Greek Texts & Translations

portion of Gedrosia occupied by the Ichthyophagi, and India; and on the other side ^note the countries situated south of Cyrene by rather less than 5000 stadia. 37

In all the countries situated between the tropic and the equatorial circle, the shadows fall [alternately] on either side, north and south. In those which are north of Syene and beyond the summer tropic the shadows at mid-day fall to the north. The former are called amphiscii, the latter heteroscii. There is also another method of determining what places are under the tropic, which we spoke of in our observations on the zones. The soil is sandy, arid, and produces nothing but silphium, while more to the south the land is well irrigated and fertile. 38

In the countries situated about 400 stadia south of the parallel of Alexandria and Cyrene, where the longest day consists of fourteen equinoctial hours, Arcturus passes the zenith, slightly declining towards the south. At Alexandria at the time of the equinox the proportion which the gnomon bears to the shadow is as five to seven. ^note Thus they are south of Carthage 1300 stadia, that is, admitting that in Carthage at the time of the equinox the proportion which the gnomon bears to the shadow is as eleven to seven. This parallel on the one side ^note passes by Cyrene and the regions 900 stadia south of Carthage as far as the midst of Maurusia; ^note and on the other side ^note through Egypt, ^note Coelosyria, Upper Syria, Babylonia, Susiana, ^note Persia, ^note Carmania, ^note Upper Gedrosia, ^note and India. 39

At Ptolemais in Phoenicia, ^note and at Sidon ^note and Tyre, ^note the longest day consists of fourteen hours and a quarter. These cities are north of Alexandria by about 1600 stadia, and north of Carthage about 700. In the Peloponnesus, and about the middle of Rhodes, at Xanthus ^note in Lycia, or a little to the south of this place, and at 400 stadia south of Syracuse, ^note the longest day consists of fourteen and a half equinoctial hours. These places are distant from Alexandria 3640 stadia. . . .