BOOK VI. xxxv. 184-187 



22 miles, Tergedus 103 miles. The i-eport stated 

 that the island of Gagaudes is half-way between 

 Syene and Meroe, and tliat it was after passing this 

 island that the birds called parrots were first seen, 

 and after another, named Articula, the sphingion 

 ape, and after Tergedus dog-faced baboons. The 

 distance from Tergedus to Nabata is 80 miles, that 

 little town being the only one among those mentioned 

 that survives ; and from Nabata to the island of 

 Meroe is 360 miles. Round Meroe, they reported, 

 greener herbage begins, and a certain amount of 

 forest came into view, and the tracks of rhinoceroses 

 and elephants were seen. The actual town of Mero6 

 they said is at a distance of 70 miles from the first 

 approach to the island, and beside it in the channel 

 on the right hand as one goes up stream lies another 

 island, the Isle of Tados, this forming a harbour; 

 the town possesses few buildings. They said that 

 it is ruled by a woman, Candace, a name that has 

 passed on through a succession of queens for many 

 years ; and that rehgious ceremonies take place in a 

 temple of Hammon in the town and also in shrines of 

 Ilammon all over the district. Moreover at the time 

 of the Ethiopic dominion this island was extremely 

 celebrated. It is reported that it used to furnish 

 250,000 armed men and 3000 artisans.« At the 

 present day there are reported to be forty-five other 

 kings of Ethiopia. But the whole race was called 

 Aetheria, and then Atlantia, and finally it took its 

 name from Aethiops the son of Vulcan. It is by no 

 means surprising that the outermost districts of this 

 region produce animal and human monstrosities, 

 considcring the capacity of the mobile element of 

 fire to mould their bodies and carve their outHnes. 



477 



