this circumſtance. Arrian, although he uſes an [1] expreſſion denoting clearneſs and tranſparency, allows that it reſembles water impregnated with [2] lead or tin, and that it depoſits a ſediment on ſtanding. He adds, that it does not become putrid by keeping, a quality ſeemingly inconſiſtent with that aſcribed to it by Hippocrates. Very different accounts of this river are given by other writers. Although Hippocrates repreſents it as the moſt itagnant of all rivers, others deſcribe it as rapid and violent;,
rapidas limoſi Phaſidis undas. Ovid. Met. lib. vii. ver. 5.
Magnus ubi adverſum ſpumanti Phaſis in æquor
Ore ruit. Val. Flacc. lib. v. ver. 179.
But I think theſe ſeemingly oppoſite accounts may be reconciled, if we conſider, that this river riſes among the mountains of Armenia, which during a conſiderable part of the year are covered with ſnow
[3], and which that remains unmelted, the river may be as Hippocrates repreſents it; but on the melting of the ſnow, it may become rapid and violent, like other rivers that riſe in mountainous countries. It is called Nivoſi by [4] Statius, which indicates ſomewhat of this kind. [5] Hippocrates alſo mentions, that large and violent ſhowers frequently fall in that region, which might contribute to ſwell it. [6]Plutarch ſays, that this river was formerly
- ↑ Καθαρώτατον.
- ↑ Chardin makes the ſame obſervation. L'eau en ell fort bonne A boire, quoique elſe foil trouble, épaiſſe, et de couleur de plomb. Vol. i. p. 148.
- ↑ Mount Niphates, which lies to the South of the ſource of the Phaiis, had its name from the ſnows, which cover it; and Mount Caucaſus is ſo called from the ſame circumſtance. Νιφάτης, ſic dictus ἀπὸ τῆς νιφάδος, a nivibus. Vid. Stephan.— Et Caueaſum montem, Graucaſum hoc eſt nive candidum. Plin. lib. vi. c. 17. Le haut du mont Caucaſe eſt perpétuellernent couvert de neige. Chardin, liv. i. pag. 155.
- ↑ Thebaid. lib.xiui. ver. 182.
- ↑ Ὄμβροι τε αὐτόθι γίγνονται πᾶσαν ὥρην πουλοί τε, καὶ ἰσχυροί. Hippocr. § . 83.
- ↑ Plut. de Fluv.
called
