146 
PLINY* S NATUEAL HISTOEY. [Book II, 
merable islands lying off the coast of Grermany\ whicli liave 
been only lately discovered. 
The above is all that I consider worth relating about the 
length and the breadth of the earth^. But Eratosthenes^, 
a man who was peculiarly well skilled in all the more subtle 
parts of learning, and in this above everything else, and a 
person whom I perceive to be approved by every one, has 
stated the whole of this circuit to be 252,000 stadia, which, 
according to the Soman estimate, makes 31,500 miles. The 
attempt is presumptuous, but it is supported by such subtle 
arguments that we cannot refuse our assent. Hipparchus^, 
whom we must admire, both for the ability with which he 
controverts Eratosthenes, as well as for his diligence in every- 
thing else, has added to the above number not much less 
than 25,000 stadia. 
(109.) Dionysodorus is certainly less worthy of confi- 
dence^ ; but I cannot omit this most remarkable instance of 
G-recian vanity. He was a native of Melos, and was cele- 
brated for his knowledge of geometry ; he died of old age in 
his native country. His female relations, who inherited his 
property, attended his funeral, and when they had for several 
successive days performed the usual rites, they are said to 
have found in his tomb an epistle written in his own name 
to those left above ; it stated that he had descended fpom 
his tomb to the lowest part of the earth, and that it was a 
distance of 42,000 stadia. There were not wanting certain 
geometricians, who interpreted this epistle as if it had been 
sent from the middle of the globe, the point which is at the 
greatest distance from the surface, and which must necessarily 
be the centre of the sphere. Hence the estimate has been 
made that it is 252,000 stadia in circumference. 
^ It is probable, that these supposed " immense islands," if they were 
not entirely imaginary, were the countries of Sweden and Norway, the 
southern extremities alone of which had been visited by the ancients. 
2 Strabo, ii. ; Vitruvius, i. 6 ; Macrobius, in Somn. Scip. ii. 20. 
3 Our author has previously referred to Eratosthenes, in the 76th 
chapter of this book. 
4 Our author has referred to Hipparchus, in the 9th chapter of this 
book. 
^ "Ahter, inquit, et cautius multo Dionysodorus est audiendus, qui 
miraculo solo nititur, quam Hipparchus et Eratostheces, qui geometricis 
nituntur principiis." Hardouin in Lemah^, i. 469. Nothing ftirther is 
known of Dionysodorus j see Hardouin's Index Auct. in Lemaire, i. 123. 
