Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/314

 300 STRABO. CASAUB. 201. zone would be destitute of cultivated fruits, and almost de- prived of the domestic animals ; that their food would con- sist of millet, herbs, fruits, and roots ; and that where there was corn and honey they would make drink of these. That , tEey would thresh their corn ? "and store it in vast_granaries, threshing-iloors being useless on account oftEeTrain and want ol' sun. CHAPTER VI. THE ALPS. 1. HAVING described Keltica beyond the Alps, 1 and the nations who inhabit the country, we must now speak of the Alps themselves and their inhabitants, and afterwards of the whole of Italy ; observing in our description such arrange- ment as the nature of the country shall point out. The Alps do not commence at Monoeci Portus, 2 as some have asserted, but from the region whence the Apennines take their rise about Genoa, a mercantile city of the Ligurians, and at the marshes named Sabatorum Vada ; 3 for the Apen- nines take their rise near Genoa, and the Alps near Saba- torum Vada. The distance between Genoa and the Saba- torum Vada is about 260 stadia. About 370 stadia farther on is the little city of Albingaunum, 4 inhabited by Ligurians who are called Ingauni. From thence to the Monceci Portus is 480 stadia. In the interval between is the very considerable city of Albium Intemelium, 5 inhabited by the Intemelii. These names are sufficient to prove that the Alps commence at the Sabbatorum Vada. For the Alps were formerly called Albia and Alpionia, 6 and at the present day the high mountain in the country of the lapodes, 7 next to Ocra and the Alps, is named Albius, showing that the Alps extend so far. t * Transalpine Gaul. 2 Port Monaco. 3 Vadi. 4 Albinga. 5 Vintimille. 6 Kramer conjectures that instead of 'Ari6via, we should read 7 These people occupied the borders of the province of Murlaka, near to Istria, on the Gulf of Venice. Mount Albius is still called Alben.