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CHAPTER I.

[1] NEXT in order [after Iberia] comes Keltica beyond the Alps,¹ the configuration and size of which has been already mentioned in a general manner; we are now to describe it more particularly. Some divide it into the three nations of the Aquitani, Belge, and Kelte.² Of these the Aquitani differ completely from the other nations, not only in their language but in their figure, which resembles more that of the Iberians than the Galatae. The others are Galatae in countenance, although they do not all speak the same language, but some make a slight difference in their speech; neither is their polity and mode of life exactly the same. These writers give the name of Aquitani and Keltae to the dwellers near the Pyrenees, which are bounded by the Cevennes. For it has been stated that this Keltica is bounded on the west by the mountains of the Pyrenees, which extend to either sea, both the Mediterranean and the ocean; on the east by the Rhine, which is parallel to the Pyrenees; on the north by the ocean, from the northern extremities of the Pyrenees to the mouths of the Rhine; on the south by the sea of Marseilles, and Narbonne, and by the Alps from Liguria to the sources of the Rhine. The Cevennes lie at right angles to the Pyrenees, and traverse the plains for about 2000 stadia, terminating in the middle near Lugdunum.³ They call those people Aquitani who inhabit the northern portions of the Pyrenees, and the Cevennes extending as far as the ocean, and bounded by the river Garonne; and Keltae, those who dwell on the other side of the Garonne, towards the sea of Marseilles and Narbonne, and touching a portion of the Alpine chain. This is the division adopted by divus Caesar in his Commentaries.⁴ But Augustus Caesar, when dividing the country into four parts, united the Keltae to the Narbonnaise; the Aquitani he preserved the same as Julius Caesar, but added thereto fourteen other nations of those who dwelt between the Garonne and the river Loire,⁵ and dividing the rest into two parts, the one extending to the upper districts of the Rhine he made dependent upon Lugdunum, the other [he assigned] to the Belgae. However, it is the duty of the Geographer to describe the physical divisions of each country, and those which result from diversity of nations, when they seem worthy of notice; as to the limits which princes, induced by a policy which circumstances dictate, have variously imposed, it will be sufficient for him to notice them summarily, leaving others to furnish particular details.

[2] The whole of this country is irrigated by rivers descending from the Alps, the Cevennes, and the Pyrenees, some of which discharge themselves into the ocean, others into the Mediterranean. The districts through which they flow are mostly plains interspersed with hills, and having navigable streams. The course of these rivers is so happily disposed in relation to each other, that you may traffic from one sea to the other,⁶ carrying the merchandise only a small distance, and that easily, across the plains; but for the most part by the rivers, ascending some, and descending others. The Rhone is pre-eminent in this respect, both because it communicates with many other rivers, and also because it flows into the Mediterranean, which, as we have said, is superior to the ocean,⁷ and likewise passes through the richest provinces of Gaul. The whole of the Narbonnaise produces the same fruits as Italy. As we advance towards the north, and the mountains of the Cevennes, the plantations of the olive and fig disappear, but the others remain. Likewise the vine, as you proceed northward, does not easily mature its fruit. The entire of the remaining country produces in abundance corn, millet, acorns, and mast of all kinds. No part of it lies waste except that which is taken up in marshes and woods, and even this is inhabited. The cause of this, however, is rather a dense population than the industry of the inhabitants. For the women there are both very prolific and excellent nurses, while the men devote themselves rather to war than husbandry. However, their arms being now laid aside, they are compelled to engage in agriculture. These remarks apply generally to the whole of Transalpine Keltica. We must now describe particularly each of the four divisions, which hitherto we have only mentioned in a summary manner. And, first, of the Narbonnaise.

[3] The configuration of this country resembles a parallelogram, the western side of which is traced by the Pyrenees, the north by the Cevennes; as for the other two sides, the south is bounded by the sea between the Pyrenees and Marseilles, and the east partly by the Alps,⁸ and partly by a line drawn perpendicularly from these mountains to the foot of the Cevennes, which extend towards the Rhone, and form a right angle with the aforesaid perpendicular drawn from the Alps. To the southern side of this parallelogram we must add the sea-coast inhabited by the Massilienses⁹ and Salyes,¹⁰ as far as the country of the Ligurians, the confines of Italy, and the river Var. This river, as we have said before,¹¹ is the boundary of the Narbonnaise and Italy. It is but small in summer, but in winter swells to a breadth of seven stadia. From thence the coast extends to the temple of the Pyrenaean Venus,¹² which is the boundary between this province and Iberia. Some, however, assert that the spot where the Trophies of Pompey stand is the boundary between Iberia and Keltica. From thence to Narbonne is 63 miles; from Narbonne to Nemausus,¹³ 88; from Nemausus through Ugernum¹⁴ and Tarusco, to the hot waters called Sextiae¹⁵ near Marseilles, 53;¹⁶ from thence to Antipolis and the river Var, 73; making in the total 277 miles. Some set down the distance from the temple of Venus to the Var at 2600 stadia; while others increase this number by 200 stadia; for there are different opinions as to these distances. As for the other road, which traverses the [countries of the] Vocontii¹⁷ and Cottius,¹⁸ from Nemausus¹⁹ to Ugernum and Tarusco, the route is common; from thence [it branches off in two directions], one through Druentia and Caballio,²⁰ to the frontiers of the Vocontii and the commencement of the ascent of the Alps, which is 63 miles; the other is reckoned at 99 miles from the same point to the other extremity of the Vocontii, bordering on the state of Cottius, as far as the village of Ebrodunum.²¹ The distance is said to be the same by the route through the village of Brigantium,²² Scingomagus,²³ and the passage of the Alps to Ocelum,²⁴ which is the limit of the country of Cottius. However, it is considered to be Italy from Scingomagus. And Ocelum is 28 miles beyond this.

[4] Marseilles, founded by the Phocaeans,²⁵ is built in a stony region. Its harbour lies beneath a rock, which is shaped like a theatre, and looks towards the south. It is well surrounded with walls, as well as the whole city, which is of considerable size. Within the citadel are placed the Ephesium and the temple of the Delphian Apollo. This latter temple is common to all the Ionians; the Ephesium is the temple consecrated to Diana of Ephesus. They say that when the Phocaeans were about to quit their country, an oracle commanded them to take from Diana of Ephesus a conductor for their voyage. On arriving at Ephesus they therefore inquired how they might be able to obtain from the goddess what was enjoined them. The goddess appeared in a dream to Aristarcha, one of the most honourable women of the city, and commanded her to accompany the Phocaeans, and to take with her a plan of the temple and statues.²⁶ These things being performed, and the colony being settled, the Phocaeans built a temple, and evinced their great respect for Aristarcha by making her priestess. All the colonies [sent out from Marseilles] hold this goddess in peculiar reverence, preserving both the shape of the image [of the goddess], and also every rite observed in the metropolis.

[5] The Massilians live under a well-regulated aristocracy. They have a council composed of 600 persons called timuchi,²⁷ who enjoy this dignity for life. Fifteen of these preside over the council, and have the management of current affairs; these fifteen are in their turn presided over by three of their number, in whom rests the principal authority; and these again by one. No one can become a timuchus who has not children, and who has not been a citizen for three generations.²⁸ Their laws, which are the same as those of the Ionians, they expound in public. Their country abounds in olives and vines, but on account of its ruggedness the wheat is poor. Consequently they trust more to the resources of the sea than of the land, and avail themselves in preference of their excellent position for commerce. Nevertheless they have been enabled by the power of perseverance to take in some of the surrounding plains, and also to found cities: of this number are the cities they founded in Iberia as a rampart against the Iberians, in which they introduced the worship of Diana of Ephesus, as practised in their father-land, with the Grecian mode of sacrifice. In this number too are Rhoa²⁹ [and] Agatha,³⁰ [built for defence] against the barbarians dwelling around the river Rhone; also Tauroentium,³¹ Olbia,³² Antipolis³³ and Nicaea,³⁴ [built as a rampart] against the nation of the Salyes and the Ligurians who inhabit the Alps. They³⁵ possess likewise dry docks and armouries. Formerly they had an abundance of vessels, arms, and machines, both for the purposes of navigation and for besieging towns; by means of which they defended themselves against the barbarians, and likewise obtained the alliance of the Romans, to whom they rendered many important services; the Romans in their turn assisting in their aggrandizement. Sextius, who defeated the Salyes, founded, not far from Marseilles, a city³⁶ which was named after him and the hot waters, some of which they say have lost their heat.³⁷ Here he established a Roman garrison, and drove from the sea-coast which leads from Marseilles to Italy the barbarians, whom the Massilians were not able to keep back entirely. However, all he accomplished by this was to compel the barbarians to keep at a distance of twelve stadia from those parts of the coast which possessed good harbours, and at a distance of eight stadia where it was rugged. The land which they thus abandoned, he presented to the Massilians. In their city are laid up heaps of booty taken in naval engagements against those who disputed the sea unjustly. Formerly they enjoyed singular good fortune, as well in other matters as also in their amity with the Romans. Of this [amity] we find numerous signs, amongst others the statue of Diana which the Romans dedicated on the Aventine mount, of the same figure as that of the Massilians. Their prosperity has in a great measure decayed since the war of Pompey against Caesar, in which they sided with the vanquished party. Nevertheless some traces of their ancient industry may still be seen amongst the inhabitants, especially the making of engines of war and ship-building. Still as the surrounding barbarians, now that they are under the dominion of the Romans, become daily more civilized, and leave the occupation of war for the business of towns and agriculture, there is no longer the same attention paid by the inhabitants of Marseilles to these objects. The aspect of the city at the present day is a proof of this. For all those who profess to be men of taste, turn to the study of elocution and philosophy. Thus this city for some little time back has become a school for the barbarians, and has communicated to the Galatae such a taste for Greek literature, that they even draw contracts on the Grecian model. While at the present day it so entices the noblest of the Romans, that those desirous of studying resort thither in preference to Athens. These the Galatae observing, and being at leisure on account of the peace, readily devote themselves to similar pursuits, and that not merely individuals, but the public generally; professors of the arts and sciences, and likewise of medicine, being employed not only by private persons, but by towns for common instruction. Of the wisdom of the Massilians and the simplicity of their life, the following will not be thought an insignificant proof. The largest dowry amongst them consists of one hundred gold pieces, with five for dress, and five more for golden ornaments. More than this is not lawful. Caesar and his successors treated with moderation the offences of which they were guilty during the war, in consideration of their former friendship; and have preserved to the state the right of governing according to its ancient laws. So that neither Marseilles nor the cities dependent on it are under submission to the governors sent [into the Narbonnaise]. So much for Marseilles.

[6] The mountains of the Salyes incline gently from west to north in proportion as they retire from the sea. The coast runs west, and extending a short distance, about 100 stadia, from Marseilles, it begins to assume the character of a gulf at a considerable promontory near to certain stone quarries, and extending to the Aphrodisium, the headland which terminates the Pyrenees,³⁸ forms the Galatic Gulf,³⁹ which is also called the Gulf of Marseilles: it is double, for in its circuit Mount Setium⁴⁰ stands out together with the island of Blascon,⁴¹ which is situated close to it, and separates the two gulfs. The larger of these is properly designated the Galatic Gulf, into which the Rhone discharges itself; the smaller is on the coast of Narbonne, and extends as far as the Pyrenees. Narbonne is situated above the outlets of the Aude⁴² and the lake of Narbonne.⁴³ It is the principal commercial city on this coast. On the Rhone is Arelate,⁴⁴ a city and emporium of considerable traffic. The distance between these two cities is nearly equal to that which separates them from the aforesaid promontories, namely, Narbonne from the Aphrodisium, and Arelate from the cape of Marseilles. There are other rivers besides which flow on either side of Narbonne, some from the Cevennes, others from the Pyrenees. Along these rivers are situated cities having but little commerce, and that in small vessels. The rivers which proceed from the Pyrenees, are the Tet⁴⁵ and the Tech;⁴⁶ two cities⁴⁷ are built on them, which bear respectively the same name as the rivers. There is a lake near to Ruscino,⁴⁸ and a little above the sea a marshy district full of salt-springs, which supplies dug mullets, for whoever digs two or three feet and plunges a trident into the muddy water, will be sure to take the fish, which are worthy of consideration on account of their size; they are nourished in the mud like eels. Such are the rivers which flow from the Pyrenees between Narbonne and the promontory on which is built the temple of Venus. On the other side of Narbonne the following rivers descend from the Cevennes into the sea. The Aude,⁴⁹ the Orbe,⁵⁰ and the Rauraris.⁵¹ On one of these⁵² is situated the strong city of Baetera,⁵³ near to Narbonne; on the other Agatha,⁵⁴ founded by the people of Marseilles.

[7] Of one marvel of this sea-coast, namely the dug mullets, we have already spoken; we will now mention another, even more surprising. Between Marseilles and the outlets of the Rhone there is a circular plain, about 100 stadia distant from the sea, and about 100 stadia in diameter. It has received the name of the Stony Plain, from the circumstance of its being covered with stones the size of the fist, from beneath which an abundant herbage springs up for the pasturage of cattle. In the midst of it are water, salt-springs, and salt. The whole both of this district and that above it is exposed to the wind, but in this plain the black north,⁵⁵ a violent and horrible wind, rages especially: for they say that sometimes the stones are swept and rolled along, and men hurled from their carriages and stripped both of their arms and garments by the force of the tempest. Aristotle tells us that these stones being cast up by the earthquakes designated brastai,⁵⁶ and falling on the surface of the earth, roll into the hollow places of the districts; but Posidonius, that the place was formerly a lake, which being congealed during a violent agitation, became divided into numerous stones, like river pebbles or the stones by the sea-shore, which they resemble both as to smoothness, size, and appearance. Such are the causes assigned by these two [writers]; however, neither of their opinions is credible,⁵⁷ for these stones could neither have thus accumulated of themselves, nor yet have been formed by congealed moisture, but necessarily from the fragments of large stones shattered by frequent convulsions. Aeschylus having, however, learnt of the difficulty of accounting for it, or having been so informed by another, has explained it away as a myth. He makes Prometheus utter the following, whilst directing Hercules the road from the Caucasus to the Hesperides:

There you will come to the undaunted army of the Ligurians, where, resistless though you be, sure am I you will not worst them in battle; for it is fated that there your darts shall fail you; nor will you be able to take up a stone from the ground, since the country consists of soft mould; but Jupiter, beholding your distress, will compassionate you, and overshadowing the earth with a cloud, he will cause it to hail round stones, which you hurling against the Ligurian army, will soon put them to flight!⁵⁸

Posidonius asks, would it not have been better to have rained down these stones upon the Ligurians themselves, and thus have destroyed them all, than to make Hercules in need of so many stones? As for the number, they were necessary against so vast a multitude; so that in this respect the writer of the myth seems to me deserving of more credit than he who would refute it. Further, the poet, in describing it as fated, secures himself against such fault-finding. For if you dispute Providence and Destiny, you can find many similar things both in human affairs and nature, that you would suppose might be much better performed in this or that way; as for instance, that Egypt should have plenty of rain of its own, without being irrigated from the land of Ethiopia. That it would have been much better if Paris had suffered shipwreck on his voyage to Sparta, instead of expiating his offences after having carried off Helen, and having been the cause of so great destruction both amongst the Greeks and Barbarians. Euripides attributes this to Jupiter:

Father Jupiter, willing evil to the Trojans and suffering to the Greeks, decreed such things.

[8] As to the mouths of the Rhone, Polybius asserts that there are but two, and blames Timaeus⁵⁹ for saying five. Artemidorus says that there are three. Afterwards Marius, observing that the mouth was becoming stopped up and difficult of entrance on account of the deposits of mud, caused a new channel to be dug, which received the greater part of the river into it.⁶⁰ This he gave to the people of Marseilles in recompense for their services in the war against the Ambrones and Toygeni.⁶¹ This canal became to them a source of much revenue, as they levied a toll from all those who sailed up or down it: notwithstanding, the entrance [to the river] still continues difficult to navigate, on account of its great impetuosity, its deposits, and the [general] flatness of the country, so that in foul weather you cannot clearly discern the land even when quite close. On this account the people of Marseilles, who wished by all means to inhabit the country, set up towers as beacons; they have even erected a temple to Diana of Ephesus on a piece of the land, which the mouths of the rivers have formed into an island. Above the outlets of the Rhone is a salt-lake which they call Stomalimnè.⁶² It abounds in shell and other fish. There are some who enumerate this amongst the mouths of the Rhone, especially those who say that it has seven⁶³ mouths. But in this they are quite mistaken; for there is a mountain between, which separates the lake from the river. Such then is the disposition and extent of the coast from the Pyrenees to Marseilles.

[9] The [coast] which extends from this [last city] to the river Var, and the Ligurians who dwell near it, contains the Massilian cities of Tauroentium,⁶⁴ Olbia,⁶⁵ Antipolis,⁶⁶ Nicaea,⁶⁷ and the sea-port of Augustus Caesar, called Forum Julium.⁶⁸ which is situated between Olbia and Antipolis, and distant from Marseilles about 600 stadia. The Var is between Antipolis and Nicaea; distant from the one about 20 stadia, from the other about 60; so that according to the boundary now marked Nicaea belongs to Italy, although it is a city of the people of Marseilles, for they built these cities [as a defence] against the barbarians who dwelt higher up the country, in order to maintain the sea free, as the barbarians possessed the land. For this [region] is mountainous and fortified by nature, leaving however a considerable extent of plain country near Marseilles; but as you proceed towards the east the country is so hemmed in by the mountains, as scarcely to leave a sufficient road for passage by the sea-shore. The former districts are inhabited by the Salyes,⁶⁹ the latter by the Ligurians, who border on Italy, of whom we shall speak afterwards. It should here be mentioned, that although Antipolis is situated in the Narbonnaise, and Nicaea in Italy, this latter is dependent on Marseilles, and forms part of that province; while Antipolis is ranked amongst the Italian cities, and freed from the government of the Marseillese by a judgment given against them.

[10] Lying off this narrow pass along the coast, as you commence your journey from Marseilles, are the Stoechades islands.⁷⁰ Three of these are considerable, and two small. They are cultivated by the people of Marseilles. Anciently they contained a garrison, placed here to defend them from the attacks of pirates, for they have good ports. After the Stoechades come [the islands of] Planasia⁷¹ and Lero,⁷² both of them inhabited. In Lero, which lies opposite to Antipolis, is a temple erected to the hero Lero. There are other small islands not worth mentioning, some of them before Marseilles, others before the rest of the coast which I have been describing. As to the harbours, those of the seaport [of Forum-Julium]⁷³ and Marseilles are considerable, the others are but middling. Of this latter class is the port Oxybius,⁷⁴ so named from the Oxybian Ligurians.—This concludes what we have to say of this coast.

[11] The country above this is bounded principally by the surrounding mountains and rivers. Of these the Rhone is the most remarkable, being both the largest, and capable of being navigated farther than any of the others, and also receiving into it a greater number of tributaries; of these we must speak in order. Commencing at Marseilles, and proceeding to the country between the Alps and the Rhone, to the river Durance, dwell the Salyes for a space of 500 stadia. From thence you proceed in a ferry-boat to the city of Caballio;⁷⁵ beyond this the whole country belongs to the Cavari as far as the junction of the Isère with the Rhone; it is here too that the Cevennes approach the Rhone. From the Durance to this point is a distance of 700 stadia.⁷⁶ The Salyes occupy the plains and mountains above these. The Vocontii, Tricorii, Icomi, and Medylli, lie above the Cavari.⁷⁷ Between the Durance and the Isère there are other rivers which flow from the Alps into the Rhone; two of these, after having flowed round the city of the Cavari, discharge themselves by a common outlet into the Rhone. The Sulgas,⁷⁸ which is the third, mixes with the Rhone near the city of Vindalum,⁷⁹ where Cnaeus Aenobarbus in a decisive engagement routed many myriads of the Kelts. Between these are the cities of Avenio,⁸⁰ Arausio,⁸¹ and Aëria,⁸² which latter, remarks Artemidorus, is rightly named aërial, being situated in a very lofty position. The whole of this country consists of plains abounding in pasturage, excepting on the route from Aëria to Avenio, where there are narrow defiles and woods to traverse. It was at the point where the river Isère and the Rhone unite near the Cevennes, that Quintus Fabius Maximus Aemilianus,⁸³ with scarcely 30,000 men, cut to pieces 200,000 Kelts.⁸⁴ Here he erected a white stone as a trophy, and two temples, one to Mars, and the other to Hercules. From the Isère to Vienne, the metropolis of the Allobroges, situated on the Rhone, the distance is 320 stadia. Lugdunum⁸⁵ is a little above Vienne at the confluence of the Saone⁸⁶ and the Rhone. The distance by land [from this latter city] to Lugdunum, passing through the country of the Allobroges, is about 200 stadia, and rather more by water. Formerly the Allobroges engaged in war, their armies consisting of many myriads; they now occupy themselves in cultivating the plains and valleys of the Alps. They dwell generally in villages, the most notable of them inhabiting Vienne, which was merely a village, although called the metropolis of their nation; they have now improved and embellished it as a city; it is situated on the Rhone. So full and rapid is the descent of this river from the Alps, that the flow of its waters through Lake Leman may be distinguished for many stadia. Having descended into the plains of the countries of the Allobroges, and Segusii, it falls into the Saone, near to Lugdunum, a city of the Segusii.⁸⁷ The Saone rises in the Alps,⁸⁸ and separates the Sequani, the Aedui, and the Lincasii.⁸⁹ It afterwards receives the Doubs, a navigable river which rises in the same mountains,⁹⁰ still however preserving its own name, and consisting of the two, mingles with the Rhone. The Rhone in like manner preserves its name, and flows on to Vienne. At their rise these three rivers flow towards the north, then in a westerly direction, afterwards uniting into one they take another turn and flow towards the south, and having received other rivers, they flow in this direction to the sea. Such is the country situated between the Alps and the Rhone.

[12] The main part of the country on the other side of the Rhone is inhabited by the Volcae, surnamed Arecomisci. Their naval station is Narbonne, which may justly be called the emporium of all Gaul, as it far surpasses every other in the multitude of those who resort⁹¹ to it. The Volcae border on tile Rhone, the Salyes and Cavari being opposite to them on tile other side of the river. However, the name of the Cavari has so obtained, that all the barbarians inhabiting near now go by that designation; nay, even those who are no longer barbarians, but follow the Roman customs, both in their speech and mode of life, and some of those even who have adopted the Roman polity. Between the Arecomisci and the Pyrenees there are some other small and insignificant nations. Nemausus⁹² is the metropolis of the Arecomisci; though far inferior to Narbonne both as to its commerce, and the number of foreigners attracted thither, it surpasses that city in the number of its citizens; for it has under its dominion four and twenty different villages all well inhabited, and by the same people, who pay tribute; it likewise enjoys the rights of the Latin towns, so that in Nemausus you meet with Roman citizens who have obtained the honours of the aedile and quaestorship, wherefore this nation is not subject to the orders issued by the praetors from Rome. The city is situated on the road from Iberia to Italy; this road is very good in the summer, but muddy and overflowed by the rivers during winter and spring. Some of these streams are crossed in ferry-boats, and others by means of bridges constructed either of wood or stone. The inundations which destroy the roads are caused by the winter torrents, which sometimes pour down from the Alps even in summer-time after the melting of the snows. To perform the route before mentioned, the shortest way is, as we have said, across the territory of the Vocontii direct to the Alps; the other, along the coast of Marseilles and Liguria, is longer, although it offers an easier passage into Italy, as the mountains are lower. Nemausus is about 100 stadia distant from the Rhone, situated opposite to the small town of Tarascon, and about 720 stadia from Narbonne. The Tectosages,⁹³ and certain others whom we shall mention afterwards, border on the range of the Cevennes, and inhabit its southern side as far as the promontory of the Volcae. Respecting all the others we will speak hereafter.

[13] But the Tectosages dwell near to the Pyrenees, bordering for a small space the northern side of the Cevennes;⁹⁴ the land they inhabit is rich in gold. It appears that formerly they were so powerful and numerous, that dissensions having arisen amongst them, they drove a vast multitude of their number from their homes; and that these men associating with others of different nations took possession of Phrygia, next to Cappadocia, and the Paphlagonians. Of this those who are now called the Tectosages afford us proof, for [Phrygia contains] three nations, one of them dwelling near to the city of Ancyra,⁹⁵ being called the Tectosages; the remaining two, the Trocmi and Tolistobogii.⁹⁶ The resemblance these nations bear to the Tectosages is evidence of their having immigrated from Keltica, though we are unable to say from which district they came, as there does not appear to be any people at the present time bearing the name of Trocmi or Tolistobogii, who inhabit either beyond the Alps, the Alps themselves, or on this side the Alps. It would seem that continual emigration has drained them completely from their native country, a circumstance which has occurred to many other nations, as some say that the Brennus, who led an expedition to Delphi,⁹⁷ was a leader of the Prausi; but we are unable to say where the Prausi formerly inhabited. It is said that the Tectosages took part in the expedition to Delphi, and that the treasures found in the city of Toulouse by the Roman general Caepio formed a portion of the booty gained there, which was afterwards increased by offerings which the citizens made from their own property, and consecrated in order to conciliate the god.⁹⁸ And that it was for daring to touch these that Caepio terminated so miserably his existence, being driven from his country as a plunderer of the temples of the gods, and leaving behind him his daughters, who, as Timagenes informs us, having been wickedly violated, perished miserably. However, the account given by Posidonius is the more credible. He tells us that the wealth found in Toulouse amounted to somewhere about 15,000 talents, a part of which was hidden in the chapels, and the remainder in the sacred lakes, and that it was not coined [money], but gold and silver in bullion. But at this time the temple of Delphi was emptied of these treasures, having been pillaged by the Phocaeans at the period of the Sacred war and supposing any to have been left, it would have been distributed amongst many. Nor is it probable that the Tectosages returned home, since they came off miserably after leaving Delphi, and owing to their dissensions were scattered here and there throughout the country; there is much more likelihood in the statement made by Posidonius and many others, that the country abounding in gold, and the inhabitants being superstitious, and not living expensively, they hid their treasures in many different places, the lakes in particular affording them a hiding-place for depositing their gold and silver bullion. When the Romans obtained possession of the country they put up these lakes to public sale, and many of the purchasers found therein solid masses of silver. In Toulouse there was a sacred temple, held in great reverence by the inhabitants of the surrounding country, and on this account loaded with riches, inasmuch as there were many who offered gifts, and no one dared to touch them.

[14] Toulouse is situated upon the narrowest part of the isthmus which separates the ocean from the sea of Narbonne; the breadth of the [isthmus], according to Posidonius, being less than 3000 stadia. The perfect similarity maintained throughout this country both in respect to its rivers, and to the exterior and interior sea,⁹⁹ appears to us worthy of especial notice, as we have said before. This, on reflection, will prove to be one main cause of the excellence of this country, since the inhabitants are enabled mutually to communicate, and to procure from each other the necessaries of life; this is peculiarly the case at the present time, when on account of their leisure from war they are devoting themselves to agriculture and the pursuits of social life. In this we are persuaded that we behold the work of Providence; such a disposition of these regions not resulting from chance, but from the thought of some [intelligence]. The Rhone, for instance, is navigable to a considerable distance for vessels of heavy burden, which it is capable of transmitting through various districts of the country by means of other rivers which fall into it, and are likewise fitted for the navigation of large vessels. To the Rhone succeeds the Saone,¹⁰⁰ and into this latter river falls the Doubs; thence the merchandise is carried by land to the river Seine; whence it is transported to the ocean and the [countries of the] Lexovii and Caleti,¹⁰¹ the distance thence to Britain being less than a day’s journey. The navigation of the Rhone being difficult on account of the rapidity of its current, the merchants prefer to transport in waggons certain of their wares, which are destined for the Arverni,¹⁰² and the river Loire,¹⁰³ notwithstanding the vicinity of the Rhone in some places, but the road being level and the distance not far, (about 800 stadia,) they do not make use of water carriage on account of the facility of the transport by land, from thence the merchandise is easily conveyed by the Loire. This river flows from the Cevennes into the ocean. From Narbonne the voyage to the Aude¹⁰⁴ is short, but the journey by land to the river Garonne longer, being as much as 700 or 800 stadia. The Garonne likewise flows into the ocean. Such is what we have to say concerning the inhabitants of the Narbonnaise, who were formerly named Kelts. In my opinion the celebrity of the Kelts induced the Grecians to confer that name on the whole of the Galatae; the vicinity of the Massilians may also have had something to do with it.¹⁰⁵

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

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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.) — 4.1 focus

[1] Ἐφεξῆς δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἄλπεων Κελτική. ταύτης δὲ καὶ τὸ σχῆμα ὑπογέγραπται πρότερον τυπωδῶς καὶ τὸ μέγεθος· νυνὶ δὲ λεκτέον τὰ καθʼ ἕκαστα. οἱ μὲν δὴ τριχῆ διῄρουν Ἀκυιτανοὺς καὶ Βέλγας καλοῦντες καὶ Κέλτας, τοὺς μὲν Ἀκυιτανοὺς τελέως ἐξηλλαγμένους οὐ τῇ γλώττῃ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἐμφερεῖς Ἴβηρσι μᾶλλον ἢ Γαλάταις, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς Γαλατικοὺς μὲν τὴν ὄψιν, ὁμογλώττους δʼ οὐ πάντας, ἀλλʼ ἐνίους μικρὸν παραλλάττοντας ταῖς γλώτταις· καὶ πολιτεία δὲ καὶ οἱ βίοι μικρὸν ἐξηλλαγμένοι εἰσίν. Ἀκυιτανοὺς μὲν οὖν καὶ Κέλτας ἔλεγον τοὺς πρὸς τῇ Πυρήνῃ, διωρισμένους τῷ Κεμμένῳ ὄρει. εἴρηται γὰρ ὅτι τὴν Κελτικὴν ταύτην ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς δύσεως ὁρίζει τὰ Πυρηναῖα ὄρη, προσαπτόμενα τῆς ἑκατέρωθεν θαλάττης τῆς τε ἐντὸς καὶ τῆς ἐκτός· ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἀνατολῶν ὁ Ῥῆνος παράλληλος ὢν τῇ Πυρήνῃ· τὰ δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν ἄρκτων καὶ τῆς μεσημβρίας τὰ μὲν ὁ ὠκεανὸς περιείληφεν ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν βορείων ἄκρων τῆς Πυρήνης μέχρι τῶν ἐκβολῶν τοῦ Ῥήνου, τὰ δʼ ἐξ ἐναντίας ἡ κατὰ Μασσαλίαν καὶ Νάρβωνα θάλαττα καὶ αἱ Ἄλπεις ἀπὸ τῆς Λιγυστικῆς ἀρξάμεναι μέχρι τῶν πηγῶν τοῦ Ῥήνου. τῇ δὲ Πυρήνῃ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἦκται Κέμμενον ὄρος διὰ μέσων τῶν πεδίων, καὶ παύεται κατὰ μέσα πλησίον Λουγδούνου, περὶ δισχιλίους ἐκταθὲν σταδίους. Ἀκυιτανοὺς μὲν τοίνυν ἔλεγον τοὺς τὰ βόρεια τῆς Πυρήνης μέρη κατέχοντας καὶ τῆς Κεμμένης μέχρι πρὸς τὸν ὠκεανὸν τὰ ἐντὸς Γαρούνα ποταμοῦ, Κέλτας δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ θάτερα μέρη καθήκοντας καὶ τὴν κατὰ Μασσαλίαν καὶ Νάρβωνα θάλατταν, ἁπτομένους δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἀλπεινῶν ὀρῶν ἐνίων, Βέλγας δʼ ἔλεγον τοὺς λοιπούς τε τῶν παρωκεανιτῶν μέχρι τῶν ἐκβολῶν τοῦ Ῥήνου καί τινας τῶν παροικούντων τὸν Ῥῆνον καὶ τὰς Ἄλπεις. οὕτω δὲ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Καῖσαρ ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνήμασιν εἴρηκεν. ὁ δὲ Σεβαστὸς Καῖσαρ τετραχῆ διελὼν τοὺς μὲν Κέλτας τῆς Ναρβωνίτιδος ἐπαρχίας ἀπέφηνεν, Ἀκυιτανοὺς δʼ οὕσπερ κἀκεῖνος, προσέθηκε δὲ τετταρεσκαίδεκα ἔθνη τῶν μεταξὺ τοῦ Γαρούνα καὶ τοῦ Λίγηρος ποταμοῦ νεμομένων· τὴν δὲ λοιπὴν διελὼν δίχα τὴν μὲν Λουγδούνῳ προσώρισε μέχρι τῶν ἄνω μερῶν τοῦ Ῥήνου, τὴν δὲ τοῖς Βέλγαις. ὅσα μὲν οὖν φυσικῶς διώρισται δεῖ λέγειν τὸν γεωγράφον καὶ ὅσα ἐθνικῶς, ὅταν ᾖ καὶ μνήμης ἄξια, ὅσα δʼ οἱ ἡγεμόνες πρὸς τοὺς καιροὺς πολιτευόμενοι διατάττουσι ποικίλως, ἀρκεῖ κἂν ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τις εἴπῃ, τοῦ δʼ ἀκριβοῦς ἄλλοις παραχωρητέον.

[2] ̔́απασα μὲν οὖν ἐστιν αὕτη ποταμοῖς κατάρρυτος ἡ χώρα, τοῖς μὲν ἐκ τῶν Ἄλπεων καταφερομένοις τοῖς δʼ ἐκ τοῦ Κεμμένου καὶ τῆς Πυρήνης, καὶ τοῖς μὲν εἰς τὸν ὠκεανὸν ἐκβάλλουσι τοῖς δὲ εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν θάλατταν. διʼ ὧν δὲ φέρονται χωρίων, πεδία ἐστὶ τὰ πλεῖστα καὶ γεωλοφίαι διάρρους ἔχουσαι πλωτούς. οὕτως δʼ εὐφυῶς ἴσχει τὰ ῥεῖθρα πρὸς ἄλληλα ὥστʼ ἐξ ἑκατέρας τῆς θαλάττης εἰς ἑκατέραν κατακομίζεσθαι, πορευομένων τῶν φορτίων ἐπʼ ὀλίγον καὶ διὰ πεδίων εὐμαρῶς, τὸ δὲ πλέον τοῖς ποταμοῖς, τοῖς μὲν ἀναγομένων τοῖς δὲ καταγομένων. ἔχει δέ τι πλεονέκτημα πρὸς τοῦτο ὁ Ῥοδανός· καὶ γὰρ πολλαχόθεν ἐστὶ σύρρους, καὶ συνάπτει πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν θάλατταν κρείττω τῆς ἐκτὸς οὖσαν, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, καὶ διὰ χώρας διέξεισι τῆς εὐδαιμονεστάτης τῶν ταύτῃ. τοὺς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐκφέρει καρποὺς ἡ Ναρβωνῖτις ἅπασα ὥσπερ ἡ Ἰταλία. προϊόντι δʼ ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους καὶ τὸ Κέμμενον ὄρος ἡ μὲν ἐλαιόφυτος καὶ συκοφόρος ἐκλείπει, τἆλλα δὲ φύεται. καὶ ἡ ἄμπελος δὲ προϊοῦσιν οὐ ῥᾳδίως τελεσφορεῖ· ἡ δʼ ἄλλη πᾶσα σῖτον φέρει πολὺν καὶ κέγχρον καὶ βάλανον καὶ βοσκήματα παντοῖα, ἀργὸν δʼ αὐτῆς οὐδὲν πλὴν εἴ τι ἕλεσι κεκώλυται καὶ δρυμοῖς· καίτοι καὶ τοῦτο συνοικεῖται πολυανθρωπίᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐπιμελείᾳ. καὶ γὰρ τοκάδες αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ τρέφειν ἀγαθαί, οἱ δʼ ἄνδρες μαχηταὶ μᾶλλον ἢ γεωργοί· νῦν δʼ ἀναγκάζονται γεωργεῖν καταθέμενοι τὰ ὅπλα. κοινῇ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα λέγομεν περὶ πάσης τῆς ἐκτὸς Κελτικῆς, περὶ δὲ τῶν τεταρτημορίων ἑκάστου διαλαβόντες λέγωμεν νυνὶ μεμνημένοι τυπωδῶς, καὶ πρῶτον περὶ τῆς Ναρβωνίτιδος.

[3] ταύτης δὲ τὸ σχῆμα παραλληλόγραμμόν πώς ἐστιν, ἐκ μὲν τῆς ἑσπέρας γραφόμενον τῇ Πυρήνῃ πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἄρκτους τῷ Κεμμένῳ· τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς τὴν μὲν νότιον ἡ θάλαττα ποιεῖ μεταξὺ Πυρήνης καὶ Μασσαλίας, τὴν δʼ ἑωθινὴν αἱ Ἄλπεις ἐκ μέρους καὶ τὸ μεταξὺ διάστημα τῶν Ἄλπεων ἐπʼ εὐθείας αὐταῖς ληφθὲν καὶ τῶν ὑπωρειῶν τοῦ Κεμμένου τῶν καθηκουσῶν ἐπὶ τὸν Ῥοδανὸν καὶ ποιουσῶν ὀρθὴν γωνίαν πρὸς τὴν λεχθεῖσαν ἀπὸ τῶν Ἄλπεων εὐθεῖαν. τῷ δὲ νοτίῳ πρόσκειται παρὰ τὸ λεχθὲν σχῆμα ἡ ἐφεξῆς παραλία, ἣν ἔχουσιν οἵ τε Μασσαλιῶται καὶ οἱ Σάλυες μέχρι Λιγύων ἐπὶ τὰ πρὸς Ἰταλίαν μέρη καὶ τὸν Ὀυᾶρον ποταμόν. οὗτος δʼ ἐστίν, ὡς εἶπον πρότερον, ὅριον τῆς Ναρβωνίτιδος καὶ τῆς Ἰταλίας· ὑπάρχει δὲ θέρους μὲν μικρός, χειμῶνος δὲ καὶ μέχρι ἑπτὰ σταδίων πλατυνόμενος. ἐντεῦθεν μὲν οὖν ἡ παραλία παρατείνει μέχρι τοῦ ἱεροῦ τῆς Πυρηναίας Ἀφροδίτης· τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶν ὅριον ταύτης τε τῆς ἐπαρχίας καὶ τῆς Ἰβηρικῆς· ἔνιοι δὲ τὸν τόπον ἐν ᾧ ἐστι τὰ Πομπηίου τρόπαια ὅριον Ἰβηρίας ἀποφαίνουσι καὶ τῆς Κελτικῆς. ἔστι δʼ ἔνθεν μὲν εἰς Νάρβωνα μίλια ἑξήκοντα τρία, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ εἰς Νέμαυσον ὀγδοήκοντα ὀκτώ, ἐκ Νεμαύσου δὲ διὰ Οὐγέρνου καὶ Ταρούσκωνος εἰς τὰ θερμὰ ὕδατα τὰ Σέξτια καλούμενα, ἅπερ πλησίον Μασσαλίας ἐστί, πεντήκοντα τρία, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ εἰς Ἀντίπολιν καὶ τὸν Ὀυᾶρον ποταμὸν ἑβδομήκοντα τρία, ὥστε τὰ σύμπαντα γίνεται μίλια διακόσια ἑβδομήκοντα ἑπτά. ἔνιοι δʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀφροδισίου μέχρι τοῦ Ὀυάρου σταδίους ἀνέγραψαν δισχιλίους ἑξακοσίους, οἱ δὲ καὶ διακοσίους προστιθέασιν· οὐ γὰρ ὁμολογεῖται περὶ τῶν διαστημάτων. κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑτέραν ὁδὸν τὴν διὰ Ὀυοκοντίων καὶ τῆς Κοττίου μέχρι μὲν Οὐγέρνου καὶ Ταρούσκωνος κοινὴ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπὸ Νεμαύσου, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν τοὺς Ὀυοκοντίων ὅρους καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἀναβάσεως τῶν Ἄλπεων διὰ Δρουεντία καὶ Καβαλλίωνος μίλια ἑξήκοντα τρία· πάλιν δʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑτέρους ὅρους τῶν Ὀυοκοντίων πρὸς τὴν Κοττίου μίλια ἑκατὸν ἑνὸς δέοντα ἐπʼ Ἐβρόδουνον κώμην· εἶτʼ ἄλλα τοσαῦτα διὰ Βριγαντίου κώμης καὶ Σκιγγομάγου καὶ τῆς τῶν Ἄλπεων ὑπερθέσεως ἐπὶ Ὤκελον, τὸ πέρας τῆς Κοττίου γῆς· ἡ ἀπὸ Σκιγγομάγου δὲ ἤδη Ἰταλία λέγεται· ἔστι δὲ ἐνθένδε ἐπὶ Ὤκελον μίλια εἰκοσιοκτώ.

[4] κτίσμα δʼ ἐστὶ Φωκαιέων ἡ Μασσαλία, κεῖται δʼ ἐπὶ χωρίου πετρώδους· ὑποπέπτωκε δʼ αὐτῆς ὁ λιμὴν θεατροειδεῖ πέτρᾳ βλεπούσῃ πρὸς νότον. τετείχισται δὲ καὶ αὕτη καλῶς καὶ ἡ πόλις σύμπασα μέγεθος ἔχουσα ἀξιόλογον. ἐν δὲ τῇ ἄκρᾳ τὸ Ἐφέσιον ἵδρυται καὶ τὸ τοῦ Δελφινίου Ἀπόλλωνος ἱερόν· τοῦτο μὲν κοινὸν Ἰώνων ἁπάντων, τὸ δὲ Ἐφέσιον τῆς Ἀρτέμιδός ἐστι νεὼς τῆς Ἐφεσίας. ἀπαίρουσι γὰρ τοῖς Φωκαιεῦσιν ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας λόγιον ἐκπεσεῖν φασιν ἡγεμόνι χρήσασθαι τοῦ πλοῦ παρὰ τῆς Ἐφεσίας Ἀρτέμιδος λαβοῦσι· τοὺς μὲν δὴ προσαχθέντας τῇ Ἐφέσῳ ζητεῖν ὅντινα τρόπον ἐκ τῆς θεοῦ πορίσαιντο τὸ προσταχθέν. Ἀριστάρχῃ δὲ τῶν ἐντίμων σφόδρα γυναικῶν παραστῆναι κατʼ ὄναρ τὴν θεὸν καὶ κελεῦσαι συναπαίρειν τοῖς Φωκαιεῦσιν ἀφίδρυμά τι τῶν ἱερῶν λαβούσῃ· γενομένου δὲ τούτου καὶ τῆς ἀποικίας λαβούσης τέλος, τό τε ἱερὸν ἱδρύσασθαι καὶ τὴν Ἀριστάρχην τιμῆσαι διαφερόντως ἱέρειαν ἀποδείξαντας, ἔν τε ταῖς ἀποίκοις πόλεσι πανταχοῦ τιμᾶν ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις ταύτην τὴν θεὸν καὶ τοῦ ξοάνου τὴν διάθεσιν τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ τἆλλα νόμιμα φυλάττειν τὰ αὐτὰ ἅπερ ἐν τῇ μητροπόλει νενόμισται.

[5] διοικοῦνται δʼ ἀριστοκρατικῶς οἱ Μασσαλιῶται πάντων εὐνομώτατα, ἀνδρῶν ἑξακοσίων καταστήσαντες συνέδριον διὰ βίου ταύτην ἐχόντων τὴν τιμήν, οὓς τιμούχους καλοῦσι. πεντεκαίδεκα δʼ εἰσὶ τοῦ συνεδρίου προεστῶτες, τούτοις δὲ τὰ πρόχειρα διοικεῖν δέδοται. πάλιν δὲ τῶν πεντεκαίδεκα προκάθηνται τρεῖς οἱ πλεῖστον ἰσχύοντες, τούτων δὲ εἷς· τιμοῦχος δʼ οὐ γίνεται μὴ τέκνα ἔχων μηδὲ διὰ τριγονίας ἐκ πολιτῶν γεγονώς. οἱ δὲ νόμοι Ἰωνικοί, πρόκεινται δὲ δημοσίᾳ. χώραν δʼ ἔχουσιν ἐλαιόφυτον μὲν καὶ κατάμπελον, σίτῳ δὲ λυπροτέραν διὰ τὴν τραχύτητα, ὥστε πεποιθότες τῇ θαλάττῃ μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ γῇ τὸ πρὸς ναυτιλίας εὐφυὲς εἵλοντο μᾶλλον. ὕστερον μέντοι ταῖς ἀνδραγαθίαις ἴσχυσαν προσλαβεῖν τινα τῶν πέριξ πεδίων ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς δυνάμεως ἀφʼ ἧς καὶ τὰς πόλεις ἔκτισαν, ἐπιτειχίσματα τὰς μὲν κατὰ τὴν Ἰβηρίαν τοῖς Ἴβηρσιν, οἷς καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ τῆς Ἐφεσίας Ἀρτέμιδος παρέδοσαν τὰ πάτρια ὥστε ἑλληνιστὶ θύειν, τὴν δὲ * Ῥόην Ἀγάθην τοῖς περὶ τὸν ποταμὸν οἰκοῦσι τὸν Ῥοδανὸν βαρβάροις, τὸ δὲ Ταυροέντιον καὶ τὴν Ὀλβίαν καὶ Ἀντίπολιν καὶ Νίκαιαν τῷ τῶν Σαλύων ἔθνει καὶ τοῖς Λίγυσι τοῖς τὰς Ἄλπεις οἰκοῦσιν. εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ νεώσοικοι παρʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁπλοθήκη· πρότερον δὲ καὶ πλοίων εὐπορία καὶ ὅπλων καὶ ὀργάνων τῶν τε πρὸς τὰς ναυτιλίας χρησίμων καὶ τῶν πρὸς πολιορκίας, ἀφʼ ὧν πρός τε τοὺς βαρβάρους ἀντέσχον καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἐκτήσαντο φίλους, καὶ πολλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ χρήσιμοι κατέστησαν ἐκείνοις κἀκεῖνοι προσέλαβον τῆς αὐξήσεως αὐτῶν. Σέξτιος γοῦν ὁ καταλύσας τοὺς Σάλυας, οὐ πολὺ ἄπωθεν τῆς Μασσαλίας κτίσας πόλιν ὁμώνυμον ἑαυτοῦ τε καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν θερμῶν, ὧν τινὰ μεταβεβληκέναι φασὶν εἰς ψυχρά, ἐνταῦθά τε φρουρὰν κατῴκισε Ῥωμαίων, καὶ ἐκ τῆς παραλίας τῆς εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἀγούσης ἀπὸ Μασσαλίας ἀνέστειλε τοὺς βαρβάρους, οὐ δυναμένων τῶν Μασσαλιωτῶν ἀνείργειν αὐτοὺς τελέως. οὐδʼ αὐτὸς δὲ πλέον ἴσχυσεν ἀλλʼ ἢ τοσοῦτον μόνον ὅσον κατὰ μὲν τὰ εὐλίμενα ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάττης ἀπελθεῖν τοὺς βαρβάρους ἐπὶ δώδεκα σταδίους, κατὰ δὲ τοὺς τραχῶνας ἐπὶ ὀκτώ· τὴν δὲ λειφθεῖσαν ὑπʼ ἐκείνων τοῖς Μασσαλιώταις παραδέδωκεν. ἀνάκειται δʼ ἐν πόλει συχνὰ τῶν ἀκροθινίων, ἃ ἔλαβον καταναυμαχοῦντες ἀεὶ τοὺς ἀμφισβητοῦντας τῆς θαλάττης ἀδίκως. πρότερον μὲν οὖν εὐτύχουν διαφερόντως περί τε τἆλλα καὶ περὶ τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους φιλίαν, ἧς πολλὰ ἄν τις λάβοι σημεῖα· καὶ δὴ καὶ τὸ ξόανον τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος τῆς ἐν τῷ Ἀβεντίνῳ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τὴν αὐτὴν διάθεσιν ἔχον τῷ παρὰ τοῖς Μασσαλιώταις ἀνέθεσαν. κατὰ δὲ τὴν Πομπηίου πρὸς Καίσαρα στάσιν τῷ κρατηθέντι μέρει προσθέμενοι τὴν πολλὴν τῆς εὐδαιμονίας ἀπέβαλον, ὅμως δʼ οὖν ἴχνη λείπεται τοῦ παλαιοῦ ζήλου παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ μάλιστα περὶ τὰς ὀργανοποιίας καὶ τὴν ναυτικὴν παρασκευήν. ἐξημερουμένων δʼ ἀεὶ τῶν ὑπερκειμένων βαρβάρων καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ πολεμεῖν τετραμμένων ἤδη πρὸς πολιτείας καὶ γεωργίας διὰ τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐπικράτειαν, οὐδʼ αὐτοῖς ἔτι τούτοις συμβαίνοι ἂν περὶ τὰ λεχθέντα τοσαύτη σπουδή. δηλοῖ δὲ τὰ καθεστηκότα νυνί· πάντες γὰρ οἱ χαρίεντες πρὸς τὸ λέγειν τρέπονται καὶ φιλοσοφεῖν, ὥσθʼ ἡ πόλις μικρὸν μὲν πρότερον τοῖς βαρβάροις ἀνεῖτο παιδευτήριον, καὶ φιλέλληνας κατεσκεύαζε τοὺς Γαλάτας ὥστε καὶ τὰ συμβόλαια ἑλληνιστὶ γράφειν, ἐν δὲ τῷ παρόντι καὶ τοὺς γνωριμωτάτους Ῥωμαίων πέπεικεν ἀντὶ τῆς εἰς Ἀθήνας ἀποδημίας ἐκεῖσε φοιτᾶν φιλομαθεῖς ὄντας. ὁρῶντες δὲ τούτους οἱ Γαλάται καὶ ἅμα εἰρήνην ἄγοντες, τὴν σχολὴν ἄσμενοι πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους διατίθενται βίους οὐ κατʼ ἄνδρα μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ δημοσίᾳ· σοφιστὰς γοῦν ὑποδέχονται τοὺς μὲν ἰδίᾳ, τοὺς δὲ πόλεις κοινῇ μισθούμεναι, καθάπερ καὶ ἰατρούς. τῆς δὲ λιτότητος τῶν βίων καὶ τῆς σωφροσύνης τῶν Μασσαλιωτῶν οὐκ ἐλάχιστον ἄν τις θείη τοῦτο τεκμήριον· ἡ γὰρ μεγίστη προὶξ αὐτοῖς ἐστιν ἑκατὸν χρυσοῖ καὶ εἰς ἐσθῆτα πέντε καὶ πέντε εἰς χρυσοῦν κόσμον· πλέον δʼ οὐκ ἔξεστι. καὶ ὁ Καῖσαρ δὲ καὶ οἱ μετʼ ἐκεῖνον ἡγεμόνες πρὸς τὰς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ γενηθείσας ἁμαρτίας ἐμετρίασαν μεμνημένοι τῆς φιλίας καὶ τὴν αὐτονομίαν ἐφύλαξαν, ἣν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἶχεν ἡ πόλις, ὥστε μὴ ὑπακούειν τῶν εἰς τὴν ἐπαρχίαν πεμπομένων στρατηγῶν μήτε αὐτὴν μήτε τοὺς ὑπηκόους. περὶ μὲν Μασσαλίας ταῦτα.

[6] ̔́αμα δʼ ἥ τε τῶν Σαλύων ὀρεινὴ πρὸς ἄρκτον ἀπὸ τῆς ἑσπέρας κλίνει μᾶλλον καὶ τῆς θαλάττης ἀφίσταται κατὰ μικρόν, καὶ ἡ παραλία παρὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν περινεύει· μικρὸν δʼ ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως τῶν Μασσαλιωτῶν προελθοῦσα ὅσον εἰς ἑκατὸν σταδίους ἐπὶ ἄκραν εὐμεγέθη πλησίον λατομιῶν τινων ἐντεῦθεν ἄρχεται κολποῦσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν τὸν Γαλατικὸν κόλπον πρὸς τὸ Ἀφροδίσιον τὸ τῆς Πυρήνης ἄκρον· καλοῦσι δʼ αὐτὸν καὶ Μασσαλιωτικόν. ἔστι δʼ ὁ κόλπος διπλοῦς· ἐν γὰρ τῇ αὐτῇ περιγραφῇ δύο κόλπους ἀφορίζον ἔκκειται τὸ Σήτιον ὄρος, προσλαβὸν καὶ τὴν Βλάσκωνα νῆσον πλησίον ἱδρυμένην· τῶν δὲ κόλπων ὁ μὲν μείζων ἰδίως πάλιν καλεῖται Γαλατικός, εἰς ὃν ἐξερεύγεται τὸ τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ στόμα, ὁ δʼ ἐλάττων ὁ κατὰ Νάρβωνά ἐστι μέχρι Πυρήνης. ἡ μὲν οὖν Νάρβων ὑπέρκειται τῶν τοῦ Ἄτακος ἐκβολῶν καὶ τῆς λίμνης τῆς Ναρβωνίτιδος, μέγιστον ἐμπόριον τῶν ταύτῃ, πρὸς δὲ τῷ Ῥοδανῷ πόλις ἐστὶ καὶ ἐμπόριον οὐ μικρὸν Ἀρελᾶτε· ἴσον δέ πως διέχει τὰ ἐμπόρια ταῦτα ἀλλήλων τε καὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἄκρων, ἡ μὲν Νάρβων τοῦ Ἀφροδισίου τὸ δʼ Ἀρελᾶτε τῆς Μασσαλίας. ἑκατέρωθεν δὲ τῆς Νάρβωνος ἄλλοι ποταμοὶ ῥέουσιν οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν Κεμμένων ὀρῶν οἱ δʼ ἐκ τῆς Πυρήνης, πόλεις ἔχοντες εἰς ἃς ἀνάπλους οὐ πολύς ἐστι μικροῖς πλοίοις. ἐκ μὲν τῆς Πυρήνης ὅ τε Ῥουσκίνων καὶ ὁ Ἰλίβιρρις, πόλιν ἔχων ὁμώνυμον ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν· τοῦ δὲ Ῥουσκίνωνος καὶ λίμνη πλησίον ἐστὶ καὶ χωρίον ὕφυδρον μικρὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης, ἁλυκίδων μεστόν, τὸ τοὺς ὀρυκτοὺς κεστρεῖς ἔχον· δύο γὰρ ἢ τρεῖς ὀρύξαντι πόδας καὶ καθέντι τριόδοντα εἰς ὕδωρ ἰλυῶδες ἔστι περιπεῖραι τὸν ἰχθὺν ἀξιόλογον τὸ μέγεθος· τρέφεται δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰλύος καθάπερ αἱ ἐγχέλυες. οὗτοι μὲν ἐκ τῆς Πυρήνης ῥέουσιν οἱ ποταμοὶ μεταξὺ Νάρβωνος καὶ τοῦ Ἀφροδισίου. ἐπὶ θάτερα δὲ μέρη τῆς Νάρβωνος ἐκ τοῦ Κεμμένου φέρονται πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν, ἐξ οὗπερ καὶ ὁ Ἄταξ ὅ τε Ὄρβις καὶ ὁ Ἄραυρις. τούτων ἐφʼ οὗ μὲν Βαίτερρα πόλις ἀσφαλὴς ἵδρυται πλησίον τῆς Νάρβωνος, ἐφʼ οὗ δὲ Ἀγάθη κτίσμα Μασσαλιωτῶν.

[7] ̔̀εν μὲν οὖν ἔχει παράδοξον ἡ προειρημένη παραλία τὸ περὶ τοὺς ὀρυκτοὺς ἰχθῦς, ἕτερον δὲ μεῖζον τούτου σχεδόν τι τὸ λεχθησόμενον. μεταξὺ γὰρ τῆς Μασσαλίας καὶ τῶν ἐκβολῶν τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ πεδίον ἐστὶ τῆς θαλάττης διέχον εἰς ἑκατὸν σταδίους, τοσοῦτον δὲ καὶ τὴν διάμετρον, κυκλοτερὲς τὸ σχῆμα· καλεῖται δὲ Λιθῶδες ἀπὸ τοῦ συμβεβηκότος. μεστὸν γάρ ἐστι λίθων χειροπληθῶν ὑποπεφυκυῖαν ἐχόντων αὑτοῖς ἄγρωστιν, ἀφʼ ἧς ἄφθονοι νομαὶ βοσκήμασίν εἰσιν· ἐν μέσῳ δʼ ὕδατα καὶ ἁλυκίδες συνίστανται καὶ ἅλες. ἅπασα μὲν οὖν καὶ ἡ ὑπερκειμένη χώρα προσήνεμός ἐστι, διαφερόντως δʼ εἰς τὸ πεδίον τοῦτο τὸ μελαμβόρειον καταιγίζει πνεῦμα βίαιον καὶ φρικῶδες· φασὶ γοῦν σύρεσθαι καὶ κυλινδεῖσθαι τῶν λίθων ἐνίους, καταφλᾶσθαι δὲ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀπὸ τῶν ὀχημάτων καὶ γυμνοῦσθαι καὶ ὅπλων καὶ ἐσθῆτος ὑπὸ τῆς ἐμπνοῆς. Ἀριστοτέλης μὲν οὖν φησιν ὑπὸ σεισμῶν τῶν καλουμένων βραστῶν ἐκπεσόντας τοὺς λίθους εἰς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν συνολισθεῖν εἰς τὰ κοῖλα τῶν χωρίων. Ποσειδώνιος δὲ λίμνην οὖσαν παγῆναι μετὰ κλυδασμοῦ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς πλείονας μερισθῆναι λίθους, καθάπερ τοὺς ποταμίους κάχληκας καὶ τὰς ψήφους τὰς αἰγιαλίτιδας, ὁμοίους δὲ καὶ λείους καὶ ἰσομεγέθεις πρὸς τῇ ὁμοιότητι· καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἀποδεδώκασιν ἀμφότεροι. πιθανὸς μὲν οὖν ὁ παρʼ ἀμφοῖν λόγος· ἀνάγκη γὰρ τοὺς οὕτω συνεστῶτας λίθους οὐ καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς ἢ ἐξ ὑγροῦ παγέντας μεταβαλεῖν, ἢ ἐκ πετρῶν μεγάλων ῥήγματα συνεχῆ λαβουσῶν ἀποκριθῆναι. τὸ μέντοι δυσαπολόγητον Αἰσχύλος καταμαθὼν ἢ παρʼ ἄλλου λαβὼν εἰς μῦθον ἐξετόπισε. φησὶ γοῦν Προμηθεὺς παρʼ αὐτῷ καθηγούμενος Ἡρακλεῖ τῶν ὁδῶν τῶν ἀπὸ Καυκάσου πρὸς τὰς Ἑσπερίδας ἥξεις δὲ Λιγύων εἰς ἀτάρβητον στρατόν, ἔνθʼ οὐ μάχης, σάφʼ οἶδα, καὶ θοῦρός περ ὢν μέμψει· πέπρωται γάρ σε καὶ βέλη λιπεῖν ἐνταῦθʼ· ἑλέσθαι δʼ οὔ τινʼ ἐκ γαίας λίθον ἕξεις, ἐπεὶ πᾶς χῶρός ἐστι μαλθακός. ἰδὼν δʼ ἀμηχανοῦντά σε Ζεὺς οἰκτερεῖ, νεφέλην δʼ ὑποσχὼν νιφάδι γογγύλων πέτρων ὑπόσκιον θήσει χθόνʼ, οἷς ἔπειτα σὺ βαλὼν διώσει ῥᾳδίως Λίγυν στρατόν. ὥσπερ οὐ κρεῖττον ὄν, φησὶν ὁ Ποσειδώνιος, εἰς αὐτοὺς τοὺς Λίγυας ἐμβαλεῖν τοὺς λίθους καὶ καταχῶσαι πάντας ἢ τοσούτων δεόμενον ποιῆσαι λίθων τὸν Ἡρακλέα. τὸ μὲν οὖν τοσούτων ἀναγκαῖον ἦν, εἴπερ καὶ πρὸς ὄχλον παμπληθῆ· ὥστε ταύτῃ γε πιθανώτερος ὁ μυθογράφος τοῦ ἀνασκευάζοντος τὸν μῦθον. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πεπρῶσθαι φήσας ὁ ποιητὴς οὐκ ἐᾷ μέμφεσθαι φιλαιτίως. καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῆς προνοίας καὶ τῆς εἱμαρμένης λόγοις εὕροι τις ἂν πολλὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων καὶ τῶν φύσει γινομένων, ὥστʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῶν φάναι πολὺ κρεῖττον εἶναι τόδε ἢ τόδε γενέσθαι, οἷον εὔομβρον εἶναι τὴν Αἴγυπτον, ἀλλὰ μὴ τὴν Αἰθιοπίαν ποτίζειν τὴν γῆν· καὶ τὸν Πάριν εἰς Σπάρτην πλέοντα ναυαγίῳ περιπεσεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ τὴν Ἑλένην ἁρπάσαντα δίκας τῖσαι τοῖς ἀδικηθεῖσιν ὕστερον, ἡνίκα τοσοῦτον ἀπείργαστο φθόρον Ἑλλήνων καὶ βαρβάρων· ὅπερ Εὐριπίδης ἀνήνεγκεν εἰς τὸν Δία Ζεὺς γὰρ κακὸν μὲν Τρωσὶ πῆμα δʼ Ἑλλάδι θέλων γενέσθαι ταῦτʼ ἐβούλευσεν πατήρ.

[8] περὶ δὲ τῶν τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ στομάτων Πολύβιος μὲν ἐπιτιμᾷ Τιμαίῳ φήσας εἶναι μὴ πεντάστομον ἀλλὰ δίστομον· Ἀρτεμίδωρος δὲ τρίστομον λέγει. Μάριος δὲ ὕστερον ὁρῶν τυφλόστομον γινόμενον ἐκ τῆς προσχώσεως καὶ δυσείσβολον καινὴν ἔτεμε διώρυχα, καὶ ταύτῃ δεξάμενος τὸ πλέον τοῦ ποταμοῦ Μασσαλιώταις ἔδωκεν ἀριστεῖον κατὰ τὸν πρὸς Ἄμβρωνας καὶ Τωυγενοὺς πόλεμον· ἐξ οὗ πλοῦτον ἠνέγκαντο πολύν, τέλη πραττόμενοι τοὺς ἀναπλέοντας καὶ τοὺς καταγομένους· ὅμως οὖν ἔτι μένει δυσείσπλοα διά τε τὴν λαβρότητα καὶ τὴν πρόσχωσιν καὶ τὴν ταπεινότητα τῆς χώρας, ὥστε μὴ καθορᾶσθαι μηδʼ ἐγγὺς ἐν ταῖς δυσαερίαις. διόπερ οἱ Μασσαλιῶται πύργους ἀνέστησαν σημεῖα, ἐξοικειούμενοι πάντα τρόπον τὴν χώραν· καὶ δὴ καὶ τῆς Ἐφεσίας Ἀρτέμιδος κἀνταῦθα ἱδρύσαντο ἱερόν, χωρίον ἀπολαβόντες ὃ ποιεῖ νῆσον τὰ στόματα τοῦ ποταμοῦ. ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῶν ἐκβολῶν τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ λιμνοθάλαττα, καλοῦσι δὲ στομαλίμνην, ὀστράκια δʼ ἔχει πάμπολλα καὶ ἄλλως εὐοψεῖ. ταύτην δʼ ἔνιοι συγκατηρίθμησαν τοῖς στόμασι τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ, καὶ μάλιστα οἱ φήσαντες ἑπτάστομον αὐτόν, οὔτε τοῦτʼ εὖ λέγοντες οὔτʼ ἐκεῖνο· ὄρος γάρ ἐστι μεταξὺ τὸ διεῖργον ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν λίμνην. ἡ μὲν οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς Πυρήνης ἐπὶ Μασσαλίαν παραλία τοιαύτη καὶ τοσαύτη τις.

[9] ̔η δʼ ἐπὶ τὸν Ὀυᾶρον ποταμὸν καὶ τοὺς ταύτῃ Δίγυας τάς τε τῶν Μασσαλιωτῶν ἔχει πόλεις Ταυροέντιον καὶ Ὀλβίαν καὶ Ἀντίπολιν καὶ Νίκαιαν καὶ τὸ ναύσταθμον τὸ Καίσαρος τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ, ὃ καλοῦσι Φόρον Ἰούλιον. ἵδρυται δὲ τοῦτο μεταξὺ τῆς Ὀλβίας καὶ τῆς Ἀντιπόλεως, διέχον Μασσαλίας εἰς ἑξακοσίους σταδίους. ὁ δὲ Ὀυᾶρος μέσος ἐστὶ τῆς Ἀντιπόλεως καὶ Νικαίας, τῆς μὲν ὅσον εἴκοσι τῆς δὲ ἑξήκοντα σταδίους διέχων· ὥσθʼ ἡ Νίκαια τῆς Ἰταλίας γίνεται κατὰ τὸν νῦν ἀποδεδειγμένον ὅρον καίπερ οὖσα Μασσαλιωτῶν· ἐπετείχισαν γὰρ τὰ κτίσματα ταῦτα τοῖς ὑπερκειμένοις βαρβάροις οἱ Μασσαλιῶται τήν γε θάλατταν ἐλευθέραν ἔχειν βουλόμενοι, τῆς χώρας ὑπʼ ἐκείνων κρατουμένης· ὀρεινὴ γάρ ἐστι καὶ ἐρυμνή, πρὸς μὲν τῇ Μασσαλίᾳ πλάτος τι μέτριον καταλείπουσα τῶν ἐπιπέδων χωρίων, προϊόντι δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἕω παντάπασιν ἀποθλίβουσα πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν καὶ μόλις αὐτὴν πορεύσιμον ἐῶσα τὴν ὁδόν. κατέχουσι δὲ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα Σάλυες, τὰ δὲ τελευταῖα πρὸς τὴν Ἰταλίαν συνάπτοντες Λίγυες, περὶ ὧν λεχθήσεται μετὰ ταῦτα. νυνὶ δὲ τοσοῦτον προσθετέον ὅτι τῆς μὲν Ἀντιπόλεως ἐν τοῖς τῆς Ναρβωνίτιδος μέρεσι κειμένης, τῆς δὲ Νικαίας ἐν τοῖς τῆς Ἰταλίας, ἡ μὲν Νίκαια ὑπὸ τοῖς Μασσαλιώταις μένει καὶ τῆς ἐπαρχίας ἐστίν, ἡ δʼ Ἀντίπολις τῶν Ἰταλιωτίδων ἐξετάζεται, κριθεῖσα πρὸς τοὺς Μασσαλιώτας καὶ ἐλευθερωθεῖσα τῶν παρʼ ἐκείνων προσταγμάτων.

[10] πρόκεινται δὲ τῶν στενῶν τούτων ἀπὸ Μασσαλίας ἀρξαμένοις αἱ Στοιχάδες νῆσοι, τρεῖς μὲν ἀξιόλογοι δύο δὲ μικραί· γεωργοῦσι δʼ αὐτὰς Μασσαλιῶται. τὸ δὲ παλαιὸν καὶ φρουρὰν εἶχον ἱδρυμένην αὐτόθι πρὸς τὰς τῶν λῃστηρίων ἐφόδους, εὐποροῦντες καὶ λιμένων. μετὰ δὲ τὰς Στοιχάδας ἡ Πλανασία καὶ Λήρων ἔχουσαι κατοικίας. ἐν δὲ τῇ Λήρωνι καὶ ἡρῷόν ἐστι τὸ τοῦ Λήρωνος· κεῖται δʼ αὕτη πρὸ τῆς Ἀντιπόλεως. ἄλλα δʼ ἐστὶ νησίδια οὐκ ἄξια μνήμης, τὰ μὲν πρὸ τῆς Μασσαλίας αὐτῆς τὰ δὲ πρὸ τῆς ἄλλης τῆς λεχθείσης ᾐόνος. τῶν δὲ λιμένων ὁ μὲν κατὰ τὸν ναύσταθμον ἀξιόλογος καὶ ὁ τῶν Μασσαλιωτῶν, οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι μέτριοι· τούτων δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ὁ Ὀξύβιος καλούμενος λιμήν, ἐπώνυμος τῶν Ὀξυβίων Λιγύων. περὶ μὲν τῆς παραλίας ταῦτα λέγομεν.

[11] τὴν δʼ ὑπερκειμένην αὐτῆς χώραν μάλιστα γεωγραφεῖ τά τε ὄρη τὰ περικείμενα καὶ οἱ ποταμοί, διαφερόντως δὲ ὁ Ῥοδανὸς μέγιστός τε ὢν καὶ πλεῖστον ἀνάπλουν ἔχων ἐκ πολλῶν πληρούμενος ῥευμάτων· λεκτέον οὖν ἐφεξῆς περὶ τούτων. ἀπὸ Μασσαλίας τοίνυν ἀρξαμένοις καὶ προϊοῦσιν ἐπὶ τὴν μεταξὺ χώραν τῶν τε Ἄλπεων καὶ τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ μέχρι μὲν τοῦ Δρουεντία ποταμοῦ Σάλυες οἰκοῦσιν ἐπὶ πεντακοσίους σταδίους· πορθμείῳ δὲ διαβᾶσιν εἰς Καβαλλίωνα πόλιν ἡ ἐφεξῆς χώρα πᾶσα Καουάρων ἐστὶ μέχρι τῶν τοῦ Ἴσαρος συμβολῶν πρὸς τὸν Ῥοδανόν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ τὸ Κέμμενον συνάπτει πως τῷ Ῥοδανῷ· μῆκος τὸ μέχρι δεῦρο ἀπὸ τοῦ Δρουεντία σταδίων ἐστὶν ἑπτακοσίων. οἱ μὲν οὖν Σάλυες ἐν αὐτοῖς τά τε πεδία καὶ τὰ ὑπερκείμενα ὄρη κατοικοῦσι, τῶν δὲ Καουάρων ὑπέρκεινται Ὀυοκόντιοί τε καὶ Τρικόριοι καὶ Ἰκόνιοι καὶ Μέδυλλοι. μεταξὺ δὲ τοῦ Δρουεντία καὶ τοῦ Ἴσαρος καὶ ἄλλοι ποταμοὶ ῥέουσιν ἀπὸ τῶν Ἄλπεων ἐπὶ τὸν Ῥοδανόν, δύο μὲν οἱ περιρρέοντες πόλιν Καουάρων¹ α κοινῷ ῥείθρῳ συμβάλλοντες εἰς τὸν Ῥοδανόν, τρίτος δὲ Σούλγας ὁ κατὰ Οὔνδαλον πόλιν μισγόμενος τῷ Ῥοδανῷ, ὅπου Γναῖος Ἀηνόβαρβος μεγάλῃ μάχῃ πολλὰς ἐτρέψατο Κελτῶν μυριάδας. εἰσὶ δὲ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ πόλεις καὶ Αὐενιὼν καὶ Ἀραυσίων καὶ Ἀερία, τῷ ὄντι (φησὶν Ἀρτεμίδωρος) ἀερία διὰ τὸ ἐφʼ ὕψους ἱδρῦσθαι μεγάλου. ἡ μὲν οὖν ἄλλη πᾶσά ἐστι πεδιὰς καὶ εὔβοτος, ἡ δʼ ἐκ τῆς Ἀερίας εἰς τὴν Αὐενιῶνα ὑπερθέσεις ἔχει στενὰς καὶ ὑλώδεις. καθʼ ὃ δὲ συμπίπτουσιν ὁ Ἴσαρ ποταμὸς καὶ ὁ Ῥοδανὸς καὶ τὸ Κέμμενον ὄρος, Κόιντος Φάβιος Μάξιμος Αἰμιλιανὸς οὐχ ὅλαις τρισὶ μυριάσιν εἴκοσι μυριάδας Κελτῶν κατέκοψε, καὶ ἔστησε τρόπαιον αὐτόθι λευκοῦ λίθου καὶ νεὼς δύο, τὸν μὲν Ἄρεως τὸν δʼ Ἡρακλέους. ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Ἴσαρος εἰς Ὀυίενναν τὴν τῶν Ἀλλοβρίγων μητρόπολιν κειμένην ἐπὶ τῷ Ῥοδανῷ στάδιοί εἰσι τριακόσιοι εἴκοσι. πλησίον δʼ ὑπέρκειται τῆς Ὀυιέννης τὸ Λούγδουνον, ἐφʼ οὗ συμμίσγουσιν ἀλλήλοις ὅ τε Ἄραρ καὶ ὁ Ῥοδανός· στάδιοι δʼ εἰσὶν ἐπʼ αὐτὸ πεζῇ μὲν περὶ διακοσίους διὰ τῆς Ἀλλοβρίγων, ἀνάπλῳ δὲ μικρῷ πλείους. Ἀλλόβριγες δὲ μυριάσι πολλαῖς πρότερον μὲν ἐστράτευον, νῦν δὲ γεωργοῦσι τὰ πεδία καὶ τοὺς αὐλῶνας τοὺς ἐν ταῖς Ἄλπεσι· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι κωμηδὸν ζῶσιν, οἱ δʼ ἐπιφανέστατοι τὴν Ὀυίενναν ἔχοντες, κώμην πρότερον οὖσαν μητρόπολιν δʼ ὅμως τοῦ ἔθνους λεγομένην, κατεσκευάκασι πόλιν· ἵδρυται δʼ ἐπὶ τῷ Ῥοδανῷ. φέρεται δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἄλπεων οὗτος πολὺς καὶ σφοδρός, ὅς γε καὶ διὰ λίμνης ἐξιὼν τῆς Λημέννης φανερὸν δείκνυσι τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἐπὶ πολλοὺς σταδίους. κατελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὰ πεδία τῆς χώρας τῆς Ἀλλοβρίγων καὶ Σεγοσιανῶν συμβάλλει τῷ Ἄραρι κατὰ Λούγδουνον πόλιν τῶν Σεγοσιανῶν. ῥεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἄραρ ἐκ τῶν Ἄλπεων ὁρίζων Σηκοανούς τε καὶ Αἰδούους καὶ Λιγκασίους, παραλαβὼν δʼ ὕστερον τὸν Δοῦβιν ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν ὀρῶν φερόμενον πλωτόν, ἐπικρατήσας τῷ ὀνόματι καὶ γενόμενος ἐξ ἀμφοῖν Ἄραρ συμμίσγει τῷ Ῥοδανῷ. πάλιν δʼ ἐπικρατήσας ὁ Ῥοδανὸς εἰς τὴν Ὀυίενναν φέρεται. συμβαίνει δὴ κατʼ ἀρχὰς μὲν τοὺς τρεῖς ποταμοὺς φέρεσθαι πρὸς ἄρκτον, εἶτα πρὸς δύσιν· εἰς ἓν δʼ ἤδη συμπεσὸν ῥεῖθρον πάλιν ἄλλην καμπὴν λαβὸν νότιον φέρεται τὸ ῥεῦμα μέχρι τῶν ἐκβολῶν, δεξάμενον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ποταμούς, κἀκεῖθεν ἤδη τὴν λοιπὴν ποιεῖται μέχρι τῆς θαλάττης ῥύσιν. ἡ μὲν οὖν μεταξὺ τῶν Ἄλπεων καὶ τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ τοιαύτη τις.

[12] τὴν δʼ ἐπὶ θάτερα μέρη τοῦ ποταμοῦ Ὀυόλκαι νέμονται τὴν πλείστην, οὓς Ἀρηκομίσκους προσαγορεύουσι. τούτων δʼ ἐπίνειον ἡ Νάρβων λέγεται, δικαιότερον δʼ ἂν καὶ τῆς ἄλλης Κελτικῆς λέγοιτο· τοσοῦτον ὑπερβέβληται τῷ πλήθει τῶν χρωμένων τῷ ἐμπορίῳ. οἱ μὲν οὖν Ὀυόλκαι γειτονεύουσι τῷ Ῥοδανῷ, τοὺς Σάλυας ἔχοντες ἀντιπαρήκοντας αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ περαίᾳ καὶ τοὺς Καουάρους. ἐπικρατεῖ δὲ τὸ τῶν Καουάρων ὄνομα, καὶ πάντας οὕτως ἤδη προσαγορεύουσι τοὺς ταύτῃ βαρβάρους, οὐδὲ βαρβάρους ἔτι ὄντας, ἀλλὰ μετακειμένους τὸ πλέον εἰς τὸν τῶν Ῥωμαίων τύπον καὶ τῇ γλώττῃ καὶ τοῖς βίοις, τινὰς δὲ καὶ τῇ πολιτείᾳ. ἄλλα δʼ ἔστιν ἄδοξα ἔθνη καὶ μικρά, παρακείμενα τοῖς Ἀρηκομίσκοις μέχρι Πυρήνης. μητρόπολις δὲ τῶν Ἀρηκομίσκων ἐστὶ Νέμαυσος, κατὰ μὲν τὸν ἀλλότριον ὄχλον καὶ τὸν ἐμπορικὸν πολὺ Νάρβωνος λειπομένη, κατὰ δὲ τὸν πολιτικὸν ὑπερβάλλουσα· ὑπηκόους γὰρ ἔχει κώμας τέτταρας καὶ εἴκοσι τῶν ὁμοεθνῶν εὐανδρίᾳ διαφερούσας, συντελούσας εἰς αὐτήν, ἔχουσα καὶ τὸ καλούμενον Λάτιον, ὥστε τοὺς ἀξιωθέντας ἀγορανομίας καὶ ταμιείας ἐν Νεμαύσῳ Ῥωμαίους ὑπάρχειν· διὰ δὲ τοῦτο οὐδʼ ὑπὸ τοῖς προστάγμασι τῶν ἐκ τῆς Ῥώμης στρατηγῶν ἐστι τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο. ἵδρυται δʼ ἡ πόλις κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἐκ τῆς Ἰβηρίας εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν, θέρους μὲν εὔβατον οὖσαν χειμῶνος δὲ καὶ ἔαρος πηλώδη καὶ ποταμόκλυστον. τινὰ μὲν οὖν τῶν ῥευμάτων πορθμείοις περᾶται, τινὰ δὲ γεφύραις ταῖς μὲν ξύλων πεποιημέναις ταῖς δὲ λίθων. ποιοῦσι δὲ τὰς ἐκ τῶν ὑδάτων δυσκολίας οἱ χείμαρροι καὶ μέχρι τοῦ θέρους ἔσθʼ ὅτε ἐκ τῶν Ἄλπεων καταφερόμενοι μετὰ τὴν ἀπότηξιν τῶν χιόνων. τῆς δʼ ὁδοῦ τῆς λεχθείσης ἡ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τὰς Ἄλπεις ἐστί, καθάπερ εἴπομεν, ἡ σύντομος διὰ Ὀυοκοντίων· ἡ δὲ διὰ τῆς παραλίας τῆς Μασσαλιωτικῆς καὶ τῆς Λιγυστικῆς μακροτέρα μέν, τὰς δʼ ὑπερθέσεις τὰς εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν εὐμαρεστέρας ἔχει, ταπεινουμένων ἐνταῦθα ἤδη τῶν ὀρῶν. διέχει δʼ ἡ Νέμαυσος τοῦ μὲν Ῥοδανοῦ περὶ ἑκατὸν σταδίους, καθʼ ὃ ἐν τῇ περαίᾳ πολίχνιον ἔστι Ταρούσκων, τῆς δὲ Νάρβωνος ἑπτακοσίους εἴκοσι. πρὸς δὲ τὸ Κέμμενον ὄρος συνάπτοντες, ἐπιλαμβάνοντες δὲ καὶ τὸ νότιον πλευρὸν αὐτοῦ μέχρι τῶν ἀκρωτηρίων οἰκοῦσι τῶν τε Ὀυολκῶν οἱ Τεκτόσαγες καλούμενοι καὶ ἄλλοι τινές. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν ἄλλων ἐροῦμεν ὕστερον.

[13] οἱ δὲ Τεκτόσαγες καλούμενοι τῇ Πυρήνῃ πλησιάζουσιν, ἐφάπτονται δὲ μικρὰ καὶ τοῦ προσαρκτίου πλευροῦ τῶν Κεμμένων, πολύχρυσόν τε νέμονται γῆν. ἐοίκασι δὲ καὶ δυναστεῦσαί ποτε καὶ εὐανδρῆσαι τοσοῦτον ὥστε στάσεως ἐμπεσούσης ἐξελάσαι πολὺ πλῆθος ἐξ ἑαυτῶν ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας· κοινωνῆσαι δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἄλλους ἐξ ἄλλων ἐθνῶν· τούτων δʼ εἶναι καὶ τοὺς κατασχόντας τὴν Φρυγίαν τὴν ὅμορον τῇ Καππαδοκίᾳ καὶ τοῖς Παφλαγόσι· τούτου μὲν οὖν ἔχομεν τεκμήριον τοὺς ἔτι καὶ νῦν λεγομένους Τεκτόσαγας. τριῶν γὰρ ὄντων ἐθνῶν, ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν τὸ περὶ Ἄγκυραν πόλιν Τεκτοσάγων λέγεται, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ δύο ἐστὶ Τρόκμοι καὶ Τολιστοβώγιοι· τούτους δʼ ὅτι μὲν ἐκ τῆς Κελτικῆς ἀπῳκίσθησαν μηνύει τὸ πρὸς τοὺς Τεκτόσαγας σύμφυλον, ἐξ ὧν δὲ χωρίων ὡρμήθησαν οὐκ ἔχομεν φράζειν· οὐ γὰρ παρειλήφαμεν οἰκοῦντάς τινας νυνὶ Τρόκμους ἢ Τολιστοβωγίους οὔτʼ ἐκτὸς τῶν Ἄλπεων οὔτʼ ἐν αὐταῖς οὔτʼ ἐντός· εἰκὸς δʼ ἐκλελοιπέναι διὰ τὰς ἀθρόας ἀπαναστάσεις, καθάπερ καὶ ἐπʼ ἄλλων συμβαίνει πλειόνων· ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν ἄλλον Βρέννον τὸν ἐπελθόντα ἐπὶ Δελφοὺς Πραῦσον τινές φασιν· οὐδὲ τοὺς Πραύσους δʼ ἔχομεν εἰπεῖν ὅπου γῆς ᾤκησαν πρότερον. καὶ τοὺς Τεκτόσαγας δέ φασι μετασχεῖν τῆς ἐπὶ Δελφοὺς στρατείας, τούς τε θησαυροὺς τοὺς εὑρεθέντας παρʼ αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ Καιπίωνος τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐν πόλει Τολώσσῃ τῶν ἐκεῖθεν χρημάτων μέρος εἶναί φασι, προσθεῖναι δὲ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων ἀνιεροῦντας καὶ ἐξιλασκομένους τὸν θεόν· προσαψάμενον δʼ αὐτῶν τὸν Καιπίωνα διὰ τοῦτο ἐν δυστυχήμασι καταστρέψαι τὸν βίον, ὡς ἱερόσυλον ἐκβληθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς πατρίδος, διαδόχους δʼ ἀπολιπόντα παῖδας, ἃς συνέβη καταπορνευθείσας, ὡς εἴρηκε Τιμαγένης, αἰσχρῶς ἀπολέσθαι. πιθανώτερος δʼ ἐστὶν ὁ Ποσειδωνίου λόγος· τὰ μὲν γὰρ εὑρεθέντα ἐν τῇ Τολώσσῃ χρήματα μυρίων που καὶ πεντακισχιλίων ταλάντων γενέσθαι φησί, τὰ μὲν ἐν σηκοῖς ἀποκείμενα τὰ δʼ ἐν λίμναις ἱεραῖς, οὐδεμίαν κατασκευὴν ἔχοντα, ἀλλʼ ἀργὸν χρυσίον καὶ ἄργυρον· τὸ δʼ ἐν Δελφοῖς ἱερὸν κατʼ ἐκείνους ἤδη τοὺς χρόνους ὑπάρξαι κενὸν τῶν τοιούτων, σεσυλημένον ὑπὸ τῶν Φωκέων κατὰ τὸν ἱερὸν πόλεμον· εἰ δὲ καί τι ἐλείφθη, διανείμασθαι πολλούς· οὐδὲ σωθῆναι δὲ αὐτοὺς εἰκὸς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν, ἀθλίως ἀπαλλάξαντας μετὰ τὴν ἐκ Δελφῶν ἀποχώρησιν καὶ σκεδασθέντας ἄλλους ἐπʼ ἄλλα μέρη κατὰ διχοστασίαν. ἀλλʼ, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνός τε εἴρηκε καὶ ἄλλοι πλείους, ἡ χώρα πολύχρυσος οὖσα καὶ δεισιδαιμόνων ἀνθρώπων καὶ οὐ πολυτελῶν τοῖς βίοις πολλαχοῦ² ἔσχε θησαυρούς· μάλιστα δʼ αὐτοῖς αἱ λίμναι τὴν ἀσυλίαν παρεῖχον, εἰς ἃς καθίεσαν ἀργύρου ἢ καὶ χρυσοῦ βάρη. οἱ γοῦν Ῥωμαῖοι κρατήσαντες τῶν τόπων ἀπέδοντο τὰς λίμνας δημοσίᾳ καὶ τῶν ὠνησαμένων πολλοὶ μύλους εὗρον σφυρηλάτους ἀργυροῦς. ἐν δὲ τῇ Τολώσσῃ καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ἦν ἅγιον, τιμώμενον σφόδρα ὑπὸ τῶν περιοίκων, καὶ τὰ χρήματα ἐπλεόνασε διὰ τοῦτο πολλῶν ἀνατιθέντων καὶ μηδενὸς προσάπτεσθαι θαρροῦντος.

[14] ̔́ιδρυται δʼ ἡ Τολῶσσα κατὰ τὸ στενώτατον τοῦ ἰσθμοῦ τοῦ διείργοντος ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ Νάρβωνα θαλάττης τὸν ὠκεανόν, ὅν φησι Ποσειδώνιος ἐλάττω τῶν τρισχιλίων σταδίων. ἄξιον δʼ ἀντὶ πάντων ἐπισημήνασθαι πάλιν ὅπερ εἴπομεν πρότερον, τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς χώρας πρός τε τοὺς ποταμοὺς καὶ τὴν θάλατταν τήν τʼ ἐκτὸς ὁμοίως καὶ τὴν ἐντός· εὕροι γὰρ ἄν τις ἐπιστήσας οὐκ ἐλάχιστον μέρος τοῦθʼ ὑπάρχον τῆς τῶν τόπων ἀρετῆς, λέγω δὲ τὸ τὰς χρείας ἐπιπλέκεσθαι τὰς τοῦ βίου μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης ἅπασι πρὸς ἅπαντας καὶ τὰς ὠφελείας ἀνεῖσθαι κοινάς, μάλιστα δὲ νῦν, ἡνίκα ἄγοντες σχολὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ὅπλων ἐργάζονται τὴν χώραν ἐπιμελῶς, καὶ τοὺς βίους κατασκευάζονται πολιτικούς· ὥστε ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων κἂν τὸ τῆς προνοίας ἔργον ἐπιμαρτυρεῖσθαί τις ἂν δόξειεν, οὐχ ὅπως ἔτυχεν, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἂν μετὰ λογισμοῦ τινος διακειμένων τῶν τόπων. ὁ μέν γε Ῥοδανὸς πολύν τε ἔχει τὸν ἀνάπλουν καὶ μεγάλοις φορτίοις καὶ ἐπὶ πολλὰ μέρη τῆς χώρας διὰ τὸ τοὺς ἐμπίπτοντας εἰς αὐτὸν ποταμοὺς ὑπάρχειν πλωτοὺς καὶ διαδέχεσθαι τὸν φόρτον πλεῖστον. ὁ δʼ Ἄραρ ἐκδέχεται καὶ ὁ Δοῦβις ὁ εἰς τοῦτον ἐμβάλλων, εἶτα πεζεύεται μέχρι τοῦ Σηκοάνα ποταμοῦ, κἀντεῦθεν ἤδη καταφέρεται εἰς τὸν ὠκεανὸν καὶ τοὺς Ληξοβίους καὶ Καλέτους, ἐκ δὲ τούτων εἰς τὴν Βρεττανικὴν ἐλάττων ἢ ἡμερήσιος δρόμος ἐστίν. ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐστὶν ὀξὺς καὶ δυσανάπλους ὁ Ῥοδανός, τινὰ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν φορτίων πεζεύεται μᾶλλον ταῖς ἁρμαμάξαις, ὅσα εἰς Ἀρουέρνους κομίζεται καὶ τὸν Λίγηρα ποταμόν, καίπερ τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ καὶ τούτοις πλησιάζοντος ἐκ μέρους· ἀλλʼ ἡ ὁδὸς πεδιὰς οὖσα καὶ οὐ πολλὴ περὶ ὀκτακοσίους σταδίους ἐπάγεται μὴ χρήσασθαι τῷ ἀνάπλῳ διὰ τὸ πεζεύεσθαι ῥᾷον· ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ὁ Λίγηρ εὐφυῶς ἐκδέχεται· ῥεῖ δὲ ἐκ τῶν Κεμμένων εἰς τὸν ὠκεανόν. ἐκ δὲ Νάρβωνος ἀναπλεῖται μὲν ἐπὶ μικρὸν τῷ Ἄτακι, πεζεύεται δὲ πλέον ἐπὶ τὸν Γαρούναν ποταμόν, καὶ τοῦθʼ ὅσον ὀκτακοσίων ἢ ἑπτακοσίων σταδίων· ῥεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Γαρούνας εἰς τὸν ὠκεανόν. ταῦτα μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν νεμομένων τὴν Ναρβωνῖτιν ἐπικράτειαν λέγομεν, οὓς οἱ πρότερον Κέλτας ὠνόμαζον· ἀπὸ τούτων δʼ οἶμαι καὶ τοὺς σύμπαντας Γαλάτας Κελτοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων προσαγορευθῆναι διὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν, ἢ καὶ προσλαβόντων πρὸς τοῦτο καὶ τῶν Μασσαλιωτῶν διὰ τὸ πλησιόχωρον.

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. Transalpine Gaul.

2. Gaul is properly divided into the four grand divisions of the Narbonnaise, Aquitaine, Keltica, and Belgica. Strabo has principally copied Caesar, who appears only to have divided Gaul into Aquitaine, Keltica, and Belgica. Caesar however only speaks of the provinces he had conquered, and makes no mention of the Narbonnaise, which had submitted to the Romans before his time. Strabo seems to have thought that the Narbonnaise formed part of Keltica.

3. Lyons.

4. The whole of this passage, says Gosselin, is full of mistakes, and it would seem that Strabo quoted from an inexact copy of Caesar. To understand his meaning, we must remember that he supposed the Pyrenees extended from north to south, instead of from east to west; and since he adds that these mountains divide the Cevennes at right angles, he must have supposed that this second chain extended from cast to west, instead of from north to south. He likewise fancied that the Garonne, the Loire, and the Seine ran from north to south like the Rhine. Starting from such premises, it was impossible he could avoid confusion; thus we find him describing the Aquitani as north of the Cevennes, when in fact they dwelt north of the Pyrenees, between those mountains and the Garonne, and west of the southern portions of the Cevennes. Where he says that the Kelts dwelt on the other side or east of the Garonne, and towards the sea of Narbonne and Marseilles, it is clear that he prolonged Keltica into the Narbonnaise, since this last province extended along the Mediterranean from the frontiers of Spain to the Alps. Caesar had stated that the Gauls (the Kelts of Strabo) ipsorum lingua Keltae, nostri Galli, dwelt between the Garonne, the Seine, the Marne, and the Rhine. Finally, Strabo appears to have assigned the greater part of Gaul to the Belgae in making them extend from the ocean, and the mouth of the Rhine, to the Alps. This considerably embarrassed Xylander, but as we have seen that Strabo transported a portion of the Kelts into the Narbonnaise, it is easy to imagine that, in order to make these people border on the Belgae, he was forced to extend them as far as the Alps, near the sources of the Rhine. Caesar located the Belgae between the Seine, the ocean, and the Rhine.

5. Liger.

6. From the ocean to the Mediterranean, and vice versa.

7. Alluding to the superiority of the climate on the shores of the Mediterranean.

8. We shall see in the course of this book, that under the name of Alps Strabo includes the different mountain-chains separated from the range of Alps properly so called. This accounts for his extending those mountains on the west as far as Marseilles, and on the east beyond Istria.

9. The Marseillese.

10. The Salyes inhabited Provence.

11. As Strabo has made no previous mention of this river, the words as we have said before are evidently interpolated.

12. This temple was built on Cape Creus, which on that account received the name of Aphrodisium. Many geographers confound this temple with the portus Veneris, the modern Vendres, which is at a short distance from Cape Creus.

13. Nimes.

14. Beaucaire.

15. Aix.

16. Gosselin, who considers that the former numbers were correct, enters at some length on an argument to prove that these 53 miles were 62, and differs also in computing the succeeding numbers.

17. The cantons of Vaison and Die.

18. Cottius possessed the present Briançonnais. That portion of the Alps next this canton took from this sovereign the name of the Cottian Alps. Cottius bore the title of king; and Augustus recognised his independence; he lived till the time of Nero, when his possessions became a Roman province.

19. Nimes.

20. Durance and Cavaillon.

21. Embrun.

22. Briandon.

23. Sezanne, or perhaps Chamlat de Seguin.

24. Uxeau.

25. About 600 years before the Christian era.

26. ̓αφίδοͅυμά τι τῶν ἱεοͅῶν. Gosselin gives a note on these words, and translates them in his text as follows, one of the statues consecrated in her temple.

27. τιμοῦχος, literally, one having honour and esteem.

28. We have seen no reason to depart from a literal rendering of the Greek in this passage, its meaning, whose ancestors have not been citizens, etc., being self-evident.

29. This name has evidently been corrupted, but it seems difficult to determine what stood originally in the text; most probably it was Rhodanusia.

30. Agde.

31. Taurenti.

32. Eoube.

33. Antibes.

34. Nice.

35. The people of Marseilles.

36. Aquae Sextiae, now Aix.

37. Solinus tells us that in his day the waters had lost their virtue, and that their fame had declined. Quarum calor, olim acrior, exhalatus per tempora evaporavit; nec jam par est fame priori. Solin. cap. 8. The victory of Sextius, mentioned by Strabo, is said to have been gained in the year of Rome 629.

38. The Cape de Creus, a promontory on which was the temple of the Pyrenaean Venus.

39. The Gulf of Lyons.

40. The Cape de Cette.

41. Gosselin says, The Island of Blascon is a rock opposite Agde, on which remains a fortified castle, which preserves the name of Brescon. This rock has been connected with the mainland, to form the port of Agde.

42. ̓́αταξ.

43. At the present day Narbonne is not situated on the Aude, the course of that river being changed. The lake of Narbonne, mentioned by Strabo, is not the present lake of Narbonne, but the lake of Rubine.

44. Arles.

45. ̔πσκίνων.

46. ὁ?̓ιλιιρρις.

47. Viz. Ruscino, now superseded by Perpignan on the Tet; and Ilibirris, now Elne on the Tech.

48. This ancient city, says Gosselin, “no longer exists, with the exception of an old tower, scarcely a league from Perpignan, which still bears the name of the Tower of Roussillon.

49. This river does not rise in the Cevennes, but in the Pyrenees.

50. Ὄρβις.

51. This name is evidently corrupt; the Arauris of Mela and Ptolemy (the modern Herault) is probably intended.

52. The Orbe.

53. Beziers.

54. Agde.

55. The French bise.

56. βοͅάσται σεισμοί, earthquakes attended with a violent fermentation.

57. The text has, “both of their opinions are credible,’ ( πιθανὸς μὲν οὑν ὁ παοͅ ἀμφοῖν λόγος,) but this is discountenanced by the whole sentence.

58. From the Prometheus Loosed, which is now lost.

59. The historian, son of Andromachus.

60. The mouths of the Rhone, like those of other impetuous rivers, are subject to considerable changes, and vary from one age to another. Ptolemy agrees with Polybius in stating that there are but two mouths to the Rhone, and those which he indicates are at the present day almost entirely filled up; the one being at Aigues-Mortes, the other the canal now called the Rhône-Mort.

61. Two Helvetian tribes who united themselves to the Cimbri to pass into Italy, and were defeated near Aix by Marius.

62. Now l’étang de Berre or de Martigues.

63. The French editors propose to read here five mouths, thus referring to the opinion of Timaeus. This, Kramer observes, Strabo probably intended to do. Still, as there were some who were of opinion the Rhone has seven mouths, as appears from Apoll. Rhod. Argonaut. iv. 634, he did not venture to touch the text.

64. Taurenti.

65. Eoube.

66. Antibes.

67. Nice.

68. Fréjus.

69. Inhabitants of Provence.

70. Les Isles d’ Hières, a row of islands off Marseilles.

71. Isle St. Honorat.

72. Isle Ste. Marguerite.

73. Fréjus.

74. Between the river d’ Argents and Antibes.

75. Cavaillon.

76. From the mouth of the Durance to the mouth of the Isère, following the course of the Rhone, the distance is 24 leagues, or 720 Olympic stadia.

77. The Vocontii occupied the territories of Vaison and Die. The Tricorii appear to have inhabited a small district east of Die, on the banks of the Drac. The Iconii were to the east of Gap; and the Medylli in La Maurienne, along the Aar.

78. The Sorgue.

79. Vedene.

80. Avignon.

81. Orange.

82. Le mont Ventoux.

83. Casaubon remarks that Aemilianus is a name more than this Roman general actually possessed.

84. Livy states that 120,000 Kelts were slain, and Pliny, 130,000.

85. Lyons.

86. ̓́αοͅαοͅ.

87. The Allobroges and Segusii were separated by the Rhone; the former inhabiting the left bank of the river.

88. The Saone rises in the Vosges.

89. These people are elsewhere called by Strabo Lingones, the name by which they are designated by other writers.

90. The Doubs rises in the Jura, not in the Alps. Ptolemy falls into the same mistake as Strabo.

91. We have here followed the proposed correction of Ziegler.

92. Nîmes.

93. This name is written diversely, Tectosages, Tectosagae, and Tectosagi. It appears to be composed of the two Latin words, tectus, covered, and sagum, a species of cassock.

94. Viz. between Lodève and Toulouse; we must remember that Strabo supposed the chain of the Cevennes to run west and east.

95. Angora.

96. These three nations inhabited Galatia, of which Ancyra was the capital.

97. 279 years before the Christian era.

98. Justin tells us that the Tectosages on returning to Toulouse from the expedition, were attacked with a pestilential malady, from which they could find no relief until they complied with the advice of their augurs, and cast the ill-gotten wealth into a lake. Justin, lib. xxxii. c. 3.

99. The Atlantic and Mediterranean.

100. ̓́αοͅαοͅ.

101. The Lexovii inhabited the southern banks of the Seine, Lizieux was anciently their capital. The Caleti occupied the opposite side of the Seine, and the sea-coast as far as Tréport.

102. The inhabitants of Auvergne.

103. The ancient Liger.

104. ̓́αταξ.

105. The whole of Gaul bore the name of Keltica long before the Romans had penetrated into that country. After their conquest of the southern provinces, they distinguished them from the rest of Keltica by conferring on them the name of Gallia Narbonensis. Aristotle gave the name of Kelts to the inhabitants of the country near Narbonne. Polybius tells us that the Pyrenees separated the Iberians from the Kelts; while Diodorus Siculus fixed the position of the Kelts between the Alps and the Pyrenees.

Strabo Geography 4.1

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

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