Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/23

Bosphorus to Ionia. Their climate he characterizes as dismal, in the following lines:—

“With clouds and darkness veil’d, on whom the sunDeigns not to look with his beam-darting eye*   *   *   *   *But sad night canopies the woeful race.”^[1]

He must also have been acquainted with the Ister,^{[p 1]} since he speaks of the Mysians, a Thracian race, dwelling on the banks of the Ister. He knew also the whole Thracian^[2] coast adjacent thereto, as far as the Peneus,^{[p 2]} for he mentions individually the Pæonians, Athos, the Axius,^{[p 3]} and the neighbouring islands. From hence to Thesprotis^{[p 4]} is the Grecian shore, with the whole of which he was acquainted. He was besides familiar with the whole of Italy, and speaks of Temese^[3] and the Sicilians, as well as the Whole of Spain^[4] and its fertility, as we have said before. If he omits various intermediate places this must be pardoned, for even the compiler of a Geography overlooks numerous details. We must forgive him too for intermingling fabulous narrative with his historical and instructive work. This should not be complained of; nevertheless, what Eratosthenes says is false, that the poets aim at amusement, not instruction, since those who have treated upon the subject most profoundly, regard poesy in the light of a primitive philosophy. But we shall refute Eratosthenes^[5] more at length, when we have occasion again to speak of Homer.

1. They are covered with shadows and darkness, nor does the shining sun behold them with his beams, … but pernicious night is spread over hapless mortals. Odyssey xi. 15 and 19.
2. Ancient Thrace consisted of the modern provinces of Bulgaria and Roumelia.
3. Afterwards named Temsa. This town was in Citerior Calabria. Some think Torre de Nocera stands on the ancient site.
4. This is a misstatement, as before remarked.
5. This writer occupies so prominent a position in Strabo’s work, that no apology I think will be needed for the following extract from Smith’s Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
   “Eratosthenes of Cyrene was, according to Suidas, the son of Aglaus, according to others, the son of Ambrosius, and was born B. C. 276. He was taught by Ariston of Chius, the philosopher, Lysanias of Cyrene, the grammarian, and Callimachus, the poet. He left Athens at the invitation

1. The Danube.
2. A river of Thessaly, named at present Salampria.
3. Now the river Vardari.
4. Thesprotis, in Epirus, opposite Corfu.