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is that by which the Greeks anciently designated the Arabs;
the etymon of the word certainly strengthens the idea. Many
deduce the etymology of the Erembi from ἔραν ἐμβαίνειν, (to go
into the earth,) which [they say] was altered by the people of a
later generation into the more intelligible name of Troglodytes, note
by which are intended those Arabs who dwell on that side of
the Arabian Gulf next to Egypt and Ethiopia. It is probable
then that the poet describes Menelaus as having visited these
people in the same way that he says he visited the Ethiopians;
for they are likewise near to the Thebaid; and he mentions them
not on account of any commerce or gain, (for of these there
was not much,) but probably to enhance the length of the
journey and his meed of praise: for such distant travelling
was highly thought of. For example,—
Discover'd various cities, and the mind
Odyssey i. 3.
And manners learn'd of men in lands remote. note
After numerous toils
Odyssey iv. 81.
And perilous wanderings o'er the stormy deep,
In the eighth year at last I brought them home. noteAnd the daughter of Arabus, whom gracious Hermes and Thronia,
descended from king Belus, brought forth.
Thus, too, says Stesichorus. Whence it seems that at that
time the country was from him named Arabia, though it is
not likely this was the case in the heroic period. note
35
There are many who would make the Erembi a tribe of the Ethiopians, or of the Cephenes, or again of the Pygmies, and a thousand other fancies. These ought to be regarded with little trust; since their opinion is not only incredible, but they evidently labour under a certain confusion as to the
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Strabo, Geography (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Str.].