<head lang="la">III. Contra Priores Scriptores Geographicos Disputat Polybius</head><w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphn">Εὐρώπην</w> <w lemma="xwrografw%3Dn">χωρογραφῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxai%2Fous">ἀρχαίους</w> <w lemma="e%29a%3Dn">ἐᾶν</w> <w lemma="fhsi">φησι</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="e%29le%2Fgxontas">ἐλέγχοντας</w> <w lemma="e%29ceta%2Fzein">ἐξετάζειν</w> <w lemma="%2Adikai%2Farxo%2Fn">Δικαίαρχόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2A%29eratosqe%2Fnh">Ἐρατοσθένη</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="teleutai%3Don">τελευταῖον</w> <w lemma="pragmateusa%2Fmenon">πραγματευσάμενον</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="gewgrafi%2Fas">γεωγραφίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Apuqe%2Fan">Πυθέαν</w>,
<w lemma="u%28f%27">ὑφ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="parakrousqh%3Dnai">παρακρουσθῆναι</w> <w lemma="pollou%2Fs">πολλούς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Flhn">ὅλην</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Abrettanikh%5Cn">Βρεττανικὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29mbado%5Cn">ἐμβαδὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29pelqei%3Dn">ἐπελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="fa%2Fskontos">φάσκοντος</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%2Fmetron">περίμετρον</w> <w lemma="pleio%2Fnwn">πλειόνων</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tetta%2Frwn">τεττάρων</w> <w lemma="muria%2Fdwn">μυριάδων</w> <w lemma="a%29podo%2Fntos">ἀποδόντος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="nh%2Fsou">νήσου</w>,
<w lemma="prosistorh%2Fsantos">προσιστορήσαντος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aqou%2Flhs">Θούλης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpwn">τόπων</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnwn">ἐκείνων</w>, <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Ds">οἷς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="gh%3D">γῆ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28th%5Cn">αὑτὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%3Drxen">ὑπῆρχεν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Fte">οὔτε</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flatta">θάλαττα</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29h%2Fr">ἀήρ</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgkrima%2F">σύγκριμά</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="pleu%2Fmoni">πλεύμονι</w> <w lemma="qalatti%2Fw%7C">θαλαττίῳ</w> <w lemma="e%29oiko%2Fs">ἐοικός</w>,
<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="fhsi">φησι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="ai%29wrei%3Dsqai">αἰωρεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmpanta">σύμπαντα</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="desmo%5Cn">δεσμὸν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w>, <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="poreuto%5Cn">πορευτὸν</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="plwto%5Cn">πλωτὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxonta">ὑπάρχοντα</w>.
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pleu%2Fmoni">πλεύμονι</w> <w lemma="e%29oiko%5Cs">ἐοικὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28wrake%2Fnai">ἑωρακέναι</w>, <w lemma="ta%29%2Flla">τἄλλα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgein">λέγειν</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="a%29koh%3Ds">ἀκοῆς</w>. <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Apuqe%2Fou">Πυθέου</w>,
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="e%29panelqw%5Cn">ἐπανελθὼν</w> <w lemma="e%29nqe%2Fnde">ἐνθένδε</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Flqoi">ἐπέλθοι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="parwkeani%3Dtin">παρωκεανῖτιν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2Agadei%2Frwn">Γαδείρων</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fws">ἕως</w> <w lemma="%2Atana%2Fidos:">Τανάιδος·</w>
<w lemma="fhsi%5C">φησὶ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fpiston">ἄπιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5C">αὐτὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="i%29diw%2Fth%7C">ἰδιώτῃ</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpw%7C">ἀνθρώπῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fnhti">πένητι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="tosau%3Dta">τοσαῦτα</w> <w lemma="diasth%2Fmata">διαστήματα</w> <w lemma="plwta%5C">πλωτὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poreuta%5C">πορευτὰ</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnoito">γένοιτο</w>.
<w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29eratosqe%2Fnh">Ἐρατοσθένη</w> <w lemma="diaporh%2Fsanta">διαπορήσαντα</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="xrh%5C">χρὴ</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fein">πιστεύειν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="peri%2F">περί</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Abrettanikh%3Ds">Βρεττανικῆς</w> <w lemma="pepisteuke%2Fnai">πεπιστευκέναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Aga%2Fdeira">Γάδειρα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29ibhri%2Fan">Ἰβηρίαν</w>.
<w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="fhsi">φησι</w> <w lemma="be%2Fltion">βέλτιον</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Amesshni%2Fw%7C">Μεσσηνίῳ</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fein">πιστεύειν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C:">τούτῳ·</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apagxai%2Fan">Παγχαίαν</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgei">λέγει</w> <w lemma="pleu%3Dsai:">πλεῦσαι·</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fxri">μέχρι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ko%2Fsmou">κόσμου</w> <w lemma="pera%2Ftwn">περάτων</w> <w lemma="katwpteuke%2Fnai">κατωπτευκέναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="prosa%2Frktion">προσάρκτιον</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsan">πᾶσαν</w>, <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ermh%3D%7C">Ἑρμῇ</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fsai">πιστεύσαι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="le%2Fgonti">λέγοντι</w>.
<w lemma="%2A%29eratosqe%2Fnh">Ἐρατοσθένη</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29h%2Fmeron">Εὐήμερον</w> <w lemma="%2Abergai%3Don">Βεργαῖον</w> <w lemma="kalei%3Dn">καλεῖν</w>, <w lemma="%2Apuqe%2Fa%7C">Πυθέᾳ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fein">πιστεύειν</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Adikaia%2Frxou">Δικαιάρχου</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fsantos">πιστεύσαντος</w>.
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> "<w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Adikaia%2Frxou">Δικαιάρχου</w> <w lemma="pisteu%2Fsantos">πιστεύσαντος</w>" <w lemma="geloi%3Don">γελοῖον</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fsper">ὥσπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnw%7C">ἐκείνῳ</w> <w lemma="kano%2Fni">κανόνι</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="prosh%3Dkon">προσῆκον</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="tosou%2Ftous">τοσούτους</w> <w lemma="e%29le%2Fgxous">ἐλέγχους</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="profe%2Fretai:">προφέρεται·</w>
<w lemma="%2A%29eratosqe%2Fnous">Ἐρατοσθένους</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frhtai">εἴρηται</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="e%28spe%2Fria">ἑσπέρια</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="a%29rktika%5C">ἀρκτικὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Aeu%29rw%2Fphs">Εὐρώπης</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgnoia">ἄγνοια</w>.
<w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnw%7C">ἐκείνῳ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Adikaia%2Frxw%7C">Δικαιάρχῳ</w> <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmh">συγγνώμη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="katidou%3Dsi">κατιδοῦσι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous:">ἐκείνους·</w> <w lemma="%2Apolubi%2Fw%7C">Πολυβίῳ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Aposeidwni%2Fw%7C">Ποσειδωνίῳ</w> <w lemma="ti%2Fs">τίς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="suggnoi%2Fh">συγγνοίη</w>;
<w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbio%2Fs">Πολύβιός</w> <w lemma="ge%2F">γέ</w> <w lemma="e%29stin">ἐστιν</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="laodogmatika%5Cs">λαοδογματικὰς</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Dn">καλῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pofa%2Fseis">ἀποφάσεις</w>, <w lemma="a%28%5Cs">ἃς</w> <w lemma="poiou%3Dntai">ποιοῦνται</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="diasthma%2Ftwn">διαστημάτων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllois">ἄλλοις</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w>
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<head>Implausibility of Pytheas's Geography</head>In treating of the geography of Europe I shall say nothing of the ancient geographers, but shall confine my attention to their modern critics, Dicaearchus, Eratosthenes, who is the most recent writer on geography, and Pytheas, who has misled many readers by professing to have traversed on foot the whole of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Britain&groupId=409&placeId=759">Britain</a>, the coastline of which island, he says, is more than forty thousand stades. And again by his stories of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thule&groupId=1032&placeId=1820">Thule</a> and the countries in its neighbourhood, "in which," he says, "there is neither unmixed land or sea or air, but a kind of compound of all three (like the jelly-fish or Pulmo Marinus), in which earth and sea and everything else are held in suspense, and which forms a kind of connecting link to the whole, through which one can neither walk nor sail." This substance, which he says is like the Pulmo Marinus, he saw with his own eyes, the rest he learnt by report.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note8"><a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cadiz&groupId=103&placeId=338">Cadiz</a> to the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Don&groupId=127&placeId=365">Don</a>.</note>Such is Pytheas's story, and he adds that, on his return thence, he traversed the whole of the coast of Europe from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gades&groupId=594&placeId=1105">Gades</a> to the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tanais&groupId=1001&placeId=503">Tanais</a>. But we cannot believe that a private person, who was also a poor man, should have made such immense journeys by land and sea. Even Eratosthenes doubted this part of his story, though he believed what he said about <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Britain&groupId=409&placeId=759">Britain</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gades&groupId=594&placeId=1105">Gades</a>, and Iberia. I would much rather believe the Messenian (Euhemerus) than him. The latter is content with saying that he sailed to one country which he calls Panchaia;<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note9">Panchaia or Panchēa, the fabulous island or country in the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Red Sea&groupId=223&placeId=474">Red Sea</a> or Arabian gulf, in which Euhemerus asserted that he had discovered the inscriptions which proved the reputed gods to have been famous generals or kings. Plutarch,<title>Is. et Osir.</title>23, Diodor. fr. 6. 1. The Roman poets used the word as equivalent to "Arabian." See<bibl n="Verg. G. 2.139" default="NO" valid="yes">Verg.<title>Georg.</title>2, 139</bibl>.</note>while the former asserts that he has actually seen the whole northern coast of Europe up to the<pb n="484" />very verge of the world, which one would hardly believe of Hermes himself if he said it. Eratosthenes calls Euhemerus a Bergaean,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note10">That is "as great a liar as Antiphanes of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Berga&groupId=399&placeId=743">Berga</a>." See below. Strabo classes Antiphanes with Pytheas and Euhemerus more than once (see<bibl n="Strab. 2.3.5" default="NO" valid="yes">2, 3, 5</bibl>). Hence came the verb<foreign lang="greek">βεργάζειν,</foreign>"to tell travellers' tales" (Steph.<title>Byz.</title>). But there is considerable doubt as to the identification of the traveller Antiphanes, some confounding him with a comic poet of the same name, and others with the author of an essay<foreign lang="greek">περὶ ἑταιρῶν.</foreign><a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Berga&groupId=399&placeId=743">Berga</a> was in the valley of the Strymon.</note>yet believes Pytheas, though Dicaearchus himself did not.<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note11">Strabo here protests against Dicaearchus being treated as a standard of geographical truth. For Pytheas see Appendix.</note>. . . Eratosthenes and Dicaearchus give mere popular guesses as to distances.
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