Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/427

 CHiap. 4.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 393 tion of the Psylli aud above them again the Lake of Lyco- medes", surrounded with deserts. The Augyla? themselves are situate ahnost midway between Ethiopia which faces the west^, and the region which lies between the two Syrtes, at an equal distance from both. The distance along the coast that lies between the two Syrtes is 250 miles. On it are found the city of (Ea^, the river Cinyps^, and the country of that name, the towns of Neapolis, Graphara^, and Abroto- num**, and the second, surnamed the Greater, Leptis^". AVe next come to the Greater Syrtis, 625 miles in cir- cumference, and at the entrance 312 miles in width ; next after which dwells the nation of the Cisippades. At the bottom of this gulf was the coast of the Lotophagi, whom some writers have called the Alachroae* extending as far as the Altars of the Phila^ni^- ; these Altars are formed of heaps ^ For an account of the Psylli see B. vii. c. 2, They probably dwelt in the vicinitr of the luodera Cape Mesurata. - Xow Lake Lynxama, according to Marcus. 3 Marcus observes that in order properly to understand this passage we must remember that the ancients considered Africa as terminating north of the Equator, and imagined that from the Straits of Hercules the western coast of Africa ran, not towards the south-west, but slanted in a south- easterly direction to the Straits of Babehnandel. ^ The modem Tripoli. ' A iiourishing city with a mixed population of Libyans and Sicihans. It was at this place that Apuleius made his eloqtrcnt and ingenious de- fence against the charge of sorcery brought against liim by his step-sons. AccorcUng to some writers the modem Tripoli is built on its site, wliile other accoimts make it to have been situate six leagues from that city. ^ iS'ow called the W'ady-el-Quaham. " ]lannert is of opinion that this was only another name for the city of Leptis ^[agna or the "Greater Leptis" here mentioned by Pliny. There is little doubt that his supposition is correct. tifies it with the tom of Sfakes. ^ Scylax identifies it with Neapolis or Leptis, and it is generally looked upon as being the same place as Sabrata or OKI Tripoli. 1" Now called Lebida. It was the birth-place of the Emperor Sep- timius Severus. It was almost destroyed by an attack from a Lilnan tribe a.d. 366, and its ruin was completed by the mvasion of the Arabs. Its ruins are considerable. 11 " Men of sea complexion," is the meaning of this Greek name. Ac- cording to Marcus they dwelt bctwivii the (Jreater Leptis niul the Lake Trit(mis, at the present day called Schihkali-el-Loudeah. For a further account of the Lotophagi, see L. xiii. c. 32. 12 Two brothers, citizens of Carthagi', who in a dispute as to tiicir
 * The more common reading is Taplu*a or Taphara. D'Anville iden-