44 pltny's natural histokt. [BookVrl 



one hundred stadia where it is but moderately wide, an(| 

 tliat it is nowhere less than twenty paces in depth. Th« 

 lust nation situate on the banks of the Ganges is that of tht* 

 Gangarides-^'' Calingaj ; the city where their king dwells 

 the name of Protalis.^^ 



(19.) This king has sixty thousand foot-soldiers, one thousano] 

 horse, and seven hundred elephants, always caparisoned read^ | 

 lor battle. The people of the more civilized nations of Indi; 

 are divided into several classes.^' One of these classes till 

 the earth, another attends to military aifairs, otliers agaii 

 are occupied in mercantile pursuits, while the wisest and tht 

 most wealthy among them have the management of the affair: 

 of state — act as judges, and give counsel to the king. Thi 

 fifth class/^ entirely devoting themselves to the pursuit of wis 

 dom, which in these countries is almost held in tlie same venera 

 tion as religion, always"^ end their life by a voluntarj- deatl 

 upon the lighted pile. In addition to these, there is { 

 class^^ in a half-savage state, and doomed to endless labour 

 by means of their exertions, all the classes previousl)^ men 

 tioned are supported. It is their duty to hunt°*^ the elephant 

 and to tame him when captured ; for it is by the aid of these 

 animals that they plough ; by these animals they are convey ec 



^^ The wide diflFusion of the Calingoe, and tlieu- close connection with th( 

 GangaridiB, are shown by the fact that Pliny here calls them " Calinga 

 Oangarides," and mentions the Modogalingse on a hrge- island in tht 

 Canges, and the ]\raccocaling8e on the upper course of that river. See note 

 43. p. 42. 



^' Called Parthalis in most of the editions. 



^- Or critites, as we call them. These institutions prevail equally at tlK 

 present day, and the divisions of the duties of the respective castes aic 

 pretty inuch as Pliny states them to be, except that the liusbandraen and 

 jnercliants form one class, called the Vaisya, tlie Brahmins being the ministert 

 of religion, the Kshatriya forming the warlike class, the Sudra consti- 

 tuting the menial or servant class. Pliny here represents the rulers and 

 councillors as forming a distinct class. Such, however, does not appear to 

 be the fact ; for we find that the sovereign is chosen from the Kshatriya or 

 military class, wliile from the Brahmins are selected the royal councillors, 

 judgi's, and magistrates of tlie country. 



^3 He alludes to the Bralimins, who seem to have been called by the Greek 

 •writers "Gymnosophists," or "naked wise men." The Brahmin Ca- 

 lanus is a memorable example of this kind of self-immolation. 



^ It is extremely doubtful if, even in his own day, Pliny was correct in 

 venturing upon so sweeping an assertion. 



^ Tlie Sudra or menial caste. 



^ lie is incorrect here ; these duties devolve on the Vaisya class. 



