[588] Canopus, near to Aboukir.
[589] It was a mistake common to Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, and Strabo, to fancy that Rhodes and Alexandria were under the same meridian. The longitude of the two cities differs by 2° 22′ 45″.
[590] Due east.
[591] The following is a Resumé of the argument of Hipparchus, “The hypotenuse of the supposed triangle, or the line drawn from Babylon to the Caspian Gates being only 6700 stadia, would be necessarily shorter than either of the other sides, since the line from Babylon to the frontiers of Carmania is estimated by Eratosthenes at 9170, and that from the frontiers of Carmania to the Caspian Gates above 9000 stadia. The frontiers of Carmania would thus be east of the Caspian Gates, and Persia would consequently be comprised, not in the third, but in the second section of Eratosthenes, being east of the meridian of the Caspian Gates, which was the boundary of the two sections.” Strabo, in the text, points out the falsity of this argument.
[592] Viz. 6700 stadia.
[593] These two words, continues Hipparchus, are not in the text, but the argument is undoubtedly his.
[594] Cape Comorin.
[595] 400 stadia, allowing 700 to a degree, would give 34′ 17″ latitude. According to present astronomical calculations, the distance between the parallels of Rhodes and Athens is 1° 36′ 30″.
[596] Viz. 400 stadia, or 34′ 17″ of latitude.
[597] The difference of latitude between Thapsacus and Pelusium is about 4° 27′.