Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/459

 B. vii. c. i. 4. GERMANY. 445 and Mugilones and Sibini, besides the Seranones, another con- siderable tribe of the Suevi. As I have previously stated, a portion of the Suevi dwells within the Forest, while another portion occupies the territory beyond, on the frontiers of the Getae ; wherefore the nation of the Suevi is the most con- siderable, as it extends from the Rhine as far as the Elbe, arid even a part of them, as the Hermonduri and the Lango- bardi, inhabit the country beyond the Elbe ; but at the pre- sent time these tribes, having been defeated, have retired en- tirely beyond the Elbe. All these nations easily change their abode, on account of the scantiness of provisions, and because they neither cultivate the lands nor accumulate wealth, but dwell in miserable huts, and satisfy their wants from day to day, the most part of their food being supplied by the herd, as amongst the nomade races, and in imitation of them they transfer their households in waggons, wandering with their cattle to any place which may appear most advantageous. There are many other smaller German tribes, as the Cherusci, Chatti, Gamabrivi, 1 Chattuarii, and next the ocean the Si- cambri, Chaubi, 2 Bructeri, 3 Cimbri, Cauci, Caulci, Carnpsi- ani, 4 and many others. In the same direction with the Ems, 5 the Weser 6 and the river Lippe 7 take their course, the latter, distant about 600 stadia from the Rhine, flows through the territory of the Lesser Bructeri. And there is also the river Sala, 8 between which and the Rhine Drusus Germanicus died, whilst in the midst of his victories. He not only subdued the greater part of the German tribes, but also the islands on the coast he passed along, one amongst which is Byrchanis, 9 which he took by siege. 4. All these nations became known through their wars with led to this emendation by Cluverius and others. Cluv. Germ. Antiq. lib. iii. c. 34, page 625. 1 The Gambrivii of Tacitus, Germ. cap. 2. 2 Cluverius considers these were the Chamavi. 3 We have followed Kramer's text. MSS. read Bucteri. 4 For Caulci, Campsiani, Cluverius would read Cathulci, Campsani. A little further on Strabo calls the Campsiani Ampsani. 5 Amasias. 6 Visurgis. 7 Lupias. 8 Salas. 9 Borcum. Pliny calls this island Burchana, and adds, that the Ro- mans gave it the name of Fabaria, on account of the beans (in Latin Faba) which grow there.