Chap. 112.] DIMENSIONS Or THE EARTH. 143 



town of Saleutinum, there is a sacred stone, upon which, when 

 wood is placed, flame immediately bursts forth. lu the altar 

 of Juno Lacinia\ which is in the open air, the ashes remain 

 unmoved, although the winds may be blowing from all 

 quarters. 



It appears also that there are sudden fires both in waters 

 and even in the human body ; that the whole of Lake Thra- 

 symenus was on fire' ; that when ServiusTullius, while a child, 

 was sleepiug, flame darted out from his head^' ; and Valerius 

 Antias informs us, that the same flame appeared about L. 

 Marcius, when he was pronouncing the funeral oration over 

 the Scipios, who were killed in apain ; and exhorting the 

 soldiers to avenge their death. I shall presently mention 

 more facts of this nature, and in a more distinct manner ; in 

 this place these wonders are mixed up with other subjects. 

 But my mind, having carried me beyond the mere interpre- 

 tation of nature, is anxious to lead,* as it were by the hand, 

 the thoughts of my readers over the whole globe. 



CHAP. 112. (108.) — THE DIMENSIONS OF THE EARTH. 



Our part of the earth, of which I propose to give an ac- 

 count, floating as it were in the ocean which surrounds it 

 (as I have mentioned above"), stretches out to the greatest 

 extent from east to west, viz. from India to the Pillars con- 

 secrated to Hercules at Gades, being a distance of 8568 

 iniles% according to the statement of Artemidorus^ or ac- 



known lines, Sat. i. 5, 97 ; but it is not improbable that there may be 

 some foundation for it. 



^ This cii-cumstance is referred to by Val. Maximus, i. 8, 18. The altar 

 was probably in the neighboiirhood of the Lacinian Promontoi7, at the 

 S.W. extremity of the Bay of Tarcntum, the modern Capo delle Colonne. 



' This may be referred to the inilammable vapours mentioned above, 

 imlcss we regard the whole narrative as fabulous. 



3 See Livy, i. 39, and Val. Maximus, i. 6. 2. Although it would be 

 rash to pronounce this occurrence and the following anecdotes respect- 

 ing Marcius to be absolutely impossibk^ we must regard them as liiglily 

 improbable, and resting upon very insufficient evidence. 



■* In the 06th chapter of this book. 



* In the estimate of distances I have given the numbers as they occur 

 in tlie text of Lemaire, although, in many cases, tliere is considerable 

 doubt as to their accuracy. See the observations of llardouin and Alex- 

 andre in Lemaire, i. 460. 



^ Artemidorus was an Ephesian, who wrote on geography ; see Uar- 

 douin's Index Auct., Lemaire, i. 167. 



