Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/461

 B. vii. c. i. 5. GERMANY. 447 those who were dearest to him, he being held in honour by the Romans. There was also led in triumph Libes the priest of the Chatti, and many other prisoners of the various van- quished nations, the Cathylci and the Ampsani, the Bructeri, the Usipi, the Cherusci, the Chatti, the Chattuarii, the Landi, 1 the Tubattii. 2 The Rhine is distant from the Elbe about 3000 stadia, if one could travel in a direct line ; but we are compelled to go a circuitous route, on account of the windings of the marshes and the woods. 5. The Hercynian Forest 3 is extremely dense, and over- grown with very large trees, covering an immense circuit of country, fortified by nature. In the midst of it is situated the region well suited for habitation, of which we have spoken. Near this forest are the sources of the Danube and the Rhine, and the lake 4 situated between these, together with the marshes formed by the Rhine. The circuit of the lake is more than 300 5 stadia, and the distance across about 200. In this lake is an island which served Tiberius as an arsenal, in the naval war with the Vindelici. This lake is south of the sources of the Danube and the Hercynian Forest, so that in passing from Keltica 6 to the forest, one has first to cross the lake, then the Danube, and afterwards by a more passable country, and over elevated plains, you approach the forest. When Tiberius had proceeded but one day's journey from the lake, he came in sight of the sources of the Danube. 7 The territory of the Rhreti 8 borders some portion of this lake, but the greater part of the shores belong to the Helvetii 9 1 Cluverius considers these were the Marsi of Tacitus, Annal. lib. ii. cap. 25. 2 Called Tubantes by the Roman writers. 3 Schwartz Wald, or Black Forest. 4 The Lake Constance. 5 Strabo could hardly have intended 300, since the diameter of the lake is given at 200. Velser conjectures that 500 or 600 would be the proper reading. Its exact circumference is about 550 stadia. 6 Gossellin considers that by Keltica we are to understand Cisalpine Gaul, and the neighbourhood of Milan and Mantua. 7 Gossellin says that the sources of the Danube are about 14 leagues distant from the western extremity of the Lake Constance. 8 The Rhaeti possessed the countries of the Grisons and the Tyrol, ex- tending to the eastern shores of the Lake Constance. 9 The Helvetii, or Swiss, possessed the southern borders of the Lake Constance.