244 PLINT'S IfATUEAL HISTOET. [Book III, 



than to tlie vessels that are upon it, still it takes care to carry- 

 away no portion of its banks, and when it recedes, renders 

 them additionally fertile. Its length from its source is 300 

 miles, to which we must add eighty -eight for its sinuosities ; 

 and it receives from the Apennines and Alps not only several 

 navigable rivers, but immense lakes as well, which discharge 

 themselves into its waters, thus conveying altogether as many 

 as thirty streams into the Adriatic Sea. 



Of these the best known are the following — flowing from 

 the range of the Apennines, the Jactus, the Tanarus^ the 

 Trebia which passes Placentia, the Tarus, the Incia, the 

 Gabellus, the Scultenna, and the Bhenus : from the chain of 

 the Alps, the Stura^, the Orgus, the two Durise, the Sessites, 

 the Ticinus, the Lambrus, the Addua, the OUius, and the 

 Mincius. There is no river known to receive a larger increase 

 tlian this in so short a space ; so much so indeed that it is 

 impelled onwards by this vast body of water, and, invading 

 the land^, forms deep channels in its course : hence it is 

 that, although a portion of its stream is drawn off by rivers 

 and canals between Eavenna and Altinum, for a space of 

 120 miles, still, at the spot where it discharges the vast body 

 of its waters, it is said to form seven seas. 



By the Augustan Canal the Padus is carried to E-avenna, 

 at which place it is called the Padusa^, having formerly borne 

 the name of Messanicus. The nearest mouth to this spot 



^ The Tanarus is still called the Tanaro. The Trebia, now the Trebbia, 

 is memorable for the defeat on its banks of the Romans by Hannibal, 

 B.C. 218. The Incia is the modem Enza or Lenza, the Tarus the Taro, 

 the Gabellus the Secchia, the Scultenna the Panaro, and the Rhenus the 

 Reno. 



2 The Stura still has the same name ; the Orgus is the modem Oreo. 

 The streams called Duriae are known as the Dora Baltea and the Dora 

 Riparia ; the Sessites is the Sesia, the Ticinus the Tessino, the Lambrus 

 the Lambro, the Addua the Adda, the Olhus the OgHo, and the Mincius 

 the Menzo. 



3 This se^ms to be the meaning of " gravis terrse," unless it signifies 

 " pressing heavily upon the land," and so cutting out channels for its 

 course. He has previously stated that, though rapid, it is not in the 

 habit of carrying away its banks. See a very able article on the question 

 whether the name Eridanus belonged originally to tliis river or to some 

 other in the north of Evirope, in Dr. Smith's Dictionary of Ancient Geo- 

 graphy under the word " Eridanus." 



* That is to say, the canal made by Augustus was so called. 



