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CHAPTER III.

[1] WE shall next describe Africa, which is the remaining portion of the whole description of the earth.

We have before said much respecting it; but at present I shall further describe what suits my purpose, and add what has not been previously mentioned.¹

The writers who have divided the habitable world according to continents, divide it unequally. But a threefold division denotes a division into three equal parts. Africa, however, wants so much of being a third part of the habitable world, that, even if it were united to Europe, it would not be equal to Asia; perhaps it is even less than Europe; in resources it is very much inferior, for a great part of the inland and maritime country is desert. It is spotted over with small habitable parts, which are scattered about, and mostly belonging to nomade tribes. Besides the desert state of the country, its being a nursery of wild beasts is a hindrance to settlement in parts which could be inhabited. It comprises also a large part of the torrid zone.

All the sea-coast in our quarter, situated between the Nile and the Pillars, particularly that which belonged to the Carthaginians, is fertile and inhabited. And even in this tract, some spots destitute of water intervene, as those about the Syrtes, the Marmaridae, and the Catabathmus.

The shape of Africa is that of a right-angled triangle, if we imagine its figure to be drawn on a plane surface. Its base is the coast opposite to us, extending from Egypt and the Nile to Mauretania and the Pillars; at right angles to this is a side formed by the Nile to Ethiopia, which side we continue to the ocean; the hypothenuse of the right angle is the whole tract of sea-coast lying between Ethiopia and Mauretania.

As the part situated at the vertex of the above-mentioned figure, and lying almost entirely under the torrid zone, is inaccessible, we speak of it from conjecture, and therefore cannot say what is the greatest breadth of the country. In a former² part of this work we have said, that the distance proceeding from Alexandreia southwards to Meroë, the royal seat of the Ethiopians, is about 10,000 stadia; thence in a straight line to the borders of the torrid zone and the habitable country, 3000 stadia. The sum, therefore, may be assumed as the greatest breadth of Africa, which is 13,000 or 14,000 stadia: its length may be a little less than double this sum. So much then on the subject of Africa in general. I am now to describe its several parts, beginning from the most celebrated on the west.

[2] Here dwell a people called by the Greeks Maurusii, and by the Romans and the natives Mauri, a populous and flourishing African nation, situated opposite to Spain, on the other side of the strait, at the Pillars of Hercules, which we have frequently mentioned before. On proceeding beyond the strait at the Pillars, with Africa on the left hand, we come to a mountain which the Greeks call Atlas, and the barbarians Dyris. Thence projects into the sea a point formed by the foot of the mountain towards the west of Mauretania, and called the Coteis.³ Near it is a small town, a little above the sea, which the barbarians call Trinx; Artemidorus, Lynx; and Eratosthenes, Lixus.⁴ It lies on the side of the strait opposite to Gadeira,⁵ from which it is separated by a passage of 800 stadia, the width of the strait at the Pillars between both places. To the south, near Lixus and the Coteis, is a bay called Emporicus,⁶ having upon it Phoenician mercantile settlements. The whole coast continuous with this bay abounds with them. Subtracting these bays, and the projections of land in the triangular figure which I have described, the continent may rather be considered as increasing in magnitude in the direction of south and east. The mountain which extends through the middle of Mauretania, from the Coteis to the Syrtes, is itself inhabited, as well as others running parallel to it, first by the Maurusii, but deep in the interior of the country by the largest of the African tribes, called Gaetuli.

[3] Historians, beginning with the voyage of Ophelas (Apellas ?),⁷ have invented a great number of fables respecting the sea-coast of Africa beyond the Pillars. We have mentioned them before, and mention them now, requesting our readers to pardon the introduction of marvellous stories, whenever we may be compelled to relate anything of the kind, being unwilling to pass them over entirely in silence, and so in a manner to mutilate our account of the country.

It is said, that the Sinus Emporicus (or merchants’ bay) has a cave which admits the sea at high tide to the distance even of seven stadia, and in front of this bay a low and level tract with an altar of Hercules upon it, which, they say, is not covered by the tide. This I, of course, consider to be one of the fictitious stories. Like this is the tale, that on other bays in the succeeding coast there were ancient settlements of Tyrians, now abandoned, which consisted of not less than three hundred cities, and were destroyed by the Pharusii⁸ and the Nigritae. These people, they say, are distant thirty days’ journey from Lynx.

[4] Writers in general are agreed that Mauretania is a fertile country, except a small part which is desert, and is supplied with water by rivers and lakes. It has forests of trees of vast size, and the soil produces everything. It is this country which furnishes the Romans with tables, formed of one piece of wood, of the largest dimensions, and most beautifully variegated. The rivers are said to contain crocodiles and other kinds of animals similar to those in the Nile. Some suppose that even the sources of the Nile are near the extremities of Mauretania. In a certain river leeches are bred seven cubits in length, with gills, pierced through with holes, through which they respire. This country is also said to produce a vine, the girth of which two men can scarcely compass, and bearing bunches of grapes of about a cubit in size. All plants and pot-herbs are tall, as the arum and dracontium;⁹ the stalks of the staphylinus,¹⁰ the hippomarathum,¹¹ and the scolymus¹² are twelve cubits in height, and four palms in thickness. The country is the fruitful nurse of large serpents, elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, and similar animals; of lions also, and panthers. It produces weasels (jerboas ?) equal in size and similar to cats, except that their noses are more prominent; and multitudes of apes, of which Poseidonius relates, that when he was sailing from Gades to Italy, and approached the coast of Africa, he saw a forest low upon the sea-shore full of these animals, some on the trees, others on the ground, and some giving suck to their young. He was amused also with seeing some with large dugs, some bald, others with ruptures, and exhibiting to view various effects of disease.

[5] Above Mauretania, on the exterior sea (the Atlantic), is the country of the western Ethiopians, as they are called, which, for the most part, is badly inhabited. Iphicrates¹³ says, that camel-leopards are bred here, and elephants, and the animals called rhizeis,¹⁴ which in shape are like bulls, but in manner of living, in size, and strength in fighting, resemble elephants. He speaks also of large serpents, and says that even grass grows upon their backs; that lions attack the young of the elephants, and that when they have wounded them, they fly on the approach of the dams; that the latter, when they see their young besmeared with blood, kill them; and that the lions return to the dead bodies, and devour them; that Bogus king of the Mauretanians, during his expedition against the western Ethiopians, sent, as a present to his wife, canes similar to the Indian canes, each joint of which contained eight choenices,¹⁵ and asparagus of similar magnitude.

[6] On sailing into the interior sea, from Lynx, there are Zelis¹⁶ a city and Tingis,¹⁷ then the monuments of the Seven Brothers,¹⁸ and the mountain lying below, of the name of Abyle,¹⁹ abounding with wild animals and trees of a great size. They say, that the length of the strait at the pillars is 120 stadia, and the least breadth at Elephas²⁰ 60 stadia On sailing further along the coast, we find cities and many rivers, as far as the river Molochath,²¹ which is the boundary between the territories of the Mauretanians and of the Masaesyli. Near the river is a large promontory, and Metagonium,²² a place without water and barren. The mountain extends along the coast, from the Coteis nearly to this place. Its length from the Coteis to the borders of the Masaesylii²³ is 5000 stadia. Metagonium is nearly opposite to New Carthage.²⁴ Timosthenes is mistaken in saying that it is opposite to Massalia.²⁵ The passage across from New Carthage to Metagonium is 3000 stadia, but the voyage along the coast to Massalia is above 6000 stadia.

[7] Although the Mauretanians inhabit a country, the greatest part of which is very fertile, yet the people in general continue even to this time to live like nomades. They bestow care to improve their looks by plaiting their hair, trimming their beards, by wearing golden ornaments, cleaning their teeth, and paring their nails; and you would rarely see them touch one another as they walk, lest they should disturb the arrangement of their hair.

They fight for the most part on horseback, with a javelin; and ride on the bare back of the horse, with bridles made of rushes. They have also swords. The foot-soldiers present against the enemy, as shields, the skins of elephants. They wear the skins of lions, panthers, and bears, and sleep in them. These tribes, and the Masaesylii next to them, and for the most part the Africans in general, wear the same dress and arms, and resemble one another in other respects; they ride horses which are small, but spirited and tractable, so as to be guided by a switch. They have collars²⁶ made of cotton or of hair, from which hangs a leading-rein. Some follow, like dogs, without being led.

They have a small shield of leather, and small lances with broad heads. Their tunics are loose, with wide borders; their cloak is a skin, as I have said before, which serves also as a breastplate.

The Pharusii and Nigretes, who live above these people, near the western Ethiopians, use bows and arrows, like the Ethiopians. They have chariots also, armed with scythes. The Pharusii rarely have any intercourse with the Mauretanians in passing through the desert country, as they carry skins filled with water, fastened under the bellies of their horses. Sometimes, indeed, they come to Cirta,²⁷ passing through places abounding with marshes and lakes. Some of them are said to live like the Troglodytae, in caves dug in the ground. It is said that rain falls there frequently in summer, but that during the winter drought prevails. Some of the barbarians in that quarter wear the skins of serpents and fishes, and use them as coverings for their beds. Some say that the Mauretanians²⁸ are Indians, who accompanied Hercules hither. A little before my time, the kings Bogus and Bocchus, allies of the Romans, possessed this country; after their death, Juba succeeded to the kingdom, having received it from Augustus Caesar, in addition to his paternal dominions. He was the son of Juba who fought, in conjunction with Scipio, against divus Caesar. Juba died²⁹ lately, and was succeeded by his son Ptolemy, whose mother was the daughter of Antony and Cleopatra.

[8] Artemidorus censures Eratosthenes for saying that there is a city called Lixus, and not Lynx, near the extremities of Mauretania; that there are a very great number of Phoenician cities destroyed,³⁰ of which no traces are to be seen; and that among the western Ethiopians, in the evenings and the mornings, the air is misty and dense;—for how could this take place where there is drought and excessive heat? But he himself relates of these same parts what is much more liable to objection. For he speaks of some tribes of Lotophagi, who had left their own country, and might have occupied the tract destitute of water; whose food might be a lotus, a sort of herb, or root, which would supply the want of drink; that these people extend as far as the places above Cyrene, and that they live there on milk and flesh, although they are situated in the same latitude.

Gabinius, the Roman historian, indulges in relating marvellous stories of Mauretania. He speaks of a sepulchre of Antaeus at Lynx, and a skeleton of sixty feet in length, which Sertorius exposed, and afterwards covered it with earth.³¹ His stories also about elephants are fabulous. He says, that other animals avoid fire, but that elephants resist and fight against it, because it destroys the forests; that they engage with men in battle, and send out scouts before them; that when they perceive their enemies fly, they take to flight themselves; and that when they are wounded, they hold out as suppliants branches of a tree, or a plant, or throw up dust.

[9] Next to Mauretania is the country of the Masesylii, beginning from the river Molocath, and ending at the promontory which is called Tretum,³² the boundary of the country of the Masaesyli and of the Masylies. From Metagonium to Tretum are 6000 stadia; according to others, the distance is less.

Upon the sea-coast are many cities and rivers, and a country which is very fertile. It will be sufficient to mention the most renowned. The city of Siga.³³ the royal seat of Syphax, is at the distance of 1000 stadia from the above-mentioned boundaries. It is now razed. After Syphax, the country was in the possession of Masanasses, then of Micipsa, next of his successors, and in our time of Juba, the father of the Juba who died lately. Zama,³⁴ which was Juba’s palace, was destroyed by the Romans. At the distance of 600 stadia from Siga is Theon-limen (port of the gods);³⁵ next are some other obscure places.

Deep in the interior of the country are mountainous and desert tracts scattered here and there, some of which are inhabited and occupied by Gaetuli extending to the Syrtes. But the parts near the sea are fertile plains, in which are numerous cities, rivers, and lakes.

[10] Poseidonius says, but I do not know whether truly, that Africa is traversed by few, and those small rivers; yet he speaks of the same rivers, namely those between Lynx and Carthage, which Artemidorus describes as numerous and large. This may be asserted with more truth of the interior of the country, and he himself assigns the reason of it, namely, that in the northern parts of Africa (and the same is said of Ethiopia) there is no rain; in consequence therefore of the drought, pestilence frequently ensues, the lakes are filled with mud only, and locusts appear in clouds.

Poseidonius besides asserts that the eastern parts are moist, because the sun quickly changes its place after rising; and that the western parts are dry, because the sun there turns in his course. Now, drought and moisture depend upon the abundance or scarcity of water, and on the presence or absence of the sun’s rays. But Poseidonius means to speak of the effects produced by the sun, which all writers determine by the latitude, north or south; but east and west, as applied to the residence of men, differ in different places, according to the position of each inhabited spot and the change of horizon; so that it cannot be asserted generally of places indefinite in number, that those lying to the east are moist, and those to the west dry: but as applied to the whole earth and such extremes of it as India and Spain, his expressions (east and west) may be just; yet what truth or probability is there in his (attempted) explanation (of the causes of drought and moisture)? for in the continuous and unceasing circuit of the sun, what turn can there be in his course? The rapidity too of his passage through every part is equal. Besides, it is contrary to evidence to say, that the extreme parts of Spain or Mauretania towards the west are drier than all other places, when at the same time they are situated in a temperate climate and have water in great abundance. But if we are to understand the turning of the sun in this way, that there at the extremities of the habitable world he is above the earth, how does that tend to produce drought ? for there, and in other places situated in the same latitude, he leaves them for an equal portion of the night and returns again and warms the earth.

[11] Somewhere there, also, are copper mines; and a spring of asphaltus; scorpions of enormous size,³⁶ both with and without wings, are said to be found there, as well as tarantulas, remarkable for their size and numbers. Lizards also are mentioned of two cubits in length. At the base of the mountains precious stones are said to be found, as those called the Lychnitis (the ruby) and the Carchedonius (the carbuncle?). In the plains are found great quantities of oyster and mussel shells, similar to those mentioned in our description of Ammon. There is also a tree called melilotus, from which a wine is made. Some obtain two crops from the ground and have two harvests, one in the spring, the other in the summer. The straw is five cubits in height, and of the thickness of the little finger; the produce is 250-fold. They do not sow in the spring, but bush-harrow the ground with bundles of the paliurus, and find the seed-grain sufficient which falls from the sheaves during harvest to produce the summer crop. In consequence of the number of reptiles, they work with coverings on the legs; other parts of the body also are protected by skins.

[12] On this coast was a city called Iol,³⁷ which Juba, the father of Ptolemy, rebuilt and changed its name to Caesarea. It has a harbour and a small island in front of it. Between Caesarea and Tretum³⁸ is a large harbour called Salda,³⁹ which now forms the boundary between the territories subject to Juba and the Romans; for the country has been subject to many changes, having had numerous occupants; and the Romans, at various times, have treated some among them as friends, others as enemies, conceding or taking away territories without observing any established rule.

The country on the side of Mauretania produced a greater revenue and was more powerful, whilst that near Carthage and of the Masylies was more flourishing and better furnished with buildings, although it suffered first in the Carthaginian wars, and subsequently during the war with Jugurtha, who successfully besieged Adarbal in Ityca (Utica),⁴⁰ and put him to death as a friend of the Romans, and thus involved the whole country in war. Other wars succeeded one another, of which the last was that between divus Caesar and Scipio, in which Juba lost his life. The death of the leaders was accompanied by the destruction of the cities Tisiaeus,⁴¹ Vaga,⁴² Thala,⁴³ Capsa⁴⁴ (the treasure-hold of Jugurtha), Zama,⁴⁵ and Zincha. To these must be added those cities in the neighbourhood of which divus Caesar obtained victories over Scipio, namely, first at Ruspinum,⁴⁶ then at Uzita, then at Thapsus and the neighbouring lake, and at many others. Near are the free cities Zella and Acholla.⁴⁷ Caesar also captured at the first onset the island Cercinna,⁴⁸ and Thena, a small city on the seacoast. Some of these cities utterly disappeared, and others were abandoned, being partly destroyed. Phara was burnt by the cavalry of Scipio.

[13] After Tretum follows the territory of the Masylies, and that of the Carthaginians which borders upon it. In the interior is Cirta, the royal residence of Masanasses and his successors. It is a very strong place and well provided with everything, which it principally owes to Micipsa, who established a colony of Greeks in it, and raised it to such importance, that it was capable of sending out 10,000 cavalry and twice as many infantry. Here, besides Cirta, are the two cities Hippo,⁴⁹ one of which is situated near Ityca, the other further off near Tretum, both royal residences. Ityca is next to Carthage in extent and importance. On the destruction of Carthage it became a metropolis to the Romans, and the head quarters of their operations in Africa. It is situated in the very bay itself of Carthage, on one of the promontories which form it, of which the one near Ityca is called Apollonium, the other Hermaea. Both cities are in sight of each other. Near Ityca flows the river Bagradas.⁵⁰ From Tretum to Carthage are 2,500 stadia, but authors are not agreed upon this distance, nor on the distance (of Carthage) from the Syrtes.

[14] Carthage is situated upon a peninsula, comprising a circuit of 360 stadia, with a wall, of which sixty stadia in length are upon the neck of the peninsula, and reach from sea to sea. Here the Carthaginians kept their elephants, it being a wide open place. In the middle of the city was the acropolis, which they called Byrsa, a hill of tolerable height with dwellings round it. On the summit was the temple of Esculapius, which was destroyed when the wife of Asdrubas burnt herself to death there, on the capture of the city. Below the Acropolis were the harbours and the Cothon, a circular island, surrounded by a canal communicating with the sea (Euripus), and on every side of it (upon the canal) were situated sheds for vessels.

[15] Carthage was founded by Dido, who brought her people from Tyre. Both this colony and the settlements in Spain and beyond the Pillars proved so successful to the Phoenicians, that even to the present day they occupy the best parts on the continent of Europe and the neighbouring islands. They obtained possession of the whole of Africa, with the exception of such parts as could only be held by nomade tribes. From the power they acquired they raised a city to rival Rome, and waged three great wars against her. Their power became most conspicuous in the last war, in which they were vanquished by Scipio Aemilianus, and their city was totally destroyed. For at the commencement of this war, they possessed 300 cities in Africa, and the population of Carthage amounted to 700,000 inhabitants. After being besieged and compelled to surrender, they delivered up 200,000 complete suits of armour and 3000⁵¹ engines for throwing projectiles, apparently with the intention of abandoning all hostilities; but having resolved to recommence the war, they at once began to manufacture arms, and daily deposited in store 140 finished shields, 300 swords, 500 lances, and 1000 projectiles for the engines, for the use of which the women-servants contributed their hair. In addition to this, although at this moment they were in possession of only twelve ships, according to the terms of the treaty concluded in the second war, and had already taken refuge in a body at the Byrsa, yet in two months they equipped 120 decked vessels; and, as the mouth of the Cothon was closed against them, cut another outlet (to the sea) through which the fleet suddenly made its appearance. For wood had been collected for a long time, and a multitude of workmen were constantly employed, who were maintained at the public expense.

Carthage, though so great, was yet taken and levelled to the ground.

The Romans made a province of that part of the country which had been subject to Carthage, and appointed ruler of the rest Masanasses and his descendants, beginning with Micipsa. For the Romans paid particular attention to Masanasses on account of his great abilities and friendship for them. For he it was who formed the nomades to civil life, and directed their attention to husbandry. Instead of robbers he taught them to be soldiers. A peculiarity existed among these people; they inhabited a country favoured in everything except that it abounded with wild beasts; these they neglected to destroy, and so to cultivate the soil in security; but turning their arms against each other, abandoned the country to the beasts of prey. Hence their life was that of wanderers and of continual change, quite as much as that of those who are compelled to it by want and barrenness of soil or severity of climate. An appropriate name was therefore given to the Masaesylii, for they were called Nomades.⁵² Such persons must necessarily be sparing livers, eaters of roots more than of flesh, and supported by milk and cheese. Carthage remained a desolate place for a long time, for nearly the same period, indeed, as Corinth, until it was restored about the same time (as the latter city) by divus Caesar, who sent thither such Romans to colonize it as elected to go there, and also some soldiers. At present it is the most populous city in Africa.

[16] About the middle of the gulf of Carthage is the island Corsura.⁵³ On the other side of the strait opposite to these places is Sicily and Lilybaeum,⁵⁴ at the distance of (about) 1500 stadia; for this is said to be the distance from Lilybaeum to Carthage. Not far from Corsura and Sicily are other islands, among which is Aegimurus.⁵⁵ From Carthage there is a passage of 60 stadia to the nearest opposite coast, from whence there is an ascent of 120 stadia to Nepheris, a fortified city built upon a rock. On the same gulf as Carthage, is situated a city Tunis; hot springs and stone quarries are also found there; then the rugged promontory Hermaea,⁵⁶ on which is a city of the same name; then Neapolis; then Cape Taphitis,⁵⁷ on which is a hillock named Aspis, from its resemblance (to a shield), at which place Agathocles, tyrant of Sicily, collected inhabitants when he made his expedition against Carthage. These cities were destroyed by the Romans, together with Carthage. At the distance of 400 stadia from Taphitis is an island Cossuros, with a city of the same name, lying opposite to the river Selinus in Sicily. Its circuit is 150 stadia, and its distance from Sicily about 600 stadia. Melite,⁵⁸ an island, is 500 stadia distant from Cossuros. Then follows the city Adrumes,⁵⁹ with a naval arsenal; then the Taracheiae, numerous small islands; then the city Thapsus.⁶⁰ and near it Lopadussa,⁶¹ an island situated far from the coast; then the promontory of Ammon Balithon, near which is a look-out for⁶² the approach of thunny; then the city Thena, lying at the entrance of the Little Syrtis.⁶³ There are many small cities in the intervening parts, which are not worthy of notice. At the entrance of the Syrtis, a long island stretches parallel to the coast, called Cercinna; it is of considerable size, with a city of the same name; there is also another smaller island Cercinnitis.

[17] Close, in the neighbourhood (of these islands), is the Little Syrtis, which is also called the Syrtis Lotophagitis (or the lotus-eating Syrtis). The circuit of this gulf is 1600, and the breadth of the entrance 600 stadia; at each of the promontories which form the entrance and close to the mainland is an island, one of which, just mentioned, is Cercinna, and the other Meninx;⁶⁴ they are nearly equal in size. Meninx is supposed to be the land of the lotus-eaters⁶⁵ mentioned by Homer. Certain tokens (of this) are shown, such as an altar of Ulysses and the fruit itself. For the tree called the lotus-tree is found in abundance in the island, and the fruit is very sweet to the taste. There are many small cities in it, one of which bears the same name as the island. On the coast of the Syrtis itself are also some small cities. In the recess (of the Syrtis) is a very considerable mart for commerce, where a river discharges itself into the gulf. The effects of the flux and reflux of the tides extend up to this point, and at the proper moment the neighbouring inhabitants eagerly rush (to the shore) to capture the fish (thrown up).

[18] After the Syrtis, follows the lake Zuchis, 400 stadia (in circuit?), with a narrow entrance, where is situated a city of the same name, containing factories for purple dyeing and for salting of all kinds; then follows another lake much smaller; after this the city Abrotonon⁶⁶ and some others. Close by is Neapolis, which is also called Leptis.⁶⁷ From hence the passage across to the Locri Epizephyrii⁶⁸ is a distance of 3600 stadia. Next is the river [Cinyps].⁶⁹ Afterwards is a walled darn, constructed by the Carthaginians, who thus bridged over some deep swamps which extend far into the country. There are some places here without harbours, although the rest of the coast is provided with them. Next is a lofty wooded promontory, which is the commencement of the Great Syrtis, and called Cephalae (The Heads),⁷⁰ from whence to Carthage is a distance of a little more than 5000 stadia.

[19] Above the sea-coast from Carthage to Cephalae (on the one hand) and to the territory of the Masaesyli (on the other) lies the territory of the Libo-Phoenicians, extending (into the interior) to the mountainous country of the Gaetuli, which belongs to Africa Proper. Above the Gaetuli is the country of the Garamantes, lying parallel to the former, and from whence are brought the Carthaginian pebbles (carbuncles). The Garamantes are said to be distant from the Ethiopians, who live on the borders of the ocean, nine or ten days’ journey, and from the temple of Ammon fifteen days. Between the Gaetuli and the coast of our sea (the Mediterranean) there are many plains and many mountains, great lakes and rivers, some of which sink into the earth and disappear. The inhabitants are simple in their mode of life and in their dress; they marry numerous wives, and have a numerous offspring; in other respects they resemble the nomade Arabians. The necks both of horses and oxen are longer than in other countries.

The breeding of horses is most carefully attended to by the kings (of the country); so much so, that the number of colts is yearly calculated at 100,000. Sheep are fed with milk and flesh, particularly near Ethiopia. These are the customs of the interior.

[20] The circuit of the Great Syrtis is about 3930 stadia,⁷¹ its depth to the recess is 1500 stadia, and its breadth at the mouth is also nearly the same. The difficulty of navigating both these and the Lesser Syrtis [arises from the circumstances of] the soundings in many parts being soft mud. It sometimes happens, on the ebbing and flowing of the tide, that vessels are carried upon the shallows, settle down, and are seldom recovered. Sailors therefore, in coasting, keep at a distance (from the shore), and are on their guard, lest they should be caught by a wind unprepared, and driven into these gulfs. Yet the daring disposition of man induces him to attempt everything, and particularly the coasting along a shore. On entering the Great Syrtis on the right, after passing the promontory Cephalae, is a lake of about 300 stadia in length, and 70 stadia in breadth, which communicates with the gulf, and has at its entrance small islands and an anchorage. After the lake follows a place called Aspis, and a harbour, the best of all in the Syrtis. Near this place is the tower Euphrantas, the boundary between the former territory of Carthage and Cyrenaïca under Ptolemy (Soter). Then another place, called Charax,⁷² which the Carthaginians frequented as a place of commerce, with cargoes of wine, and loaded in return with silphium and its juice, which they received from merchants who brought it away clandestinely from Cyrene; then the Altars of the Philaeni;⁷³ after these Automola, a fortress defended by a garrison, and situated in the recess of the whole gulf. The parallel passing through this recess is more to the south than that passing through Alexandreia by 1000 stadia, and than that passing through Carthage by less than 2000 stadia; but it would coincide with the parallel passing, on one side, through Heroopolis, which is situated in the recess⁷⁴ of the Arabian Gulf, and passing, on the other, through the interior of the territory of the Masaesylii and the Mauretanians. The rest of the sea-coast, to the city Berenice,⁷⁵ is 1500 stadia in length. Above this length of coast, and extending to the Altars of the Philaeni, are situated an African nation called Nasamones. The intervening distance (between the recess of the Syrtis and Berenice) contains but few harbours, and watering-places are rare.

On a promontory called Pseudopenias is situated Berenice, near a lake Tritonis, in which is to be observed a small island with a temple of Venus upon it. There also is a lake of the Hesperides, into which flows a river (called) Lathon. On this side of Berenice is a small promontory called Boreion⁷⁶ (or North Cape), which with Cephalae forms the entrance of the Syrtis. Berenice lies opposite to the promontories of Peloponnesus, namely, those called Ichthys⁷⁷ and [Chelonatas],⁷⁸ and also to the island Zacynthus,⁷⁹ at an interval of 3600 stadia. Marcus Cato marched from this city, round the Syrtis, in thirty days, at the head of an army composed of more than 10,000 men, separated into divisions on account of the watering-places; his course lay through deep sand, under burning heat. After Berenice is a city Taucheira,⁸⁰ called also Arsinoë; then Barca,⁸¹ formerly so called, but now Ptolemaïs; then the promontory Phycus,⁸² which is low, but extends further to the north than the rest of the African coast: it is opposite to Taenarum,⁸³ in Laconia, at the distance⁸⁴ of 2800 stadia; on it there is also a small town of the same name as the promontory. Not far from Phycus, at a distance of about 170 stadia, is Apollonias, the naval arsenal of Cyrene; from Berenice it is distant 1000 stadia, and 80 stadia from Cyrene, a considerable city situated on a table-land, as I observed it from the sea.

[21] Cyrene was founded by the inhabitants of Thera,⁸⁵ a Lacedaemonian island which was formerly called Calliste, as Callimachus says,

Calliste once its name, but Thera in later times, the mother of my home, famed for its steeds.

The harbour of Cyrene is situated opposite to Criu-Metopon,⁸⁶ the western cape of Crete, distant 2000 stadia. The passage is made with a south-south-west wind. Cyrene is said to have been founded by Battus,⁸⁷ whom Callimachus claims to have been his ancestor. The city flourished from the excellence of the soil, which is peculiarly adapted for breeding horses, and the growth of fine crops. It has produced many men of distinction, who have shown themselves capable of worthily maintaining the freedom of the place, and firmly resisting the barbarians of the interior; hence the city was independent in ancient times, but subsequently⁸⁸ it was attacked [successfully] by the Macedonians, (who had conquered Egypt, and thus increased their power,) under the command of Thibron the murderer of Harpalus: having continued for some time to be governed by kings, it finally came under the power of the Romans, and with Crete forms a single province. In the neighbourhood of Cyrene are Apollonia, Barca, Taucheira, Berenice, and other small towns close by.

[22] Bordering upon Cyrenaica is the district which produces silphium, and the juice called Cyrenaic, which the silphium discharges from incisions made in it. The plant was once nearly lost, in consequence of a spiteful incursion of barbarians, who attempted to destroy all the roots. The inhabitants of this district are nomades.

Remarkable persons of Cyrene were Aristippus,⁸⁹ the Socratic philosopher, who established the Cyrenaïc philosophy, and his daughter named Arete, who succeeded to his school; she again was succeeded by her son Aristippus, who was called Metrodidactos, (mother-taught,) and Anniceris, who is supposed to have reformed the Cyrenaic sect, and to have introduced in its stead the Anniceric sect. Callimachus and Eratosthenes⁹⁰ were also of Cyrene, both of whom were held in honour by the kings of Egypt; the former was both a poet and a zealous grammarian; the latter followed not only these pursuits, but also philosophy, and was distinguished above all others for his knowledge of mathematics. Carneades⁹¹ also came from thence, who by common consent was the first of the Academic philosophers, and Apollonius Cronos, the master of Diodorus the Dialectician, who was also called Cronos, for the epithet of the master was by some transferred to the scholar.

The rest of the sea-coast of Cyrene from Apollonia to Catabathmus is 2200 stadia in length; it does not throughout afford facilities for coasting along it; for harbours, anchorage, habitations, and watering-places are few. The places most in repute along the coast are the Naustathmus,⁹² and Zephyrium with an anchorage, also another Zephyrium, and a promontory called Chersonesus,⁹³ with a harbour situated opposite to and to the south of Corycus⁹⁴ in Crete, at the distance of 2500 stadia; then a temple of Hercules, and above it a village Paliurus; then a harbour Menelaus, and a low promontory Ardanixis, (Ardanis,)⁹⁵ with an anchorage; then a great harbour, which is situated opposite to Chersonesus in Crete, at a distance of about 3000 (2000 ?) stadia; for the whole of Crete, which is (a) long and narrow (island), lies opposite and nearly parallel to this coast. After the great harbour is another harbour, Plynos, and about it Tetra-pyrgia (the four towers). The place is called Catabathmus.⁹⁶ Cyrenaea extends to this point; the remainder (of the coast) to Paraetonium,⁹⁷ and from thence to Alexandreia, we have spoken of in our account of Egypt.⁹⁸

[23] The country deep in the interior, and above the Syrtis and Cyrenaea, a very sterile and dry tract, is in the possession of Libyans. First are the Nasamones, then Psylli, and some Gaetuli, then Garamantes; somewhat more towards the east (than the Nasamones) are the Marmaridae, who are situated for the most part on the boundaries of Cyrenaea, and extend to the temple of Ammon. It is asserted, that persons directing their course from the recess of the Great Syrtis, (namely,) from about the neighbourhood of Automala,⁹⁹ in the direction of the winter sunrise, arrive on the fourth day at Augila.¹⁰⁰ This place resembles Ammon, and is productive of palm trees, and is well supplied with water. It is situated beyond Cyrenaea to the south: for 100 stadia the soil produces trees; for another 100 stadia the land is only sown, but from excessive heat does not grow rice.

Above these parts is the district which produces silphium, then follows the uninhabited tract, and the country of the Garamantes. The district which produces silphium is narrow, long, and dry, extending in an easterly direction about 1000 stadia, but in breadth 300 stadia, or rather more, at least as far as has been ascertained. For we may conjecture that all countries which lie on the same parallel (of latitude) have the same climate, and produce the same plants; but since many deserts intervene, we cannot know every place. In like manner, we have no information respecting the country beyond (the temple of) Ammon, nor of the oases, as far as Ethiopia, nor can we state distinctly what are the boundaries of Ethiopia, nor of Africa, nor even of the country close upon Egypt, still less of the parts bordering on the ocean.

[24] Such, then, is the disposition of the parts of the world which we inhabit.¹⁰¹ But since the Romans have surpassed (in power) all former rulers of whom we have any record, and possess the choicest and best known parts of it, it will be suitable to our subject briefly to refer to their Empire.

It has been already stated¹⁰² how this people, beginning from the single city of Rome, obtained possession of the whole of Italy, by warfare and prudent administration; and how, afterwards, following the same wise course, they added the countries all around it to their dominion.

Of the three continents, they possess nearly the whole of Europe, with the exception only of the parts beyond the Danube, (to the north,) and the tracts on the verge of the ocean, comprehended between the Rhine and the Tanaïs (Don).

Of Africa, the whole sea-coast on the Mediterranean is in their power; the rest of that country is uninhabited, or the inhabitants only lead a miserable and nomade life.

Of Asia likewise, the whole sea-coast in our direction (on the west) is subject to them, unless indeed any account is to be taken of the Achei, Zygi, and Heniochi,¹⁰³ who are robbers and nomades, living in confined and wretched districts. Of the interior, and of the parts far inland, the Romans possess one portion, and the Parthians, or the barbarians beyond them, the other; on the east and north are Indians, Bactrians, and Scythians; then (on the south) Arabians and Ethiopians; but territory is continually being abstracted from these people by the Romans.

Of all these countries some are governed by (native) kings, but the rest are under the immediate authority of Rome, under the title of provinces, to which are sent governors and collectors of tribute; there are also some free cities, which from the first sought the friendship of Rome, or obtained their freedom as a mark of honour. Subject to her also are some princes, chiefs of tribes, and priests, who (are permitted) to live in conformity with their national laws.

[25] The division into provinces has varied at different periods, but at present it is that established by Augustus Caesar; for after the sovereign power had been conferred upon him by his country for life, and he had become the arbiter of peace and war, he divided the whole empire into two parts, one of which he reserved to himself, the other he assigned to the (Roman) people. The former consisted of such parts as required military defence, and were barbarian, or bordered upon nations not as yet subdued, or were barren and uncultivated, which though ill provided with everything else, were yet well furnished with strongholds. and might thus dispose the inhabitants to throw off the yoke and rebel. All the rest, which were peaceable countries, and easily governed without the assistance of arms, were given over to the (Roman) people. Each of these parts was subdivided into several provinces, which received respectively the titles of provinces of Caesar and provinces of the People.

To the former provinces Caesar appoints governors and administrators, and divides the (various) countries sometimes in one way, sometimes in another, directing his political conduct according to circumstances.

But the people appoint commanders and consuls to their own provinces, which are also subject to divers divisions when expediency requires it.

(Augustus Caesar) in his first organization of (the Empire) created two consular governments, namely, (1.) the whole of Africa in possession of the Romans, excepting that part which was under the authority, first of Juba, but now of his son Ptolemy; and (2.) Asia within the Halys and Taurus, except the Galatians and the nations under Amyntas, Bithynia, and the Propontis. He appointed also ten consular governments in Europe and in the adjacent islands. Iberia Ulterior (Further Spain) about the river Baetis¹⁰⁴ and Celtica Narbonensis¹⁰⁵ (composed the two first). The third was Sardinia, with Corsica; the fourth Sicily; the fifth and sixth Illyria, districts near Epirus, and Macedonia; the seventh Achaia, extending to Thessaly, the Aetolians, Acarnanians, and the Epirotic nations who border upon Macedonia; the eighth Crete, with Cyrenaea; the ninth Cyprus; the tenth Bithynia, with the Propontis and some parts of Pontus.

Caesar possesses other provinces, to the government of which he appoints men of consular rank, commanders of armies, or knights;¹⁰⁶ and in his (peculiar) portion (of the empire) there are and ever have been kings, princes, and (municipal) magistrates.

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

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.) — 17.3 focus

[1] περὶ δὲ Λιβύης ἐφεξῆς λέγωμεν, ὅπερ λείπεται μέρος τῆς συμπάσης γεωγραφίας. εἴρηται μὲν οὖν καὶ πρότερον πολλὰ περὶ αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ὅσα καίρια προσυπομνηστέον, προστιθέντας καὶ τὰ μὴ λεχθέντα πρότερον. οἱ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὰς ἠπείρους τὴν οἰκουμένην διελόντες ἀνίσως διεῖλον· ἐμφαίνει γὰρ τὸ τριχῆ τὸ εἰς τρία ἴσα· τοσοῦτο δʼ ἀπολείπεται τοῦ τρίτον εἶναι μέρος τῆς οἰκουμένης ἡ Λιβύη ὥστε καὶ συντεθεῖσα μετὰ τῆς Εὐρώπης οὐκ ἂν ἐξισάζειν δόξειε τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· τάχα δὲ καὶ τῆς Εὐρώπης ἐλάττων ἐστί, κατὰ δὲ τὴν δύναμιν καὶ πολλῷ τινι· ἔρημος γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πολλὴ τῆς μεσογαίας καὶ τῆς παρωκεανίτιδος, κατοικίαις δὲ κατάστικτός ἐστι μικραῖς καὶ σποράσι καὶ νομαδικαῖς ταῖς πλείσταις· πρὸς δὲ τῇ ἐρημίᾳ καὶ τὸ θηριοτρόφον ἐξελαύνει καὶ ἐκ τῆς δυναμένης οἰκεῖσθαι· πολὺ δὲ καὶ τῆς διακεκαυμένης ἐπιλαμβάνει ζώνης. ἡ μέντοι καθʼ ἡμᾶς εὐδαιμόνως οἰκεῖται πᾶσα παραλία ἡ μεταξὺ Νείλου καὶ στηλῶν, καὶ μάλιστα ἡ ὑπὸ Καρχηδονίοις γενομένη· ἀνυδρίαι δέ τινες κἀνταῦθα παρεμπίπτουσιν, οἷαι περί τε τὰς Σύρτεις καὶ τοὺς Μαρμαρίδας καὶ τὸν Καταβαθμόν. ἔστι δὲ ὀρθογωνίου τριγώνου τὸ σχῆμα, ὡς ἄν τις ἐν ἐπιπέδῳ νοήσειε, βάσιν μὲν ἔχον τὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς παραλίαν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ Νείλου μέχρι Μαυρουσίας καὶ στηλῶν, πρὸς ὀρθὰς δὲ ταύτῃ πλευρὰν ἣν ὁ Νεῖλος ποιεῖ μέχρι Αἰθιοπίας, προσεκβαλλόντων ἡμῶν ἕως Ὠκεανοῦ, τὴν δʼ ὑποτείνουσαν τῇ ὀρθῇ τὴν παρωκεανῖτιν ἅπασαν τὴν μεταξὺ Αἰθιόπων καὶ Μαυρουσίων. τὸ μὲν οὖν κατʼ αὐτὴν τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ λεχθέντος σχήματος ἤδη πως ὑποπῖπτον τῇ διακεκαυμένῃ λέγομεν ἐξ εἰκασμοῦ διὰ τὸ ἀπρόσιτον, ὥστʼ οὐδὲ τὸ μέγιστον πλάτος τῆς χώρας ἔχοιμεν ἂν λέγειν· τὸ μέντοι τοσοῦτον ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν λόγοις ἔφαμεν ὅτι ἐξ Ἀλεξανδρείας εἰς Μερόην τὸ βασίλειον τῶν Αἰθιόπων πρὸς νότον ἰόντι στάδιοί εἰσι περὶ μυρίους, ἐκεῖθεν δʼ ἐπʼ εὐθείας ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρους τῆς διακεκαυμένης καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἄλλοι τρισχίλιοι· τὸ γοῦν αὐτὸ θετέον τὸ μέγιστον πλάτος τῆς Λιβύης, μυρίους καὶ τρισχιλίους ἢ τετρακισχιλίους σταδίους, μῆκος δὲ μικρῷ ἔλαττον ἢ διπλάσιον. τὰ καθʼ ὅλου μὲν ταῦτα περὶ Λιβύης· τὰ καθʼ ἕκαστα δὲ λεκτέον ἀρξαμένοις ἀπὸ τῶν ἑσπερίων μερῶν καὶ τῶν ἐπιφανεστέρων.

[2] οἰκοῦσι δʼ ἐνταῦθα Μαυρούσιοι μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων λεγόμενοι, Μαῦροι δʼ ὑπὸ τῶν Ῥωμαίων καὶ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων, Λιβυκὸν ἔθνος μέγα καὶ εὔδαιμον, ἀντίπορθμον τῇ Ἰβηρίᾳ. κατὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὰς στήλας τὰς Ἡρακλείους πορθμός ἐστι, περὶ οὗ πολλὰ εἴρηται. ἔξω δὲ προελθόντι τοῦ κατὰ τὰς στήλας πορθμοῦ, τὴν Λιβύην ἐν ἀριστερᾷ ἔχοντι ὄρος ἐστίν, ὅπερ οἱ μὲν Ἕλληνες Ἄτλαντα καλοῦσιν οἱ βάρβαροι δὲ Δύριν. ἐντεῦθεν δὲ πρόπους ἔκκειταί τις ὕστατος πρὸς δύσιν τῆς Μαυρουσίας αἱ Κώτεις λεγόμεναι· πλησίον δὲ καὶ πολίχνιον μικρὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης, ὅπερ Τρίγγα καλοῦσιν οἱ βάρβαροι, Λύγγα δʼ ὁ Ἀρτεμίδωρος προσηγόρευκε, Ἐρατοσθένης δὲ Λίξον· κεῖται δʼ ἀντίπορθμον τοῖς Γαδείροις ἐν διάρματι σταδίων ὀκτακοσίων, ὅσον ἑκάτερα διέχει τοῦ κατὰ τὰς στήλας πορθμοῦ· πρὸς νότον δὲ τῇ Λίξῳ καὶ ταῖς Κώτεσι παράκειται κόλπος Ἐμπορικὸς καλούμενος, ἔχων Φοινικικὰς ἐμπορικὰς κατοικίας. ἔστι μὲν οὖν πᾶσα ἡ συνεχὴς τῷ κόλπῳ τούτῳ παραλία κολπώδης, ὑπεξαιρουμένῳ δὲ τοὺς κόλπους καὶ τὰς ἐξοχὰς κατὰ τὸ σχῆμα τὸ τριγωνοειδὲς ὃ ὑπέγραψα, νοείσθω μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τὴν μεσημβρίαν ἅμα καὶ τὴν ἕω λαμβάνουσα τὴν αὔξησιν ἡ ἤπειρος. τὸ δʼ ὄρος διὰ μέσης ἐκτεινόμενον τῆς Μαυρουσίας τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν Κώτεων μέχρι καὶ Σύρτεων οἰκεῖται καὶ αὐτὸ καὶ ἄλλα παράλληλα αὐτῷ κατʼ ἀρχὰς μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν Μαυρουσίων, ἐν βάθει δὲ τῆς χώρας ὑπὸ τοῦ μεγίστου τῶν Λιβυκῶν ἐθνῶν, οἳ Γαίτουλοι λέγονται.

[3] πλεῖστα δὲ πλάσματα τῇ Λιβυκῇ παραλίᾳ τῇ ἐκτὸς προσεψεύσαντο οἱ συγγραφεῖς ἀρξάμενοι ἀπὸ τοῦ Ὀφέλα περίπλου, περὶ ὧν ἐμνήσθημέν που καὶ πρότερον, καὶ νῦν δὲ λέγομεν, συγγνώμην αἰτούμενοι τῆς τερατολογίας, ἐάν που βιασθῶμεν ἐκπεσεῖν εἴς τι τοιοῦτο, φεύγοντες τὸ πάντα σιγῇ παραπέμπειν καὶ τρόπον τινὰ πηροῦν τὴν ἱστορίαν. φασὶ δʼ οὖν τὸν Ἐμπορικὸν κόλπον ἄντρον ἔχειν εἴσω δεχόμενον τὴν θάλατταν ἐν ταῖς πλημμυρίσι μέχρι καὶ ἑπτὰ σταδίων, προκείμενον δὲ τούτου ταπεινὸν καὶ ὁμαλὸν χωρίον ἔχον Ἡρακλέους βωμόν, ὃν οὐκ ἐπικλύζεσθαί φασιν ὑπὸ τῆς πλημμυρίδος. ἓν δὲ δή τι τῶν πλασμάτων νομίζω τοῦτο, ἐγγὺς δὲ τούτῳ τὸ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς κόλποις κατοικίας λέγεσθαι παλαιὰς Τυρίων, ἃς ἐρήμους εἶναι νῦν, οὐκ ἐλαττόνων ἢ τριακοσίων πόλεων, ἃς οἱ Φαρούσιοι καὶ οἱ Νιγρῖται ἐξεπόρθησαν· διέχειν δὲ τούτους τῆς Λυγγός φασιν ἡμερῶν τριάκοντα ὁδόν.

[4] τὸ μέντοι τὴν Μαυρουσίαν εὐδαίμονα εἶναι χώραν πλὴν ὀλίγης ἐρήμου, καὶ ποταμοῖς τε καὶ λίμναις κεχορηγῆσθαι παρὰ πάντων ὁμολογεῖται. μεγαλόδενδρός τε καὶ πολύδενδρος ὑπερβαλλόντως ἐστὶ καὶ πάμφορος· τὰς γοῦν μονοξύλους τραπέζας ποικιλωτάτας καὶ μεγίστας ἐκείνη τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις χορηγεῖ. τοὺς δὲ ποταμοὺς ἔχειν φασὶ καὶ κροκοδείλους καὶ ἄλλα γένη ζῴων ἐμφερῆ τοῖς ἐν τῷ Νείλῳ· τινὲς δὲ καὶ τὰς τοῦ Νείλου πηγὰς πλησιάζειν οἴονται τοῖς ἄκροις τῆς Μαυρουσίας. ἐν ποταμῷ δέ τινι γεννᾶσθαι βδέλλας ἑπταπήχεις, κατατετρημένα ἐχούσας τὰ βραγχία διʼ ὧν ἀναπνέουσι. καὶ ταῦτα δὲ λέγουσι περὶ τῆς χώρας ὅτι ἄμπελος φύεται δυσὶν ἀνδράσι τὸ πάχος δυσπερίληπτος, βότρυν πηχυαῖόν πως ἀποδιδοῦσα· βοτάνη τε ὑψηλὴ πᾶσα καὶ λάχανον * νεαρὸν καὶ δρακόντιον, οἱ δὲ τῶν σταφυλίνων καυλοὶ καὶ ἱππομαράθου καὶ σκολύμων δωδεκαπήχεις, τὸ δὲ πάχος παλαιστῶν τεττάρων· καὶ δρακόντων δὲ καὶ ἐλεφάντων καὶ δορκάδων καὶ βουβάλων καὶ τῶν παραπλησίων ζῴων, λεόντων τε καὶ παρδάλεων, παντοδαπὴ τροφὸς ἡ χώρα ἐστί. φέρει δὲ καὶ γαλᾶς αἰλούροις ἴσας καὶ ὁμοίας πλὴν ὅτι τὰ ῥύγχη προπέπτωκε μᾶλλον, πιθήκων τε πάμπολυ πλῆθος, περὶ ὧν καὶ Ποσειδώνιος εἴρηκεν ὅτι πλέων ἐκ Γαδείρων εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν προσενεχθείη τῇ Λιβυκῇ παραλίᾳ καὶ ἴδοι τῶν θηρίων μεστόν τινα τούτων ἁλιτενῆ δρυμόν, τῶν μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς δένδρεσι τῶν δʼ ἐπὶ γῆς, ἐχόντων ἐνίων καὶ σκύμνους καὶ ἐπεχόντων μαστόν· γελᾶν οὖν ὁρῶν βαρυμάστους, ἐνίους δὲ φαλακρούς, τοὺς δὲ κηλήτας καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα ἐπιφαίνοντας σίνη.

[5] ̔υπὲρ ταύτης δʼ ἐστὶν ἐπὶ τῇ ἔξω θαλάττῃ ἡ τῶν ἑσπερίων καλουμένων Αἰθιόπων χώρα κακῶς οἰκουμένη τὸ πλέον. ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ καμηλοπαρδάλεις φησὶν * Ἰφικράτης γεννᾶσθαι καὶ ἐλέφαντας καὶ τοὺς καλουμένους ῥίζεις, οἳ ταυροειδεῖς μέν εἰσι τὴν μορφήν, κατὰ δὲ τὴν δίαιταν καὶ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ τὴν ἀλκὴν τὴν πρὸς μάχην ἐλέφασιν ἐοίκασι· δράκοντάς τε λέγει μεγάλους ὥστε καὶ πόαν ἐπιπεφυκέναι· τοὺς δὲ λέοντας τοῖς πώλοις τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιτίθεσθαι, αἱμάξαντας δὲ φεύγειν ἐπιουσῶν τῶν μητέρων· τὰς δʼ ἐπειδὰν ἴδωσιν ᾑμαγμένους, κτείνειν. ἐπανιόντας δὲ τοὺς λέοντας ἐπὶ τὰ πτώματα νεκροφαγεῖν. Βόγον δὲ τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Μαυρουσίων ἀναβάντα ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑσπερίους Αἰθίοπας καταπέμψαι τῇ γυναικὶ δῶρα καλάμους τοῖς Ἰνδικοῖς ὁμοίους, ὧν ἕκαστον γόνυ χοίνικας χωροῦν ὀκτώ· καὶ ἀσπαράγων δʼ ἐμφερῆ μεγέθη.

[6] εἰς δὲ τὴν ἐντὸς θάλατταν πλέουσιν ἀπὸ Λυγγὸς πόλις ἐστὶ Ζῆλις καὶ * Τίγα, εἶτα τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀδελφῶν μνήματα καὶ τὸ ὑπερκείμενον ὄρος ὄνομα Ἀβίλη πολύθηρον καὶ μεγαλόδενδρον. τοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὰς στήλας πορθμοῦ τὸ μὲν μῆκος λέγεται σταδίων ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι, τὸ δʼ ἐλάχιστον πλάτος κατὰ τὸν Ἐλέφαντα ἑξήκοντα. εἰσπλεύσαντι δʼ ἑξῆς πόλεις τε καὶ ποταμοὶ πλείους μέχρι Μολοχὰθ ποταμοῦ, ὃς ὁρίζει τὴν Μαυρουσίων καὶ τὴν Μασαισυλίων γῆν. καλεῖται δὲ καὶ ἄκρα μεγάλη πλησίον τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ Μεταγώνιον τόπος ἄνυδρος καὶ λυπρός, σχεδὸν δέ τι καὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν Κώτεων μέχρι δεῦρο παρατείνει· μῆκος δὲ τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν Κώτεων ἐπὶ τοὺς ὅρους τοὺς τῶν Μασαισυλίων στάδιοι πεντακισχίλιοι· ἔστι δὲ τὸ Μεταγώνιον κατὰ νέαν που Καρχηδόνα ἐν τῇ περαίᾳ· Τιμοσθένης δʼ οὐκ εὖ κατὰ Μασσαλίαν φησίν· ἔστι δʼ ἐκ Καρχηδόνος νέας δίαρμα εἰς Μεταγώνιον στάδιοι τρισχίλιοι, παράπλους δὲ εἰς Μασσαλίαν ὑπὲρ ἑξακισχιλίων.

[7] οὕτω δʼ εὐδαίμονα χώραν οἰκοῦντες τὴν πλείστην οἱ Μαυρούσιοι διατελοῦσιν ὅμως καὶ μέχρι δεῦρο τοῦ χρόνου νομαδικῶς ζῶντες οἱ πολλοί. καλλωπίζονται δʼ ὅμως κόμης ἐμπλοκῇ καὶ πώγωνι καὶ χρυσοφορίᾳ σμήξει τε ὀδόντων καὶ ὀνυχισμῷ· σπάνιόν τε ἂν ἴδοις ἁπτομένους ἀλλήλων ἐν τοῖς περιπάτοις τοῦ παραμένειν αὐτοῖς ἄθικτον τὸν κόσμον τῶν τριχῶν. μάχονται δʼ ἱππόται τὸ πλέον ἀπὸ ἄκοντος, σχοινοχαλίνοις χρώμενοι τοῖς ἵπποις καὶ γυμνοῖς· ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ μαχαίρας· οἱ δὲ πεζοὶ τὰς τῶν ἐλεφάντων δορὰς ὡς ἀσπίδας προβάλλονται· τὰς δὲ τῶν λεόντων καὶ παρδάλεων καὶ ἄρκτων ἀμπέχονται καὶ ἐγκοιμῶνται. σχεδὸν δέ τι καὶ οὗτοι καὶ οἱ ἐφεξῆς Μασαισύλιοι καὶ κοινῶς Λίβυες κατὰ τὸ πλέον ὁμοιόσκευοί εἰσι καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἐμφερεῖς, μικροῖς ἵπποις χρώμενοι, ὀξέσι δὲ καὶ εὐπειθέσιν ὥστʼ ἀπὸ ῥαβδίου οἰακίζεσθαι· περιτραχήλια δὲ ξύλινα ἢ τρίχινα, ἀφʼ ὧν ὁ ῥυτὴρ ἀπήρτηται· ἔνιοι δὲ καὶ χωρὶς ὁλκῆς ἕπονται ὡς κύνες· πέλτη μικρὰ βυρσίνη, πλατύλογχα μικρά, ἄζωστοι πλατύσημοι χιτῶνες, ἐπιπόρπημα, ὡς ἔφην, δορὰ καὶ προθωράκιον. Φαρούσιοι δὲ καὶ Νίγρητες οἱ ὑπὲρ τούτων οἰκοῦντες πρὸς τοῖς ἑσπερίοις Αἰθίοψι καὶ τοξεύουσι, καθάπερ καὶ οἱ Αἰθίοπες· χρῶνται δὲ καὶ δρεπανηφόροις ἅρμασι· μίσγονται δὲ καὶ τοῖς Μαυρουσίοις οἱ Φαρούσιοι διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου σπανίως, ὑπὸ ταῖς κοιλίαις τῶν ἵππων ὑπαρτῶντες τοὺς ἀσκοὺς τοῦ ὕδατος· ἔστι δʼ ὅτε καὶ εἰς Κίρταν ἀφικνοῦνται διά τινων τόπων ἑλωδῶν καὶ λιμνῶν. τινὰς δʼ αὐτῶν καὶ τρωγλοδυτικῶς οἰκεῖν φασιν ὀρύττοντας τὴν γῆν. λέγεται δὲ κἀνταῦθα τοὺς θερινοὺς ὄμβρους ἐπιπολάζειν, χειμῶνος δὲ εἶναι ἀνυδρίαν. ἐνίους δὲ τῶν ταύτῃ βαρβάρων καὶ ὄφεων καὶ ἰχθύων δοραῖς ἀμπεχόναις τε καὶ στρώμασι χρῆσθαι. τοὺς δὲ Φαρουσίους ἔνιοί φασιν Ἰνδοὺς εἶναι τοὺς συγκατελθόντας Ἡρακλεῖ δεῦρο. μικρὸν μὲν οὖν πρὸ ἡμῶν οἱ περὶ Βόγον βασιλεῖς καὶ Βόκχον κατεῖχον αὐτήν, φίλοι Ῥωμαίων ὄντες· ἐκλιπόντων δὲ τούτων, Ἰούβας παρέλαβε τὴν ἀρχήν, δόντος τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ Καίσαρος καὶ ταύτην αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν πρὸς τῇ πατρῴᾳ· υἱὸς δʼ ἦν Ἰούβα τοῦ πρὸς Καίσαρα τὸν θεὸν πολεμήσαντος μετὰ Σκιπίωνος. Ἰούβας μὲν οὖν νεωστὶ ἐτελεύτα τὸν βίον, διαδέδεκται δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν υἱὸς Πτολεμαῖος γεγονὼς ἐξ Ἀντωνίου θυγατρὸς καὶ Κλεοπάτρας.

[8] Ἀρτεμίδωρος δʼ Ἐρατοσθένει μὲν ἀντιλέγει, διότι Λίξον τινά φησι πόλιν περὶ τὰ ἄκρα τῆς Μαυρουσίας τὰ ἑσπέρια ἀντὶ Λυγγός· Φοινικικὰς δὲ πόλεις κατεσπασμένας παμπόλλας τινάς, ὧν οὐδὲν ἰδεῖν ἔστιν ἴχνος· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἑσπερίοις Αἰθίοψι¹ ταῖς τε ὀρθριναῖς ὥραις καὶ ταῖς δειλιναῖς παχεῖς καὶ ἀχλυώδεις εἶναι τοὺς ἀέρας· πῶς γὰρ ἐν αὐχμώδεσι καὶ καυματηροῖς τόποις ταῦτʼ εἶναι; αὐτὸς δὲ τούτων πολὺ χείρω λέγει περὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς τόπους· μετανάστας γάρ τινας ἱστορεῖ Λωτοφάγους, οἳ τὴν ἄνυδρον νέμοιντο, σιτοῖντο δὲ λωτόν, πόαν τινὰ καὶ ῥίζαν, ἐφʼ ἧς οὐδὲν δέοιντο ποτοῦ. παρήκειν δʼ αὐτοὺς μέχρι τῶν ὑπὲρ Κυρήνης τόπων· τοὺς δʼ ἐκεῖ καὶ γαλακτοποτεῖν καὶ κρεωφαγεῖν, καίπερ ταυτοκλινεῖς ὄντας. καὶ Γαβίνιος δὲ ὁ τῶν Ῥωμαίων συγγραφεὺς οὐκ ἀπέχεται τῆς τερατολογίας τῆς περὶ τὴν Μαυρουσίαν· πρὸς γὰρ τῇ Λυγγὶ Ἀνταίου μνῆμα ἱστορεῖ καὶ σκελετὸν πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα, ὃν Σερτώριον γυμνῶσαι καὶ πάλιν ἐπιβαλεῖν γῆν. καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἐλεφάντων μυθώδη· φησὶ γὰρ τἆλλα μὲν θηρία φεύγειν τὸ πῦρ, τοὺς δʼ ἐλέφαντας πολεμεῖν καὶ ἀμύνεσθαι, διότι τὴν ὕλην φθείρει· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διαμάχεσθαι, κατασκόπους προπέμποντας, καὶ ὅταν ἴδωσιν ἐκείνους φεύγοντας, φεύγειν καὶ αὐτούς, ἐπειδὰν δὲ τραύματα λάβωσιν, ἱκετηρίαν προτείνειν κλάδους ἢ βοτάνην ἢ κόνιν.

[9] μετὰ δὲ τὴν τῶν Μαυρουσίων γῆν ἡ τῶν Μασαισυλίων ἐστίν, ἀπὸ τοῦ Μολοχὰθ ποταμοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν λαμβάνουσα, τελευτῶσα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄκραν, ἣ καλεῖται Τρητόν, ὅριον τῆς τε Μασαισύλων καὶ τῆς Μασυλιέων γῆς· στάδιοι δʼ εἰσὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Μεταγωνίου μέχρι τοῦ Τρητοῦ ἑξακισχίλιοι· οἱ δʼ ἐλάττους φασίν. ἔχει δʼ ἡ παραλία πόλεις τε πλείους καὶ ποταμοὺς καὶ χώραν εὐφυῆ, τῶν δʼ ἐν ὀνόματι ἀρκεῖ μνησθῆναι. ἔστι δὲ πόλις Σίγα ἐν χιλίοις σταδίοις ἀπὸ τῶν λεχθέντων ὅρων, βασίλειον Σόφακος· κατέσπασται δὲ νῦν· τὴν δὲ χώραν μετὰ Σόφακα κατέσχε Μασανάσσης, εἶτα Μικίψας, εἶτα καὶ οἱ ἐκεῖνον διαδεξάμενοι, καθʼ ἡμᾶς δὲ Ἰούβας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ νεωστὶ τελευτήσαντος Ἰούβα· κατέσπασται δὲ καὶ Ζάμα τὸ τούτου βασίλειον ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων· μετὰ δὲ τὴν Σίγαν Θεῶν λιμὴν ἐν ἑξακοσίοις σταδίοις· εἶτʼ ἄλλοι ἄσημοι τόποι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐν βάθει τῆς χώρας ὀρεινὰ καὶ ἔρημα ἔσθʼ ὅτε παρέσπαρται, ἃ κατέχουσιν οἱ Γαίτουλοι μέχρι καὶ Σύρτεων· τὰ δʼ ἐκεῖ πρὸς θαλάττῃ καὶ πεδία εὐδαίμονά ἐστι καὶ πόλεις πολλαὶ καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ λίμναι.

[10] ποσειδώνιος δʼ οὐκ οἶδʼ εἰ ἀληθεύει φήσας ὀλίγοις καὶ μικροῖς διαρρεῖσθαι ποταμοῖς τὴν Λιβύην· αὐτοὺς γάρ, οὓς Ἀρτεμίδωρος εἴρηκε, τοὺς μεταξὺ τῆς Λυγγὸς καὶ Καρχηδόνος καὶ πολλοὺς εἴρηκε καὶ μεγάλους. ἐν δὲ τῇ μεσογαίᾳ ταῦτʼ ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν· εἴρηκε δὲ τούτου τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτός· μὴ γὰρ κατομβρεῖσθαι τοῖς ἀρκτικοῖς μέρεσι, καθάπερ οὐδὲ τὴν Αἰθιοπίαν φασί· διὸ πολλάκις λοιμικὰ ἐμπίπτειν ὑπὸ αὐχμῶν καὶ τὰς λίμνας τελμάτων πίμπλασθαι καὶ τὴν ἀκρίδα ἐπιπολάζειν. ἔτι φησὶ τὰ μὲν ἀνατολικὰ ὑγρὰ εἶναι, τὸν γὰρ ἥλιον ἀνίσχοντα ταχὺ παραλλάττειν, τὰ δʼ ἑσπέρια ξηρά, ἐκεῖ γὰρ καταστρέφειν ὑγρὰ γὰρ καὶ ξηρά, τὰ μὲν παρʼ ὑδάτων ἀφθονίαν ἢ σπάνιν λέγεται, τὰ δὲ παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἡλίων· βούλεται δὲ λέγειν τὰ παρὰ τοὺς ἡλίους· ταῦτα δὲ πάντες ἀρκτικοῖς καὶ μεσημβρινοῖς κλίμασιν ἀφορίζουσι· καὶ μὴν ἀνατολικά τε καὶ δυσμικά, τὰ μὲν πρὸς τὰς οἰκήσεις λεγόμενα, καθʼ ἑκάστην τὴν οἴκησιν καὶ τὴν μετάπτωσιν τῶν ὁριζόντων ἄλλα καὶ ἄλλα ἐστίν, ὥστʼ οὐδʼ ἔνεστι καθολικῶς εἰπεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀπεριλήπτων τὸ πλῆθος, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἀνατολικὰ ὑγρά, τὰ δὲ δυσμικὰ ξηρά. ὡς δὲ λέγεται πρὸς τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην καὶ τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τὰς τοιαύτας, οἵα καὶ ἡ Ἰνδικὴ καὶ ἡ Ἰβηρία, λέγοι ἂν εἰ ἄρα τὴν τοιαύτην ἀπόφασιν. τίς οὖν ἡ πιθανότης τῆς αἰτιολογίας; ἐν γὰρ περιφορᾷ συνεχεῖ τε καὶ ἀδιαλείπτῳ τοῦ ἡλίου τίς ἂν εἴη καταστροφή; τό τε τάχος τῆς παραλλαγῆς πανταχοῦ ἴσον. ἄλλως τε παρὰ τὴν ἐνάργειάν ἐστι, τὰ ἔσχατα τῆς Ἰβηρίας ἢ τῆς Μαυρουσίας τὰ πρὸς δύσιν ξηρὰ λέγειν ἁπάντων μάλιστα· καὶ γὰρ τὸ περιέχον εὔκρατον ἔχει καὶ πλείστων ὑδάτων εὐπορεῖ. εἰ δὲ τὸ καταστρέφειν τοιοῦτον εἴληπται, ὅτι ἐνταῦθα * τὰ ὕστατα τῆς οἰκουμένης ὑπὲρ γῆς γίνεται, τί τοῦτο συντείνει πρὸς ξηρασίαν; καὶ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις τόποις τῆς οἰκουμένης τοῖς ταυτοκλινέσι τὸν ἴσον διαλιπὼν χρόνον τὸν τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπάνεισι πάλιν καὶ θερμαίνει τὴν γῆν.

[11] ἔστι δέ που αὐτόθι καὶ ἀσφάλτου πηγὴ καὶ χαλκωρυχεῖα· καὶ σκορπίων δὲ καὶ πτηνῶν καὶ ἀπτέρων λέγεται πλῆθος, μεγέθει δὲ ἑπτασπονδύλων, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ φαλάγγια καὶ μεγέθει καὶ πλήθει διαφέροντα· σαύρας δὲ διπήχεις φασίν. ἐν μὲν οὖν τῇ παρορείῳ λίθους εὑρίσκεσθαί φασι τοὺς λυχνίτας καὶ καρχηδονίους λεγομένους· ἐν δὲ τοῖς πεδίοις ὀστρακίων καὶ χηραμύδων πλῆθος, οἷον ἐν τοῖς περὶ τοῦ Ἄμμωνος λόγοις εἰρήκαμεν· καὶ δένδρον δέ ἐστι μελίλωτον καλούμενον, ἐξ οὗ σκευάζουσιν οἶνον· τινὲς δʼ αὐτῶν καὶ δίκαρπον ἔχουσι τὴν γῆν, καὶ δύο θεριστικὰ καρποῦνται, τὰ μὲν θερινὰ τὰ δʼ ἐαρινά· ἔστι δὲ ἡ καλάμη πεντάπηχυς τὸ ὕψος, πάχος δὲ τοῦ μικροῦ δακτύλου, τὸν δὲ καρπὸν διακοσιοκαιτετταρακοντάχουν ἀποδίδωσι· τοῦ δὲ ἔαρος οὐδὲ σπείρουσιν, ἀλλὰ παλιούροις συνδεδεμέναις ἐπικαταψήσαντες τὴν χώραν τῷ ἐκπεσόντι στάχυι κατὰ τὸν θερισμὸν ἀρκοῦνται· τελεσικαρπεῖ γὰρ τὸν θερινὸν καρπόν. διὰ δὲ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν θηρίων κνημῖδας ἔχοντες ἐργάζονται καὶ τἆλλα δὲ μέρη διφθεροῦνται· καθεύδοντες δὲ περιχρίουσι τοὺς κλινόποδας σκορόδοις τῶν σκορπίων χάριν καὶ παλιούροις περιδοῦσιν.

[12] Ἐν δὲ τῇ παραλίᾳ ταύτῃ πόλις Ἰὼλ ὄνομα, ἣν ἐπικτίσας Ἰούβας ὁ τοῦ Πτολεμαίου πατὴρ μετωνόμασε Καισάρειαν, ἔχουσα καὶ λιμένα καὶ πρὸ τοῦ λιμένος νησίον. μεταξὺ δὲ τῆς Καισαρείας καὶ τοῦ Τρητοῦ μέγας ἐστὶ λιμήν, ὃν Σάλδαν καλοῦσι· τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶν ὅριον τῆς ὑπὸ τῷ Ἰούβᾳ καὶ τῆς ὑπὸ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις· πολυτρόπως γὰρ οἱ μερισμοὶ γεγένηνται τῆς χώρας, ἅτε τῶν νεμομένων αὐτὴν πλειόνων γενομένων καὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλως τούτων τοῖς μὲν φίλοις χρωμένων, τοῖς δὲ καὶ πολεμίοις, ὥστε καὶ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι καὶ χαρίζεσθαι συνέβαινεν ἄλλοις ἄλλα καὶ οὐ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον. ἦν δὲ ἡ μὲν πρὸς τῇ Μαυρουσίᾳ προσοδικωτέρα τε καὶ δυναμικωτέρα, ἡ δὲ πρὸς τῇ Καρχηδονίᾳ καὶ τῇ Μασυλιέων ἀνθηροτέρα τε καὶ κατεσκευασμένη βέλτιον, καίπερ κεκακωμένη διὰ τὰ Καρχηδόνια τὸ πρῶτον, ἔπειτα διὰ τὸν πρὸς Ἰουγούρθαν πόλεμον· ἐκεῖνος γὰρ Ἀδάρβαλα ἐκπολιορκήσας ἐν Ἰτύκῃ καὶ ἀνελών, φίλον ὄντα Ῥωμαίων, ἐνέπλησε τὴν χώραν πολέμου· εἶτʼ ἄλλοι ἐπʼ ἄλλοις συνέστησαν πόλεμοι, τελευταῖος δὲ ὁ πρὸς Σκιπίωνα Καίσαρι τῷ θεῷ συστάς, ἐν ᾧ καὶ Ἰούβας ἀπέθανε· συνηφανίσθησαν δὲ τοῖς ἡγεμόσι καὶ αἱ πόλεις, Τισιαοῦς τε καὶ Ὀυάγα καὶ Θάλα, ἔτι δὲ καὶ Κάψα, τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον τοῦ Ἰουγούρθα, καὶ Ζάμα καὶ Ζίγχα καὶ πρὸς αἷς κατεπολέμησε Καῖσαρ Σκιπίωνα ὁ θεός, πρὸς Ῥουσπίνῳ μὲν πρῶτον νικῶν, εἶτα πρὸς Οὐζίτοις, εἶτα πρὸς Θάψῳ καὶ τῇ πλησίον λίμνῃ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις· πλησίον δὲ καὶ Ζέλλα καὶ Ἀχόλλα, ἐλεύθεραι πόλεις· εἷλε δʼ ἐξ ἐφόδου Καῖσαρ τὴν Κέρκινναν νῆσον καὶ Θέναν, πολίχνην ἐπιθαλαττιδίαν. τούτων πασῶν αἱ μὲν τελέως ἠφανίσθησαν, αἱ δʼ ἡμίσπαστοι κατελείφθησαν· Φαρὰν δʼ οἱ Σκιπίωνος ἱππεῖς ἐνέπρησαν.

[13] μετὰ δʼ οὖν Τρητὸν ἡ Μασυλιέων ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ Καρχηδονίων παραπλησία χώρα. Κίρτα τέ ἐστιν ἐν μεσογαίᾳ, τὸ Μασανάσσου καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς διαδόχων βασίλειον, πόλις εὐερκεστάτη καὶ κατεσκευασμένη καλῶς τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ μάλιστα ὑπὸ Μικίψα, ὅστις καὶ Ἕλληνας συνῴκισεν ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ τοσαύτην ἐποίησεν ὥστʼ ἐκπέμπειν μυρίους ἱππέας, διπλασίους δὲ πεζούς. ἥ τε δὴ Κίρτα ἐνταῦθα καὶ οἱ δύο Ἱππῶνες, ὁ μὲν πλησίον Ἰτύκης ὁ δὲ ἀπωτέρω πρὸς τῷ Τρητῷ μᾶλλον, ἄμφω βασίλεια. ἡ δὲ Ἰτύκη δευτέρα μετὰ Καρχηδόνα τῷ μεγέθει καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι· καταλυθείσης δὲ Καρχηδόνος ἐκείνη ἦν ὡς ἂν μητρόπολις τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις καὶ ὁρμητήριον πρὸς τὰς ἐν Λιβύῃ πράξεις· ἵδρυται δʼ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ κόλπῳ τῷ Καρχηδονιακῷ πρὸς θατέρῳ τῶν ἀκρωτηρίων τῶν ποιούντων τὸν κόλπον, ὧν τὸ μὲν πρὸς τῇ Ἰτύκῃ καλοῦσιν Ἀπολλώνιον, θάτερον δʼ Ἑρμαίαν, καὶ εἰσὶν ἐν ἐπόψει ἀλλήλαις αἱ πόλεις. ῥεῖ δὲ τῆς Ἰτύκης πλησίον ὁ Βαγράδας ποταμός· εἰσὶ δʼ ἀπὸ Τρητοῦ μέχρι Καρχηδόνος στάδιοι δισχίλιοι πεντακόσιοι· οὔτε τοῦθʼ ὁμολογεῖται δὲ τὸ διάστημα οὔτε τὸ μέχρι Σύρτεων.

[14] καὶ Καρχηδὼν δὲ ἐπὶ χερρονήσου τινὸς ἵδρυται, περιγραφούσης κύκλον τριακοσίων ἑξήκοντα σταδίων ἔχοντα τεῖχος, οὗ τὸ ἑξηκονταστάδιον μῆκος αὐτὸς ὁ αὐχὴν ἐπέχει, καθῆκον ἀπὸ θαλάττης ἐπὶ θάλατταν, ὅπου τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις ἦσαν αἱ τῶν ἐλεφάντων στάσεις², τόπος εὐρυχωρής. κατὰ μέσην δὲ τὴν πόλιν ἡ ἀκρόπολις ἣν ἐκάλουν Βύρσαν, ὀφρὺς ἱκανῶς ὀρθία, κύκλῳ περιοικουμένη, κατὰ δὲ τὴν κορυφὴν ἔχουσα Ἀσκληπιεῖον, ὅπερ κατὰ τὴν ἅλωσιν ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ Ἀσδρούβα συνέπρησεν αὑτῇ. ὑπόκεινται δὲ τῇ ἀκροπόλει οἵ τε λιμένες καὶ ὁ Κώθων, νησίον περιφερὲς εὐρίπῳ περιεχόμενον, ἔχοντι νεωσοίκους ἑκατέρωθεν κύκλῳ.

[15] κτίσμα δʼ ἐστὶ Διδοῦς ἀγαγούσης ἐκ Τύρου λαόν· οὕτω δʼ εὐτυχὴς ἡ ἀποικία τοῖς Φοίνιξιν ὑπῆρξε καὶ αὕτη καὶ ἡ μέχρι τῆς Ἰβηρίας τῆς τε ἄλλης καὶ τῆς ἔξω στηλῶν ὥστε τῆς Εὐρώπης ἔτι νῦν τὴν ἀρίστην νέμονται Φοίνικες κατὰ τὴν ἤπειρον καὶ τὰς προσεχεῖς νήσους, τήν τε Λιβύην κατεκτήσαντο πᾶσαν, ὅσον μὴ νομαδικῶς οἷόν τʼ ἦν οἰκεῖν. ἀφʼ ἧς δυνάμεως πόλιν τε ἀντίπαλον τῇ Ῥώμῃ κατεσκευάσαντο καὶ τρεῖς ἐπολέμησαν μεγάλους πρὸς αὐτοὺς πολέμους. γένοιτο δʼ ἂν εὔδηλος ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ ὑστάτου πολέμου, ἐν ᾧ κατελύθησαν ὑπὸ Σκιπίωνος τοῦ Αἰμιλιανοῦ, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἄρδην ἠφανίσθη. ὅτε γὰρ ἤρξαντο πολεμεῖν τοῦτον τὸν πόλεμον, πόλεις μὲν εἶχον τριακοσίας ἐν τῇ Λιβύῃ, ἀνθρώπων δʼ ἐν τῇ πόλει μυριάδας ἑβδομήκοντα· πολιορκούμενοι δὲ καὶ ἀναγκασθέντες τραπέσθαι πρὸς ἔνδοσιν πανοπλιῶν μὲν ἔδοσαν μυριάδας εἴκοσι καταπελτικὰ δὲ ὄργανα τρισχίλια, ὡς οὐ πολεμηθησόμενοι. κριθέντος δὲ πάλιν τοῦ ἀναπολεμεῖν, ἐξαίφνης ὁπλοποιίαν συνεστήσαντο, καὶ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἀνεφέροντο θυρεοὶ μὲν ἑκατὸν καὶ τετταράκοντα πεπηγότες, μάχαιραι δὲ τριακόσιαι καὶ λόγχαι πεντακόσιαι, χίλια δὲ βέλη καταπελτικά, τρίχα δὲ τοῖς καταπέλταις αἱ θεράπαιναι παρεῖχον· ἔτι τοίνυν ναῦς ἔχοντες δώδεκα ἐξ ἐτῶν πεντήκοντα κατὰ τὰς ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ πολέμῳ συνθήκας, τότε καίπερ ἤδη συμπεφευγότες εἰς τὴν Βύρσαν ἐν διμήνῳ κατεσκευάσαντο ναῦς ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι καταφράκτους, καὶ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ Κώθωνος φρουρουμένου διώρυξαν ἄλλο στόμα, καὶ προῆλθεν αἰφνιδίως ὁ στόλος· ὕλη γὰρ ἦν ἀποκειμένη παλαιὰ καὶ τεχνιτῶν πλῆθος προσεδρεῦον καὶ σιταρχούμενον δημοσίᾳ. τοιαύτη δʼ οὖσα Καρχηδὼν ὅμως ἑάλω καὶ κατεσκάφη. τὴν δὲ χώραν τὴν μὲν ἐπαρχίαν ἀπέδειξαν Ῥωμαῖοι τὴν ὑπὸ τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις, τῆς δὲ Μασανάσσην ἀπέδειξαν κύριον καὶ τοὺς ἀπογόνους τοὺς περὶ Μικίψαν. μάλιστα γὰρ ἐσπουδάσθη παρὰ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ὁ Μασανάσσης διʼ ἀρετὴν καὶ φιλίαν· καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τοὺς νομάδας πολιτικοὺς κατασκευάσας καὶ γεωργούς, ἔτι δʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ λῃστεύειν διδάξας στρατεύειν. ἴδιον γάρ τι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνέβη τούτοις· χώραν γὰρ οἰκοῦντες εὐδαίμονα πλὴν τοῦ θηρίοις πλεονάζειν, ἐάσαντες ἐκφέρειν ταῦτα καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐργάζεσθαι μετὰ ἀδείας ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοις ἐτρέποντο, τὴν δὲ γῆν τοῖς θηρίοις ἀφεῖσαν. οὕτω δʼ αὐτοῖς συνέβαινε πλάνητα καὶ μετανάστην βίον ζῆν μηδὲν ἧττον τῶν ὑπὸ ἀπορίας καὶ λυπρότητος τόπων ἢ ἀέρων εἰς τοῦτο περιισταμένων τῶν βίων, ὥστε καὶ ἴδιον τοῦθʼ εὑρίσκεσθαι τοὔνομα τοὺς Μασαισυλίους· καλοῦνται γὰρ Νομάδες. ἀνάγκη δὲ τοὺς τοιούτους εὐτελεῖς εἶναι τοῖς βίοις καὶ τὸ πλέον ῥιζοφάγους ἢ κρεοφάγους, γάλακτι δὲ καὶ τυρῷ τρεφομένους. ἠρημωμένης δʼ οὖν ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον τῆς Καρχηδόνος, καὶ σχεδόν τι τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ὅνπερ καὶ Κόρινθος, ἀνελήφθη πάλιν περὶ τοὺς αὐτούς πως χρόνους ὑπὸ Καίσαρος τοῦ θεοῦ πέμψαντος ἐποίκους Ῥωμαίων τοὺς προαιρουμένους καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν τινας, καὶ νῦν εἴ τις ἄλλη καλῶς οἰκεῖται τῶν ἐν Λιβύῃ πόλεων³.

[16] διάπλους δʼ ἐστὶν ἐκ Καρχηδόνος ἑξήκοντα σταδίων εἰς τὴν προσεχῆ περαίαν, ὅθεν εἰς Νέφεριν ἀνάβασις σταδίων ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι, πόλιν ἐρυμνὴν ἐπὶ πέτρας ᾠκισμένην. ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ κόλπῳ ἐν ᾧπερ καὶ ἡ Καρχηδών, Τύνις ἐστὶ πόλις καὶ θερμὰ καὶ λατομίαι τινές· εἶθʼ ἡ Ἑρμαία ἄκρα τραχεῖα καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῇ πόλις ὁμώνυμος· εἶτα Νεάπολις· εἶτʼ ἄκρα Ταφῖτις, καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῇ λόφος Ἀσπὶς καλούμενος ἀπὸ τῆς ὁμοιότητος, ὅνπερ συνῴκισεν ὁ τῆς Σικελίας τύραννος Ἀγαθοκλῆς καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ἐπέπλευσε τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις· συγκατεσπάσθησαν δὲ τῇ Καρχηδονίᾳ ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων αἱ πόλεις αὗται. ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Ταφίτιδος ἐν τετρακοσίοις σταδίοις νῆσός ἐστι Κόσσουρος κατὰ Σελινοῦντα τῆς Σικελίας ποταμόν, καὶ πόλιν ἔχουσα ὁμώνυμον, ἑκατὸν καὶ πεντήκοντα σταδίων οὖσα τὴν περίμετρον, διέχουσα τῆς Σικελίας περὶ ἑξακοσίους σταδίους· ἔστι δὲ καὶ Μελίτη νῆσος ἐν πεντακοσίοις σταδίοις ἀπὸ τῆς Κοσσούρου. εἶτα Ἀδρύμης πόλις, ἐν ᾗ καὶ νεώρια ἦν· εἶθʼ αἱ Ταριχεῖαι λεγόμεναι, νησία πολλὰ καὶ πυκνά· εἶτα Θάψος πόλις, καὶ μετὰ ταύτην νῆσος πελαγία Λοπαδοῦσσα· εἶτα ἄκρα Ἄμμωνος Βαλίθωνος, πρὸς ᾗ θυννοσκοπεῖον· εἶτα Θένα πόλις παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν κειμένη τῆς μικρᾶς σύρτεως· πολλαὶ δʼ εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλαι μεταξὺ πολίχναι οὐκ ἄξιαι μνήμης· παράκειται δὲ τῇ ἀρχῇ τῆς σύρτεως νῆσος παραμήκης ἡ Κέρκιννα εὐμεγέθης ἔχουσα ὁμώνυμον πόλιν, καὶ ἄλλη ἐλάττων Κερκιννῖτις.

[17] συνεχὴς δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ μικρὰ σύρτις, ἣν καὶ Λωτοφαγῖτιν σύρτιν λέγουσιν. ἔστι δʼ ὁ μὲν κύκλος τοῦ κόλπου τούτου σταδίων χιλίων ἑξακοσίων, τὸ δὲ πλάτος τοῦ στόματος ἑξακοσίων· καθʼ ἑκατέραν δὲ τὴν ἄκραν τὴν ποιοῦσαν τὸ στόμα προσεχεῖς εἰσι τῇ ἠπείρῳ νῆσοι, ἥ τε λεχθεῖσα Κέρκιννα καὶ ἡ Μῆνιγξ, πάρισοι τοῖς μεγέθεσι. τὴν δὲ Μήνιγγα νομίζουσιν εἶναι τὴν τῶν Λωτοφάγων γῆν τὴν ὑφʼ Ὁμήρου λεγομένην, καὶ δείκνυταί τινα σύμβολα, καὶ βωμὸς Ὀδυσσέως καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ καρπός· πολὺ γάρ ἐστι τὸ δένδρον ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ καλούμενον λωτόν, ἔχον ἥδιστον καρπόν· πλείους δʼ εἰσὶν ἐν αὐτῇ πολίχναι, μία δʼ ὁμώνυμος τῇ νήσῳ· καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ σύρτει πολίχναι τινές εἰσι. κατὰ δὲ τὸν μυχὸν ἔστι παμμέγεθες ἐμπόριον, ποταμὸν ἔχον ἐμβάλλοντα εἰς τὸν κόλπον. διατείνει δὲ μέχρι δεῦρο τὰ τῶν ἀμπώτεων πάθη καὶ τῶν πλημμυρίδων, καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θήραν τῶν ἰχθύων ἐπιπηδῶσιν οἱ πρόσχωροι κατὰ σπουδὴν θέοντες.

[18] μετὰ δὲ τὴν σύρτιν Ζοῦχις ἔστι λίμνη σταδίων τετρακοσίων στενὸν ἔχουσα εἴσπλουν καὶ παρʼ αὐτὴν πόλις ὁμώνυμος πορφυροβαφεῖα ἔχουσα καὶ ταριχείας παντοδαπάς· εἶτʼ ἄλλη λίμνη πολὺ ἐλάττων· καὶ μετὰ ταύτην Ἀβρότονον πόλις καὶ ἄλλαι τινές, συνεχῶς δὲ Νεάπολις, ἣν καὶ Λέπτιν καλοῦσιν· ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἐστὶ δίαρμα τὸ Λοκρῶν τῶν Ἐπιζεφυρίων τρισχίλιοι ἑξακόσιοι στάδιοι. ἑξῆς δʼ ἐστὶ Κίνυψ ποταμός· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα διατείχισμά τι, ὃ ἐποίησαν Καρχηδόνιοι γεφυροῦντες βάραθρά τινα εἰς τὴν χώραν ἀνέχοντα· εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ ἀλίμενοί τινες ἐνταῦθα τόποι, τῆς ἄλλης παραλίας ἐχούσης λιμένας· εἶτʼ ἄκρα ὑψηλὴ καὶ ὑλώδης, ἀρχὴ τῆς μεγάλης σύρτεως, καλοῦσι δὲ Κεφαλάς· εἰς ταύτην δὲ τὴν ἄκραν ἐκ Καρχηδόνος στάδιοί εἰσι μικρῷ πλείους τῶν πεντακισχιλίων.

[19] ̔υπέρκειται δὲ τῆς ἀπὸ Καρχηδόνος παραλίας μέχρι Κεφαλῶν καὶ μέχρι τῆς Μασαισυλίων ἡ τῶν Λιβοφοινίκων γῆ μέχρι τῆς τῶν Γαιτούλων ὀρεινῆς ἤδη Λιβυκῆς οὔσης. ἡ δʼ ὑπὲρ τῶν Γαιτούλων ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν Γαραμάντων γῆ παράλληλος ἐκείνῃ, ὅθεν οἱ καρχηδόνιοι κομίζονται λίθοι· τοὺς δὲ Γαράμαντας ἀπὸ τῶν Αἰθιόπων⁴ τῶν παρωκεανιτῶν ἀφεστάναι φασὶν ἡμερῶν ἐννέα ἢ καὶ δέκα ὁδόν, τοῦ δὲ Ἄμμωνος καὶ πεντεκαίδεκα. μεταξὺ δὲ τῆς Γαιτούλων καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας παραλίας πολλὰ μὲν πεδία, πολλὰ δὲ ὄρη καὶ λίμναι μεγάλαι καὶ ποταμοί, ὧν τινες καὶ καταδύντες ὑπὸ γῆς ἀφανεῖς γίνονται· λιτοὶ δὲ σφόδρα τοῖς βίοις εἰσὶ καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ, πολυγύναικες δὲ καὶ πολύπαιδες, τἆλλα δὲ ἐμφερεῖς τοῖς νομάσι τῶν Ἀράβων· καὶ ἵπποι δὲ καὶ βόες μακροτραχηλότεροι τῶν παρʼ ἄλλοις· ἱπποφόρβια δʼ ἐστὶν ἐσπουδασμένα διαφερόντως τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν, ὥστε καὶ ἀριθμὸν ἐξετάζεσθαι πώλων κατʼ ἔτος εἰς μυριάδας δέκα. τὰ δὲ πρόβατα γάλακτι καὶ κρέασιν ἐκτρέφεται, καὶ μάλιστα πρὸς τοῖς Αἰθίοψι. τοιαῦτα μὲν τὰ ἐν τῇ μεσογαίᾳ.

[20] ̔η δὲ μεγάλη σύρτις τὸν μὲν κύκλον ἔχει σταδίων τρισχιλίων ἐνακοσίων τριάκοντά που, τὴν δʼ ἐπὶ τὸν μυχὸν διάμετρον χιλίων πεντακοσίων, τοσοῦτον δέ που καὶ τὸ τοῦ στόματος πλάτος. ἡ χαλεπότης δὲ καὶ ταύτης τῆς σύρτεως καὶ τῆς μικρᾶς ὅτι πολλαχοῦ τεναγώδης ἐστὶν ὁ βυθὸς καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἀμπώτεις καὶ τὰς πλημμυρίδας συμβαίνει τισὶν ἐμπίπτειν εἰς τὰ βράχη καὶ καθίζειν, σπάνιον δʼ εἶναι τὸ σωζόμενον σκάφος. διόπερ πόρρωθεν τὸν παράπλουν ποιοῦνται φυλαττόμενοι μὴ ἐμπέσοιεν εἰς τοὺς κόλπους ὑπʼ ἀνέμων ἀφύλακτοι ληφθέντες· τὸ μέντοι παρακίνδυνον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων διαπειρᾶσθαι ποιεῖ, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν παρὰ γῆν παράπλων. εἰσπλέοντι δὴ τὴν μεγάλην σύρτιν ἐν δεξιᾷ μετὰ τὰς Κεφαλὰς ἔστι λίμνη τριακοσίων που σταδίων τὸ μῆκος ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ τὸ πλάτος, ἐκδιδοῦσα εἰς τὸν κόλπον, ἔχουσα καὶ νησία καὶ ὕφορμον πρὸ τοῦ στόματος. μετὰ δὲ τὴν λίμνην τόπος ἐστὶν Ἀσπὶς καὶ λιμὴν κάλλιστος τῶν ἐν τῇ σύρτει. συνεχὴς δὲ ὁ Εὐφράντας πύργος ἐστίν, ὅριον τῆς πρότερον Καρχηδονίας γῆς καὶ τῆς Κυρηναίας τῆς ὑπὸ Πτολεμαίῳ· εἶτʼ ἄλλος τόπος Χάραξ καλούμενος, ᾧ ἐμπορίῳ ἐχρῶντο Καρχηδόνιοι κομίζοντες οἶνον, ἀντιφορτιζόμενοι δὲ ὀπὸν καὶ σίλφιον παρὰ τῶν ἐκ Κυρήνης λάθρᾳ παρακομιζόντων· εἶθʼ οἱ Φιλαίνων βωμοί· καὶ μετὰ δὲ τούτους Αὐτόμαλα φρούριον φυλακὴν ἔχον, ἱδρυμένον κατὰ τὸν μυχὸν τοῦ κόλπου παντός. ἔστι δʼ ὁ διὰ τοῦ μυχοῦ τούτου παράλληλος τοῦ μὲν διʼ Ἀλεξανδρείας μικρῷ νοτιώτερος χιλίοις σταδίοις, τοῦ δὲ διὰ Καρχηδόνος ἐλάττοσιν ἢ δισχιλίοις· πίπτοι δʼ ἂν τῇ μὲν καθʼ Ἡρώων πόλιν τὴν ἐν τῷ μυχῷ τοῦ Ἀραβίου κόλπου, τῇ δὲ κατὰ τὴν μεσόγαιαν τῶν Μασαισυλίων καὶ τῶν Μαυρουσίων· ὅπου τὸ λειπόμενον ἤδη τῆς παραλίας ἐστὶν εἰς πόλιν Βερενίκην στάδιοι⁵ χίλιοι πεντακόσιοι. ὑπέρκεινται δὲ τοῦ μήκους τοῦδε⁶ παρήκοντες καὶ μέχρι τῶν Φιλαίνου βωμῶν οἱ προσαγορευόμενοι Νασαμῶνες, Λιβυκὸν ἔθνος· ἔχει δὲ τὸ μεταξὺ διάστημα καὶ λιμένας οὐ πολλοὺς ὑδρεῖά τε σπάνια. ἔστι δὲ ἄκρα λεγομένη Ψευδοπενιάς, ἐφʼ ἧς ἡ Βερενίκη τὴν θέσιν ἔχει παρὰ λίμνην τινὰ Τριτωνίδα, ἐν ᾗ μάλιστα νησίον ἐστὶ καὶ ἱερὸν τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἐν αὐτῷ· ἔστι δὲ καὶ λίμνη Ἑσπερίδων, καὶ ποταμὸς ἐμβάλλει Λάθων. ἐνδοτέρω δὲ τῆς Βερενίκης ἐστὶ τὸ μικρὸν ἀκρωτήριον λεγόμενον Βόρειον ὃ ποιεῖ τὸ στόμα τῆς σύρτεως πρὸς τὰς Κεφαλάς· κεῖται δὲ ἡ Βερενίκη κατὰ τὰ ἄκρα τῆς Πελοποννήσου, κατὰ τὸν καλούμενον Ἰχθύν καὶ τὸν Χελωνάταν, καὶ ἔτι κατὰ τὴν Ζάκυνθον, ἐν διάρματι σταδίων τρισχιλίων ἑξακοσίων. ἐκ ταύτης τῆς πόλεως τριακοσταῖος πεζῇ περιώδευσε τὴν σύρτιν Μάρκος Κάτων, κατάγων στρατιὰν πλειόνων ἢ μυρίων ἀνδρῶν,⁷ εἰς μέρη διελὼν τῶν ὑδρείων χάριν· ὥδευσε δὲ πεζὸς ἐν ἄμμῳ βαθείᾳ καὶ καύμασι. μετὰ δὲ Βερενίκην πόλις ἐστὶ Ταύχειρα ἣν καὶ Ἀρσινόην καλοῦσιν· εἶθʼ ἡ Βάρκη πρότερον, νῦν δὲ Πτολεμαΐς· εἶτα Φυκοῦς ἄκρα, ταπεινὴ μὲν πλεῖστον δʼ ἐκκειμένη πρὸς ἄρκτον παρὰ τὴν ἄλλην τὴν Λιβυκὴν παραλίαν· κεῖται δὲ κατὰ Ταίναρον τῆς Λακωνικῆς ἐν διάρματι δισχιλίων ὀκτακοσίων σταδίων· ἔστι δὲ καὶ πολίχνιον ὁμώνυμον τῇ ἄκρᾳ. οὐ πολὺ δὲ τοῦ Φυκοῦντος ἀπέχει τὸ τῶν Κυρηναίων ἐπίνειον ἡ Ἀπολλωνία, ὅσον ἑκατὸν καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα σταδίοις, τῆς δὲ Βερενίκης χιλίοις, τῆς δὲ Κυρήνης ὀγδοήκοντα, πόλεως μεγάλης ἐν τραπεζοειδεῖ πεδίῳ κειμένης, ὡς ἐκ τοῦ πελάγους ἑωρῶμεν αὐτήν.

[21] ἔστι δὲ Θηραίων κτίσμα, Λακωνικῆς νήσου, ἣν καὶ Καλλίστην ὠνόμαζον τὸ παλαιόν, ὥς φησι καὶ Καλλίμαχος καλλίστη τὸ πάροιθε, τὸ δʼ ὕστερον οὔνομα Θήρη, μήτηρ εὐίππου πατρίδος ἡμετέρης. κεῖται δὲ τὸ τῶν Κυρηναίων ἐπίνειον κατὰ τὸ ἑσπέριον τῆς Κρήτης ἄκρον, τὸ τοῦ Κριοῦ μέτωπον, ἐν διάρματι διςχιλίων σταδίων· ὁ δὲ πλοῦς λευκονότῳ. λέγεται δὲ ἡ Κυρήνη κτίσμα Βάττου· πρόγονον δὲ τοῦτον ἑαυτοῦ φάσκει Καλλίμαχος· ηὐξήθη δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς χώρας· καὶ γὰρ ἱπποτρόφος ἐστὶν ἀρίστη καὶ καλλίκαρπος, καὶ πολλοὺς ἄνδρας ἀξιολόγους ἔσχε καὶ δυναμένους ἐλευθερίας ἀξιολόγως προΐστασθαι καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπερκειμένους βαρβάρους ἰσχυρῶς ἀντέχειν. τὸ μὲν οὖν παλαιὸν αὐτόνομος ἦν ἡ πόλις· εἶτα οἱ τὴν Αἴγυπτον κατασχόντες Μακεδόνες αὐξηθέντες ἐπέθεντο αὐτοῖς, ἀρξάντων τῶν περὶ Θίβρωνα τῶν ἀνελόντων τὸν Ἅρπαλον. βασιλευθέντες δὲ χρόνους τινὰς εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐξουσίαν ἦλθον, καὶ νῦν ἐστιν ἐπαρχία τῇ Κρήτῃ συνεζευγμένη· τῆς δὲ Κυρήνης ἐστὶ περιπόλια ἥ τε Ἀπολλωνία καὶ ἡ Βάρκη καὶ ἡ Ταύχειρα καὶ Βερενίκη καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πολίχνια τὰ πλησίον.

[22] ὁμορεῖ δὲ τῇ Κυρηναίᾳ ἡ τὸ σίλφιον φέρουσα καὶ τὸν ὀπὸν τὸν Κυρηναῖον, ὃν ἐκφέρει τὸ σίλφιον ὀπισθέν· ἐγγὺς δʼ ἦλθε τοῦ ἐκλιπεῖν ἐπελθόντων τῶν βαρβάρων κατὰ ἔχθραν τινὰ καὶ φθειράντων τὰς ῥίζας τοῦ φυτοῦ· εἰσὶ δὲ νομάδες.

ἄνδρες δʼ ἐγένοντο γνώριμοι Κυρηναῖοι Ἀρίστιππός τε ὁ Σωκρατικός, ὅστις καὶ τὴν Κυρηναϊκὴν κατεβάλετο φιλοσοφίαν, καὶ θυγάτηρ Ἀρήτη τοὔνομα, ἥπερ διεδέξατο τὴν σχολήν, καὶ ὁ ταύτην πάλιν διαδεξάμενος υἱὸς Ἀρίστιππος ὁ κληθεὶς Μητροδίδακτος, καὶ Ἀννίκερις ὁ δοκῶν ἐπανορθῶσαι τὴν Κυρηναϊκὴν αἵρεσιν καὶ παραγαγεῖν ἀντʼ αὐτῆς τὴν Ἀννικερείαν. Κυρηναῖος δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ Καλλίμαχος καὶ Ἐρατοσθένης, ἀμφότεροι τετιμημένοι παρὰ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίων βασιλεῦσιν, ὁ μὲν ποιητὴς ἅμα καὶ περὶ γραμματικὴν ἐσπουδακώς, ὁ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ περὶ φιλοσοφίαν καὶ τὰ μαθήματα εἴ τις ἄλλος διαφέρων. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ Καρνεάδης (οὗτος δὲ τῶν ἐξ Ἀκαδημίας ἄριστος φιλοσόφων ὁμολογεῖται) καὶ ὁ Κρόνος δὲ Ἀπολλώνιος ἐκεῖθέν ἐστιν, ὁ τοῦ διαλεκτικοῦ Διοδώρου διδάσκαλος τοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ Κρόνου προσαγορευθέντος, μετενεγκάντων τινῶν τὸ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἐπίθετον ἐπὶ τὸν μαθητήν.

μετὰ δὲ τὴν Ἀπολλωνίαν ἐστὶν ἡ λοιπὴ τῶν Κυρηναίων παραλία μέχρι Καταβαθμοῦ σταδίων δισχιλίων διακοσίων, οὐ πάνυ εὐπαράπλους· καὶ γὰρ λιμένες ὀλίγοι καὶ ὕφορμοι καὶ κατοικίαι καὶ ὑδρεῖα. τῶν δὲ μάλιστα ὀνομαζομένων κατὰ τὸν παράπλουν τόπων τό τε Ναύσταθμόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ Ζεφύριον πρόσορμον ἔχον καὶ ἄλλο Ζεφύριον καὶ ἄκρα Χερρόνησος λιμένα ἔχουσα· κεῖται δὲ κατὰ * κύκλον τῆς Κρήτης ἐν διάρματι χιλίων καὶ πεντακοσίων σταδίων νότῳ· εἶτα Ἡράκλειόν τι ἱερὸν καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ κώμη Παλίουρος· εἶτα λιμὴν Μενέλαος καὶ Ἀρδανὶς ἄκρα ταπεινὴ ὕφορμον ἔχουσα· εἶτα μέγας λιμὴν καθʼ ὃν ἡ ἐν τῇ Κρήτῃ Χερρόνησος ἵδρυται, δισχιλίων που σταδίων δίαρμα ἀπολείπουσα μεταξύ· ὅλη γὰρ σχεδόν τι τῇ παραλίᾳ ταύτῃ ἀντίκειται παράλληλος ἡ Κρήτη στενὴ καὶ μακρά. μετὰ δὲ τὸν μέγαν λιμένα ἄλλος λιμὴν Πλυνός, καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν Τετραπυργία. καλεῖται δὲ ὁ τόπος Κατάβαθμος· μέχρι δεῦρο ἡ Κυρηναία. τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἤδη μέχρι Παραιτονίου κἀκεῖθεν εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν⁸ εἴρηται ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς Αἰγυπτιακοῖς.

[23] τὴν δʼ ὑπερκειμένην ἐν βάθει χώραν τῆς σύρτεως καὶ τῆς Κυρηναίας κατέχουσιν οἱ Λίβυες, παράλυπρον καὶ αὐχμηράν· πρῶτοι μὲν οἱ Νασαμῶνες, ἔπειτα Ψύλλοι καί τινες Γαίτουλοι, ἔπειτα Γαράμαντες· πρὸς ἕω δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον οἱ Μαρμαρίδαι, προσχωροῦντες ἐπὶ πλέον τῇ Κυρηναίᾳ καὶ παρατείνοντες μέχρι Ἄμμωνος. τεταρταίους μὲν οὖν φασιν ἀπὸ τοῦ μυχοῦ τῆς μεγάλης σύρτεως τοῦ κατʼ Αὐτόμαλά πως βαδίζοντας ὡς ἐπὶ χειμερινὰς ἀνατολὰς εἰς Αὔγιλα ἀφικνεῖσθαι. ἔστι δὲ ὁ τόπος οὗτος ἐμφερὴς τῷ Ἄμμωνι, φοινικοτρόφος τε καὶ εὔυδρος, ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῆς Κυρηναίας⁹ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν· μέχρι μὲν σταδίων ἑκατὸν καὶ δενδροφόρος ἐστὶν ἡ γῆ, μέχρι δʼ ἄλλων ἑκατὸν σπείρεται μόνον, οὐκ ὀρυζοτροφεῖ δʼ ἡ γῆ διὰ τὸν αὐχμόν. ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτων ἡ τὸ σίλφιον φέρουσά ἐστιν· εἶθʼ ἡ ἀοίκητος καὶ ἡ τῶν Γαραμάντων· ἔστι δʼ ἡ τὸ σίλφιον φέρουσα στενὴ καὶ παραμήκης καὶ παράξηρος, μῆκος μὲν ὡς ἐπὶ τὰς ἀνατολὰς ἰόντι ὅσον σταδίων χιλίων, πλάτος δὲ τριακοσίων ἢ μικρῷ πλειόνων τό γε γνώριμον. εἰκάζειν μὲν γὰρ ἅπασαν πάρεστι διηνεκῶς τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ παραλλήλου κειμένην τοιαύτην εἶναι κατά τε τοὺς ἀέρας καὶ τὴν τοῦ φυτοῦ φοράν· ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐμπίπτουσιν ἐρημίαι πλείους, οὐ τοὺς πάντας τόπους ἴσμεν· παραπλησίως δʼ ἀγνοεῖται καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἄμμωνος καὶ τῶν αὐάσεων μέχρι τῆς Αἰθιοπίας. οὐδʼ ἂν ἔχοιμεν λέγειν τοὺς ὅρους οὔτε τῆς Αἰθιοπίας οὔτε τῆς Λιβύης, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τῆς πρὸς Αἰγύπτῳ τρανῶς, μή τί γε τῆς πρὸς τῷ ὠκεανῷ.

[24] τὰ μὲν οὖν μέρη τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης οὕτω διάκειται· ἐπεὶ δʼ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τὴν ἀρίστην αὐτῆς καὶ γνωριμωτάτην κατέχουσιν, ἅπαντας ὑπερβεβλημένοι τοὺς πρότερον ἡγεμόνας ὧν μνήμην ἴσμεν, ἄξιον¹⁰ διὰ βραχέων καὶ τὰ τούτων εἰπεῖν. ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἐκ μιᾶς ὁρμηθέντες πόλεως τῆς Ῥώμης ἅπασαν τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἔσχον διὰ τὸ πολεμεῖν καὶ πολιτικῶς ἄρχειν εἴρηται, καὶ διότι μετὰ τὴν Ἰταλίαν τὰ κύκλῳ προσεκτήσαντο τῇ αὐτῇ ἀρετῇ χρώμενοι. τριῶν δὲ ἠπείρων οὐσῶν τὴν μὲν Εὐρώπην σχεδόν τι πᾶσαν ἔχουσι πλὴν τῆς ἔξω τοῦ Ἴστρου καὶ τῶν μεταξὺ τοῦ Ῥήνου καὶ τοῦ Τανάιδος παρωκεανιτῶν, τῆς δὲ Λιβύης ἡ καθʼ ἡμᾶς παραλία πᾶσα ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ ἄλλη ἀοίκητός ἐστιν ἢ λυπρῶς καὶ νομαδικῶς οἰκεῖται. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἀσίας ἡ καθʼ ἡμᾶς παραλία πᾶσα ὑποχείριός ἐστιν, εἰ μή τις τὰ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν καὶ Ζυγῶν καὶ Ἡνιόχων ἐν λόγῳ τίθεται, λῃστρικῶς καὶ νομαδικῶς ζώντων ἐν στενοῖς καὶ λυπροῖς χωρίοις. τῆς δὲ μεσογαίας καὶ τῆς ἐν βάθει τὴν μὲν ἔχουσιν αὐτοί, τὴν δὲ Παρθυαῖοι καὶ οἱ ὑπὲρ τούτων βάρβαροι, πρός τε ταῖς ἀνατολαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἄρκτοις Ἰνδοὶ καὶ Βάκτριοι καὶ Σκύθαι, εἶτʼ Ἄραβες καὶ Αἰθίοπες· προστίθεται δὲ ἀεί τι παρʼ ἐκείνων αὐτοῖς. ταύτης δὲ τῆς συμπάσης χώρας τῆς ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίοις ἣ μὲν βασιλεύεται, ἣν δʼ ἔχουσιν αὐτοὶ καλέσαντες ἐπαρχίαν, καὶ πέμπουσιν ἡγεμόνας καὶ φορολόγους. εἰσὶ δέ τινες καὶ ἐλεύθεραι πόλεις, αἱ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατὰ φιλίαν προσελθοῦσαι, τὰς δʼ ἠλευθέρωσαν αὐτοὶ κατὰ τιμήν. εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ δυνάσται τινὲς καὶ φύλαρχοι καὶ ἱερεῖς ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς· οὗτοι μὲν δὴ ζῶσι κατά τινας πατρίους νόμους.

[25] αἱ δʼ ἐπαρχίαι διῄρηνται ἄλλοτε μὲν ἄλλως, ἐν δὲ τῷ παρόντι ὡς Καῖσαρ ὁ Σεβαστὸς διέταξεν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ πατρὶς ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτῷ τὴν προστασίαν τῆς ἡγεμονίας, καὶ πολέμου καὶ εἰρήνης κατέστη κύριος διὰ βίου, δίχα διεῖλε πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀπέδειξεν ἑαυτῷ τὴν δὲ τῷ δήμῳ, ἑαυτῷ μὲν ὅση στρατιωτικῆς φρουρᾶς ἔχει χρείαν· αὕτη δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ βάρβαρος καὶ πλησιόχωρος τοῖς μήπω κεχειρωμένοις ἔθνεσιν ἢ λυπρὰ καὶ δυσγεώργητος, ὥσθʼ ὑπὸ ἀπορίας τῶν ἄλλων ἐρυμάτων δʼ εὐπορίας ἀφηνιάζειν καὶ ἀπειθεῖν, τῷ δήμῳ δὲ τὴν ἄλλην ὅση εἰρηνικὴ καὶ χωρὶς ὅπλων ἄρχεσθαι ῥᾳδία· ἑκατέραν δὲ τὴν μερίδα εἰς ἐπαρχίας διένειμε πλείους, ὧν αἱ μὲν καλοῦνται Καίσαρος αἱ δὲ τοῦ δήμου. καὶ εἰς μὲν τὰς Καίσαρος ἡγεμόνας καὶ διοικητὰς Καῖσαρ πέμπει, διαιρῶν ἄλλοτε ἄλλως τὰς χώρας καὶ πρὸς τοὺς καιροὺς πολιτευόμενος, εἰς δὲ τὰς δημοσίας ὁ δῆμος στρατηγοὺς ἢ ὑπάτους· καὶ αὗται δʼ εἰς μερισμοὺς ἄγονται διαφόρους, ἐπειδὰν κελεύῃ τὸ συμφέρον. ἀλλʼ ἐν ἀρχαῖς γε διέθηκε ποιήσας ὑπατικὰς μὲν δύο, Λιβύην τε ὅση ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίοις ἔξω τῆς ὑπὸ Ἰούβᾳ μὲν πρότερον νῦν δὲ Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ ἐκείνου παιδί, καὶ Ἀσίαν τὴν ἐντὸς Ἅλυος καὶ τοῦ Ταύρου πλὴν Γαλατῶν καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ Ἀμύντα γενομένων ἐθνῶν, ἔτι δὲ Βιθυνίας καὶ τῆς Προποντίδος· δέκα δὲ στρατηγικάς, κατὰ μὲν τὴν Εὐρώπην καὶ τὰς πρὸς αὐτῇ νήσους τήν τε ἐκτὸς Ἰβηρίαν λεγομένην, ὅση περὶ τὸν Βαῖτιν ποταμόν¹¹, καὶ τῆς Κελτικῆς τὴν Ναρβωνῖτιν, τρίτην δὲ Σαρδὼ μετὰ Κύρνου, καὶ Σικελίαν τετάρτην, πέμπτην δὲ καὶ ἕκτην τῆς Ἰλλυρίδος τὴν πρὸς τῇ Ἠπείρῳ καὶ Μακεδονίαν, ἑβδόμην δʼ Ἀχαΐαν μέχρι Θετταλίας καὶ Αἰτωλῶν καὶ Ἀκαρνάνων καί τινων Ἠπειρωτικῶν ἐθνῶν ὅσα τῇ Μακεδονίᾳ προσώριστο, ὀγδόην δὲ Κρήτην μετὰ τῆς Κυρηναίας, ἐνάτην δὲ Κύπρον, δεκάτην δὲ Βιθυνίαν μετὰ τῆς Προποντίδος καὶ τοῦ Πόντου τινῶν μερῶν· τὰς δὲ ἄλλας ἐπαρχίας ἔχει Καῖσαρ, ὧν εἰς ἃς μὲν πέμπει τοὺς ἐπιμελησομένους ὑπατικοὺς ἄνδρας, εἰς ἃς δὲ στρατηγικούς, εἰς ἃς δὲ καὶ ἱππικούς· καὶ βασιλεῖς δὲ καὶ δυνάσται καὶ δεκαρχίαι τῆς ἐκείνου μερίδος καὶ εἰσὶ καὶ ὑπῆρξαν ἀεί.

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. B. ii. c. 3, § 4 and c. 4, § 3.

2. B. i. c. 4, § 2.

3. Cape Spartel, or Espartel. Ampelusia, vine-clad, was the Greek name,—a translation of the native name.

4. Groskurd reads Tinx, and also with Letronne observes that our author has mistaken two places for one. Tinx, or Trinx=Tangiers. Lixus=Al-Harâtch, or Laraiche.

5. Cadiz.

6. Situated between the town Sala (Salee) and Lixus (El-Harâch).

7. Tyrwhitt reads Apellas, for Ophellas of the text. Apellas was a Cyrenaean navigator, whose Periplus is mentioned by Marcianus of Heracleia. There was an Ophellas of Cyrene, who advanced at the head of an army along the coast, to unite himself to Agathocles, who was then besieging Carthage, B. C. 310. He was put to death by Agathocles soon after his arrival, and no Periplus of his said to have existed; his course also to Carthage was by land.

8. A people on the west coast of N. Africa, about the situation of whom Strabo, Pliny, and Ptolemy are in perfect agreement with one another, if the thirty days’ journey of Strabo between them and Lixus on the west coast of Morocco, to the south of Cape Spartel, be set aside, as an error either of his information or of the text; which latter is not improbable, as numbers in MSS. are so often corrupt. Nor is this mere conjecture, because Strabo contradicts himself, by asserting in another place (b. xvii. c. 3. § 7) that the Pharusii had a great desert between them and Mauretania. When Ezekiel prophesies the fall of Tyre, it is said, (xxvii. 10,) The men of Pheres (the common version reads Persia) and Lud and Phut were in thine armies. These Pheres thus joined with Phut, or Mauretanians, and the Ludim, who were nomads of Africa (the Septuagint and the Vulgate understand the Lydians), may be reasonably supposed to belong to the same region. Without the vowel points, the name will represent the powerful and warlike tribe whom the Greeks call Pharusii. Smith, art, Pharusii.

9. Arum esculentum (snake-weed), and arum dracunculus.

10. Parsnip (?).

11. Fennel.

12. Artichoke.

13. Groskurd reads Hypsicrates.

14. The rhinoceros.

15. About six quarts, according to the lowest value of the (choenix).

16. Arzila.

17. Tiga in the text.

18. The Septem-Fratres of Pliny.

19. Jebel-el-Mina, or 3imiera, near Ceuta (a corruption of ἑπτὰ, or septem?).

20. Ape mountain.

21. The Muluwi, which now forms the frontier between Morocco and Algeria, as it did anciently between the Mauretanians and Numidians.

22. Cape Hone, or Ras-el-Harsbak. Groskurd corrects the text, and translates: Near the river is a large promontory, and a neighbouring settlement called Metagonium. Kramer’s proposed correction is followed.

23. Numidia is the central tract of country on the north coast of Africa, which forms the largest portion of the country now occupied by the French, and called Algeria, or Algérie. The continuous system of highlands which extends along the coast of the Mediterranean was in the earliest period occupied by a race of people consisting of many tribes, of whom the Berbers of the Algerine territories; or the Kabyles or Quabaily, as they are called by the inhabitants of the cities, are the representatives. These people, speaking a language which was once spoken from the Fortunate Islands in the west to the cataracts of the Nile, and which still explains many names in ancient African topography, and embracing tribes of quite different characters, whites as well as blacks (though not negroes), were called by the Romans Numidae; not a proper name, but a common denomination from the Greek form, νομάδες. Afterwards Numida and Numidia became the name of the nation and the country. Sometimes they were called Maurusii Numidae, while the later writers always speak of them under the general name of Mauri. The most powerful among these tribes were the Massyli, whose territories extended from the river Ampsaga to Tretum promontory; and the Massaesyli, occupying the country to the west, as far as the river Mulucha. Smith, Diet. art. Numidia.

24. Cartagena.

25. Marseilles.

26. The words περιτραχήλια ζύλινα offer some difficulty. Paul Louis Courier, who is of authority on this subject, says that Strabo, having little experience in horses, has mistaken the first word for another, and intended to speak of the horse’s nose, and not his neck. Letronne and Groskurd both agree that ζύλινα is rightly to be translated, of cotton.

27. Constantine.

28. The Pharusii, and not the Mauretanians, came with Hercules from the East, according to Pliny, Mela, and Sallust; hence Letronne conjectures that we should read here Pharusii.

29. A. D. 18 or 19 at latest, but the exact date is uncertain.

30. Groskurd corrects the text, and translates, there existed in the Bay Emporicus very many Phoenician cities.

31. Plutarch Sertorius.

32. Ebba-Ras.

33. Probably Tafna.

34. Jama.

35. According to Shaw, who however did visit the place, its ruins are still to be seen by the present Tucumbrit; others identify it with Areschkul of the Arabs, at the mouth of the Tafna near Rasgun.

36. In the text μεγέθει δὲ ἑπτασπονδύλων, scorpions of seven joints in the tail; the correction of Letronne, which Kramer supports, is adopted. Groskurd however retains the text, and reads μεγέθει δὲ [ ὑπεοͅβαλλόντων καὶ ἐσθ’ ὅτε] ἑπτασπονδύλων, of enormous size, and sometimes of seven joints.

37. Cherchell, a corruption of Caesarea-Iol.

38. Ebba Ras (the seven capes) or Bougaron.

39. Bougie.

40. Shaw has the merit of having first pointed out the true situation of this celebrated city. Before his time it was sought sometimes at Biserta, sometimes at Farina, but he fixed it near the little miserable Douar, which has a holy tomb called Boushatter, and with this view many writers have agreed. Adherbal, however, was besieged and captured in Cirta (Constantine), B. C. 109.

41. An unknown name. Letronne supposes Thisica to be meant, mentioned by Ptolemy, iv. 3.

42. Vaga or Vacca, now Bayjah.

43. Shaw takes Ferreanah to have been the ancient Thala or Telepte, but Lapie seeks it at Haouch-el-Khima.

44. Cafsa.

45. Jama.

46. Probably near the ruins of Leptis Parva.

47. El Aliah.

48. Karkenah or Ramlah.

49. Hippo Regius, Bonah; and Hippo Zaritus, Bizerta.

50. Wady Mejerdah.

51. Letronne corrects this reading to 2000, which is the number given by Polybius and Arrian.

52. By the Romans, Numidae.

53. Pantellaria.

54. Marsala.

55. Kramer is of opinion that this passage from the beginning of the section is an interpolation. Cossura (the island Pantellaria) is nowhere else spelt Corsura; Cossuros is the spelling observed immediately below. Its distance from Aspis is differently stated in b. vi. c. ii. § 11, to be 88 miles from Aspis.

Aegimurus is the small island Zembra, near Cape Bon; near it is also another small low rocky island. From the shape and appearance of the former, more especially in some positions, we may attribute the name Arae (altars), given to them, as in Pliny: Aegimuree Arae, scopuli verius quam insulae; and they are the Arae of Virgil, Aen. i. 108.

56. i. e. sacred to Mercury. Cape Bon.

57. Cape Aclibia, from the Latin Clypea. B. vi. c. 2, § 11.

58. Malta.

59. Sousah.

60. Demass.

61. Lampedusa.

62. Kramer’s proposed emendation is followed.

63. Gulf of Cabes.

64. Jerba or Zerbi. It produced the lotus-zizyphus or the carob now common in the islands of the Mediterranean and on the continent.

65. Od. ix. 84.

66. Sabrata?

67. Lebida.

68. Gerace. See b. vi. c. i. § 7, 8.

69. The Cinifo or Wadi-Quasam.

70. Cape Canan or Mesrata

71. See b. ii. c. v. § 20.

72. Its position, like that of so many places on the Great Syrtis, can hardly be determined with certainty. A full discussion of these localities will be found in Barth’s Wanderungen.

73. About the middle of the fourth century, B. c., according to a story in Sallust, these monuments commemorated the patriotic sacrifice of two Philaeni, Carthaginian envoys.

74. Gulf of Suez.

75. Ben Ghazi. Berenice previously bore the name Hesperides, which name seems to have been derived from the fancy which found the fabled Gardens of the Hesperides in the fertile terraces of Cyrenaïca.

76. Ras-Teyonas.

77. Cape Catacolo.

78. Groskurd justly supposes that the name Chelonatas (Cape Tornese) is here wanting in the text.

79. Zante.

80. Tochira.

81. The name has survived to the present day in that of the district of which it was the capital, the province of Barca, in the regency of Tripoli. The position of Barca is accurately described by Scylax, who places its harbour 500 stadia from Cyrene, and 620 from Hesperides, and the city itself 100 stadia from the sea. It stood on the summit of the terraces which overlook the west coast of the Greater Syrtis, in a plain now called El-Merjeh; and the same name is often given to the ruins which mark the site of Barca, but the Arabs call them El-Medinah. See Smith, art. Barca.

82. Ras-al-Razat or Ras Sem. Scylax here placed the gardens and lake of the Hesperides.

83. Cape Matapan, which is more than a degree and a half more to the east than Phycus.

84. In b. viii. c. v. § 1, it is stated to be 3000.

85. Santorin.

86. Kavo Krio.

87. B. C. 631.

88. B. C. 330.

89. Flourished about B. C. 366. The Cyrenaïc system resembles in most points those of Heracleitus and Protagoras, as given in Plato’s Theaetetus. The doctrines that a subject only knows objects through the prism of the impression which he receives, and that man is the measure of all things, are stated or implied in the Cyrenaic system, and lead at once to the consequence, that what we call reality is appearance; so that the whole fabric of human knowledge becomes a fantastic picture. The principle on which it rests, viz. that knowledge is sensation, is the foundation of Locke’s Modern Ideology, though he did not perceive its connexion with the consequences to which it led the Cyrenaïcs. To revive these was reserved for Hume. Smith’s Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

90. This great astronomer and learned man, whose name so frequently occurs in the course of this work, was born about B. C. 276. He was placed, by Ptolemy Euergetes, over the library of Alexandria. His greatest work, and that which must always make his name conspicuous in scientific history, is the attempt which he made to measure the magnitude of the earth, in which he brought forward and used the method which is employed to this day. See vol. i. page 9, of this translation, note 9.

91. Carneades was born about B. C. 213. In the year B. C. 155, when he was fifty-eight years old, he was chosen with Diogenes the Stoic, and Critolaus the Peripatetic, to go as ambassador to Rome, to deprecate the fine of 500 talents, which had been imposed on the Athenians, for the destruction of Oropus. During his stay at Rome, he attracted great notice from his eloquent declamations on philosophical subjects, and it was here that, in the presence of Cato the Elder, he delivered his famous orations on Justice. The first oration was in commendation of virtue; in the second justice was proved not to be a virtue, but a mere matter of compact, for the maintenance of civil society. The honest mind of Cato was shocked at this, and he moved the senate to send the philosopher home to his school, and save the Roman youth from his demoralizing doctrines. He left no writings, and all that is known of his lectures is derived from his intimate friend and pupil, Cleitomachus. See Smith, Dict. of Greek and Roman Biography.

92. Marsa-al-Halal or Al Natroun.

93. Ras-al-Tyn.

94. Grabusa.

95. Ras-el-Milhr.

96. Marsa Sollom, or Akabet-el-Kebira, the present boundary of Tripoli and Egypt.

97. Baretoun or Berek Marsa.

98. Kramer’s reading of this passage is followed.

99. Groskurd has a long note on this passage, and reads τοὑς κατ’ αὐτὸν νασαμῶνας. The words in the original text, τοὺς κατ’ αὐτὸ μαλακῶς, present the great difficulty; but Kramer reads τοῦ for τοὺς, and has adopted in the text Falconer’s proposed correction, κατ’ αὐτομάλά πως. The name Augila is wanting in the text; it is supplied by Groskurd, and approved by Kramer, who refers to Herod. iv. 172, 182.

100. Aujela, an oasis in the desert of Barca; it still retains its ancient name, and forms one of the chief stations on the caravan route from Cairo to Fezzan.

101. τῆς καθ’ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης, Groskurd translates as inhabited to our time; but Strabo refers to the then known world, having before, b. i. c. iv. § 6, in a remarkable manner conjectured the existence of other habitable worlds (such as America) in the latitude of Athens. We call that (part of the temperate zone) the habitable earth ( οἰκουμένην) in which we dwell, and with which we are acquainted; but it is possible, that in the same temperate zone there may be two or even more habitable earths, especially near the circle of latitude drawn through Athens and the Atlantic Ocean. The latitudes of Athens and Washington do not differ by one degree.

102. B. vi. c. iv. § 2.

103. B. ii. c. v. § 31.

104. Guadalquiver (Wad-el-Kebir, the Great River).

105. B. iv. c. i. § 6.

106. B. iii. c. iv. § 20.

Strabo Geography 17.3

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

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