BOOK II. cxii. 245-247 



Samos 100, Chios 94, Mitylene 65, Tenedos 49, Cape 

 Sigeum 12|, Bosphorus 312|, Cape Carambis 350, 

 mouth of Lake Maeotis 312 J, mouth of the Don 

 266, — a route that by cutting down the crossings 

 can be shortened. From the mouth of the Don 

 to the Canopic mouth of the Nile the most careful 

 authorities have made the distance 2,110 miles. 

 Artemidorus thought that the regions beyond had 

 not been explored, though admitting that the tribes 

 of the Sarmatae dwell round the Don to the north- 

 ward. Isidorus added 1,250 miles right on to Ihule, 

 which is a purely conjectural estimate. I under- 

 stand that the territory of the Sarmatae is known to 

 an extent not less than the limit just stated. And 

 from another aspect, how large is the space bound to 

 be that is large enough to hold innumerable races 

 that are continually migrating.'' This makes me 

 think that there is an uninhabitable region beyond 

 of much wider extent ; for I am informed that beyond 

 Germany also there are vast islands that were dis- 

 covered not long ago. 



These are the facts that I consider worth recording Dimeihnni 

 in regard to the earth's length and breadth. Its /irenZ'."*' 

 total circumference was given by Eratosthenes (an 

 expert in every refinement of learning, but on this 

 point assuredly an outstanding authority — I notice 

 that he is universally accepted) as 252,000 stades, 

 a measurement that by Roman reckoning makes 

 31,500 miles — an audacious venture, but achieved 

 by such subtle reasoning that one is ashamed to be 

 sceptical.'' Hipparchus, who in his refutation of 



" Modem authorities say that, whatever his result, the 

 method of Eratosthenes was sound. See Heath, Greek 

 Astronomy, pp. 109 ff. 



VOL. I. N2 



