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

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Frag. XVII.

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

Frag. XVIII.

Frag. XIX.

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4708365Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian — Frag. XVIII.John Watson McCrindleMegasthenes

Fragm. XVIII.

Pliny, Hist. Nat. VI. 24. 1.

Of Taprobane.^[1]

Megasthenês says that Taprobane is separated from the mainland by a river; that the inhabitants are called Palaiogonoi,^[2] and that their country is more productive of gold and large pearls than India.

Solin. 53. 3.

Taprobane is separated from India by a river flowing between: for one part of it abounds with wild beasts and elephants much larger than India breeds, and man claims the other part.

↑ This island has been known by many names:—

1. Lanka.—The only name it goes by in Sanskṛit, and quite unknown to the Greeks and Romans.

2. Simundu or Palesimundu.—Probably a Greek form of the Sanskṛit Pâli-Simanta. This name had gone out of use before the time of Ptolemy the Geographer.

3. Taprobane.—Supposed to represent the Sanskṛit Tâmraparṇi (red-leaved' or 'copper-coloured sand'), a slightly altered form of the Pâli Taṁbapañṇî, which is found in the inscription of Aśoka on the Gîrnâr rock. Vide ante, vol. V. p. 272.

4. Salice (perhaps properly Saline), Serendivus, Sirlediba, Serendib, Zeilan, Ceylon. These are all considered to be derivatives from Siñala, the Pâli form of Siñhala, 'the abode of lions.' The affix dib represents the Sanskṛit dvîpa, 'an island.'
↑ Lassen has tried to account for the name Palaiogonoi thus (Dissert. de insula Taprob. p. 9):—"We must suppose that Megasthenes was acquainted with the Indian myth that the first inhabitants of the island were said to have been Râkshasas or giants, the sons of the progenitors of the world, whom he might not inaptly call Palaiogonoi." Against this it may be remarked that, by this unusual term and so uncommon, Megasthenês meant to name the nation, not describe it; and next that Megasthenês is not in the habit of translating names, but of rendering them according to sound with some degree of paronomasia; lastly, that, shortly after, we find the name of Taprobane and of its capital Παλαισιμούνδος, quite like to Παλαιόγονοι. Accordingly as Lassen explains Παλαισιμούνδος, the name of the capital, by the Sanskrit Pâli-simânta ('head of the sacred doctrine'), I would also prefer to explain the name of the Palaiogonoi from the Sanskrit Pâli-janâs (i.e. 'men of the sacred doctrine').—Schwanbeck, p. 38, n. 35.

[1] This island has been known by many names:—

1. Lanka.—The only name it goes by in Sanskṛit, and quite unknown to the Greeks and Romans.

2. Simundu or Palesimundu.—Probably a Greek form of the Sanskṛit Pâli-Simanta. This name had gone out of use before the time of Ptolemy the Geographer.

3. Taprobane.—Supposed to represent the Sanskṛit Tâmraparṇi (red-leaved' or 'copper-coloured sand'), a slightly altered form of the Pâli Taṁbapañṇî, which is found in the inscription of Aśoka on the Gîrnâr rock. Vide ante, vol. V. p. 272.

4. Salice (perhaps properly Saline), Serendivus, Sirlediba, Serendib, Zeilan, Ceylon. These are all considered to be derivatives from Siñala, the Pâli form of Siñhala, 'the abode of lions.' The affix dib represents the Sanskṛit dvîpa, 'an island.'

[2] Lassen has tried to account for the name Palaiogonoi thus (Dissert. de insula Taprob. p. 9):—"We must suppose that Megasthenes was acquainted with the Indian myth that the first inhabitants of the island were said to have been Râkshasas or giants, the sons of the progenitors of the world, whom he might not inaptly call Palaiogonoi." Against this it may be remarked that, by this unusual term and so uncommon, Megasthenês meant to name the nation, not describe it; and next that Megasthenês is not in the habit of translating names, but of rendering them according to sound with some degree of paronomasia; lastly, that, shortly after, we find the name of Taprobane and of its capital Παλαισιμούνδος, quite like to Παλαιόγονοι. Accordingly as Lassen explains Παλαισιμούνδος, the name of the capital, by the Sanskrit Pâli-simânta ('head of the sacred doctrine'), I would also prefer to explain the name of the Palaiogonoi from the Sanskrit Pâli-janâs (i.e. 'men of the sacred doctrine').—Schwanbeck, p. 38, n. 35.

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