Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/162

 148 STRABO. BOOK n. sioned by the monsoons bringing up from the north innumer- able clouds, which discharge themselves on the highest lands,) it-would be better to suppose this a third narrow temperate zone, than to extend the two temperate zones within the circles of the tropics. This supposition is supported by the statements of Posidonius, that the course of the sun, whether in the ecliptic, or from east to west, appears most rapid in the region [of which we are speaking], because the rotations of that luminary are performed with a speed increased in proportion to the greater size of the circle. 1 3. Posidonius blames Polybius for asserting that the region of the earth, situated under the equator, is the highest, since a spherical body being equal all round, no part can be de- scribed as high ; and as to mountainous districts, there are none under the equator, it is on the contrary a flat country, about the same level as the sea ; as for the rains which swell the Nile, they descend from the mountains of Ethiopia. Al- though advancing this, he afterwards seems to adopt the other opinion, for he says that he fancies there may be mountains under the equator, around which the clouds assembling from both of the temperate zones, produce violent rains. Here is one manifest contradiction; again, in stating that the land under the equator is mountainous, another contradiction ap- pears. For they say that the ocean is confluent, how then can they place mountains in the midst of it ? unless they mean to say that there are islands. However, whether such be the fact does not lie within the province of geography to determine, the inquiry would better be left to him who makes the ocean in particular his study. 4. Posidonius, in speaking of those who have sailed round Africa, tells us that Herodotus was of opinion that some of those sent out by Darius actually performed this enterprise; 2 and 1 Gosselin justly observes that this passage, which is so concise as to appear doubtful to some, is properly explained by a quotation from Ge- minus, which states the arguments adduced by Polybius for believing that there was a temperate region within the torrid zones. 2 Strabo seems to confound the account (Herodotus iv. 44) of the ex- pedition sent by Darius round southern Persia and Arabia with the cir- cumnavigation of Libya, (Herod, iv. 4'2,) which Necho II. confided to the Phosnicians about 600 B. c., commanding them distinctly " to return to Egypt through the passage of the Pillars of Hercules." See Humboldt's Cosmos, ii. 4b8, note, Bonn's edition.