250 HEIDEL. 



signifies is perhaps not quite so clear. Let us consider it somewhat 

 more at length. 



This passage bears out the conclusion we reached above in regard 

 to the list of geographers drawn up by Eratosthenes. It was not for 

 their supposed connection with philosophy, but solely as geographers 

 that he mentioned Anaximander and Hecataeus, and Homer was 

 not entered in the roll of honor. As regards the contribution of these 

 pioneers of the science it hardly needs to be said that the testimony 

 of so great an authority as Eratosthenes to the fact of Anaximander 

 drawing a map has been accepted as conclusive evidence by all modern 

 scholars. This conclusion is justified, however, not because Eratos- 

 thenes made no mistakes in regard to the authenticity of works, but 

 rather by the circumstances, (1) that we cannot in this instance go 

 farther and check his conclusion by better evidence from other sources, 

 and (2) that in this case his decision is positive and not negative. The 

 first of these principles must always hold in historical inquiries when 

 there is no sufficient reason for impugning the testimony of a generally 

 trustworthy and competent witness. The second is of importance 

 in relation to the judgments of the Alexandrian librarians, because 

 they assumed a critical attitude and erred in general, when the}^ erred, 

 in refusing to admit rather than in affirming the genuineness of works 

 entered in their catalogues. For us, therefore, there remains no 

 alternative but to accept the map as an historical fact. 



But what of the geographical treatise attributed to Anaximander? 

 It will perhaps be urged that the statement of Eratosthenes reproduced 

 by Strabo confirms the judgment of those who would reject the report 

 of Suidas, to the effect that Anaximander wrote a Tour of the Earth. 

 If this be true, we are on dangerous ground when we refer the list of 

 his works preserved by Suidas to the catalogues of the Alexandrian 

 libraries. But what is affirmed, and what is implied, in the statement 

 of Eratosthenes? The genuineness of Anaximander's map and of 

 Hecataeus' geographical treatise is unquestionably affirmed. One 

 may, if one will, insist that the word 'first' be taken with both state- 

 ments, so that Eratosthenes shall be made to affirm not only that 

 Anaximander first gave out a map but that Hecataeus first left a 

 geographical treatise. Though possible, the construction is extremely 

 improbable and forced. Yet, even if so much were granted, what 

 is implied in the sentence as a whole? It is not stated that a geo- 

 graphical treatise attributed to Anaximander did not exist or had not 

 existed; rather the affirmation that the claims of such a treatise, 

 attributed to Hecataeus, to be regarded as genuine were confirmed by 



