t 
Chap. 2.] WONDEEFUL EOEMS OE DIEFEEEISTT NATIONS. 133 
last, it is supposed to be owing to the flesh of vipers, which 
they use as food in consequence of which, they are free also 
from all noxious animals, both in their hair and their gar- 
ments. 
According to Onesicritus, in those parts of India where there 
is no shadow, the bodies of men attain a height of five cubits 
and two palms, and their life is prolonged to one hundred and 
thirty years ; they die without any symptoms of old age, and 
just as if they were in the middle period of life. Crates of 
Pergamus calls the Indians, whose age exceeds one hundred 
years, by the name of Gymnetse but not a few authors style 
them Macrobii. Ctesias mentions a tribe of them, known by 
the name of Pandore, whose locality is in the valleys, and who 
live to their two hundredth year ; their hair is w^hite in youth, 
and becomes black in old age.^^ On the other hand, there are 
some people joining up to the country of the Macrobii, who 
never live beyond their fortieth year, and their females have 
children once only during their lives. This circumstance is 
also mentioned by Agatharchides, who states, in addition, that 
they live^^ on locusts,^* and are very swift of foot. Clitarchus 
and Megasthenes give these people the name of Mandi, and 
enumerate as many as three hundred villages which belong to 
them. Their women are capable of bearing children in the 
seventh year of their age, and become old at forty.^^ 
88 Pliny, in B. xxix. c. 38, speaks of the use of vipers' flesh as an 
article of diet, and gives some minute directions for its preparation. It 
was supposed to be peculiarly nutritive and restorative, and it has been 
prescribed for the same purpose by modern physicians. There is a medal 
in existence, probably struck by the Emperor Commodus, in order to com- 
memorate the benefit which he was supposed to have derived from the use 
of the flesh of vipers. — B. 
89 See B. ii. c. 75. 
^0 The cubitus and the palmus of the Romans, estimated, respectively, at 
about one foot and-a-half and three inches ; this would make the height of 
these people eight feet. — B. 
91 From the Greek Tvfivrjri^g, one who takes much exercise of the 
body/' 
92 There appears to be no foundation for this statement. — B. 
. 93 See B. vi. c. 35. 
94 In many of the warmer chmates, where the locusts are of large size 
and in great abundance, they are occasionally used as food ; but we have 
no reason to believe that they constitute the sole, or even the principal 
article of the food of any tribe or people. — B. 
95 In warm chmates, the females arrive at maturity considerably earher 
