Chap. 112.] DTMEIISIOirS OF THE EABTH. 143 



town of Salentinum, there is a sacred stone, upon which, when 

 wood is placed, flame immediately bursts forth. In the altar 

 of Juno Lacinia', which is in the open air, the ashes remain 

 unmoved, although the winds may be blowing from all 

 quarters. 



It appears also that there are sudden fires both in waters 

 and even in the human body ; that the whole of Lake Thra- 

 symenus was on fire^ ; that when ServiusTullius, while a child, 

 was sleeping, flame darted out from his head' ; and Valerius 

 Antias informs us, that the same flame appeared about L. 

 Marcius, when he was pronouncing the funeral oration over 

 the Scipios, who were killed in Spain ; and exhorting the 

 soldiers to avenge their death. I shall presently mention 

 more facts of this nature, and in a more distinct manner ; in 

 this place these wonders are mixed up with other subjects. 

 But my mind, having carried me beyond the mere interpre- 

 tation of nature, is anxious to lead, as it were by the hand, 

 the thoughts of my readers over the whole globe. 



CHAP. 112. (108.)-i-THE DIMENSIONS OF THE EABTH. 



Our part of the earth, of which I propose to give an ac- 

 count, floating as it were in the ocean which surrounds it 

 (as I have mentioned above*), stretches out to the greatest 

 extent from east to west, viz. from India to the Pillars con- 

 secrated to Hercules at Gades, being a distance of 8568 

 miles^, according to the statement of Artemidorus®, or ac- 



known lines, Sat. i. 5, 97 ; but it is not improbable that there may be 

 some foundation for it. 



1 Tliis circumstance is referred to by Val. Maximus, i. 8, 18. The altar 

 was probably in the neighbourhood of the Lacinian Promontory, at the 

 S.W. extremity of the Bay of Tarentum, the modem Capo delle Colonne. 



^ This may be referred to the inflanunable vapours mentioned above, 

 unless we regard the whole narrative as fabulous. 



* See Livy, i. 39, and Val. Maximus, i. 6. 2, Although it would be 

 rash to pronounce this occurrence and the following anecdotes respect- 

 ing Marcius to be absolutely impossible, we must regard them as highly 

 improbable, and resting upon very insufficient evidence. 



^ In the 66th chapter of this book. 



^ In the estimate of distances I have given the numbers as they occur 

 in the text of Lemaire, although, in many cases, there is considerable 

 doubt as to their accxu^cy. See the observations of Hardouin and Alex- 

 andre in Lemaire, i. 460. 



* Artemidorus was an Ephesian, who wrote on geography ; see Har- 

 douin's Index Auct., Lemaire, i. 167. 



