Geography

”Now, as for me,” says he (Posidonius), “I have come as far as the story about Eudoxus; but what happened later is natural for those from Gadeira and Iberia to know.” And from all these things, he says, it is demonstrated that the inhabited world is surrounded in a circle by the Ocean; “For no bond of a continent encloses it, but it is poured out into infinity; and nothing defiles it.” Posidonius is indeed remarkable in every way, since he regarded the circumnavigation of the magus, which Heraclides mentioned, as without witness, and also that of those sent by Darius, which Herodotus relates, but places this Bergaean narrative in the category of things to be believed, whether it was fabricated by himself or believed when fabricated by others. For what, in the first place, is the probability of the adventure concerning the Indian? For the Arabian Gulf is narrow like a river and long for about ten thousand stades as far as its mouth, and this mouth itself is entirely narrow; and it is not likely either that the Indians, keeping their course somewhere outside, were forced into the gulf by wandering (for the narrowness from the mouth was bound to make their wandering clear to them), or that for those who had been brought into the gulf on purpose there was still any excuse of wandering and unstable winds. And how did they allow all of themselves to perish of hunger except one? And how was the survivor able, all by himself, to steer the ship, which was not small, being capable of crossing such vast seas? And what was his rapid learning of the language, by which he was able to persuade the king that he was capable of guiding the voyage? And what was the scarcity to Euergetes of such guides, when the sea in this direction was already known by many? And how did the treaty-bearer and sacred messenger of the Cyzicenes leave his city and sail to India? And how was he trusted with such a great mission? And how, when on his return he was deprived of everything contrary to his expectation and disgraced, was he trusted with an even greater preparation of gifts? And on his return, having been carried away to Ethiopia, for what purpose did he either write down their languages or inquire where the prow of the fishing boat had drifted from? For to learn that it was a shipwreck of those sailing from the west was bound to be of no sign to anyone, since he himself was also bound to sail from the west during his return. But having arrived then at Alexandria, when he was caught having embezzled many things, how was he not punished, but even went around inquiring of the ship-captains, showing them the prow at the same time? And is not the one who recognized it remarkable? And is not the one who believed him even more remarkable, and who on such a hope returned to his home and made a resettlement from there to the region outside the Pillars? But indeed it was not even permitted to put to sea from Alexandria without a warrant, and that too for one who had embezzled royal property. Nor indeed was it possible to sail out secretly, with the harbor and the other exits closed by so great a garrison, as we ourselves knew to be still remaining when we resided in Alexandria for a long time, although things now are much relaxed, since the Romans hold it; but the royal garrisons were much more severe. And when he also set out for Gadeira, and having built ships, sailed in a royal fashion, when his ship was wrecked, how did he build a third boat in the wilderness? And how, sailing again and having found the western Ethiopians speaking the same tongue as the eastern ones, did he not desire to accomplish the subsequent voyage, being so vain toward travel abroad, having hoped to have but a small unknown part remaining, but abandoning these things, desired the voyage through Bogus? And how did he know the plot secretly being formed against him? And what gain was this to Bogus, the disappearance of the man, when it was possible to send him away otherwise? And having known the plot, how did he escape beforehand to safe places? For each of such things is not indeed impossible, but difficult and happening rarely with some luck; but to him it always happened to be lucky when placed in continuous dangers. And how did he not fear, having run away from Bogus, to sail again along Libya with a preparation capable of colonizing an island? These things, therefore, do not fall far short of the falsehoods of Pytheas, Euhemerus, and Antiphanes. But to those men there is pardon, practicing this very thing, just like jugglers; but to a man of demonstration and a philosopher, and one who, so to speak, is competing even for the first place, who would grant pardon? These things, then, are not well.