The histories of Herodotus;

224 HERODOTUS—BOOK IV, MELPOMENE [36-42
who have no sound reason to guide them; they describe the
ocean flowing round the earth, which is made circular as if
by a lathe, and make Asia equal to Europe. I will therefore
briefly show the dimensions of each of them, and what is
figure of each.
the
The Persian settlements extend to the southern sea, called
the Erythraean ; above them to the north are the Medes ; above
the Medes, the Saspires; and above the Saspires, the Colchians,
who reach to the northern sea, into which the river
Phasis discharges itself. These four nations occupy the space
from sea to sea.
the sea, which I
Thence westward two tracts
shall describe. On one side,
stretch out to
the one tract,
beginning at the north from the Phasis, extends along the
Euxine and the Hellespont, as far as the Trojan Sigaeum;
and on the south, this same tract, beginning from the Myriandrian
Gulf, which is adjacent to Phoenicia, stretches toward
the sea as far as the Triopian promontory. In this tract dwell
thirty different nations. This, then, is one of the tracts. The
other, beginning at Persia, reaches to the Red Sea; it comprises
Persia, and after that Assyria, and after Assyria, Arabia
it terminates (terminating only by custom) at the Arabian
Gulf, into which Darius carried a canal from the Nile. Now,
as far as Phoenicia from Persia the country is wide and open,
but from Phoenicia the same tract stretches along this sea
by Syrian Palestine and Egypt, where it terminates ; in it are
only three nations. These, then, are the parts of Asia that
lie westward of Persia. Beyond the Persians, Medes, Saspires,
and Colchians, toward the east and rising sun, extends the
Red Sea, and on the north the Caspian Sea and the river
Araxes, which flows toward the rising sun. Asia is inhabited
as far as India; but beyond this it is all desert toward the
east, nor is any one able to describe what it is. Such and so
great is Asia.
Libya is in the other tract; for Libya commences from
Egypt. Now in Egypt this tract is narrow ; for from this sea
to the Red Sea are a hundred thousand orgyae, which make
one thousand stades. But from this narrow neck the tract
which is called Libya becomes very wide. I wonder therefore
at those who have described the limits of and divided
Libya, Asia, and Europe, for the difference between them is
not trifling ; for in length Europe extends along both of them,
but with respect to width, it is evidently not to be compared.
Libya shows itself to be surrounded by water, except so much
of it as borders upon Asia. Neco, King of Egypt, was the first
whom we know of that proved this ; he, when he had ceased
;