Strabo, Geography, Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator), 11.1.6

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[6] I know not how any one can rely upon his authority respecting what is uncertain, when he has nothing probable to advance on the subject; for he reasons so falsely respecting things which are evident, and this too when he enjoyed the friendship of Pompey, who had carried on war against the Iberes and Albani, and was acquainted with both the Caspian and Colchian¹ Seas on each side of the isthmus. It is related, that when Pompey² was at Rhodes, on his expedition against the pirates, (he was soon afterwards to carry on war against Mithridates and the nations as far as the Caspian Sea,) he accidentally heard a philosophical lecture of Posidonius; and on his departure he asked Posidonius if he had any commands; to which he replied,

To stand the first in worth, as in command.³

Il. vi. 208. Pope. Add to this, that he wrote the history of Pompey. For these reasons he ought to have paid a greater regard to truth.

Geography. Strabo. Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator). London. 1854-1857.

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Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Perseus

Geography (English) (Strabo. The Geography of Strabo, Vols. 1-3. Hamilton, Hans Claude, translator; Falconer, William, translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854-1857.)

Editions (1)

Γεωγραφικά Perseus (Strabo. Strabonis Geographica, Vols. 1-3. Meineke, August, editor. Leipzig: Teubner. 1877.) — 11.1.6 focus

[6] οὐκ οἶδα δὲ πῶς ἄν τις περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων αὐτῷ πιστεύσειε μηδὲν εἰκὸς ἔχοντι εἰπεῖν περὶ αὐτῶν, ὅταν περὶ τῶν φανερῶν οὕτω παραλόγως λέγῃ, καὶ ταῦτα φίλος Πομπηίῳ γεγονὼς τῷ στρατεύσαντι ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἴβηρας καὶ τοὺς Ἀλβανοὺς μέχρι τῆς ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα θαλάττης τῆς τε Κασπίας καὶ τῆς Κολχικῆς. φασὶ γοῦν ἐν Ῥόδῳ γενόμενον τὸν Πομπήιον, ἡνίκα ἐπὶ τὸν λῃστρικὸν πόλεμον ἐξῆλθεν (εὐθὺς δʼ ἔμελλε καὶ ἐπὶ Μιθριδάτην ὁρμήσειν καὶ τὰ μέχρι τῆς Κασπίας ἔθνη), παρατυχεῖν διαλεγομένῳ τῷ Ποσειδωνίῳ, ἀπιόντα δʼ ἐρέσθαι εἴ τι προστάττει, τὸν δʼ εἰπεῖν

αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων.

¹προστίθει δὲ τούτοις ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν συνέγραψε τὴν περὶ αὐτόν. διὰ δὴ ταῦτα ἐχρῆν φροντίσαι τἀληθοῦς πλέον τι.

Translations (1)

Geography (Books 6-14) Perseus (Strabo. The Geography of Strabo, Vols. 3-6. Jones, Horace Leonard, translator. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1924-1929 (printing).) — 11.1.6 focus

[6] But I do not know how anyone can trust him concerning things that are uncertain if he has nothing plausible to say about them, when he reasons so illogically about things that are obvious; and this too, although he was a friend of Pompey, who made an expedition against the Iberians and the Albanians, from sea to sea on either side, both the Caspian and the Colchian¹ Seas. At any rate, it is said that Pompey, upon arriving at Rhodes on his expedition against the pirates (immediately thereafter he was to set out against both Mithridates and the tribes which extended as far as the Caspian Sea), happened to attend one of the lectures of Poseidonius, and that when he went out he asked Poseidonius whether he had any orders to give, and that Poseidonius replied:

Ever bravest be, and preeminent o’er others.

²Add to this that among other works he wrote also the history of Pompey. So for this reason he should have been more regardful of the truth.

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. The Euxine.

2. Pompey appears to have visited this philosopher twice on this occasion, B. C. 62, and B. C. 67, on the termination of his eastern campaigns.

Il. vi. 208. Pope.

Strabo Geography 11.1.6

Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator)

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