Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/141

 CHAP. i. $ 30. INTRODUCTION. 127 the Caspian Gates, one to Thapsacus, and the other to the mountains of Armenia opposite Thapsacus, and distant therefrom, according to Hipparchus's own estimate, 2100 stadia at the very least, neither of them would be parallel to each other, nor yet to that line which, passing through Baby- lon, is styled by Eratosthenes the southern side [of the third section]. As he could not inform us of the exact length of the route by the mountains, Eratosthenes tells us the dis- tance between Thapsacus and the Caspian Gates ; in fact, to speak in a general way, he puts this distance in place of the other ; besides, as he merely wanted to give the length of the territory between Ariana and the Euphrates, he was not par- ticular to have the exact measure of either route. To pretend that he considered the lines to be parallel to each other, is evidently to accuse the man of more than childish ignorance, and we dismiss the insinuation as nonsense forthwith. 30. There, however, are some instances in which one may justly accuse Eratosthenes. There is a difference in dissect- ing limb by limb, or merely cutting off portions [indiscrimin- ately], (for in the former you may only separate parts having a natural outline, and distinguished by a regular form ; this the poet alludes to in the expression, " Cutting them limb from limb;" ' whereas in regard to the latter this is not the case,) and we may adopt with propriety either one or other of these plans according to the time and necessity. So in Geography, if you enter into every detail, you may sometimes be compelled to divide your territories into portions, so to speak, but it is a more preferable way to separate them into limbs, than into such chance pieces ; for thus only you can define accurately particular points and boundaries, a thing so necessary to the geographer. When it can be done, the best way to define a country is by the rivers, mountains, or sea ; also, where possible, by the nation or nations [who inhabit it], and by its size and con- figuration. However, in default of a geometrical definition, a simple and general description may be said always to an- swer the purpose. In regard to size, it is sufficient to state the greatest length and breadth ; for example, that the habit - 1 Odyssey ix. 291 ; Iliad x*iv. 409.