Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian/Frag. X.

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Frag. IX.

Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian
by Megasthenes, translated by John Watson McCrindle

Frag. X.

Frag. XI.

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4623628Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian — Frag. X.John Watson McCrindleMegasthenes

Fragm. X

Pliny, Hist. Nat. VI. 22. 6.

Of the Setting of the Bear.

Next [to the Prasii] in the interior are the Monedes and the Suari, to whom belongs Mount Maleus, on which shadows fall towards the north in winter, and in summer to the south, for six months alternately.^[1] The Bears, Baeton says, in that part of the country are only once visible in the course of the year, and not for more than fifteen days. Megasthenes says that this takes place in many parts of India.

Conf. Solin, 52. 13:—

Beyond Palibothra is Mount Maleus, on which shadows fall in winter towards the north, and in summer towards the south, for six months alternately. The North Pole is visible in that part of the country once in the course of the year, and not for longer than fifteen days, as Baeton informs us, who allows that this occurs in many parts of India.

↑ “The Mandali would seem to be the same people as the Monedes of Pliny, who with the Saari, occupied the inland country to the south of the Palibothri. As this is the exact position of the country of the Mundas and Suars, I think it quite certain that they must be the same race as the Monedes and Suari of Pliny. In another passage Pliny mentions the Mandei and Malli as occupying the country between the Calinge and the Ganges. Amongst the Malli there was a mountain named Mallus, which would seem to be the same as the famous mount Maletis of the Monedes and Suari. I think it highly probable that both names may be intended for the celebrated mount Mandar, to the south of Bhâgulpur,-which is fabled to have been used by the gods and demons at the churning of the ocean. The Mandei I would identify with the inhabitants of the Mahânadi river, which is the Manada of Ptolemy. The Malli or Malei would therefore be the same people as Ptolemy's Mandalæ, who occupied the right bank of the Ganges to the south of Palibothra, or they may be the people of the Rajmahâl hills who are called Maler. . . . . . . . . . . . . The Suari of Pliny are the Sabarræ of Ptolemy, and both may be identified with the aboriginal Śavaras or Suars, a wild race of woodcutters who live in the jungles without any fixed habitation."—Cunningham's Anc. Geog. of India, pp. 508-9.

[p72ref2-1] “The Mandali would seem to be the same people as the Monedes of Pliny, who with the Saari, occupied the inland country to the south of the Palibothri. As this is the exact position of the country of the Mundas and Suars, I think it quite certain that they must be the same race as the Monedes and Suari of Pliny. In another passage Pliny mentions the Mandei and Malli as occupying the country between the Calinge and the Ganges. Amongst the Malli there was a mountain named Mallus, which would seem to be the same as the famous mount Maletis of the Monedes and Suari. I think it highly probable that both names may be intended for the celebrated mount Mandar, to the south of Bhâgulpur,-which is fabled to have been used by the gods and demons at the churning of the ocean. The Mandei I would identify with the inhabitants of the Mahânadi river, which is the Manada of Ptolemy. The Malli or Malei would therefore be the same people as Ptolemy's Mandalæ, who occupied the right bank of the Ganges to the south of Palibothra, or they may be the people of the Rajmahâl hills who are called Maler. . . . . . . . . . . . . The Suari of Pliny are the Sabarræ of Ptolemy, and both may be identified with the aboriginal Śavaras or Suars, a wild race of woodcutters who live in the jungles without any fixed habitation."—Cunningham's Anc. Geog. of India, pp. 508-9.

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