BOOK III. XVI. 117-119 



XVI. The source of the Po, which well deserves a ta* river 

 visit, is a spring in the heart of Monte Viso, an fgurd^ 

 extremelv loftv Alpine peak in the territorv of the tnbutaries 



igurian Vagienni; the stream burrows under- 

 ground and emerges again in the district of Vibius 

 Market. It rivals all other rivers in celebrity ; its 

 Creek name was Eridanus, and it is famous as the 

 scene of the punislmient of Phaethon." The melting 

 of the snows at the rising of the Dogstar causes it 

 to swell in volunie ; but though its flooding does more 

 damage to the fields adjacent than to vessels, never- 

 theless it clainis no part of its plunder for itself, and 

 where it deposits its spoil it bestows bounteous 

 fertiUty. Its length from its source is 300 miles, to 

 which it adds 88 by its \vindings, and it not only 

 receives navigable rivers from the Apennines and the 

 Alps, but also immense lakes that discharge them- 

 selves into it, and it carries down to the Adriatic 

 Sea as many as 30 strcams in all. Among these the 

 best-known are : flowing from the Apennine range, 

 the Jactum, the Tanaro, the Trebbia (on which is 

 Piacenza), the Taro, the Enza, the Secchia, the 

 Panaro and the Reno ; flowing from the Alps, the 

 Stura, Orco, two Doras, Sesia, Ticino, Lambra, Adda, 

 Ogho and Mincio. Nor does any other river increase 

 so much in volume in so short a distance ; in fact, 

 the vast body of water drives it on and scoops out 

 its bed with disaster to the land, although it is 

 diverted into streams and canals between Ravenna 

 and Altino over a length of 120 miles ; neverthe- 

 riess where it discharges its water morc widely it 

 forms what are called the Seven Seas. 



The Po is carried to Ravenna by the Canal of 

 Augustus ; this part of the river is called the Padusa, 



87 



