The other way, which is more certain, is chiefly by land. From the Ganges to the Euphrates is 5169 miles; thence to Mazaca, a town in Cappadocia, is 319 miles; thence, through Phrygia and Caria, to Ephesus is 415 miles; from Ephesus, across the Ægean sea to Delos, is 200 miles; to the Isthmus is 2121⁄2 miles; thence, first by land and afterwards by the sea of Lechæum and the gulf of Corinth, to Patræ in Peloponnesus, 90 miles; to the promontory of Leucate 871⁄2 miles; as much more to Corcyra; to the Acroceraunian mountains 1321⁄2, to Brundisium 871⁄2, and to Rome 360 miles. To the Alps, at the village of Scingomagum[745], is 519 miles; through Gaul to Illiberis at the Pyrenees, 927; to the ocean and the coast of Spain, 331 miles; across the passage of Gades 71⁄2 miles; which distances, according to the estimate of Artemidorus, make altogether 8945 miles.
The breadth of the earth, from south to north, is commonly supposed to be about one-half only of its length, viz. 4490 miles; hence it is evident how much the heat has stolen from it on one side and the cold on the other: for I do not suppose that the land is actually wanting, or that the earth has not the form of a globe; but that, on each side, the uninhabitable parts have not been discovered. This measure then extends from the coast of the Æthiopian ocean, the most distant part which is habitable, to Meroë, 1000 miles[746]; thence to Alexandria 1250; to Rhodes 562; to Cnidos 871⁄2; to Cos 25; to Samos 100; to Chios 94; to Mitylene 65; to Tenedos 44; to the promontory of Sigæum 121⁄2; to the entrance of the Euxine 3121⁄2; to the promontory of Carambis 350; to the entrance of the Palus Mæotis 3121⁄2; and to the mouth of the Tanais 275 miles, which distance, if we went by sea, might be shortened 89 miles. Beyond the Tanais the most diligent authors have not been able to obtain any accurate measurement. Artemidorus supposes that everything beyond is undiscovered, since he confesses that, about the Tanais, the tribes of the Sarmatæ dwell, who extend towards the north pole. Isidorus adds 1250 miles, as the distance to Thule[747]; but this is mere conjecture. For my part, I believe that the boundaries of Sarmatia really extend to as great a distance as that mentioned above: for if it were not very extensive, how could it contain the innumerable tribes that are always changing their residence? And indeed I consider the uninhabitable portion of the world to be still greater; for it is well known that there are innumerable islands lying off the coast of Germany[748], which have been only lately discovered.
The above is all that I consider worth relating about the length and the breadth of the earth[749]. But Eratosthenes[750], 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 Roman estimate, makes 31,500 miles. The attempt is presumptuous, but it is supported by such subtle arguments that we cannot refuse our assent. Hipparchus[751], whom we must admire, both for the ability with which he controverts Eratosthenes, as well as for his diligence in everything else, has added to the above number not much less than 25,000 stadia.
(109.) Dionysodorus is certainly less worthy of confidence[752]; but I cannot omit this most remarkable instance of Grecian vanity. He was a native of Melos, and was celebrated 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 from 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.
CHAP. 113.—THE HARMONICAL PROPORTION OF THE UNIVERSE.
That harmonical proportion, which compels nature to be always consistent with itself, obliges us to add to the above measure, 12,000 stadia; and this makes the earth one ninety-sixth part of the whole universe.
Summary.—The facts, statements, and observations contained in this Book amount in number to 417.
Roman authors quoted.—M. Varro[753], Sulpicius Gallus[754], Titus Cæsar[755] the Emperor, Q. Tubero[756], Tullius Tiro[757], L. Piso[758], T. Livius[759], Cornelius Nepos[760], Sebosus[761], Cælius Antipater[762], Fabianus[763], Antias[764], Mucianus[765], Cæcina[766], who wrote on the Etruscan discipline, Tarquitius[767], who did the same, Julius Aquila[768], who also did the same, and Sergius[769].
Foreign authors quoted.—Plato[770], Hipparchus[771], Timæus[772], Sosigenes[773], Petosiris[774], Necepsos[775], the Pythagorean[776] Philosophers, Posidonius[777], Anaximander[778], Epigenes[779] the philosopher who wrote on Gnomonics, Euclid[780], Cœranus[781] the philosopher, Eudoxus[782], Democritus[783], Critodemus[784], Thrasyllus[785], Serapion[786], Dicæarchus[787], Archimedes[788], Onesicritus[789], Eratosthenes[790], Pytheas[791], Herodotus[792], Aristotle[793], Ctesias[794], Artemidorus[795] of Ephesus, Isidorus[796] of Charax, and Theopompus[797].