THE FIFTH BOOK 



OF THE 



HISTORY OF NATURE 



WRITTEN BY 



C. PLINIUS SECUNDUS. 



The Description of Africa. 



FRICA the Greeks have called Lybia; from 

 which the Lybian Sea before it beginneth, and 

 endeth in the Egyptian. No part of the Earth 

 receiveth fewer Gulfs in that long compass of 

 oblique Coasts from the West. The Names 

 of its People and Towns are exceedingly hard 



to be Pronounced, unless by their own Tongues : and again, 



they for the most part dwell in Castles. 



CHAPTER I. 

 Mauritania. 



AT the beginning, the Lands of Mauritania, until the 

 time of C. Ccesar (i. e. Caligula), son of Germanicus, were 

 called Kingdoms : but by his Cruelty it was divided into two 

 Provinces. The utmost Promontory of the Ocean is named 

 by the Greeks Ampelusia. The Towns were Lissa and Cotes 



