BOOK V.] History of Nature. 75 



who are named Betarrani, and the Mariammitani. The 

 Tetrarchy named Mammisea : Paradisus, Pagrse, Pinaritse, 

 and two Seleucise, besides the abovenamed ; one called Upon 

 Euphrates, and the other, Upon Belus : the Carditenses. 

 The rest of Syria hath besides these which shall be spoken 

 of with the Euphrates, the Arethusi, Beraeenses, and Epi- 

 phanenses. Eastward, the Laodiceni, which are entituled, 

 Upon Libanus : the Leucadii, and Larisssei : besides 1 7 

 Tetrarchies reduced into Kingdoms under Barbaric Names. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

 Euphrates. 1 



THIS is the fittest Place to speak of the Euphrates. Its 

 Source, by the Report of them who have seen it most closely, 

 is in Caranitis, a Province of Armenia the Greater. These 

 are Domitius Corbulo, who says, that it riseth in the Moun- 

 tain Aba; and Licinius Mutianus, who affirmeth, that it 

 issueth from the Foot of the Mountain which they call 

 Capotes, 12 Miles higher than Simyra : and that in the 

 beginning it was called Pyxirates. It runneth first to Der- 

 xene, and then to Ana also, shutting out the Regions of Ar- 

 menia from Cappadocia. The Dastusse from Simyra is 75 

 Miles. From thence it is navigable to Pastona, Fifty Miles : 

 from it to Melitene in Cappadocia, 74 Miles. To Elegia in 

 Armenia, Ten Miles: where it receiveth the Rivers, Lycus, 

 Arsania, and Arsanus. Near Elegia it meeteth the Moun- 



1 Euphrates rises in Armenia, near Mount Aba, and after flowing by 

 Syria, Mesopotamia, and the site of Babylon, empties itself into the Per- 

 sian Gulf. It overflows its banks at certain seasons, and in consequence 

 its banks are very fertile. 



The Euphrates is universally allowed to take its rise in Armenia 

 Major ; but in what particular spot, or in what direction it afterwards 

 shapes its course, is still a matter of the greatest disagreement. Pliny's 

 account entirely differs from those of Strabo and Mela. The best com- 

 pendium of the discoveries of modern geographers and travellers on 

 this subject will be found in the Penny Cyclopaedia articles " Asia" and 

 "Euphrates." See also Macdonnald Kinneir's large map. Wern. Club. 



