[823] Purpura et nitor corporis, ornatusque Persicus multo auro multisque gemmis.—Cicero (de Senectute, 17).
[824] Pasargadae was the ancient capital of Cyrus, but Persepolis was that of the later kings of Persia. The tomb of Cyrus has been discovered at Murghab; consequently Parsagadae was on the banks of the river Cyrus, N.E. of Persepolis. The latter city was at the junction of the Araxes and Medus. Its extensive ruins are called Chel-Minar, “the forty columns.”
[825] The Tigris rises in Armenia, and joins the Euphrates ninety miles from the sea, the united stream being then called Shat-el-Arab. In ancient times the two rivers had distinct outlets. In the Hebrew the Tigris is called Chiddekel, i.e. arrow. The Greek name Tigres is derived from the Zend Tighra, which comes from the Sanscrit Tig, to sharpen. Its present name is Dijleh. The respective lengths of the Euphrates and Tigris are 1,780 and 1,146 miles.
[826] Among these were Curtius (x. 3); Diodorus (xviii. 4); and Plutarch (Alex., 68).
[827] Gadeira or Gades was a Phoenician colony. The name is from the Hebrew גָּדֵר, a fence. Cf. Pliny (iv. 36); appellant Poeni Gadir ita Punica lingua septum significante. Also Avienus (Ora Maritima, 268): Punicorum lingua conseptum locum Gaddir vocabat. According to Pliny (v. 1), Suetonius Paulinus was the first Roman general who crossed the Atlas Mountains.
[828] See note [714], page 309.
[829] Now called Capo di Leuca, the south-eastern point of Italy.
[830] Cf. Arrian (Indica, 11).
[831] Cf. Alciphron (Epistolae, i. 30, 1), with Bergler and Wagner’s notes.
[832] This must have occurred B.C. 336. See Plutarch (Alex. 14); Cicero (Tusculanae Disputationes, v. 32). Alexander said: “If I were not Alexander, I should like to be Diogenes.” Cf. Arrian, i. 1; Plutarch (de Fortit. Alex., p. 331).