244 
Pliny's natubal histoet. 
[Book III. 
than to the vessels that are upon it, still it takes care to carry 
away no portion of its banks, and when it recedes, renders 
them additionally fertile. Its length from its source is 300 
miles, to which we must add eighty-eight for its sinuosities ; 
and it receives from the Apennines and Alps not only several 
navigable rivers, but immense lakes as well, which discharge 
themselves into its waters, thus conveying altogether as many 
as thirty streams into the Adriatic Sea. 
Of these the best known are the following — flowing from 
the range of the Apennines, the Jactus, the Tanarus^ the 
Trebia which passes Placentia, the Tarus, the Incia, the 
Grabellus, the Scultenna, and the E^henus : from the chain of 
the Alps, the Stura^, the Orgus, the two Durise, the Sessites, 
the Ticinus, the Lambrus, the Addua, the Ollius, and the 
Mincius. There is no river known to receive a larger increase 
than this in so short a space ; so much so indeed that it is 
impelled onwards by this vast body of water, and, invading 
the land^, forms deep channels in its course : hence it is 
that, although a portion of its stream is drawn off by rivers 
and canals between Eavenna and Altinum, for a space of 
120 miles, still, at the spot where it discharges the vast body 
of its waters, it is said to form seven seas. 
By the Augustan Canal the Padus is carried to Eavenna, 
at which place it is called the Padusa^, having formerly borne 
the name of Messanicus. The nearest mouth to this spot 
^ The Tanarus is still called tlie Tanaro. The Trebia, now the Trebbia, 
is memorable for the defeat on its banks of the Romans by Hannibal, 
B.C. 218. The Incia is the modern Enza or Lenza, the Tarus the Taro, 
the Grabellus the Secchia, the Scultenna the Panaro, and the Rhenus the 
Reno. 
2 The Stura still has the same name ; the Orgus is the modem Oreo. 
The streams called Dm-ise are known as the Dora Baltea and the Dora 
Riparia ; the Sessites is the Sesia, the Ticinus the Tessino, the Lambrus 
the Lambro, the Addua the Adda, the OUius the Ogho, and the Mincius 
the Menzo. 
3 This seems to be the meaning of " gravis terrse," unless it signifies 
" pressing heavily upon the land," and so cutting out channels for its 
course. He has previously stated that, though rapid, it is not in the 
habit of carrying away its banks. See a very able article on the question 
whether the name Eridanus belonged originally to this river or to some 
other in the north of Europe, in Dr. Smith's Dictionary of Ancient Greo- 
graphy under the word " Eridanus." 
^ That is to say, the canal made by Augustus was so called. 
