[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Foreign](https://indike.org/pramana/inf) › [Greek](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr) › [Hellenistic (323–31 BCE)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic) › [Ἰνδικά](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes) › 10 # Ἰνδικά 10: Strabo XV, p. 703 Ἰνδικά 10 - **Language:** Ancient Greek ### [10](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.10) Καὶ τίγρεις δ’ ἐν ταῖς Πρασίοις φησὶν ὁ Μεγασθένης γίνεσθαι μεγίστους, σχεδὸν δέ τι καὶ διπλασίους λεόντων· δυνατοὺς δὲ ὥστε τῶν ἡμέρων τινὰ, ἀγόμενον ὑπὸ τεττάρων, τῷ ὀπισθίῳ σκέλει δραξάμενον ἡμιόνου, βιάσασθαι καὶ ἑλκύσαι πρὸς ἑαυτόν. Κερκοπιθήκους δὲ μείζους τῶν μεγίστων κυνῶν, λευκοὺς πλὴν τοῦ προσώπου· τοῦτο δ’ εἶναι μέλαν· παρ’ ἄλλοις δ’ ἀνάπαλιν· τὰς δὲ κέρκους μείζους δυοῖν πήχεων· ἡμερωτάτους δὲ καὶ οὐ κακοήθεις περὶ ἐπιθέσεις καὶ κλοπάς. Λίθους δ’ ὀρύττεσθαι λιβανόχρους, γλυκυτέρους σύκων ἢ μέλιτος. Ἀλλαχοῦ δὲ διπήχεις ὄφεις ὑμενοπτέρους ὥσπερ αἱ νυκτερίδες·, καὶ τούτους δὲ νύκτωρ πέτεσθαι, σταλαγμοὺς ἀφιέντας οὔρων, τοὺς δὲ ἱδρώτων διασήποντας τὸν χρῶτα τοῦ μὴ φυλαξαμένου· καὶ σκορπίους εἶναι πτηνοὺς, ὑπερβάλλοντας μεγέθεσι (cf. fr. 11)· φύεσθαι δὲ καὶ ἔβενον· εἶναι δὲ καὶ κύνας ἀλκίμους, οὐ πρότερον μεθιέντας τὸ δηχθὲν πρὶν εἰς τοὺς ῥώθωνας ὕδωρ καταχυθῆναι· ἐνίοις δ’ ὑπὸ προθυμίας ἐν τῷ δήγματι διαστρέφεσθαι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, τοῖς δὲ καὶ ἐκπίπτειν· κατασχεθῆναι δὲ καὶ λέοντα ὑπὸ κυνὸς καὶ ταῦρον· τὸν δὲ ταῦρον καὶ ἀποθανεῖν κρατούμενον τοῦ ῥύγχους πρότερον ἢ ἀφεθῆναι. > Next \[to the Prasii\] in the interior are the Monedes and the Suari, to whom belongs Mount Maleus, on which shadows fall towards the north in winter, and in summer to the south, for six months alternately. The Bears, Baeton says, in that part of the country are only once visible in the course of the year, and not for more than fifteen days. Megasthenes says that this takes place in many parts of India. > Conf. Solin. 52. 13:— > Beyond Palibothra is Mount Maleus, on which shadows fall in winter towards the north, and in summer towards the south, for six months alternately. The North Pole is visible in that part of the country once in the course of the year, and not for longer than fifteen days, as Baeton informs us, who allows that this occurs in many parts of India. > — John Watson McCrindle 1877, Ancient India as Described by Megasthenês and Arrian - [Previous: 9](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.9) - [Next: 11](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.11) ## Translations (2) - [Ancient India as Described by Megasthenês and Arrian](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes~en-mccrindle.10) — John Watson McCrindle 1877, English - [Latin translation (Müller)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes*fhg~la-muller.10) — Karl Müller, Latin ## Discussed in (1) - [The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.rapson-1922.v1.c26.84) — Rapson 1922, English --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.10](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.10) · Pramāṇa