This page has been validated.
Historical Introduction
born Aphrodite did fall to his opponent nine times in sequence; while he himself could throw nought but the obscene Bow-wow; and this although the bland one professed an entire nescience of the game and a willingness to be instructed in it. So perceiving that such an event could harmonise in no way with the eternal unities and reciprocities, Pythagoras fled straightway from that land, fearing to meet perchance with some greater mishap.
And going on ever to the rising of the sun he came at last to the country which we call Kamschatka, but which then was named Cynosimus or Dog's Nose,[1] so reaching at last the verge of Asia would
- ↑ And here be it observed that concerning no matter has there been more dispute than concerning the meaning of this word, and no fewer than seven different interpretations have been assigned to the same. And, imprimis, it is argued that the name arises from the land jutting out into the sea somewhat in the shape of a nose: secondly, that it comes from the water round those coasts resembling in colour the liquid called "dog's nose" (which Pillicoddius stiffly maintaineth to have been known to the ancients under the name of "frigidum sine"); thirdly, because the inhabitants of the country were Scythians or Tartars, who as Procuratorius Omniscientius
26
