhoff :   hipdores  (Kypsodores  X>e/ie/«en). 


478 


BOOK   VI.  x.x.w.  187-190 

It  is  certainly  reported  that  in  the  interior  on  the 
east  side  there  are  tribes  of  people  without  noses, 
their  whole  face  bcing  perfectly  flat,  and  other  tribes 
that  have  no  uppcr  lip  and  others  no  tongues.  Also 
one  section  has  the  mouth  closed  up  and  has  no 
nostrils,  but  only  a  single  orifice  through  Avhich  it 
breathes  and  sucks  in  drink  by  means  of  oat  straws, 
as  ■well  as  grains  of  oat,  which  grows  \n\d  there,  for 
food.  Some  of  the  tribes  communicate  by  means  of 
nods  and  gestures  instead  of  speech  ;  and  some  were 
unacquainted  with  the  use  of  fire  before  the  reign  of 
King  Ptolemy  Lathyrus  in  Egypt.  Some  writers 
have  actually  reported  a  race  of  Pygmies  Hving  among 
the  marshes  in  which  the  Nile  rises.  On  the  coast, 
in  a  region  whicli  we  shall  describe  later,  there  is  a  §  107. 
range  of  mountains  of  a  glo\ving  red  colour,  which 
have  the  appearance  of  being  on  fire. 

After  Meroe  all  the  region  is  bounded  by  the  Cave- 
dwellers  and  the  llcd  Sea,  the  distance  from  Napata 
to  the  coast  of  the  Red  Sea  being  three  days' 
journey ;  in  scveral  places  rainwater  is  stored  for  the 
use  of  travellers,  and  the  district  in  between  produces 
a  large  amount  of  gokl.  The  parts  beyond  are  occupied 
by  the  AtabuU,  an  Ethiopian  tribe ;  and  then,  over 
against  Meroe,  are  the  Alegabarri,  to  wliom  some 
give  the  name  of  Adiabari ;  they  have  a  town 
named  the  Town  of  Apollo,  but  one  division  of  them 
are  Nomads,  and  live  on  the  flesh  of  elephants. 
Opposite  to  them,  on  the  African  side,  are  the 
Macrobii,  and  again  after  the  Megabarri  come  the 
Memnones  and  Dabelli,  and  20  days'  journey  further 
on  the  Critensi.  Beyond  these  are  the  Dochi,  next 
the  Gymnetes,  who  never  wear  any  ckithes,  then  the 
Anderae,  Mattitae    and    Mesanches :    the  last  are 

479 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

coloris  tota  corpora  rubrica  inlinunt.  at  ex  Africae 
parte  Medimni,  dein  Nomades  cynocephalonmi 
lacte  viventes,  Alabi,  Syrbotae  qui  octonum  cubito- 

191  rum  esse  dicuntur.  Aristocreon  Libyae  latere  a 
Meroe  oppidum  Tollen  dierum  v  itinere  tradit. 
inde  dierum  xii  Aesar  oppidum  Aegyptiorum  qui 
Psammetichum  fugerint  (in  eo  produntur  annis  ^  ccr 
habitasse),  contra  in  Arabico  h\tere  Dlaron  oppidum 
esse  eorum.  Bion  autem  Sapen  vocat  quod  ille 
Aesar,  et  ipso  nomine  advenas  ait  significari ;  caput 
eorum  in  insula  Sembobitin,  et  tertium  in  Arabia 
Sinat.  inter  montes  autem  et  Nilum  Simbarri  sunt, 
Palugges,  in  ipsis  vero  montibus  Asachae  multis 
nationibus  ;  abesse  a  mari  dicuntur  dierum  v  itinere ; 
vivunt  elephantorum  venatu.     insula  in  Nilo  Sem- 

192  britarimi  reginae  paret.  ab  ea  Nubaei  Aethiopes 
dierum  viii  itinere  (oppidum  eorum  Nilo  inpositum 
Tenupsis),  Sesambri,  apud  quos  quadrupedes  omnes 
sine  auribas,  etiam  elcphanti.  at  ex  Africae  parte 
Ptonebari,  Ptoemphani  qui  canem  pro  rege  habent, 
motu  eius  imperia  augurantes,  Harusbi  oppido  longe 
ab  Nilo  sito,  postea  Archisarmi,  PhaUiges,  Marigarri, 

193  Chasamari.  Bion  et  alia  oppida  in  insulis  tradit : 
a  Sembobiti  Meroen  versus  dierum  toto  itinere  xx, 

*  Kdd.  vet.  :  prodonto  ae. 
480 


BOOK    VI.  XXXV.  190-193 

ashamed  of  their  black  colour  and  smear  themselves 
all  over  ^vith  red  clay.  On  the  African  side  are  thc 
Medimni,  and  then  a  Nomad  tribe  that  Hves  on  the 
milk  of  the  dog-faced  baboon,  the  Alabi,  and  the 
Syrbotae  who  are  said  to  be  12  ft.  high.  Aristocreon 
reports  that  on  the  Lybian  side  five  days'  journey 
from  Meroe  is  the  town  of  Tolles,  and  twelve  days 
beyond  it  another  town,  Aesar,belonging  to  Egyptians 
who  fled  to  escape  from  Psammetichus  (they  are  said 
to  have  been  Hving  there  for  300  years),  and  that  the 
town  of  Diaron  on  the  Arabian  side  opposite  belongs 
to  them.  To  the  town  which  Aristocrates  calls  Aesar 
Bion  gives  the  name  of  Sapes,  which  he  says  means 
that  the  inhabitants  are  strangers ;  their  chief  city 
is  Sembobitis,  situated  on  an  island,  and  they  have 
a  third  town  named  Sinat,  in  Arabia.  Between 
the  mountains  and  the  Nile  are  the  Simbarri,  the 
Palunges  and,  on  the  actual  mountains,  the  numerous 
tribes  of  Asachae,  who  are  said  to  be  five  days' 
journey  from  the  sea  ;  they  live  by  hunting  elephants. 
An  island  in  the  Nile,  belonging  to  the  Sembritae,  is 
governed  by  a  queen.  Eight  days'  journey  from  this 
island  are  the  Nubian  Ethiopians,  whose  to%vn 
Tenupsis  is  situated  on  the  Nile,  and  the  Sesambri,  in 
whose  country  all  the  four-footed  animals,  even  the 
elephants,  have  no  ears.  On  the  African  side  are  the 
Ptonebari ;  the  Ptoemphani,  who  have  a  dog  for  a 
king  and  dinne  his  commands  from  his  movements ; 
the  HariLsbi,  whose  town  is  situated  a  long  distance 
away  from  the  Nile ;  and  afterwards  the  Archisarmi, 
Phalliges,  Marigarri  and  Chasamari.  Bion  also 
reports  other  towns  situated  on  islands :  after 
Sembobitis,  in  the  direction  of  Meroe,  the  whole 
distance   being  twenty   days'  journey,   on   the   first 

481 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

proximae  insulae  oppidum  Semberritarum  sub  regina 
et  aliud  Asara ;  alterius  oppidum  Darden ;  tertiani 
Medoen  vocant,  in  qua  oppidum  Asel ;  quartam 
eodem  quo  oppidum  nomine  Garroen.  iiide  per 
ripas  op))ida  Nautis.  Madum,  Demadatin,^  Secande, 
Navectabe  cum  agro  Psegipta,  Candragori,  Arabam, 

194  Summaram.*  regio  supra  Sirbitum,  ubi  desinunt 
montes,  traditur  a  quibusdam  habere  maritimos 
Aetliiopas,  Nisicathas,  Nisitas,  quod  significat  ternum 
et  quaternum  oculorum  viros,  non  quia  sic  sint,  sed 
quia  sagittis  praecipua  conteniplatione  utantur.  ab 
ea  vero  parte  Nili  quae  supra  Syrtes  Maiores  oceanum- 
que  meridianum  protendatur  Dalion  Vacathos  esse 
dicit  phivia  tantum  aqua  utentis,  Cisoros,  Logon- 
poros  ab  Oecalicibus  dierum  v  itinere,  Usibalchos, 
Isbelos,  Perusios,  Ballios,  Cispios ;    rehqua  deserta. 

195  dein  fabulosa  :  ad  occidentem  versus  Nigroe,  quorum 
rex  imum  oculum  in  fronte  habeat,  Agriophagi 
pantlierarum  leonumque  maxime  camihus  viventes, 
Pamphagi  omnia  mandentes,  Anthropophagi  hu- 
mana  carne  vesccntcs,  Cynamolgi  caninis  capitihus, 
Artabatitae  quadrupedcs,  ferarum  modo  vagi,  dcinde 
Hespcrioe,  Perorsi  et  quos  in  Maurctaniae  confmio 
diximus.  pars  quaedam  Acthiopum  locustis  tantum 
vivit  fumo  et  salc  duratis  in  annua  aUmenta;  hi 
quadragesimum  vitae  annum  non  excedunt. 

*  Post  Demadatin  codd.  secundum   coUocat,  nempc  gloss. 
(Secundum,  Collocat  edd.). 


'  Two  wonls  follow  in  the  MSS.  which  appear  to  be  a 
topographicai  notc,  Ijut  which  cditors  print  as  namcs  of  towns, 
as  they  do  the  words  that  follow  Navectabe,  which  are  here 
rendered  '  with  '  and  '  territory '. 

*  Porhaps  the  real  namo  was  Tcttarabatitao. 

482 


BOOK   VI.  xxxv.  193-195 

island  reached,  a  town  of  the  Semberritae,  gov- 
erned  by  a  queen,  and  another  town  named  Asara ; 
on  the  second  island,  the  town  of  Darde ;  the  third 
island  is  called  Medoe,  and  the  to^vn  on  it  is  Asel; 
the  fourth  is  Garroe,  with  a  town  of  the  same  name. 
Then  along  the  banks  are  the  towns  of  Nautis,  Madum, 
Demadatis,"  Secande,  Navectabe  with  the  territory 
of  Psegipta,  Candragori,  Araba,  Summara.  Above 
is  the  region  of  Sirbitum,  where  the  mountain  range 
ends,  and  which  is  stated  by  some  WTiters  to  be 
occupied  by  Ethiopian  coast-tribes,  the  Nisicathae 
and  Nisitae,  names  that  mean  '  men  with  three  ' 
or  '  "snth  four  eyes  ' — not  because  they  really  are 
hke  that  but  because  they  have  a  particularly  keen 
sight  in  using  arrows.  On  the  side  of  the  Nile  that 
stretches  inland  from  the  Greater  SjTtes  and  the  south- 
ern  ocean  DaUon  says  there  are  the  Vacathi,  who  use 
only  rain-water,  the  Cisori,  the  Logonpori  five  days' 
joumey  from  the  Oecahces,  the  Usibalchi,  IsbeU, 
Perusii,  BalUi  and  Cispii ;  and  that  all  the  rest  of  the 
country  is  uninhabited.  Then  come  regions  that  are 
purely  imaginary  :  towards  the  west  ai-e  the  Nigroi , 
whose  king  is  said  to  have  only  one  eye,  in  his  fore- 
head ;  the  Wild-beast-eaters,  who  Uve  chiefly  on  the 
flesh  of  panthers  and  Uons ;  the  Eatalls,  who  devour 
everj-thing ;  the  Man-eaters,  whose  diet  is  human 
flesh  ;  the  Dog-milkers,  who  have  dogs' heads  ;  the 
Artabatitae,*  who  have  four  legs  and  rove  about 
Uke  wild  animals ;  and  then  the  Hesperioi,  the 
Perorsi  and  the  people  we  have  mentioned  as  in-  v. 
habiting  the  border  of  Mauretania.  One  section  of 
the  Ethiopians  Uve  only  on  locusts,  dried  in  smoke 
and  salted  to  keep  for  a  year's  supply  of  food; 
these  people  do  not  Uve  beyond  the  age  of  forty. 

483 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ire  Aethiopum  terram  universam  cimi  mari  Rubro 
patere  in  longitudinem  |  xxi  |  lxx  p.,  in  latitudinem 
cum  superiore  Aeg}'pto  |xii|  xcvi  Agrippa  existima- 
vit.  quidam  longitudinem  ita  diviserunt :  a  Meroe 
Sirbitum  xii  dierum  navigationem,  ab  co^  xii  ad 
Dabellos,  ab  his  ad  oceanum  Aethiopicum  vi  dierum 
iter.  in  totum  autem  ab  oceano  ad  Meroen  dcxxv 
p.   esse   inter  auctores  fere  convenit,  inde   Syenen 

197  quantum  diximus.  sita  est  Aethiopia  ab  orientc 
hibemo  ad  occidentem  hibernum  meridiano  cardine. 
silvae,  hebeno  ^  maxime,  virent,  a  media  eius  parte 
imminens  niari  mons  excelsus  aeternis  ardet  ignibus, 
Theon  Ocliema  dictus  a  Graecis  ;  a  quo  navigatione  ^ 
quadridui  *  promunturium  quod  Hesperu  Ceras 
vocatur  confine  Africae  iuxta  Aethiopas  Hesperios. 
quidam  et  in  eo  tractu  modicos  colles  amoena 
opacitate  vestitos  Aegipanum  Satyrorumque  pro- 
dunt. 

198  XXX^T.  Insulas  toto  Eoo  mari  et  l'pliorus  con- 
pluris  esse  tradidit  et  Eudoxus  et  Timosthenes,  Clit- 
archus  vero  Alcxandro  regi  renuntiatam  unam  ^  adco 
divitem  ut  equos  incolae  talentis  auri  permutarent, 
alteram  ubi  sacer  mons  opacus  silva  repertus  esset, 
destillante  arboribus  odore  mirae  suavitatis.  contrn 
sinum    Persicum    Cerne    nominatur    insula    adversa 

'  Backliam :  oa. 

*  hiberno  Detlefsen. 

*  Dellefscn :  navipatio. 

*  qundridui  ad  edd.  i^et. 

*  unam  add.  Rackham. 

"  The  figures  in  this  section  are  again  uncertain,  cf.  §  183». 

*  I.e.,  it  is  an  isosceles  triangle  witb  its  (very  obtuse)  apex 
pointing  north.  Previous  edd.  take  meridiano  cardine  with 
foUowing  words. 

'  Mount  Kakulinia. 

484 


BOOK   VI.  xxxv.  196-XXXV1.  198 

The  length  of  the  whole  of  the  territory  of  the 
Ethiopians  including  the  Red  Sea  -svas  estimated  by 
Agrippa  as  2170"  niiles  and  its  breadth  including 
Upper  Egypt  1296  miles.  Some  authors  give  the 
folloAving  divisions  of  its  length :  from  Mcroe  to 
Sirbitus  12  days'  sail,  from  Sirbitus  to  the  Dabelli  12 
days'  sail,  and  from  the  Dabelli  to  the  Ethiopic  Ocean 
6  days'  journey  by  hmd.  But  authorities  are  virtually 
agreed  that  the  whole  distance  from  the  ocean  to 
Meroe  is  625  miles  and  that  the  distance  from 
Meroe  to  Syene  is  what  we  have  stated  above.  The  §  I84. 
conformation  of  Ethiopia  spreads  from  south-east  to 
south-west  \dth  its  centre  Une  running  south.*  It 
has  flourishing  forests,  mostly  of  ebony  trees. 
Rising  from  the  sea  at  the  middle  of  the  coast  is  a 
mountain*^  of  great  height  which  glows  with  eternal 
fires — its  Greek  name  is  the  Chariot  of  the  Gods ; 
and  four  davs'  voyage  from  it  is  the  cape  called  the 
Hom  of  the  West,  on  the  confines  of  Africa,  adjacent 
to  the  Western  Ethiopians.  Some  authorities  also 
report  hills  of  moderate  height  in  this  region,  clad 
\\-ith  agreeable  shady  thickets  and  belonging  to  the 
Goat-Pans  and  Satyrs. 

XXXVT.  It  is  stated  by  Ephorus,  and  also  by  isiaiuUoff 
Eudoxus  and  Timosthenes,  that  there  are  a  large  ^Z"'^''- 
number  of  islands  scattered  over  the  whole  of  the 
Eastern  Sea ;  while  CUtarchus  says  that  King 
Alexander  received  a  report  of  one  that  was  so 
wealthy  that  its  inhabitants  gave  a  talent  of  gold  for 
a  horse,  and  of  another  on  which  a  holy  mountain  had 
been  found,  covered  with  a  dense  forest  of  trees 
from  which  fell  drops  of  moisture  having  a  marvel- 
louslv  agreeable  scent.  An  island  op))Osite  the 
Persian  (^ulf  and  lying  off  Ethiopia  is  named  Cerne  ; 

485 


FLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Aethiopiae,  cuiiis  neque  magnitudo  neque  interval- 
lum  a  continente  constat ;  Aethiopas  tantum  populos 

199  habere  proditur.  Ephorus  auctor  est  a  Rubro  Mari 
naWgantis  in  eam  non  posse  propter  ardores  ultra 
quasdam  columnas  (ita  appellantur  parvae  insulae) 
provehi.  Polvbius  in  extrema  Mauretania  contra 
montem  Atlantem  a  terra  stadia  viii  abesse  prodit 
Cernen,  Nepos  Cornelius  ex  adverso  maxime 
Carthaginis  a  continente  p.  x,  non  ampHorem  cir- 
cuitu  ii.  traditur  et  alia  insula  contra  montem 
Altantem,  et  ipsa  Atlantis  appellata  ;  ab  ea  ii  dierum 
praenavigatione  soUtudines  ad  Aethiopas  Hesperios 
et  promunturium  quod  vocavimus  Hcsperu  Ceras, 
inde  primum   circumagente   se   terrarum   fronte   in 

200  occasum  ac  mare  Atlanticum.  contra  lioc  quoque 
promunturium  Gorgades  insulae  narrantur,  Gorgonum 
quondam  domus,  bidui  navigatione  distantes  a 
continente,  ut  tradit  Xenophon  Lampsacenus. 
penetravit  in  eas  Hanno  Poenorum  imperator 
prodiditque  hirta  feminarum  corpora,  viros  pemici- 
tate  evasisse;  duarumque  Gorgadum  cutes  argu- 
menti  et  miraculi  gratia  in  lunonis  templo  posuit 

201  spectatas  asque  ad  Carthaginem  captam.  ultra  has 
etiamnum  duae  Hesperidum  insulae  narrantur ; 
adeoque    omnia   circa    hoc   incerta   sunt    ut    Statius 


"  Hanno  called  these  natlTea  gorillas,  but  they  were  really 
chimpanzees  or  baboons. 

486 


BOOK   VI.  XXXVI.  198-201 

neither  its  size  nor  its  distance  from  the  mainland  has 
been  ascertained,  but  it  is  reported  to  be  inhabited 
solely  by  Ethiopian  tribes.  Ephorus  states  that 
vessels  approaching  it  from  the  Red  Sea  are  unable 
because  of  the  heat  to  advance  beyond  the  Columns 
— that  being  the  name  of  certain  small  islands. 
Polybius  informs  us  that  Cerne  Ues  at  the  extremity 
of  Mauretania,  over  against  Mount  Atlas,  a  mile 
from  the  coast ;  CorneUus  Nepos  gives  it  as  being 
nearly  in  the  same  meridian  as  Carthage,  and  10 
miles  from  the  mainland,  and  as  measuring  not  more 
than  2  miles  round.  There  is  also  reported  to  be 
another  island  ofF  Mount  Atlas,  itself  also  called 
Atlantis,  from  Avhich  a  two  days'  voyage  along  the 
coast  reaches  the  desert  district  in  the  neighbour- 
hood  of  the  Western  Ethiopians  and  the  cape 
mentioned  above  named  the  Horn  of  the  West,  §197 
the  point  at  which  the  coastUne  begins  to  curve 
westward  in  thc  dircction  of  the  Atlantic.  Opposite 
this  cape  also  there  are  reported  to  be  some  islands, 
the  Gorgades,  which  were  formerlv  the  habitation  of 
the  Gorgons,  and  which  according  to  the  account  of 
Xenophon  of  Lampsacus  are  at  a  distance  of  two 
days'  sail  from  the  mainland.  These  islands  were 
reached  by  the  Carthaginian  general  Hanno,"  who 
reported  that  the  women  had  hair  all  over  their 
bodies,  but  that  the  men  were  so  swift  of  foot  that 
they  got  away  ;  and  he  deposited  the  skins  of  two  of 
the  female  natives  in  the  Temple  of  Juno  as  proof  of 
the  truth  of  his  story  and  as  curiosities,  where  they 
were  on  show  until  Carthage  was  taken  by  Rome. 
Outside  the  Gorgades  there  are  also  said  to  be  two 
Islandsof  the  Ladiesofthe  West ;  andthe  wholeof  the 
geography  of  this  neighbourhood  is  so  uncertain  that 

487 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Sebosus  a  Gorgonum  insulis  praenavigatione  Atlantis 
dierum  xl  nd  Hesperidum  insulas  cursum  prodiderit. 
ab  his  ad  Hesperu  Ceras  unius.  nec  Mauretaniae 
insularum  certior  fama  est :  paucas  modo  constat 
esse  ex  adverso  Autololimi  a  luba  repertas,  in  quibus 
Gaetulicam  purpuram  tiuguere  instituerat. 

202  XXXVII.  Sunt  qui  ultraeas  Fortunatas  putent  esse 
quasdamque  alias  quarum  ^  numero  idem  Sebosus 
etiam  spatia  conplexus  lunoniam  abesse  a  Gadibus 
DccL  p.  tradit,  ab  ea  tantundem  ad  occasum  versus 
Pluvialiam  Caprariamque ;  in  Pluvialia  non  esse 
aquam  nisi  ex  imbribus  ;  ab  iis  ccl  Fortunatas  contra 
laevam  Mauretaniae  in  viii  horam  solis,  vocari 
Invallem  a  convexitate  et  Planasiam  a  specie,  Invallis 
circuitu   ccc   p. ;     arborum   ibi   proceritatem   ad  cxl 

203  pedes  adolescere.  luba  de  Fortunatis  ita  inquisivit : 
sub  meridiem  positas  esse  prope  occasum,  a  Pur- 
purariis  dcxxv  p.,  sic  ut  ccl  supra  occasum  navigetur, 
dein  per  ccclxxv  ortus  petatur  primam  vocari 
Ombrion  nullis  aedificiorum  vestigiis,  habere,  in 
montibus  stagnum,  arbores  similes  ferulae  ex  quibus 
aqua   exprimatur,  e  nigris  amara,  ex  candidioribus 

204  potui  iucunda ;    alteram  insulam  lunnniam  appcllari, 

*  V.l.  quorum  :   Mayhnff  quo  in. 


"  The  Canaries.  *  Fuortoventura. 

'  Ferro.  •*  Gomera. 

*  The  Island  of  Tcneriffc.         f  Grcat  Canary  Island. 
»  I.e.,  ita  level  surface.  *  See  §  201  fin. 

*  The  Greek  name  of  Pluvialia,  §  202. 


488 


BOOK   VI.  XXXVI.  2oi-\.xxvii.  204 

Statius  Sebosus  has  given  the  voyage  along  the  coast 
from  the  Gorgons'  Islands  past  Mount  Atlas  tothe  Isles 
of  the  Ladies  of  the  West  as  forty  days'  sail  and  from 
those  islands  to  the  Horn  of  the  West  as  one  day 's  sail. 
Nor  is  there  less  uncertainty  with  regard  to  the  report 
of  the  islands  of  Mauretania :  it  is  only  known  for 
certain  that  a  few  were  discovered  by  Juba  ofF  the 
coast  of  the  Autololes,  in  which  hc  had  estabUshed  a 
dyeing  industrj'  that  used  Gaetuhan  pur])le. 

XXXVII.  Some  people  think  that  beyond  the  The 
islands  of  Mauretania  Ue  the  Isles  of  BUss,"*  and  f^and^!^ 
also  some  others  of  which  Sebosus  before  mentioned 
gives  not  only  the  niimber  but  also  the  distances, 
reporting  that  Junonia*  is  750  miles  from  Cadiz,  and 
that  PluviaUa"^  and  Capraria  "^  are  the  same  distance 
west  from  Junonia ;  that  in  PluviaUa  there  is  no 
water  except  what  is  suppUed  by  rain ;  tliat  the 
Isles  of  Bliss  are  250  miles  W.N.W.  from  these,  to 
the  left  hand  of  Mauretania,  and  that  one  is  called 
InvalUs  ^  from  its  undulating  surface  nnd  the  other 
Planasia/  from  its  conformation,?  InvalUs  measuring 
300  miles  round ;  and  that  on  it  trees  grow  to  a 
height  of  140  ft.  About  the  Isles  of  Bliss  Juba  has 
ascertained  the  following  facts :  they  lie  in  a  south- 
westerly  direction,  at  a  distance  of  625  miles'  sail 
from  the  Purple  Islands,''  provided  that  a  course 
be  laid  north  of  due  west  for  250  miles  and  then 
east  for  375  miles ;  that  the  first  island  reached  is 
called  Ombrios,'  and  there  are  no  traces  of  buildings 
upon  it,  but  it  has  a  pool  surrounded  by  mountains, 
and  trees  resembling  the  giant  fennel,  from  which 
water  is  extracted,  the  black  oncs  giving  a  bitter 
fluid  and  those  of  brighter  colour  a  juice  that  is 
agreeable  to  drink ;   that  the  second  island  is  called 

489 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

in  ea  aediculam  esse  tantum  uno  ^  lapide  exstructam ; 
ab  ea  in  vicino  eodem  nomine  minorem,  deinde 
Caprariam  lacertis  grandibus  refertam ;  in  con- 
spectu   earum   esse   Ninguariara,   quae   hoc   nomen 

205  acceperit  a  perpetua  nive,  nebulosam ;  proximam  ei 
Canariam  vocari  a  multitudine  canum  ingentis 
magnitudinis  (ex  quibus  perducti  sunt  lubae  duo) ; 
apparere  ^  ibi  vestigia  aedificiorum ;  cum  omnes 
autem  copia  pomorum  et  avium  omnis  generis 
abundent,  hanc  et  palmetis  caryotas  ferentibus  ac 
nuce  pinea  abundare  ;  esse  copiam  et  mellis,  pap^Tnim 
quoque  et  siluros  in  amnibus  gigni ;  infestari  eas 
beluis,  quae  expellantur  ^  adsidue,  putrescentibus. 

206  XXXVIII.  Et  abunde  orbe  terrae  extra  intra 
indicato  colligenda  in  artuin  mensura  aequorum 
\1detur. 

Polybius  a  Gaditano  freto  longitudinem  directo 
cursu  ad  os  Maeotis  |x.vxiv|  xxxvii  d  prodidit,  ab 
eodem  initio  ad  orientem  recto  cursu  Siciliam  |xiij 
L,  Cretam  cccExxv,  Rliodum  clxxxvii  d,  Chelidonias 
tantundem,  Cj^jrum    ccxxv,  inde   Syriae  Seleuciam 

207  Pieriam  cxv,  quae  computatio  efficit  |.\xiii|  xl. 
Agrippa  hoc  idem  intenallum  a  freto  Gaditano  ad 
sinum  Issicum  per  longitudinem  directam  |xxxiv|  XL 
taxat,  in  quo  liaud  scio  an  sit  error  numeri,  quoniam 

'  uno  (uld.  Sillig. 

*  Mayhoff :    apparent. 

3  expuantur  <(aestu>  Dellefsen. 

490 


BOOK   VI.  XXXVII.  204-xxxviii.  207 

Junonia,  and  that  there  is  a  small  temple  on  it  built 
of  only  a  single  stone ;  and  that  in  its  neighbourhood 
there  is  a  smaller  island  of  the  same  name,  and  then 
Capraria,  which  swarms  with  \arge  Uzards ;  and 
that  in  view  from  these  islands  is  Ninguaria,  so 
named  from  its  perpetual  snow,  and  wrapped  in 
cloud ;  and  next  to  it  one  named  Canaria,  from  its 
multitude  of  dogs  of  a  huge  size  (two  of  these  were 
brought  back  for  Juba).  He  said  that  in  this 
island  there  are  traces  of  buildings  ;  that  while  they 
all  have  an  abundant  supply  of  fruit  and  of  birds  of 
every  kind,  Canaria  also  abounds  in  pahn-groves 
bearing  dates,  and  in  conifers ;  that  in  addition  to 
this  there  is  a  large  supply  of  honey,  and  also  papyrus 
grows  in  the  rivers,  and  sheat-fish ;  and  that  these 
islands  are  plagued  Nvith  the  rotting  carcases  of 
monstrous  creatures  that  are  constantly  being  cast 
ashore  by  the  sea. 

XXXVIII.  And  now  that  we  have  fully  described  DimensioTis 
the  outer  and  inner  regions  of  the  earth,  it  seems  andliraits. 
proper  to  give  a  succinct  account  of  the  dimensions 
of  its  various  bodies  of  water. 

According  to  Polybius  the  distance  in  a  straight 
line  from  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  to  the  outlet  of  the 
Sea  of  Azov  is  .3437^  miles,  and  the  distance  from 
the  same  starting  point  due  eastward  to  Sicily  1250 
miles,  to  Crete  375  miles,  to  Rhodes  187i  miles,  to  the 
Swallow  Islands  the  same,  to  Cyprus  225  miles,  and 
from  Cyprus  to  Seleukeh  Pieria  in  Syria  115  miles 
— which  figures  added  together  make  a  total  of 
2340  miles.  Agrippa  calculates  the  same  distance  in 
a  straight  Une  from  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  to  the 
Gulf  of  Scanderoon  at  3440  miles,  in  which  calcu- 
lation  I  suspect  there  is  a  numerical  error,  as  he  has 

491 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

idem  a  Siculo  freto  Alexandriam  cursus  |xiii|  l 
tradidit.  universus  autem  circuitus  per  sinus  dictos 
ab  eodem  exordio  coUigit  ad  ^  Macotim  lacum  |clv| 
ix ;  Artemidorus  adicit  dcclvi,  idem  cum  Maeotide 
fcLxxml  xc  p.  esse  tradit.^ 

208  Haec  est  mensura  inermium  et  pacata  audacia 
Fortunam  provocantium  hominum. 

Nunc  ipsarum  partium  magnitudo  conparabitur, 
utcumque  difticultatem  adferet  auctorum  diversitas; 
aptissime  tamen  spectabitur  ad  longitudinem  lati- 
tudine  addita.  est  ergo  ad  hoc  praescriptum  Europae 
magnitudo  .  .  .  longitudo^  |lu\xxi|  XLViii.*  Africae 
(ut  media  ex  omni  varietate  prodentium  sumatur 
computatio)  efficit  longitudo  |.\xxvii|   xcviTi,  latitudo, 

209  qua  colitur  nuscjuam  uccL^  excedit ;  sed  quoniam  in 
Cyrenaica  eiiis  parte  dccccx  eam  fecit  Agrippa, 
deserta  eius  ad  Garamantas  usque,  qua  noscebantur, 
complectens,  universa  mensura  quae  veniet  in 
computationem  ^  [xLvnlviii  efticit.  Asiae  longitudo 
in  confesso  est  [lx|  iii  dccl,  latitudo  sane  computetur 
ab  Aethiopico  mari  Alexandriam  iuxta  Nilum  sitam, 
ut    per    Meroen   et   Syenen   mensura   currat,  |xvinl 

210  lxxv.     apparet  ergo  Europam  paulo  ininus  dimidia 

1   KZ.  intra.  *  (^.)Mayhoff :   tradidit. 

*  J.dcunam  slatuit  et  longitudo  add.  Pintianua. 

*  Numeri  (ut  alibi)  incerii. 
'  Rackham :  CCL. 

*  V.l.  comparationem  (cf.  VII.  132). 

"  Scholara  have  taken  tho  words  to  mean  '  by  adding  the 
breadth  to  the  length  ',  and  have  cbarged  Pliny  with  thinking 
that  this  would  give  the  area"! 

^  Tho  word  '  length  '  is  a  conjcctural  insertion,  tho  figures  for 
the  brcadth  iircceding  it  having  also  apparently  been  omittcd 
by  a  copyist. 

492 


BOOK   VI.  xxxviii.  207-210 

also  given  the  length  of  the  route  from  the  Straits 
of  Sicily  to  Alexandria  as  1350  miles.  The  Avhole 
leiigth  of  the  coastUne  round  the  bays  specified, 
starting  at  the  same  point  and  ending  at  the  Sea  of 
Azov,amounts  to  15,509 miles — although  Artemidorus 
puts  it  at  756  miles  more,  and  also  reports  that  the 
total  coastUne  including  the  shores  of  Azov  measures 
17,390  miles. 

This  is  the  measurement  made  by  persons  throAving 
out  a  challenge  to  Fortune  not  by  force  of  arms,  but 
by  the  boldness  they  have  displayed  in  time  of 
peace. 

We  will  now  compare  the  dimensions  of  particular  Dimen$io7i 
parts  of  the  earth,  however  great  the  difficulty  "lniij^^t^ 
that  will  arise  from  the  discrepancy  of  the  ac- 
counts  given  by  authors ;  nevertheless  the  matter 
will  be  most  suitably  presented  by  giving  the 
breadth  in  addition  to  the  length."  The  following, 
then,  is  the  formula  for  the  area  of  Europe  .  .  . 
length  *>  8148  miles.  As  for  Africa — to  take  the 
average  of  all  the  various  accounts  given  of  its 
dimensions — its  length  -svorks  out  at  3798  miles,  and 
the  breadth  of  the  inhabited  portions  nowhere 
exceeds  750  miles ;  but  as  Agrippa  made  it  910 
miles  at  the  Cyrenaic  part  of  the  country,  by  in- 
cluding  the  African  desert  as  far  as  the  country  of 
the  Garamantes,  the  extent  then  known,  the  entire 
length  that  will  come  into  the  calculation  amoimts 
to  4708  miles.  The  length  of  Asia  is  admittedly 
6375  miles,  and  the  breadth  should  properly  be 
calculated  from  the  Ethiopic  Sea  to  Alexandria  on 
the  Nile,  making  the  measurement  run  through 
Meroe  and  Syene,  which  gives  1875  miles.  It  is 
consequently  clear  that  Europe  is  a  little  less  than 

493 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Asiae  parte  maiorem  esse  quam  Asiam,  eandem  altero 
tanto  et  sexta  parte  Africae  ampliorem  quam  Afri- 
cam.  quod  si  misceantur  omnes  sunnnae,  liquido 
patebit  Europam  totius  terrae  tertiam  esse  partem  et 
octavam  paulo  amplius,  Asiam  vero  quartam  et 
quartamdecimam,  Africam  autem  quintam  et  insuper 
sexapesimam. 

211  XXXIX.  His  addemus  etiamnum  unam  Graecae  in- 
ventionis  scntentiam^  vel  exquisilissmae  subtilitatis 
ut  nihil  desit  in  spectando  terrarum  situ,  indicatisque 
regionibus  noscatur  et  quae  ^  cuique  earum  societas 
sit  sive  cognatio  dierum  ac  noctiuni,  quibusque  inter 
se  pares  umbrae  et  aequa  mundi  convexitas.  ergo 
reddetur  hoc  etiam,  terraque  universa  in  membra 
caeH  digeretur.'' 

212  Plura  sunt  autem  segmenta  mundi  quae  nostri 
circulos  appellavere,  Graeci  parallelos.  principium 
habet  Indiae  pars  versa  ad  austrum ;  patet  us{|ue 
Arabiam  et  Ilubri  Maris  accolas.  continentur 
Gedrosi,  Carmani,  Persae,  Elvmaei,  Parthyene,  Aria, 
Susiane,  Mesopotamia,  Seleucia*cognominata  Baby- 
lonia,  Arabia  ad  Petram  *  usque,  Syria  Coele,  Polu- 
sium,  Aegj^pti  inferiora  quae  Cliora  vocatur,  Alexan- 
dria,  Africaemaritima.Cyrenaicaoppidaonmia.Thap- 
sus,  Hadrumetum,  Clupea,  Carthago,  Utica,  uterque 
Hippo,  Numidia,  Mauretania  utraque,  Atlanticum 
mare,  Columnae  Herculis.  in  hoc  caeH  circumplexu 
aequinoctii  die  medio  umbilicus  quem  gnomonem 
vocant  seplem  pedes  longiLs  umbram  non  amplius 
quattuor  pedes  longam  reddit,  noctis  vero  dieique 

^  acientiam  codd.  plurimi. 

*  et  cuiu  qua  cwld.  plurtmi  (et  cum  qua  cuique  aidoruiu 
Mayhojf).  '  V.l.  tcrraequ»  univorsae  .  .  .  digerentur. 

*  Warmington :  Petras  codd. 

494 


BOOK   VI.  xx.wni.  2io-x.\xi.\.  212 

one  and  a  half  times  the  size  of  Asia,  and  two  and 
one  sixth  times  the  width  of  Africa.  Combining 
all  these  figiires  together,  it  Mdll  be  clearly  manifest 
that  Europe  is  a  httle  more  than  -}^  -\-  |th,  Asia 
i  +  TT*^'  ^^^  Africa  ^  -(-  /o^tli,  of  the  whole  earth. 

XXXIX.  To    these    we    shall    further    add    one  Dinsionof 
theory   of  Greek   discovery   showing   the   most   re-  sur/ace  mto 
condite  ingenuity,  so  that  notlung  may  be  wanting  Paraiuu. 
in  our  sur%'ey  of  the  geography  of  the  world,  and  so 
that  now  thc  various  regions  have  been  indicated, 
it  may  be  also  learnt  what  alhance  or  reiationship 
of  days  and  nights  each  of  the  regions  has,  and  in 
which  of  them  the  shadows  are  of  the  same  length 
and  the  Morld's  convexity  is  equal.     An  account  ^vill 
therefore  be  given  of  this  also,  and  the  whole  earth 
will  be  mapped  out  in  accordance  with  the  consti- 
tuent  parts  of  the  heavens. 

The  world  has  a  number  of  segments  to  wliich 
our  countrymen  give  the  name  of  '  circles  '  and  which 
the  Greelcs  call  '  parallels  '.  The  first  place  belongs 
to  the  southward  part  of  India,  extending  as  far  as 
Arabia  and  the  people  inliabiting  the  coast  of  the 
Red  Sea.  This  segment  includes  the  Gedrosians, 
Carmanians,  Persians,  and  El\Tnaeans,  Parthyene, 
Aria,  Susiane,  Mesopotamia,  Babylonian  Seleucia, 
Arabia  as  far  as  Petra,  Hollow  Syria,  Pelusium, 
the  lower  parts  of  Egypt  called  Chora,  Alexandria, 
thecoastal  parts  of  Africa,  all  the  towns  of  Cyrenaica, 
Thapsus,  Hadrumetum,  Clupea,  Carthage,  Utica, 
the  two  Hippos,  Numidia,  the  two  Mauretanias, 
the  Atlantic  Ocean,  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.  In 
this  latitude,  at  noon  at  the  time  of  the  equinox  a 
sundial-pin  or  '  gnomon  '  7  ft.  long  casts  a  shadow 
not  more  than  4  ft.  long,  while  the  longest  night 

495 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

longissima  spatia  xiv  horas   aequinoctiales  habent, 
brevissima  ex  contrario  x. 

213  Sequens  circulus  incipit  ab  India  vergente  ad 
occasum,  vadit  per  medios  Parthos,  Persepolim, 
citima  Persidis,  Arabiam  citeriorem,  ludaeam, 
Libani  montis  accolas,  amplectitur  Babylonem, 
Idumaeam,  Samariam,  Hiei'osolyma,  Ascalonem, 
lopen,  Cacsarcani,  Phoenicen,  Ptolemaidem,  Sido- 
nem,  Tyrum,  Berytum,  IJotr}^n,  TripoHm,  Byblum, 
Antiochiam,  Laodiceam,  Selcuciam,  CiUciae  mari- 
tima,  Cypri  austrina,  Cretam,  Lilybaeum  in  SiciHa, 
septentrionaha  Africae  et  Numidiae.  umbiUcus 
x\xv  pedum  aequinoctio  ^  umbram  xxiv  pedes  longam 
facit,  dies  autem  noxque  maxima  xiv  horarum 
aequinoctiaUum  est  accedente  bis  quinta  parte  unius 
horae. 

214  Tertius  circuhis  ab  Indis  Imavo  proximis  oritur; 
tendit  per  Caspias  Portas,  Mediae  proxuma,  Cataon- 
iam,  Cappadociam,  Taurum,  Amanum,  Issuin,  Cilicias 
Portas,  Solos,  Tarsum,  Cyprum,  Pisidiam,  Pam- 
phyUam,  Siden,  Lycaoniam,  Lyciam,  Patara,  Xan- 
thum,  Caunum,  Rhodum,  Coum,  Hahcarnassum, 
Cnidum,  Dorida,  Chium,  Delum,  Cycladas  medias, 
Gythium,  Malean,  Argos,  Laconicam,  EUm,  Olym- 
piam,  Messeniam  Pcloponnesi,  Syracusas,  Catinam. 
SiUciam  mediam,Sardiniae  austrina,Carteiam,Gades. 
gnomonis  c  unciae  umbram  Lxxvii  unciarum  faciunt. 
longissimus  dies  est  aequinoctiaUum  horarum  xiv 
atque  dimidiae  cum  tricesima  unius  horae. 

'  Rackham  :  umbilicua  aequinoctio  xxxv  pedum. 
496 


BOOK   VI.  xxxix.  212-214 

and  the  longest  day  contain  14  equinoctial  hours," 
and  the  shorfcest  on  the  contrai-y  10. 

The  next  parallel  bcgia';  with  the  western  part 
of  India,  and  runs  through  the  middle  of  Parthia, 
Persepohs,  the  nearest  parts  of  Farsistan,  Hither 
Arabia,  Judaea  and  the  people  hving  near  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  embraces  Babylon,  Idumaea,  Samaria, 
Jerusalem,  Ascalon,  Joppa,  Caesarea,  Phoenicia, 
Ptolemais,  Sidon,  Tyre,  Berytus,  Botrys,  Tripohs,  By- 
blus,  Antioch,  Laodicea,  Seleucia,  seaboard  CiUcia, 
Southern  Cj-prus,  Crete,  Lilybaeum  in  Sicily,  North- 
ern  Africa  and  Northern  Numidia.  At  the  equinox 
a  35  ft.  gnomon  throws  a  shadow  24  ft.  long,  while 
the  longest  day  and  the  longest  night  measure  14f 
equinoctial  hours.* 

The  third  parallel  begins  at  the  part  of  India 
nearest  to  the  Himalayas,  and  passes  through  the 
Caspian  Gates,  the  nearest  parts  of  Media,  Cataonia, 
Cappadocia,  Taurus,  Amanus,  Issus,  the  Cihcian 
Gates,  SoU,  Tarsus,  C}^rus,  Pisidia,  PamphyUa, 
Side,  Lycaonia,  Lycia,  Patara,  Xanthus,  Caunus, 
Rhodes,  Cos,  HaUcarnassus,  Cnidus,  Doris,  Clnos, 
Delos,  the  middle  of  the  Cyclades,  Gythium,  Malea, 
Argos,  Laconia,  EUs,  Olympia  and  Messenia  in 
the  Peloponnese,  Syracuse,  Catania,  the  middle  of 
Sicily,  the  southern  parts  of  Sardinia,  Carteia, 
Cadiz.  A  gnomon  100  inches  long  throws  a  shadow 
77  inches  long.  The  longest  day  is  14^^  equinoctial 
hours. 

"  The  Boman  hour  only  corresponded  in  length  to  the 

modem  hour  (;',th  of  day  plus  night)  at  tho  equinoxes,  since 
they   divided    ihe   periods   from   sunrise   to  sunsct  and  from 
sunset  to  sunriso  each  into  12  hours  all  tho  year  round. 
^  See  preceding  note. 

497 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

215  Quarto  subiacent  circulo  quae  sunt  ab  altero  latere 
Imavi,  Cappadociae  austrina,  Galatia,  Mysia,  Sardis, 
Zmyrna,  Sipylus  mons  ^,  Tmolus  mons,  Lydia,  Caria, 
lonia,  Trallis,  Colophon,  Ephesus,  Miletus,  Chios, 
Samos,  Icarium  mare,  Cycladum  septentrio,  Athenae, 
Megara,  Corintlius,  Sicyon,  Achaia,  Patrae,  Isthmus, 
Epirus,  septentrionalia  Siciliae,  Narbonensis  GalHae 
exortiva,  Hispaniae  maritima  a  Carthagine  Nova  et 
inde  ad  occasum.  gnomoni  \xi  pedum  respondent 
umbrae  x\i  pedum.  longissimus  dies  habet  aequi- 
noctiales  horas  xiv  et  tertias  duas  unius  horae. 

216  Quinto  continentur  segmento  ab  introitu  Caspii 
maris  Bactria,  Hiberia,  Amienia,  Mysia,  Phrygia, 
Hellespontus,  Troas,  Tenedus,  Abydos,  Scepsis, 
Ilium,  Ida  mons,  Cyzicum,  Lampsacum,  Sinope, 
Amisum,  Heraclea  in  Ponto,  Paphlagonia,  Lemnus, 
Imbrus,  Tliasus,  Cassandria,  Thessalia,  Macedonia, 
Larisa,  Amphipolis,  Thessalonice,  Pella,  Edesus, 
Beroea,  Pharsalia,  Can,stum,  Euboea  Boeotum, 
Chalcis,  Delphi,  Acarnania,  Aetolia,  Apollonia, 
Brundisium,  Tarenlum,  Thurii,  Locri,  Regium, 
Lucani,  Neapolis,  Puteoli,  TiLscum  mare,  Corsica 
BaHares,  Hispania  niedia.  gnomnni  septem  pedes, 
umbris  sex.  magnitudo  dici  sunmia  horarum  aequi- 
noctialium  xv. 

217  Sexta  comprehensio,  qua  continetur  urbs  Roma, 
amplcctitur  Caspias  gentes,  Caucasum,  septentrio- 
nalia  Armeniae,  Apolloniam  supra  Rhyndacum, 
Nicomediam,  Nicaeam,  Calchedonem,  Byzantium, 
Lvsimacheam,  Cherronesum,  Mehmem  Sinum,  Ab- 
deram,  Samothraciam,  Maroneam,  Aenuin,  Bessicam, 
Thraciam,  Maedicam,  Paeoniam,  Illyrios,  Durra- 
chium,    Canusium,    ApuHae    extuma,    Campaniam, 

'  mons  arid. — vel  Tmolus  [monfl] — Rackham. 

498 


BOOK   VI.  XXXIX.  215-217 

Under  the  fourth  parallel  lie  the  regions  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Imavus,  the  southern  parts  of 
Cappadocia,  Galatia,  Mysia,  Sardis,  Smyrna,  Mount 
Sipylus,  Mount  Tmohis,  Lydia,  Caria,  lonia,  TralHs, 
Colophon,  Ephesus,  Miletus,  Chios,  Samos,  the 
Icarian  Sea,  the  northern  part  of  the  Cychides, 
Athens,  Megara,  Corinth,  Sicyon,  Achaia,  Patras, 
the  Isthmus,  Epirus,  the  northern  districts  of  Sicily, 
the  eastcrn  districts  of  GalHa  Narbonensis,  and  the 
coast  of  Spain  from  New  Carthage  westward.  A 
21-ft.  gnomon  has  16-ft.  shadows.  The  longest  day 
has  H§  equinoctial  hours. 

The  fifth  diWsion,  bcginning  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Caspian  Sea,  contains  Bactria,  Hiberia,  Armenia, 
Mysia,  Phrygia,  the  Dardanelles,  the  Troad,  Tene- 
dos,  Abydos,  Scepsis,  IHum,  Mount  Ida,  Cyzicus, 
Lampsacus,  Sinope,  Amisus,  Heraclea  in  Pontus, 
Paphlagonia,  Lemnos,  Imbros,  Thasos,  Cassahdria, 
Thessaly,  Macedon,  Larisa,  AmpliipoHs,Thessalonica, 
Pella,  Edesus,  Beroea,  Pharsalia,  Carystum,  Euboea 
belonging  to  Boeotia,  Chalcis,  Delphi,  Acarnania, 
Aetolia,  Apollonia,  Brindisi,  Taranto,  Thurii,  Locri, 
Reggio,  the  Lucanian  territory,  Naples,  Pozzuoli, 
the  Tuscan  Sea,  Corsica,  the  Balearic  Islands  and  the 
middle  of  Spain.  A  7-ft.  gnomon  throws  a  6-ft. 
shadow.     The  longest  day  is  15  equinoctial  hours. 

The  sixth  group,  the  one  containing  the  city  of 
Rome,  comprises  the  Caspian  tribes,  the  Caucasus, 
the  northern  parts  of  Armenia,  Aj^ollonia  on  the 
Rhvndacus,  Nicomedia,  Nicaea,  Clialcedon,  Byzan- 
tium,  Lysimachea,  the  Chersoncse,  the  Gulf  of 
Melas,  Abdera,  Samothrace,  Maronea,  Aenos, 
Bessica,  Thrace,  Maedica,  Paeonia,  Illyria,  Du- 
razzo,    Canosa,    the    edge    of    Apulia,    Campania, 

499 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Etruriara,  Pisas,  Lunam,  Lucam,  Genuam,  Liguriam, 
Antipolim,  Massiliam,  Narbonem,  Tarraconem. 
Hispaniam  Tarraconensem  mediam  et  inde  per 
Lusitaniam.  gnomoni  pedes  ix  umbrae  viii.  longis- 
sima  diei^  spatia  horarum  aequinoctialium  w  addita 
IX  parte  unius  horae  aut,  ut  Nigidio  phxcuit,  quinta. 

218  Septima  divisio  ab  altera  Caspii  maris  ora  incipit, 
vadit  super  Callatim,  Bosporum,  Borysthenen, 
Tomos,  Thraciae  aversa,  Triballos,  Illyrici  reUqua, 
Hadriaticum  mare,  Aquileiam,  Altinum,  Venetiam, 
Vicetiam,  Patavium,  \'eronam,  Crcmonam,  Raven- 
nam,  Anconam,  Picenum,  Marsos,  Paelignos,  Sabinos, 
Umbriam,  Ariminum,  Bononiam,  Placentiam,  Medio- 
lanum  omniaque  ab  Apennino,  transque  Alpis 
GalHam  Aquitanicam,  Viennam,  Pyrenaeum,  Celti- 
beriam.  xmibiHco  xxxv  pedum  umbrae  xxxvi,  ut 
tamen  in  parte  \'enetiae  exaequetur  umbra  gnomoni. 
amplissima    diei    spatia  ^    horarum    aequinoctialiura 

219  XV    et   quintarum   partium    horae  triuni. 

Hactenus  antiquorum  exacta  celebravimus.  se- 
quentium  diligentissimi  quod  superest  terrarum  supra 
tribus  adsignavere  segmentis ;  a  Tanai  per  Maeotim 
lacum  et  Sarmatas  usque  Bor\'sthenen  atque  ita  per 
Dacos  partemque  Germaniae.  (jallias  oceani  Htora 
amplexi,  quod  esset  horarum  xvi,  alterum  per  Hyper- 
boreos  et  Britanniam  horarum  xvir,  postremum  Scy- 
thicum  a  Ripaeis  iugis  in  Tylen,  in  quo  dies  continua- 

220  rentur,  ut  diximus,  noctesque  per  vices.  iidem  et  ante 

^  diei  add.  Beda. 

*  Mayhoff:  ampliBsima  dies. 


•  Imaginarv  mountaina  in  unknown  north  Europe  and  Asia. 
»  See  IV.  104  n. 


500 


BOOK   VI.  XXXIX.  217-220 

Etruria,  Pisa,  Luna,  Lucca,  Genoa,  Liguria,  An- 
tibes,  Marseilles,  Narbonne,  Tarragon,  the  middle 
of  Tarragonian  Spain ;  and  then  runs  through 
Lusitania.  A  9-ft.  gnomon  throws  an  8-ft.  shadow. 
The  longest  day-time  is  15,^, ,  or,  according  to  Nigidius, 
15i  equinoctial  hours. 

The  seventh  division  starts  from  the  other  side 
of  the  Caspian  Sea  and  passes  above  Collat,  the 
Straits  of  Kertsch,  the  Dnieper,  Tomi,  the  back 
parts  of  Thrace,  the  TribalH,  the  remainder  of  Illyria, 
the  Adriatic  Sea,  Aquileia,  Altinum,  Venice,  Vi- 
cenza,  Padua,  Verona,  Cremona,  Ravenna,  Ancona, 
Picenum,  the  Marsians,  Paelignians  and  Sabines, 
Umbria,  Rimini,  Bologna,  Piacenza,  Milan  and  all 
the  districts  at  the  foot  of  the  Apennines,  and  across 
the  Alps  Aquitanian  Gaul,  Vienne,  the  Pyrenees 
and  Celtiberia.  A  35-ft.  gnomon  throws  36-ft. 
shadows,  except  that  in  part  of  the  Venetian  district 
the  shadow  and  the  gnomon  are  equal.  The  longest 
day-time  consists  of  151'  equinoctial  hours. 
,  Up  to  this  point  we  have  been  setting  forth  the 
results  worked  out  by  the  ancients.  The  rest  of  the 
earth's  surface  has  been  allotted  by  the  most  careful 
among  subsequent  students  to  three  additional 
parallels :  from  the  Don  across  the  Sca  of  Azov  and 
the  country  of  the  Sarmatae  to  the  Dnieper  and  so 
across  Dacia  and  part  of  Germany,  and  including 
the  GaUic  provinces  forming  the  coasts  of  the  Ocean, 
making  a  parallel  \\-ith  a  sixteen-hour  longest  day ; 
the  next  across  the  Hyperboreans  and  Britain,  with 
a  seventeen-hour  day ;  the  last  the  Scythian  parallel 
from  the  Ripaean  mountain-range  *  to  Thule,*  in 
which,  as  we  said  above,  there  are  alternate 
periods  of  perpetual  dayHght  and  perpetual  night. 

voL.  n.  l^      501 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

principia  quae  fecimus  posuere  circulos  chios :  pri- 
mum  per  in^ulam  Meroen  et  Ptolemaidem  in  Rubro 
Mari  ad  elephantorum  venatus  conditam.ubi  longis- 
simus  dies  xii  horarum  esset  dimidia  hora  amplior, 
secundum  per  Syenen  Aeg}-pti  euntem,  qui  esset 
horarum  xiii ;  iidemque  singulis  dimidia  horarum 
spatia  usque  ad  ultimum  adiecere  circulis. 
Et  hactenus  de  terris. 


502 


BOOK   VI.  XXXIX.  220 

The  same  authorities  also  place  two  parallels  before 
what  we  made  the  starting  point,  the  first  running 
through  the  island  of  Meroe  and  Ptolemy's  Lodge 
built  on  the  Red  Sea  for  the  sake  of  elephant- 
hunting,  in  which  parallel  the  longest  day  will  be 
12^  hours,  and  the  second  passing  through  Syene 
in  Egypt,  with  a  13-hour  day ;  and  they  also  add 
half  an  hour  to  each  of  the  parallels  up  to  the  last. 
So  far  as  to  the  geography  of  the  world. 


503 


BOOK   VII 


LIBER   VII 

Mundus  et  in  eo  terrae,  gentcs,  maria,  flumina^ 
insignia,  insulae,  urbes  ad  hunc  modum  sc  habent. 

Animantium  in  eodem  natura  nuUius  prope  partis 
contemplatione  minor  est,  etsi  ne  hic  ^  quidem 
omnia  exsequi  humanus  animus  queat.^ 

Principium  iure  tribuctur  homini,  cuius  causa 
videtur  cuncta  alia  genuisse  natura  magna,*  saeva 
mercede  contra  tanta  sua  munera,  ut  non  sit  satis 
aestimare,  parens  rnelior  homini  an  tristior  noverca 

2  fuerit.  ante  omnia  unum  animantium  cunctorum 
ahenis  velat  opibus,  ceteris  varie  tegimenta  tribuit, 
testas,  cortices,  spinas,  coria,  villos,  saetas,  pilos, 
plumam,  pinnas,  squamas,  vellera;  truncos  etiam 
arboresque  cortice,  interdum  gemino,  a  frigoribus  et 
calore  tutata  est :  hominem  tantum  nudum  et  in 
nuda  humo  nataU  die  abicit  ad  vagitus  statim  et 
ploratum,  nullumque  tot  animalium  aUud  pronius  ^  ad 
lacrimas,  et  has  protinus  vitae  principio ;  at  Hercule 
risus  praccox  ille  et  celerrimus  ante  xl  diem  nulU 

3  datur.     ab  lioc  lucis  rudimento  quae  ne  feras  quidem 

*  flumina  add.  Mayhoff.  *  ne  hic  add.  Mayhoff. 

'  V.l.  nequeat.  *  [magna]  ?  Rackham. 

^  pronius  add.  edd.  vel. 

•  '  Great  '  is  perhaps  to  be  omitted,  as  an  int€rpolated  gloss 
on  aaeva. 

506 


BOOK   VII 

The  above  is  a  description  of  the  world,  and  of  the 
lands,  races,  seas,  important  rivers,  islands  and  cities 
that  it  contains. 

The  nature  of  the  animals  also  contained  in  it  is  Zooiogy. 
not  less  important  than  the  study  of  almost  any  other 
department,  albeit  here  too  the  human  mind  is  not 
capable  of  exploring  the  whole  field. 

The  first  place  will  rightly  be  assigned  to  man,  for  Manthe 
whose  sake  great  "*  Nature  appears  to  have  created  'specul  bui 
all  other  things — though  she  asks  a  cruel  price  for  all  dependeui  on 
her  generous  gifts,  making  it  liardly  possible  to  judge 
whether  she  has  been  more  a  kind  parent  to  man  or 
more  a  harsh  stepmother.  First  of  all,  man  alone  of 
all  animals  she  drapes  with  borrowed  resources.  On 
all  the  rest  in  various  wise  she  bestows  coverings 
— shells,  bark,  spines,  hides,  fur,  bristles,  hair, 
do^^Ti,  feathers,  scales,  fleeces ;  even  the  trunks  of 
trees  she  has  protected  against  cold  and  heat  by 
bark,  sometimes  in  two  layers :  but  man  alone  on 
the  day  of  his  Ijirth  she  casts  away  naked  on  the  naked 
ground,  to  burst  at  once  into  waihng  and  weeping, 
and  none  otlier  among  all  the  animals  is  more  prone 
to  tears,  and  that  immediately  at  the  very  beginning 
of  hfe  ;  whereas,  I  vow,  the  much-talked-of  smile  of 
infancy  even  at  the  earUest  is  bestowed  on  no  child 
less   than   six   weeks   old.     This   initiation   into  the 

507 


PLINV:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

inter  nos  genitas  vincula  excipiunt  et  omnium 
membrorum  nexus ;  itaque  feliciter  natus  iacet 
manibus  pedibusque  devinctis  flens,  animal  ceteris 
imperaturum,  et  a  suppliciis  vitam  auspicatur  unam 
tantum  ob  culpam,  qiiia  natum  est.  heu  dementiam 
ab  liis  initiis  existimantium  ad  s\iperbiam  se  genitos ! 

4  Prima  roboris  spes  primumque  temporis  munus 
quadripedi  siniilem  facit.  quando  homini  incessus ! 
quando  vox !  quando  firmum  cibis  os !  quam  diu 
palpitans  vertex,  summae  inter  cuncta  animalia 
inbecillitatis  indicium  !  iam  morbi,  totque  medicinae 
contra  mala  excogitatae,  et  hae  quoque  subinde 
novitatibus  victae !  et  cetera  sentire  naturam  suam. 
alia  pernicitatem  usurpare,  alia  praepetes  volatus, 
alia  nare :  hominem  nihil  scire  nisi  doctrina,  non 
fari,  non  ingredi,  non  vesci,  breviterque  non  aHud 
naturae  sponte  quam  flere !  itaque  multi  extitere 
qui  non  nasci  optimum  censerent  aut  ^  quam  ocissime 

5  aboleri.  uni  aniniaiitium  Uictus  est  datus,  uni 
luxuria  et  quidem  innumcrabilibus  modis  ac  per 
singula  membra,  uni  ambitio,  uni  avaritia,  uni 
inmensa  vivendi  cupido,  uni  superstitio,  uni  sepul- 
turae  cura  atquc  etiam  post  se  dc  futuro.  nulH 
vita  fragiHor,  nulH  rerum  omnium  libido  maior,  nuUi 
pavor  confusior,  nulH  rabics  acrior.     denique  cetera 

'  aut  <natum>  ?     Rackfiam. 

"  Cf.  XII.  104. 
508 


BOOK  VII.  I.  3-5 

light  is  followed  by  a  period  of  bondage  such  as 
befalls  not  even  the  animals  bred  in  our  midst, 
fettering  all  his  hmbs ;  and  thus  when  succcssfuUy 
born  hc  hes  witli  hands  and  feet  in  shackles,  weep- 
ing — tlie  animal  that  is  to  lord  it  over  all  the  rest, 
and  he  initiates  his  hfe  with  punisliment  because  of 
one  fault  only,  the  otfence  of  being  born.  Alas  the 
madness  of  those  who  think  that  from  these  begin- 
nings  they  were  bred  to  proud  estate ! 

His  earhest  promise  of  strength  and  first  grant  of  Man's 
time  makes  him  hke  a  four-footed  animal.  When  ^^'^J^^^'" 
does  man  begin  to  walk  ?  when  to  speak  ?  when  is  his  divisions. 
mouth  firm  enough  to  take  food  ?  how  long  does  his 
skull  throb,"  a  mark  of  his  being  the  weakest  among 
all  animals  ?  Then  his  diseases,  and  all  the  cures 
contrived  against  his  ills — these  cures  also  sub- 
sequently  defeatcd  by  new  disorders !  And  the  fact 
that  all  other  creatures  are  aware  of  their  own 
nature,  some  using  speed,  others  swift  flight,  others 
swimming,  whereas  man  alone  knows  nothing  save 
by  education — neither  how  to  speak  nor  how  to  walk 
nor  who  to  eat ;  in  short  the  only  thing  he  can  do  by 
natural  instinct  is  to  weep  !  Consequently  there  have 
been  many  who  beheved  that  it  were  best  not  to  be 
born,  or  to  be  put  away  as  soon  as  possible.  On 
man  alone  of  hving  creatures  is  bestowed  grief,  on 
him  alone  luxury,  and  that  in  countless  forms  and 
reaching  every  separatc  part  of  liis  frame ;  he  alone 
has  ambition,  avarice,  immeasurable  appetite  for 
hfe,  superstition,  anxiety  about  burial  and  even 
about  what  wiU  happen  after  he  is  no  more.  No 
creature's  hfe  is  more  precarious,  none  has  a  greater 
lust  for  all  enjoyments,  a  more  confused  timidity,  a 
fiercer  rage,     In  fine,  all  otlicr  hving  creatures  pass 

509 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

animantia  in  suo  genere  probe  degunt :  congregari 
videmus  et  stare  contra  dissimilia — leonum  feritas 
inter  se  non  dimicat,  serpentium  morsus  non  petit 
sei-pentis,  ne  maris  quidem  beluae  ac  pisces  nisi  in 
diversa  genera  saeviunt :  at  Hercule  homini  plurima 
ex  homine  sunt  mala. 

6  I,  Et  de  universitate  quidem  generis  himiani  magna 
ex  parte  in  relatione  gentium  diximus.  neque  enim 
ritus  moresque  nunc  tractabimus  innumeros  ac 
totidem  paene  quot  sunt  coetus  hominum  ;  quaedam 
tamen  liaud  omittenda  duco,  maximeque  longius  ab 
mari  degentium,  in  quibus  prodigiosa  aHqua  et 
incredibiUa  multis  visum  iri  haud  dubito.  quis 
enim  Aethiopas  antequam  cerneret  credidit  ?  aut 
quid  non  miraculo  est  cum  primum  in  notitiam  venit  ? 
quam  multa  fieri  non  posse  priusquam  sunt  facta 

7  iudicantur  ?  naturae  vero  rerum  vis  atque  maiestas 
in  omnibus  momentis  fide  caret  si  quis  modo  partes 
eius  ac  non  totam  conplectatur  animo.  ne  pavones 
ac  tigrium  pantherarumque  maculas  et  tot  animalium 
picturas  commemorem,  parvum  dictu  sed  inmensum 
aestimatione,  tot  gentium  sermones,  tot  Hnguae, 
tanta  loqucndi  varietas  ut  externus  alicno  paene  non 

8  sit  hominis  vice !  iam  in  facie  vultuque  nostro  cum 
sint  dccem  aut  paulo  phira  membra,  nullas  duas  in 
tot    milibus    hominum   indiscretas   effigies    existere, 

"  In  thc  geographical  books. 


BOOK   VII.  I.  5-8 

their  time  worthily  amon<j  their  own  species :  we 
see  them  herd  together  and  stand  firm  against  other 
kinds  of  animals — fierce  Uons  do  not  fight  among 
themselves,  the  serpent's  bite  attacks  not  serpents, 
even  the  monsters  of  the  sea  and  the  fishes  are  only 
cruel  against  diffcrent  specics ;  whereas  to  man,  I 
vow,  most  of  his  evils  come  from  his  fellow-man. 

I.  And  about  the  human  race  as  a  whole  we  have  Man's  raciai 
in  large  part  spoken  in  our  account  of  the  various  l^iriduai 
nations."  Nor  shall  we  now  deal  with  manncrs  ra^-ieties. 
and  customs,  which  are  beyond  counting  and  almost 
as  numerous  as  the  groups  of  mankind ;  yet  there 
are  some  that  I  think  ought  not  to  be  omitted,  and 
especially  those  of  the  people  Hving  more  remote 
from  the  sea ;  some  things  among  which  I  doubt 
not  will  appear  portentous  and  incredible  to  many. 
For  who  ever  beheved  in  the  Ethiopians  before 
actually  seeing  them  ?  or  what  is  not  deemed 
miraculous  when  first  it  comes  into  knowledge  ? 
how  many  things  are  judged  impossible  before  they 
actually  occur  ?  Indeed  the  power  and  majesty  of  the 
nature  of  the  universe  at  every  turn  lacks  credence 
if  one's  mind  embraces  parts  of  it  only  and  not  the 
whole.  Not  to  mention  peacocks,  or  the  spotted 
skins  of  tigers  and  panthcrs  and  the  colourings  of  so 
many  animals,  a  small  matter  to  tell  of  but  one  of 
measureless  extent  if  pondered  on  is  the  number 
of  national  languages  and  dialects  and  varieties  of 
speech,  so  numerous  that  a  forcigner  scarcely  counts 
as  a  human  being  for  someone  of  another  race ! 
Again  though  our  pliysiognomy  contains  ten  features 
or  only  a  few  more,  to  think  that  among  all  the 
thousands  of  human  beings  there  exist  no  two 
countenances  that  are  not  distinct — a  thing  that  no 

511 


PLIXY:    NATURAL  HLSTORY 

quod  ars  nulla  in  paucis  numcro  praestet  adfcctando ! 
nec  tamen  ego  in  plerisque  eorum  ohstringam  fidem 
meam,  potiasque  ad  auctores  relepabo  qui  dubiis 
reddentur  omnibus,  modo  ne  sit  fastidio  Graecos 
sequi  tanto  maiore  eorum  diligentia  vel  cura 
vetustiore. 
9  IL  Esse  Scytharum  genera,  et  quidem  plura,  quae 
corporibus  humanis  vescerentur  indicavimus — id 
ipsum  incredibile  fortasse  ni  cogitemus,  in  medio 
orbe  terrarum  [ac  SiciHa  et  Itaha  ^]  fuisse  gentes 
huius  monstri,  Cyclopas  et  Laestrygonas,  et  nuper- 
rime  trans  Alpis  hominem  immolari  gentium  earum 

Ki  more  soUtum,  quod  paulum  a  mandendo  abest.  sed 
iuxta  eos  qui  sunt  ad  septentrionem  versi,  haut 
procul  ab  ipso  aquilonis  exortu  specuque  eius  dicto. 
quem  locum  Ges  Clithron  appellant,  produntur 
Arimaspi,  quos  diximus,  uno  oculo  in  fronte  media 
insignes.  quibus  adsidue  bcllum  esse  circa  metalla 
cum  grApis,  ferarum  volucri  gcnere.  quale  vulgo 
traditur,  eruente  ex  cuniculis  aurum,  mira  cupiditate 
et  feris  custodientibus  et  Arimaspis  rapientibus, 
multi  sed  maxime  inlustres  Herodotus  et  Aristeas 
Proconnesius  scribunt. 

11  Super  alios  autem  Anthropophagos  Scythas  in 
quadam  convaile  magna  Imavi  montis  regio  est  quae 
vocatur  Abarimon,  in  qua  silvestres  vivunt  homines 
aversis  post  crura  plantis,  eximiae  velocitatis,  pa.ssim 

^  V.l.  ab  Italia  et  Sicilia  :  secl.  Maijhqff. 


■  The  MSS.  add  '  and  in  Italy  and  Sicily,'  or  *  away  from 
Italy  and  Sicily.' 

*  I.e.  the  extreme  limit  of  the  world;  tho  KXeWpov  waa  a 
wooden  or  iron  bar  with  which  a  door  was  mado  faat. 

«  III.  116,  IV.  13,  27. 


BOOK   VII.  I.  8-II.  II 

art  could  sup]>ly  by  counterfeit  in  so  sniall  a  number 
of  specimens !  Nevertheless  in  most  instances  of 
these  I  shall  not  niyself  pledge  my  own  faith,  and 
shall  preferably  ascribe  the  facts  to  the  authorities 
who  will  be  quoted  for  all  doubtful  points :  only  do 
not  let  us  be  too  proud  to  foUow  the  Greeks,  because 
of  their  far  greater  industry  or  older  devotion  to  study. 

II.  We  have  pointed  out  that  some  Scythian  tribes,  Cannibais 
and  in  fact  a  good  many,  feed  on  human  bodies — a  <in<i  ^>^vages 
statement  that  perhaps  may  seem  incredible  if  we  iv.  88, 
do  not  reflect  that  races  of  this  portentous  character 
have  existed  in  the  central  rcgion   of  the   world," 
named  Cyclopes  and  Laestrygones,  and  that  quite 
rccentlv    the   tribes   of  the   parts  beyond  the  Alps 
habituallv   practised  human   sacrifice,   which    is  not 
far  removed  from  eating  human  flesh.     But  also  a 
tribe  is  reported  next  to  these,  towards  the  Nortli, 
not  far  from  the  actual  quarter  whence  the  North 
Wind  rises  and  the  cave  that  bears  its  name,  the 
place  called  the  Karth's  Door-bolt'' — the  Arimaspi 
whom  we  have  spoken  of  already,  people  remarkable  iv.  88, 
for  having  one  eye  in  the  centre  of  the  forehead.      "  "' 
Many    authorities,    the    most    distinguished    being 
Herodotus'^  and  Aristeas  of  Proconnesus,  write  that 
these  people  wage  continual  war  around  their  niines 
with  the  griflins,  a  kind  of  wild  beast  with  wings,  as 
commonly   reported,   that   digs   gold   out   of  mines, 
which  the  creatures  guard  and  the  Arimaspi  try  to 
take  from  them,  both  with  remarkable  covetousness. 

But  beyond  the  other  Scythian  cannibals,  in  a 
certain  large  valley  in  the  Himalayas,  there  is  a 
region  called  Abarimon  where  are  some  people  dwell- 
ing  in  forests  who  have  their  feet  turned  backward 
behind  their  legs,  who  run  extremely  fast  and  range 

513 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

cum  feris  vagantes.  hos  in  alio  non  spirare  caelo 
ideoque  ad  finitimos  reges  non  pertrahi  neque  ad 
Alexandrum    Magnum   pertractos   Baeton   itinerum 

12  eius  mensor  prodidit.  priores  Anthropophagos,  quos 
ad  septentrionem  esse  diximus,  decem  dierum  itinere 
supra  Borj^sthenen  amnem,  ossibus  humanorum 
capitum  bibere  cutibusque  cum  capillo  pro  mantelibus 
ante  pectora  uti  Isigonus  Nicaeensis.  idem  in  Alba- 
nia  gigni  quosdam  glauca  oculorum  acie,  pueritia 
statim  canos,  qui  noctu  plus  quam  interdiu  cernant. 
idem  itinere  dierum  tredecim  supra  Borj'sthenen 
Sauromatas  tertio  die  cibum  capere  semper. 

1:5  Crates  Pergamenus  in  Ilellesponto  circa  Parium 
genus  hominum  fuisse,  quos  Opliiogenes  vocat, 
serpentium  ictus  contactu  levare  solitos  et  manu 
inposita  venena  extrahere  corpori.  Varro  etiamnum 
esse  paucos  ibi  quorum  salivae  contra  ictus  serpentium 

14  medeantur.  simiUs  et  in  Afirica  Psyllorum  gens  fuit, 
ut  Agatharchides  scribit,  a  Psyllo  rege  dicta,  cuius 
sepulchrum  in  parte  Syrtium  maiorum  est.  horum 
corpori  ingenitum  fuit  virus  exitiale  serpentibus  et 
cuius  odore  sopirent  eas,  mos  vero  Ubcros  genitos 
protinus  obiciendi  saevissimis  earum  eoque  genere 
pudicitiam  coniugum  experiendi,  non  profiigientibus 
adulterino  sanguine   natos  serpentibus.     haec  gens 

5H 


BOOK   VII.  II.  11-14 

abroad  over  the  country  with  the  \dld  animals.  It 
is  stated  by  Baeton,  Alexander  the  Great's  route- 
surveyor  on  his  journeys,  that  these  men  are  unable  to 
breathe  in  another  cHmate,  and  that  consequently 
none  of  them  could  be  brought  to  the  neighbouring 
kings  or  had  ever  been  brought  to  Alexander.  Ac- 
cording  to  Isogonus  of  Nicaea  the  former  cannibal 
tribes  whom  we  stated  to  exist  to  the  north,  ten  days' 
journey  beyond  the  river  Dnieper,  drink  out  of  human 
skulls  and  use  the  scalps  with  the  hair  on  as  napkins 
hung  round  their  necks.  The  same  authority  states 
that  certain  people  in  Albania  are  born  with  keen  grey 
eyes  and  are  bald  from  childhood,  and  that  they  see 
better  by  night  than  in  the  daytime.  He  also  says 
that  the  Sauromatae,  thirteen  days'  journey  beyond 
the  Dnieper,  always  take  food  once  every  two  days. 

Crates  of  Pergamum  states  that  there  was  a  race  Tribes 
of  men  round  Parium  on  the  Dardanelles,  whom  *J^'akTbi{es"' 
he  calls  Ophiogenes,  whose  custom  it  was  to  cure 
snake-bites  by  touch  and  draw  the  poison  out  of 
the  body  by  placing  their  hand  on  it.  Varro  says 
that  there  are  still  a  few  people  there  whose  spittle 
is  a  remedy  against  snake-bites.  According  to  the 
writings  of  Agatharchides  there  was  also  a  siniilar 
tribe  in  Africa,  the  PsylU,  named  after  King  Psyllus, 
whose  tomb  is  in  the  region  of  the  greater  Syrtes. 
In  their  bodies  there  was  engendered  a  poison  that  was 
deadly  to  snakes,  and  the  smell  of  which  they  em- 
ployed  for  sending  snakes  to  sleep,  while  they  had 
a  custom  of  exposing  their  children  as  soon  as  they 
were  born  to  the  most  savage  snakes  and  of  using 
that  species  to  test  the  fidehty  of  their  wives,  as 
snakes  do  not  avoid  persons  born  with  adulterous 
blood  in  them.     This  tribe  itself  has  been  almost 

515 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

ipsa  quidem  prope  internicione  sublata  est  a  Nasa- 
monihiLs  qui  nunc  eas  tenent  sedes,  genus  tamcn 
hominum  ex  iis  qui  profugerant  aut  cum  pugnatum 

15  est  afuerant  hodie  ^  remanet  in  paucis.  simile  et  in 
Italia  Marsorum  genus  durat,  quos  a  Circae  filio 
ortos  ferunt  et  ideo  inesse  iis  vim  naturalem  eam.  et 
tamenomnibus  hominibuscontrasej-pentes  inestvene- 
num :  ferimt  ictum  saHvae  ut  fervcntis  aquae  con- 
tactum  fugere  ;  quod  si  in  fauces  penetraverit,  etiam 
mori,  idque  maxime  humani  ieiuni  oris. 

Supra  Nasamonas  confincsque  illis  Machlyas 
Androg}'nos  esse  utriusque  naturae  inter  se  vicibus 
cocuntes  CalUphanes  tradit.  Aristoteles  adicit 
dextram  mammam  is  virilem,  laevam  muUebrem  esse. 

16  in  eadem  Africa  famiUas  quasdam  effascinantiun» 
Isigonus  et  Nymphodorus  tradunt,  quorum  laudatione 
intereant  prata,arescant  arbores,emoriantur  infantes. 
esse  eiusdem  generis  in  TribalUs  et  Illyris  adicit 
Isigonus  qui  visu  quoque  cffascinent  interimantque 
quos  diutius  intueantur,  iratis  praecipue  ocuUs ; 
quod  eorum  malum  faciUus  sentire  puberes ;  nota- 
bilius  esse  quod  pupiUas  binas  in  singuUs  habeant 

17  ocuUs.  huius  generis  et  feminas  in  Scythia,  quac 
Bitiae  vocantur,  prodit  ApoUonides,  Phylarchus  et 
in  Ponto  Thibiorum  genus  multosque  aUos  eiusdem 
naturae,  quorum  notas  tradit  in  altero  ocido  geminam 
pupiUam  in  altero  equi  efUgiem,  eosdem  praeterea 

^  Rackham  :  hodieque. 
"  Agrius,  whosc  father  waa  Ulyssos. 


BOOK   VII.  II.  14-17 

exterminated  by  the  Nasaniones  who  now  occupy 
that  region,  but  a  tribe  of  mcn  descended  from  those 
who  had  escaped  or  had  been  absent  when  the  fighting 
took  place  survives  to-day  in  a  few  places.  A 
similar  race  hngers  on  in  Italy  also,  the  Marsi,  said 
to  be  descended  from  the  son^*  of  Circe  and  to  possess 
this  natural  property  on  that  account.  However, 
all  men  contain  a  poison  available  as  a  protection 
against  snakes :  people  say  that  snakes  flee  from 
contact  with  sahva  as  from  the  touch  of  boiUng 
water,  and  that  if  it  gets  inside  their  throats  they 
actually  die ;  and  that  this  is  especially  the  case 
with  the  sahva  of  a  person  fasting. 

Beyond  the  Nasamones  and  adjacent  to  them  and  wuh 
Calhphanes  rccords  the  Machlyes,  who  are  Androgyni  "guaHHes."^'' 
and  perform  the  function  of  either  sex  alternately. 
Aristotle  adds  that  their  left  breast  is  that  of  a  man 
and  their  riglit  breast  that  of  a  woman.  Isogonus  and 
Nymphodorus  report  that  there  are  families  in  the 
same  part  of  Africathat  practise  sorcery,whose  praises 
cause  meadows  to  dry  up,  trees  to  wither  and  infants 
to  perish.  Isogonus  adds  that  there  are  people  of 
the  same  kind  among  the  Tribahi  and  the  IUyrians, 
who  also  bewitch  with  a  glance  and  who  kill  those 
they  stare  at  for  a  longer  time,  especially  with  a  kjok 
of  anger,  and  that  their  evil  eye  is  most  felt  by  adults  ; 
and  that  what  is  more  remarkable  is  that  they  liave 
two  pupils  in  each  eye.  Apollonides  also  reports 
womcn  of  this  kind  in  Scythia,  who  are  called  the 
Bitiae,  and  Phylarchus  also  the  Thibii  tribe  and  many 
others  of  the  same  nature  in  Pontus,  whosc  dis- 
tinguishing  marks  he  records  as  being  a  double  pupil 
in  one  eye  and  the  hkeness  of  a  horse  in  the  other. 
aiid  he  also  says  that  they  are  incapable  of  drowning, 

517 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTOllY 

non  posse  mergi,  ne  veste  quidem  degravatos.  haut 
dissimile  his  genus  Pharmacum  in  Aethiopia  Damon, 
quorum   sudor   tabem   contactis   corporibus   efferat. 

Is  feminas  quidem  omnes  ubique  visu  nocere  quae 
duplices  pupillas  habeant  Cicero  quoque  apud  nos 
auctor  est.  adeo  naturae,  cum  ferarum  morem 
vescendi  humanis  visceribus  in  homine  genuisset, 
gignere  etiam  in  toto  corpore  et  in  quorundam 
oculis  quoque  venena  placuit,  ne  quid  usquam  maU 
esset  quod  in  homine  non  esset. 

19  Haut  procul  urbe  Roma  in  Faliscorum  agro 
famiHae  sunt  paucae  quae  vocantur  Hirpi ;  hae 
sacrificio  annuo  quod  fit  ad  montem  Soractem  ApoUini 
super  ambustam  ligni  stniem  ambulantes  non 
aduruntur,  et  ob  id  perpetuo  senatus  consulto  mi- 
litiae    omniumque    aHorum    munerum    vacationem 

-0  habent.  quorundam  corpori  partes  nascuntur  ad 
aHqua  mirabiles,  sicut  Pyrro  regi  poUex  in  dextro 
pede,  cuius  tactu  Henosis  medebatur;  hunc  cremari 
cum  reHquo  corpore  non  potuisse  tradunt,  condi- 
tumque  loculo  in  templo. 

lil  Praecipue  India  Aethiopumque  tracttis  miracuHs 
scatent.  maxima  in  India  gignuntur  animaUa : 
indicio  sunt  canes  grandiores  ceteris.  arbores  qui- 
dem  tantae  proceritatis  traduntur  ut  sagittis  superiaci 
nequeant  et  [facit  ubertas  soli,  temperies  caeH, 
acjuarum  abundantia],^  si  Hbeat  credere,  ut  sub 
una  fico  turmae  condantur  equitum ;  harundines 
»  Sed.  DeOefsen. 

"  Thia  clausc  seems  to  be  an  interpolation. 
518 


BOOK   VII.  II.  17-21 

even  when  weighed  down  with  clothing.  Damon 
records  a  tribe  not  unHke  these  in  Ethiopia,  the 
Pharmaces,  whose  sweat  reUeves  of  diseases  bodies 
touched  by  it.  Also  among  ourselves  Cicero  states 
that  the  glance  of  all  women  who  have  double  pupils 
is  injurious  everywhere.  In  fact  when  nature 
implanted  in  man  the  wild  beasts'  habit  of  devouring 
human  flesh,  she  also  thought  fit  to  implant  poisons 
in  the  whole  of  the  body,  and  with  some  persons  in 
the  eyes  as  well,  so  that  there  should  be  no  evil  any- 
where  that  was  not  present  in  man. 

There  are  a  few  famihes  in  the  Faliscan  territory, 
not  far  from  the  city  of  Rome,  named  the  Hirpi, 
which  at  the  yearly  sacrifice  to  Apollo  performed  on 
Mount  Soracte  walk  over  a  charred  pile  of  logs  with- 
out  being  scorched,  and  who  consequently  enjoy 
exemption  under  a  perpetual  decree  of  the  senate 
from  mihtary  service  and  all  other  burdens.  Some 
people  are  born  with  parts  of  the  body  possessing 
special  remarkable  properties,  for  instance  King 
Pyrrhus  in  the  great  toe  of  his  right  foot,  to  touch 
which  was  a  cure  for  inflammation  of  the  spleen ;  it 
is  recorded  that  at  his  cremation  it  proved  impossible 
to  burn  the  toe  with  the  rest  of  the  body,  and  it  was 
stored  in  a  chest  in  a  temple. 

India  and  parts  of  Ethiopia  especially  teem  with  orimtai 
marvels.     The  biggest   animals  grow   in  India :    for  |,"','d  c 
instance   Indian  dogs  are  bigger  than  any  others.  cusiomn 
Indeed  the  trees  are  said  to  be  so  lofty  that  it  is  not 
possible  to  shoot  an  arrow  over  them,  and  [the  rich- 
ness  of  the  soil,  temperate  chmate  and  abundance 
of  springs  bring  it  about  "J  that,  if  one  is  willing  to 
beheve  it,  squadrons  of  cavahy  are  able  to  shelter 
beneath  a  single  iig-tree ;   while  it  is  said  that  reeds 

519 


nuinslrosihes 

CUTIOUS 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

vero  tantae  proceritatis  ut  singula  internodia  alveo 

22  navigabili  ternos  interdum  homines  ferant.  multos 
ibi  quina  cubita  constat  longitudine  excedere,  non 
expuere,  non  capitis  aut  dentium  aut  oculorum  ullo 
dolore  adfici,  raro  aliarum  corporis  partium :  tam 
moderato  solis  vapore  durari ;  philosophos  eorum, 
quos  g\'mnosophistas  vocant,  ab  exortu  ad  occasum 
perstare  contuentes  solem  inmobilibus  oculis,  ferventi- 
bus  harenis  toto  die  alternis  pedibus  insistere.  in 
monte   cui    nomen   est    Nulo    homines   esse    aversis 

23  plantis  octonos  digitos  in  singuhs  habentes  auctor 
est  Megasthenes,  in  multis  autem  montibus  genus 
hominum  capitibus  caninis  ferarum  pelhbus  velari, 
pro  voce  latratum  edere,  unguibus  armatum  venatu 
et  aucupio  vesci ;  horum  supra  cxx  fuisse  prodente 
se.  Ctesias  scribit  et  in  quadam  gente  Indiae  feminas 
semel  in  \ita  parere  genitosque  confestim  canescere ; 
idem  hominum  genus  qui  Monocoh  vocentur  ^ 
singuhs  cruribus  mirae  pernicitatis  ad  saltum, 
eosdem  Sciapodas  vocari,  quod  in  maiori  aestu  humi 
iacentes  resupini  umbra  se  pedum  protegant ;  non 
longe  eos  a  Trogodytis  abesse,  rursusque  ab  his 
occidentem    versus     quosdam     sinc     cervice    oculos 

24  in     unieris     habentes.      sunt     et     satyri     subsulanis 

^  Sillig  :  vocarentur. 


WoVOKwXoi. 

Douhtless  a  kind  of  monkey. 


520 


BOOK   VII.  II.  21-24 

are  of  such  height  that  sonietimes  a  single  section 
between  two  knots  will  niake  a  canoe  that  will  carry 
ihree  people.  Itisknown  that  many  of  the  inhabitants 
are  more  tlian  seven  feet  six  inches  high,  never  spit,  do 
not  suffer  from  headache  or  toothache  or  pain  in  the 
eyes,  and  very  rarely  have  a  pain  in  any  other  part 
of  the  body — so  hardy  are  they  made  by  the  temper- 
ate  heat  of  the  sun  ;  and  that  the  sages  of  their  race, 
whom  they  call  Gymnosophists,  stay  standing  from 
sunrise  to  sunset,  gazing  at  the  sun  with  eyes  un- 
mo\ing,  and  contiime  all  dav  long  standing  first  on 
one  foot  and  then  on  the  other  in  the  glowing  sand. 
Megasthenes  states  that  on  the  moimtain  named 
Nulus  there  are  people  with  their  feet  turned  back- 
wards  and  with  eight  toes  on  each  foot,  while  on 
many  of  the  mountains  there  is  a  tribe  of  human 
beings  with  dogs'  heads,  who  wear  a  covering  of  wild 
bea>ts'  skins,  whose  spcech  is  a  bark  and  who  hve 
on  the  produce  of  hunting  and  fowling,  for  which  they 
use  their  nails  as  weapons ;  he  says  that  they 
numbered  more  than  120,000  when  he  pubhshed  his 
work.  Ctesias  writes  that  also  among  a  certain 
race  of  India  the  women  bear  chiklren  only  once  in 
their  hfe-time,  and  the  children  begin  to  turn  grey 
directly  after  birtli ;  he  also  describes  a  tribe  of  men 
called  the  Monocoh"  who  have  only  one  leg,  and  who 
move  in  jumps  with  surprising  speed ;  the  same  are 
called  the  Umbrella-foot  tribe,  because  in  the  hotter 
weather  they  he  on  thcir  backs  on  the  ground  and 
protect  themselves  with  the  shadow  of  their  feet ; 
and  that  they  are  not  far  away  from  the  Cave- 
dwellers ;  and  again  westward  from  these  there  are 
some  people  without  necks,  having  their  eyes  in 
their    shouklcrs.     There    are    also    satyrs*    in    the 

521 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Indorum  montibus  (Catarcludorum  dicitur  regio), 
pernicissimum  animal,  iam  quadripedes,  iam  recte 
currentes  humana  effigie ;  propter  velocitatem  nisi 
senes  aut  aegri  non  capiuntur.  Choromandarum 
gentem  vocat  Tauron  silvestrem,  sinc  voce,  stridoris 
horrendi,  hirtis  corporibus,  ocuUs  glaucis,  dentibus 
caninis.  Eudoxus  in  mcridianis  Indiac  viris  plantas 
esse  cubitalcs,  feminis  adeo  parvas  ut  Struthopodes 

-5  appellentur.  Megastliencs  gentem  inter  Nomadas 
Indos  narium  loco  foramina  tantum  habentem 
angiiium  modo,  loripedem,  vocari  Sciritas.  ad  ex- 
tremos  fines  Indiae  ab  oriente  circa  fontem  Gangis 
Astomorum  gentem  sine  ore,  corpore  toto  liirtam, 
vestiri  frondium  lanugine,  haUtu  tantum  viventem  et 
odore  quem  naribus  trahant;  nuUum  illis  cibum 
nullumque  potum,  radicum  tantum  florumque  varios 
odores  et  silvestrium  malorum,  quae  secum  portant 
longiore   itinere   ne   desit  olfactus ;    graviore   paulo 

.'6  odore  haut  difficulter  exanimari.  Super  hos  extrema 
in  parte  montium  Trispithami  ^  Pygmacique  nar- 
rantur,  ternas  spithamas  longitudine,  hoc  est  ternos 
(iodrantes,  non  excedentis,  salubri  caelo  semperque 
vemante  montibus  ab  aquilone  oppositis ;  quos  a 
gruibus  infestari  Homerus  quoque  prodidit.  fama 
cst  insidentes  arictum  caprarumijue  dorsis  armatos 
sagittis  veris  tempore  universo  agmine  ad  mare 
descendere    et    ova    pullosque    earum    aUtum    con- 

*  Z/ardouin(t.e.  montium  mspithami):  montium  spithami. 

«  Iliad,  111.6. 
522 


BOOK  VII.  II.  24-26 

mountains  in  the  east  of  India  (it  is  called  the 
district  of  the  Catarcludi) ;  this  is  an  extremely 
swift  animal,  sometimes  going  on  all  fours  and  some- 
times  standing  upright  as  they  run,  Uke  human 
beings ;  because  of  their  specd  only  the  old  ones 
or  the  sick  are  caught.  Tauron  gives  the  name  of 
Choromandae  to  a  forest  tribe  that  has  no  speech  but 
a  horrible  scream,  hairy  bodics,  keen  grey  eyes  and 
the  teeth  of  a  dog.  Eudoxus  savs  that  in  the  south 
of  India  men  have  feet  eighteen  inches  long  and  the 
women  such  small  feet  that  they  are  called  Sparrow- 
feet.  Megasthenes  tells  of  a  race  among  the  Nomads 
of  India  that  has  only  holes  in  the  place  of  nostrils, 
hke  snakes,  and  bandy-legged ;  they  are  called  the 
Sciritae.  At  the  extreme  boundary  of  India  to  the 
East,  near  the  source  of  the  Ganges,  he  puts  the  Astomi 
tribe,  that  has  no  mouth  and  a  body  hairy  all  over; 
thev  dress  in  cottonwool  and  Uve  only  on  the  air  they 
breathe  and  the  scent  they  inhale  through  their 
nostrils  ;  thcy  have  no  food  or  drink  except  the  difFer- 
ent  odours  of  the  roots  and  flowers  and  wild  apples, 
which  they  carry  with  them  on  their  longer  journeys 
so  as  not  to  lack  a  supply  of  scent ;  he  says  they  can 
easily  be  kiUed  by  a  rather  stronger  odour  than 
usual.  Beyond  these  in  the  most  outl^nng  mountain 
region  we  are  told  of  the  Three-span  men  and  Pygmies, 
who  do  not  exceed  three  spans,  i.e.  twenty-seven 
inches,  in  height ;  the  cUmate  is  healthy  and  always 
spring-Uke,  as  it  is  protected  on  tlie  north  by  a  range 
of  mountains ;  this  tribe  Homer  "  has  also  recorded 
as  being  beset  by  cranes.  It  is  reported  that  in 
springtime  their  entire  band,  mountcd  on  the  backs 
of  rams  and  she-goats  and  armed  with  arrows,  goes 
in  a  body  down  to  the  sea  and  eats  the  cranes'  eggs 

523 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

sumere,  ternis  expeditionem  eam  mensibus  confici, 
aliter  futuris  gregibus  non  resisti ;   casas  eorum  luto 

27  pinnisque  et  ovorum  putaminibus  construi.  Aristo- 
teles  in  cavernis  vivere  Pygmaeos  tradit,  cetera  de 
his  ut  reliqui.  Cyrnos  Indorum  genus  Isigonus 
annis  centenis  quadragenis  vivere  tradit,  item 
Aethiopas  Macrobios  et  Seras  existimat  et  qui 
Athon  montem  incolant,  hos  quidem  quia  viperinis 
carnibus  alantur,  itaque  nec  capiti  nec  vestibus  eorum 

28  noxia  corpori  inesse  animalia.  Onesicritus  quibus 
locis  Indiae  umbrae  non  sint  corpora  hominum 
cubitorum  quinum  et  binorum  palmorum  existere,  et 
vivere  annos  cxxx,  nec  senescere  sed  in  ^  medio 
aevo  mori.  Cratcs  Pergamenus  Indos  qui  ccntenos 
annos  excedant  Gymnetas  appellat,  non  pauci 
Macrobios.  Ctesias  gentem  ex  his  quae  appellctur 
Pandae,  in  convallibus  sitam  annos  ducenos  vivere, 
in  iuventa  candido  capillo  qui  in  sencctute  nigrescat ; 

29  contra  alios  quadmgcnos  non  excedere  annos, 
iunctos  Macrobiis,  quorum  feminae  semel  pariant. 
idque  et  Agatharchides  tradit,  praeterea  locustis  eos 
ali  et  esse  pernices.  Mandorum  nomen  his  dedit 
CHtarchus,  et  Megasthenes  trecentos  quoque  eorum 
\icos    adnumerat,    feminas    septimo    actatis    anno 

30  parcre,  senectam  quadragesimo  accidcre.  Arte- 
midorus  in  Taj)robanc  insuhi  longissimam  vitam  sine 
uUo     coqjoris     languore     traduci.     Duris     Indorum 

1  Mayhoff:  ut. 
»  About  eigbt  foet. 


BOOK   VII.  II.  26-30 

and  chickens,  and  that  this  outing  occupies  three 
months ;  and  that  othcnvise  they  could  not  protect 
theinseh-es  against  the  flocks  of  cranes  that  woukl 
grow  up ;  and  that  their  houses  are  made  of  mud 
and  feathers  and  egg-shells.  Aristotle  says  that  the 
Pvginies  live  in  cavcs,  but  in  the  rest  of  his  statement 
about  them  he  agrees  with  the  other  authorities. 
The  Indian  race  of  Cvrni  according  to  Isigonus  hve 
to  140 ;  and  he  holds  that  the  sanie  is  true  of  the 
Long-Hved  Ethiopians,  the  Chinese  and  the  inhabi- 
tants  of  Mount  Athos — in  the  last  case  because  of 
their  diet  of  snakes'  flesh,  wliich  causes  their  head 
and  clothes  to  be  free  from  creatures  harmful  to  the 
body.  Onesicritus  saj^^s  that  in  the  parts  of  India 
where  there  are  no  shadows  there  are  men  five  cubits 
and  two  spans"  high,  and  people  hve  a  hundred  and 
thirty  years,  and  do  not  grow  old  but  die  middle- 
aged.  Crates  of  Pergamum  teUs  of  Indians  who 
excecd  a  hundred  vears,  wliom  he  calls  Gymnetae, 
tliough  manv  call  them  Long-livers.  Ctcsias  says  that 
a  tribe  among  them  called  the  Pandae,  dweUing  in 
the  mountain  valleys,  Uve  two  hundred  years,  and 
have  white  hair  in  their  youth  that  grows  black  in 
old  age ;  wherciis  others  do  not  exceed  forty  years, 
this  tribe  adjoining  the  Long-Uvers,  whose  women 
bear  children  only  once.  Agatharchides  records  this 
as  weU,  and  also  that  they  Uve  on  locusts,  and  are 
very  swift-footed.  Clitarchus  gave  them  the  name 
of  Nlandi ;  and  Megasthcnes  also  assigns  them  three 
hundred  \iUages,  and  says  that  the  women  bear 
children  at  the  age  of  seven  and  old  age  comes  at 
forty.  Artemidorus  says  that  on  the  Island  of 
Ceylon  the  people  Uve  very  long  lives  without 
any  loss  of  bodily  activity.     Duris  says  that  some 

525 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

quosdam  cum  feris  coire  mixtosque  et  semiferos  esse 
partus,  in  Calingis  eiusdem  Indiae  gente  quinquenncs 
concipere  feminas,  octavum  vitae  annum  non 
excedere,  et  alibi  cauda  villosa  homines  nasci  pernici- 
tatis  eximiae,  alios  auribus  totos  contegi. 

Oritas  ab  Indis  Arabis  fluvius  disterminat.  hi 
nullum  ahuni  cibum  novere  quam  piscium,  quo 
unguibus  dissectos  sole  torreant  atque  ita  panem  ex 

31  iis  faciunt,^  ut  refert  CUtarchus.  Trogodytas  super 
Aethiopiam  velociores  equis  esse  Pergamenus  Crates, 
item  Aethiopas  octona  cubita  longitudine  excedcre, 
Syrbotas  vocari  gentem  eam.  Nomadum  Aethiopum 
secundum  flumen  Astragum  ad  septentrioncm 
vergentium  gens  Menisminorum  appellata  abest  ab 
oceano  dierum  itinere  viginti ;  animahum  quae 
cynocephalos  vocamus  lacte  vivit,  quorum  armcnta 
pascit     maribus     interemptis     praeterquam     subohs 

32  causa.  in  Africae  sohtudinibus  hominum  species 
obviae  subinde  fiunt  momentoque  evancscunt. 

Haec  atque  taha  ex  hominum  genere  ludibria  sibi, 
nobis  miracula,  ingeniosa  fecit  natura.  et  singula  ^ 
quidem  quae  facit  in  dies  ac  prope  horas  quis  enu- 
merare  valeat  ?  ad  detegendam  eius  potentiam 
satis  sit  inter  prodigia  posuisse  gcntes.  hinc  ad 
confessa  in  homine  pauca. 

33  III.  Tergeminos  nasci  certum  est  Horatiorum 
Curiatiorumque  exemplo;  super  inter  ostenta  ducitur 

^  V.l.  faciant. 
*  V.l.  ex  aingulis. 
526 


BOOK   VII.  II.  30-111.  s3 

Indians  have  union  ■\vith  -wild  animals  and  the  ofF- 
spring  is  of  mixed  race  and  half  animal ;  that  among 
the  Cahngi,  a  tribe  of  the  same  part  of  India,  women 
conceive  at  the  age  of  five  and  do  not  Uve  more  than 
eight  years,  and  that  in  another  part  men  are  born 
with  a  hairy  tail  and  extremely  swift,  while  others 
are  entirely  covered  by  tlicir  ears. 

The  river  Arabis  is  the  frontier  between  the 
Indians  and  the  Oi'itae.  These  are  acquainted  with 
no  other  food  but  fish,  which  they  cut  to  pieces  with 
their  nails  and  roast  in  the  sun  and  thus  make  bread 
out  of  them,  as  is  recorded  by  Chtarchus.  Crates 
of  Pergamum  says  that  the  Cavemen  beyond  Ethiopia 
are  swifter  than  horses  ;  also  that  there  are  Ethiopians 
more  than  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  that  this  race 
is  called  the  Syrbotae.  The  tribe  of  the  Ethiopian 
nomads  along  the  river  Astragus  towards  the  north 
called  thc  Menismini  is  twenty  days'  journey  from 
the  Ocean ;  it  hves  on  the  milk  of  the  animals  that 
we  call  dog-headed  apes,  herds  of  which  it  keeps  in 
pastures,  kiUing  the  males  except  for  the  purpose  of 
breeding.  In  the  deserts  of  Africa  ghosts  of  men 
suddenly  meet  the  traveUer  and  v.inish  in  a  moment. 

These  and  similar  varieties  of  the  human  race 
have  been  made  by  the  ingenuity  of  Nature  as  toys 
for  herself  and  marvels  for  us.  And  indeed  who 
could  possiblv  recount  the  various  things  she  does 
ever}'  day  and  almost  every  hour  ?  Let  it  suffice  for 
the  disclosure  of  her  power  to  have  included  whole 
races  of  mankind  among  her  marvels.  From  these 
we  tum  to  a  few  admitted  marvels  in  the  case  of  the 
individual  human  being. 

III.  The  birth  of  triplets  is  attested  by  the  case  Exceptionai 
of  the   Horatii  and  Curiatii ;    above  that  number  is  "^J^^  WrW*. 

527 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

praeterquam  in  Aegypto,  ubi  fetifer  potu  Nilus 
amnis.  proxime  supremis  divi  Augusti  Fausta  quae- 
dam  e  plebe  Ostiae  duos  mares  totidemque  feminas 
enixa  famem  quae  consecuta  est  portendit  haud 
dubie.  reperitur  et  in  Peloponneso  quinos  ^  quater 
enixa,  maioremque  partem  ex  omni  eius  vixisse 
partu.  et  in  Aegjpto  septenos  uno  utero  simul 
gigni  auctor  est  Trogus. 

34  Gignuntur  et  utriusque  sexus  quos  Hermaphroditos 
vocamus,  oHm  androgynos  vocatos  et  in  prodigiis 
habitos,  nunc  vero  in  deliciis.  Pompeius  Magnus 
in  ornamentis  theatri  mirabiles  fama  posuit  effigies 
ob  id  dihgentius  magnorum  artificum  ingeniis 
elaboratas,  inter  quas  legitur  Eutychis  a  viginti 
hberis  rogo  inlata  TralHbus  enixa  xxx  partus, 
Alcippe  elepliantum,  quamquam  id  inier  ostenta 
est,  namque  et  serpentem  peperit  inter  initia  Marsici 

35  belh  ancilla  et  multiformes  pluribus  modis  inter 
monstra  partus  eduntur.  Claudius  Caesar  scribit 
hippocentaurum  in  Thessaha  natum  eodem  die 
interisse,  et  nos  principatu  eius  allatum  ilH  ex 
Aegypto  in  melle  vidimus.  est  inter  exempla  in 
utcrum  protinus  reversus  infans  Sagunti  quo  anno 
urbs  2  deleta  ab  Ilannibale  est. 

^  quinos]  Sabellius  coU.  Arist.  h.  an.  7,  5,  1  :   binos. 
-  urbs  add.  Backham. 


•  The  Social  War,  91-88  B.c. 

*  218  B.c. 


528 


BOOK   \U.  ni.  33-35 

considered  portentous,  exeept  in  Egypt,  where 
drinking  the  water  of  the  Nile  causes  fecundity. 
Recently  on  the  day  of  the  obsequies  of  his  late 
Majesty  Augustus  a  certain  woman  of  the  lower 
orders  named  1'austa  at  Ostia  was  deUvered  of  two 
male  and  two  female  infants,  which  unquestionably 
portended  the  food  shortage  that  followed.  We 
also  find  the  case  of  a  woman  in  the  Peloponnese  who 
four  times  produced  quintuplets,  the  greater  number 
of  each  birth  surviving.  In  Egypt  also  Trogus 
alleges  cases  of  seven  infants  born  at  a  single 
birth. 

Persons  are  also  born  of  both  sexes  combined — 
what  we  call  Hermaphrodites,  formerly  called 
androgyni  and  considered  as  portents,  but  now  as 
entertainments.  Pompey  the  Great  among  the 
decorations  of  his  theatre  placed  images  of  celebrated 
marvels,  made  with  special  elaboration  for  the  pur- 
pose  by  the  talent  of  eminent  artists ;  among  them 
we  read  of  Eutychis  who  at  Tralles  was  carried  to 
her  funeral  pyre  by  twenty  children  and  who  had 
given  birth  30  times,  and  Alcippe  who  gave  birth  to 
an  elephant — although  it  is  true  that  the  latter  case 
ranks  among  portents,  for  one  of  the  first  occurrences 
of  the  Marsian  War"  was  that  a  maidservant  gave 
birth  to  a  snake,  and  also  monstrous  births  of  various 
kinds  are  recorded  among  the  ominous  things  that 
happened.  Claudius  Caesar  writcs  that  a  hippo- 
centaur  was  born  in  Thessaly  and  died  the  same  day  ; 
and  in  his  rcign  we  actually  saw  one  that  was  brought 
here  for  him  from  Egypt  preserved  in  honey.  One 
case  is  that  of  an  infant  at  Saguntum  which  at  once 
went  back  into  the  womb,  in  the  year  *  in  which 
that  city  was  destroyed  by  Hannibal. 

529 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

.'16  I\'.  Ex  feminis  mutari  in  mares  non  est  fabulosum. 
invenimus  in  annalibus  P.  Licinio  Crasso  C.  Cassio 
Longino  coss.  Casini  puerum  factum  ex  virgine  sub 
parentibus,  iussuque  harispicum  deportatum  in  insu- 
lam  desertam.  Licinius  Mucianus  prodidit  visum 
a  se  Argis  Arescontem,  cui  nomen  Arescusae  fuisset, 
nupsisse  etiam,  mox  barbam  et  virilitatem  provenisse 
uxoremque  duxisse ;  eiusdem  sortis  et  Zmymae 
puerum  a  se  visum.  ipse  in  Africa  vidi  mutatum  in 
marem  nuptiarum  die  L.  Constitium  civem  Thysdri- 

37  tanum.  .  .  .^  editis  geminis  raram  esse  aut  pucr- 
perae  aut  puerperio  praeterquam  alteri  vitam,  si 
vero  utriusque  sexus  editi  sint  gemini,  rariorem 
utrique  salutem  ;  feminas  celerius  gigni  quam  mares, 
sicuti  celerius  senescere ;  saepius  in  utero  moveri 
mares,  et  in  dextera  fere  geri  parte,  in  laeva  feminas. 

38  V.  Ceteris  animantibus  statum  et  pariendi  et  partus 
gerendi  tempus  est :  homo  toto  anno  et  incerto 
gignitur  spatio,  aHus  septimo  mense,  alius  octavo  et 
usque  ad  initium  undecimi ;  ante  septimum  mensem 
haut  umquam  vitahs  est.  septimo  non  nisi  pridie 
posterove     pleniluni     die     aut     interlunio    concepti 

*  Lacunam  Urlichs. 


•  171  n.o. 

'  Some  worda  seem  to  bave  been  lost  in  tho  Latin  here. 


53° 


BOOK  VII.  IV.  36-v.  38 

IV.  Transformation  of  females  into  males  is  not  an  ctiange  of 
idle    story.     We    find    in    thc    Annals    that    in    the  "'"^' 
consulship''  of  Pubhus  Licinius    Crassus  and  Gaius 
Cassius   Long-inus    a  girl   at  Casinum   was  changed 

into  a  boy,  under  the  observation  of  the  pai*ents, 
and  at  the  order  of  the  augurs  was  conveyed 
away  to  a  desert  island.  Licinius  Mucianus  has 
recorded  that  he  personally  saw  at  Argos  a  man 
named  Arescon  who  had  been  given  the  name  of 
Arescusa  and  had  actually  married  a  husband,  and 
then  had  gro^ra  a  beard  and  developed  mascuhne 
attributes  and  had  taken  a  wife ;  and  that  he  had 
also  seen  a  boy  vrith.  the  same  record  at  Smyrna. 
I  myself  saw  in  Africa  a  person  who  had  turned  into  a 
male  on  the  day  of  marriage  to  a  husband  ;  this  was 
Lucius  Constitius,  a  citizen  of  Thysdritum.  .  .  .^ 
(It  is  said  that)  at  the  birth  of  twins  neither  the 
mother  nor  more  than  one  of  the  two  children  usually 
hvcs,  but  that  if  twins  are  born  that  are  of  different 
sex  it  is  even  more  unusual  for  either  to  be  saved ; 
that  females  are  born  more  quickly  than  males,  just 
as  they  grow  older  more  quickly  ;  and  that  movement 
in  the  womb  is  more  frequent  in  the  case  of  males, 
and  males  are  usually  carried  on  the  right  side, 
females  on  the  left. 

V.  All  the  other  animals  have  a  fixed  season  both  Human  re- 
for  copulation  and  for  bearing  offspring,  but  human  vroducucm. 
reproduction  takes  place  all  the  year  round  and  the 
period  of  gestation  varies — in  one  case  it  may  exceed 

six  months,  in  another  seven,  and  it  may  even  cxceed 
ten  ;  a  cliild  born  before  the  seventh  month  is  usually 
still  born.  Only  those  conceived  the  day  before  or 
the  day  after  full  moon,  or  whcn  there  is  no  moon, 
are  born  in  the  seventh  month.    It  is  a  common  thing 

531 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

39  nascuntur.  tralaticium  in  Aegypto  est  et  octavo 
gigni,  iam  quidem  et  in  Italia  tales  partus  esse  vitales 
contra  priscorum  opiniones.  variant  haec  pluribus 
modis :  Vistilia  Gliti  ac  postea  Pomponi  atque 
Orfiti  clarissimorum  ci\ium  coniunx  ex  his  quattuor 
partus  enixa,  septimo  semper  mense,  genuit  Suillium 
Rufum  undecimo,  Corbulonem  septumo,  utrumque 
consulem,  postca  Caesoniam  Gai  principis  coniugem 

40  octavo.  in  quo  mensiimi  numero  genitis  intra 
quadragensimum  diem  maximus  labor,  gravidis 
autem  quarto  et  octavo  mense,  letalesque  in  his 
abortus.  Masurius  auctor  est  L.  Papirium  praetorem 
secundo  herede  lege  agente  bonorum  possessionem 
contra  eum  dedisse,  cimi  mater  ]iartum  se  tredecim 
mensibus  diceret  tulisse,  quoniam  nuUum  certum 
tempus  pariendi  statutum  videretur. 

41  VI.  A  conceptu  decimo  die  dolores  capitis, 
oculorum  vertigines  tenebraeque,  fastidium  in  cibis, 
redundatio  stomachi  indices  sunt  hominis  inchoati. 
meUor  color  marem  ferenti  et  facilior  partus,  motus 
in  utero  quadragensimo  die.  contraria  omnia  in 
altero  sexu,  ingestabile  onus,  crurum  et  inguinis  levis 

42  tumor,  primus  autem  xc  die  motus.  sed  plurumum 
languoris  in  utroque  sexu  capillimi  germinante  partu 


BOOK   Vll.  V.  38-vi.  42 

in  Egypt  for  children  to  be  born  even  in  the  eiglith 
month ;  and  indeed  in  Italy  also  for  such  cases  to 
live,  contrary  to  the  belief  of  old  times.  These 
matters  vary  in  more  ways  also.  Vistilia  the  wife 
of  GHtius  and  subsequently  of  Pomponius  and  of 
Orfitius,  citizens  of  the  highest  distinction,  bore  these 
husbands  four  children,  in  each  case  after  six  months' 
pregnancy,  but  subsequently  gave  birth  to  SuilUus 
Rufus  after  ten  months  and  Corbulo  after  six — both 
of  these  became  consuls, — and  subsequently  bore 
Caesonia,  the  consort  of  the  Emperor  Gaius,  after 
seven  months.  Infants  born  in  this  number  of 
months  are  weakest  in  health  during  the  first  six 
weeks,  the  mothers  in  the  fourth  and  eighth  months 
of  pregnancy ;  and  abortions  in  these  cases  are 
fatal.  Masurius  states  that  Lucius  Papirius  as 
praetor  in  a  suit  for  an  estate  brought  by  an  heir 
presumptive  gave  judgement  for  the  defendant; 
the  plaintiffs  case  was  that  the  heir  apparent's 
mother  said  that  he  had  been  born  after  thirteen 
months'  pregnancy,  and  the  ground  for  the  judgement 
was  that  there  appeared  to  be  no  fixed  pcriod  of 
pregnancy. 

VI.  On  the  tenth  day  from  conception  pains  in  the  Pregnaney. 
head,  giddiness  and  dim  sight,  distaste  for  food,  and 
vomiting  are  symptoms  of  the  formation  of  the 
embryo.  If  the  chikl  is  a  male,  the  mother  has  a 
better  colour  and  an  easier  dehvery ;  there  is  move- 
ment  in  the  womb  on  the  fortieth  day.  In  a  case  of 
the  other  sex  all  the  symptoms  are  the  opposite : 
the  burden  is  hard  to  carry,  there  is  a  sHght  swelHng 
of  the  legs  and  groin,  Imt  the  first  movement  is  on 
the  ninetieth  day.  But  in  the  case  of  both  sexes 
the  greatest  amount  of  faintness  occurs  when  the 

vOL.  II.  S       533 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

et  in  plenilunio,  quod  tempus  editos  quoque  infantes 
praccipue  infestat.  adeoque  incessus  atque  omne 
quicquid  dici  potest  in  gravida  refert,  ut  salsioribus 
cibis  usae  carentem  unguiculis  partum  cdant,  et  si 
respiravere  difficilius  enitantur;  oscitatio  quidem  in 
enixu  letalis  est,  sicut  sternuisse  a  coitu  abortivum. 
4.'{  VII.  Miseret  atque  etiam  pudet  aestimantem  quam 
sit  frivola  animalium  superbissimi  origo,  cum  plerisque 
abortus  causa  odor  a  lucernarum  fiat  extinctu.  his 
principiis  nascuntiu*  tyranni,  his  carnifex  animus. 
tu  qui  corporis  \iribus  fidis,  tu  qui  fortunae  muncra 
amplexaris  et  te  ne  alumnum  quidem  eius  existimas 

44  sed  partum,  tu  cuius  imperatoria^  est  mens,  tu  qui 
te  deum  credis  aliquo  successu  tumens,  tantine  perire 
potuisti  ?  atque  etiam  hodie  minoris  potes,  quantulo 
serpentis  ictus  dente,  aut  etiam  ut  Anacreon  poeta 
acino  uvae  passae,  aut  ^  ut  Fabius  Senator  praetor 
in  lactis  haustu  uno  pilo  strangulatus.  is  demum 
profecto  vitam  aequa  lance  pensitabit  qui  semper 
fragilitatis  humanae  memor  fuerit. 

45  \TII.  In  pcdes  procidere  nascentemcontra  naturam 
est,  quo  argumento  eos  appellavere  Agrippas  ut 
aegrepartos;  qualiter  M.  Agrippam  ferunt  genitum, 
unico  prope  felicitatis  exemplo  in  omnibus  ad  hunc 
moduni  genitis — cjuamquam  is  quoque  adversa 
pedum    vaHtudine    miscra    iuventa,    cxercito    aevo 

^  Urlichs  :   cuius  semper  tinctoria  {a%U  in  victoria). 
*  aut  add.  Rackham. 

■  Aegre  partua  \b  Buggested  as  the  etymology  of  Agrippa. 
534 


BOOK   VII.  VI.  42-vin.  45 

embryo  begins  to  grow  hair ;  and  also  at  the  full 
moon,  which  period  is  also  specially  inimical  to 
infants  after  birth.  The  gait  in  walking  and  every 
thing  that  can  be  mentioned  are  so  important  during 
pregnancv  that  mothcrs  eating  food  that  is  too  salt 
bear  children  lacking  nails,  and  that  not  holding 
the  breath  makes  the  delivery  more  difficult ;  indeed, 
to  gape  during  deUvery  may  cause  death,  just  as 
a  sneeze  foUowing  copulation  causes  abortion. 

\ll.  One  feels  pity  and  even  shame  in  reaHzing  AboTtion. 
how  trivial  is  the  origin  of  the  proudest  of  the  animals, 
when  the  smell  of  lamps  being  put  out  usually  causes 
abortion !  These  are  the  beginnings  from  which 
are  born  tyrants  and  the  pride  that  deals  slaughter. 
You  who  put  confidence  in  your  bodily  strength, 
you  who  accept  fortune's  bounty  and  deem  yourself 
not  even  her  nursehng  but  her  ofFspring,  you  whose 
thoughts  are  of  empire,  you  who  when  swelUng  with 
some  success  beUeve  yourself  a  god,  could  you  have 
been  made  away  with  so  cheaply  ?  and  even  to-day 
you  can  be  more  cheaply,  frora  being  bitten  by  a 
snake's  tiny  tooth,  or  even  choked  by  a  raisin-stone 
Uke  the  poet  Anacreon,  or  by  a  single  hair  in  a  draught 
of  milk,  Uke  the  praetor  Fabius  Senator.  Assuredly 
only  he  who  always  remembers  how  frail  a  thing  man 
is  wiU  weigh  Ufe  in  an  impartial  balance ! 

\TII.  It  is  against  nature  to  be  born  feet  foremost ;  Dduery 
this  is  the  reason  why  the  designation  of  '  Agrippa  ' 
has  been  appUed  to  persons  so  born — meaning  '  born 
with  difficulty  '  " ;  Marcus  Agrippa  is  said  to  have 
been  bom  in  this  manner,  almost  the  soUtary  instance 
of  a  successful  career  among  aU  those  so  born — 
although  he  too  is  deemed  to  have  paid  the  penalty 
which  his  in'egular  birth  foretold,  by  a  youth  made 

535 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

inter  arma  mortisque  adeo  obnoxio  accessu,  infelici 
terris  stirpe  omni  sed  per  utrasque  Agrippinas 
maxime,  quae  Gaium,  quae  Domitium  Neronem 
principes    genuere    totidem    faces    generis    humani, 

46  praeterea  brevitate  aevi  quinquagesimo  uno  raptus 
anno  in  ^  tormentis  adulterinrum  coniugis  socerique 
praegravi  servitio,  luisse  augurium  praeposteri 
natalis  existimatur.  Neronem  quoque  paulo  ante 
principem  et  toto  principatu  suo  hostem  generis 
humani  pedibus  genitum  scribit  parenseius  Agrippina. 
ritus  2  naturae  capite  hominem  gigni,  mos  est  pedibus 
efFerri. 

47  IX.  Auspicatius  e  necata  '  parente  gignuntur,  sicut 
Scipio  Africanus  prior  natus  primusque  Caesarum  a 
caeso  matris  utero  dictus,  qua  de  causa  et  Caesones 
appellati.  simili  modo  natus  et  Manilius  qui  Cartha- 
ginem  cum  exercitu  intravit.  X.  \'opiscos  appcllabant 
e  geminis  qui  retenti  utero  nascerentur  altcro 
interempto  abortu — namque  maxima  etsi  rara  circa 
hoc  miracula  existunt. 

48  XI.  Praeter  mulierem  pauca  animalia  coitum  novere 
gravida,  unum  quidem  omnino  aut  alterum  super- 
fetat.  extat  in  monimentis  medicorum  et  corum* 
quibus  taliaconsectari  curae  fuit  uno  abortu  duodecim 

^  [in]  ?  Rackham.  '  Ilardoinn  -.   ritu. 

•  V.l.  enecta.  *  eorum  add.  Rackham. 

•  The  two  Aghppinas.  '  Julia.  '  JuliuB. 


BOOK   VII.  vin.  45-M.  48 

unhappy  by  lameness,  a  lifetime  passed  amidst 
warfare  and  ever  exposed  to  the  approach  of  death, 
bv  the  misfortune  caused  to  the  world  by  his  whole 
progeny  but  especially  due  to  his  two  daugliters" 
who  became  the  mothers  of  the  emperors  Gaius 
CaHgula  and  Domitius  Nero,  the  two  firebrands  of 
mankind  ;  and  also  by  the  shortness  of  his  Hfe,  as  he 
was  cut  off  at  the  age  of  fifty  during  the  agony 
caused  him  by  his  wife's  ^  adulteries  and  diu-ing 
his  irksome  subjection  to  his  father-in-law  Augustus. 
Nero  also,  who  was  emperor  shortly  before  and  whose 
entire  rule  showed  him  the  enemy  of  mankind,  is 
stated  in  his  mother  Agrippina's  memoirs  to  have 
been  born  feet  first.  It  is  Nature's  method  for  a 
human  being  to  be  born  head  first,  and  it  is  the 
custom  for  him  to  be  carried  to  burial  feet  first. 

IX.  It  is  a  better  omen  when  the  mother  dies  in 
giving  birth  to  the  child  ;  instances  are  the  birth  of  the 
elder  Scipio  Africanus  and  of  the  first''  of  the  Caesars, 
who  got  that  name  from  the  surgical  operation  per- 
formed  on  his  mother ;  the  origin  of  the  family  name 
Caeso  is  also  the  same.  Also  Manilius  who  entered 
Carthage  with  his  army  was  born  in  the  same  manner. 
X.  The  name  \'opiscus  used  to  be  given  to  cases  of  a 
twin  born  after  being  retained  in  the  womb  when  the 
other  twin  had  been  kihed  by  premature  deHvery — 
for  extremely  remarkable  though  infrequent  cases 
of  this  occur. 

XI.  Few  animals  except  woman  ever  have  sexual 
intercourse  when  pregnant — at  all  events  super- 
fetation  only  occurs  with  animals  in  very  few  cases. 
In  the  records  of  tlie  medical  profession  and  of 
writers  who  have  been  interested  in  collecting  such 
occurrences,  there  is  a  case  of  miscarriage  in  which 

537 


PLIXY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

puerperia  egesta.     sed  ubi  paululum  temporis  inter 

49  duos  conceptus  intercessit,  utrumque  perfertur,  ut 
in  Hercule  et  Iphicle  fratre  eius  apparuit  et  in  ea 
quae  gemino  partu  altcrum  marito  similem  alterum- 
que  adultero  genuit,  item  in  Proconnesia  ancilla 
quae  eiusdem  diei  coitu  alterum  domino  similem 
altcrum  procuratori  eius,  et  in  alia  quae  unum  iusto 
partu,  quinque  mensium  allcrum  edidit ;  rursus  in  alia 
quae  septem  mensium  edito  puerperio  insecutis 
tribus  1  mensibus  geminos  enixa  est. 

50  lam  illa  vulgata  sunt  ^ :  varie  ex  integris  truncos 
gigni,  ex  truncis  integros  eademque  parte  truncos ; 
signa  quaedam  naevosque  et  cicatrices  etiam  regene- 
rari,  quarto  partu  aliquorum  ^  originis  nota  in  brachio 

51  reddita*  XII.  (in  Lepidorum  gente  tres,  intermisso 
ordine,  obducto  membrana  oculo  genitos  accepimus)  ; 
similes  quidem  alios  avo,  et  ex  geminis  quoque 
alterum  patri  alterum  matri,  annoque  post  genitum 
maiori  similem  fuisse  ut  geminum.  quasdam  sibi  si- 
miles  semper  parere,  quasdam  viro,  quasdam  nuUi, 
quasdam  feminam  patri,  marem  sibi.  indubitatum 
exemplum  est  Nicaei  nobilis  pyctae  Byzanti  geniti 

*  Dellefsen  {viz.  ni)  :   in. 

*  yiayhoff :   ast  av.t  et. 

*  Barbarus  :   Dacorum. 

*  Mayhoff :   redditur. 


BOOK   VII.  XI.  48-xii.  51 

twelve  infants  were  still-born  at  once.  When, 
however,  a  moderate  interval  of  time  separates  tvvo 
conceptions,  both  may  be  successful,  as  was  seen  in 
the  instance  of  Hercules  and  his  brother  Iphicles  and 
in  the  case  of  the  woman  who  bore  twins  of  whom 
one  resembled  her  husband  and  the  other  an 
adulterer ;  and  also  in  that  of  the  maidservant  of 
Marmara  who,  as  a  result  of  intercourse  on  the  same 
day,  bore  one  twin  resembhng  her  master  and 
another  resembling  his  steward,  and  that  of  another 
woman  who  bore  one  twin  at  the  proper  period  and 
the  other  a  five-months'  child,  and  again  of  another 
who  after  bearing  a  seven  months'  child  was  delivered 
of  twins  three  months  later. 

It  is  also  well  known  that  sound  parents  may  have  TTansmU- 
deformed  childrcn  and  deformed  parents  sound  7acterisiics. 
children  or  children  with  tlie  same  deformity,  as  the 
case  may  be ;  tliat  some  mai-ks  and  moles  and  evcn 
scars  reappear  in  the  offspring,  in  some  cases  a  birth- 
mark  on  the  arm  reappearing  in  the  fourtli  generation 
XII.  (we  are  tokl  that  in  the  Lepidus  family  three 
children  were  born,  though  not  all  in  succession,  with 
a  membrane  over  the  eyes) ;  and  indeed  that  other 
children  have  resembled  their  grandfather,  and  that 
also  there  has  been  a  case  of  twins  of  which  one 
resembled  the  father  and  the  otlier  the  mother,  and 
one  of  a  child  who  resembled  his  brother  hke  a  twin 
although  born  a  year  later.  Also  that  some  women 
always  bear  children  like  themselves,  some  bear 
children  hke  their  husbands,  some  children  with  no 
family  hkcness,  some  a  female  cliild  hke  its  fathcr 
and  a  male  child  hke  themselves.  One  unquestioned 
instance  is  that  of  the  famous  boxer  Nicaeus,  born 
at   Istamboul,   whose    mother   was   the   offspring   of 

539 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

qui  adulterio  Aethiopis  nata  matre  nihil   a  ceteris 
colore  differente  ipse  avum  regeneravit  Aethiopem. 

52  Simihtudinum  quidem  inmensa  reputatio  est  et  in 
qua  credantur  multa  fortuita  pollere,  visus,  auditus 
memoriae  ^  haustaeque  imagines  sub  ipso  conceptu. 
cogitatio  etiam  utriuslibet  animum  subito  transvolans 
effingere  simihtudinem  aut  miscere  existimatur, 
ideoque  plures  in  homine  quam  in  ceteris  omnibus 
animahbus  differentiae  quoniam  velocitas  cogita- 
tionum  animique  celeritas  et  ingeni  varietas  multi- 
formes  notas  inprimunt,^  cum  ceteris  animaiitibus 
inmobiles  sint  animi  et  siiniles  omnibus  singuhsque 

53  in  suo  cuique  genere.  Antiocho  regi  Syriae  e  plebe 
nomine  Artenio  in  tantum  simihs  fuit  ut  Laodice 
coniunx  regia  necato  iam  Antiocho  mimum  per  eum 
commendationis  regnique  successionis  peregerit. 
Magno  Pompeio  \'ibius  quidam  e  plebe  et  Pubhcius 
etiam  ser\itute  hberatus  indiscreta  prope  specie 
fuere  similes,  ihud  os  probum  reddentes  ipsumque 

54  honorem  eximiae  frontis.  quahs  causa  patri  ciuoque 
eius  Menogenis  coci  sui  cognomen  inposuit  (iam 
Strabonis  a  specie  oculorum  habenti  vitium  imi- 
tata  et  in  servo),  Scipioni  Serapionis — is  erat  suarii 

*  Backhain  :  memoria. 

*  Mayhojf :   imprimit  aul  imprimat. 


"  Or  pcrhaps  '  the  rost  of  her  family,'  or  '  othor  half-breedfl.' 
*  Antioehua  III,  theGreat,  223-187  B.c.  Valeriiis  Maximus, 
IX.  14,  says  that  the  king'9  mimic  was  a  member  of  the 
royal  family.  and  that  he  pretended  to  be  the  king  lying  ill 
in  bed  and  the  pubhc  were  admitted  to  8oe  him ;  so  Laodice 
securexl  acceptance  for  her  ston,'  that  the  king  on  hia  death- 
bed  had  coramended  her  and  his  children  to  the  protection 
of  the  peopie. 
'  '  Croas-eyed.' 

540 


BOOK   VII.  XII.  51-54 

adultery  with  an  Ethiopian  but  had  a  complexion 
no  difFerent  from  that  of  other  women,"  whereas 
Nicaeus  himself  reproduced  his  Ethiopian  grand- 
father. 

Cases  of  Ukeness  are  indeed  an  cxtremely  wide  sub-  causes  of 
i  ect ,  and  one  which  includcs  the  beUef  that  a  ff reat  many  !r,?!^-L. 
accidental  circumstances  are  influential — recollections 
of  sights  and  sounds  and  actual  sense-impressions 
received  at  the  time  of  conception.  Also  a  thought 
suddenly  flitting  across  the  mind  of  either  parent  is 
supposed  to  produce  Ukeness  or  to  cause  a  combina- 
tion  of  features,  and  the  reason  why  there  are  more 
diiferences  in  man  than  in  aU  the  other  animals  is 
that  his  swiftness  of  thought  and  quickness  of  mind 
and  variety  of  mental  character  impress  a  great 
diversity  of  patterns,  whereas  the  minds  of  the  other 
animals  are  sluggish,  and  are  aUke  for  aU  and  sundry, 
each  in  their  own  kind.  A  man  of  low  station  Cases  of 
named  Artemo  so  closely  resembled  Antiochus,''  king  \l^i^"[ated^ 
of  Svria,  that  the  royal  consort  Laodice  after  she  had  persons. 
murdered  Antiochus  successfuUy  made  use  of  him 
to  stage  a  play  of  her  being  recommended  for 
succession  to  the  throne.  Pompey  the  Great  had 
two  doubles  almost  indistinguishable  froni  him  in  ap- 
pearance,  a  plebeian  named  Vibius  and  one  PubUcius 
who  was  actuaUy  a  Uberated  slave,  both  of  wliom 
reproduced  that  noblc  countenance  and  the  actual 
dignity  of  his  magnificent  brow.  A  similar  re- 
semblance  was  the  reason  that  saddled  Pompey's 
father  also  with  the  surname  Menojjenes,  that  beinor 

o  '  o 

the  name  of  his  cook,  when  he  already  had  the 
surname  Strabo  <^  from  the  appearance  of  his  eyes, 
which  actuaUy  copied  a  defect  in  his  slave ;  and  a 
Scipio  received  the  surname  Serapio  in  a  similar  way, 

541 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

negotiatoris  vile  mancipium.  eiusdem  familiae  Sci- 
pioni  post  eum  nomen  Salutio  mimus  dcdit,  sicut 
Spinther  secundarius  tertiariusque,^  Pamphilus  col- 
legio  Lentuli  et  Metelli  consulum,  in  quo  perquam 
inportune  fortuitum  hoc  quoque  fuit,  duorum  simul 

55  consulum  in  scaena  imagines  cerni.  e  diverso  L. 
Plancus  orator  histrioni  Rubrio  cognomen  inposuit, 
rursus  Curioni  patri  Burbulcius,  itemque  Messalae 
censorio  Menogenes,  perinde  histrioncs.  Surae 
quidem  proconsulis  etiam  rictum  in  loquendo  contrac- 
tionemque  Hnguae  et  sermonis  tumultum,  non 
imaginem  modo,  piscator  quidam  in  Sicilia  reddidit. 
Cassio  Severo  celebri  oratori  Armentarii  murmillonis^ 
obiecta  simiUtudo  est.  modo  in  Annaea '  domo 
Gallionem  a  Castellano  Uberto  non  discernebant, 
nec  a  Sannio  mimo  Paride  cognominato  Agrippinum 

56  senatorem.  Toranius  mango  Antonio  iam  triumviro 
duos  *  eximios  forma  pueros,  alterum  in  Asia  genitum 
alterum  trans  Alpes,  ut  geminos  vendicHt :  tanta 
unitas  erat.  postquam  deinde  sermone  puerorum 
detecta  fraude  a  furente  increpitus  Antonio  est, 
inter  aUa  magnitudinem  preti  conquerente  (nam 
ducentis  erat  mercatus  sestertiis),  respondit  versutus 
ingenii  mango  id  ipsum  se  tanti  vcndidisse,  quoniam 
non  esset  mira  simiUtudo  in  uUis  eodem  utero  editis, 

*  Vvlg.  secandanim  tertiarumque. 

*  Vel  armentarii  Murmillonis. 
'  Dttkjscn  :   in  ea. 

*  duos  add.  Rackham. 


*  Or  '  tho  cowherd  Murmillo.' 


542 


BOOK   VII.  xii.  54-56 

Serapio  being  a  low  chattel  belonging  to  a  dealcr  in 
hogs.  Another  Scipio  of  a  later  generation  received 
his  name  from  an  actor  Sahitio,  just  as  Spinther  and 
Pamphihis  who  played  second  and  third  roles  re- 
spectively  gave  their  names  to  the  colleagues  in  the 
consulship  Lentuhis  and  Metellus,  a  situation  which 
also  (most  inappropriately)  resulted  incidentally  in  the 
counterfeit  presentations  of  two  consuls  being  seen 
on  the  stage  at  once.  Fice  versa,  Lucius  Plancus  an 
orator  gave  a  surname  to  a  player  Rubrius,  whereas 
Burbuleius  gave  his  name  to  Curio  senior  and  like- 
wise  Menogenes  to  the  former  censor  Messala,  both 
aUke  being  actors.  A  fisherman  in  Sicily  not  only 
resembled  the  proconsul  Sura  in  appearance  but 
actually  reproduced  his  gape  while  speaking  and  his 
tongue-tied  stammering  utterance.  The  famous 
orator  Cassius  Severus  was  taunted  for  his  Hkeness  to 
the  gladiator  Armentarius.'*  Recently  in  the  house- 
hold  of  Annaeus  people  used  to  mistake  GalUo  for  the 
freedman  Castellanus  and  the  senator  Agrippinus 
for  the  actor  Sannius,  surnamed  Paris.  The  slave- 
dealer  Toranius  sold  to  Antony  after  he  had  become 
one  of  the  triumvirate  two  exceptionally  handsome 
boys,  who  were  so  identically  aUke  that  he  passed 
them  off  as  twins,  although  one  was  a  native  of  Asia 
and  the  other  of  a  district  North  of  the  Alps.  Later 
the  boys'  speech  disclosed  the  fraud,  and  a  protest 
was  made  to  the  dealer  by  the  wrathful  Antony, 
who  complained  especiaUy  about  the  large  amount 
of  the  price  (lie  had  bought  them  for  200,000 
sesterces) ;  but  the  crafty  dealer  repUed  that  the 
thing  protested  about  was  precisely  the  cause  of  his 
having  charged  so  much,  because  there  was  nothing 
remarkable  in  a  Ukeness  between  any  pair  of  twin 

543 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

diversarum  quidem  gentium  natales  tam  concordi 
figura  reperiri  super  omnem  esse  taxationem ; 
adeoque  tenipestivam  admirationem  intulit  ut  ille 
proscriptor,  minis  ^  modo  et  contumelia  furens,  non 
aliud  in  censu  magis  ex  fortuna  sua  duceret. 

57  XIII.  Est  quaedam  privatim  dissociatio  corporum, 
et  inter  se  sterilis  ubi  cum  aliis  iunxere  se,  gignunt, 
sicut  Augustus  et  Livia  ;  item  alii.  aliaeque  feminas 
tantum  generant  aut  mares,  plerumque  et  alternant, 
sicut  Gracchorum  mater  duodeciens,  Agrippina 
Germanici  noviens ;  aliis  sterilis  est  iuventa,  aliis 
semel  in  vita  datur  gignere  ;  quaedam  non  perferunt 

68  partus,  quales,  si  quando  medicina  naturam  -  vicere, 
feminam  fere  gignunt.  divus  Augustus  in  reliqua 
exemplorum  raritate  neptis  suae  nepotem  vidit 
genitum  quo  excessit  anno  M.  Silanum,  qui  cum 
Asiam  obtineret  post  consulatum  Neronis  principis 

59  successione,  veneno  eius  interemptus  est.  Q.  Metel- 
lus  Macedonicus,  cum  sex  liberos  relinqueret,  xi 
nepotes  reliquit,   nurus   vero  generosque   et  omnes 

60  qui  se  patris  appellatione  salutarent  xxvii.  in  actis 
temporum   divi   Augusti   invenitur   duodecimo   con- 

*  lihenanus  :   animus. 

*  Detlefacn  :   medicina  et  cura. 


"  I.e.  all  but  one  of  hi3  grandchildren  wero  married. 

"   4  B.C. 


544 


BOOK   VII.  XII.  56-xiii.  60 

brothers,  whereas  (he  said)  to  find  natives  of  difFerent 
races  so  precisely  alike  in  appearance  was  something 
above  all  appraisal ;  and  this  produced  in  Antony  so 
convenient  a  feeUng  of  admiration  that  the  great 
inflictor  of  outlawry,  who  had  just  been  in  a  fury  of 
threats  and  abuse,  considered  that  no  other  property 
that  he  possessed  was  more  suited  to  his  station ! 

XIII.  Particular  individuals  may  have  a  certain  Exceptionai 
physical  incongruity  between  them,  and  persons  whose  f^tiiiiy^  eu. 
union  is  infertile  niay  have  children  when  they  form 
other  connexions — for  instance  Augustus  and  Livia, 
and  similarly  others.  Also  some  women  have  only 
female  or  only  male  children,  though  usually  the 
sexes  come  alternately — for  instance  in  the  case  of 
the  mother  of  the  Gracchi  this  occurred  twelve  times, 
and  in  that  of  Germanicus's  wife  Agrippina  nine 
times  ;  some  women  are  childless  in  youth ;  on  some 
parentage  is  bestowed  once  in  a  hfetime ;  certain 
women  are  always  deUvered  prematurely,  and  those 
of  this  class,  if  ever  they  succeed  in  overcoming  this 
tendency  by  the  use  of  drugs,  usually  bear  a  female 
child.  One  of  the  many  exceptional  circumstances 
connected  with  his  late  Majesty  Aiigustus  is  that  he 
Uved  to  see  his  daughter's  grandson,  Marcus  Silanus, 
who  was  born  in  the  year  of  his  death ;  Silanus, 
after  succeeding  the  emperor  Nero  as  consul,  held 
the  province  of  Asia,  and  during  his  office  Nero 
despatched  him  by  poison.  Quintus  Metellus 
Macedonicus,  leaving  six  children,  left  eleven  grand- 
childrcn,  but  including  daughte«s-in-law  and  sons-in- 
law  the  total  of  those  who  greeted  him  by  the  title 
of  father  was  twenty-seven."  In  the  annals  of  the 
period  of  his  late  Majesty  Augustus  is  found  a 
statement    that    in    his    twelfth    consulship,''    when 

545 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

sulatu  eius  L.  que  SuUa  collega  a.  d.  iii  idus  Aprilis  C. 
Crispinium  Hilarum  ex  ingenua  plebe  Faesulana  cum 
liberis  viii,  in  quo  numero  filiae  duae  fuere,  nepotibus 
xx\ii,  pronepotibus  xviii,  neptibus  viii,  praelata 
pompa  cum  omnibus  his  in  Capitolio  immolasse. 

61  XIV.  Mulier  post  quinquagensimum  annum  non 
gignit,  maiorque  pars  xl  profluvium  genitale  sistit. 
nam  in  viris  Masinissam  regem  post  lxxxvi  annum 
generasse  filium  quem  Methimannum  appellaverit 
clarum  est,  Catonem  censoriimi  octogesimo  exacto  e 

62  fiha  Saloni  chentis  sui :  qua  de  causa  ahorum  eius 
hberum  propago  Liciniani  sunt  cognominati,  hi 
Saloniani,  ex  quis  Uticensis  fuit.  nuper  etiam  L. 
Volusio  Salurnino  in  urbis  praefectura  extincto  notum 
est  e  Corneha  Scipionum  gentis  Volusium  Saturninum 
qui  fuit  consul  genitum  post  lxii  annum.  et  usque 
ad  Lxxv  apud  ignobiles  vulgaris  reperitur  generatio. 

63  XV.  Solum  autem  aninial  menstruale  muher  est ; 
inde  unius  utero  quas  appeUaverunt  molas.  ea  est 
caro  informis,  inanima,  ferri  ictum  et  aciem  respuens  ; 
movetur  sistitque  menses,  ut  et  partus,  ahas  letahs 
ahas  una  senescens  ahquando  alvo  citatiore  excidens. 
simile  quiddam  et  viris  in  ventre  gignitur,  quod 
vocant  scirron,  sicut  Oppio  Capitoni  praetorio  viro. 

546 


BOOK    VII.  XIII.  60-.YV'.  63 

Lucius  Sulla  was  his  colleague,  on  the  9th  April  a 
freeman  of  hunible  station  at  Fiesole  named  Gaius 
Crispinius  Hilarus  went  in  procession  preceded  by 
eight  children,  including  two  daughters,  twenty- 
seven  grandchildren,  eighteen  great-grandchildren, 
and  eight  granddaughters  bv  marriage,  and  with  all 
of  tliese  in  attendance  offered  saci-ifice  on  the  Capitol. 

XI\'.  A  woman  does  not  bear  children  after  the  age  .417^  0/ 
of  fifty,  and  with  the  majority  menstruation  ceases  at  -^^"  "*'' 
40.  As  for  the  case  of  men,  it  is  well  known  that 
King  Masinissa  begot  a  son  when  over  86,  whom  he 
called  Methimannus,  and  Cato  the  ex-censor  had  a 
son  by  the  daughter  of  his  cHent  Salonius  when  he  was 
81  :  this  is  the  reason  whv  this  branch  of  his  family 
l^ears  the  surname  of  Salonianus,  although  that  of 
the  other  branch  is  Liciniaiuis ;  Cato  of  Utica  be- 
longed  to  the  Salonian  branch.  Recently  also 
Lucius  Volusius  Saturninus,  who  died  while  holding 
the  office  of  City  Praefect,  is  known  to  have  had  a 
son,  by  CorneUa  of  the  Scipio  family,  born  after 
he  was  62,  Volusius  Saturninus,  who  was  consul. 
Parentage  even  up  to  the  age  of  75  is  commonly 
found  in  the  lower  classes. 

X\^  Woman  is,  however,  the  only  animal  that  has  Menttma- 
monthly  periods ;  consequently  she  akjne  has  what  '"^" 
are  called  moles  in  her  womb.  This  mole  is  a 
shapeless  and  inanimate  mass  of  flesh  that  resists 
the  point  and  the  edge  of  a  knife ;  it  moves  about, 
and  it  checks  menstruation,  as  it  also  checks 
births :  in  some  cases  causing  death,  in  others 
growing  okl  with  the  patient,  sometimes  when  the 
bowels  are  violently  moved  being  ejected.  A  similar 
object  is  also  formed  in  the  stomach  of  males,  called 
a  tumour,  as  in  the  case  of  the  praetorian  Oppius 

547 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

64  sed  nihil  facile  reperiatur  mulierum  profluvio  magis 
monstrificum.  acescunt  superventu  musta,  sterile- 
scunt  contactae  fruges,  moriuntur  insita,  exuruntur 
hortorum  gcrmina,  fructus  arborum  [quibus  insidcre]  ^ 
decidunt,  speculorum  fulgor  adspectu  ipso  hebetatur, 
acies  ferri  praestringitur,  eboris  nitor,  alvi  apium 
moriuntur,  aes  etiam  ac  ferrum  robigo  protinus  cor- 
ripit  odorque  dirus  aera,  in  rabiem  aguntur  gustato  eo 

65  canes  atque  insanabiU  veneno  morsus  inficitur.  quin 
et  bituminum  sequax  alioquin  ac  lenta  natura  in 
l.ncu  ludaeae  qui  vocatur  Asphaltites  certo  tempore 
anni  supernatans  non  quit  sibi  avelH  ad  omnem 
contactum  adhaerens  praeterquam  filo  quod  tale 
virus  infecerit.  etiam  formicis,  animaU  minimo, 
inesse  sensum  eius  ferunt,  abicique  gustatas  fruges 

66  nec  postea  repeti.  et  hoc  tale  tantumque  omnibus 
tricenis  diebus  malum  in  muHere  exsistit  et  trimenstri 
spatio  largius,  quibusdam  vero  saepius  mcnse,  sicut 
aHquis  numquam.  sed  tales  non  gignunt,  quando 
haec  est  generando  homini  materia,  germine  e 
maribus  coaguH  modo  hoc  in  sese  glomerante,  quod 
deinde  tempore  ipso  animatur  corporaturque.  ergo 
cum  gravidis  fluxit,  invaHdi  aut  non  vitales  partus 

67  eduntur  aut  saniosi,  ut  auctor  est  Nigidius.  XVI. 
(idem  lac  feminae  non  corrumpi  alenti  partum  si  ex 

'  Scdusit  Rackham. 

•  The  Dead  Soo. 
S48 


BOOK   VII.  XV.  64-xvi.  67 

Capito.  But  nothing  could  easily  be  found  that 
is  more  remarkable  than  the  monthly  flux  of  women. 
Contact  with  it  turns  new  wine  sour,  crops  touched 
by  it  bccome  barren,  grafts  die,  seeds  in  gardens 
are  dried  up,  the  fruit  of  trees  falls  otf,  the  bright 
surface  of  mirrors  in  which  it  is  merely  reflected 
is  dimmed,  the  edge  of  steel  and  the  gleam  of 
ivory  are  dulled,  hives  of  bees  die,  even  bronze 
and  iron  are  at  once  seized  by  rust,  and  a  horrible 
smell  fills  the  air ;  to  taste  it  drives  dogs  mad  and 
infects  their  bites  with  an  incurable  poison.  More- 
over  bitumen,  a  substance  generally  sticky  and 
viscous,  that  at  a  certain  season  of  the  year  floats 
on  the  surface  of  the  lake  of  Judaea  called  the 
Asphalt  Pool,'»  adheres  to  everj^thing  touching  it, 
and  cannot  be  drawn  asxmder  except  by  a  thread 
soaked  in  the  poisonous  fluid  in  question.  Even  that 
very  tiny  creature  the  ant  is  said  to  be  sensitive  to 
it,  and  throws  away  grains  of  corn  that  taste  of  it 
and  does  not  touch  them  again.  Not  only  does  this 
pemicious  mischief  occur  in  a  woman  every  month, 
but  it  comes  in  larger  (juantity  every  three  months ; 
and  in  some  cases  it  comes  more  frequently  than 
once  a  month,  just  as  in  certain  women  it  never 
occurs  at  all.  The  latter,  however,  do  not  have 
children,  since  the  substance  in  question  is  the 
material  for  human  generation,  as  the  semen  from 
the  males  acting  like  rennet  collects  this  substance 
within  it,  which  thereupon  immediately  is  inspired 
with  Hfe  and  endowed  with  body.  Hence  when  this 
flux  occurs  with  women  heavy  with  child,  the  off- 
spring  is  sickly  or  still-born  or  sanious,  according  to 
Nigidius.  XVI.  (The  same  writer  hokis  that  a 
woman's  milk  does  not  go  bad  while  she  is  suckUng 

549 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

eodem  \iro  rursus  conceperit  arbitratur).  incipiente 
autem  hoc  statu  aut  desinente  conceptus  facillimi 
traduntur.  fecunditatis  in  feminis  praerogativam 
accepimus  inunctis  medicamine  oculis  salivam  infici. 

68  Ceterum  editis  primores  septimo  mense  gigni  den- 
tes,  priusquc  in  superna  fere  parte,  haud  dubium 
est,  septimo  eosdcm  decidere  anno  aliosque  suffici, 
quosdam  et  cum  dentibus  nasci,  sicut  M'.  Curium, 
qui  ob  id  Dentatus  cognominatus  est,  et  Cn.  Papirium 
Carboncm,  praeclaros  viros.  in  feminis  ea  res 
inauspicati  fuit  exempU  regum  temporibus :   cum  ita 

69  nata  esset  Valeria,  exitio  civitati  in  quam  delata 
esset  futuram  responso  haruspicum  vaticinante, 
Suessam  Pometiam  illa  tempestate  florentissimam 
deportata  est,  veridico  exilu  consecuto.  (quasdam 
concreto  genitali  gigni  infausto  omine  CorncHa 
Gracchorum  matcr  indicio  est.)  ahqui  vice  dentium 
continuo  osse  gignuntur,  sicuti  Prusiae  regis  Bithy- 
niorum  fihus  superna  parte  oris.     dentes  autem  in  ^ 

70  tantum  invicti  sunt  ignibus  ut  ^  nec  crementur  cum 
reliquo  corpore,  iidemquc  flammis  indomiti  cavantur 
tabe  pituitae.  candorem  trahunt  quodam  medi- 
camine.  usu  atteruntur,  multoque  prius  ^  in  ahquis 
deficiunt.     nec  cibo  tantum  et  aHmentis  necessarii, 

'  in  add.  Mayhnff. 

*  ut  add.  Maylwff. 

*  Sabdliua :   primum. 


"  In  Latium ;  conquerod  by  the  Romans  undor  Tarquinius 
Priscus.  It  revoltod  in  503  n.c.  and  was  rotakon  by  Sp.  Cassius 
in  the  following  year  and  dostroyed. 

550 


BOOK   VII.  XVI.  67-70 

a  baby  if  she  has  become  pregnant  again  from  the 
same  male.)  It  is  statcd,  however,  that  the  casiest 
conceptions  are  when  this  condition  is  beginning  or 
ceasing.  We  have  it  recorded  as  a  sure  sign  of 
fertiUty  in  women  if  when  the  eyes  have  been 
anointed  with  a  drug  the  saliva  contains  traces 
ofit. 

Moreover,  it  is  known  that  children  cut  their  first  nentition 
teeth  when  six  months  old,  the  upper  ones  mostly  '  '^*"' 
coming  first,  and  that  the  first  teeth  fall  out  and  are 
replaced  by  others  when  they  are  six  years  old ; 
and  that  some  children  are  born  having  teeth — two 
distinguished  instances  are  Manius  Curius,  who 
received  the  surname  Dentatus  in  consequence,  and 
Gnaeus  Papirius  Carbo.  In  the  regal  pcriod  this 
occurrence  was  considered  a  sign  of  bad  luck  in 
females :  Valeria  was  born  with  teeth,  and  the 
soothsayers  in  reply  to  inquiry  prophesied  that  she 
would  bring  disaster  to  any  community  to  which 
she  was  taken ;  she  was  deported  to  Suessa  Pometia," 
at  that  period  a  very  flourishing  place,  the  eventual 
result  verifying  the  oracle.  (Some  females  are  born 
with  the  genitals  closed ;  this  is  proved  by  the  case 
of  Cornelia  the  mother  of  the  Gracchi  to  be  a  sign 
of  bad  luck.)  Some  infants  are  born  with  a  ridge 
of  bone  instead  of  teeth  ;  this  was  the  case  as  regards 
the  upper  jaw  with  the  son  of  Prusias,  King  of 
Bithynia.  The  teeth  are  so  far  indestructible  by 
fire  as  not  to  burn  when  the  rest  of  the  body  is 
cremated,  but  although  they  resist  fire  they  are 
corroded  bv  a  morbid  stateof  the  saliva.  A  certain 
drug  gives  them  whiteness.  Use  wears  them  down, 
and  in  some  people  they  decay  much  before  this. 
Nor  are  they  only  necessary  for  food  and  nourish- 

551 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

quippe  vocis  sermonisque  regimen  primores  tenent, 
concentu  quodam  excipientes  ictum  linguae  serieque 
structurae  atque  magnitudine  mutilantes  molli- 
entesve    aut    hebetantes     verba    et,    cum    defuere, 

71  explanationem  omnem  adimentes.  quin  et  augixrium 
in  hac  esse  creditur  parte.  triceni  bini  viris  adtri- 
buuntur  excepta  Turdulorum  gente ;  quibus  plures 
fuere  longiora  promitti  vitae  putant  spatia.  feminis 
minor  numerus,  quibus  in  dextra  parte  gemini 
superne  a  canibus  cognominati  fortunae  blandimenta 
pollicentur,  sicut  in  Agrippina  Domiti  Neronis  matre  ; 

72  contra  in  laeva. — (Hominem  prius  quam  genito  dente 
cremari  mos  gentium  non  est.^) — sed  mox  plura  de 
hoc.  cum  membratim  historia  decurret. 

Ilisisse  eodem  die  quo  genitus  esset  unum  homi- 
nem  accepimus  Zoroastren,  eidem  cerebrum  ita 
palpitasse  ut  inpositam  repelleret  manum,  futurae 
praesagio  scientiae. 
7.3  In  trimatu  suae  ^  cuique  dimidiam  esse  mensuram 
futurae  staturae  ^  certum  est.  in  plenum  autem 
cuncto  mortaHum  generi  minorem  in  dies  fieri  pro- 
pcmodum  observatur,  rarosque  patribus  proccriores, 
consumente  ubertatem  seminum  exustione  in  cuius 
\ices  nunc  vergat  acvom.  in  Creta  terrae  motu 
rupto  monte  inventum  est  corpus  stans  xlvi  cubi- 
torum,  quod  aUi  Orionis  ahi  Oti  esse  arbitrabantur. 

'  Hominem  .  .  .  est  posl  pituitao  §  70  trans/ercndum  War- 
mington.  '  Kackham  :   buo. 

'  futurao  Btaturae  Rackham  :   futuras  aut  staturae. 

•  This  scntence  would  come  in  better  four  lines  from  the 
bottom  of  p.  ^FA. 

'  Orion,  a  giant  hunt«r,  transported  to  hoaven,  gave  his  name 
totheconstellation;  Otus  wasagiganticsonof  Posoidon.  Bones 
of  elephants,  maatodons,  whales,  otc.,  discovored  in  alluvial 
tracte  have  in  the  past  becn  supposod  to  be  the  bones  of  giants. 

552 


BOOK   VII.  XVI.  70-73 

ment,  as  the  front  teeth  regulate  the  voice  and  speech, 
meeting  the  impact  of  the  tongue  with  a  kind  of 
harmony,  and  according  to  their  regularity  of  arrange- 
ment  and  size  clipping  or  modulating  or  else  duUing 
the  words,  and  when  they  are  lost  preventing  all 
clear  articulation.  Moreover  this  part  of  the  body 
is  beheved  to  possess  prophetic  powers.  Males 
(excepting  the  Turduli  tribe)  have  32  teeth ;  there 
have  been  cases  of  men  with  more — tliis  is  thought  to 
foretell  a  longer  term  of  hfe.  Women  have  fewer ; 
with  them  two  dogteeth  on  the  right  side  of  the 
upper  jaw  are  a  promise  of  fortune's  favours,  as  in 
the  case  of  Domitius  Nero's  mother  Agrippina;  on 
the  left  side  the  opposite. — (It  is  the  universal 
custom  of  mankind  not  to  cremate  a  person  who  dies 
before  cutting  his  teeth.") — But  more  of  this  later 
when  our  researches  go  through  the  parts  of  the 
body  seriatim. 

It  is  recorded  of  only  one  person,  Zoroaster,  that  he  Eicevtionai 
laughed  on  the  same  day  on  which  he  was  born,  ^'■'''^''«"y- 
and  also  that  his  brain  throbbed  so  violently  as  to 
dislodge  a  hand  placed  on  liis  head — this  foretelling 
his  future  knowledge. 

It  is  known  that  at  the  age  of  three  a  person'8  numan 
measurement  is  half  his  future  stature.     But  it  is  *'?"!''*. . 
alniost  a  matter  of  observation  that  with  the  entire 
human  race  the  stature  on  the  wliole  is  becoming 
smaller  daily,  and  that  few  men  are  taller  than  their 
fathers,  as  the  conflagration  that  is  the  crisis  towards 
which    the    age    is    now    verging   is    exhausting   the 
fertiUty  of  the  semen.     When  a  mountain  in  Crete 
was  cleft  by  an  earthquake  a  body  69  feet  in  height  Gxanu  and 
was  found,  which  some  people  thought  must  be  that 
of  Orion   and  others  of  Otus.*     The  records  attest 

553 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

74  Orestis  corpus  oraculi  iussu  refossuni  septem  cubi- 
torum  fuisse  monimentis  creditur.  iam  vero  ante 
annos  prope  mille  vates  ille  Ilomerus  non  cessavit 
minora  corpora  mortalium  quani  prisca  conqueri. 
NacNii  Pollionis  amplitudinem  annales  non  tradunt, 
sed  quia  populi  concursu  paene  sit  interemptus,  vice 
prodigii  habitam.^  procerissimum  hominem  aetas 
nostra  divo  Claudio  principe  Gabbaram  nomine  ex 
Arabia  advectum  novem  pedum  et  totidem  unciarum 

75  vidit.  fuere  sub  divo  Augusto  duo  -  semipede  addito, 
quorum  corpora  eiu-s  miraculi  f^ratia  in  conditorio 
Sallustianorum  adservabantur  hortorum ;  Pusioni 
et  Secundillae  erant  nomina.  eodem  praeside 
minimus  homo  duos  pedes  et  palmum  Conopas  nomine 
in  deliciis  luliae  ncptis  eius  fuit,  et  minima''  mulier 
Andromeda  Hbcrta  luHae  Augastae.  Manium  Maxi- 
mum  et  M.  TulHum  equites  Romanos  binum  cubi- 
torum  fuisse  auctor  est  M.  \'arro,  et  ipsi  vidimus  in 
locuHs  adservatos.  sesquipedales  gigni,  quosdam 
longiores,  in  trimatu  inplentes  vitae  cursum,  haud 
ignotum  est. 

76  Invenimus  in  monumentis  Salamine  Euthymenis 
fiHum  in  tria  cubita  triennio  adcrevisse,  incessu 
tardum,  sensu  hebetem,  puberem  etiam  factum,  voce 
robusta,  absumptiun  contractione  membrorum  subita 
tricnnio  circumacto.  ipsi  non  pridem  vidimus  eadem 
ferme    omnia    praeter    pubertatem    in    fiHo    CorneH 

^  Rackham  :    habitum. 

*  duo  supplevil  liackham. 

*  minima  suppleinl  Rackham. 


•  By  the  Spartans,  who  then  gained  thu  victory  in  their 
long  war  with  Tegea,  654  B.c.  (Uerodotua  I.  65  ff.). 

554 


BOOK   MI.  XVI.  74-76 

that  the  body  of  Orestes  dug  up  "  at  the  command  of 
an  oracle  measured  10  ft.  6  in.  Moreover,  the  famous 
bard  Homer  nearly  1000  years  ago  never  ceased  to 
lament  that  mortals  were  smaller  of  stature  than  in 
the  old  days.  In  the  case  of  Naevius  PoUio  the 
annals  do  not  record  his  height,  but  thcy  show  that 
it  was  deemed  portentous,  because  he  was  almost 
killed  by  the  people  flocking  round  him.  The  tallest 
person  our  age  has  seen  was  a  man  named  Gabbara 
brought  from  Arabia  in  the  principate  of  liis  late 
Majesty  Claudius  who  was  9  ft.  9  in.  in  height. 
Under  his  late  Majesty  Augustus  there  were  two 
persons  6  in.  taller,  whose  bodies  on  account  of  this 
remarkable  height  were  preserved  in  the  tomb  in 
Sallust*s  Gardens ;  their  names  were  Pusio  and 
Secundilla.  WTien  the  same  emperor  was  head  of  the 
state  the  smallest  person  was  a  dwarf  2  ft.  5  in.  high 
named  Conopas,  the  pet  of  his  granddaughter  JuHa, 
and  the  smallest  female  was  Andromeda,  a  freed- 
woman  of  Julia  Augusta.  Marcus  Varro  states 
that  the  Knights  of  Rome  Manius  Maximus  and 
Marcus  TulHus  were  3  ft.  high,  and  we  have  ourselves 
seen  their  bodies  preserved  in  coffins.  It  is  a  matter 
of  common  knowledge  that  persons  are  born  LS  in. 
high  and  some  taller,  who  complete  their  hfes  course 
at  the  age  of  three. 

We  find  in  the  rccords  that  at  Salamis  the  son  of 
Euthymenes  grew  to  4  ft.  6  in.  in  his  third  year ; 
he  walked  slowly,  was  dull  of  sense,  became  sexually 
quite  mature,  had  a  bass  voice,  and  was  carried  off 
by  a  sudden  attack  of  paralysis  when  he  turned 
three.  We  ourselves  recently  saw  almost  all  these 
features  except  sexual  maturity  in  a  son  of  the  Knight 
of  Rome  Comelius  Tacitus,  Deputy  Finance  Minister 

555 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

Taciti  equitis  Romani  Belgicae  Galliae  rationes 
procurantis.  eVTpaTreXoi?  Graeci  vocant  eos,  in 
Latio  non  habent  nomen. 

77  X\'n.  Quod  sit  homini  spatium  a  vestigio  ad 
verticem  id  esse  pansis  manibus  inter  longissimos 
digitos  observatum  est,  sicuti  vires  ^  dextra  parte 
maiores,  quibusdam  aequas  utraque,  aliquis  laeva 
manu  praecipuas,  nec  id  umquam  in  feminis,  mares 
praestare  pondere,  et  defuncta  viventibus  corpora 
omnium  animalium,  et  dormientia  vigilantibus, 
virorum  cadavera  supina  fluitare,  feminarum  prona, 
velut  pudori  defunctarum  parcente  natura. 

78  XVHL  Concretis  quosdam  ossibus  ac  sine  meduUis 
vivere  accepimus ;  signum  eorum  esse  nec  sitim 
sentire  nec  sudorem  emittere,  quamquam  et  voluntate 
scimus  sitim  victam,  equitemque  Romanum  lulium 
Viatorem  e  Vocontiorum  gente  foederata  in  pupillari- 
bus  annis  aquae  subter  cutem  fusae  morbo  prohibitum 
umore  a  medicis  naturam  vicisse  consuetudine  atque 
in  senectam  caruisse  potu.  nec  non  et  alii  multa 
sibi  imperavere. 

79  XIX.  Ferunt  Crassum  avum  Crassi  in  Parthis 
interempti  numquam  risisse,  ob  id  Agelastum 
vocatum,  sicuti  nec  flesse  multos,  Socratem  clarum 
sapientia  eodem  semper  visum  vultu,  nec  aut  hilaro 
magis  aut  turbato.     exit  hic  animi  tenor  aliquando  in 

^  V.l.  virea  quibusdam. 


•  I.e.  with  the  arms  stretchod  out  sideways. 

*  Tho  •  triumvir,'  who  fell  at  Carrhae  63  u.O. 


556 


BOOK   VII.  .wi.  76-xix.  79 

in  Belgic  Gaul.  The  Greeks  call  these  cases 
'  perverts,'  but  in  the  Latin  country  there  is  no 
name  for  them. 

XVII.  It  has  been  noticed  tliat  a  man's  height  from  //'"'""' 
head  to  foot  is  equal  to  his  full  span  "  measured  from  and  weight. 
the  tips  of  the  middle  fingers ;    likewise   that  the 
right-hand  side  of  the  frame  is  the  stronger,  though 

in  some  cases  both  sides  are  equally  strong  and 
there  are  people  whose  left  side  is  the  stronger, 
though  this  is  never  the  case  with  women ;  and  that 
males  are  the  heavier;  and  that  the  bodies  of  all 
creatures  are  heavier  when  dead  than  when  ahve, 
and  when  asleep  than  when  awake ;  and  that  men's 
corpses  float  on  their  backs,  but  women's  on  their 
faces,  as  if  nature  spared  their  modestv  after  death. 

XVIII.  Cases  are  recorded  of  persons  living  whose  varyingneed 
bones  were  sohd  and  without  marrow  ;  and  we  are  told  ofiiquid. 
that    their    distinguishing    mark    is    insensibihty    to 

thirst  and  absence  of  perspiration,  although  we  know 
that  thirst  can  also  be  subdued  by  the  will,  and  that 
a  Knight  of  Rome  of  the  alhed  tribe  of  the  Vocontii 
named  JuHus  Viator,  suffering  from  dropsy  when  a 
minor,  was  forbidden  hquid  by  the  doctors  and 
habituated  himself  to  defeat  nature,  going  without 
drink  till  old  age.  Moreover  other  persons  also 
have  exercised  many  kinds  of  self-control. 

XIX.  It  is  stated  that  Crassus  the  grandfather  o{  pecuiiar 
Crassus  ^  who  fell  in  Parthia  never  laughed,  and  was  """^^*- 
consequently  called  Agelastus,  and  that  Ukewise  there 

have  been  many  cases  of  people  who  never  wept, 
and  that  the  famous  philosopher  Socrates  always 
wore  the  same  look  on  his  countenance,  never  gayer 
and  never  more  perturbed.  This  temperament 
sometimes  develops  into  a  kind   of  rigidity   and   a 

557 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

rigorem  quendam  torvitatemque  naturae  duram  et 
inflexibilem,     affectusque    humanos    adimit,    quales 

80  aTraOel?  Graeci  vocant  multos  eius  generis  experti, 
quodque  mirum  sit,  auctores  maxime  sapientiae, 
Diogenen  Cynicum,  Pyrrhonem,  HeracUtum, 
Timoneni,  hunc  quideni  ctiam  in  totius  odium  gcncris 
humani  evectum.  sed  haec  parva  naturae  insignia 
in  multis  varia  cognoscuntur,  ut  in  Antonia  Urusi 
niunquam  expuisse,  in  Pomponio  consulari  poeta 
non  ructasse.  quibus  natura  concreta  sunt  ossa, 
qui  sunt  rari  admodum,  cornei  vocantur. 

81  XX.  Corpore  vesco  sed  eximiis  viribus  Tritanum  in 
gladiatorio  ludo  Samnitium  armatura  celebrem, 
fihumque  eius  militem  Magni  Pompei  et  rectos  et 
traversos  cancellatim  toto  corpore  habuisse  nervos, 
in  brachiis  ctiam  manibusque,  auctor  est  Varro  in 
prodigiosarum  virium  relatione,  atque  etiam  hostcm 
ab  eo  ex  provocatione  dimicantem  inermi  dextera 
superatum   et  postremo  correptum   uno   digito  ^   in 

82  castra  tralatum.  at  Vinnius  Valens  mcruit  in  prae- 
torio  divi  Augusti  centurio,  vehicula  cum  culleis 
onusta  donec  exinanirentur  sustinere  soHtus,  car- 
penta  adprehensa  una  manu  retinere  obnixus  contra 
nitentibus  iumentis,  et  aUa  mirifica  facere  quae 
insculpta    moniniento    eius    spectantur.     idem     M. 

83  Varro :  '  RusticeUus,'  inquit,  '  Hercules  appellatus 
mulum  suum  toUebat,  Fufius  Salvius  duo  centenaria 

1  uno  digito  hic  Mayhoff:   ante  superatum  codd. 
'  Cf.  §  78  abovo. 

558 


BOOK   VII.  XIX.  79-xx.  83 

hard,  unbending  severity  of  nature,  and  takes  away 
the  emotions  natural  to  humanity ;  persons  of  this 
sort  are  called  '  apathetic  '  by  the  Greeks,  who  have 
known  many  men  of  the  kind,  and  among  them 
surprising  to  say,  chiefly  founders  of  schools  of 
philosophy,  Diogenes  the  Cynic,  Pyrrho,  HeracUtus, 
Timo — the  last  indeed  going  as  far  as  to  hate  the 
whole  human  race.  But  these  small  pecuharities  of 
nature  are  kno\vn  to  occiu'  variously  in  many  per- 
sons,  for  instance  in  the  case  of  Drusus's  daughter 
Antonia  never  spitting,  in  the  poct  and  ex-consul 
Pomponius  never  belching.  Persons  whose  bones  are 
by  nature  soUd,"  a  rather  rare  class,  are  called  '  horny.' 

XX.  \'arro  in  his  account  of  cases  of  remarkable  ExcepHonai 
strength  records  that  one  Tritanus,  famous  in  the  ^^''"^^- 
gladiatorial  exercise  with  the  Samnite  equipment,  was 
sUghtly  built  but  of  exceptional  strength,  and  that  his 
son,  a  soldier  of  Pompey  the  Great,  had  a  chequered 
criss-cross  of  sinews  aU  over  his  body,  even  in  his 
arms  and  hands ;  and  moreover  that  once  he  clial- 
lenged  one  of  the  enemy  to  single  combat,  defeated 
him  without  a  weapon  in  his  hand,  and  finaUy  took 
hold  of  him  with  a  single  finger  and  carried  him  off" 
to  the  camp.  Vinnius  Valens  served  as  captain  in 
the  Imperial  Guard  of  the  late  lamented  Augustus ; 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  holding  carts  laden  with  wine- 
sacks  up  in  the  air  until  they  were  emptied,  and  of 
catching  hold  of  wagons  with  one  hand  and  stopping 
them  by  throwing  his  v.eight  against  the  efforts  of 
the  teams  drawing  them,  and  doing  other  marveUous 
exploits  which  can  be  seen  carved  on  his  monument. 
Marcus  Varro  Ukewise  states  :  '  RusticeUus,  who  was 
nicknamed  Hercules,  used  to  Uft  his  mule ;  Fufius 
Salvius  uscd  to  walk  up  a  hidder  with  tAvo  hundred- 

559 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

pondera  pedibus,  totidem  manibus,  et  ducenaria  duo 
umeris  contra  scalas  ferebat.'  nos  quoque  vidimus 
Athanatum  nomine,  prodigiosae  ostentationis,  quin- 
genario  thorace  plumbeo  indutum  cothurnisque 
quingentum  pondo  calciatum  pcr  scaenam  ingredi. 
Milonem  athletam  cmn  constitisset  nemo  vestiffio 
educebat,  malum  tenenti  nemo  digitum  corrigebat. 

84  Cucurrisse  mcxl  stadia  ab  Athenis  Lacedae- 
monem  biduo  Phidippidem,^  magnum  erat,  donec 
Anystis  cursor  Lacedaemonius  et  Philonides  Alex- 
andri  Magni  a  Sicyone  Elim  uno  die  mcccv  stadia 
cucurrerunt.  nunc  quidem  in  circo  quosdam  clx 
passuum  tolerare  non  ignoramus,  nuperque  Fonteio 
et  Vipstano  coss.  annos  viii  gcnituni  a  meridie  ad 
vesperam  lxxv  passuum  cucurrisse.  cuius  rei 
admiratio  ita  demum  solida  perveniet,  si  quis  cogitet 
nocte  ac  die  longissimum  iter  vehicuHs  Tib.  Neronem 
emensum  festinantem  ad  Drusum  fratrem  aegrotum 
in  Germaniam ;    ea  fuerunt  cc  passuum. 

85  XXI.  Oculorum  acies  vel  maxime  fidem  excedentia 
invenit  exempla.  in  nuce  inclusam  IHadem  Ilomeri 
carmen  in  membrana  scriptum  tracHt  Cicero.  idcm 
fuisse  qui  pervideret  cxxxv  passuum.  huic  et 
nomen  M.  Varro  reddit,  Strabonem  vocatum ;  soH- 
tum  autem  Punico  beHo  a  Libybaeo  SiciHae  pro- 
munturio  excunte  classe  e  Carthaginis  portu  etiam 
numerum     navium     dicere.     CaUicrates     ex     ebore 

*  Salmasiua :  Philippidem. 

"  The  courior  sent  to  ask  for  aid  against  tho  Persian  invadera, 
490  B.c.  (Hcrodotus  VI.  105).  The  distances  are  given  here 
in  rough  figures,  tho  stade  bcing  taken  as  200  yards,  and  the 
millf,  passus  as  IGOO  yards.  (Elsewherc,  in  topographical 
paBsagcs,  the  usunl  rendcrings  '  furlong '  and  '  mile '  are 
employed.)  *  '  Cross-eyed.' 

560 


BOOK  VII.  XX.  83-xxi.  85 

pound  weights  fastened  to  his  feet,  the  same  weights 
in  his  hands  and  two  two-hundred-pound  weights  on 
his  shoulders.'  We  also  saw  a  man  named  Athanatus, 
who  was  capable  of  a  miraculous  display  :  he  walked 
across  the  stage  wearing  a  leaden  breast-plate 
weighing  500  pounds  and  shod  in  boots  of  500 
pounds'  weight.  When  the  athlete  Milo  took  a 
firm  stand,  no  one  could  make  him  shift  his  footing, 
and  wlien  he  was  hokling  an  apple  no  one  couki 
make  him  straightcn  out  a  finger. 

Phidippides's"  running  the  130  miles  from  Athens 
to  Sparta  in  two  days  was  a  mighty  feat,  until  the 
Spartan  runner  Anystis  and  Alexander  the  Great's 
courier  Philonides  ran  the  I-IS  miles  from  Sicyon  to 
Ehs  in  a  day.  At  the  present  day  indeed  we  are 
aware  that  some  men  can  last  out  128  miles  in  the 
circus,  and  that  recently  in  the  consulship  of  Fon- 
teius  and  Vipstanus  a  boy  of  8  ran  68  miles  between 
noon  and  evening.  The  marvellous  nature  of  this 
feat  will  only  get  across  to  us  in  full  measure  if  we 
reflect  that  Tiberius  Nero  completed  by  carriage 
the  longest  twenty-four  hours'  journey  on  record 
when  hastening  to  Germany  to  his  brother  Drusus 
who  was  ill :  this  measured  182  miles. 

XXI.  Keenness  of  sight  has  achieved  instances  Excepiionai 
transcending  beiref  in  the  highest  degree.  Cicero  "''*'• 
records  that  a  parchment  copy  of  Homer's  poem  The 
Jliad  was  enclosed  in  a  nutshell.  He  also  records  a 
case  of  a  man  who  could  see  123  miles.  Marcus  Varro 
also  gives  this  man's  name,  which  was  Strabo,*  and 
states  that  in  the  Punic  wars  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  tclling  from  the  promontory  of  Lilybaeum  in  Sicily 
the  actual  number  of  ships  in  a  fleet  that  was  passing 
out    from    the    harbour    of    Carthage.      Callicrates 

561 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

formicas  et  alia  tam  parva  fecit  animalia  ut  partes 
eoi-um  a  ceteris  cerni  non  possent.  Mvrmecides 
quidam  in  eodcm  genere  inclaruit  quadriga  ex 
eadem  materia  quam  musca  integeret  alis  fabricata 
et  nave  quam  apicula  pinnis  absconderet. 

86  XXII.  Auditus  unum  exemplum  habet  mirabile, 
proelium  quo  Sybaris  deleta  est  eo  die  quo  gestum 
erat  auditum  Olvmpiae.  nam  nuntii  ^  Cimbrieae 
^ictoriae  Castoresque  Romanis  ^  qui  Persicam 
victoriam  ipso  die  quo  contigit  nuntiavere  ^isus  et 
numinum  fuere  praesagia. 

87  XXIII.  Patientia  coq-)oris,  ut  est  crebra  sors 
calamitatum,  innumera  documenta  peperit,  clarissi- 
mum  in  feminis  Leaenae  meretricis,  quae  torta  non 
indicavit  Harmodium  et  Aristogitonem  tvrannicidas, 
in  viris  Anaxarchi,  qui  simiH  de  causa  cum  torqueretur 
pracrosam  dentibus  Hnguam  unamque  spem  indici 
in  tvranni  os  expuit. 

88  XXI\'.  Memoria  necessarium  maxime  ^itae  bonum 
cui  praecipua  fuerit  haut  facile  dictu  est  tam  multis 
eius  gloriam  adeptis.  Cvrus  rex  omnibus  in  exercitu 
suo  militibus  nomina  reddidit,  L.  Scipio  populo  Ro- 
mano,  Cineas  Pyrrhi  regis  legatus  senatui  et  equestri 
ordini  Romae  postero  die  quam  advenerat.      Mithri- 

'  nuntii  add.  Jan. 

*  Rackham  (Romam  Rhcnanus) :   Romani. 


"  Fought  at  the  river  Sagra  in  S.  Italy,  the  Locrian  scttlers 
defoating  Crotona.  560  B.c. 

•  Won  by  Marius  at  Campus  Raudius  101  b.c.  For  the 
report  convej-ed  by  a  miracuJous  noise  of  battle  in  the  sky,  see 
U.  148. 

•  I.e.  Castor  and  his  brother  Pollux. 

'  Won  by  Aemilius  Paulus  at  Pydna,  168  b.o. 

•  At  Athens,  514  b.c. 

562 


BOOK    VII.  xxi.  85-\\iv.  88 

used  to  make  such  small  ivory  models  of  ants  and 
other  creatwres  that  to  anybody  else  their  parts  were 
invisible.  A  cerlain  Myrmecides  won  fame  in  the 
same  department  by  maldng;  a  four-horse  chariot  of 
the  same  material  that  a  fly's  wings  would  cover, 
and  a  ship  that  a  tiny  bee  could  conceal  with  its  ^\ings. 

XXII.  There  is  one  marvellous  instance  of  the  Exceptionai 
transmission  of  a  spoken  message :  the  battle  «  that  of"our!df'"' 
resulted  in  the  destruction  of  Sybaris  was  heard  of 

at  Olympia  on  the  day  on  which  it  was  fought.  For 
the  messengers  who  brought  news  of  the  victory  *" 
over  the  Cimbri  and  the  brothers  Castor  '^  who 
reported  the  victory  «^  over  Perseus  to  the  Romans 
on  the  very  day  on  which  it  happened  were  visions 
and  warnings  sent  by  the  divine  powers. 

XXIII.  Bodily  cndurance,  so  fertile  of  disasters  is  ExcepUonai 
fate,  has  produced  countless    examples,    the    most  '^"'■'"^- 
famous  in  the  case  of  women  being  that  of  the  harlot 
Leaena  who    on   the   rack   refused    to    betray   the 
tyrannicides  Harmodius  and  Aristogiton,^  and  among 

men  that  of  Anaxarchus/  who  when  being  tortured 
for  a  similar  reason  bit  off  his  tongue  and  spat  the 
only  hope  of  betrayal  in  the  tyrant's  face. 

XXIV.  As  to  memor}'.  the  boon  most  necessary  for  Exceptional 
life,  it  is  not  easy  to  say  who  most  excelled  in  it,  so  "'^""^- 
many  men  having  gained  renown  for  it.      King  Cyrus 

could  give  their  names  to  all  the  soldiers  in  his 
army,  Lucius  Scipio  knew  the  names  of  the  whole 
Iloman  people,  King  Pyrrhus's  envoy  Cineas  knew 
those  of  the  senate  and  knighthood  at  Ilome  the  day 
after    his    arrival.?     Mithridates    who   was    king  of 

f  A  philosopher  in  the  court  of  Alexander,  put  to  death  by 
Nicocreon  Kang  of  Salamis  for  his  freedom  of  speech. 
»  280  B.c. 

563 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

dates  duarum  et  viginti  gentium  rex  totidem  linguis 
iura    dixit,    pro    contione    singulas    sine    interprete 

89  adfatus.  Charmadas  quidam  in  Graecia  quae  quis 
exegerit  volumina  in  bibliothecis  legentis  modo 
repraesenta^it.  ars  postremo  eius  rei  facta  et  in- 
venta  est  a  Simonide  melico,  consummata  a  Mctro- 
doro  Scepsio,  ut  nihil  non  iisdem  verbis  redderetur 

90  auditum.  nec  aHud  est  aeque  fragile  in  homine : 
morborum  et  casus  iniurias  atque  etiam  metus  sentit, 
ahas  particulatim,  ahas  universa.  ictus  lapide  obhtus 
est  htteras  tantum ;  ex  praealto  tecto  lapsus  matris 
et  adfinium  propinquorumque  cepit  obhvionem,  ahus 
aegrotus  servorum  etiam,  sui  vero  nominis  Messala 
CorAinus  orator.  itaque  saepe  deficere  temptat  ac 
meditatur  vel  quieto  corpore  et  vahdo ;  somno 
quoque  serpente  amputatur,  ut  inanis  mens  quaerat 
ubi  sit  loci. 

91  XXV.  Animi  vigore  praestantissimum  arbitror  gen- 
itum^  Caesarem  dictatorem ;  nec  \irtutem  constan- 
tiamque  nunc  commemoro,  nec  subhmitatem  omnium 
capacem  quae  caelo  continentur ,  sed  proprium  vigorem 
celeritatemque  quodam  igne  volucrem.  scribere  aut 
legere,  simul  dictare  aut  audirc  solitum  accepimus, 
epistulas    vero    tantarum    rerum    quaternas    pariter 

92  dictare  hbrariis  aut,  si  nihil  ahud  ageret,  septenas.^ 
idem  signis  conlatis  quinquagiens  dimicavit,  solus 
M.    Marcellum    transgressus,    qui    undccjuadragiens 

*   y.ll.  gentium,  Gaium. 

'    \'.l.  om.  librariia — scptenas. 

'  Some  manuscriptfl  omit  the  last  clause 
564 


BOOK   VII.  XXIV.  88-xxv.  92 

tweiity-two  races  gave  judgements  in  as  many 
languages,  in  an  assembly  addressing  each  race  in 
turn  without  an  intei^preter.  A  pei-son  in  Greece 
named  Charmadas  recited  the  contents  of  any 
volumes  in  hbraries  that  anyone  asked  him  to  quotc, 
just  as  if  he  were  reading  them.  Finally,  a  memoria 
technica  was  constructed,  wliich  was  invented  by  the 
lyric  poet  Simonides  and  pcrfected  by  Metrodorus 
of  Scepsis,  enabhng  anything  heard  to  be  repeated 
in  the  identical  words.  Also  no  other  human  faculty 
is  equally  fragile :  injuries  from,  and  even  appre- 
hensions  of,  diseases  and  accident  may  afFect  in  some 
cases  a  single  field  of  memory  and  in  others  the 
whole.  A  man  has  been  knoA\Ti  when  struck  by  a 
stone  to  forget  how  to  read  and  write  but  nothing 
else.  One  who  feU  from  a  very  high  roof  forgot  his 
mother  and  his  relatives  and  friends,  another  when 
ill  forgot  his  servants  also ;  the  orator  Messala 
Corvinus  forgot  liis  own  name.  Similarly  tentative 
and  hesitating  lapses  of  memory  often  occur  when 
the  body  even  when  uninjured  is  in  repose ;  also  the 
gradual  approach  of  sleep  curtails  the  memory  and 
makes  the  unoccupicd  mind  wonder  where  it  is. 

XX\'.  The  most  outstanding  instance  of  innate  men-  ExcepHmai 
tal  vigour  I  take  to  be  the  dictator  Caesar ;   and  I  am  andcharacter 
not  now  thinking  of  valour  and  resolution,  nor  of  a  of  JuHus 
loftiness  embracing  all  the  contents  of  the  firmament 
of  heaven,  but  of  native  vigour  and  quickness  winged 
as  it  were  with  fire.     We  are  told  that  he  used  to 
write  or  read  and  dictate  or  listen  simultaneously, 
and  to  dictate  to  his  secretaries  four  letters  at  once 
on  his  important  affairs — or,  if  otherwise  unoccupied, 
seven  letters  at  once."     He  also  fought  fifty  pitched 
I)attles,  and  alone  beat  the  record  of  Marcus  Mar- 


VOL.  II. 


565 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

dimicavit^ — luim  praeter  civiles  victorias  undeciens 
centenu  et  nonaginta  duo  milia  liominuin  occisa 
proeliis  ab  eo  non  equidem  in  gloria  posuerim,  tantam 
etiamsi  ^  coactam  humani  generis  iniuriam,  quod  ita 
esse  confessus  est  ipse  bellorum  civilium  stragem  non 
prodendo. 

93  lustius  Pompeio  Magno  tribuatur  dcccxlvi  naves 
piratis  ademisse :  Caesari  proprium  et  peculiare 
sit  praeter  supra  dicta  clementiae  insigne  qua 
usque  ad  paenitentiam  omnes  superavit ;  idem 
magnanimitatis   praebuit   exemplum   cui   comparari 

94  non  possit  aliud.  spectacula  enim  edita  effusasque 
opes  aut  opervun  magnificentiam  in  hac  parte 
nimierare  -  luxuriae  faventis  est :  illa  fuit  vera  et 
incomparabilis  invicti  animi  subhmitas,  captis  apud 
Pharsaliam  Pompei  Magni  scriniis  epistularum 
iterumque  apud  Thapsum  Scipionis  concremasse  ea 
optima  fide  atque  non  legisse. 

95  XX\'I.  Verum  ad  decus  imperii  Romani,  non  solum 
adviriuniuspertinetjVictoriarumPompei  Magnititulos 
omnes  triumphosque  hoc  in  loco  nuncupari,  aequato 
non  modo  Alexandri  Magni  reruni  fulgore,  sed  etiam 

96  Herculis  prope  ac  Liberi  patris.  igitur  Sicilia  re- 
cuperata,  unde  primum  Sullanus  in  reip.  causa 
exoriens  auspicatus  est,  Africa  vero  tota  subacta  et 
in  dicionem  redacta,  Magnique  nomine  in  spolium 

*  Detlefsen  :   etiam  (et  incoactam  ?    Mayhoff). 

*  Mayhoff :  enumerare. 


566 


The  conqueror  of  Syracuse,  212  n.o. 


BOOK   VII.  xx\'.  92 -XXVI.  96 

cellus''  who  fought  thirty-nine — for  I  would  not  myself 
count  it  to  his  glory  that  in  addition  to  conquering 
his  fellow-citizens  he  killed  in  his  battles  1,192,000 
human  beings,  a  prodigious  even  if  unavoidable 
wrong  inflicted  on  the  human  race,  as  he  himself 
confessed  it  to  be  by  not  pubUshing  the  casualties 
of  the  civil  wars. 

It  would  be  more  just  to  credit  Pompey  the  Great 
with  the  846  ships  that  he  captured  from  the  pirates  ; 
while  to  Caesar  let  us  assign,  in  addition  to  the  facts 
mentioned  above,  the  pecuhar  distinction  of  the 
clemencv  in  which  (even  to  the  point  of  subsequent 
regret)  he  surpassed  all  men ;  also  he  afforded  an 
example  of  magnanimity  that  no  other  can  parallel. 
For  while  to  count  under  this  head  the  shows  that  he 
gave  and  the  wealth  that  he  squandered,  or  the 
magnificence  of  his  pubhc  works,  would  display 
indulgence  to  luxury,  it  showed  the  genuine  and 
unrivalled  subUmity  of  an  unconquered  spirit  that, 
when  Pompey  the  Great's  despatch  cases  wcre 
captured  at  PharsaUa  and  again  those  of  Scipio  at 
Thapsus,  he  scrupulously  burnt  thern  and  did  not 
read  them. 

XXVI.  But  it  concerns  the  glory  of  the  Roman  .ichierements 
Empire,  and  not  that  of  one  man,  to  mention  in  this  nanimityoj 
place  aU  the  records  of  the  victories  of  Pompey  the  ^'ompf^y- 
Great  and  aU  his  triumphs,  which  equal  the  briUiance  of 
the  exploits  not  only  of  Alexander  the  Great  but  even 
almost  of  Hercules  and   Father  Liber.      WeU  then, 
after  the  recovery  of  Sicily,  which  inaugurated  his 
emergence    as    a    champion    of   the   commonweaUh 
in    the    party    of  SuUa,   and   after  the   conquest   of 
the    whole   of  Africa   and   its   reduction  under  our 
sway,  and  the  acquirement  as  a  trophy  therefrom  of 

567 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

inde  capto,  Eques  Ilomanus,  id  quod  antea  nemo, 
curru  triumphali  revectus  et  statim  ad  solis  occasum 
trangressus,  excitatis  in  Pyrenaco  tropaeis,  oppida 
DCCcLxxvi  ab  Alpibus  ad  finis  Hispaniae  ulterio- 
ris  in  dicionem  redacta  victoriae  suae  adscripsit  et 
maiore  animo  Sertorium  tacuit,  belloque  civili  quod 
omnia  externa  conciebat  extincto  iterum  triumphales 
currus  Eques    Romam  ^    induxit,   totiens  imperator 

97  ante  quam  miles.  postea  ad  tota  maria  et  deinde 
solis  ortus  missus  infmitos  retuHt  ^  patriae  titulos 
more  sacris  certaminibus  vincentium — neque  enim 
ipsi  coronantur,  sed  patrias  suas  coronant ;  hos  ergo 
honores  urbi  tribuit  in  dehibro  Minervae  quod  ex 
manubiis  dicabat : 

Cn.  Pompeius  Magnus  imperator  bello  xxx  annorum 
confedo  fusis  fugatis  occisis  in  deditioncm  acceptis  homi- 
num  centiens  victens  semel  lxxxiu  depressis  aut  captis 
navihus  dcccxlvi  oppidis  castellis  MDXxxrii/  in  fdem 
receptis  terris  a  Maeotis  ad  liubrum  inare  subactis 
votum  merito  Minervae. 

9S  Hos  est  breviarium  eius  ab  oriente.  triumphi 
vero  quem  duxit  a.  d.  iii  kal.  Oct.  M.  Pisone  M, 
Messala  coss.  praefatio  haec  fuit :  Cum  oram  viari- 
timam  praedonibus  liberasset  et  imperium  viaris  populo 

'  V.l.  Romanus. 

•  Jiackham :  miasus  hos  rettulit  ant  missus  inlinitos. 


•  With  Sertori>is,  endcd  71  u.c. 

*  At  Olympia  etc. 

'  On  the  Sea  of  Azov.  ^  62  B.o. 


568 


BOOK   VII.  XXVI.  96-98 

the  title  of  The  Great,  he  rode  back  in  a  triuraphal 
chariot  though  only  of  equestrian  rank,  a  thing  which 
had  never  occurred  before ;  and  imniediately  after- 
wards  he  crossed  over  to  the  Wcst,  and  after  erecting 
trophies  in  the  Pyrenees  he  added  to  the  record  of 
his  victorious  career  the  reduction  under  our  sway  of 
876  toA\-ns  from  the  Alps  to  the  frontiers  of  Further 
Spain,  and  with  greater  magnanimity  refrained 
from  mentioning  Sertorius,  and  after  crushing  the 
civil  war  "  which  tlu'eatened  to  stir  up  all  our  foreign 
relations,  a  second  time  led  into  Rome  a  procession 
of  triiunphal  chariots  as  a  Knight,  having  twice 
been  commander-in-chief  before  having  ever  served 
in  the  ranks.  Subsequently  he  was  despatched  to 
the  whole  of  tlie  seas  and  then  to  the  far  east,  and 
he  brought  back  titles  without  hmit  for  his  counti-y, 
after  the  manner  of  those  who  conquer  in  the  sacred 
contests  * — for  these  are  not  crowned  with  ^vreaths 
themsehes  but  crown  their  native  land;  conse- 
quently  he  bestowed  these  honours  on  the  city  in 
the  shrine  of  Minerva  that  he  was  dedicating  out  of 
the  proceeds  of  the  spoils  of  war  : 

Gnaeus  Pompeius  Magnus,  Commander  in  Chief, 
having  completed  a  thirty  years'  rvar,  rouied,  scattered, 
slain  or  received  the  surrendcr  of  12,183,000  people, 
sunk  or  iaken  816  ships,  receivcd  the  capitulation  of 
1538  toivns  and  forts,  subdued  the  lands  from  the 
Maeotians  <^  to  the  Red  Sea,  duly  dedicaies  his  ojfering 
voived  to  Minerva. 

This  is  his  summary  of  his  exploits  in  the  east.  But 
the  announcement  of  the  triumphal  procession  that 
he  led  on  September  28  in  the  consulship  <^  of  Marcus 
Piso  and  Marcus  Messala  was  as  follows : 

After  having  rescued  ihe  sea  coast  from  pirates  and 

569 


PLIN\^    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Romano  restituisset  ex  Asia  Ponto  Armenia  Paphla- 
gonia  Cappadocia  Cilicia  St/ria  Scythis  Indaeis  Albanis 
Iliberia  insula  Creta  Basternis  et  super  haec  de  rege 
Mithridate  atque  Tigrane  triumpkavit. 

99  Sunima  summarum  in  illa  gloria  fuit  (ut  ipse  in 
concione  dixit  cum  de  rebus  suis  dissereret)  Asiam 
ultimani  provinciarum  accepisse  eandemque  mediam 
patriae  reddidisse.  si  quis  e  contrario  simili  modo 
velit  percensere  Caesaris  res,  qui  maior  illo  apparuit, 
totum  profecto  terrarum  orbcm  enumeret,  quod 
infinitum  esse  conveniet. 

lOj  XX\'n.  Ceteris  \irtutum  generibus  varie  et  multi 
fuere  praestantcs.  Cato  primus  Porciae  gentis  tres 
summasinhomine  res  praestitisse  existimatur,ut  esset 
optimus  orator,  optimus  imperator,  optimus  senator, 
quae  mihi  omnia,  etiamsi  non  prius,  attamen  clarius 
fulsisse  in  Scipione  Aemiliano  ^-identur,  dempto 
praeterea  plurimorum  odio  quo  Cato  laboravit. 
itaque  sit  proprium  Catonis  quater  et  quadragiens 
causam  dixisse,  nec  quemquam  saepius  postulatum 
et  semper  absolutum. 

101  XXVin.  Fortitudo  in  quo  maxime  extiterit^  inmcn- 
sae  quaestionis  est,  utique  si  poetica  recipiatur  fabu- 
lositas.  Q.  Ennius  T.  Caecilium  Teucrum  fratremque 
»  enituerit  ?  (c/.  §  123)  Mayhoff. 

57° 


BOOK   VII.  xxM.  98-xx\iii.  loi 

restorcd  io  ihe  Roman  People  the  command  of  the  sea, 
he  celehrated  a  triumph  over  Asia,  Po7itus,  Armenia, 
Paphlagonia,  Cappadocia,  Cicilia,  Stjria,  the  Scythians, 
Jen-s  and  Albanians,  Iberia,  the  Island  of  Creie,  ihe 
Basternae,  and,  in  addition  to  these,  over  King  Mithridates 
and  Tigranes. 

Thc  crownin<j  pinnacle  of  this  glorious  record  was 
(as  he  himself  deelared  in  assembly  when  discoursing 
on  his  acliievements)  to  have  found  Asia  the  remotest 
of  the  provinces  and  thcn  to  have  made  her  a  central 
dominion  of  his  country.  If  anybody  on  the  other 
side  desires  to  review  in  similar  manner  the  achieve- 
ments  of  Caesar,  who  showcd  himself  greater  than 
Pompey,  he  must  assuredly  roU  off  the  entire  world, 
and  this  it  will  be  agreed  is  a  task  without  limit. 

XX\'II.   There  have  been  various  and  numerous  Eariier  cases 
cases  of  eminence  in  the  other  kinds  of  excellence.  "Qf^^' 
Cato  the  first  of  that  name  in  the  Gens  Porcia  is  achievement. 
dcemed  to  have  exemplificd  thc  three  supreme  human 
achievements,  excelling  alike  as  orator,  as  general 
and  as  senator ;    all  of  which  distinctions  seem  to 
me  to  have  been  achieved  though  not  previously 
yet   with   greater   brilHance   in   the   case   of  Scipio 
Aemilianus,    and   that   moreover   without   the    very 
wide   unpopularity   that    handicapped    Cato.     So   it 
may  be  counted  an  exceptional  fact  about  Cato  that 
he  took   part  in  forty-four  actions  at  law  and  was 
sued  more  frequently  than  anybody  else  and  always 
acquittcd. 

XX\TII.  What  person  has  possessed  the  .iiost  out- 
standing  courage  is  a  subject  of  unending  enquiry, 
at  all  events  if  the  legendary  testimony  of  poctry  be 
accepted.  Quintus  Ennius  had  a  particular  admira- 
tion   for   Titus    Caecilius   Teucer   and    his   brother, 

571 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

eius  praecipue  miratus  propter  eos  sextum  decimum 
adiecit  annalem.  L.  Siccius  Dentatus,  qui  tribunus 
plebei  fuit  Sp.  Tarpeio  A.  Atemio  coss.  haud  multo 
post  exactos  reges,  vel  numerosissima  suffragia  habet 
centiens  \-iciens  proeliatus,  octiens  ex  provocatione 
\ictor,    quadraginta    quinque    cicatricibus    adverso 

102  corpore  insignis,  nulla  in  tergo.  idem  spolia  cepit 
x.vxiv,  donatus  hastis  puris  duodeviginti,  phaleris 
viginti  quinque,  torquibus  tribus  et  octoginta, 
armilUs  clx,  coronis  xxvi  (in  iis  civicis  xiv,  aureis 
octo,  muraUbus  tribus,  obsidionaH  una),  fisco 
aeris,  x  captivis  et  viginti  simul  bubus,  imperatores 
novem  ipsius  maxime  opera  triumphantes  secutus, 
praeterea   (quod   optumum    in   operibus   eius   rcor) 

103  uno  ex  ducibus  T.  RomiHo  ex  consulatu  ad  populum 
convicto  male  acti  imperii.  rei  mihtaris  ^  haut 
minora  forent  CapitoUni  decora,  ni  perdidisset  iUa 
exitu  vitae.  ante  decem  et  septem  annos  bina 
ceperat  spoUa ;  primus  omnium  eques  muralem 
acceperat  coronam,  sex  civicas,  xxxvii  dona ; 
XXIII  cicatrices  adverso  corpore  exceperat;  P. 
Ser\'iUum  magi?trum  equitum  servaverat,  ipse  vul- 

104  neratus  umerum,  femur;  super  oninia  CapitoUum 
summamque  rem  in  eo  solus  a  GaUis  scrvaverat,  si 
non  regno  suo  ser\-asset. 

^   V.l.  malo  imperatae  rei  militaris. 

•  454  B.c. 

^  A  spcar  without  a  hrad  w.is  bcstowcd  as  a  military 
decoration,  cspecially  for  saving  thc  lifc  of  a  felJow-citizen. 

«  M.  Maoliua  ;  he  was  finally  Buspected  of  aspLring  to  reatore 
tbe  monarchy,  and  waa  flung  from  the  Tarpcian  Rock,  384  b.o. 


BOOK   VII.  xx^aii.  101-104 

adding  Book  X\'I  to  his  Annals  on  their  account. 
Lucius  Siccius  Dentatus,  Tribune  of  the  Plebs  in 
the  consulship  **  of  Spurius  Tarpeius  and  Aulus 
Aternius  not  long  after  the  expulsion  of  the  kings, 
scores  an  exceedingly  hirge  number  of  votes,  as 
having  fought  in  120  battles,  been  challengcd  to 
and  having  won  eight  single  combats,  and  having 
the  distinction  of  45  scars  in  front  and  none  at  all 
on  his  back.  He  also  captured  spoils  34  times,  had 
bestowed  upon  him  18  spear-shafts,*  25  breast-badges, 
83  necklets,  160  bracelets,  26  cro^wns  (including  14 
civic  crowns,  eight  of  gold,  three  mural  crowns,  one 
siege-rescuc  crown),  a  bag  of  money,  ten  prisoners 
of  war  and  with  them  20  cows ;  also  he  followed 
in  the  triumphs  of  nine  generals  whose  victories 
were  chiefly  due  to  his  aid,  and  in  addition — and 
this  in  my  opinion  is  his  finest  achievement — pro- 
cured  the  conviction  in  the  People's  Court  at  the 
termination  of  his  consulship  of  one  of  his  leaders 
Titus  Romilius  on  the  charge  of  maladministration 
of  his  office.  The  military  distinctions  of  Capi- 
toHnus  "^  would  be  not  inferior,  if  he  had  not  cancelled 
them  by  the  conchision  of  his  career.  He  had 
twice  captured  enemy's  spoils  beforc  he  was  seven- 
teen  years  old ;  he  had  been  the  first  of  any  one  to 
receive  a  mural  croA\Ti  as  a  Knight,  as  well  as  six 
civic  cro^\Tis  and  37  gifts  ;  he  had  received  23  wounds 
on  the  front  of  his  body ;  he  had  rescued  Publius 
Servilius  Master  of  the  Horse,  when  himself  wounded 
in  the  slioulder  and  thigh ;  above  all  he  had  alone 
saved  the  Capitol  and  the  fortunes  of  the  state 
therein  from  the  Gauls  «^ — if  only  he  had  not  saved 
Lt  to  make  himself  king. 

<*  390  B.c. 

573 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Verum  in  his  sunt  quidem  virtutis  opera  magna,  sed 
maiora  fortunae :  M.  Sergio,  ut  equidem  arbitror, 
nemo  quemquam  hominum  iure  praetulerit,  licet 
pronepos  Catilina  gratiam  nomini  deroget.  secundo 
stipendio  dextram  manum  perdidit,  stipendiis  duobus 
ter  et  vicies  vulneratus  est,  ob  id  neutra  manu, 
neutro  pede  satis  utilis,  animo  tantum  salvo,^  pluri- 
mis  postea  stipendiis  debilis  miles.  bis  ab  Hannibale 
captus — neque  enim  cum  (juolibet  hoste  res  fuit — , 
bis  vinculnrum  eius  profugus,  in  viginti  mensibus 
nullo  non  die  in  catenis  aut  compedibiis  custoditus. 
sinistra  manu  sola   quater  pugnavit,   duobus   equis 

105  insidcnte  eo  suffossis.  dextram  sibi  ferream  fecit, 
eaque  religata  proeliatus  Cremonam  obsidione 
exemit,  Placentiam  tutatus  est,  duodena  castra 
hostium  in  Gallia  cepit,  quae  omnia  ex  oratione  eius 
apparent  habita  cum  in  praetura  sacris  arceretur  a 
collegis  ut  debilis,  quos  hic  coronarum  acervos  con- 

106  structurus  hoste  mutato !  etenim  plurimum  refert 
in  quae  cuiusque  virtus  tempora  inciderit.  quas 
Trebia  Ticinusve  aut  Trasimenus  civicas  dcdere  ? 
quae  Cannis  corona  merita,  unde  fugisse  virtutis 
summum  opus  fuit  ?  ceteri  profecto  victores  hominum 
fuere,  Sergius  vicit  etiam  fortunam. 

^  Dellefsen  :   uno  tantum  servo  (salvus  Mayhoff). 

'  The  four  defeats  of  the  Roman  armies  with  which  Han- 
nibars  invasion  began,  218-216  B.c.  At  the  last  of  the  four, 
Cannae,  ono  consul  fell,  and  the  other,  Varro,  escaped  with 
thc  remnant  of  his  forccs,  and  afterwards  was  thankcd  by 
the  Senat«  for  not  despairing  of  the  Stato. 

574 


BOOK   VII.  XXVIII.   104-106 

But,  although  these  cases  exhibit  great  achieve-  ExpioUsof 
ments  of  valour,  yet  they  involve  still  gi-eater  ^^^^' 
achievements  of  fortune ;  whereas  nobody,  in  my 
judgement  at  all  events,  can  rightly  rank  any 
human  being  above  Marcus  Sergius,  albeit  his 
greatgrandson  Catiline  diminishes  the  credit  of  his 
name.  Scrgius  in  liis  second  campaign  lost  his  right 
hand ;  in  two  campaigns  he  was  wounded  twenty- 
three  times,  with  the  result  that  he  was  crippled 
in  both  hands  and  both  feet,  only  his  spirit  being 
intact ;  yet  although  disabled,  he  served  in  numerous 
subsequent  campaigns.  He  A^as  twice  taken  prisoner 
by  Hannibal  (for  it  was  with  no  ordinary  foe  that 
lie  was  engaged),  and  t^vice  escaped  from  HannibaKs 
fetters,  although  he  was  kept  in  chains  or  shackles 
on  every  single  day  for  twenty  months.  Ple  fought 
four  times  with  only  his  left  hand,  having  two  horses 
he  was  riding  stabbed  under  him.  He  had  a 
right  hand  of  iron  made  for  him  and  going  into 
action  with  it  tied  to  his  arm,  raised  the  siege  of 
Cremona,  saved  Piacenza,  captured  twelve  enemy 
camps  in  Gaul :  all  of  which  expkiits  are  testified 
by  his  speech  dehvered  during  his  praetorship  when 
his  colleagues  wanted  to  debar  hini  from  the  sacri- 
fices  as  infirm — a  man  who  with  a  different  foe  would 
have  accumulated  what  piles  of  wreaths  !  inasmuch 
as  it  makes  the  greatest  difference  with  what  period 
of  history  a  particular  man's  valour  happens  to 
coincide.  What  civic  vvTcaths  were  bestowed  by 
Trebbia  or  Ticino  or  Trasimeno  ?  what  crown  was 
won  at  Cannae,  where  successful  flight  was  valour's 
highest  exploit  ? "  All  other  victors  truly  have 
conquered  men,  but  Sergius  vanquished  fortune 
also. 

575 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

107  XXIX.  Ingeniorum  gloriae  quis  possit  agere  de- 
lectum  per  tot  disciplinarum  genera  et  tantam  rerum 
operumquevarietatem  ?  nisiforteHomero  vate  Graeco 
nullum  felicius  extitisse  convenit,  sive  opcris  forma  ^ 
sivc  materie  aestimetur.  itaque  Alexander  Magnus — 
etenim  insignibus  iudiciis  optume  citraque  invidiam 

108  tam  supcrba  censura  peragetur — inter  spolia  Darii 
Persarum  regis  unguentorum  scrinio  capto  quod 
erat  de  ^  auro  raargaritis  gemmisque  pretiosum, 
varios  eius  usus  amicis  demonstrantibus,  quando 
tacdebat  unguenti  bellatorem  et  militia  sordidum, 

Immo  Hercule,'  in(|uit,  '  librorum  Homcri  custodiae 
detur,'  ut  pretiosissimum  humani  animi  opus  (juam 

109  maxime  diviti  opere  servaretur.  idem  Pindari  vatis 
familiae  penatibusque  iussit  parci  cum  Thcbas  rape- 
ret,  AristoteHs  philosophi  patriam  suani  crcdidit,-^ 
tantaeque  rerum  claritati  tam  benignum  testi- 
monium  miscuit.  Arcliilochi  poctae  interfectores 
Apollo  arguit  Delphis.  Sophoclem  tragici  cothurni 
principem  defunctum  scpehre  Liber  pater  iussit, 
obsidentibus  mocnia  Lacedaemoniis,  Lysandro  eorum 
rege  in  quiete  saepius  admonito  ut  paterctur  humari 
dehcias  suas.  requisivit  rex,  qui  supremum  diem 
Athenis  obissent  *  nec  difficulter  ex  his  quem  deus 
significasset  intellexit,  pacemque  funeri  dedit. 

1  Sirack :  fortuna. 

'  V.ll.  erat,  erato  :  erat  celato  ?    Dellefsen. 

*  V.l.  patriam  condidit  (Aristotolis  Philippus  patrlam  con- 
didit  LongoL). 

*  Urlichs :  obisset. 

*  The  restoration  aa  well  as  tho  destruction  of  Aristotle'8 
birthplace,  Stagira,  ia  usually  ascribed  to  Philip,  but  one 
account  says  that  he  restorcd  it  at  tho  rcquest  of  his  young 
Bon  Alexander. 

»  In  406  B.c. 


BOOK    VII.  xxix.  107-109 

XXIX.  Who  could  make  an  lionours  class-Iist  of  Ca-wo/ 
geniuses, ranging  througli  all  thc  kinds  of  systems  and  ",'»*«!■""' 
all  the  varieties  of  subject  and  of  treatment?  unless  inpveiry, 
perhaps  it  is  agreed  that  no  genius  has  ever 
existed  who  was  more  successful  than  Homer  the 
bard  of  Greece,  whether  he  be  judged  by  the  form 
or  by  the  matter  of  his  work.  Consequently  Alex- 
ander  the  Great — for  so  lordly  an  assessment  will 
be  effected  best  and  least  invidiously  by  the  most 
supreme  tribunals — when  among  the  booty  won  from 
the  Persian  King  Darius  there  was  a  case  of  unguents 
made  of  gold  and  enriched  with  pearls  and  precious 
stones,  and  when  his  friends  pointed  out  the  various 
uses  to  which  it  could  be  put,  since  a  warrior  soiled 
with  warfare  had  no  use  for  perfume,  said,  "  No,  by 
Hercules,  rather  let  it  be  assigned  to  keeping  the 
works  of  Homer  " — so  that  the  most  precious  achieve- 
ment  of  the  mind  of  man  might  be  preserved  in 
the  richest  possible  product  of  the  craftsman's  art. 
Alexander  also  gave  orders  at  the  sack  of  Thebes 
for  the  household  and  home  of  the  poet  Pindar  to 
be  spared ;  and  he  felt  the  native  place  of  the  philo- 
sopher  Aristotle  to  be  his  own,  and  blended  that 
evidence  of  kindhness  with  all  the  glory  of  his 
exploits."  Apollo  at  Delphi  exposed  the  murderers 
of  the  poet  Archilochus.  When  Sophocles  the 
prince  of  the  tragic  buskin  died,''  Father  Liber  gave 
orders  for  his  burial  though  the  Spartans  were 
besieging  the  city  walls,  the  Spartan  king  Lysander 
receiving  frequent  adnionitions  in  dreams  '  to  permit 
the  interment  of  the  darHng  of  the  god.'  The  king 
enquired  what  persoiLs  had  expircd  at  Athens  and  had 
no  difKculty  in  understanding  which  among  them  the 
god  meant ,  and  he  granted  an  ar  mistice  forthe  funeral. 

577 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

110  XXX.  Platoni  sapientiae  antistiti  Dionysius  tyran- 
nus  alias  saevitiae  superbiaeque  natus  vittatam  navem 
misit  obviam,  ipse  quadrigis  albis  egredientem  in 
litore  excepit.  viginti  talentis  unani  orationem 
Isocrates  vendidit.  Aeschines  Atheniensis  summus 
orator,  cum  accusationem  qua  fuerat  usus  Rliodiis 
legisset,  legit  et  defensionem  Demosthenis  qua  in 
illud  depulsus  fuerat  exihum,  mirantibusque  tum 
magis  fuisse  miraturos  dixit  si  ipsum  orantem  audi- 
vissent,    calamitate    testis    ingens     factus     iuimici. 

111  Thucydiden  imperatorem  Atheniertses  in  exilium 
egere,  rerum  conditorem  revocavere,  eloquentiam 
mirati  cuius  virtutem  damnaverant.  magnum  et 
Menandro  in  comico  socco  testimonium  regum 
Aegypti  et  Macedoniae  contigit  classe  et  per  legatos 
petito,  maius  ex  ipso  regiae  fortunae  praelata  litte- 
rarum  conscientia. 

112  Perhibuere  et  Romani  proceres  etiam  exteris  testi- 
monia.  Cn.  Pompeius  confecto  Mithridatico  bello 
intraturus  Posidonii  sapientiae  professione  clari 
domum  forem  percuti  de  more  a  Uctore  vetuit,  et 
fasces  Htterarum  ianuae  summisit  is  cui  se  oriens 
occidensque    summiserat.     Cato    censorius    in    illa 

"  The  younger  Dionysius  of  Syracuse  was  visited  by  Plato 
soon  after  his  accession  in  367  n.c.  and  again  a  few  years 
later. 

*  In  Ctesiphonlem. 

'  De  corona. 

^  In  424  n.c.  Thucydides  was  in  command  of  an  Athenian 
flect  that  unavoidahly  arrived  too  lato  to  save  Amphipolis 
from  capture  by  the  Spartan  Brasidas.  He  avoided  impeach- 
ment  by  going   into  exile.     He  seema  to  have  retumed  to 


BOOK   VII.  XXX.  IIO-II2 

XXX.  The  tyrant  Dionysius,<»  who  was  in  other  mat-  and  in  phHo- 
ters  by  nature  given  to  cruelty  and  pride,  sent  a  ship  l^r^Jt^y  and 
decked  with  garlands  to  meet  Plato  the  high  priest  drama. 
of  wisdom,  and  as  he  disembarked  received  him  at 
the  coast  in  person,  in  a  chariot  with  four  white 
horses.  Isocrates  sold  a  single  speech  for  20  talents. 
The  eminent  Athenian  orator  Aeschines,  after  read- 
ing  to  the  citizens  of  Rhodes  the  speech''  that  he 
had  made  in  prosecuting,  also  read  Demosthenes's 
speech<^  in  defence  that  had  driven  him  into  exile 
at  Rhodes,  and  on  their  expressing  admiration  said 
that  tliey  would  have  admired  it  even  more  on 
the  actual  occasion,  if  they  had  heard  the  orator 
himself :  thus  his  disaster  coastituted  him  a  powerful 
witness  for  his  enemy's  case.  Thucydides  as  mih- 
tary  commander  was  sentenced  to  exile  by  the 
Athenians  but  as  historian  was  recalled :  ^  they 
admired  the  eloquence  of  a  man  whose  valour  they 
had  condemned.  High  testimony  was  also  born  to 
Menander's  eminence  in  comedy  by  the  kings  of 
Egypt  and  Macedon  when  they  sent  a  fleet  and  an 
embassy  to  fetch  him,  but  higher  testimony  was 
derived  from  himself  by  his  preferment  of  the  con- 
sciousness  of  hterary  merit  to  royal  fortune. 

Roman  leaders  also  have  borne  witness  even  to  Roman 
foreigners.     At    the    conclusion    of   the    war    with  ^^eek 
Mithridates  Gnaeus  Pompey  when  going  to  enter  ?«»»«*» 
the   abode   of  the   famous   professor  of  philosophy 
Posidonius  forbade  his  retainer  to  knock  on  the  door 
in  the  customary  manner,  and  the  subduer  of  the 
East  and  of  the  West  dipped  his  standard  to  the 
portals  of  learning.     Cato  the  censor,  on  the  occa- 

Athens  in  403,  when  there  was  a  general  amnesty  after  the 
restoration  of  the  democracy. 

579 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

nobili  trium  sapientiae  procenim  ab  Athenis  legatione 
audito  Carneade  qiiamprimum  legatos  eos  ccnsuit 
dimittendos,  quoniam  illo   viro   argumentante   quid 

113  veri  esset  haut  facile  discerni  posset.  quanta  morum 
commutatio !  ille  semper  ahoquin  universos  ex  Itaha 
pellendos  censuit  Graecos,  at  pronepos  eius  Uticcnsis 
Cato  unum  ex  tribunatu  mihtum  philosophum, 
altcrum  ex  Cypria  legatione  deportavit ;  eandemque 
hnguam  ex  duobus  Catonibus  in  iho  abegisse,  in  hoc 
importasse  memorabile  est. 

114  Sed  et  nostrorum  gloriam  perccnseamus.  Prior 
Africanus  Q.  Ennii  statuam  sepulchro  suo  inponi 
iussit,  clarumque  illud  nomen,  immo  vero  spohuin 
ex  tertia  orbis  parte  raptuni,  in  cinere  supremo  cum 
poetae  titulo  legi.  Divus  Augustus  carmina  Vergihi 
cremari  contra  testamenti  eius  verecundiam  vetuit, 
maiusque  ita  vati  testimonium  contigit  quam  si  ipse 

115  sua  probavisset.  M.  Varronis  in  bibhothcca,  quae 
prima  in  orbe  ab  Asinio  PoUionc  ex  manubiis  pub- 
hcata  Romae  est,  unius  viventis  posita  imago  est, 
haud  minore,  ut  equidem  reor,  gloria  principe  oratore 
et  cive  ex  iha  ingenioruin  quae  tunc  fuit  multitudine 
uni  hanc  coronam  dante  quam  cum  eidem  Magnus 

116  Pompcius  piratico  ex   beUo    navalcm   dedit.     innu- 

■  In  155  B.c,  to  dc[)recate  tbe  fine  impoBed  on  Athena  for 
the  drstruction  of  Orojms. 

*  It  is  not  known  who  this  was.  As  to  the  second 
philosophor  at  all  events,  it  appcars  that  it  was  his  statue 
that  Cato  brought  to  Romo ;  this  was  Zeno,  the  founder  of 
the  Stoic  school:  sec  XXXIV.  c.  19  ad  fin. 

580 


BOOK   VII.  XXX.  112-116 

sion  when  the  famous  embassy  of  the  three  leaders 
of  philosophy  -was  sent  from  Athens,"  after  hearina; 
Carneades  advised  that  these  envoys  shoiild  be  sent 
away  as  soon  as  possible,  because  when  Carneades 
was  diseoursing  it  Mas  ditiicult  to  distinguish  where 
the  truth  lay.  ^\Tiat  a  complete  change  of  fashion  ! 
The  Cato  in  question  always  on  other  oecasions 
recommended  the  total  banishment  of  Greelcs  from 
Italy,  whereas  his  great-grandson  Cato  of  Utica 
brought  home  one  philosopher  ^*  from  his  mihtary 
tribunate  and  another  from  his  mission  to  Cyprus ; 
and  of  the  two  Catos  the  formcr  has  the  distinction 
of  having  banished  and  the  otlier  of  having  intro- 
duced  the  same  language. 

But  let  us  also  pass  in  review  the  glory  of  our  own  nima^u  of 
countrymen.  The  elder  Africanus  gave  orders  for  a  ^^ininence'^ 
statue  of  Quintus  Ennius  to  be  placed  on  his  own 
tomb,  and  for  that  famous  name,  or  rather  trophy 
of  war  won  from  a  third  part  of  the  world,  to 
be  read  above  his  last  ashes  together  Avith  the 
memorial  of  a  poet.  His  late  Majesty  Augustus 
overrode  the  modesty  of  VirgiVs  will  and  forbade 
the  burning  of  his  poems,  and  thus  the  bard  achieved 
a  stronger  testimony  than  if  he  had  commended  his 
own  works  himself.  In  the  Hbrary  founded  at  Rome 
by  Asinius  Polho,  tlie  earhest  hbrary  in  the  world 
estabhshed  out  of  tlie  spoils  of  war,  the  only  statue 
of  a  hving  person  erected  was  that  of  Marcus  \'arro, 
the  bestowal  by  a  leading  orator  and  citizen  of  lliis 
crowning  honour  on  one  only  out  of  the  multitiide 
of  men  of  genius  then  existing  constituting  no  iess 
a  distinction,  in  my  own  opinion,  than  whcn  Poni])ey 
the  Great  gave  to  that  same  Varro  a  naval  crown 
for  his  conduct  in  the  war  with  the  pirates.     There 

581 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

merabilia  deinde  sunt  exempla  Romana,  si  persequi 
libeat,  cum  jilures  una  gens  in  quocumque  genere 
eximios  tulerit  quam  ceterae  terrae.  sed  quo  te, 
M.  TuUi,  piaculo  taceam,  quove  maxinie  excellentem 
insigni  praedicem  ?  quo  potius  quam  universi  populi 
illius  sciscentis  ^  amplissimo  testimonio,  e  tota  vita 

117  tua  consulatus  tantum  operibus  electis?  te  dicente 
legem  agrariam,  hoc  est  alimenta  sua,  abdicarunt 
tribus,  te  suadente  Roscio  theatralis  auctori  legis 
ignoverunt  notatasque  se  discrimine  sedis  aequo 
animo  tulerunt,  te  orante  proscriptorum  liberos 
honores  petere  puduit,  tuum  Catilina  fugit  ingenium, 
tu  M.  Antonium  proscripsisti.  salve  primus  omnium 
parens  patriae  appellate,  primus  in  toga  triumphum 
linguaeque  lauream  merite,  et  facundiae  Latiarumque 
htterarum  parens  atque,  ut  dictator  Caesar  hostis 
quondam  tuus  de  te  scripsit,  omnium  triumphorum 
laurea  adepte  ^  maiorem,  quanto  plus  est  ingenii 
Romani  terminos  in  tantum  promovisse  quam 
impcrii. 

118  XXXI.  Rehquis  animi  bonis  praestitere  ceteros 
mortales :     sapientia,     ob     id     Cati,    Corcuh    apud 

119  Romanos     cognominati,     apud     Graecos     Socrates 

^  Dcllcfsen  :  genti,  gentis  (gentium  Wdzhofer). 
'  adopte  om.  v.l. 


'  63  n.c. 

^'  Of  Rullus,  for  distribution  of  public  lands. 

■=  L.  Roscius  Otbo  :  his  law,  in  67  n.c.  reserved  for  the 
Equites  the  14  rows  beliind  the  patricians  in  the  theatre.  Tliia 
unpopular  legi.slatiun  four  ycars  iater,  whon  Cicero  was  consul, 
led  to  rioting  which  it  took  all  hia  eloquciico  to  allay. 

•*  I.e.  '  brainy,'  cor  being  the  seat  of  tho  intellect.  'Catus 
Aelius  Sextus '  is  quoted  from  Eonius  by  Cicero,  Tusc.  I,  18; 


BOOK   VII.  XXX.  116-XXXT.  119 

is  a  countless  series  of  llonian  examples,  if  one  chose 
to  pursue  them,  since  a  single  race  has  produced 
more  men  of  distinction  in  every  branch  whatever 
than  the  whole  of  the  other  countries.  But  what 
excuse  could  I  have  for  omitting  mention  of  you, 
Marcus  TulHus  ?  or  by  what  distinctive  mark  can  I 
advertise  your  superlative  excellence  ?  by  what  in 
preference  to  the  most  honourable  testimony  of  that 
whole  nation's  decree,  selecting  out  of  your  entire 
hfe  only  the  achievements  of  your  consulship  ? " 
Your  oratory  induced  the  tribes  to  discard  the 
agrarian  law,''  that  is,  their  own  HveUhood;  your 
advice  led  them  to  forgive  Roscius  "^  the  proposer  of 
the  law  as  to  the  thcatre,  and  to  tolerate  with 
e<|uanimity  the  mark  put  upon  them  by  a  distiiic- 
tion  of  seating;  your  entreaty  made  the  children  of 
the  men  sentenced  to  proscription  ashamed  to  stand 
for  office  ;  your  genius  drove  CatiHne  to  flight ;  you 
proscribed  Mark  Antony.  Hail,  first  recipient  of 
the  title  of  Father  of  the  Country,  first  winner  of  a 
civiHan  triumph  and  of  a  wreath  of  honour  for 
oratory,  and  parent  of  eloquence  and  of  Latium's 
letters  ;  and  (as  your  former  foe,  the  dictator  Caesar, 
wrote  of  you)  winner  of  a  greater  laurel  wreath  thaix 
that  of  any  triumph,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  greater 
thing  to  have  advanced  so  far  the  frontiers  of 
the  Roman  genius  than  the  frontiers  of  Rome's 
empire. 

XXXI.  Persons  who  have  surpassed  the  rest  of  Eminent 
mortal  kindin  the  remaining  gifts  of  the  mind  are  :   in  >'"■ '"'"p '"''• 
wisdom,  the  people  who  on  this  account  won  at  Rome 
the  surnames   of  Wise   and  Sage,''  and  in  Greece 

Corculum  (hcre  pluralised  in  the  masculine)  was  thc  sumame 
given  to  Scipio  Nasica,  consul  162  and  155  b.c. 

583 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

oraculo  Apollinis  Pytliii  praelatus  cunctis.  XXXII. 
Rursus  mortales  oraculorum  societatem  dedere  Chiloni 
Lacedaemonio  tria  praecepta  eius  Delphis  consecrando 
aureis  Htteris,  quae  sunt  haec :  nosse  se  quemque. 
et  nihil  nimium  cupere,  comitemque  aeris  alieni 
atque  litis  esse  miseriam.  quin  et  funus  eius,  cimi 
victore  fiHo  Olympiae  expirasset  gaudio,  tota  Graecia 
prosecuta  est. 

XXXIII.  Divinitas  et  quaedam  caeUtum  societas 
nobilissima  ex  feminis  in  Sibylla  fuit,  ex  viris  in 
Melampode  apud  Graecos,  apud  Romanos  in  Marcio. 
120  XXXIV.  Vir  optumus  semel  a  condito  aevo 
iudicatus  est  Scipio  Nasica  a  iurato  senatu,  idem  in 
toga  candida  bis  repulsa  notatus  a  populo.  in  summa 
ei  in  patria  mori  non  licuit,  non  Ilercule  magis  c]uam 
extra  vincula  illi  sapientissimo  ab  Apolline  iudicato 
Socrati. 

XXXV.  Pudicissima  femina  semel  matronarum 
sententia  iudicata  est  Sulpicia  PatercuH  fiHa,  uxor 
Ful\i  Flacci,  electa  ex  centum  praeceptis  quae 
simulacrum  Veneris  ex  SibylHnis  Hbris  dcdicaret, 
iterum  reHgionis  experimento  Claudia  inducta 
Romam  deum  matre. 


"  Sulpicia,  daughter  of  Scr%'ius  Sulpiciua  Paterculus  and 
wifc  of  (juintus  Fulvius  Flaccus.  was  in  114  b.c.  chosen  as  the 
chaatest  woman  in  Rome  to  dedicatc  a  statue  of  \'enu8  Verti- 
cordia,  which  waa  to  be  orected  to  raise  the  standard  of 
feminine  morals  (Valerius  Maximus  viii.  15.  12). 

*  Claudia  Quinta,  a  Roman  matron,  accused  of  unchaatity. 
A  statue  of  Cybole  iii  204  b.c.  wa.s  boing  brought  from  Pessinus 
to  Rome,  and  the  vessel  conve^ing  it  grounded  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Tiber.     The  soothsayers  announced  that  only  a  chaste 


BOOK    VII.  xxxi.  ii9-xxx\^  120 

Socrates,  whom  Pythian  Apollo's  oracle  placed  before 
all  other  men.  XXXII.  Again,  partnership  with  the 
oracles  was  bestowed  by  mortals  on  the  Spartan 
Chilo,  by  canonizing  in  letters  of  gold  at  Delphi  his 
three  precepts,  which  arethese:  Knowthyself;  Desire 
nothing  too  mnch  ;  The  comrade  of  debt  and  litigation 
is  miserii.  Moreover  when  he  expired  from  joy  on 
his  son's  being  victorious  at  Olympia,  the  whole  of 
Greece  followed  in  his  funeral  procession. 

XXXIII.  The  most  famous  instances  of  the  gift  and duiners. 
of  divination  and  so  to  speak  communion  with  the 
heavenly  beings  are,  among  women,  the  Sibyl,  and 
among  men,  Melampus  in  Greece  and  Marcius  at 

Rome. 

XXXIV.  Scipio  Nasica  was  judged  by  the  verdict  ThenobUst 
of  the  senate  on  oath  to  be  once  for  all  the  noblest    '"^"' 
man  since  the  foundation  of  time,  although  he  was 

twice  branded  by  the  nation  with  defeat  when  a 
candidate  for  office.  At  the  end  he  was  not  per- 
mitted  to  die  in  his  native  land,  any  more  in  truth 
than  the  great  Socrates,  whom  Apollo  judged  to  be 
the  wisest  of  mankind,  was  allowed  to  die  freed  from 
fetters. 

XXXV.  The  first  case  of  a  woman  judged  by  the  Thenobiest 
vote  of  the   matrons  to  be   the   most  modest  was  woman. 
Sulpicia,"  daughter  of  Paterculus  and  wife  of  Fulvius 
Flaccus,  who  was  elected  from  a  previously  chosen 

list  of  100  to  dedicate  the  image  of  Venus  in  ac- 
cordance  with  the  Sibylline  books ;  and  on  a  second 
occasion,  by  the  test  of  relrgion,  Claiidia,*  when  the 
Mother  of  the  Gods  was  brought  to  llome. 

woman  could  movo  it.  Claudia  coming  forward  took  hold  of 
the  rope  and  at  once  pulled  the  vesael  forward  (Livy  XXIX. 
14,  Ovid  Fasli  IV.  395). 

585 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

121  XXXVI.  Pietatis  exempla  infinita  quidem  toto 
orbe  extitere,  sed  Romae  unum  cui  comparari 
cuncta  nonpossint.  humilis  in  plcbe  et  ideo  ignobilis 
puerpera,  supplicii  caiisa  carcere  inclusa  matre  cum 
impetrasset  aditum,  a  ianitore  semper  excussa  ante^ 
ne  quid  inferret  cibi,  deprehensa  est  uberibus  suis 
alens  eam.  quo  miraculo  matris  salus  donata  filiae 
pietati  est  ambaeque  perpetuis  aUmentis,  et  locus  ille 
eidem  consecratus  deae,  C.  Quinctio  M*.  Acilio  coss. 
templo  Pietatis   extructo  in  illius  carceris  sedc,  ubi 

122  nunc  MarcelU  theatrum  est.  Gracchorum  patcr 
anguibus  prehensis  in  domo,  cum  respondcretur  ipsum 
ncturum  alterius  sexus  interempto :  Immo  vero, 
inquit,  meum  necate,  CorneUa  enim  iuvenis  est  et 
parerc  adhuc  potest.  hoc  erat  uxori  parcere  et  re 
publicae  consulere  ;  idque  mox  consecutum  est.  M. 
Lepidus  Appuleiae  uxoris  caritate  post  repudium 
obiit.  P.  RutiUus  morbo  levi  impeditus  nunciata  fratris 
repulsa  in  consulatus  petitione  iUco  expiravit.  P. 
Catienus  Philotimus  patronum  adeo  dilexit  ut  heres 
omnibus  bonis  institutus  in  rogum  eius  se  iaceret. 

^  Salmasius  :   excussa  aul  excurrant  aul  excurante. 

"  150  B.o. 
586 


BOOK     VII.    XXXVI.    I2I-I22 

XXXVI.  Of  filial  atfection  tlicre  have  it  is  true  Eminence  in 
been  unlimited  instaiices  all  over  the  world,  but  affecHon. 
one  at  Rome  with  which  the  whole  of  the  rest 
could  not  compare.  A  plebeian  woman  of  low 
position  and  therefore  unknown,  who  had  just  given 
birth  to  a  child,  had  permission  to  visit  her  mother 
who  had  been  shut  up  in  prison  as  a  punishment,  and 
was  always  searched  in  advance  by  the  doorkceper 
to  prevent  her  carrying  in  any  food ;  she  was 
detected  giving  her  mother  sustenance  from  her 
own  breasts.  In  consequence  of  this  marvel  the 
daughter's  pious  affection  was  rewarded  by  the 
mother's  release  and  both  were  awarded  mainten- 
ance  for  hfe ;  and  the  place  where  it  occurred  was 
consecrated  to  the  Goddess  concerned,  a  temple 
dedicated  to  Filial  Affection  being  built  on  the  site 
of  the  prison,  where  the  Theatre  of  Marcellus  noAV 
stands,  in  the  consulship  "^  of  Gaius  Quinctius  and 
Manius  AciUus.  In  the  house  of  the  father  of  the 
Gracchi  two  snakes  were  caught,  and  in  reply  to 
enquiry  an  oracle  declared  that  he  himself  would 
live  if  the  snake  of  the  other  sex  were  killed  ;  "  No," 
said  he,  "  kill  my  snake :  Corneha  is  young  and  still 
able  to  bear  children."  This  meant,  to  spare  his 
wife  and  think  of  the  pubHc  interest ;  and  the  result 
prophesied  soon  followed.  Marcus  Lcpidus  after 
divorcing  his  wife  Appuleia  died  for  love  of  her. 
Pubhus  Rutihus  when  suffering  from  a  shght  illness 
received  news  of  his  brother's  dcf<i-at  in  his  candi- 
dature  for  the  consulship,  and  at  once  expired. 
Pubhus  Catienus  Philotimus  loved  his  patron  so 
dearly  that  he  threw  himself  upon  his  funeral 
pyre,  although  left  heir  to  the  whole  of  his 
property. 

587 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

123  XXXVII.  \'ariarum  artium  scientia  innumerabiles 
enituere,  quos  tamen  attingi  par  sit  florem  hominum 
libantibus  :  astrologia  Berosus,  cui  ob  divinas  praedic- 
tiones  Athenienses  publice  in  gymnasio  statuam 
inaurata  lingua  statucre ;  grammatica  Apollodorus, 
cui  Amphictyones  Gracciae  honorem  habuere, 
Hippocrates  medicina,  nnm  ^  vcnientem  ab  IUyriis 
pestilentiam  praedixit  discipulosque  ad  auxiUandum 
circa  urbes  dimisit,  quod  ob  nieritum  honorcs  ilH  (juos 
Hercuh  decrevit  Graecia.  eandem  scientiam  in 
Cleombroto     Ceo     Ptolomaeus    rex     Megalcnsibus 

124  sacris  donavit  centum  talentis  servato  Antiocho  rege. 
magna  et  Critobulo  fama  est  extracta  Philippi  rcgis 
oculo  sagitta  et  citra  deformitatem  oris  curata  orbitate 
luminis,  summa  autem  Asclepiadi  Prusiensi  condita 
nova  secta,  spretis  legatis  et  polHcitationibus  Mithri- 
datis  regis,  reperta  ratione  qua  vinum  aegris  medetur, 
relato  e  funere  homine  et  conservato,  sed  maxime 
sponsione  facta  cum  fortuna  ne  medicus  crederetur 
si  umquam  invahdus  ullo  modo  fuisset  ipse :  et  vicit 
suprema  in  senecta  lapsu  scalarum  exanimatus. 

125  Grande  et  Archimedi  geomctricae  ac  machinahs 
scientiac  testinionium  M.  MarcelU  contigit  interdicto 
cum  Syracusae  caperentur  ne  violaretur  unus,  nisi 

*  Dellefscn ;  modicinam. 

"  Antiochua  Soter,  second  of  tho  Soleucid  Kings  of  Syria 
280-261   B.c. 

*  This  accident  happened  to  Philip  of  Macedon  at  the  siege  of 
Methone,  354  B.o. 

588 


BOOK   VII.  xwvii.  123-125 
XXXVII.   The  people  who  have  achievcd  distine-  Eminmtmen 

-.11  11  ^ii  ■  •  of  science, 

tion  m  the  knowledge  01  the  various  sciences  are  medinne 
innumerable,  but  neverthelcss  they  must  be  touched  «"^  '»'■'• 
©n  wlien  we  are  cuning  the  flower  of  mankind :  in 
astronomy,  Berosus,  to  whom  on  account  of  his 
marvellous  predictions  Athens  officially  erected  in 
the  exercising  ground  a  statue  with  a  gilt  tongue ; 
in  philology,  Apollodorus,  wliom  the  Amphictyons 
of  Greece  honoured;  in  medicine,  Hippocrates,  who 
foretold  a  plague  that  was  coming  from  Illyria  and 
despatched  his  pupils  round  the  cities  to  render 
assistance,  in  return  for  which  service  Greece  voted 
him  the  honours  that  it  gave  to  Hercules.  Tlie  same 
knowledge  in  the  case  of  Cleombrotus  of  Ceos  was 
rewarded  by  King  Ptolcmy  at  the  Megalensian 
Festival  with  100  talents,  after  he  had  saved  thc  Hfe 
of  King  Antiochus."  Critobulus  also  has  a  great 
reputation  for  having  extracted  an  arrow  from 
King  Phihp's  eye,''  and  having  treated  his  loss  of 
sight  without  causing  disfigurement  of  his  face ;  but 
the  highest  reputation  belongs  to  Asclepiades  of 
Prusa,  for  having  founded  a  new  school,  despised  the 
envoys  and  overtures  of  King  Mithridates,  discovered 
a  method  of  preparing  medicated  wine  for  the  sick, 
brought  back  a  man  from  burial  and  saved  his  hfe, 
but  most  of  all  for  having  made  a  wager  \nth 
fortune  that  he  should  not  be  deemed  a  physician 
if  lie  were  ever  in  any  way  ill  himself :  and  he  won 
his  bet,  as  he  lost  his  hfe  in  extreme  okl  age  by 
falhng  dowTLstairs. 

Archimedes  also  received  striking  testimony  to 
his  knowledge  of  geometry  and  mechanics  from 
Marcus  Marcellus,  who  at  the  capture  of  Syracuse 
forbade  violence  to  be  donc  to  him  only — had  not 

589 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

fefellisset  imperium  militaris  imprudentia.  laudatus 
est  et  Chersiphron  Gnosius  aede  Ephesi  Dianae 
admirabili  fabricata,  Philon  Athenis  armamentario 
CD  ^  na\ium,  Ctesibius  pneumatica  ratione  et  hvdrau- 
Hcis  organis  repertis,  Uinochares  metatus  Alexandro 
condenti  ^  in  Aegypto  Alexandriam.  idem  hic  im- 
perator  edixit  ne  quis  ipsum  alius  quam  Apelles 
pingeret,  quam  Pyrgoteles  scalperet,  quam  Lysippus 
ex  aere  duceret,  quae  artes  pluribus  inclaruere  ex- 

126  empHs.  XXXVIII.  Aristidis  Thebani  pictoris  unam 
tabulam  centum  talentis  rex  Attalus  Hcitus  est, 
octoginta  emit  duas  Caesar  dictator,  Mcdeam  et 
Aiacem  Timomachi,  in  tcmplo  Vcneris  Genetricis 
dicaturus.  Candaules  rex  Bularchi  picturam  Magne- 
tum  exiti,  haud  mediocris  spati,  pari  rependit  auro. 
Rhodum  non  incendit  rex  Demctrius  expugnator 
cognorninatus,  nc   tabulam    Protogenis    crcmaret    a 

127  parte  ea  muri  locatam.  Praxiteles  marmore  nobiH- 
tatus  est  Gnidiaque  Venere  praecipue,  vesano  amore 
cuiusdam  iuvenis  insigni,  et  Nicomedis  aestimatione 
regis  grandi  Gnidiorum  aere  aHeno  permutare  eam 
conati.  Phidiae  luppiter  Olympius  cotidie  testi- 
monium  perhibet,  Mentori  CapitoHnus  et  Diana 
Ephesia,  quibus  fuerc  consecrata  artis  eius  vasa. 

128  XXXIX.  Pretium  hominis  in  servitio  geniti  maxi- 
mum  ad  hunc  diem,  quod  equidem  conpererim,  fuit 

1  MayhoJJ:  M. 

^  Ritschl :  condente. 


"  Doubtloss  on  a  panol  of  wood.  *  roliorcptcs. 

'  Thero  were  three  kinga  of  this  name,  who  camo  to  the 
throne  of  Bithynia  in  278,  149  and  91  b.c.  respectively.  There 
appeara  to  be  no  ovidonce  to  show  which  of  tho  throo  is  hero 
alluded  to. 

590 


BOOK   VII.  xx.wii.  i25-.\.\.\i.\.  128 

the  ignorance  of  a  soldier  foiled  the  command. 
Others  who  won  praise  were  Chersiphron  of  Gnossus 
who  constructed  the  wonderful  temple  of  Diana  at 
Ephesus,  Philo  who  made  a  dockyard  for  400  ships 
at  Athens,  Ctesibius  who  discovered  the  theory  of 
the  pneumatic  pump  and  invented  hydraulic  engines, 
Dinochares  who  acted  as  surveyor  for  Alexander 
when  founding  Alexandria  in  Egypt.  This  ruler 
also  issued  a  proclamation  that  only  Apelles  should 
paint  his  picturc,  only  Pyi-goteles  sculpture  his 
statue,  and  only  Lysippus  cast  him  in  bronze  :  there 
are  many  celebrated  examples  of  these  arts. 
XXXVIII.  King  Attalus  bid  100  talents  for  one 
picture  by  the  Theban  paintcr  Aristides ;  the  dic- 
tator  Caesar  purchased  tAvo  by  Timomachus  for  80, 
the  Mcdea  and  the  Ajax,  to  dedicate  them  in  the 
temple  of  Venus  Genetrix.  King  Candaules  paid 
its  weight  in  gold  for  a  picture"  of  considerable  size 
by  Bularchus  representing  the  downfall  of  the 
Magnesians.  King  Demctrius  surnamed  Besieger 
of  Cities  ^  refrained  from  setting  fire  to  Rhodes  for 
fear  of  burning  a  picture  by  Protogenes  stored  in 
that  part  of  the  fortification.  Praxiteles  is  famous 
for  his  marbles,  and  especially  for  his  Vemis  at  Cnidos, 
which  is  celebrated  because  of  the  infatuation  that  it 
inspired  in  a  ccrtain  young  man,  and  bccause  of  the 
value  set  on  it  by  King  Nicomedes,<^  who  attempted 
to  obtain  it  in  return  for  discharging  a  large  debt 
owed  by  the  Cnidians.  Daily  testimony  is  borne 
to  Phidias  by  Olympian  Jove,  and  to  Mentor  by 
Capitoline  Jove  and  by  Diana  of  Ephesus,  works 
that  have  immortalized  the  tools  of  ihis  craft. 

XXXIX.  The  highest  price  hitherto  paid,  so  far  as  ExcepiionaX 
I  have  asccrtained,  for  a  person  borii  in  slavcry  was  f/ar«/'^ 

591 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

grammaticae  artis  Daphnin  Attio  Pisaurensevendente 
et  M.  Scauro  principe  civitatis  IIi.  dcc  licente.  ex- 
cessere  hoc  in  nostro  aevo,  nec  modice,  histrionis 
reditu  ^  libertatem  suam  mercati,  quippe  cum  iam 
apud  maiores  Roscius  hi><trio  IIi.  n  annua  meritasse 

129  prodatur,  nisi  si  quis  in  hoc  loco  disiderat  Armeniaci 
belU  paulo  ante  propter  Tiridaten  gesti  dispensa- 
torem,  quem  Nero  IIi.  |cxx.\|  manuniisit.  sed 
hoc  pretium  beUi,  non  hominis,  fuit,  tam  Hercule 
quam  hbidinis,  non  formae,  Paezontem  e  spadonibus 
Seiani  IIi.  [d|  mercante  Clutorio  Prisco.  quam 
quidem  iniuriam  lucri  fecit  ille  mercatus  in  luctu 
civitatis,  quoniam  arguere  nuUi  vacabat. 

130  XL.  Gentium  in  toto  orbc  praestantissima  una 
omnium  virtute  haud  dubie  Romana  extitit.  feUcitas 
cui  praecipuafuerit  homini  non  est  humani  iudicii,  cum 
prosperitatem  ipsam  alius  aho  modo  et  suopte  ingenio 
quisque  determinet.  si  verum  facere  iudicium  volu- 
mus  ac  repudiata  onini  fortunae  ambitione  decernere, 
nemo  mortahum  est  fehx.  abunde  agitur  ^  atque 
indulgenter  a  fortuna  deciditur  ^  cum  eo  qui  iure  dici 
non  infehx  potest.  quippe  ut  aha  non  sint,  certe  ne 
lassescat  fortuna  metus  cst,  quo  semel  recepto  sohda 

131  fehcitasnon  est.  quid  quod  nemo  mortaUum  omnibus 
horis  sapit?  utinamque  falsum  hoc  et  non  ut  a  vate 

*  DcUefsen  :   reddi  (sed  hi  Mayhoff). 

*  Edd. :  igitur. 


'  indulgente  fortuna  deciditur  ?  Broticr. 


592 


BOOK   VII.  xxxix.  128-XL.  131 

when  Attius  of  Pesaro  was  selling  a  sldlled  linguist 
nanied  Daphnis  and  Marcus  Scaurus,  Head  of  the 
State,  bid  700,000  sesterces.  This  has  been  exceeded, 
and  considerably,  in  our  own  time  by  actors  when 
buying  their  own  freedom  by  means  of  thcir  earnings, 
inasmuch  as  already  in  the  time  of  our  ancestors 
the  actor  Roscius  is  said  to  have  earned  500,000 
sesterces  a  year, — unless  anybody  expects  a  mention 
in  this  place  of  the  commissary  in  the  Armenian 
war  carried  on  not  long  ago  for  Tiridates,  whom  Nero 
hberated  for  13,000,000  sesterces.  But  this  was  the 
price  paid  for  a  war,  not  for  an  individual,  just  as  in 
truth  when  Clutorius  Priscus  bought  one  of  Sejanus's 
eunuchs  Paezon  for  50.000,000,  this  was  the  price  of 
lust  and  not  of  beauty.  But  Clutorius  got  away 
■\\ith  this  outrageous  affair  during  a  period  of  national 
mourning,  as  nobody  had  time  to  show  him  up. 

XL.  The  one  race  of  outstanding  eminence  in  virtue 
among  all  the  races  in  tlie  whole  world  is  undoubtedly 
the  Roman.  WTiat  human  being  has  had  the  greatest  Who  is  the 
happiness  is  not  a  question  for  human  judgement,  manHndi 
since  prosperity  itself  different  people  define  in 
different  ways  and  each  according  to  his  own  tem- 
perament.  If  we  wish  to  make  a  true  judgement 
and  discard  all  fortune's  pomp  in  deciding  the 
point,  nonc  among  mortals  is  happy.  Fortune  deals 
lavishly  and  makes  an  indulgent  bargain  with  the 
man  whom  it  is  possible  justly  to  pronoimce  not 
unhappy.  In  fact,  apart  from  other  coasiderations, 
assuredly  there  is  a  fear  that  fortune  may  grow 
weary,  and  this  fear  once  entertained,  happiness  has 
no  firm  foundation.  What  of  the  provei'b  that  none 
among  mortals  is  wise  all  the  time  ?  And  would 
that  as  many  men  as  possible  may  deem  this  proverb 

593 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

dictum  quam  plurinii  iudicent !  vana  mortalitas  et  ad 
circumscribendam  se  ipsam  ingeniosa  conputat  more 
Thraciae  gentis,  quae  calculos  colore  distinctos  pro 
experimento  cuiusquc  dici  in  urnam  condit  ac 
supremo  dic  separatos  dinumerat  atque  ita  de  quoque 

132  pronunciat.  quid  quod  ipse  ^  calculi  candore  illo 
laudatus  dies  originem  mali  habuit  ?  quam  multos 
accepta  adflixere  imperia !  quam  multos  bona  per- 
didere  et  ultimis  mersere  suppliciis !  ista  nimirum 
bona,  si  cui  inter  -  ilhi  hora  in  gaudio  fuit !  ita  est  pro- 
fecto,  ahus  de  alio  iudicat  dies  et  tantum  ^  supremus 
de  omnibus,  ideoque  nuUis  credendum  est.  quid  quod 
bona  mahs  paria  non  sunt  etiam  pari  numero,  nec 
laetitia  ulla  minimo  maerore  pensanda?  heu  vana 
et  imprudens  diligentia !  numerus  dierum  conputa- 
tur,*  ubi  quaeritur  pondus ! 

133  XLI.  Una  feminarum  in  omni  aevo  Lampido  Lace- 
daemonia  reperitur  quae  regis  filia,  regis  uxor,  regis 
mater  fuerit,  una  Berenice  quae  filia,  soror,  mater 
Olynipionicarum,  uaa  famiha  Curionum  in  qua  tres 
continua  serie  oratores  exstiterint,  una  Fabiorum  in 
qua  tres  continui  principes  senatus,  M.  Fabius  Am- 
bustus,FabiusRulHanus  filius,Q.  FabiusGurgesnepos. 

134  XLII.  cetera  exempla  fortunae  variantis  innumera 
sunt.     etenim  quae  facit  magna  gaudia  nisi  ex  malis, 

'  ipse  ?  Mayhojf :  iste. 

*  V.l.  l)ona  cuin  interim. 
"  Mayhoff :  tamen. 

*  Edd.  vet.  (cf.  VI.  209) :   comparatur. 


"  Really  there  were  many,  amoog  them  Olympias,  mother 
of  Alexander  the  Groat. 

594 


BOOK  VII.  XL.  131-XU1.  134 

false,  and  not  as  the  utterance  of  a  prophet !  Mor- 
tahty ,  being  so  vain  and  so  ingenious  in  self-deception, 
makes  its  calculation  ufter  the  nianner  of  the  Thracian 
tribe  that  puts  stone  counters  of  different  colours 
corresponding  to  each  day's  experience  in  an  urn, 
and  on  the  last  day  sorts  theni  and  counts  them  out 
and  thus  pronounces  judgement  about  each  indi- 
vidual.  \Miat  of  the  lact  that  the  very  day  com- 
mended  by  that  stone  of  brilhant  whiteness  contained 
the  source  of  misfortune  ?  How  many  men  have 
been  overthrown  by  attaining  power !  How  many 
have  been  ruined  and  plunged  into  the  direst  tor- 
ments  by  wealth !  Wealth  forsooth  it  is  called  if  a 
man  has  had  an  hour  of  joy  while  surrounded  by  it. 
So  doubtless  is  it !  Diiferent  days  pass  verdict  on 
diHerent  men  and  only  the  last  day  a  final  verdict 
on  all  men ;  and  consequently  no  day  is  to  be 
trusted.  What  of  the  fact  that  goods  are  not  equal 
to  evils  even  if  of  equal  number,  and  that  no  joy 
can  counterbalance  the  smallest  grief  .^  Alas  what 
vain  and  fooUsh  appHcation !  we  count  the  number 
of  the  days,  when  it  is  their  weight  that  is  in  ques- 
tion! 

XLI.  Only  one  "  woman  can  be  found  in  the  whole  ri>rtun^'s 
of  history,  the  Spartan  Lampido,  who  was  daughter,  """"'"'«'J'- 
wife  and  mother  of  a  king;  only  one,  Berenice,  who 
was  daughter,  sister  and  mother  of  Olympic  winners  ; 
only  one  family,  the  Curios,  that  has  produccd  three 
orators  in  unbroken  series,  only  one,  the  Fabii,  three 
successiveChiefsoftheSenate,  MarcusPabiusAmbus- 
tus,  his  son  Fabius  Rulhanus  and  his  grandson  Quintus 
Fabius  Gurges.  XLII.  All  other  cases  are  instances 
of  changing  Fortune,  and  are  beyond  counting.  For 
what   great    joys    does    she    produce    except    when 

595 


PLIXY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

aut  quae  mala  inmensa  nisi  ex  ingentibus  gaudiis  ? 
XLIII.  servavit  proscriptum  a  Sulla  M.  Fidustium 
senatorera  annis  xxxvi,  sed  iterum  proscriptura :  ^ 
superstes  Sullae  vixit,  sed  usque  ad  Antonium, 
constatque   nuUa  alia  de  causa  ab   eo  proscriptuni 

135  quam  quia  proscriptus  fuisset.  triumphare  P.  Ven- 
tidium  de  Parthis  voluit  quidem  solum,  sed  eundem 
in  triumpho  Asculano  Cn.  Pompei  duxit  puerum, 
quamquam  Masurius  auctor  est  bis  in  triumpho 
ductum,  Cicero  mulionem  castrensis  furnariae  fuisse, 
phirimi  iuventam  inopem  in  caliga  mihtari  tolerasse. 

136  fuit  et  Balbus  Comehus  maior  consul,  scd  accusatus 
atque  de  iure  virgarum  in  eum  iudicum  in  consihum 
missus,  primus  externorum  atque  etiam  in  oceano 
genitorum  usus  illo  honore  quem  maiores  Latio 
quoque  negaverunt.  est  et  L.  Fulvius  inter  insignia 
exempla,  Tusculanorum  rebellantium  consul,  eo- 
demque  honore,  cum  transisset,  exornatus  confestim 
a  p.  R.,  qui  solus  eodem  anno  quo  fuerat  hostis 
Romae    triumphavit    ex   iis    quorum   consul    fuerat. 

137  unus  hominum  ad  hoc  aevi  Fehcis  sibi  cognomen 
adseruit  L.  Sulla,  civih  nempe  sanguine  ac  patriae 
oppugnatione  adoptatus.^  et  quibus  fehcitatis  in- 
ductus  argumentis  ?  quod  proscribere  tot  miHa 
ci\ium  ac  trucidare  potuisset  ?   o  prava  interpretatio 

^  Sillig  :   proscriptum.  *  adoptatum  Ilardouin. 

"  The  figure  seems  incorrect :  Fidustius  was  proscribed  in  81 
B.C.,  and  Antony'8  power  only  began  after  Caesar'8  assassina- 
tion  in  44  u.c. 

*  Balbus  bom  in  the  island  of  Gades  (Cadiz)  served  under 
Pompey  in  Spain  and  was  established  by  him  at  Rome. 
Accused  56  b.c.  of  iJlegally  assuming  citizenship,  he  was  de- 
fended  by  Cicero  and  acquitted.  Octavian  made  him  consul 
40  B.c. — Only  aliens  could  be  sentenced  to  flogging. 


BOOK   VII.  xLii.  134-XL111.  137 

following  on  disasters,  orwhat  immeasurable  disasters 
except  when  followinf:^  on  enormous  joys  ?  XLIII. 
She  preserved  the  senator  Marcus  Fidustius  for  36  " 
years  after  his  proscription  by  Sulla,  but  only  to  pro- 
scribe  him  a  second  time :  he  survived  Sulla,  but  he 
Hved  to  see  Antony,  and  it  is  known  that  Antony 
proscribed  him  for  no  other  reason  than  that  he  had 
been  proscribed  before  !  It  is  true  she  willed  that 
Pubhus  \'entidius  should  alone  win  a  triumph  from 
the  Parthians,  but  she  also  in  his  boyhood  led  him 
captive  in  Gnaeus  Pompeius's  triumph  after  Asculum 
— albeit  Masurius  states  that  he  was  led  in  triumph 
t^^ice,  and  Cicero  that  he  was  a  mule-driver  for  an 
army  bakcry,  and  many  authorities  say  that  in  his 
youth  he  supported  his  poverty  bv  foot-slo^ging  in 
the  ranks !  Also  the  elder  Cornehus  Balbus  was 
consul,  but  he  was  impeached  and  handed  over  to  a 
court  of  justice  to  decide  as  to  his  legal  Habihty  to  a 
flogging — he  being  the  first  foreigner  and  actual 
native  of  the  Atlantic  coast  to  have  held  an  honour  * 
refused  bv  our  ancestors  even  to  Latium.  Lucius 
Fulvius  also  is  one  of  the  notable  examples,  having 
l)een  consul  of  the  Tusculans  at  the  time  of  their 
revolt  and  after  coming  ovcr  ha\ing  been  at  once 
honoured  with  the  same  office  by  the  lloman  nation : 
he  is  the  only  man  who  ever  in  the  same  year  in 
which  he  had  been  Rome's  enemy  won  a  triumph 
from  the  people  whose  consul  he  had  been.  Lucius 
SuHa  is  the  sole  human  being  hitherto  who  has 
assumed  the  surname  Fortunate,  in  fact  achieving 
the  title  by  civil  bloodshed  and  by  making  war  upon 
his  coimtry.  And  what  tokerus  of  good  fortune 
were  his  motive  ?  His  success  in  exihng  and  slaugh- 
tering  so  many  thousands  of  his  feUow-countrymen  ? 

voL.  II.  U      597 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

et  fiituro  tempore  infelix  !  non  melioris  sortis  tunc 
fuere  pereuntes,  quorum  miseremur  hodie  cum 
1.18  Sullam  nemo  non  oderit?  age,  non  exitus  vitae  eius 
omnium  proscriptorum  ab  illo  calamitate  crudclior 
fuit  erodente  se  ipso  corpore  et  supplicia  sibi  gig- 
nente  ?  quod  ut  dissimulaverit  et  supremo  somnio 
eius,  cui  inmortuus  quodammodo  est,  credamus  ab 
uno  illo  invidiam  gloria  victam,  hoc  tamen  ncmpe  ^ 
felicitati  suae  defuisse  confcssus  est  quod  Capitolium 
non  dedicavisset. 

139  Q.  Metellus  in  ea  oratione  quam  habuit  supremis 
laudibus  patris  sui  L.  MeteUi  pontificis,  bis  consulis, 
dictatoris,  magistri  equitum,  xvviri  agris  dandis, 
qui  primus  elephantos  ex  primo  Punico  bello  duxit 
in  triumpho,  scriptum  rehquit  decem  maximas  res 
optumasque  in  quibus  quaerendis  sapientes  aetatem 

140  cxigerent  consummasse  eum:  voluisse  enim  pri- 
marium  bellatorem  esse,  optimum  oratorem,  fortissi- 
mum  imperatorem,  auspicio  suo  maximas  rcs  geri, 
maximo  honore  uti,  summa  sapientia  esse,  summum 
senatorem  habcri,  pecuniam  magnam  bono  modo 
invenire,  multos  Hbcros  reHnquerc  et  clarissimum  in 
civitate  essc ;    hacc  contigisse  ei  nec  ulH  aHi   post 

141  Romam  conditam.     Longum  est  refellere  et  super- 

*  [nempe]  T  Mayhojf. 


•  Plutarch,  Sulla  37.  gives  a  difieront  account — that  shortly 
beforo  his  death  he  dreamt  that  his  doad  son  camo  to  him  and 
beaought  him  to  ceaao  from  anxiety  and  to  go  with  him  to  join 
his  dead  mothor  Metclla  and  to  hvo  in  happinusa  with  her. 


598 


BOOK    VII.  xLiii.  137-141 

O  what  a  false  meaning  to  attach  to  the  title  !  How 
doomed  to  misfortune  in  the  future  !  Were  not  his 
victims  more  fortunate  at  the  time  when  dA-ing, 
whom  we  pity  today  when  Sulla  is  universally  hated  .'' 
Come,  was  not  the  close  of  his  hfe  more  cruel  than 
the  calamity  of  all  the  victims  of  his  proscriptions, 
when  his  body  ate  itself  away  and  bred  its  own  tor- 
ments  ?  And  although  he  dissembled  the  pangs, 
and  although  on  the  ev  idence  of  that  last  dreani " 
of  his,wliich  mayalmost  besaid  to  haveaccompanied 
his  death,  we  beheved  that  he  alone  vanquished  odium 
by  glory,  nevertheless  he  admitted  forsooth  that  this 
one  thing  was  wanting  to  his  happiness — he  had  not 
dedicated  the  Capitol. 

Quintus   Metellus,  in  the  panegyric  that  he  de-  Kren 
livered  at  the  obsequies  of  his  father  Lucius  Metellus  ~.f' "" 
the  pontifF,  who  had  been  Consul  twice,  Dictator,  interrupted 
Master  of  the   Horse  and  Land-commissioner,  and  mUfwttme : 
Avho  was  the  first  person  who  led  a  proccssion  of  '^'  ^«'«"♦- 
elephants  in  a  triumph,  having  captured  them  in  the 
first  Punic  War.has  left  it  inuTitingthat  his  father  had 
achievedthe  ten  greatest  and  highest  objects  in  the 
pursuit  of  which  wise  men  pass  their  Hves  :  for  he  had 
made  it  his  aim  to  be  a  first-class  warrior,  a  supreme 
orator  and    a  very  brave   commander,  to  have  the 
direction  of  operations  of  the  highest  importance, 
to  enjoy  the  greatest  honour,  to  be  supremely  wise, 
to  be   deemed  the  most    eminent  member  of  the 
senate,  to  obtain  great  wealth  in  an  honourable  way, 
to  leave  many  children,  and  to  achieve  supreme  dis- 
tinction  in  the  state  ;  and  that  these  things  had  fallen 
to  his  father's  lot,  and  to  that  of  no  one  else  since 
Rome's  foundation.     It  would  be  a  lengthy  matter 
to  refute  this,  and  it  is  superfluous  to  do  so  as  it  is 

599 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

vacuum  abunde  uno  casu  refutante :  siquidem  is 
Metellus  orbam  luminibus  exegit  senectam  amissis 
incendio  cum  Palladium  raperet  ex  aede  Vestae, 
memorabili  causa  scd  eventu  misero.  quo  (it  ut 
infelix  quidem  dici  non  debeat,  felix  tamen  non 
possit.  tribuit  ei  p.  R.  quod  nulli  alii  ab  condito 
aevo,  ut  quotiens  in  senatum  iret  curru  veheretur 
ad  curiam,  magnum  ei  et  sublime,  sed  pro  oculis 
datimi. 

142  XLIV.  Huius  quoque  Q.  Metelli  qui  illa  de  patre 
dixit  filius  inter  rara  fclicitatis  humanae  exempla 
numeratur.  nam  praeter  honores  amplissimos  cogno- 
menque  Macedonici  aquattuor  filiis  inlatus  rogo.uno 
praetore,  tribus  consularibus  (duobns  trimnphaHbus), 
uno  censorio,  quae  singula  quoquc  paucis  contigere.  in 

143  ipso  tamen  flore  dignationis  suae  a  C.  Atinio  Labeone, 
cui  cognomen  fuit  Macerioni,  tribuno  plebis,  quem  e 
senatu  censor  eiecerat,  revertens  e  campo  meridiano 
tempore,  vacuo  foro  ct  CapitoHo,  ad  Tarpciuni  raptus 
ut  praecipitaretur,  convolante  quidem  tam  ^  numerosa 
illa  cohorte  quae  patrem  eum  appeUabat,  sed,  ut 
necesse  erat  in  subito,  tarde  et  tamquam  in  exse- 
quias,  cum  resistendi  sacroquesanctum  repellendi  ius 
non  esset,  virtutis  suae  opera  et  censurae  periturus, 

^  tum  ?  Mayhoff. 
600 


BOOK   VII.  xLiii.  141-XLIV.  143 

abundantly  rebutted  by  a  single  accidcntal  mis- 
fortune :  inasmuch  as  this  Metellus  passed  an  old 
age  of  bhndness,  having  lost  his  sight  in  a  fire  when 
saving  the  statue  of  Pallas  from  the  temple  of  Vesta, 
a  memorable  purpose  but  disastrous  in  its  result. 
Conscquently  though  he  must  not  be  pronounced 
unhappy,  still  he  cannot  be  called  happy.  The 
nation  bestowed  on  him  a  privilege  given  to  no  one 
else  since  the  foundation  of  time,  permission  to  ride 
to  the  senate-house  in  a  chariot  whenever  he  went 
to  a  meeting  of  the  senate — a  great  and  highly 
honourable  privilege,  but  one  that  was  bestowed  on 
him  as  a  substitute  for  sight. 

XLIV.  The  son  of  this  Metellus  who  made  those 
remarks  about  his  father  is  also  counted  among  the 
exceptional  instances  of  human  happiness.  Besides 
receiving  an  abundance  of  high  honours  and  thc 
surname  of  Macedonicus,  he  was  borne  to  the  tomb 
by  four  sons,  one  a  praetor,  three  ex-consuls  (tAvo 
winners  of  triumphs),  one  an  ex-censor — things  that 
even  separately  have  fallen  to  few  men's  lot.  Never- 
theless  at  the  very  height  of  his  distinguishcd  career, 
when  coming  back  from  the  Field  at  midday,  the 
market  place  and  Capitol  being  empty,  he  was 
carried  off  to  the  Tarpeian  Rock  by  Gaius  Atinius 
Labeo,  surnamed  Macerio,  tribune  of  the  plebs, 
whorn  when  censor  he  had  ejected  from  the  senate, 
with  ihe  intcntion  of  hurhng  him  down  the  chiF; 
the  numerous  company  of  persons  who  called  him 
their  father  did  it  is  true  hasten  to  his  aid,  but  as  was 
inevitable  in  this  sudden  emergency,  too  late  and 
as  if  coming  for  his  funeral,  and  as  he  had  not 
the  right  to  resist  and  to  repel  tlie  hallowed  person 
of  a  tribune  his  virtue  and  his  strictness  would  have 

601 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

acgre  trihuno  qui  intercederet  reperto  a  limine  ipso 

144  mortis  revocatus,  alieno  beneficio  postea  vixit,  bonis 
inde  etiam  consecratis  a  damnato  suo,  tamquam 
parum  esset  faucium  reste  ^  intortarum  expressique 
per  aures  sanguinis  poena  exacta.^  equidem  et 
Africani  sequentis  inimicum  fuisse  inter  calamitates 
duxerim,  ipso  teste  Maccdonico,  siquidem  dixit : 
ite  filii,  cclebrate  exequias ;  numquam  civis  maioris 
funus   videbitis.     et   hoc   dicebat   iam   Baliaricis   et 

145  Dalmaticis,^  iam  Macedonicus  ipse.  verum  ut  illa 
sola  iniuria  aestimetur,  qui<  liunc  iure  felicem  dixcrit 
periclitatum  ad  libidinem  inimici,  nec  Africani  sal- 
tem,  perire  ?  quos  hostis  vicisse  tanti  fuit  ?  aut  quos 
non  honores  currusque  illa  sua  violentia  fortuna 
retroegit,  per  mediam  urbem  censore  tracto — 
etenim  sola  haec  morandi  ratio  fuerat, — tracto  in 
CapitoHum  idem  *  in  quod  triumphans  ipse  de  eorum  ^ 

146  exuviis  ne  captivos  quidem  sic  traxerat?  maius 
hoc  scelus  feHcitate  consecuta  factum  est,  peri- 
chtato  Maccdonico  vel  funus  tantum  ac  tale  perdere 
in  quo  a  triumphalibus  hberis  portaretur  in  rogum 
velut  exequiis  quoque  triumphans.     nulla   est   pro- 

*  Ruhnken  :  certe. 

*  V.l.  pocnam  exaetam  csse. 
'  Beroaldxis  :    Diadematis. 

*  Mayhoff:   ille. 

*  Caesariu-8 :    deorum  (?  dci  omatua  Alayhoff). 

*  As  praetor  in  148  n.c.  ho  carriod  on  war  in  Macedonia 
against  the  usiirpor  Andriscus  whom  he  dcfeatcd  and  took 
prisoner.  His  eldest  son,  wlien  consul  123  b.c,  subduod  tho 
Balearic  lalanda,  and  his  nephow,  consul  119  B.c,  the  Dalma- 
tians. 

*  He  had  not  becn  exccuted  out  of  hand  in  order  that  this 
further  indignity  might  be  inflicted  on  him. 

6o2 


BOOK   VII.  xLiv.  143-146 

resulted  in  his  destruction,  but  ■with  difficulty  another 
tribune  was  found  to  intercede,  and  he  was  recalled 
froni  the  very  threshold  of  death  ;  and  subsequently 
he  lived  on  the  charity  of  another,  as  his  own  property 
had  immediately  been  confiscated  on  the  proposal 
of  the  very  man  whom  he  had  himself  caused  to  be 
condemned,  just  as  though  the  penalty  exacted  from 
him  of  having  his  throat  tied  in  a  rope  and  the 
blood  forced  out  through  his  ears  were  not  sufficient ! 
Although  for  my  own  part  I  should  also  reckon  it  as  a 
disaster  to  have  been  at  enmity  with  the  second 
Africanus,  on  the  evidence  of  Macedonicus  himself, 
inasmuch  as  he  said,  "  Go,  my  sons,  celebrate  his 
obsequies  ;  you  will  never  see  the  funeral  of  a  greater 
citizen  !  "  And  he  said  this  to  sons  who  had  already 
won  the  titles  of  Balearicus  and  Dalmaticus,  while 
he  himself  was  already  Macedonicus."  But  even  if 
only  that  injury  be  taken  into  account,  who  could 
rightly  pronounce  happy  this  man  who  ran  the  risk 
of  perishing  at  the  will  of  an  enemy,  and  him  not  even 
an  Africanus  ?  Victory  over  what  enemies  was  worth 
so  much  ?  or  what  honours  and  triumphal  ears  did 
not  fortune  put  into  the  shade  by  that  violent  stroke — 
a  censor  dragged  through  the  middle  of  the  city  (for 
this  had  bcen  the  sole  reason  for  delaying  ^*),  dragged 
to  that  same  Capitol  to  which  he  himself  had  not  thus 
dragged  even  prisoners  when  he  was  triumphing  over 
the  spoils  taken  from  them  ?  This  was  rendered  a 
greater  crime  by  the  happiness  that  followed,  as  it 
placed  Macedonicus  in  danger  of  losing  even  that 
ffreat  and  fflorious  funeral  in  which  he  was  carried  to 
tlie  pyre  by  his  children  who  had  themselves  won 
triumphs,  so  that  even  his  obsequies  were  a  triumphal 
procession.     Assuredly     it     is     no     firnily     founded 

603 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

fecto  solida  felicitas  quam  contuiuelia  ulla  vitae  rupit, 
nedum  tanta.  quod  superest,  nescio  morum  gloriae 
an  indignationis  dolori  accedat,  inter  tot  Metellos  tam 
sceleratam  C.  Atini  audaciam  semper  fuisse  inultam. 

147  XL\'.  Indivo  quoque  Augusto,quem  universamor- 
talitas  in  hac  censura  nuncupet,  si  diligenter  aesti- 
mcntur  cuncta,  magna  sortis  hiunanae  reperiantur 
volumina :  repulsa  in  magisterio  equitum  apud  avun- 
culum  et  contra  petitionem  eius  praelatus  Lcpidus, 
proscriptionis  invidia,  collegium  in  triumviratu  pessi- 
morum    civium,    nec    aequa    saltem    portione,   sed 

148  praegravi  Antonio,  Philippensi  proelio  morbidi  ^  fuga 
et  triduo  in  palude  argroti  et  (ut  fatentur  Agrippa  ac 
Maecenas)  aqua  subter  cutem  fusa  turgidi  latcbra, 
naufragia  Sicula  et  alia  ibi  quoque  in  spehmca  occul- 
tatio,  iam  in  navah  fuga  urgente  hostium  manu 
preces  Proculeio  mortis  admotae,  cura  Perusinae 
contentionis,  sollicitudo   Martis  Actiaci,  Pamionicis 

149  bellis  ruina  e  turri,  tot  seditiones  militum,  tot  anci- 
pites  morbi  corporis,  suspecta  MarceHi  vota,  pudenda 
Agrippae  ablegatio,  totiens  petita  iasidiis  vita, 
incusatae  Hberorum  mortes ;  luctusque  non  tantum 
orbitate  tristis,  adulterium  fihae  et  consiha  parricidae 

*  Jan :    morbi. 


"  Julius  Caesar,  4C  b.c. 

"  His  grandchiidrcn,  Luciiis  and  Gaius,  sons  of  Julia  and 

Agrippa,  whom  he  adoptcd  as  hia  eons  ;    their  romoval  was 
perhaps  contrivod  by  Livia,  but  Augustus  was  suspccted  of 
compHcity,  to  ensure  the  succession  of  Tiberius. 
'  Julia. 

604 


BOOK   VII.  xLiv.  146-XLV.  149 

happiness  that  any  outrage  in  a  man's  career  has 
shattered,  let  alone  so  great  an  outrage  as  that.  For 
the  rest  I  know  not  whether  it  counts  to  the  credit  of 
our  morals  or  increases  tlie  anguish  of  our  indignation 
that  among  all  the  many  MetclH  that  criminal 
audacity  of  Gaius  Atinius  for  ever  went  un- 
punished. 

XLV,  Also  in  the  case  of  his  late  Majesty  Augustus,  cttequered 
whom  the  whole  of  mankind  enrols  in  tlie  Ust  of  Augustua. 
happy  men,  if  all  the  facts  were  carefully  weiglied, 
grcat  revolutions  of  man's  lot  could  be  discovered: 
his  failure  ■with  his  uncle  "  in  regard  to  the  office  of 
Master  of  the  Horse,  when  the  candidate  opposing 
him,  Lepidus,  was  preferred;  the  hatred  caused 
by  the  proscription ;  his  association  in  the  trium- 
virate  with  the  wickedest  citizens,  and  that  not  ^vith 
an  equal  share  of  power  but  with  Antony  pre- 
dominant ;  liis  flight  in  the  battle  of  Phihppi  when 
he  was  suffering  from  disease,  and  his  three  days' 
hiding  in  a  marsh,  in  spite  of  his  illness  and  his 
swollen  dropsical  condition  (as  stated  bv  Agrippa 
and  Maecenas) ;  his  shipwreck  ofF  Sicily,  and  there 
ako  another  period  of  hiding  in  a  cave ;  his  entreaties 
to  Proculeius  to  kill  him,  in  the  naval  rout  when  a 
detachnient  of  the  enemy  was  ah-eady  pressing  close 
at  hand  ;  the  anxiety  of  the  struggle  at  Perugia,  the 
alarm  of  the  Battle  of  Actium,  his  fail  from  a  tower  in 
the  Pannonian  Wars ;  and  all  the  mutinies  in  his 
troops,  all  his  critical  illnesses,  his  suspicion  of 
Marcellus's  ambitions,  the  disgrace  of  Agrippa's 
banishment,  the  many  plots  against  his  life,  the 
charge  of  causing  the  death  of  his  children  * ;  and  his 
sorrows  that  were  not  due  solely  to  bereavement,his 
daughter's<^  adultery  and  the  disclosure  of  her  plots 

605 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HLSTORY 

palam  facta,  contumeliosus  privigni  Neronis  secessus, 
aliud  in  nepte  adulterium,  iuncta  deinde  tot  mala, 
inopia  stipendi,  rebellio  IUyrici,  servitiorum  delectus, 
iuventutis  pcnuria,  pestilentia  urbis,  fames  Italiae, 
destinatio  cxpirandi  et  quadridui  media  maior  pars 

150  mortis  in  corpus  recepta ;  iuxta  haec  Variana  clades 
et  maiestatis  eius  foeda  suggillatio,  abdicatio  Postumi 
Agrippac  post  adoptionem,  desiderium  post  relega- 
tionem,  inde  suspicio  in  Fabium  arcanorumque  prodi- 
tionem,  hinc  uxoris  et  Tiberi  cogitationes,  suprema 
eias  cura.  in  summa  deus  ille  caelumque  nescio 
adeptus  magis  an  meritus  herede  hostis  sui  fiUo 
exccssit. 

151  XLV^I.  Subeunt  in  hac  reputationc  Delphica  oracula 
velut  ad  castigandam  hominum  vanitatem  deo  emissa. 
duo  sunt  haec :  Pedium  felioissimum,  qui  pro  patria 
proxrme  occubuisset ;  iterum  a  Gyge  rege  tunc 
amphssimo  terrarum  consultum,^  Aglaum  Psophi- 
dium  esse  fehciorem.  senior  hic  in  angustissimo 
Arcadiae  angulo  parvum  sed  annuis  victibus  large 
sufficiens  praedium  colebat,  numquam  ex  eo  egressus 
atque,  ut  e  vitae  genere  manifestum  est,  minima 
cupidine  minimum  in  vita  maH  cxpertus. 

*    V.l.  CODBUlti. 


•  Tiberius  Claudius  Nero,  afterwards  the  emperor  Tiborius, 
6011  of  Livia  by  her  first  marriage  and  so  stepson  of  Augustus ; 
and  ho  aUo  bocamo  hia  son-in-law  by  marrj'ing  Juiia  aftor  the 
death  of  Agrippa.  He  hved  in  retirement  at  llhodea  for 
Beven  yeara. 

6o6 


BOOK   VII.  xLv.  149-.XLV1.  151 

against  her  father's  life,  the  insolent  withdrawal  of 
his  stepson  Nero,"  another  adultery,  that  of  his 
grand-daughter  * ;  then  the  long  series  of  mis- 
fortunes — lack  of  army  funds,  rebellion  of  Illyria, 
enUstment  of  slaves,  shortage  of  man  power,  plague 
at  Rome,  famine  in  Italy,  resolve  on  suicide  and 
death  more  than  half  achieved  by  four  davs'  starva- 
tion ;  next  the  disa^ter  of  Varus  <^  and  the  foul 
slur  upon  his  dignity ;  the  disowning  of  Postumius 
Agrippa  after  liis  adoption  as  heir,  and  the  sense  of 
loss  that  followed  his  banishment ;  then  his  suspicion 
in  regard  to  Fabius  and  the  betrayal  of  secrets ; 
afterwards  the  intrigues  of  his  wife  and  Tiberius 
that  tormented  his  latest  days.  In  fine,  this  god — 
whether  deified  more  by  his  OAvn  action  or  by  his 
merits  I  know  not— departed  from  life  leaving  his 
enemy's  son  his  heir. 

XLVI.  In  this  review  there  come  to  mind  the  Oracuiar 
Delphic  oracles  sent  forth  by  the  god  as  if  for  the  tJS."^ 
purpose  of  chastising  the  vanity  of  mankind.  Here 
are  two :  '  The  happiest  of  men  is  Pedius,  who  lately 
fell  in  battle  for  his  country  ' ;  and  secondly,  when 
the  oracle  was  consulted  by  Gyges,  then  the 
wealthiest  king  in  the  world,  '  Aglaus  of  Psophis  is 
happier.'  This  was  an  elderly  man  who  cultivated 
an  estate,  small  but  amply  sufficient  for  his  yearly 
provision,  in  a  very  shut  in  corner  of  Arcadia,  and 
who  had  never  left  it,  and  being  (as  his  kind  of  hfe 
showedj  a  man  of  very  small  desires  experienced  a 
very  small  amount  of  misfortune  in  hfe. 

*  Julia,  daufrhter  of  Julia  and  Agrippa,  wifo  of  L.  Aemiliua 
Pauliis ;   banished  b}'  Augustus  for  adultor}'  with  D.  Silanus. 

'  Quintihua  Varus  and  his  army  annihilated  at  Saltus  Teuto- 
burgonsis  by  German  robela  under  Arminius,  9  B.o. 

607 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

152  XLVII.  Consecratus  est  vivus  sentiensque  eiusdem 
oraculi  iussu  et  lovis  deorum  summi  adstipulatu 
Euthymus  pycta,  semper  Olympiac  victor  et  semel 
victus.  patria  ei  Locri  in  Italia  ;  imaginem  eius  ibi  ^  et 
OHTnpiae  alteram  eodem  die  tact.os^  fulmine  Callima- 
chum  ut  nihil  aliud  miratum  video  oraculumque  ^ 
iussisse  *  sacrificari,  quod  et  vivo  factitatum  et 
mortuo,  nihilque  de  eo  mirum  aHud  quam  hoc 
placuisse  dis. 

153  XLVIII.  De  spatio  atque  longinquitate  vitae  homi- 
num  non  locorum  modo  situs  verum  et  tempora  ac^ 
sua  cuique  sors  nascendi  incertum  *  fecere.  Hesiodus, 
qui  primus  aliqua  de  hoc  prodidit,  fabulose,  ut  reor, 
multa  hominum  aevo  praeferens  '  cornici  novem 
nostras  adtribuit  aetates,  quadruplum  eius  cervis,  id 
triphcatum  corvis,  et  rehqua  fabulosius  in  phoenice  ac 

154  Nymphis.  Anacreon  poeta  Arganthonio  Tartesiorum 
regi  CL  tribuit  annos,  Cinyrae  Cvpriorum  decem 
annis  ampHus,  Aegimio  cc.  Theopompus  Epimcnidi 
Gnosio  CLvii,  Hellanicus  quosdam  in  Aetoha 
Epiorum  gentis  ducentos  ^  explere,  cui  adstipulatur 
Damastes  memorans  Pictoreum  ex  his  praecipuum 

153  corpore  viribusque  etiam  ccc  vixisse,  Ephorus 
Arcadum  reges  tricenis  annis,  Alexander  Cornehus 

*  Sic  ?  Mnyhoff:  ibi  imaginem  eius  aut  ibi  imaginem  eius  ibi. 

*  liackham  :   tactam. 

'  Mayhofft  :    ad  euraque  aut  deumque. 

*  iussisse  <(ei)>?  Rackham. 

'  Detlefsen  :    verum  exempla  ac. 
•■•  incertum  <iudiciuoi>    ?  Mayhoff. 
'  Mayhoff :    rcfcrens. 

*  Mayhuff :   duccuta. 


"  Not  in  tho  eitant  works  of  Hoaiod. 

6o8 


BOOK    VII.  xLvii.  I52-XLVIII.  155 

XLVII.  By  the  comniand  of  the  same  oracle  and 
\rith  the  assent  of  Jupiter  the  supreme  deity, 
Euthymus  the  boxer,  who  won  all  his  matches  at 
Olympia  and  was  only  once  beaten,  was  made  a 
saint  in  his  lifetime  and  to  his  own  knowledge.  His 
native  place  was  Locri  in  Italy ;  I  noticed  that 
CalHmachus  records  as  an  unparalleled  marvel  that 
a  statue  of  him  there  and  another  at  Olympia  were 
struck  by  lightning  on  the  same  day,  and  that  the 
oracle  commanded  that  sacrifice  should  be  offered 
to  him ;  this  was  repeatedly  done  both  during  his 
lifetime  and  when  he  was  dead,  and  nothing 
about  it  is  surprising  except  that  the  gods  so 
decreed. 

XLVIII.  As  to  the  length  and  duration  of  men's  iJvmnn 
Hfe,  not  only  geographical  position  but  also  dates  and  ug'^d%iT 
the  various  fortunes  allotted  at  birth  to  each  individual  ''«'■'''n'- 
have  made  it  uncertain.  Hesiod,  who  first  put  forth 
some  observations "  on  this  matter,  placing  many 
creatures  above  man  in  respect  of  longevity,  ficti- 
tiously  as  I  think,  assigns  nine  of  our  Hfetimcs  to  the 
crow,  four  times  a  crow's  life  to  stags,  three  times  a 
stag's  to  ravens,  and  for  the  rest  in  a  more  fictitious 
style  in  the  case  of  the  phoenix  and  the  nymphs.  The 
poet  Anacreon  attributes  150  years  to  Arganthonius 
king  of  the  Tartesii,  10  years  more  to  Cinyras  king 
of  Cyprus,  and  200  to  Aegimius.  Theopompus  gives 
157  to  Epimenides  of  Cnossus.  Hellanicus  says  that 
some  members  of  the  clan  of  the  Epii  in  Aetolia 
complete  200  years,  and  he  is  supported  by  Damastes 
who  records  that  one  of  them,  Pictoreus,  a  man  of 
outstanding  stature  and  strength,  even  lived  300 
years  ;  Ephorus  records  Arcadian  kings  of  300  years  ; 
Alexander  Comehus  says  that  a  certain   Dando  in 

609 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Dandonem  quendam  in  Illyrico  d  vixisse,  Xenophon 
in  periplo  Lutmiorum  insulae  regem  dc,  atque  ut 
parce  mentitus  filium  eius  dccc.  quae  omnia  inscitia 
temporum  acciderunt ;  annum  enim  alii  aestate 
determinabant  et  alterum  hieme,  alii  quadripertitis 
temporibas,  sicut  Arcades  quorum  anni  trimenstres 
fuere,  quidam  lunae  senio  ut  Aegyptii.  itaque  apud 
eos  et  singuli  milia  annorum  vixisse  produntur. 

156  Sed  ut  ad  confessa  transeamus,  Arganthonium 
Gaditanum  lxxx  annis  regnasse  prope  certum  est ; 
putant  quadragensimo  coepisse.  Masinissam  lx 
annis  regnasse  indubitatum  est,  Gorgian  Siculum 
c\'iii  vixisse.  Q.  Fabius  Maximus  lxui  annis  augur 
fuit.  M.  Perperna  et  nupcr  L.  Volusius  Saturninus 
omnium  quos  in  consulatu  sententiam  rogavcrant 
superstites  fuere,  Perperna  viii  reliquit  ex  iis  quos 

157  ceasor  legerat :  vixit  annos  lxxxxviii.  qua  in  re  et 
illud  adnotare  succurrit,unum  omnino  quinquennium 
fuisse  quo  senator  nullus  morcrctur,  cum  Tlaccus 
et  Albinus  censores  lustrum  condidcre,  usque  ad 
proxumos  ceasores,  ab  anno  urbis  dlxxix.  M.  Valerius 
Corvinus  centurn  annos  iniplevit,  cuius  inter  primum 
et  sextum  con.sulalum  xlvi  anni  fuere.  idem  sella 
curuli  semel  ac  viciens  sedit,  quotiens  nemo  aHus ; 
aequavit  eius  vitae  spatia  Metellus  pontifex. 


•  /.e.  who  had  been  membera  of  the  Senate  during  their 
consiilshipi 

6io 


BOOK   VII.  xLviii.  155-157 

IlljTia  lived  500  years.  Xenophon  in  his  Coasting 
Voyage  says  that  a  king  of  the  island  of  the  Lutniii 
Hved  to  600,  and — as  tJiough  that  were  only  a  modest 
fabrication — that  his  son  livcd  to  800.  All  of  these 
exaggerations  were  due  to  ignorance  of  chronology, 
because  some  people  niade  the  year  coincide  with 
the  summer,  the  winter  being  a  second  year,  others 
marked  it  by  the  periods  of  the  four  seasons,  for 
example  the  Arcadians  whose  years  were  three 
months  long,  and  some  by  the  waning  of  the  moon, 
;is  do  the  Egyptians.  Consequently  with  them  even 
individuals  are  recordcd  to  have  Hved  a  thousand 
years. 

But  to  pass  to  admitted  facts,  it  is  almost  certain 
that  Argathonius  of  Cadiz  reigned  for  80  years  ;  his 
reign  is  thought  to  have  begun  in  his  fortieth  year. 
It  is  not  questioned  that  Masinissa  reigned  00  years 
and  that  the  Sicilian  Gorgias  Hved  108  years. 
Quintus  Fabius  Maximus  was  augur  for  63  years. 
Marcus  Perperna  and  recently  Lucius  Volusius 
Saturninus  outlived  all  the  persons  whose  votes  in 
debate  they  had  taken  as  consuls  " ;  Perperna  left 
only  seven  of  those  whom  as  censor  he  had  elected — 
he  lived  to  98.  In  this  matter  it  occurs  to  me  to  note 
also  that  there  has  only  been  a  single  five-year 
period  in  which  no  senator  has  died,  from  when 
Flaccus  and  Albinus  as  censors  performed  the 
purification  ceremony  to  the  ncxt  censors — begin- 
ning  175  b.c.  Marcus  Valerius  Cor\inus  completed 
100  years,  and  there  was  an  interval  of  46  years 
between  his  first  and  sixth  consulships.  He  also 
took  his  seat  in  the  curule  chair  21  times,  which  is  a 
record;  but  his  length  of  Hfe  was  equalled  l)y  the 
pontifex  Metellus. 

5ii 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

158  Et  ex  feminis  Livia  llutili  lxyxxvii  annos  excessit, 
Statilia  Claudio  principe  ex  nobili  domo  lxxxxix, 
Terentia  Ciceronis  ciii,  Clodia  Ofili  cxv,  haec 
quidem  etiam  enixa  quindeciens.  Lucceia  mima  c 
annis  in  scaena  pronuntiavit.  Galeria  Copiola  embo- 
liaria  reducta  est  in  scaenam  C.  Poppaeo  Q.  Sulpicio 
coss.  ludis  pro  salute  divi  Augusti  votivis  annum  civ 
agens ;  pi*oducta  fuerat  tirocinio  a  M.  Pomponio 
aedile  plebis  C.  Mario  Cn.  Carbone  coss.  ante  annos 
xci,  a    Magno   Pompeio   magni   theatri   dedicatione 

159  anus  pro  miraculo  reducta.  Sammulam  quoque  cx 
annis  vixisse  auctor  est  Pedianus  Asconius.  Minus 
miror  Stephanionem,  qui  primus  togatus  ^  saltare 
instituit,  uti'isque  saecularibus  ludis  saltavisse,  et 
divi  Augusti  et  quos  Claudius  Caesar  consulatu  suo 
quarto  fecit,  quando  lxiii  non  amphus  anni  inter- 
fuere,  quamquam  et  postea  diu  vixit.  in  Tmoh 
Montis  Cacumine  quod  vocant  Tempsin  CL  annis 
vivere  Mucianus  auctor  est,  totidem  annorum  * 
censum  Chiudi  Caesaris  censura  T.  FuUonium  Bono- 
nicnsem,  idque  collatis  censibus  quos  ante  dctulerat 
vitaeque  argumentis — etenim  curae  principi  id 
erat — verum  apparuit. 

160  XLIX.  Poscere  videtur  locus  ipsesiderahsscientiae 
sententiam.      Epigenes    cxii    annos    inpleri    ncgavit 

*  tog;it;is  Salirlliu.<!. 

«  MaykoJJ  (cl.  161):   aiiiioa. 

"  C)r  posBibly  *had  a  stagc-oaroer  of  a  hundred  yoare.' 
*  A.u.  8.  «  82  B.c. 

6l2 


BOOK   VII.  xLviii.  i58-xLi.\.  i6o 

Also  arnong  women  Livia  wife  of  Rutilius  e^- LongevUy  oj 
ceeded  97  years,  Statilia  a  lady  of  noble  faniily  "'<""^"- 
under  the  Emperor  Claudius  99,  Terentia  Cicero's 
wife  103,  Clodia  Ofilius's  wife  115;  the  latter 
also  bore  15  children.  The  actress  Lucceia  de- 
livered  a  recitation  on  the  stage  at  100."  Galeria 
Copiola  the  actress  of  interludes  was  brouglit  back 
to  the  stage  in  the  consulship  of  Gaius  Poppaciis  and 
Quintus  Sulpicius,*  at  the  votive  games  celebrated 
for  the  recovery  of  his  late  Majesty  Augustus,  when 
in  her  104th  year ;  she  had  been  brought  out  at  her 
first  appearance  by  Marcus  Pomponius,  aedile  of  the 
plebs,  in  the  coasulship  <^  of  Gaius  Marius  and  Gnaeus 
Carbo,  9J  years  before,  and  she  was  brought  back 
to  the  stage  when  an  old  woman  by  Pompey  the 
Great  as  a  marvel  at  the  dedication  of  the  big 
theatre.  Also  Pedianus  Asconius  states  that  Sam- 
mula  lived  110  years.  I  am  less  surprised  that 
Stephanio,  who  first  introduced  dancing  in  national 
costume,  danced  at  both  secular  games,  both  those 
of  his  late  Majesty  Augastus  and  those  celebrated 
by  Claudius  Caesar  in  his  fourth  consulship,  as 
the  interval  was  only  63  years,  although  he  also 
Uved  a  long  time  afterwards.  Mucianus  is  the 
authority  for  one  Tempsis  having  lived  150  years  at 
the  place  called  Mount  Tmolus  Heights ;  and  the 
census  of  Claudius  Caesar  gives  the  same  number 
of  years  for  Titus  FuUonius  of  Bologna,  which  has 
been  verified  by  comparing  the  census  returns  he  had 
made  previously  and  by  the  facts  of  his  career — for 
the  emperor  gave  his  attention  to  this  matter. 

XLIX.  The  topic  seems  of  itself  to  call  for  the  view  scimtijic 
held  by  astronomical  science.    Epigenes  declared  that  J^^^pX!" 
it  is  impossible  to  Hve  112  years ;  Berosus  said  that 

613 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HL«^TORY 

posse,  Berosus  excedi  xcvi.  durat  et  ea  ratio  qiiam 
Petosiris  ac  Necepsos  tradidere  (tetartemorion 
appellant  a  trium  signorum  portione)  qua  posse 
in  Italiae  tractu  cxxiv  annos  \-itae  contingere 
apparet.  negavere  illi  quemquam  xc  partium 
exortivam  mensuram  (quod  anaphoras  vocant)  trans- 
gredijCt  has  ipsas  incidi  occursu  maleficorum  siderum 
aut  etiam  radiis  eorum  solisque.  Aesculapi  rursus 
secta,  quae  stata  vitae  spatia  a  stellis  accipi   dicit, 

161  quantum  plurimum  tribuat  incertum  cst ;  rara  autem 
esse  dicunt  longiora  tempora,  quandoquidem  mo- 
mentis  horarum  insignibus  lunae  dierum,  ut  vii 
atque  xv  quae  nocte  ac  die  observantur,  ingens 
turba  na^^catur  scansili  annorum  lege  occidua,  quam 
climacteras  appellant,  non  fere  ita  genitis  uv  annum 
excedentibus. 

162  Prinium  ergo  ipsius  artis  inconstantia  declarat 
quam  incerta  res  sit.  accedunt  experimcnta  ^ 
recentissimi  census  quem  intra  quadriennium  Im- 
peratorcs  Caesares  \'cspasiani  pater  filiusque  cen- 
sores  egerunt.  nec  sunt  onmia  vasaria  excutienda : 
mediae  tantum  partis  inter  Apenninum  Padumque 
ponemus  exempla,  cxx  annos  Parmae  tres  edidere, 

163  Brixilli  unus,  cxxv  Parmae  duo,  cxxx  Placentiae 
unus,  Faventiae  una  niulier,  cxxxv  Bononiae  L. 
Terentius  M.  fiHus,  Arimini  vero  M.  Aponius  cxl, 
Tertulla     cxxxvii.     citra     Placentiam     in     coUibus 

•  V.U.  add.  exempla  aut  et  exempla. 


"  I.e.  Titns.     The  dato  was  a.h.  74. 


614 


BOOK   VII.  xLix.  160-163 

116  years  can  be  exceeded.  Also  the  theory  handed 
do^NTi  by  Petosh-is  and  Necepsos  is  still  extant  (it  is 
called  the  Theory  of  Quarters,  from  its  dividing  iip 
the  Zodiac  into  groups  of  three  signs) ;  this  theory 
shows  it  possible  to  attain  121:  years  of  life  in  the 
region  of  Italy.  These  thinkers  declared  that 
nobody  exceeds  the  ascendant  measure  of  90  degrees 
(what  is  called  '  risings  '),  and  stated  that  this  period 
itself  may  be  cut  short  by  the  encounter  of  male- 
ficent  stars,  or  even  by  their  rays  and  by  those  of 
the  sun.  Again  it  is  uncertain  what  is  the  greatest 
longevity  allowed  by  the  school  of  Aesculapius, 
which  says  that  fixed  periods  of  Hfe  are  received  froni 
the  stars ;  however,  they  say  that  longer  periods 
of  hfe  are  rare,  inasmuch  as  vast  crowds  of  men  are 
born  at  critical  moments  in  the  hours  of  the  hmar 
days,  for  example  the  7th  and  the  15th  hour  counting 
by  night  and  day.  who  are  liable  to  die  under  the  law 
of  thc  ascending  scale  of  years,  called  '  gradations,' 
persons  so  born  rarely  exceeding  their  fifty-fourth 
year. 

At    the    outset    therefore    the    variations    in    the  Census-enses 
science    itself  show    how    uncertain   the   matter  is.  '    ""■ 

In  addition  there  are  the  expericnces  of  the  last 
census,  held  within  the  last  four  years  by  the 
Emperors  Caesar  Vcspasian  father  and  son*  as 
Censors.  Nor  is  it  necessary  to  ransack  all  the 
records  :  we  will  only  produce  cases  from  the  middle 
region  between  the  Apennines  and  the  Po.  Three 
persons  declared  120  years  at  Parma  and  one  at 
Brescello ;  two  at  Parma  125;  one  man  at  Piacenza 
and  one  wonian  at  Faenza  130  ;  Lucius  Terentius  son 
of  Marcus  at  Bologna  135;  Marcus  Aponius  140  and 
Tertulla    1.37    at    Rimini.     In   the   hills  this  side   of 

615 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

oppidum    est    Veleialium,    in    quo    cx    amios    sex 
detulere,  quattuor  vero  centenos  vicenos,  unus  cl, 

164  M.  Mucius  M.  filius  Galeria  Felix.  ac  ne  pluribus 
moremur  in  re  confessa,  in  regione  Italiae  octava 
centenum  annorum  censi  sunt  homines  liv,  cen- 
tenum  denum  homines  xiv,  centenum  vicenum 
quinum  homines  duo,  ccntenum  tricenum  homines 
quattuor,  centenum  tricenum  quinum  aut  septenum 
totidem,  centenum  quadragenum  homines  tres. 

165  Alia  mortaUtatis  inconstantia :  Ilomerus  eadem 
nocte  natos  Hectorem  et  Polydamanta  tradidit, 
tam  diversae  sortis  viros ;  C.  Mario  Cn.  Carbone  iii 
coss.  a.  d.  V.  kal.  lunias  M.  Caehus  Rufus  et  C.  Licinius 
Calvus  eadem  die  geniti  sunt,  oratores  quidem 
ambo,  sed  tam  dispari  eventu.  hoc  etiam  iisdem 
horis  nascentibus  in  toto  mundo  cotidie  evenit, 
pariterque  domini  ac  servi  gignuntur,  reges  et 
inopes. 

166  L.  P.  Cornehus  Rufus,  qui  consul  cum  M'.  Curio 
fuit,  dormiens  oculoruin  visum  amisit,  cum  id  sibi 
accidere  somniaret.  e  diverso  Pheraeus  lason  de- 
ploratus  a  medicis  voniicae  morbo,  cum  mortem  in 
acie  quaereret,  vulnerato  pectore  medicinam  invenit 
ex  hoste.  Q.  Fabius  Maximus  consul  apud  flumen 
Isaram  proeUo  commisso  adversxis  Allobrogum 
Arvernorumque  gentcs  a.  d.  vi.  id.  Augustas,  cxxx 
perduelHum  caesis,  febri  quartana  liberatus  est  in 

167  acie.  incertum  ac  fragilc  nimirum  est  hoc  munus 
naturae,  quicquid  datur  nobis,  malignum  vero  et 
brevc  etiam  in  his  quibus  largissime  contigit,  uni- 


•  Iliad  xviii.  249  fiF. 
*  82  Bn.  '  121  n.o. 


6i6 


BOOK   VII.  xux.  163-L.  167 

Piacenza  is  the  toAvnship  of  Veleia,  where  six  declared 
110  years,  four  120,  one  (Marcus  Mucius  Felix,  son 
of  Marcus,  of  the  Galerian  tribe)  150.  And,  not  to 
delay  ^dth  further  instances  in  a  matter  of  admitted 
fact,  the  census  registered  in  the  eighth  region  of 
Italy  54  persons  of  100  years  of  age,  14  of  110,  2  of 
125,  4  of  130,  the  same  number  of  135  or  137,  3  of 
140. 

Other  instances  of  the  fickleness  of  mortal  fortunes  stHking 
are  these :  Homer"  has  recordcd  that  men  of  such  }^,"„°  •, 
diverse  fates  as  Hector  and  Polydamas  were  born  on  Hajitiudff*. 
the  same  night ;    Mareus  CaeHus  llufus  and  Gaius 
Licinius  Cah'us,  both  orators  but  with  such  different 
success,  were  born  on  the  same  day,  May  28  in  the 
consulship  ^  of  Gaius   Marius  and  Gnaeus  Carbo — 
the    latter's   third.     Taking   the    entire  world,  this 
happens  daily  even  to  persons  born  at  the  same  hours 
— masters  and  slaves,  kings  and  paupers  come  into 
existence  simultaneously. 

L.  PubHus  Cornelius  Rufus,  who  Avas  consul  with 
Manius  Curius,  lost  his  sight  while  asleep,  when 
dreaming  that  it  w.as  happening  to  him.  In  the 
opposite  way,  Jason  of  Pherae  being  ill  with  a  tumour 
and  given  up  by  the  doctors  sought  death  in  battle, 
but  was  wounded  in  the  chest  and  so  obtained  a  cure 
from  the  enemy.  In  the  battle  against  the  clans  of 
the  Allobroges  and  Arverni  on  the  river  Isfcre,  on 
August  8,  when  130,000  of  the  foe  werc  killed,  the 
consul '  Quintus  Fabius  Maximus  got  rid  of  a 
quartan  ague  in  action.  In  fact  whatever  be  this 
gift  of  nature  that  is  bestowed  upon  us,  it  is  uncertain 
and  insecure,  indeed  sinister  and  of  brief  duration 
even  in  the  case  of  those  to  whose  lot  it  has  fallen 
in  most  bounteous  measure,  at  all  evonts  whcn  we 

617 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

versum  utique  aevi  tenipus  intuentibus.  quid  quod 
aestiniatione  nocturnae  quietis  diniidio  quisque  spatio 
\itae  suae  vivit,  pars  aequa  mnrti  similis  exigitur  aut 
poenae,  nisi  contigit  quies  ?  nec  reputantur  infantiae 
anni  qui  sensu  carent,  non  senectae  in  poenam  vivacis, 
tot  periculorum  genera,  tot  morbi,  tot  metus,  tot 
curae,  totiens  invocata  morte  ut  nullum  frequentius 
1G8  sit  votum.  natura  vero  nihil  hominibus  brevitate 
vitae  praestitit  meHus.  hebescunt  sensus,  membra 
torpcnt,  pracmoritur  visus,  auditus,  incessus,  dentis 
etiam  ac  ciborum  instrumenta,  et  tamen  vitae  hoc 
tempus  adnumeratur.  est  ^  ergo  pro  miraculo,  et  id 
solitarium  reperitur  exemplum  Xenophili  musici, 
centum  et  quinque  annis  \ixisse  sinc  ullo  corporis  in- 

169  commodo.  at,  Hercule,  reliquis  omnibus  per  singulas 
membrorum  partes  qualiter  nullis  aUis  animalibus 
certis  pestifer  calor  remeat  lioris  aut  rigor,  neque 
horis  modo  sed  et  dicbus  noctibusque  trinis  quadri- 
nisve,  etiam  anno  trjto.  atque  etiam  morbus  est 
aHquantisper  2    sapientiam     mori.      morbis     quoque 

170  enim  quasdam  leges  natura  inposuit :  quadrini 
circuitus  febrem  numquam  bruma,  numquam  hibernis 
mensibus  incipere,  quosdam  post  sexagensimum 
vitae  spatium  non  acccdere,  aHis  ^  pi:bertate  dc}ioni, 
feminis  praecipue  ;  senes  minime  sentire  pestilentiain. 
namque  et  universis  gentibus  ingruunt  morbi  et 
generatim  modo  servitiis  modo  procerum  ordini 
aHosque  per  gradus.     qua  in  re  observatum  a  meri- 

'  ePt  aJd.  Rackhatn- 

•  Alcialus  :  alitfuis  per. 

*  Ma,y}toJf :   alios. 

6i8 


BOOK   VII.  L.  167-170 

regard  the  whole  extent  of  time.  Wliat  of  tlie  fact 
that,  if  we  take  into  account  our  nightly  pcriod  of 
slumber,  evervbody  is  alive  for  only  a  half  of  his 
life,  whereas  an  equal  portion  is  passed  in  a  manner 
that  resembles  death,  or,  in  default  of  slumber, 
torture.  And  vre  are  not  counting  in  the  years  of 
infancy  that  h\ck  sensation,  nor  those  of  old  age  that 
remains  ahve  to  be  tormented,  nor  all  the  kinds  of 
dangers,  all  the  diseases,  all  the  fears,  all  the  anxieties, 
with  death  so  often  invoked  that  this  is  the  commonest 
of  pravers.  But  nature  has  granted  man  no  better  Bretit!/  o/ 
gift  than  the  shortness  of  Hfe.  The  senses  grow  dull,  /""  '"^''^- 
the  hmbs  are  numb,  sight,  hearing,  gait,  even  the 
teeth  and  ahmentary  organs  die  before  we  do,  and 
yet  this  period  is  reckoned  a  portion  of  hfe.  Con- 
sequently  it  is  virtually  a  miracle — and  this  is  the 
sohtarv  instance  of  it  found — that  the  musician 
Xenophilus  lived  to  105  without  anv  bodily  disable- 
ment.  But  assuredly  with  all  the  rest  of  men,  as  in 
the  case  of  none  of  the  other  animals,  morbid  heat  or 
else  stifFness  returns  througli  the  several  portions  of 
the  hmbs  at  fixed  hours,  and  not  only  at  certain  hours 
but  also  every  three  or  four  days  or  nights,  even  all 
the  year  round.  And  moreover  the  death  of  the 
intellect  in  some  measure  is  a  disease.  For  nature  has 
imposed  certain  laws  even  upon  dise.tses  :  a  four-day- 
period  fever  never  begins  at  mid-winter  or  in  the  winter 
months,  and  some  people  are  not  attacked  by  it  when 
over  the  age  of  60,  while  willi  others,  particularly 
women,  it  is  discarded  at  puberty ;  and  old  men  are 
least  susceptible  to  plague.  For  diseases  attack  not 
only  entire  nations  but  also  particular  classes,  some- 
times  the  slaves,  sometimes  the  nobihty,  and  so 
through  other  grades.     In  this  respect  it  has  been 

619 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

dianis  partibiis  ad  occasum  solis  pestilentiam  semper 
ire  nec  umquam  aliter  fcre,  non  hieme,  nec  ut  ternos 
excedat  menses. 

171  LI.  lam  signa  letalia :  in  furoris  morbo  risum, 
sapientiae  vero  aegritudine  fnnbriarum  curam  et 
stragulae  vestis  plicateras,  a  somno  moventium 
neglectum,  praefandi  umoris  e  corpore  effluvium, 
in  oculorum  quidem  et  narium  aspectu  indubitata 
maximc,  atque  etiam  supino  adsidue  cubitu, 
venarum  inacquabili  aut  formicante  percussu,  quae- 
que  alia  Hippocrati  principi  medicinae  observata 
sunt.  et  cum  innumerabilia  sint  mortis  signa, 
salutis  securitatisque  nulla  sunt,  quippe  cum 
censorius  Cato  ad  filium  de  validis  quoque  observa- 
tionem    ut    ex    oraciilo    aliquo    prodiderit    senilem 

172  iuventam  praematurae  raortis  esse  signum.  mor- 
borum  vero  tam  infinita  est  multitudo  ut  Pherecydes 
Syrius  serpentium  multitudine  ex  corpore  eius  erum- 
pente  expiraverit.  quibusdam  perpetua  febris  est, 
sicut  C.  Maecenati ;  eidem  triennio  supremo  nullo 
horae  momento  contigit  somnus.  Antipater  Sidonius 
poeta  omnibus  annis  uno  die  tantum  natali  corripie- 
batur  febre  et  eo  coasumptus  est  satis  longa  senecta. 

173  LII.  Aviola  consularis  in  rogo  revixit  et,  quoniam 
subveniri  non  potuerat  praevalente  flamma,  vivus 
crematus  est.  similis  causa  in  L.  Lamia  praetorio 
viro  traditur ;  nam  C.  Aelium  Tuberonem  praetura 
functum  a  rogo  relatum  Messala  Rufus  et  plerique 

620 


BOOK   VII.  L.  lyo-Lii.  173 

observed  that  plague  aiways  ti-avels  from  southern 
quarters  westAvard  and  almost  never  otlienvise,  and 
that  it  does  not  spread  in  winter,  nor  during  a  period 
exceeding  thrce  months. 

LI.  Again,  signs  of  approaching  death  are :  in  a  simsof 
case  of  insanity  laughter,  but  in  delirium  toying  with  deatZ"'^' 
fringes  and  inaking  folds  in  the  bed-clothes,  disregard 
of  persons  trying  to  keep  the  patient  awake,  making 
water,  while  the  most  unmistakable  signs  are  in  the 
appearance  of  the  eyes  and  nostrils,  and  also  in  lying 
constantlv  on  the  back,  in  an  irregular  and  excessively 
slow  pulse,  and  the  other  symptoms  noted  by  that 
prince  of  medicine  Hippocrates.  And  whereas  the 
signs  of  death  are  innumerable,  there  are  no  signs 
of  health  being  secure ;  inasmuch  as  the  ex-censor 
Cato  gave  an  as  it  were  oracular  utterance  addressed 
to  his  son  about  healthy  persons  also,  to  the  effect 
that  senile  characteristics  in  youth  are  a  sign  of 
premature  death.  But  so  imhmited  is  the  number  of 
diseases  that  the  Syrian  Pherecydes  expired  with  a 
swarm  of  maggots  bursting  out  of  his  body.  Some 
people  suifer  from  perpetual  fever,  for  instance  Gy.ius 
Maecenas :  the  same  had  not  an  hour's  sleep  in  the 
last  three  years  of  his  Ufe.  The  poet  Antipater  of 
Sidon  used  to  have  a  yearly  attack  of  fever  011  one  day 
onlv,  his  birthday,  and  this  at  a  fairly  advanced  age 
carried  him  off. 

LI I .  The  ex-consul  Aviola  came  to  life  again  on  the 
funeral  pyre,  and  as  the  flame  was  too  powerful  for 
it  to  be  possible  to  come  to  his  assistance,  was  burnt 
aUve.  A  similar  cause  of  death  is  recorded  in  the 
case  of  the  ex-praetor  Lucius  Lamia,  while  Gaius 
Aehus  Tubero,  a  former  praetor,  is  recorded  by 
Messala  Rufus  and  most  authoritles  to  have  been 

621 


PLINY:     NATURAL   HISTORY 

tradunt.     haec  est  conditio  mortalium :    ad  has  et 
eiusmodi  occasiones  fortunae  gignimur,  ut  de  homine 

174  ne  morti  quidem  debeat  credi.  rcperimus  inter 
exempla  Hermotimi  Clazomenii  animam  relicto 
corpore  errare  solitam  vagamque  e  longinquo  multa 
adnuntiare  quae  nisi  a  praesente  nosci  non  possent, 
corpore  interim  semianimi,  donec  cremato  eo  inimici 
qui  Cantharidae  vocabantur  remeanti  animae  veluti 
vaginam  ademcrint ;  Aristeae  etiam  visam  evolantem 
ex  ore  in  Proconneso  corvi  effigie,  cum  ^  magna  quae 

175  sequitur  hanc  ^  fabulositate.  quam  equidem  et 
in  Gnosio  Epimenide  simili  modo  accipio,  puerum 
aestu  et  itinerc  fessum  in  specu  septem  et  quinqu- 
aginta  dormisse  annis,  rerum  faciem  mutationenique 
mirantem  velut  postcro  die  experrectum,  hinc  pari 
numero  dicrum  scnio  ingruente,  ut  tamen  in  septi- 
mum  et  quinquagesimum  atque  centesimum  vitae 
duraret  annum.  feminarum  sexus  huic  malo  videtur 
maxime  opportunus  conversione  volvae,  quae  si 
corrigatur,  spiritus  restituitur.  huc  pertinet  nobile 
illud  apud  Graecos  volumen  Heraclidis  septem  diebus 
feminae  exanimis  ad  vitara  revocatae. 

176  Varro  quoque  auctor  est  xx  viro  se  agros  dividente 
Capuae    quendam    qui    efferretur    feretro  ^    domum 


'   liackhatn  :   quae  aul  que  aut  om. 
Mayhoff :  hac.  Amvion  {vel  tOTo) :  foro. 


622 


BOOK   VII.  Lii.  173-176 

recovered    from    the    pyre.      This    is    the    law    of 

mortals  :   we  are  born  for  thcse  and  similar  accidcnts 

of  fortune,  so  that  in  the  case  of  a  human  being  no 

confidence  must  be  placcd  even  in  death.     Among 

other  instances  we  find  that  the  soul  of  Hermotimus  Disemhodied 

of  Clazomenae   used  to   leave   his   body   and  roam  '""''■'• 

abroad,  and  in  its  wanderings  report  to  him  from  a 

distance  many  things  that  only  one  present  at  them 

could  know  of — his  body  in  the  meantime  being  only 

half-conscious  ;  till  fmally  some  enemies  of  his  named 

the  Cantharidae  burncd  his  body  and  so  deprived  his 

soul  on  its  return  of  what  may  be  called  its  sheath. 

We  also  read  that  the  soul  of  Aristeas  at  Proconnesus 

was  seen  flying  out  of  his  mouth  in  the  shape  of  a 

raven,  witli  a  great  deal  of  fabulous  invention  that 

follows  this.     This  inventiveness  I  for  my  part  also 

receive  in  a  similar  Avay  in  tlie  case  of  Epimenides  of 

Cnossus — that  when  a  boy,  being  weary  with  the 

heat  and  with  travel,  he  slept  in  a  cave  57  years, 

and  when  he  woke,  just  as  if  it  had  been  on  the 

following    day,    was    surprised    at    the    appearance 

of  things  and  the  change  in  them;  and  afterwards 

old    age    came   on    him    in    the    same    number    of 

days   as   he   had   slept    years,  though  nevertheless 

he    lived    to    the    age    of    157.      The    female    sex 

seems  specially   hable   to   this    malady,  caused   by 

distortion   of  the   womb ;    if  this    is   set  right,  the 

breathing  is  restored.     To  this  subject  belongs  the 

essay  of  Heraclides,  well  known  in   Greece,  about 

the    woman   recalled   to  life   after  being  dead  for 

seven  days. 

Also  V^arro  records  that  when  he  was  acting  as  one  liecoi-eryof 
of  the  Twenty  Commissioners  and  apportioning  lands  ^ppaTmUy 
at  Capua  a  pcrson  being  carried  out  on  a  bier  to  burial  '**"<'• 

62% 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

remeasse  pedibus ;  hoc  idem  Aquini  accidisse ;  Romae 
quoque  Corfidium  materterae  suae  maritum  funere 
locato  revixisse  et  locatorem  funeris  ab  eo  elatum. 

177  adicit  miracula  quae  tota  indicasse  conveniat : 
e  duobus  fratribus  equestris  ordinis  Corfidiis  maiori 
accidisse  ut  viderctur  expirasse,  apertoque  testa- 
mento  recitatum  heredem  minorem  funeri  institisse, 
interim  eum  qui  videbatur  extinctus  plaudendo 
concivisse  ministeria  et  narrasse  a  fratre  se  vcnisse, 
commendatam  sibi  filiam  ab  eo,  demonstratum 
praeterea  quo  in  loco  defodisset  aurum  nuUo  conscio, 
et  rogasse  ut  his  funebribus  quae  comparasset 
efferretur.  hoc  eo  narrnnte  fratris  domestici  propere 
adnuntiavere    examinatum    illum ;     et    aurum    ubi 

178  dixerat  repcrtum  est.  plena  praeterea  vita  est  his 
vaticiniis,  sed  non  conferenda,  cum  saepius  falsa  sint, 
sicut  ingenti  exemplo  docebimus.  Bello  Siculo 
Gabienus  Caesaris  classium  ^  fortissimus  captus  a 
Sexto  Pompeio  iussu  eius  incisa  cervice  et  vix  co- 
haerente  iacuit  in  Htore  toto  die.  deinde,  cum 
advesperavisset,  gemitu  precibusque  congregata 
multitudine  petiit  uti  Pompeius  ad  se  veniret  aut 

^  classiarius  Caeaariua. 


"  Between    Sextus    Pompeius    and    Octavian    38-36    B.c 
CJabionus  is  only  known  from  thia  passage. 

624 


BOOK   VII.  Lii.  176  178 

returned  home  on  foot ;  and  that  the  same  thing 
occuned  at  Aquino ;  and  that  also  at  Rome  his 
maternal  aunt's  husband  Corfidius  came  to  hfe  again 
after  his  funeral  had  bcen  arranged  for  -with  an  under- 
taker,  and  that  he  himself  superintended  the  funeral 
of  the  relativ^e  vho  had  made  the  arrangement.  He 
adtLs  some  marvellous  occurrences  that  it  would  be 
suitable  to  have  set  out  in  their  entirety :  that  there 
■svere  two  brothers  Corfidius,  of  the  rank  of  knights, 
to  the  elder  of  whom  it  happened  that  he  appeared 
to  have  expired,  and  when  his  will  was  opened  the 
younger  brother  was  read  out  as  his  heir,  and  set 
about  arranging  his  funeral ;  in  the  meantime  the 
brother  who  appeared  to  be  dead  summoned  the 
servants  by  clapping  his  hands  and  told  them  that 
he  had  come  from  his  brother,  who  had  entrusted  his 
daughter  to  liis  care,  and  had  also  shown  him  where  he 
had  without  anybody's  knowledge  hidden  some  gold 
in  a  hole  dug  in  the  ground,  and  had  asked  that  the 
preparations  that  he  had  made  for  his  brother's 
funeral  might  be  used  for  himself.  While  he  was 
telHng  this  story  his  brother's  servants  hurriedly  came 
with  the  news  that  their  master  was  dead ;  and  the 
gold  was  found  in  the  place  where  he  liad  said.  More- 
over  hfe  is  full  of  these  prophecies,  but  they  are  not 
worth  collecting,  because  more  often  than  not  they 
arc  false,  as  we  will  prove  by  an  outstanding  example. 
In  the  SiciUanWar»  the  bravest  man  in  Caesar's  navies 
Gabienus  was  taken  prisoner  by  Sextus  Pompeius, 
by  whose  order  his  throat  was  cut  and  almost  severed, 
and  so  he  lay  a  whole  day  on  the  shore.  Then  on 
the  arrival  of  evening,  a  crowd  having  been  gathered 
to  the  spot  by  his  groans  and  entreaties,  he  besought 
that  Pompey  should  come  to  him,  or  send  one  of  his 

625 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

aliqiiem    ex    arcanis    mitteret,   se    enim   ab   inferis 

179  remissum  habere  quae  nuntiaret.  misit  plures 
Pompeius  ex  amicis,  quibus  Gabienus  dixit  inferis  dis 
placere  Pompei  causas  et  partes  pias  :  proindc  even- 
tum  futurum  quem  optaret ;  hoc  se  nuntiare  iussum  ; 
argumentum  fore  veritatis  quod  peractis  mandatis 
protinus  exspiraturus  esset.  idque  ita  evenit.  post 
sepulturam  quoque  visorum  exempla  sunt,  nisi  quod 
naturae  opera,  non  prodigia,  consectamur. 

180  LIII.  In  primis  autem  miraculo  sunt  atque 
frequentes  ^  mortes  repentinae  (hoc  est  summa  vitae 
fehcitas)  quas  esse  naturalcs  docebimus.  phirimas  pro- 
didit  Verrius,  nos  cum  delectu  modum  servabimus. 
gaudio  obiere  praeter  Chilonem,  de  quo  diximus, 
Sophocles  et  Dionysius  Siciliae  tyrannus,  uterque  ac- 
cepto  tragicae  victoriae  nuntio,  mater  illa  Cannensi 
fiho  incolumi  reviso  contra  nuntium  falsum,  pudore 
Diodoniis  sapientiae  dialecticae  professor,  lusoria 
quaestione      non      protinus      ad      interrogationem  ^ 

181  Stilponis  dissoluta.  nulhs  evidentibus  causis  obiere : 
dum  calciantur  matutino,  duo  Caesares,  praetor  et 
praetura  perfunctus  dictatoris  Caesaris  jiater,  hic 
Pisis  exanimatus,  ille  Romae,  Q.  Fabius  Maximus 
in  consuLitu  suo  pridie  kal.  lan.,  in  cuius  locum  C. 
Rebilus  paucissimarum  horarum  consulatum  petiit, 
item  C.  Volcatius  Gurges  senator,  omnes  adeo  sani 
atque  tempestivi  ut  de  progrediendo  cogitarent ;  Q. 
Aemihus  Lepidus  iam  cgrediens  incusso  polhce  hmini 

^  liackluim  :   frequenter  aui  frequentia. 
•   F.Z.  ab  interrogationo. 


"  §  119. 
626 


BOOK   VII.  Lii.  178-L111.  181 

personal  staff,  as  he  had  come  back  from  the  lower 
world  and  had  some  news  to  tell  him.  Pompey  sent 
several  of  his  friends,  who  were  told  by  Gabienus  that 
the  gods  below  approved  Pompey's  cause  and  the 
righteous  party,  so  that  the  issue  would  be  what 
Pompey  desired  ;  that  he  had  had  orders  to  bring  this 
news,  and  that  a  proof  of  its  truth  would  be  that  as 
soon  as  his  errand  was  accomphshed  he  would  expire. 
And  this  so  happened.  There  are  also  cases  of 
persons  appearing  after  burial — save  that  our 
subject  is  the  works  of  nature,  not  prodigies. 

LIII.  But  most  miraculous  and  also  frequent,  are  Suddm 
sudden  deaths  (this  is  hfe's  supreme  happiness),  ,3^^^^  o^ 
which  we  shall  show  to  be  natural.  Verrius  has  <<""• 
reported  a  great  many,but  we  will  preserve  modera- 
tion  with  a  selection.  Cases  of  people  who  died  of 
joy  are  (besides  Chilo  about  whom  we  have  spoken)" 
Sophocles  and  Dionysius  the  tyrant  of  Sicily,  in  both 
cases  after  receiving  news  of  a  victory  with  a  tragedy  : 
also  the  mother  who  saw  her  son  back  safe  from 
Cannae  in  contradiction  of  a  false  messagc  ;  Diodorus 
the  professor  of  logic  died  of  shame  because  he  could 
not  at  once  solve  a  problcm  put  to  him  in  jest  by 
Stilpo.  Cases  of  men  dying  from  no  obvious  causes 
are  :  while  putting  on  their  shoes  in  the  morning, 
the  two  Caesars,  the  praetor  and  the  ex-praetor, 
father  of  the  dictator  Caesar,  the  latter  dying  at 
Pisa  and  the  former  at  Ilome ;  Quintus  Fabius 
Maximus  on  31  Dcccmber  in  the  vear  of  his  consul- 
ship,  in  whose  place  Gaius  Rcbihis  obtained  the 
office  for  only  a  few  hours ;  also  the  senator 
Gaius  \'olcatius  Gurges — all  of  these  men  so  healthy 
and  fit  that  they  were  thinking  of  going  out  for  a 
walk ;  Quintus  Aeniilius  Lepidus  who  bruised  his  great 

627 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

cubiculi ;  C.  Aufustius  egressus  cum  in  scnatum  iret 

182  offenso  pede  in  comitio.  legatus  quoque  qui  Rhodi- 
orum  causam  in  senatu  magna  cum  admiratione 
oraverat  in  limine  curiae  protinus  expiravit  progredi 
volens,  Cn.  Baebius  Tamphilus  praetura  et  ipse 
functus  cuni  a  puero  quaesisset  horas,  Aulus  Pompeius 
in  Capitolio  cum  deos  salutasset,  M'.  luventius  Thalna 
consul  cum  sacrificaret,  C.  Servilius  Pansa  cum  staret 
in  foro  ad  tabernam  hora  diei  sccunda  in  P.  fratrem 
innixus,    Baebius    iudex    dum    vadimonium    differri 

183  iubet,  M.  Terentius  Corax  dum  tabellas  scribit  in 
foro ;  nec  non  et  proximo  anno,  dum  consulari  viro 
in  aurem  dicit,  Eques  Romanus  ante  ApoUinem 
eboreum  qui  est  in  foro  Augusti,  super  omnes  C. 
luhus  medicus  dum  inunguit  specillum  per  oculum 
trahens,  A.  Manhus  Torquatus  consularis  cum  in 
cena  placentam  adpeteret,  L.  Tuccius  medicus 
Sullae  ^  dum  mulsi  potionem  haurit,  Appius  Saufeius  e 
balineo  reversus  cum  mulsum  bibisset  ovumque  sor- 
beret,  P.  Quintius  Scapula  cum  apud  Aquilium 
Gallum  cenaret,  Decimus  Saufeius  scriba  cum  domi 

184  suae  pranderet.  Cornehus  Gallus  praetorius  et  T, 
Hetereius  Eques  Romanus  in  venere  obiere,  et  quos 
nostra  adnotavit  aetas  duo  equestris  ordinis  in  eodem 

Dtthjaen  :   Valla. 
628 


BOOK   VII.  Liir.  181-184 

toe  in  the  doorway  of  his  bedroom  just  as  he  was 
going  out ;  Gaius  Aufidius  wlio  after  he  had  gone  out 
hit  his  foot  against  something  in  the  Comitium  when 
he  was  on  his  way  to  the  senate.  Also  an  envoy  who 
had  pleaded  the  cause  of  Rhodes  in  the  senate  to 
the  general  admiration,  just  as  he  wantcd  to  leave 
the  senate-house  expired  on  tlie  threshold ;  Gnaeus 
Baebius  Tamphilus,  who  had  liimself  also  held  the 
praetorship,  dicd  just  aftcr  asking  his  footman  the 
time ;  Aulus  Pompeius  died  on  the  Capitol  after 
paying  reverence  to  the  gods,  Manius  Juventius 
Thalna  the  consul  while  offering  sacrifice,  Gaius 
Servilius  Pansa  while  standing  at  a  shop  in  the 
market-place,  leaning  on  his  brother  Pubhus's  arm, 
at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Baebius  the  judge 
while  in  the  act  of  giving  an  order  for  enlargement 
of  bail,  Marcus  Terentius  Corax  while  writing  a  note 
in  the  market-place  ;  and  moreover  last  year,  a  Knight 
of  Rome  died  while  saying  something  in  the  ear  of 
an  ex-consul,  just  in  front  of  the  ivory  statue  of  Apollo 
in  the  Forum  of  Augustus ;  and,  most  remarkable  of 
all,  the  doctor  Gaius  JuUus  died  from  passing  the 
probe  through  his  eye  while  pom-ing  in  ointment, 
the  ex-consul  Aulus  Manhus  Torquatus  while  helping 
himself  to  a  cake  at  dinner,  Lucius  fuccius,  Sulla's 
doctor,  while  drinking  a  draught  of  mead,  Appius 
Saufeius  when  he  had  drunk  some  mead  and  was 
sucking  an  egg  after  coming  back  from  the  bath- 
house,  Publius  Quintius  Scapula  when  out  to  dinner 
with  Aquilius  Gallus,  Decimus  Saufeius  the  clerk 
when  lunching  at  home.  Cornelius  Gallus,  ex- 
praetor,  and  Titus  Hetereius  Knight  of  Rome  died 
while  with  women ;  and,  cases  remarked  on  by  our 
own  generation,  two  members  of  the  Order  of  Knight- 

voL.  II.  X       ^29 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

pantomimo  Mystico  tum  fornia  praecellente.     opta- 
tissima  tamen  securitas  mortis  in   M.  Ofilio  Hilaro 

185  ab  antiquis  traditur :  comoediarum  histrio  is,  cum 
populo  admodum  placuisset  natali  die  suo  convivium- 
que  haberet,  edita  cena  calidam  potionem  in  pultario 
poposcit,  simulque  personam  eius  diei  accoptam 
intuens  coronam  e  capite  suo  in  eam  tran.stulit,  tali 
habitu  rigens  nullo  sentiente,  doncc  adcubantium 
proxumus  tepescere  potionem  admoneret. 

186  Haec  felicia  exempla,  at  contra  miserorum  in- 
numera :  L.  Domitius  clarissimae  gentis  apud  Mas- 
siliam  victus,  Corfmii  captus  ab  eodem  Caesare,  ven- 
eno  poto  propter  taedium  vitac,  postquam  biberat, 
omni  ope  ut  viveret  adnisus  est.  invenitur  in  actis 
Felice  russei  auriga  elato  in  rogum  eius  unum  e 
faventibus  iecisse  se,  frivolum  dictu,  ne  hoc  gloriae 
artificis  ^  daretur,  adversis  studiis  copia  odorom  cor- 
ruptum  criminantibus.  cum  ante  non  multo  M. 
Lepidus  nobilissimae  stirpis,  quem  divorti  anxie- 
tate  diximus  mortuum,  flammae  vi  e  rogo  eiectus 
recondi  propter  ardorem  non  potuisset,  iuxta 
sarmentis  aliis  nudus  crematus  est. 

•  aurigia  Detlefsen. 

•  49  B.o.  *  §  122. 

630 


BOOK  VII.  Liii.  184-186 

hood  died^vlien  with  the  same  ballet-dancer  Mysticus, 
the  leading  beauty  of  the  day.  However,  the  most 
enviablc  case  of  a  peaceful  end  is  one  recorded  by  our 
forefathers,  that  of  Marcus  OfiUus  Hilarus :  he  was 
an  actor  in  comedy,  and  having  had  a  considerable 
success  with  the  pubHc  on  his  birthday  and  while 
giving  a  partv,  when  dinner  was  served  called  for  a  hot 
drink  in  a  tankard,  and  at  the  same  tinie  picked  up 
the  mask  that  he  had  worn  on  that  day  and  while 
gazing  at  it  transferred  the  wreath  from  his  own 
head  to  it,  and  in  this  attitude  lay  quite  stiff  with- 
out  anybody  noticing,  imtil  the  guest  on  the  next 
couch  warned  him  that  his  drink  was  getting 
cold. 

These  are  happy  instances,  but  there  are  countless  suidde. 
numbers  of  unhappv  ones.  Lucius  Domitius,  a  man 
of  very  distinguished  family,  who  was  defeated  at 
Marseilles  and  was  taken  prisoner,  also  by  Caesar, 
at  Corfinium,"  grew  tired  of  Ufe  and  drank  poison, 
but  afterwards  made  every  effort  to  save  his  Ufe. 
It  is  found  in  the  official  records  that  at  the 
funeral  of  FeUx  the  charioteer  of  the  Reds  one 
of  his  backers  threw  himself  upon  the  pyre — a 
pitiful  story — and  the  opposing  backers  tried  to 
prevent  this  score  to  the  record  of  a  professional  by 
asserting  that  the  man  had  Aiinted  owing  to  the 
quantity  of  scents !  Not  long  beforc,  the  corpse  of 
Marcus  Lepidus,  the  man  of  distinguished  family 
whose  death  from  anxiety  about  his  divorce  we  have 
recorded  above,''  had  been  dislodged  from  the  pyre 
bv  the  violence  of  the  flame,  and  as  it  was  impossible 
to  put  it  back  again  because  of  the  heat,  it  was  burnt 
naked  with  a  fresh  supply  of  faggots  at  the  side  of 
the  pyre. 

631 


PLIN^':    NATURAL   HISTORY 

187  LIV.  Ipsum  cremare  apud  Romanos  non  fuit 
vetcris  instituti ;  terra  condebantur.  at  postquam 
longinquis  bellis  obrutos  erui  cognovere,  tunc  insti- 
tutum.  et  tamen  multae  familiae  priscos  servavere 
ritus,  sicut  in  Cornclia  nemo  ante  Sullam  dictatorem 
traditur  crematus,  idque  voluisse  veritum  talionem 
eruto  C.  Mari  cadavere.  [sepultus  vero  intellegitur 
quoquo  modo  conditus,  humatus  vero  humo 
contectus.]! 

188  LV.  Post  sepulturam  variae  *  manium  ambages. 
omnibus  a  supremodie  eadem  quae  ante  primum,  nec 
magis  a  morte  sensus  uUus  aut  corpori  aut  animae 
quam  ante  natalem — eadem  enim  vanitas  in  futurum 
etiam  se  propagat  et  in  mortis  quoque  tempora  ipsa 
sibi  vltam  mentitur,  alias  inmortaHtatem  animae, 
ahas  transfigurationem,  alias  scnsum  inferis  dando  et 
manes  colendo  deumque  faciendo  qui  iam  etiam 
homo  esse  desierit — ceu  vero  ullo  modo  spirandi  ratio 
ceteris  animalibus  distet,  aut  non  diuturniora  in  vita 
multa    reperiantur    quibus    nemo    similem    divinat 

189  inmortalitatem.  quod  autem  corpus  animae  per  se? 
quae  materia  ?  ubi  cogitatio  illi  ?  quomodo  visxis, 
auditus,  aut  qui  tangit  ?  quis  usus  ex  iis  ^  aut  quod 
sine  iis  bonum  ?     quae  deinde  sedes  quantave  multi- 

1  SecL  Mayhoff. 

*  vanae  JJetlcfsen. 

'  Mayhojf :   usus  eius. 


'  Thie  sentenco  reads  like  an  interpolated  note  on  vocabu- 
lary. 

6j2 


BOOK   MI.  Liv.  187-LV.  189 

LIV.  Cremation  was  not  actually  an  old  practice  at  cremation, 
Rome  :  the  dead  used  to  be  buricd.  But  cremation  '"'^'""^  "^- 
was  instituted  after  it  became  known  that  the  bodies 
of  those  fallen  in  wars  abroad  were  dug  up  again. 
All  the  same  many  families  kept  on  the  old  ritual,  for 
instance  it  is  recorded  that  nobody  in  the  family  of 
the  Cornehi  was  crematcd  before  Sulla  the  dictator, 
and  that  he  had  desired  it  because  he  was  afraid  of 
reprisals  for  having  dug  up  the  corpse  of  Gaius 
Marius.  [But  burial  is  understood  to  denote  aiiy 
mode  of  disposal  of  a  corpse,  but  interment  means 
covering  up  with  earth  ".] 

L\  .  There  are  various  problems  concerning  the  BcUefin 
spirits  of  the  departed  after  burial.  All  men  are  in  ^'^ 
the  same  state  from  their  last  day  onward  as  they  were 
before  their  first  day,  and  neither  body  nor  mind 
possesses  any  sensation  after  death,  any  more  than  it 
did  before  birth — for  the  same  vanity  prolongs  itself 
also  into  the  future  and  fabricates  for  itself  a  lifc 
lasting  even  into  the  period  of  death,  sometimes 
bestowing  on  the  soul  immortality,  sometimes  trans- 
figuration,  sometimes  giving  sensation  to  those 
below,  and  worshipping  ghosts  and  making  a  god  of 
one  who  has  already  ceased  to  be  even  a  man — ^just 
as  if  man's  mode  of  breathing  were  in  any  way 
different  from  that  of  the  other  animals,  or  as  if 
there  were  not  many  animals  found  of  greater 
longevity,  for  which  nobody  prophesies  a  similar 
immortaHty  !  But  what  is  the  substance  of  the  soul 
taken  by  itself?  what  is  its  material?  where  is  its 
thought  located  ?  how  does  it  see  and  hear,  and  with 
what  does  it  touch  ?  what  use  does  it  get  from  these 
senses,  or  what  good  can  it  experience  without  them  ? 
Next,  what  is  the  abode,  or  how  great  is  the  multitude, 

633 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

tudo  tot  saeculis  animarum  vel  ^  umbrarura  ?  pueri- 
lium  ista  deliramentorum  avidaeque  numquam  de- 
sinere  mortalitatis  commcnta  sunt.  simils  et  de 
adservandis  corporibus  hominum  ac  reviviscendi 
promisso    Dcmocriti   vanitas,   qui    non    revixit    ipse. 

190  quae  malum  ista  demontia  est  iterari  vitam  morte? 
quaeve  genitis  quies  um(juani  si  in  sublimi  scnsus 
animae  manet,  inter  inferos  umbrae  ?  perdit  pro- 
fecto  ista  dulcedo  credulitasque  praecipuum  naturae 
bonum,  mortcm,  ac  duplicat  obituri  dolorem  etiam 
post  futuri  aestimatione ;  etenim  si  dulce  vivere  est, 
cui  potest  esse  vixisse  ?  at  quanto  facilius  cer- 
tiusque  sibi  quemque  credere,  specimen  securitatis 
futurae  ^  antegenitali  sumere  expcrimento ! 

191  LVI.  Consentaneum  videtur,  priusquam  di- 
grediamur  a  natura  hominum,  indicare  quae  cuiusque 
inventa  sint.  emere  ac  vendere  ^  iastituit  Liber  pater, 
idem  diadema,  regium  insigne,  ettriumphum  invenit, 
Ceres  frumenta,  cum  antea  glande  vescerentur,  eadem 
molere  et  conficere  in  Attica  (ut  alii,*  in  Sicilia),  ob 
id  dea  iudicata.  eadem  prima  lcges  dcdit,  aut*  ut 
alii  putavere  Rhadamanthus. 

192  Litteras  semper  arbitror  Assyriis  fuisse,  sed  aHi 
apud  Aegyptios  a   Mercurio,  ut  Gellius,  alii  apud 

vel  ?  MayhojJ  :    vclut. 

futurae  add.  Rackham. 

vendere  <Mercurius,  vindemiare)  Mayhnff. 

Rackham  (ut  alii  ct  Mayhoff)  :  aut  alia,  aul  et  alia. 

aut  add.  liackha^n. 

634 


BOOK   VII.  Lv.  189-LV1.  192 

of  the  souls  or  shadows  in  all  these  ages  ?  These  are 
fictions  of  cliildish  absurdity,  and  belong  to  a  mor- 
tality  greedy  for  hfe  unceasing.  Similar  also  is  the 
vanity  about  preserving  men's  bodies,  and  about 
Democritus's  promise  of  our  coming  to  Hfe  again — 
who  did  not  come  to  Ufe  again  himself!  Plague 
take  it,  wliat  is  this  mad  idea  that  hfe  is  renewcd  by 
death  ?  what  repose  are  the  generations  ever  to  have 
if  the  soul  retains  permanent  sensation  in  the  upper 
world  and  the  ghost  in  the  lowcr?  Assuredly  this 
sweet  but  credulous  fancy  ruins  nature's  chief 
blessing,  death,  and  doubles  the  sorrow  of  one  about 
to  die  by  the  thought  of  sorrow  to  come  hereafter 
also ;  for  if  to  hve  is  sweet,  who  can  find  it  sweet  to 
have  done  Uving  ?  But  how  much  easier  and  safer 
for  each  to  trust  in  himself,  and  for  us  to  derive  our 
idea  of  future  tranquilUty  from  our  experience  of  it 
before  birth ! 

LVI.  Before  we  quit  the  subject  of  man's  nature  it  Aruand 
seenis  suitable  to  point  out  the  various  discoveries  of  wl^and 
dilferent  persons.     Father   Liber  instituted  buying  *y  «^>'om 
and    selUng,"    and    also    invented    the    emblem    of 
royalty,  the  crown,   and   the   triumphal   procession, 
Ceres  discovered  corn,  men  having  hitherto  Uved  on 
acoms ;   she  also  invented  grinding  corn  and  making 
flour   in    Attica   (or,    as   others  say,  in  Sicily),   and 
for  this  was  deeraed  a  goddess.     Also  she  first  gave 
laws,  though  others  have  thought  this  was  done  by 
Rhadamanthus. 

I  am  of  opinion  that  the  Assyrians  have  always  had 
writing,  but  others,  e.g.  Gellius,  hold  that  it  was 
invented  in  Egypt  by  Mercury,  while  others  think  it 

"  The  text  should  probably  be  filled  out  to  give  '  Mercury 
inatituted  buying  and  ecUing,  and  Falhcr  Liber  the  vintage.' 

635 


PLIN\':    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Syros  repertas  volunt  ;  iitrique  ^  in  Graeciam  attu- 
lisse  e  Phoenice  Cadmum  sedecim  numero,  quibus 
Troiano  bello  Palameden  adiecisse  quattuor  hac 
figura  Z^^X,  totidem  post  eum  Simonidem  mehcum, 
YHn®,  quarum  oninium  vis  in  nostris  recognoscitur. 
Aristoteles  decem  et  octo  priscas  fuisse  et  duas  ab 
Epicharmo   additas    ^Z    quam   a  Palamede  mavolt. 

193  Anticlides  in  Aeg^'pto  invenisse  qucndam  nomine 
Menon  tradit,  xv  annorum  ante  Phoronea  antiquissi- 
mum  Graeciae  regem,  idque  monumenlis  adprobare 
conatur.  e  diverso  Epigenes  apud  Babylonios 
Dccxxx  annorum  observationes  siderum  coctihbus 
latercuhs  inscriptas  docet,  gravis  auctor  in  primis, 
qui  minimum,  Berosus  et  Critodemus,  ccccxc  ex 
quo  apparet  aeternus  htterarum  usus.  in  Latium 
eas  attulerunt  Pelasgi. 

194  Laterarias  ac  domos  constituerunt  primi  Euryalus 
et  Hyperbius  fratrcs  Athenis  ;  antea  spccus  erant  pro 
domibus.  Gelho  Toxius  Caeh  fihus  lutei  aedificii 
inventor  placet,  excmplo  sumpto  ab  hirundinum 
nidis.  oppidum  primum  ^  Cecrops  a  se  appeUavit 
Cecropiam  quae  nunc  est  arx  Athenis ;  ahqui  Argos 
a  Phoroneo  rege  ante  conditum  volunt,  quidam  et 
Sicyonem,    Aegypti    vero    multo    ante    apud    ipsos 

195  Diospohn.     tegulas   invenit   Cinyra   Agriopae   fihus 

^  V.l.  utiquc.  *  primum  ?  add.  Mayhoff. 

636 


BOOK   VII.  Lvi.  192-195 

was  discovered  in  Syria ;  both  schools  of  thought 
believe  that  Cadmus  imported  an  alphabet  of  16 
letters  into  Greece  from  Phocnicia  and  that  to  these 
Palamedes  at  the  time  of  the  Trojan  war  added  the 
four  characters  Z»I"I>X,  and  after  him  Simonides  the 
IjTic  poet  added  another  four  YHOC"),  all  represent- 
ing  sounds  recognized  also  in  the  Roman  alphabet. 
Aristotle  holds  that  the  primitive  alphabet  contained 
18  letters,  and  that  4^  and  Z  were  added  by  Epi- 
charmus  more  probablv  than  Palamedes.  Anti- 
clides  records  that  a  person  named  Menos  invented 
the  alphabet  in  l''gA'pt  15,000  years  before  Phoroneus, 
the  most  ancient  king  of  Greece,  and  he  attempts  to 
prove  this  by  the  monuments.  On  the  other  side 
Epigenes,  an  authority  of  the  first  rank,  teaches  that 
the  Babylonians  had  astronomical  observations  for 
730,000  years  inscribed  on  baked  bricks ;  and  those 
who  give  the  shortest  period,  Berosus  and  Crito- 
demus,  make  it  490,000  years  ;  from  which  it  appears 
that  the  alphabet  has  been  in  use  from  very  ancient 
times.     It  was  brought  to  I>atium  Ijv  the  Pelasgi. 

Brick-kilns  and  hoiises  wcre  first  introduced  by 
the  brothers  Eur}'ahis  and  Hyperbius  at  Athens ; 
previously  caves  had  served  for  dweUings.  GelHus 
accepts  Toxius  son  of  Uranus  as  the  inventor  of 
buikiing  with  clay,  the  example  having  been  taken 
from  swallows'  nests.  Cecrops  named  after  himself 
the  first  town,  Cecropia,  which  is  now  thc  Acropolis 
at  Athens ;  though  some  hold  that  Argos  had  been 
founded  before  by  King  Phoroneus,  and  certain 
authorities  say  Sicyon  also,  but  the  Egyptians  hold 
that  DiospoHs  was  founded  in  their  country  long 
before.  Tiles  were  invented  by  Cinyra,  son  of 
Agriopa,  as  well  as  mining  for  copper,  both  in  the 

X2     637 


PLIXY:    NATURAL   HTSTORY 

et  metalla  aeris,  utrumque  iii  insula  C^-pro,  item 
forcipem,  martulum,  vectem,  incudem;  puteos 
Danaus  ex  Aegj^pto  advectus  in  Graeciam  quae 
vocabatur  Argos  Dipsion ;  lapicidinas  Cadmus 
Thebis,  aut  ut  Theophrastus  in  Phoenice ;  Thra- 
son  muros,  turres  ut  Aristotelcs  Cyclopes,  Tirynthii 
ut   Theophrastus ;     Aegyptii   textiha,  inficerc   lanas 

196  Sardibus  Lvdi,  fusos  in  lanificio  Closter  fihus  Ara- 
chnae,  hnum  et  retia  Arachne,  fuUoniam  artem  Nicias 
Megarensis,  sutrinam  Tychius  Boeotius  ;  medicinam 
Aegyptii  apud  ipsos  volunt  repertam,  alii  per  Arabum 
Babylonis  et  Apolhnis  fihum,  herbariam  et  medica- 

197  mentariam  a  Chirone  Saturni  et  Philyrac  fiho.  aes 
conflare  et  temperare  Aristoteles  Lydum  Scythen 
monstrasse,  Theophrastus  Delam  Phrygem  putant, 
aerariam  fabricam  ahi  Chalybas  ahi  Cyclopas,  ferrum 
Hesiodus  in  Creta  eos  qui  vocati  sunt  Dactyh  Idaei. 
argentum  invenit  Erichthonius  Atheniensis,  ut  alii 
Aeacus,  auri  metalla  et  flaturam  Cadmus  Phoenix  ad 
Pangaeum  montem,  ut  ahi  Thoas  aut  Aeacus  in 
Panchaia  aut  Sol  Oceani  fihus  cui  Gelhus  medicinae 
quoque  inventionem  ex  metallis  assignat.  plumbum 
album  ^  ex  Cassiteride  insula  primus  adportavit  Mida- 

198  critus.  fabricam  ferrariam  ^  invenerunt  Cj^clopcs,  fig- 
hnas  Coroebus  ^  Atheniensis,  in  iis  orbem  Anachar- 
sis  Scythes,  ut  alii  H^^pcrbius  Corinthius ;    fabricam 

'  album  add.  Wnrmington. 
'  Gdenius  :    ferrc.im. 
*  Ccramus  Wilamowilz. 


'  I.e.,  iSpinner,  son  of  Spidor. 

*  An  imaKin.ary  island  in  tho  Indian  Occan. 

*  Comwall  and  the  Scillies.     The  MSS.  givo  '  lead. 


638 


BOOK    VII.  ivi.  195-198 

island  of  Cypx-iis,  and  also  thc  tongs,  hammer,  crow- 
bar  and  anvil ;  wells  by  Danaus  who  came  from 
Egypt  to  Greece  to  the  region  tliat  used  to  be  called 
Diy  Argos ;  stone  quarrying  by  Cadmus  at  Thebes, 
or  according  to  Tlieophrastus,  in  Plioenicia ;  walls 
were  introduced  by  Thrason,  towers  by  the  Cyclopes 
according  to  Aristotle  but  according  to  Theophrastus 
by  the  Tii-ynthians  ;  woven  fabrics  by  the  P^gyptians, 
dyeing  wooUen  stuffs  by  the  Lydians  at  Sardis,  the 
use  of  the  spindle  in  the  inanufacture  of  wooUen  by 
Closter  son  of  Arachne,"  linen  and  nets  by  Arachne, 
the  fuller's  craft  by  Nicias  of  Megara,  the  shoemaker's 
by  Tychias  of  Boeotia ;  medicine  according  to  the 
Egj^ptians  was  discovered  among  themselves,  but 
accoi-ding  to  others  through  the  agency  of  Arabus  son 
of  Babylon  and  Apollo  ;  and  the  science  of  hei'bs  and 
drugs  was  discovered  by  Chiron  the  son  of  Saturn  and 
Philyra.  Aristotle  thinks  that  Lydus  the  Scythian 
showed  how  to  melt  and  work  copper,  but  Theo- 
phrastus  holds  that  it  was  the  Phrygian  Delas ; 
manufactures  of  bronze  some  ascribe  to  the  Chalybes 
and  others  to  the  Cyclopes  ;  the  forging  of  iron  Hesiod 
ascribes  to  the  people  called  the  Dactyli  of  Ida  in 
Crete.  Erichthonius  of  Athens,  or  according  to  others 
Aeacus,  discovered  silver ;  mining  and  smelting  gold 
was  invented  by  Cadmus  the  Phoenician  at  Mount 
Pangaeus,  or  according  to  others  by  Thoas  or  Aeacus 
in  Panchaia,*  or  by  the  Sun,  son  of  Oceanus,  to  whom 
Gellius  also  assigns  the  discovery  of  mcdicine  derived 
from  minerals.  Tin  was  first  importcd  by  Midacri- 
tus  from  thc  island  of  Cassitcris.'^  Working  in  iron 
was  invented  by  the  Cyclopes,  potteries  by  Coroebus 
of  Athens,  the  potter's  wheel  by  the  Scythian 
Anacharsis,  or  according  to  others  by  Hyperbius  of 

639 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

materiariam  Daedalus,  et  in  ea  serram,  asciam, 
pei-pendiculum,  terebram,  glutinum,  ichthyocollam ; 
normam  autem  et  libellam  et  tornum  et  clavem 
Theodorus  Samias,  mensuras  et  pondera  Phidon 
Argivus,  aut  Palamedes  ut  maluit  Gellius ;  ignem  e 
sihce  P}Todes  CiHcis  filius,  eundem  adservare  ferula 

199  Prometheus,  vehiculum  cum  quattuor  rotis  Phryges, 
mercaturas  Poeni,  culturam  vitium  et  arborum 
Eumolpus  Atheniensis,  vinum  aquae  miscere  ^  Sta- 
phylus  Sileni  filius,  oleum  et  trapetas  Aristaeus  Athe- 
niensis,  idem  mella;  bovcm  et  aratrum  Buzyges 
Atheniensis,  ut  alii  Triptolemus ;  rcgiam  civitatem 

200  AegA^ptii,  popularem  Attici  postTheseum.  tyrannus 
primus  fuit  Phalaris  Agraganti.  servitium  invencre 
Lacedaemonii.  iudicium  capitis  in  Areopago  pri- 
mum  actum  est. 

ProeHum  Afri  contra  Aegyptios  primi  fecere  fusti- 
bus,  quos  vocant  phalangas.  clupeos  invenerunt 
Proetus  et  Acrisius  inter  se  bellantes,  sive  Chalcus 
Athamantis  fiHus,  loricam  Midias  Messenius,  galeam, 
gladium,    hastam    Lacedaemonii,    ocreas    et    cristas 

201  Cares.  arcum  et  sagittam  Scythem  lovis  fiHum, 
aHi  sagittas  Persen  Persei  fiHum  invenisse  dicunt, 
lanceas  Aetolos,  iaculum  cum  ammento  Aetolum 
Martis  fiHum,  hastas  veHtares  Tyrrenum,  eundem  * 
pilum,  Penthcsileam  Amazonem  securim,  Pisaeum, 
venabula  et  in  tormentis  scorpionem,  Cretas  cata- 
pultam,  SjTophoenicas  balHstam  et  fundam,  aeneam 

*  miscere  ?  Mayhx>ff :   misceri. 

*  eundem  add.  Mayhoff. 


•  I.e.  Ox-yoker. 
640 


BOOK   Vir.  Lvi.  198-201 

Corinth.  Carpentry  was  invented  by  Daedalus, 
and  with  it  the  saw,  axe,  plumb-line,  gimlet,  glue, 
isinglass  ;  but  the  square,  the  plummet,  the  lathe  and 
the  lever  by  Thcodorus  of  Samos,  measui-es  and 
weights  by  Phidon  of  Argos,  or,  as  Gelhus  preferred, 
Palamedes ;  fire  from  flint  by  Pyrodes  son  of  Cihx, 
the  storing  of  fire  in  a  fennel-stalk  by  Prometheus ; 
a  vehicle  \vith  four  wheels  by  the  Phrygians,  trade 
by  the  Phoenicians,  viticulture  and  arboriculture  by 
Eumolpus  of  Athens,  diluting  wine  with  water  by 
Staphylus  son  of  Silenus,  oil  and  oil-mills  by  Aristaeus 
of  Athens,  honey  by  the  same  ;  the  ox  and  the  plough 
by  Buzyges  "  of  Athens,  or,  as  others  say,  by  Tripto- 
lemus ;  monarchical  government  by  the  Egyptians, 
repubhcan  by  the  Athenians  after  Theseus.  The 
first  tyrant  was  Phalaris  at  Girgenti.  Slavery  was 
invented  by  the  Spartans.  Capital  trials  were  first 
carried  on  in  the  Areopagus. 

The  Africans  first  fought  with  clubs  (called  poles)  weajxmsof 
in  a  war  against  the  Egyptians.  Shields  were  in-  Zvention  of. 
vented  by  Proetus  and  Acrisius  in  making  war 
against  each  other,  or  else  by  Chalcus  son  of  Athamas ; 
the  breastplate  by  Midias  of  Messene,  the  helmet, 
sword  and  spear  by  the  Spartans,  greaves  and  helmet- 
plumes  by  the  Carians.  The  bow  and  arrow  is  said 
by  some  to  have  been  invented  by  Scythes  son  of 
Jove ;  others  say  that  arrows  were  invented  by 
Perses  son  of  Perseus,  lances  by  the  Aetohans,  the 
spear  slung  with  a  thong  by  Aetolus  son  of  Mars, 
spears  for  skirmishing  by  Tyrrhenus,  the  javehn  by 
the  same,  the  battle-axe  by  Penthesilea  the  Amazon, 
hunting-spears  and  among  missile  engines  the 
sc"orpion  by  Pisaeus,  the  catapult  by  the  Cretans,  the 
ballista  and   the  shng  by  the  Syrophoenicians,   the 

641 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

tubam  Pisaeum  Tyrreni,  testudines  Artemonem 
'202  Clazomenium,  equom  (qui  nunc  aries  appellatur) 
in  muralibus  machinis  Epium  ad  Troiam ;  equo  vehi 
Bellorophontem,  frenos  et  strata  equorum  Pelc- 
thronium,  pugnare  ex  equo  Thessalos  qui  Centauri 
appellati  sunt  habitantes  secundum  Pelium  montem. 
bigas  prima  iunxit  Phrygum  natio,  quadrigas  Erich- 
thonius.  ordinem  cxercitus,  signi  dationem,  tes- 
seras,  vigilias  Palamedes  invenit  Troiano  bello, 
speculanmi  significationem  eodem  Sinon,  inducias 
Lycaon,  foedera  Theseus. 

203  Auguria  ex  avibus  Car  a  quo  Caria  appellata ; 
adiecit  ex  ceteris  animalibus  Orpheiis,  haruspicia 
Delphus,  ignispicia  Amphiaraus,  extispicia  avium 
Tiresias  Thebanus,  interpretationem  ostentorum 
et  somniorum  Amphictyon,  astrologiam  Atlans 
Libyae  filius,  ut  alii  Aeg^^ptii,  ut  alii  Assyrii,  sphaeram 
in   ea    Milesius    Anaximander,   ventorum   rationem 

204  Aeolus  Hellenis  filius ;  musicam  Amphion,  fistulam 
et  monaulum  Pan  Mercuri,  obliquani  tibiam  Midas 
in  PhrAgia,  geminas  tibias  Marsyas  in  eadem  gente, 
Lydios  modulos  Amphion,  Dorios  Thamyras  Thrax, 
Phrygios  Marsyas  Phr}'x,  citharam  Amphion,  ut  alii 
Orpheus,  ut  alii  Linus.  septem  chordis  prinium 
cecinit  iii  ad  iv  primas  additis  Terpander,  octa- 
vam  Simonides  addidit,  nonam  Timotheus.  cithara 
sine  voce  cecinit  ThamjTis  primus,  cum  cantu 
Amphion,  ut  alii  Linus.  citharoedica  carmina  con- 
posuit  Terpander.     cum  tibiis  canere  voce  Troeze- 

642 


BOOK    VII.  Lvi.  201-204 

bronze  trumpet  by  Pysaeus  son  of  Tyrrhenus, 
tortoise-screens  by  Artenio  of  Clazomenae,  among 
siege-engines  the  horse  (now  called  thc  ram)  by 
Epius  at  Troy ;  horse-riding  by  Bellerophon,  reins 
and  saddles  by  Pelethronius,  fighting  on  horse- 
back  by  the  Thessahans  called  Centaurs,  who  dwelt 
along  Mount  Pelion.  The  Plirygian  race  first 
harnessed  pairs,  Erichthonius  four-in-hands.  Mili- 
tary  formation,  the  use  of  pass-words,  tokens  and 
sentries  were  invented  by  Palamedes  in  the  Trojan 
war,  signalHng  from  watch-towers  by  Sinon  in  the 
same  war,  truces  by  Lycaon,  treaties  by  Theseus. 

Auguries  from  birds  were  invented  by  Car,  from  .lugvrt/,  etc., 
whom  Caria  got  its  name ;  Orpheus  added  auspices  ''"'^°''"'!'  °J- 
derived  from  the  other  animals,  Delphus  divination 
from  victims,  Amphiaraus  divination  from  fire, 
Tiresias  of  Thebes  divination  by  inspecting  birds' 
entrails,  Amphictyon  the  interpretation  of  portents 
and  dreams ;  Atlans  son  of  Libya,  or  as  others  say 
tlie  Kgyptians  and  others  the  Assyrians,  astronomy, 
Anaximander  of  Miletus  the  use  of  a  globe  in  as- 
tronomy,  Aeolus  son  of  Hellen  the  theory  of  winds ; 
Amphion  music,  Pan  son  of  Mercury  the  pipe  and 
single  flute,  Midas  in  Phrygia  the  slanting  flute, 
Marsyas  in  the  same  nation  the  double  flute,  Amphion 
the  Lydian  modes,  the  Thracian  Thamyras  the  Dorian, 
Marsyas  of  Phrygia  the  Phrygian,  Amphion,  or 
others  say  Orpheus  and  others  Linus,  the  harp. 
Terpander  first  sang  with  seven  strings,  adding  three 
to  the  original  four,  Simonides  added  an  eighth, 
Timotheus  a  ninth.  Thamyris  first  played  the  harp 
without  using  the  voice,  Ampliion,  or  according  to 
otliers  Linus,  accompanied  the  harp  with  singing ; 
Terpander    composed    songs    for    harp    and    voice. 

643 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

nius  Ardalus  instituit.     saltationem  armatam  Curetes 
docuere,    pjorichen    PjTrus,    utramque    in    Creta. 

205  versum  heroum  Pythio  oraculo  debemus ;  de  poe- 
matuni  oriffine  niagna  quaestio ;  ante  Troianum 
bellum  probantur  fuisse.  prosam  orationcm  con- 
dere  Plierecydes  Syrius  instituit  Cyri  regis  aetate, 
hi^toriam  Cadmus  Milesius,  ludos  gymnicos  in 
Arcadia  Lycaon,  funebres  Acastus  in  lolco,  post  eum 
Thcseus  in  Isthmo,  Hercules  Olympiae ;  athleticam 
Pytheus,  pilam  lusoriam  Gyges  Lydus ;  picturam 
Aegj^pti  et  in  Graecia  Euchir  DaedaU  cognatus  ut 
Aristoteh  placet,  ut  Theophrasto  Polygnotus 
Atheniensis. 

206  Nave  primus  in  Graeciam  ex  Aegypto  Danaus 
advenit ;  antca  ratibus  navigabatur  inventis  in  Mari 
Rubro  inter  insulas  a  rege  Erythra.  rcperiuntur 
qui  Mysos  et  Troianos  priores  excogitasse  in  Helle- 
sponto  putent  cum  transirent  adversus  Thracas. 
etiamnunc  in  Britannico  oceano  vitihs  corio  circum- 
sutae  fiunt,  in  Nilo  ex  papyro  ac  scirpo  et  harundine. 

207  longa  nave  lasonem  primum  navigasse  Philostcpha- 
nus  auctor  est,  Hegcsias  Parhalum,  Ctesias  Samira- 
min,  Archemachus  Aegaeonem,  biremem  Damastes 
Erythraeos  fecisse,  triremem  Thucydides  Aminoclen 
644 


BOOK   VII.  Lvi.  204  207 

Ardalus  of  Troezcn  instituted  singing  to  the  flute. 
The  Curetes  taught  dancing  in  armour,  Pyrrhus  the 
Pyrrhic  dance  ;  both  of  there  were  in  Crete.  Hexa- 
meter  verse  we  owe  to  the  Pythian  oracle,  but  as 
to  the  origin  of  poetry  there  is  much  debate,  t.hough 
it  is  pro\ed  to  have  existed  before  the  Troj^m  War. 
Pherecydes  of  Syria  instituted  prose  composition  in 
the  period  of  King  Cyrus,  Cadmus  of  Miletus  history  ; 
gT,'ninastic  games  were  started  by  Lycaon  in  Arcadia, 
funeral  games  by  Acastus  in  lolcus,  and  subsequently 
by  Theseus  at  the  Istimius  and  by  Hercules  at 
Olympia ;  \vresthng  by  Pytheus,  the  sport  of  ball- 
throwing  by  Gyges  of  Lydia ;  painting  by  the 
Egyptians,  and  in  Greece  by  Euchir  the  kinsman  of 
Daedalus  according  to  Aristotle,  but  according  to 
Theophrastus  by  Polygnotus  of  Athens. 

Danaus  first  came  from  Egypt  to  Greece  by  ship ;  Navigation, 
before  that  time  rafts  were  used  for  navigation,  oj.'^"^'"* 
having  been  invented  by  King  Eiythras  for  use 
between  the  islands  in  the  Red  Sea.  Persons  are 
tound  who  tliink  that  vessels  were  devised  earher  on 
the  Hellespont  by  the  Mysians  and  Trojans  when  they 
crossed  to  war  against  the  Thracians.  Even  now  in 
the  British  ocean  coracles  are  made  of  wicker  with 
hide  sown  round  it,  and  on  the  Nile  canoes  are  made 
of  papyrus,  rushes  and  reeds.  The  first  voyage  made 
in  a  long  ship  is  attributed  by  Philostephanus  to 
Jason,  by  Hegesias  to  Parhalus,  by  Ctesias  to 
Samiramis,  and  by  Archemachus  to  Aegaeo.  Further 
advances  were  as  follows  : — 

Vessel  Inventor  AutJwnty 

double-banked  galley      the  Erythraeans  Damastes 

trireme  Aminocles    of  Thucydides 

Corinth 

645 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

Corinthium,  quadriremem  Aristoteles  Carthaginien- 

208  sis,  quinquereniem  Mnesigiton  Salaminios,  sex 
ordinum  Xenagoras  Svracusios,  ab  ea  ad  decemremem 
Mnesigiton  Alexandrum  Magnum,  ad  duodecim 
ordines  Philostephanus  Ptolomaeum  Soterem,  ad 
quindecim  Demetrium  Antigoni,  ad  triginta  Ptolo- 
maeum  Philadelphum,  ad  xl  Ptolomaeum  Phi- 
lopatorem  qui  Tryphon  cognominatus  est.  onera- 
riam  Hippus  Tyrius  invenit,  lembum  Cvrenenses, 
cumbam  Phoenices,  celetem  Rliodii,  cercyrum  Cyprii ; 

209  siderum  observationem  in  navigando  Phoenices, 
remum  Copae,  latitudinem  eius  Plataeae,  vela 
Icarus,  malum  et  antennam  Daedalus,  hippegum 
Samii  aut  Pericles  Atheniensis,  tectas  longas  Thasii — 
antea  ex  prora  tantum  et  puppi  pugnabatur.  rostra 
addidit  Pisaeus  Tyrreni,  ancoram  Kupalamus,  candem 
bidentem  Anarcharsis,  harpagones  et  manus  Pericles 
Atheniensis,  adminicula  gubernandi  Tiphys.  classe 
princeps  depugnavit  Minos. 

Animal    occidit    primus    Hvperbius    Martis    fihus, 
Prometheus  bovem. 

210  LVTI.  Gentium  consensus  tacitus  primus  omnium 
conspiravit  ut  lonum  Htteris  uterentur.  L\TII. 
veteres  Graecas  fuisse  easdem  paene  quae  nunc 
sunt^  Latinae  indicio  erit  Delpliica  antiqui  aeris  (quae 
est  hodie  in  Palatio  dono  principum)  .Minervae  dicata 

'  Gelenius :  sint. 
646 


BOOK   VII.  Lvi.  207-Lviii.  210 


Vesscl 

Jnventor 

Authorily 

quadrireme 
quinquereme 

the  Carthaginians 
the  Salaminians 

Aristotle 
Mnesigiton 

galieys  of  six 

banks 

the  Syracusans 

Xenagoras 

up  to  ten  baiilcs 

Alexandcr  the  Great 

Mnesigiton 

up  to  twelve 

Ptolemy  Soter 

Philosteph- 
anu3 

up  to  fifteen 

Demetrius     son     of 

Antigonus 

ditto 

up  to  thirty 
up  to  forty 

Ptolemy       Philadel- 

phus 
Ptolemy    Philopator 
surnamed  Tryphon. 

ditto 
ditto 

The  freight-ship  was  invented  by  Ilippus  of  Tyre,  the 
cutter  by  the  Cyrenians,  the  skiff  by  the  Phoenicians, 
the  yacht  by  the  Rhodians,  tlie  yawl  by  the  Cyprians  ; 
the  Phoenicians  invented  observing  the  stars  in  sail- 
ing,  the  \o\\n  of  Copae  invented  the  oar,  the  city  of  Pla- 
taea  the  oar-blade,  Icarus  sails,  Daedalus  mast  and 
yard,  the  Saniians  or  Pericles  of  Athens  the  cavalry 
transport,  the  Thasians  decked  longships — previously 
the  marines  had  fought  from  the  bows  and  stern  only. 
Pisaeus  son  of  Tyrrenus  added  beaks,  Eupalamus  the 
anchor,  Anacharsis  the  double-fluked  anchor,  Pericles 
of  Athens  grappHng-irons  and  claws,  Tiphys  the 
tiller.  Minos  was  the  first  who  fought  a  battle  with  a 
fleet. 

Hyperbius   son   of   Mars    first   killed    an    animal, 
Prometheus  an  ox. 

L\'1I.  The  first  of  all  cases  of  tacit  agreement  be-  iinention  o/ 
tween  the  nations  was  the  convention  to  employ  the  "'"""^ 
alpliahet  (jf  the  lonians.     LVIII.  Tl>e  practical  iden- 
tity  of  the  old  Greek  alphabet  with  the  present  Latin 
one  will  be  proved  by  an  ancient  Delphic  tablet  of 
bronze  (at  the  present  day  in  the  Palace,  a  gift  of  the 

647 


PLINY:    NATURAL   HISTORY 

[in  bibliotheca]  ^  cum  inscriptit>ne  t;'Ii:  NAY2IK- 
PATH2  ANE0ETO  TAI  AI02  KOPAI  TAN  AEKA- 
TAN  .  .  . 

211  LIX.  Sequens  gentiiun  consensus  in  tonsoribus 
fuit,  sed  Romanis  tardior.  in  Italiam  ex  Sicilia  venere 
post  Romam  conditam  anno  ccccliv  adducente  P. 
Titinio  Mena,  ut  auctor  est  Varro ;  antea  intonsi 
fuere.  primus  omnium  radi  cotidie  instituit  Afri- 
canus  sequens.  divos  Augustus  cultris  semper  usus 
est. 

212  LX.  Tertiusconsensusfuit  inhorarumobservatione, 
iam  hic  ^  ratione  ^  accedens,  quando  et  a  quo  in  Graecia 
reperta,  diximus  secundo  volumine.  serius  etiam  hoc 
Romae  contigit :  xii  tabulis  ortus  tantum  et  occasus 
nominantur,  post  aliquot  annos  adiectus  est  et 
meritties,  accenso  consulum  id  pronuntiante  cum  a 
curia  inter  Rostra  et  Graecostasim  proxpexisset 
solem.  a  columna  Maenia  ad  carcerem  inclinato 
sidere  supremam  pronuntiavit,  sed  hoc  serenis  tantum 

213  diebus,  usque  ad  primum  Puiiicum  bellum.  princeps 
Romanis  solarium  horologium  statuisse  ante  undecim 
annos  quam  cum  Pvrro  bellatum  est  ad  aedem  Quirini 
L.  Papirius  Cursor,  cum  eam  dedicaret  a  patre  suo 
votam,  a  Fabio  Vestale  proditur ;  sed  neque  facti 
horologi  rationem  vel  artificem  significat  nec  unde 
translatum  sit  aut  apud  quem  scriptum  id  invenerit. 

214  M.    Varro   primum   statutum    in   publico   secundum 

»  Secl.  Mayhojf.  -   V.l.  hinc. 

^    V.l.  ratioiiem. 


"  Text  and  mcaning  are  doubtful. 

''  n.  187. 

'  Begun  281  b.c. 


648 


BOOK  VII.  Lviii.  2IO-LX.  214 

emperors)  dedicated  to  Minerva,  with  the  foUowing 
inscription :  Tithe  dedicated  hy  Nausicrates  to  the 
Daughter  of  Zeus.  .  .  . 

LIX.  Tlie  next  agreement  bctween  nations  was  in 
the  matter  of  shaving  the  beard,  but  with  the  Ilomans  introductum 
this  was  later.  Barbers  came  to  Ilome  from  Sicily  in  "Z*'""^'»^- 
300  B.c,  according  to  Varro  being  brought  there  by 
Pubhus  Titinius  Mena ;  before  then  the  Romans  had 
been  unshaved.  The  second  Africanus  first  intro- 
duced  a  daily  shave.  His  late  Majesty  Augustus 
never  neglected  the  razor. 

LX.  The  third  agreement  was  in  the  observation 
of  the  hours  (this  now  being  an  addition  made  by  systcmsof 
theor\'),°  the  date  and  inventor  of  which  we  have  stated  ^""pivio  ■ 
in  Book  II.''  This  also  happened  later  at  Rome :  in  svn-diais. 
the  Twelve  Tables  only  sunrise  and  sunset  are 
specified ;  a  few  years  later  noon  was  also  added, 
the  consuls'  apparitor  announcing  it  when  from  the 
Senate-house  he  saw  the  sun  between  the  Beaks  and 
the  Greek  Lodging.  When  the  sun  sloped  from  the 
Maenian  Column  to  the  Prison  he  announced  the  last 
hour,  but  this  onlv  on  clear  days,  down  to  the  First 
Punic  War.  We  have  it  on  the  authority  of  Fabius 
Vestalis  that  the  first  sundial  was  erected  11  years 
before  the  war"^  with  Pyrrhus  at  the  Temple  of 
Quirinus  by  Lucius  Papii-ius  Cursor  when  dedicating 
that  temple,  which  had  been  vowed  by  his  father; 
but  Fabius  does  not  indicate  the  principle  of  the  sun- 
diaVs  construction  or  the  maker,  nor  where  it  was 
brought  from  or  the  name  of  the  writer  who  is  his 
authority  for  the  statement.  Marcus  Varro  records 
that  the  first  public  sun-dial  was  set  up  on  a  column 
along  by  the  Beaks  during  the  Fir-^t  Punic  War  after 

649 


PLINY:    NATURAL  HISTORY 

Rostra  in  columna  tradit  bello  Punico  primo  a  M'. 
Valerio  Messala  cos.  Catina  capta  in  Sicilia,  deporta- 
tum  inde  post  xxx  annos  quam  de  Papiriano  horo. 
logio  traditur,  anno  urbis  cccclxxxxi.  nec  con- 
gruebant  ad  horas  eius  liniae,  paruerunt  tamen 
ei  annis  undecentum,  donec  Q.  Marcius  Pliilippus  qui 
cum  L.  Paullo  fuit  censor  diligentius  ordinatum  iuxta 
posuit ;  idque  munus  inter  censoria  opera  gratissime 
215  acceptum  est.  etiam  tum  tamen  nubilo  incertae 
fuere  horae  usque  ad  proximum  lustrum ;  tunc 
Scipio  Nasica  collega  Laenatis  primus  aijua  divisit 
horas  aeque  noctium  ac  dierum,  idque  horologium 
sub  tecto  dicavit  anno  urbis  dxcv  :  tamdiu  populo 
Romano  indiscrcta  hix  fuit. 

Nunc  praevertemur  ^  ad  reHqua  animaha,  primum- 
que  terrestria. 

*  Mayhoff :  revertemur  aut  revcrtumiir 


650 


BOOK  VII.  Lx.  214 

Catania  in  Sicily  had  been  taken  "  by  the  consul  Manius 
Valerius  Messala,  and  that  it  was  brought  from  Sicily 
thirty  years  later  than  the  traditional  date  of  Papi- 
rius's  sundial,  b.c.  264.  The  Hnes  of  this  sundial  did 
not  agree  with  the  hours,  but  all  the  same  they 
followed  it  for  99  years,  till  Quintus  Marcius  PhiUppus 
who  was  Censor  with  Lucius  Pauhis  placed  a  more 
carefuUy  designed  one  next  to  it,  and  this  gift  was 
reccived  as  one  of  tlie  most  welcome  of  the  censor's 
undertakings.  Even  then  however  the  hours  were 
imcertain  in  cloudy  weather,  until  the  next  lustrum, 
when  Scipio  Nasica  the  colleague  of  Laenas  instituted 
the  first  water-clock  dividing  the  hours  of  the  nights 
and  the  days  equally,  and  dedicated  this  time-piece  in 
a  roofed  building,  b.c.  159.  For  so  long  a  period  the 
divisions  of  daylight  had  not  been  marked  for  the 
Iloman  pubUc. 

We   wll   now   turn    to   the   rest    of  the  animals, 
beginning  with  land-animals. 

«  263  B.c. 


651 


INDEX   OF   PEOPLE 


Notea  are  added  to  supplement  the  information  conlained  in  thetal 


AbsTTtdS,  III 151 

Acrisius,   king   of  Argos,   brother   of 

Proetus,  VII  200 
Aeacus,  son  of  Jove,  king  of  Aegina, 

VII  197 
Aegaeon,  VII  207 
Aegimius,  VII  154 
Aetryptii,  VII  200 
Aelius  Gallus,  prefect  of  Egypt,  in- 

vaded  Arabia  24  B.C.,  VI  160 
Aelius  Tubero,  praetor  124  B.C.,  VII 

173 
Aemilius  Lepidus,  Q.,  consul  21  b.c, 

VII  181 
Aemilius   PauIIus   Macedonicus,   con- 

quered  Perseua  of  Macedon  1G8  B.c, 

IV  39 
Aeneas,  III  30 
Aeolus,  ni  02,  VII  203 
Aescbines,  VII  109 
AescuJapius,  son   of   Apollo,   famous 

phvsician,  VII  ICO 
Acthiops,  VI  187,  VII  6,  51 
Aetolus,  VII  201 
Afri,  VII  200 
Africanus,    P.    Cornelins    Scipio,    de- 

feated  Hannibal  at  Zama  201  B.c, 

VII  47,  114 
Africanus,  P.  Comelius  Scipio  Aemili- 

anus,    grandson    by    adoption    of 

preceding,  destroyed  Carthage  140 

B.C.,  V9,  VTI  100,  144,  211 
Agatharchides,  grammarian  of  Alex- 

andria  180  B.C,  VII  14,  29 
Agelastus,  VII  79 
Aglaua,  VII  151 
Agriopa,  VII  195 
Agrippa,  great  general  under  Augus- 

tus,   organized   survey    of    Roman 


empire,  III  8,  IG,  8G,  IV  77,  81,  83, 

91,  08,  10.5,  V  9,  40,  102,  VI  .S,  33, 

39,  57,  13G,  19G,  207,  2(19,  VII  45 
Agrippinae,     daughter     and     grand- 

daughter  of  the  above,  VII  45  f., 

57,  71 
Agrippinus,  VII  55 
Aiai,  VII  12G 
AJbinus,  VII  167 
Alcippe,  VII  34 
Alexander,  V  G2,  7fi,  VI,  47,  51,  58, 

61,  77,  82,  95  f.,  100,  110,  138,  198, 

VII  11,  81,  95,  107,  125,  207 
Alexander  Cornelius,  VII  155 
Allobro^jes,  Gallic  tribe  bctween  Rhone 

and  Is6re,  VII  IGG 
Amasis,  king  of  Egypt  569-525  B.C., 

V  60 
Amar.ones,  VTI  201 
Aminocles,  shipbuilder,  visited  Samos 

e.  704  B.C,  VII  207 
Amoraetus,  Greek  writer  of  unknown 

date,  VI  55 
Amphiaraus,    mythical     Oreek    seer, 

VII  203 
Amphictyon,  mythical  king  of  Attica, 

VII  203 
Amphictyones,    federation    of    Greek 

stat«s,  met  at  Delphi,  VII  123 
Amphitus,  VI  16 
Anacharsis,    Thracian    saee,    visited 

Solon  at  Athens,  VII  198 
Anacreon,  Ivric  poet  of  Teos,  fl.  540 

B.c,  VII  44,  153 
Anaiarchua,   philosopher  of  Abdera, 

fl.  340  B.C,  VII  87 
Anaximander,  physical  philosopher,  6. 

610  B.C,  VII  203 
Andromcda,    daughter    of    Ethiopian 


653 


INDEX   OF   PEOPLE 


kiDg   Cepheug,    resctied    from   aea- 

monstcr  b_v  Pcrecua,  VI  182 
Andromeda  iiberta,  VII  75 
Ajmius  Plocamus,  VI  84 
Anthropophagi,  VII  11 
Anticlides,      Athenian      gcographical 

writcr,  c.  300  B.C.,  VII  193 
Antipatcr,    author    of     epigrams    in 

Greek  Anthology,  /f.  100  D.C.,  VII 

172 
Antiocbus  the   First,  king    of  Syria, 

bom  c.  324  B.C.,    VI   47,  139,  VII 

53 
Antonia,  niece  of  Augustus  and  sister- 

in-law  of  Tiberius,  bom  c.  36  B.c, 

VII  80 
Antonlus,  VII  50,  117,  134,  148 
Anystis,  VII  84 
Apelles,   Qrcck    paintcr   temp.    Alei- 

ander  the  Great,  VII  125 
Apollo,  VII  15,  108,  118,  129,  191 
Apollodorua,   Athenian    scholar,   VII 

123 
Apolloaides,  author,   tcmp.  Tiberius, 

VII  17 
Aponius,  VII  1C3 
Appuleia,  VII  122 
Arabus,  VII  190 
Arachnc,  VII  I9r. 
Archemachus,    of    Euboca,    wrote    a 

work  about  Kuboca,  \TI  207 
Archilochus,  satiric  poet  of  Paros,  c. 

700  B.C.,  VII  109 
Archimedcs,  b.  2S7  B.C.,  VII 125 
Arganthonius,    king   of   Tartcssus   in 

Spain,  Gth  c.  u.c,  VII  ISG 
Arimaspi,  IV  83.  VI  50,  VII  10 
Aristaeus,    bcncficcnt    dcity,    son    of 

Uranus  and  Ge,  VII  199 
Aristcas,  epic  poet,  /f.  tctnp.  Croosus, 

VII  10 
ArisUdes,  IV  C4,  70,  Vll  125 
Aristocreon,       gcogranhcr,       perhaps 

identical    with    Stoic    philosopher, 

3rd  c.  B.C,  VI  183,  191 
Aristogiton,  VII  87 
Aristotclcs,  IV  e5  f.,  VII  15,  27,  108, 

192,  195.  197,  205,  207 
Anncntariiis,  VII  55 
Artcmidorus  of  Kphcsus,  traTcller  and 

geographer  mo  n.C,  IV  77,  V  47,  5!), 

129,  VI  36,  16C,  163, 183.  207,  \ai  30 
Artemo,   Spartan,   built  military  cn- 

gincs   for   Pericles  in   war  against 

Samoe  441  B.c,  VII  201 


Artemo.  a  Syrian,  VTI  63 
Arverni,  Gallic  tribp,  VII  166 
Asclupiades,  physician  of   Prusias  in 

Hithvnia,  canie  to  Rome  c.  50  B.O., 

VII  124 
Asinius  Pollio,  orator,  poet  and  his- 

tx)rian,  6.  76  B.C.,  VII  115 
Astynomus,    Greek    writcr   otherwise 

unkiiDwn,  V  129 
Ateriiius,  VII  101 
Athamas,  Icgendary   king  of   Orcho- 

nienus,  son  of  Aeoliis,  VII  200 
Athanatus,  VII  83 
Atlans,  lcgendary   king  and   astrono- 

mer,  ideiititied   with   the   mythical 

Atlas,  VII  203 
Attalus,  king  of   Pergamum   241-197 

n.c,  VII  12G 
Attius,  tragic  poet,  6.   170  B.C,  VII 

128 
AuOdius,  historian,  praetor  103  B.C., 

VI  27 
Aufustius,  VII  181 
Auini.Hu8,  VI   141,   181,   VII  33,  57, 

114,  147,  158,  211 
Aulus  Pompeius,  VII  182 
Ausoncs,     primitive     inhabitanta     of 

Gentral    and    Southcm    Italy,    III 

95 
Aviola,  consul  suffcctus  33  B.C,  VII 

173 

Bacbius,  praetor  191  B.C,  VII  182 

Bacton,  VI  Cl,  69,  VII  11 

Baibus,  naturalizcd  Spaniard,  consol 

40  li.c,  VII  135 
Bellcrophon,     mythical     hero     who, 

mountcd    on    Pegasus,    killcd    tho 

Chimacra,  VII  202 
Berenicc,  VII  133 
Berosus,  pricst,  historian  and  astrono- 

mer  of  Babylon,  3rd  c.  n.c,  VII 123, 

160 
Itj.iD   of  Soli,  wrote  on  Ethiopia,  VI 

191 
Buccphalus,  VI  77 
Balarchus,  painfer  of  Asia  Minor,  i'. 

Candaulcs,  VII  126 
Burbiilciua,  VII  55 
Cu7.vge8,    mythical    invcntor    of    ox- 

yoke,  VII  199 

Cadmus,  mvthical  inventor,  brother 

of  Europa",  VII  192,  195,  197,  204 
CacclUuB,  VII  101 


654 


INDEX   OF   PROPLE 


Caelius,  III 132,  VII 105 

Caelus,  VII  194 

Caesar,  J.,  IV  10,  V  128,  VII  91,  93, 

117,  126,  ISl,  186 
Caesones,  VII  47 
Caesonia,  VII  39 

Calchus,  mTttiical  inventor,  VII  200 
CaUicrates,  Spartan  sculptor,  VII  85 
Callidetnus,  IV  64 
Callimacbus,  III  139,  IV  65,  70,  VII 

152 
Calvus,  orator  and  poet  82-47  B.C., 

VII 165 
Campani,  III  60 
Candaules,  ktng  of  Lydia,  d.  716  B.C., 

VII 126 
Cantharidae,  VII  174 
Car,  mythical  king  of  Megara,  VII  203 
Carneades,  Academic    philosopher   at 

Athens,  ambassador  to  Rome  155 

B.C.,  VII  112 
Castcllanus,  VII  55 
Castor,  VI  Ifi,  \ll  86 
Cati,  VII  118 
Catienns,  VII  122 
Catilina,  \~Sl  104,  117 
Cato,  III  51,  114,  116,  124  f.,  133  f., 

VII  61,  100,  122  f. 
Cecrops,  legendary  first  king  of  Attica, 

VII  194 
Celtae,  III  8 
Celtiberi,  III  13 
Ccres,  goddoss  of  corn,  III  CO 
Chalybcs,  \ai  197 
Charmadas,  VII  89 
Chersiphron,   architcct,   early   6tb   c. 

B.C.,  VII  125 
Cbilo  of  ^parta,  one  of  the  seven  wisc 

men,  VII  119,  180 
Chiron,  centaur  physician,  VII  196 
Cicero,  VII  18,  85,  110,  135,  158 
Cineas,  came  to  Rome  as  envoy   of 

PTrrhus  280  n.C,  VII  88 
Cinyras,  legendary  Cyprian  hero,  VII 

154,  195 
Circe,  VII  15 
Claudia,    sistcr    of    Appius    Claudius 

Pulcher,  consul  212  B.C.,  VII  120 
Claudius,    emperor    A.D.     41-54,    III 

119,  141,  V  11,  58,  63,  75,  VI  27, 

31,  84,  VII  35,  74,  158  f. 
Cleobulus  of    Lindua  in  Rhodes,  one 

of  the  seven  sages,  6th  c.  B.C.,  V  136 
Cleombrotus,  VII  123 
Clitarchus,  historian,  wrote  history  of 


Alexander's      Asiatio     expedition, 

which  he  accompanied,  III  57,  VI 

30,  19S,  VII  129 
Clodia,  VII  158 
Closter,   spinner,  son  of   Spider,  VII 

196 
Clutorius,  VII  129 
Conopas,  VII  75 
Cnidii,  VII  127 
Consitius,  VII  36 
Corbulo,  see  Domitius  Corbulo 
Corbulo,  son  of  Vistilia,  VII  42 
Corculi,  VII  118 
Corfidius,  VII  176 
Cornelia,  VII  02,69 
Coniclius  Nepos,  historian,  friend  of 

Oicero,  III  132,  V  4,  VI  5,  31,  199 
Conielias,  Rufus,  VII  166 
Crassu.s,    defeated    by    Parthians    at 

Carrhae  53  B.C.,  VI  4  7 
Crates,  Crnic  philosopher  at  Atbeiis, 

fl.  330  B.C,  IV  58,  VII  13,  28,  31 
Crispianus,  VII  C(t 
Critobulus,  VII  124 
CriUidcmu.s,  VII  193 
Ctesias  of  Cnidus  in  Caria,  fl.  400  B.C, 

wrote  on  Persia  and  India,  VII  23, 

28,  207 
Ctesibias  of    Aleiandria,  meohanical 

engincer,  bom  c  250  B.C.,  III  126 
Curetes,  aborif,'ine3  of  Acamania    and 

priests  of  Zeus  in  Crete,  VII  204 
Curiatii,  v.  Uoratii,  VII  33 
Curio,  VII  55,  133 
Curius,  VII  68,  166 
Cyclopes,  VII  9,  195  IT. 
Cyms,  founder  of  Persian  empire,  d. 

529  B.C,  VI  92,  VII  88 

Daci,  VII  50 

Dactyli,  VII  197 

Daedalus,  VII  198,  205,  209 

Dalion,  VI  183,  194 

Damastcs,  Oreek  historian,  contemp. 

of  Uerodotas,  VII  154,  207 
Damon  (otherwise  unknown),  VTI  17 
Danae,  III  50 
Danaus,  VII  195 
Dando,  VII  155 
Daphnia,  VII  128 
Dardi,  III  104 

Darius,  VI  133,  165,  VII  108 
Daunii,  III  lo4 
Delas,  VII  197 
Delplms,  son  of  ApoIIo,  VII  203 


655 


INDEX   OF  PEOPLE 


Demetrins  Poliorcetee,  king  of  Macedon, 

6.  338,  d.  283  B.O.,  IV  10,  VII  120 
Demosthencs,  VII  HO 
Diana,  VII  125,  127 
Dinocharcs,     Macedonian      architcct 

temp.  Alexanderfname  alsoappeare 

as  L)inocrat«\  V  C2,  VTI  125 
Diodorus,    fourth    liead    of    Mpfjarlan 

school  of  philosophy,  llvcd  at  court 

of  Aleiandcr,  VII  180 
Diogenes,  VI  Cl,  VII  80 
Diomcdes,  Oreek  hcro  in  Trojan  war, 

III  lU-1,  1211 
Dionysius,  gcographical  cxplorcr  em- 

plojed  by  Auguslus,  VI  Ml 
Dionysius,  300  A.D.,  author  of  Periegc- 

sis,    a    world-gcography    in   Qrcek 

heiamcters,  IV  64,  VI  B8 
DiouTsius     the      Elder,      tyrant    ot 

Syracuac,  d.  368  B.C.,  VII  180 
Dioepolis,  lcpcndary   Kgyptian  archi- 

tect,  VII  i;it 
Domitius     Corbulo,     general     under 

Tiberius  and  Nero,  V  83,  VI  40 
Domitius,  L.,   great-great-grandfather 

of  ■Nero,  VII  186 
Drusus,  VII  80,  84 
Duris  of  Samos,  historian,  4th-3rd  c. 

B.C.,  VII  30 

Ennins,  239-161  B.C.,  founder  of  Ijatin 

heiameter  epic  poctry,  VII  101,  114 
Bphorus,  IV  120,  VI  ]o8,  VII  \:A 
Epicharmus  of  Oiw,  b.  510  B.O.,  Dorian 

comic  poct,  VII  192 
Epigenes  of  Bvrantium,  astronomer, 

date  uncertain,  VII  160,  193 
Epii,  old  name  of  Aetolta.nfl,  IV  13, 

VII  164 
Epimenidcs,  Cretan  poct  and  prophet, 

visited  Athens  and  bv  mystic  rites 

stopped  a  plague  596  B.C.,VII  1 54, 1 73 
Epiphanes,  sumamo  of  Antiochus  IV 

and  Antiochus  XI,  kings  of  Svria, 

VI  147 
RpiuB,  VII  202 

Hratosthenes  of  Oyrcne  2  76-196  B.C., 
gcographer  and  man  of  science,  V 
40  f.,  VI 3, 36,  GG,  81, 108, 163, 1  71. 183 

Erichtbonius,  mythical  king  of  Athens, 

VII  197,  202 

Erytbras,   mytbical   king   of   Egypt, 

VII  206 
Euchir,  mythlcal  invcntor  of  painting 

in  Greece,  VII  206 

6^6 


Endozus  of  Cyzicus,  traveller,  ^.  210 

B.O.,  VI  198 
Euryalus,    othcrwisc    unknown,    VII 

193,  194 
Euthymenes,  VII  76 
Euthymus,  VII  162 

Fabius,  VII  41,   133,  156,   106,   181, 

213 
Fausta,  VII  33 
Fclix,  VII  180 
Kidustius,  VII  134 
FUcrus,  VXI  129,  157 
Fonteius,  VII  84 
Fuflus,  VII  83 
Fullonius,  VII  159 
Fulvias,  li.,  consul  322  B.C.,  V  I  136 

Gabbara,  VII  74 

Qabienus,  Vll  178 

Qaius  (Caligula),  cmperor  4.D.  37-41, 

V  2,  11,  VI  10,  141 
GaiuB  Cacsar  Augusti  lilius,  VI  100 
Galpria,  VII  158 
Galloi,  VII  55 
Gallus,  r.  Aelius,  VI  160 
Qcllianus,  III  108 
Gcllius,  Aulus,  antiquarian  writer,  e. 

k.n.  117-180,  VII  192,  194,  197  f. 
Gcrmanicus,  nephow  of  Tiberius  aud 

father  of  Calijjula,  VII  57 
Glitus  (unknown),  VII  39 
Qorgias  of  Leontini  in  Sicily,  6.  480 

B.O.,  rhetorician  and  sophist,  taught 

at  Athens,  VII  150 
Qraccbi,  VII  57,  121 
Gvgea,  king  of   Lydia  716-678  B.f)., 

"VII  151,  205 

Hannibal,  VII  104 

llanno,  Carthaginian  magiatnite  and 

narjgator,  author  of  Periplus,  V  8 
nareni,  III  7 
llarmodius,    with    Aristoglton    killod 

Hipparchus  at  Athens  614  B.C.,  VII 

87 
Hecataeus,  IV  49,  VI  69 
Ilector,  VU  165 
Ile^esias  of    Magnesia,   historian,  fl. 

280  B.C.,  VII  207 
llellanicuB  of   iUtylenc,   carly  Greek 

historian,  born  c.  490  B.O.,  VII  154 
Ilellen,   mythical   king  of   Phthia  in 

Thessaly,     ancestor     of     all     the 

Hellcncs,  VII  203 


INDEX  OF   PEOPLE 


Heraclidea,  historiun,  e.  225  n.C,  IV 

70.  VII  175 
Heniclitus  of  Kphesus,  phvsical  philo- 

sopher,/?.  513  B.c,  VIl"80 
Hercules,  III  8,  IV  39,  V  7,  VI  76, 

89,  VII  49,  93,  123,  205 
HermoUtnus    of    Clazomenae,     early 

Greek  phiiosopher,  VII  174 
Herodes.kingof  Judaea  40-4B.C,  V69 
Herodotus,  V  57,  68,  VII  10 
Hesiodus,  VII  15.3,  197 
Hetereius,  VII  184 
Hippocrates  of  Cos,  celebrated  physi- 

cian,  bom  c.  4G0,  died  c.  357,  VII 

123,  171 
Hippas,  otherwise  unknown,  VII  208 
Homerus,  IV  28,  31,  V  43,  53,  141, 

143,  VII  85,  107,  165 
Horatii,  three  Roman  brothers,  fought 

and  defeated  three  brothers  Curiatii 

of  Alba  in  reign  of  Tullus  Hostilius, 

VII  33 
Hyperbius,  threo  mytbical  inventors, 

VII  194,  19S,  209 
HjBtaspes,    Tagus   o£   Thessaly,    344 

B.C,  VI  133 

lason,  aatrap  of  Persia  under  Cam- 

byses,  VII  16G 
lason,  leader  of  the  Argonauts,  VII 

207 
Icarus,  son  of  Daedalus,  VII  209 
Illyrii,  VII  123 
Iphiclns,  VII  49 
Isidorus  of  Charax,  geographer,  temp. 

early  Romun  Kuiperors,  IV  121,  V 

40,  47,  127,  132,  136,  140,  175  f. 
Isigonus,  VTI  12,  16,  27 
laba,    king    of    Numidia    and    later 

Mauretania  under  Augustus,  writer, 

V  16,  61,  VI  96,  124,  139,  141,  156, 

203 
luno  Argiva,  III  70 
lupitcr  Olympius,  VII  127 
Inventius,  oonsul   163   B.C,  subducd 

Corsica,  VII  182 

Labeo,  tr.  pleb.  197  B.C,  VII  143 
Lacnas,  rensor  595  B.C,  VII  215 
Lacstrygoues,   cannibal   tribe   visited 

by  Ulysses,  Od.  X  81,  III  89 
Lamia,  friend  of  Horaoe,  ooiisul  A.l>.  3, 

VII  173 
Lampido,    daughter   ot   Leotychides, 

king  of  Sparta  490  B.O.,  VII  133 


Laodice,  wife  of  Antiochos  the  Second, 

king    of    Syria    261-246   B.C,   VII 

63 
LaUiyrus,  VI  188 
Lentulus,  VII  64 
Lepidi,  VII  51,  122,  127,  186 
Liber,  III  8,  60,  IV  39,  V  83,  VI  69, 

91,  VII  95,  108,  191 
Libya,  VII  203 
Licinius,  V  83 
Linus,  VII  204 
Liparus,  III  93 
Livia,  VII  67,  158 
Liviua,  III  4,  132 
Lucceia,  VII  158 
Lutmii,  VII  155 
Lvcaon,  traditional  king  of  Arcadia, 

"VII  202 
Lydi,  III  50 
Lydas,  VII  197 
Lysander,    Spartan    commander,    re- 

duccd  Athcus  404  B.C,  VII  109 
Lysippus,  sculptor  temp.  Alexander, 

VII  125 

Macedonicus,  v.  Metellus 

Macerio,  v.  Labeo 

Maecenas,  Horace'3  patron,  VII  I4S 

172 
Magnetes    of    Magnesia    under    Mt. 

Sipylus  in  Asia  Minor,  shattered  by 

earthquake  in  reign  of  Tiberius,  VII 

126 
Magnus,  v.  Pompeius,  On. 
Mamertini,  III  88 
ManiIius,consuI  149  B.C,  during  Third 

Punic  War,  VII  47 
Manius,  VII  75 
Manlius,  VII  183 
Marcellus,  consul  222   B.C  and  four 

times  later,  conqueror  of  Syracuse 

in  Seoond  Punic  War,  III  131 
Marcius,  Italian  seer  whose  prophetic 

verses  were  Qrst  discovered  in  213 

B.C,  VII  119 
Marcius   Philippua,   censor   164    B.c, 

VII  214 
Marius,  i!>.  157  n.c,  seven  times  con- 

Bul,  III  33,  80,  VII  187 
Marsyas,     lcgendary    musician,     VII 

204 
Marsvas    (otherwise     unknown),    III 

108 
Masinissa,  king  of    Numidia    during 

Second  Punio  War,  VII  61,  166 


657 


INDEX   OF  PEOPLE 


Masiirius,  VII  40,  135 

Media,  VII  126 

Megasthenes,      enroy      of      Seleucus 

Nicator,    founder   of   Syrian    mon- 

arcliy  31.   B.C.,  as  amf'aiisador  to 

king  of  Prasii,  wrote  Indicij,  VI  68, 

69,  81,  VII  22,  25,  29,  53 
Mclampus,     earliest     propbetic     and 

medical  man,  VII  119 
Memnon,  VI  182 
Menaechmns,  sculptor,  fl.  500  B.C.,  IV 

64 
Menander,   Atbcnian   comic   poet,   6. 

322  n.c,  VIHll 
Menes,  VII  193 
Menogenes,  VII  55 
Mentor,    famous   silver-chaser,    earlv 

4th  c.  B.C,  VII  127 
Mercurius,  VII  191 
Mi^sala,  VIT  90,  98,  173 
Metellos,  VII  54,  59,  139,  167  il. 
Metliimannus,  VII  61 
Metrodorus    of    Scepsis,    philosoplier 

and    statesman    under    Mitbridatcs 

Eupator,    king    of    Pontua    120-63 

B.C,  III  122,  V  136 
Midas,  kinR  of  Phrvgia,  VII  204 
Midias,  VII  200 
Milo  of  Croton,   athlctc,   late  6th  c. 

B.C,  VII  83 
Minerva.  VII  97,  210 
Minos,  legcndarv  king  of  Cnoesus  in 

Crete,  VII  2iiU 
Mithridates,   king  of   Pontus    120-«3 

B.C,  VII  88,  98 
Mnesigiton,  VII  208 
Monadi,  III  104 
Monocoli,  VII  23 
Muclanus,  consul  a.u.  52,  70  and  75, 

historian,  III  69,  IV  60,  77,  V  60, 

128,  Vn  159 
MociuB,  VII  163 
M^rrmecides,   sculptor   of    Miletus   or 

Athens,  VII  85 
Myrsilus  of  I^lios    bistorian  of  un- 

cert&in  date,  III  ab,  IV  65 
Mysticus,  VII  184 

Naeviu-"?  Pollio,  II  74 

Nearcbus,  admiral  of  Aleiander.  wrotc 
biotorv  of  vovat^  from  Indus 
to  Persiao  Gulf,  VI  96,  107,  109, 
124 

Neceperjs,  VII  10<J 

Nepos,  tee  Comeliua  Nepos 


Nero,  rv  10,  VI  40,  181,  184,  VII  45, 

71,  129 
Nero,  tee  Tiberius 
Nicaeus,  VII  51 
NiciaP,  VII  196 
Nirodorus,  III  58 

Nicomedes,  kines  of  Bithynia,  VII 127 
Nvmiihodonis,  historian,  temp.  Philip 

and  Aiexander,  VII  16 
NyBa,  V  74 

Oceanus.  VII  197 

Otilius.  VII  158,  184 

Olympionicae,  VII  133 

Onesicritus,  accompanied  Nearcbns, 
wrotc  bistorv  of  Asiatic  campaigns, 
VI  81,  90,  109,  124,  VII  28 

Orestes.  VII  74 

Orion,  VII  73 

Orpheus,  IV  41,  VII  203 

Orfitius.  consul  A.D.  48,  VII  39 

Osci,  III  60 

Otus,  son  of  Poseidon  and  brother  of 
Ephialtes,  VII  73 

Paezon,  VII  129 

Palamedcs,  Greek  bero  in  Trojan  war, 

ezecuted    on    fictitious    cbarge    of 

treason,  VII  192,  202 
Palladium,  VII  141 
Pampbilus,  VII  64 
Pan,  III  8,  VII  204 
Pandion,  VI  105 
Papiriiis      Cursor,     commandcd     in 

i^econd    Samnite    War,    Bve    timcs 

coniiuland  twicedictator, VII  40,213 
Papirius  Carlo,  consui  113  B.C.,  V1I68 
Parhalus,  VII  207 
Paris,  VII  55 
Partbi,  VII  135 
Paterculus,  VII  120 
Patr<x:le8,  VI  53 
Paulus,  consul  219  B.C.,  III  138 
reiJianus  Asconius,  6.  2  n.C.  scbolar. 

wrote  commentary  on  speecbes  of 

Cicero,  VII  159 
Pediculi,III  101 
Pedius,  VII  151 
PolasKi,  III  Wj 
Peletbronius,  VII  202 
Pentheeilea,  VII  201 
Pericles,  VII  209 

Perpenna,  consul  92  B.C,  VII  150 
Perses,    last   king   of   Macedonia   de- 

featcd  in  war  with  Uomo  171-lCJ 

B.C,  III  114 


658 


INDEX  OF  PEOPLE 


Perees,  son  of  Perseus  and  Andromeda, 

legendary  founder  of  Persian  nation, 

VII  201 
Pereeus,  Argive  hero,  III  56,  V  7,  VII 

201 
PetoBiris,      Egyptian      priest,      with 

Necepsos    founded    astrology,    VII 

ICO 
Petronius,  VI  1 81 
PhaJaris,  tyraut   of   Agrigcntum   57U 

B.C.,  VII  2iX) 
Pherecydes     of    Syros,    Gth    c.    B.C., 

philosopher,  teacher  of  Pythagoras, 

VII  172,  205 
Phidon,  icing  of  Argos,   8th  c.   B.C., 

VII  198 
Philemon,  IV  95 
Philippides  or  Phidippides,  Athenian 

courier,  ran  to  Sjiarta  in  three  days 

to  a«l£  aid  against  Persians,  490  B.C., 

VII  84 
Philippus,  VII  124 
Philistides,  IV  53,  120 
Philonides,  courier,  VII  81 
Philostephanus,      Alexandrian      geo- 

grapher  240  D.C.,  VII  207 
Philvra,  VII  196 
Phoroneus,  VII  103  f. 
Phylarchus,  Qrcck  historian  270  D.O., 

VII  17 
Pictoreua,  VII  154 
Pindarus,  VII  109 
Pisaeus,  VII  201 
Piso,  III131 
Pittheus,    king    of    Troozen,    son    of 

Pelojis,  VII  205 
Plancus,  friend  of  Julius  Caesar,  VII 

55 
Plato,  VII  110 
Pollui,  VI  IG 
Polvbius,  historian,  h.  204  B.C.,  IV  77, 

119,  121  f.,  V  9,  4G,  VI  199,  206 
Polydamas,  VII  1G6 
Polygnotus,  painter,  mid  5th  c.  B.C., 

VII  205 
Pompeius,  Aulus,  VII  182 
Pompeius,  Cn.,  III  18,  101,  V  58,  C8, 

VI  51,  VII  34,  53.  80,  93  fl.,  112, 

115 
Pompeius,  Seitus,  VII  178 
Pomponius,  VII  39,  80,  158 
Porcia  gen3,  VII  100 
Posidonius,      Stoic     philosopher     of 

Rhodes,   ambassador   to   Komo   80 

B.C.,  VI  57,  VII  112 


Praxiteles,  Athenlan  sculptor,  i.  390 

B.c,  VII  127 
Proetus,  king  of  Tirvns,  VII  200 
Proractlieiii;,  VII  199,  209 
Protogoncs,    painter    at    Uhodes,   fl. 

332-300  B.C,  VII  126 
Prusias,  kingof  Rithynla  228-180  B.C., 

VII  69 
1'sammetichus,  king  of  Egypt,  c.  666 

B.O.,  VI  191 
PsophidivL^^,  VII  151 
Psylli,  earliest  known   inhabitants  of 

Cyrenaica  in  N.  Africa,  VII  14 
Ptoiemaeus,  successive  kings  of  Egvpt, 

VI  165,  167,  188,  VII  124,  208  " 
Ptolemaeus,  son  of  luba  the  Younger, 

succeeded   him   as  king  of   Maure- 

tania,   put   to   death  at   Rome   40 

A.D.,  V  IG 
Publiciius,  VII  53 
Pusio,  VII  75 
Pyrgotelos,  gem-engraver  under  Alei- 

ander  the  (ireat,  VII  125 
Pyrodes,  VII  199 
Pvrrho  of  Elis,  founder  of  Sceptical 

"sohool,  VII  80 
Pvrrhus,  king  of  Epirus,  b.  318  B.C., 

"lll  101,  VII  20,  88,  204,  231 
Pytheas,  navigator,  explored  west  and 

north  Europe,  lat€  4th  c.  B.C.,  IV 

95 

Rachias,  VI  85,  88 

Rebilus,  0.  Oamnlus,  Caesarian  geii- 

eral,  VII  181 
Rhadamanthus,  Cretan  prince,  judge 

in  llades,  VII  191 
Romilius,  consul  455  B.C,  VII  102 
RomuliLS,  III  6G 
Roscius     of     Ameria,    defended     by 

Cicero  on  charge  of  murdering  his 

father,  80  B.C.  VII  117 
Roscius  Q.,  actor,  VII  198 
Rusticelius,  VII  83 
Rutilius,  VII  122,  158 

Salo,  VII  61 
Samiramides,  VI  92 
Samiramis,  VII  207 
Samnuilla,  VII  159 
Sannius,  VII  55 
Saturnas,  III  8,  VII  190 
Saufeius,  VII  183 
Scapula,  P.  Quintius,  VII  183 
Scaurus,  VII  128 


659 


INDEX   OF   PEOPLE 


Sciapodes,  VU  23 

Scipio     Africanus,     Aemilianus,     see 

AiricaDus 
Scipio,  L.,  \1I  88 
Scipio  Nasica,  jorist,  consul  191  D.C., 

VII  120,215 
Scylla,   monster  guarding   Straits  of 

Mcssina,  III  73 
Scytlies,  VII  201 

Seboeus,  Statius,  geographer,  VI  1 83 
Secundilla,  VII  75 
Seianus,  minister  of  emperor  Tibcrius, 

executed  for  trcason  31   A.D.,  VII 

129 
Seleuciis,  first  king  of  Syria  312-280 

B.C.,  VI  19 
Seneca,    philosopher,  Nero'8    adviser 

and  victim,  VI  GO 
Serapio,  VII  51 
Sergius,  VII  KU 
Scrtorius,    headed    rlsing    in    Spain, 

resisted  Metellus  aud  Fompeius  for 

five  years,  assassiuated  72  B.C.,  VII 

96 
Servilius,  VII  103,  182 
Sesostris,   Ramses  II,  great   king   of 

Bgypt,  VI  IC5 
Seitus  Pompeius,  VII  178 
Sibylla,  VII  119 
Siccins,  VII  loi 
Silanns,  consul  A.n.  4fi,  proconsul  of 

Asia,  A.D.  54,  VII  58 
Silenus,  Roman  liistorian,  2nd  c.  B.C., 

IV  120 

Siienus,  satyr-ILkc  attcndant  of  Dionv- 

8US,  VII  199 
Simoiiides,  lyric  poet  of  Ceoa  666-4G7 

B.C.,  VI  183,  VII  192 
Sinon,  leader  in  plot  of  wooden  horse 

to  capture  Troy,  VII  202 
Sirenes,  III  62 
Socrates,  VII  79,  118 
Sol,  VII  197 
Sophocles,  VII  180 
Spaosines,  VI  1 39 
Spinther,  VII  64 
Spurius,  VII  101 
Staphylua,  VII  199 
Statilia,  VII  153 
Stephanio,  VII  169 
Stilpo  of  MeL'.ira,  philosopher,  VII 180 
Strabo,  VII  54,  85 
Suetonius    Paulinus,  conaul    C6    B.O., 

commanded  in  Britain  undcr  Nero, 

V  14 

66o 


Suilliiis  Rufus,  consul  46  A.D.,  ban- 
ished  for  corruption,  VII  39 

Sulla,  III  70,  80,  VU  60, 131, 137, 187 

Sullanus,  VII  96 

Sulpicia,  VII  120 

Sura,  L.  Licinius,  friend  of  Trajan, 
VII  55 

Tacitus,  tho  historian,  VII  76 

Tader,  III  9 

Tarquinius,  L.,  Priscus,  fifth  klng  o( 

Rome,  III  70 
Tarquinius    Supcrbus,    seventh    and 

last  kin(?  of  Romc,  IU  67 
Tauron,  VII  24 
Telchius,  VI  16 
Terentia,  VII  168 
Terentius,  unfciiown,  VII  lfi3 
Tereus,  legendary  king  of  Thrace,  IV  47 
Tcrpander   of    Lcsbos,    700-C5O    B.C., 

father   of   Oreck   music   and    lyric 

poetry,  VII  2(i4 
Tertulla,  VII  1G3 

Thamyras,  legendary  bard,  VII  204 
Thamyris,     possibly     identical    with 

Thaimyras,  VII  204 
Theodonis,  sculptor  aud  architect,  fl. 

600  B.C.,  VII  1<JH 
Theophrostus  of    Lesbos,    pupil    and 

Buccessor  of  Aristotle,  III  57,   98, 

rv  2,  VII  151,  195 
Theopompus,      historian,      pupil     of 

Isocrates,  6.   378  B.O.,  III  57,  98, 

IV  2,  VII  154,  195 
Thcseus,  VII  200,  202,  205 

Thoas,  king  of  Ijcmnos,  son  of  Diony- 

sus  and  Ariadne,  VII  197 
Thrason,  VII  195 
Thucydides,  III  8G,  VII  111,  207 
Tibcrius,  VII  84,  149 
Tigraues,  king  of  Armenia,  son-in-law 

of     Mithridates,     surreudcred      to 

Pompey  G6  B.O.,  VII  98 
Timaeus,  362-256  B.C.,  wrote  history 

of  Sicily,  III  85,  IV   04,  104,  120, 

V  53  f. 
Timagencs,  III  132 
Timo,  VII  80 

Timomachus  of  Hyiantium,  t«mp.  J. 
Cacsar,  VII  126,  cf.  XXXV  136 

Timosthenes  of  Hhodes,  admiral  un- 
der  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  e.  280 
B.C.,  wrote  on  harbours,  V  47,  129 

VI  18,  1C3,  183,  198 

Tiphys,  helmsman  of  the  Argo,  VII 209 


GEOGRAPHICAL   INDEX 


Tircsias,  legendarv  augur,  blind,  VII 

203 
Tiridatcs,  king  of  Parthia,  VII  129 
Titinius,  VII  211 
Toranius,  VII  56 
Triariiis,  defeated  bv  Mithridates  in 

Pontus  G8  B.C.,  Vl"l(j 
Triptolemus,  mythical  hero  of  Eleusis, 

VII  199 
Trispithanii,  VII  26 
Tritanus,  VII  81 
Trogus    Pompeius,    tcmp.    Augustus, 

wrote  universal  history,  VII  3.3 
Tuditanus,  consul  129  b!c.,  III  129 
Tullius,  ^^I  75 
Turduli,  III  8,  13,  VII  71 
l^irraiiius  Gracilis,  AXiican  geographer, 

III  3 
Tusci,III  51,60,  70 
Tyrrheni,  III  50 
Tyrrhenus,  VII  201 

Valeria,  VII  CS 

Valerius  Corvinns.commanded  against 

Gauls,  Etruscans  and  Samnites,  4th 

c.  B.C.,  VII  157 
Valerius  Messala,  VII  214 
Valerius  Soranus,  poet,  fl.  100   B.C., 

III  65 
Varro,  M.  Terentius,  116-28  B.C..  en- 

cyclopacdic  author,   III  8,  45,  95, 


101,  109,  142,  IV  62,  65,  77,  115,  VI 

38,  51,  VII  13,  75,  80,  83,  114,  175, 

211,214 
Vontidius,    servcd    under    Caesar    in 

Gaul  and  for  Antony  in  Farttiia, 

VII  135 
VergiUus,  VII  114 
Verrius,  VII  180 
Vcspasianus,  III  30,  GG,  V  69 
Vesta,  VII  141 
Vibius,  VII  53 
Viimius,  VII  82 
Vipstanus,  VII  84 
Vistilia,  VII  39 
Volcanus,  III  93,  VI  187 
Volcatius,  VII  181 
Volsci,  III  59,  V  129 
Volusius,  d.  A.D.  56,  aged  93,  VII  62, 

156 
Vopisci,  VIT  47 

Xenagoras,    historian,    early    2nd    c. 

B.C.,  V  129 
Xenophilus,  VII  168 
Xenophon,  IV  95,  VI  200,  VII  155 
Xerxes,  IV  37,  40 

Zoroaster,  Persian,  reformer  of  Magian 
roligion,  extant  oracles  spurious, 
\il  T2 


GEOGRAPHICAL   INDEX 


Abila,  in  4 
Achaia,  FV  12 
Actium,  IV  5 
Adriatic,  111  150 
Aegean,  IV  1,  51 
Aeolis,  V  121 
AetoUa,  IV  6 
Africa,  V  1 

Aleiandria,  V  C2,  128 
Alecria,  V  17 
Ali.s,  III  132 
Anglesea,  IV  103 
Apulia,  111  103 
Aquitania,  IV  107 
Arabian  Gulf,  VI  117 
Argos,  Gulf  of,  IV  18 
Armenia,  VI  25,  129 
Axmorica,  IV  105 

VOL.  II.        (pLINY) 


Asia,  V  27 

Asia  Minor,  V  91 

Athos,  IV  73 

Attica,  IV  23 

Atlas,  V  5,  U 

Azov,  IV  75,  78,  VI  3,  etc. 

Babylon,  VI  124 

Baetica,  III  7,  17 

Balaklava,  IV  86 

BalearicB,  III  76 

Balkh,  VI  45 

Barca,  V  31 

Bardsey,  IV  103 

Belgium,  IV  106 

Bithynia,  V  148 

Black  Sea,  IV  44,  75,  92,  VI,  1,  tqq^ 

Boeotia,  IV  26 


66r 


GEOGRAPHICAL   INDEX 


Borkhnm,  IV  97 
Boulo(?ne,  IV  121 
Branchidae,  V  112 
Brindisi.  III  91 
Britain,  IV  102 
Bysacium,  V  24 
Byzantium,  IV  46 

CaWs,  V  26 

Cadii,  III  7,  IV  119 

Calpe,  III  4 

Campania,  III  60,  70 

Cappadocia,  VI  8 

Capri,  III  82 

C«ria,  V  10 

CarmanJa,  VI  107 

Carthage,  V  4,  26 

Carthage,  New,  III  16,  19,  25 

Caapian,  VI  15,  36,  4i5,  51 

Caucasna,  VI  30 

Ceylon,  VI  81 

Charai,  VI  138 

China,  VI  54 

Chioe,  V  136 

Ciiicia,  V  91 

Cithaeron,  IV  24 

Cnidos,  V  104 

CoUca,  VI  15 

Como,  III  131 

Constantinople,  VI 1 

Corfu,  IV  52 

Corinth,  IV  6,  9 

Corsica,  III  80 

Corunna,  III  26 

Crete,  IV  68 

Crimea,  IV  85 

Cycladea,  IV  71 

CypniB,  V  129 

Cyrenaica,  V  31 

Dalmatia,  III  141,  147 

Damascus.  V  74 

Danube,  III  128,  146  148,  IV  44,  79 

Dardanellea,  IV  46,  75,  92,  V  141,  150, 

VI  1 
Dead  Sea,  V  71 
Decapolls,  V  74 
Deloa,  IV  66 
Delphi,  IV  7 
Don,  IV  78,  VI  19 
Doris,  IV  28 
Douro,  IV  112 

Ebro,  III  24 
Kcbatana,  VI  43 

662 


Ecija,  III  7 

E(?ypt,  V  48,  60 

Elis,  IV  14 

Engedi,  V  73 

Ethiopia,  V  43,  VI  178 

Etna,  III  88 

Etruria,  III  50 

Euboea,  IV  63 

Euphratcs,  V  83,  90,  VI  124,  130 

Earipus,  IV  63 

Europe,  III  0,  IV  121 

EnTJne,  VII 

Finisterre,  IV  119 

Qaditanum  Fretum,  III  3 
Galatia,  V  146 
Galilee,  V  70 
GaUipoli,  IV  48,  74 
Ganges,  VI  65 
Garama,  V  36 
Garda,  III  131 
Garonne,  IV  I05 
Gaul,  III  31,115,  123,  IV  105 
Gennasareth,  V  71 
Gennany,  IV  09 
Qibralter,  III  3,  V  2.  VI  1 
Glaesariae,  IV  97,  lu3 
Greece,  IV  1 

Gaadalquivir,  III  7,  9,  13 
Quadlana,  III  7,  13,  17 
Guardahii,  VI  1 75 

Haiderabad,  VI  72 
Haemonia,  IV  23 
Hamadan,  VI  43 
Uellespont,  V  141 
Herat,  VI  62 
Hercynian  lorest,  IV  80 
Ilimalayas,  VI  SU 

Idumaea,  V  68 
Illvria,  III  147 
India,  VI  56,  92 
Indus,  VI  71 
lonia,  V  112 
Ireland,  IV  103 
Isauria,  V  94 
Istria,  III  129 
Italy,  III  38 

Jericho,  V  70 
Jordan,  V  71 
Judaea,  V  70 
JumsA,  VI  63,  69 


GEOGRAPHICAL    INDEX 


Kabal,  TI  62 
Kandahar,  VI  62 
Kertsch,  VI  2,  18 
Kur,  VI  2G,  45 

Latium,  III  56 
Latmus,  V  113 
Lebanon,  V  77 
Lesbos,  V  139 
Libya,  V  1,  39 
Liguria,  III  47 
Lipari,  III  93 
Lisbon,  IV  113,  116 
Lixus,  V  2 
Locris,  rv  7,  27 
Lugo,  III  28 
Lycaonia,  V  95 
Lycia,  V  100 
Lydia,  V  110 
Lyons,  IV  107 

Macedonia,  III  145,  IV  33 
Maeander,  V  1 1 3 
Maggiore,  III  131 
Magna  Graecia,  III  95 
Magnesia,  IV  32 
Malta,  III  92 
Man  rv  103 
Marmara,  IV  46,  V  151 
Marseillea,  III  34 
Matapan,  IV  16 
Mauretania,  V  2,  11,  16 
Media,  VI  43,  114 
Megara,  IV  23 
Meroe,  VI  189 
Mesopotamia,  V  86,  VI  117 
Messina,  III  8S 
Minho,  IV  112,  115 
Morea,  IV  12,  20 
Morocco,  V  8 
Mysia,  V  141 

Narbonne,  IV  105 
NaioB,  IV  69 
Negropoli,  IV  84 
Nige^,  V  44 
Nile,  V  48,  61 
Numidia,  V  22 

OeU,  IV  28 

Paestum,  III  71 
Palestine,  V  68 
Palmyra,  V  88 
Pamphylia,  V  90 

(PLLNV  II.) 


Pannonia,  III  147 
Paphlagonia,  VI  5 
Parthia,  VI  41,  44,  112 
Pelasgis,  IV  28 
Peloponnese,  IV  12,  2 
Peneus,  IV  30 
Persia,  VI  41,44,  11 
Persian  Gulf,  VI  14 
Phaleron,  IV  24 
Pharos,  V  128 
Phocis,  IV  27 
Phoenicia,  V  75 
Phrygia,  V  145 
Picenum,  III  110 
Piraeus,  IV  24 
Pisidia,  V  94 
Po,  III 117,  127 
Pontua  see  Black  Sea 
Portugal,  rv  113 
Propontis,  IV  46,  V  151 
Pyrenees,  IV  110 

Eed  Sea,  VI  107,  163 
Rhine,  IV  101,  106 
Rhodes,  V  133 
Rion,  VI  12 
Rome,  in  40,  66 

St.  Vincent,  IV  115 
Salamis,  IV  62 
Samaria,  V  69 
Samos,  V  135 
Saragossa,  III  24 
Sardinia,  III  S4 
SaronicGult,  IV  8 
Scandinavia,  IV  96 
Scheldt,  IV  105 
Scilly,  IV  119 
Scythia,  IV  8i>,  VI  50,  53 
Sebastopol,  VI  8 
Seine,  IV  105 
SeTille,  III  7,  13 
Sicily,  III  86 
Sidon,  V  76 
Smyrna,  V  118 
Spain,  III  6,  IV  110 
Spalato,  III  141 
Sparta,  IV  16 
Sporades,  IV  68,  71 
Stamboul,  IV  46 
Stromboli,  III  94 
Susa,  VI  135 
Sydra,  V  96 
Symplegades,  IV  93 

Y  2 


663 


GEOGRAPHICAL   INDEX 


Svria,  V  66,  79,  86  Tiber,  III  53 

Syrtes,  V  26  Tigris,  VI  126 

Trapani,  III  88 

Tagus,  IV115  Tripoli,  V'J3 

Tangier,  V  2,  1 7  Troad,  V  124 

Taormina,  III  83  Trogodyticc,  VI  ICD,  189 

Tarragon,  III  21  Tunisia,  V  23 

Taurus,  V  97,  VI  123  Tjre,  V  70 
Tempe,  IV  31 

Thebaid,  V  49  Umbria,  III  112 

Thebes,  IV  25  XJshant,  IV  1U3 
Thcmiscvra,  VI  10 

Thessalf,  IV  29  Vcnetia,  III  126 
Thrace,  IV  40 

Tbule,  IV  lOi  Zariasta,  VI  46 


PBINTED  Ut  GREAT  BRITAIN  BY  RICHARD  CLAT  AND  COMPANT,  LJTD., 
BUNOAT,   SUFTOLK 


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ton  (156(5).     Revised  by  S.  Gaselee. 
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Clinton  W.  Keyes. 

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Louis  E.  Lord. 
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Cubtius,  Q.:   History  of  Alexander.     J.  C.  Rolfc.     2  Vols. 

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Schlesinger  and  R.  M.  Geer  (General  Index).     14  Vols. 

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2 


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Seneca:   Moral  Essays.     J.  W.  Basore.     3  Vols. 
Seneca:   Traqedies.     F.  J.  Miller.     2  Vols. 
SiDONius:    PoEMS  and  Letters.     W.  B.  Andebson.     2  Vols. 
Siuus  Italicus.     J.  D.  Duff.     2  Vols. 
Statius.     J.  H.  Mozley.     2  Vols. 
Suetonius.     J.  C.  Rolfe.     2  Vols. 
Tacitus:     Dialogues.      Sir   Wm.    Peterson.      Aobicola   and 

Germania.     Maurice  Hutton. 
Tacitus:  Histobies  and  Annals.     C.  H.  Mooreand  J.  Jackson. 

4  Vols. 
Tebence.     John  Sargeaimt.     2  Vols. 
Tebtullian:    Apolooia  and  De  Spectaculis.     T.  R.  Glover. 

MiNucius  Felix.     G.  H.  Rendall. 
Valebius  Flaccus.     J.  H.  Mozley. 
Vabbo:    De  Linoua  Latina.     R.  G.  Kent.     2  Vols. 
Velleius  Patebculus  and  Res  Gestae  Divi  Augusti.     F.  W. 

Shipley. 
ViBOiL.     H.  R.  Fairclough.     2  Vols. 
ViTBUVius:    De  Architectuba.     F.  Granger.     2  Vols. 

3 


Greek  Authors 

ACHIIXE3  Tatius.     S.  Gasolee. 

Aelian:    On  the  Xatlre  of  Anijials.     A.  F.  Scliolfield.     3 

Vols. 
Aeneas    T.\cticcs,    Asclepiodotus    and    Oxas.\nder.     Tlie 

Illinois  Greek  Club. 
Aeschines.     C.  D.  Adaras. 
Aeschylus.     H.  Weir  Smyth.     2  Vols. 
Alciphbon,  Aelian,  Philosteatus  :    Lettebs.     A.  R.  Beiiner 

and  F.  H.  Fobes. 
Andocides,  Antipuon,  Cf.  MuroB  Attic  Oeatobs. 
Apollodobus.     Sir  James  G.  Frazer.     2  Vols. 
Apollonius  Rhodius.     R.  C.  Seaton. 
The  Apostolic  Fathebs.     Kirsopp  Lake.     2  Vols. 
Appian:   Roman  Historv.     Horaco  White.     4  VoU. 
Ak.vtus.     Cf.  Callimachus. 
Akistophanes.     Benjamin    Bickley    Rogers.     3    Vols.     Verso 

trana. 
Abistotle:    Abt  of  Rhetoric.     J.  H.  Freese. 
Abistotle:     Athenian    Constitution,    Eudemi.kn    Ethics, 

VicE3  AND  Vibtues.     H.  Rackham. 
Abistotle:    Genebation  or  Ani.mals.     A.  L.  Peck. 
Abistotle:    Metaphysics.     H.  Tredonnick.     2  Vols. 
Abistotle:    Meterolooica.     H.  D.  P.  Lee. 
Abistotle:     Minor  Works.     W.    S.    Hett.     On   Colours,   On 

Things  Heard,  On  Physiognomies,  On  Plants,  On  Marvellou« 

Things  Hoard,   Mechanical   Problems,  On   Indivisible   Linos, 

On  Situations  and  Namos  of  Winds,  On  Melissua,  Xenophanes, 

and  Gorgias. 
Aristotle:    Nicomachean  Ethics.     H.  Rackham. 
Abistotle:    Oeconomica  and  Magna  Mobalia.     G.  C.  Arm- 

strong;    (with  Metapliysics,  Vol.  II.). 
Abistotle:    On  the  Heavens.     W.  K.  C.  Guthrie. 
Abistotle:   On  the  Soul.     Pabva  Natubalia.     On  Bbeath. 

W.  S.  Hett. 
Abistotle:       Cateoobies,      On      Intebpret  atioit,      Pkior 

Analytics.     H.  P.  Cooke  and  H.  Tredennick. 
Abistotle:     Posterior   Analytics,   Topics.     H.   Tredonnick 

and  E.  S.  Forstor. 
Abistotle:    On  SopHisncAL  Refutations. 

On  Coming  to  bo  and  Passing  Away,  On  tho  Cosmos.     E.  S. 

Forater  and  D.  J.  Furley. 
Aristotle:    Parts  of  Animals.     A.  L.  Pock;    Motion  akd 

Pboobession  of  Animals.     E.  S.  Forster. 
4 


AniSTOTLE:    Physics.     Rcv.  P.  Wicksteed  and  F.  M.  Coniford. 

2  Vols. 
Aristotle:     Poetics    and    Longintts.     W.    Hamilton    Fyfe; 

Demetrius  on  STyLE.     W.  Rhys  Roberts. 
Akistotle:    Politics.     H.  Rackham. 
Aristotle:    Pkoblems.     W.  S.  Hett.     2  Vols. 
Aristotle:     Rhetobica   Ad    Alexandkum   (with    Problems. 

Vol.  II.)     H.  Rackham. 
Akrian:   History  of  Alexandeb  and  Indica.     Rev.  E.  Ilifre 

Robson.     2  Vols. 
Athenaeus:   Deipnosophistae.     C.  B.  Gulick.     7  Vols. 
St.  Basil:   Lettebs.     R.  J.  Deferrari.     4  Vols. 
Callimachts:    Fragmexts.     C.  A.  Trypanis. 
Callimachus,  Hymns  and  Epigrams,  and  Lycophbon.     A.  W. 

Jlair;   Abatus.     G.  R.  Mair. 
Clement  of  Alexaxdria.     Rev.  G.  W.  Butterworth. 
Colluthus.     Cf.  Oppian. 
Daphkis    akd    Chloe.     Thomley's    Translation    revised     by 

J.  M.  Edmonds;   and  Pabthenius.     S.  Gaselee. 
Demosthenes  I.:    Ol\-nthiacs,  Phelippics  and  Minob  Ora- 

TiONS.     I.-XVII.  AND  XX.     J.  H.  Vince. 
Demosthenes   II.:    De   Cobona   and  De   Falsa   Legatione. 

C.  A.  Vince  and  J.  H.  Vince. 
Demosthenes    III.:      Meidias,    Andbotion,    Abistocrates, 

TiMOCRATEs  and  Abistogeiton,  I.  and  II.     J.  H.  Vince. 
Demosthenes  IV.-VL:    Pbivate  Okations  and  In  Neaeram. 

A.  T.  Murray. 
DeMOSTHENES  VII. :  FUNERAL  Speech,  Erotic  Essay,  Exokdia 

and  Letters.     N.  W.  and  N.  J.  DeWitt. 
Dio  Cassius:    Roman  Histoby.     E.  Cary.     9  Vols. 
Dio  Chbysostom.    J.  W.  Cohoon  and  H.  Lamar  Crosby.    5  Vols. 
DiODOBUs  SicuLus.     12  Vols.     Vols.  I.-VI.     C.  H.  Oldfather. 

Vol.  VII.     C.  L.  Shorman.     Vols.  IX.  and  X.     R.  M.  Goer. 

Vol.  XI.     F.  Walton. 
DiOGENES  Laebitius.     R.  D.  Hicks.     2  Vols. 
DiONYsrus  OF  Halicabnassus  :    RoMAN  Antiquities.     Spel- 

man'8  translation  revised  by  E.  Cary.     7  Vols. 
Epictetus.     W.  A.  Oldfather.     2  Vols. 
EuBiPiDES.     A.  S.  Way.     4  Vols.     Verse  trans. 
EusEBrus:     EccLESiAsilCAL    HiSTOBY.      Kirsopp    Lake    and 

J.  E.  L.  Oulton.     2  Vols. 
Galen  :   On  the  Natubal  Faculties.     A.  J.  Brock. 
The  Greek  Anthology.     W.  R.  Paton.     5  Vola. 
Gbekk   Elegy   and   Iambus  with  the  Anacreontea.     J.   M. 

Edmonds.     2  Vols. 

6 


\^ 


ThE    GrEEK     BUCOLIC    POETS    (ThEOCRITUS,    BlON,    MOSCHUS). 

J.  M.  Eilmonds. 
Greek  Mathematicai.  Wobks.     Ivor  Thomas.     2  Vols. 
Herodes.     Cf.  Theophbastus:   Characters. 
Herodotus.     A.  D.  Godley.     4  Vols. 

Hesiod  and  The  Homeric  Hymns.     H.  G.  Evelj'n  White. 
Hippocbates  and  tho  Fraomknts  of  Hebacleitus.     W.  H.  S. 

Jones  and  E.  T.  Withington.     4  Vols. 
Homer:    Iliad.     A.  T.  Miirrny.     2  Vols. 
HoMER:    Odyssey.     A.  T.  Murray.     2  Vole. 
ISAEUS.      E.  ^V.  Forstcr. 

Isocbates.     George  Norlin  and  LaRue  Van  Hook.     3  Vols. 
St.  John  Damascene:    Barlaam  and  Ioasaph.     Rev.  G.  R. 

Woodward  and  Harold  Mattingly. 
Josephtjs.     H.  St.  J.  Tliackeray  and  Rnlph  Mnrciis.     9  Vols. 

Vols.  I.-VII. 
JuLiAN.     Wilmer  Cave  Wright.     3  Vols. 
LuciAN.     8  Vols.     Vols.  L-V.     A.  M.  Harmon.     Vol.  VI.     K. 

Kilbum. 
Lvcophron.     Cf.  Callimachvs. 
Lyra  Graeca.     J.  M.  Edmonds.     3  Vols. 
Lysias.     W.  R.  M.  Lamb. 
Manetho.     W.  G.  WaddcU:    Ptolemy:    Tetrabiblos.     F.  E. 

Robbins. 
Marcus  Aubelius.     C.  R.  Haines. 
Menander.     F.  G.  Allinson. 

iNOB    Attic    Obators    (ANTinioN,    Andocides,    Lycubous, 
emades,  DrNABCHUs,  Hypereides).     K.  J.  Mnidment  and 

J.  O.  Burrt.     2  Vols. 
NoNNOS:   DiONYSiACA.     W.  H.  D.  Rouse.     3  Vols. 
Oppian,  Colluthus,  TBYPniODORus.     A.  W.  Mair. 
Papybi.     Non-Litebaby  Selections.     A.  S.  Hunt  and  C.  C. 

Edgar.     2    Vols.     Literaby    Selections    (Poetry).     D.    L. 

Page. 
PAETHENirs.     Cf.  D.\PHNis  and  Chloe. 
Pausanias:    Description   of  Greece.     W.   H.   S.   Jones.     4 

Vole.  and  Companion  Vol.  arranged  by  R.  E.  Wycherley. 
Philo.     10  VoIb.     VoIs.  I.-V.;    F.  H.  Colson  and  Rev.  G.  H. 

Whitakcr.     Vols.  VI.-IX.;    F.  H.  Colson. 
Philo:    two  Bupplemcntary  Vols.     (Tramlation  only.)     Ralph 

Mnrcus. 
Philostratus  :    The  Life  or  Apollonius  of  Tyana.     F.  C. 

Conybeare.     2  Vcls. 
Philostratus :   Imagines;  Callistbatus :  Descriptions.     A, 

Fairbnnks. 

6 


.^' 


PHTL.OSTHATUS  and  EUNAPIUS  :    LlVES  OF  TIIE  SOPHISTS.       Wilnior 

Cave  Wright. 
PiNDAB.     Sir  J.  E.  Sandys. 
Plato:    Charmides,  Alcibiades,  Hipparchus,  The  Lovers, 

Theages,  Minos  and  Epinomis.     W.  R.  M.  Lamb. 
Plato:    Cratylus,   Parmenides,   Gbeater  HirpiAs,   Lesser 

HiPPiAS.     H.  N.  Fowler. 
Plato:     Euthyphro,   Apolooy,   Cbito,   Phaedo,   Phaedrus. 

H.  N.  Fowler. 
Plato  :  Laches,  Pbotagoras,  Meno,  Euthydemus.     W.  R.  M. 

Lamb. 
Plato  :    Laws.     Rev.  R.  G.  Bury.     2  Vols. 
Plato:   Lysis,  Symposium,  Goboias.     W.  R.  M.  Lamb. 
Plato:    Republic.     Paul  Sliorey.     2  Vols. 
Plato:  Statesman,  Philebus.     H.  N.  Fowler;  Ion.     W.R.M. 

Lamb. 
Plato:   Theaetetus  and  Sophist.     H.  N.  Fowler. 
Plato:   Timaeus,  Cbitias,  Clitopho,  Menexenus,  Epistulae. 

Rov.  R.  G.  Bury. 
Plutabch:    Mob.vlia.     15  Vols.     Vols.  I.-V.     F.  C.  Babbitt. 

VoL  VI.     W.  C.  Helmbold.     Vol.  VII.     P.  H.  De  Lacv  and 

B.  Einarson.  VoL  IX.  E.  L.  Minar,  Jr.,  F.  H.  Sandbach, 
W.  C.  Helmbold.  Vol.  X.  H.  N.  Fowler.  Vol.  XII.  H. 
Cherniss  and  W.  C.  Helmbold. 

Plutabch:   The  Paballel  Lives.     B.  Perrin.     11  Vols. 

PoLYBius.     W.  R.  Paton.     6  Vols. 

Pbocopius  :   HisTOBY  OF  THE  Wabs.     H.  B.  Dewing.     7  Vols. 

Ptolemy:   Tetbabiblos.     Cf.  Manetho. 

QuiNTUs  Smybnaeus.     A.  S.  Way.     Verse  trans. 

Sextus  Empibicus.     Rev.  R.  G.  Bury.     4  Vols. 

Sophocles.     F.  Storr.     2  Vols.     Verse  trans. 

Steabo  :    Geogbaphy.     Horace  L.  Jones.     8  Vols. 

Theophbastus  :     Chabactebs.     J.    M.    Edmonds.     Hebodes, 

etc.     A.  D.  Knox. 
Theophbastus:     Enquiby    into    Plants.     Sir    Arthur    Hort, 

Bart.     2  Vols. 
Thucydides.     C.  F.  Smith.     4  Vols. 
Tryphiodobus.     Cf.  Oppian. 

Xenophon:   Cybopaedia.     Walter  Millor.     2  Vols. 
Xenophon:   Hellenica,  Anabasis,  Apology,  and  Svmposiu.m. 

C.  L.  Brownson  and  O.  J.  Todd.     3  Vols. 

Xenophon  :  Memobabilia  and  Oeconomicus.     E.  C.  Marchant. 
Xenophon:   Scbipta  JIinoba.     E.  C.  Marchant. 


IN    PREPARATION 


Greek  Authors 

Akistotle:     Histoby  of  ASIMAI3.     A.  L.  Peck. 
Plotixus:     A.  H.  Armstrong. 


Latin  Authors 

Babrius  a>"d  Phaedkus.     Ben  E.  Perry. 

DESCttWTIVE  PROSPECTVS  O.V  APPLICATIO\ 


London  WILLIAM   HEINfEMANN  LTD 

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Pliny  #  Natural  history. 


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V.  2 

Plinius  Secundus 
Natural  history 


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Plinius   Secundus 
Natural   history