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and leaving reaped the harvest, complete the expedition lie had intended from the beginning. 5
Thus far, says Posidonius, I have followed the history
of Eudoxus. What happened afterwards is probably known
to the people of Gades and Iberia; but, says he, all these
things only demonstrate more clearly the fact, that the in-
habited earth is entirely surrounded by the ocean.
By no continent fettered in,
Posidonius is certainly a most strange writer; he considers
that the voyage of the Magus, note related by Heraclides, wants
sufficient evidence, and also the account given by Herodotus
of those sent out [to explore] by Darius. But this Bergaean note
nonsense, either the coinage of his own brain, or of some other
story-teller, in whom he trusts, he pretends to be worthy of
our belief. But in the first place, what is there credible in this
tale of the Indian missing his way? The Arabian Gulf, which
resembles a river, is narrow, and in length is from 5000 to
10,000 stadia up to its mouth, where it is narrowest of all. It
is not likely that the Indians in their voyage out would have entered this Gulf by mistake. The extreme narrowness of the
mouth must have warned them of their error. And if they entered it voluntarily, then there was no excuse for introducing
the pretext of mistake and uncertain winds. And how did they
suffer all of themselves but one to perish through hunger? And
how was it that this surviver was able to manage the ship, which
could not have been a small one either, fitted as it was for
traversing such vast seas? What must have been his aptitude in learning the language of the country, and thus being
able to persuade the king of his competence, as leader of the
expedition? And how came it that Euergetes was in want of
such guides, so many being already acquainted with this sea?
How was it that he who was sent by the inhabitants of Cyzicus to carry libations and sacrifices, should forsake his city
and sail for India? How was it that so great an affair was
But boundless in its flow, and free from soil.
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Strabo, Geography (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Str.].