Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/183

 CHAP. v. 5. INTRODUCTION. 169 description of the earth we inhabit ; its size, form, nature, and the proportion it bears to the whole earth. These latter points >i are the peculiar business of the geographer. He will next I enter on a particular description of every thing deserving no- tice, whether on land or sea ; he will likewise point out what- ever has been improperly stated by those who have preceded him, especially by those who are regarded as chief authorities in these matters. 1 5. Let it be supposed that the earth and sea together form a spheroidal body, and preserve one and the same level in all the seas. For though some portions of the earth may be higher, yet this bears so small a relation to the size of the whole mass, as need not be noticed. The spheroid in conse- quence is not so minutely exact as one might be made by the aid of a turner's instrument, or as would answer the definition of a geometer, still in general appearance, and looked at rough- ly, it is a spheroid. Let the earth be supposed to consist of five zones, with (1.) the equatorial circle described round it, (2.) another parallel to this, 2 and defining the frigid zone of the northern hemisphere, and (3.) a circle passing through the poles, and cutting the two preceding circles at right angles. The northern hemisphere contains two quarters of the earth, which are bounded by the equator and the circle passing through the poles. Each of these [quarters] should be supposed to contain a four-sided district, its northern side being composed of one half of the parallel next the pole ; its southern, by the half of the equator ; and its remaining sides, by [two] segments of the circle drawn through the poles, opposite to each other, and equal in length. In one of these quadrilaterals (which of them is of no consequence) the earth that we inhabit is situ- ated, surrounded by sea, and similar to an island. This, as we said before, is evident both to our senses and to our reason. But should any one doubt thereof, it makes no difference so far as Geography is concerned, whether you suppose the por- tion of the earth we inhabit to be an island, or only admit what we know from experience, viz. that whether you start 1 From this point Strabo, strictly speaking, commences his exposition of the principles of Geography. 2 Strabo supposed this circle at a distance of 38,100 stadia from the equator, or 54 25' 42" of latitude.