Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/250

 242 STRABO. CASATJB. 508. now called JEniana (JEnia). Grecian armour, brazen vessels, and sepulchres are shown there. There also is a city Ana- riacae, in which it is said an oracle is shown, where the answer is given to those who consult it, during sleep, [and some vestiges of Greek colonization, but all these] tribes are predatory, and more disposed to war than husbandry, which arises from the rugged nature of the country. The greater part of the coast at the foot of the mountainous region is oc- cupied by Cadusii, to the extent of nearly 5000 stadia, accord- ing to Patrocles, who thinks that this sea equals the Euxine in size. These countries are sterile. 2. Hyrcania 1 is very fertile, and extensive, consisting for the most part of plains, and has considerable cities dispersed throughout it, as Talabroce, Samariane, Carta, and the royal residence, Tape, 2 which is said to be situated a little above the sea, and distant 1400 stadia from the Caspian Gates. The following facts are narrated as indications of the fertility of the country. 3 The vine produces a metretes 4 of wine; the fig-tree sixty medimni 5 of fruit ; the corn grows from the seed which falls out of the stalk ; bees make their hives in the trees, and honey drops from among the leaves. This is the case also in the territory of Matiane in Media, and in the Sacasene, and Araxene of Armenia. 6 But neither this country, nor the sea which is named after it, has received proper care and attention from the inhabit- ants, for there are no vessels upon the sea, nor is it turned to any use. According to some writers there are islands on it, ca- pable of being inhabited, in which gold is found. The cause of this neglect is this ; the first governors of Hyrcania were barbarians, Medes, and Persians, and lastly, people who were more oppressive than these, namely, Parthians. The whole of the neighbouring country was the haunt of robbers and wandering tribes, and abounded with tracts of desert land. For a short time Macedonians were sovereigns of the country, but being engaged in war were unable to attend to remote 1 See b. ii. c. i. 14. 2 These names have here probably undergone some change. Talabroce may be the Tambrace or Tembrax of Polybius ; Samariane, the Soconax of Ptolemy ; Carta, Zadra-Carta; and Tape, the Syrinx of Polybius. 3 The text is here corrupt. 4 About 7 gallons. * About 12 gallons. 6 B. ii. c. i. 14.