Page:The Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology, Volume 1, 1854.djvu/397

 Adversaria. 387 1. In his account of Elis, Vol. I. p. 78, Niebuhr says, " Elis had coal-mines which were worked, but according to Theophras- tus the smiths preferred the Massilian coal." If the lecturer drew his information from Theophrastus's Treatise nep L6<ov, it is plain that his memory altogether failed him ; for Theophrastus asserts directly the contrary. His words are (p. 690, ed. Schneider), Eto-t fie (SC. avdpaiees) irepi re ttjv AiyvoriKijv, oirov Ka to rjXeKrpov, Ka ev t<7 'HXeia fiadi6vrtov 'OXvpniaZe rrjv St' opovs, ols Ka oi ^aX/ceiy xpaJvrai. But the Massilian av6pa% was of a totally different nature, and incombustible. He writes a little lower down, aXXo fie' n yeW *WJ XiBatv ((nrp e' ivavrioav necpvKos, aKavarov oXas, avOpa^ KaXovpeuos, e'| ov Kai <r<ppayLbui yv(povcriv ayerai 8e ovroy i< Kapxrjdovos Kai Mao~(ra[as. 2. In p. 305 he says, " I will take this opportunity of recalling to your mind the passage in Strabo which contains the words Trqyai X^iapov datpaXrov. The MSS. have Kai do~(paTov, but the Ka has been thrown out by the editors. I believe that by some mistake vdaros is omitted, and that we must read n^yal xXmpou vbaros Kai da-cpaXrov. Innumerable emendations have yet to be made in Strabo, and it is to be regretted that his work has not yet found an editor possessing a thorough knowledge of the Greek lan- guage, for Casaubon edited it with too much haste." Now as to this particular passage, Casaubon is altogether without blame. It is true that after the fashion of his day he did not place his correction in the text, but he subjoined the following note (p. 487 ed. Amst. 458 ed. Oxon.), " Scripti xXiap+G ko do-cpdXTov, et ita legas, x^ a poC videlicet vdaros." Where by the way Casaubon is more correct than Niebuhr in affirming that vdaros is to be understood, not supplied, just as calda is used frequently in Latin without aqua. 3. Let me notice one more little inaccuracy in Vol. II. p. 40, same country as late as the time of Theophrastus. The latter indeed speaks of islands, but had not seen them himself." He should have said an island, with both Pliny and Theophrastus. The former, Lib. in. c. 9, Circeii quondam insula immenso quidem mari circumdata TheopJirastus Circeiorum insula} mensuram po- suit stadia octoginta. Theophrastus, Hist. Plant, v. 8, p. 194, TJporepov pev ovv vrjaov etvai ro KipKaiov rrjs fie vfjaov to peyedos oybor)- Kovra orafitovy. Alpitabeticus.
 * ' Pliny states in the same breath that a lake had covered the