[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) › 18.2 # Ἰνδικά 18.2: Idem 5, I Ἰνδικά 18.2 - **Language:** Ancient Greek ### [18.2](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.2) Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον ὅστις ἐθέλει φράζειν τοῦ πλήθεός τε καὶ μεγέθεος τῶν Ἰνδῶν ποταμῶν, φραζέτω· ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ὡς ἀκοὴ ἀναγεγράφθω. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν ποταμῶν οὐνόματα Μεγασθένης ἀνέγραψεν, οἳ ἔξω τοῦ Γάγγεώ τε καὶ τοῦ Ἰνδοῦ ἐκδιδοῦσιν ἐς τὸν ἑῷόν τε καὶ μεσημβρινὸν τὸν ἔξω πόντον· ὥστε τοὺς πάντας ὀκτὼ καὶ πεντήκοντα λέγει ὅτι εἰσὶν Ἰνδοὶ ποταμοὶ ναυσίποροι πάντες. Ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ Μεγασθένης πολλὴν δοκέει μοι ἐπελθεῖν τῆς Ἰνδῶν χώρης, πλήν γε ὅτι πλεῦνα ἢ οἱ ξὺν Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τῷ Φιλίππου ἐπελθόντες. Συγγενέσθαι γὰρ Σανδρακόττῳ λέγει, τῷ μεγίστῳ βασιλέῖ καὶ Πώρῳ, ἔτι τούτου μέζονι (καὶ Πώρου ἔτι τούτῳ μέζονι em. Schwanb.). > Megasthenes says that Taprobane is separated from the mainland by a river; that the inhabitants are called Palaiogonoi, and that their country is more productive of gold and large pearls than India. > Solin. 53. 3. > Taprobane is separated from India by a river flowing between: for one part of it abounds with wild beasts and elephants much larger than India breeds, and man claims the other part. > — John Watson McCrindle 1877, Ancient India as Described by Megasthenês and Arrian - [Previous: 18.1](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.1) - [Next: 18.3](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.3) - [Up: 18](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18) ## Translations (2) - [Ancient India as Described by Megasthenês and Arrian](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes~en-mccrindle.18) — John Watson McCrindle 1877, English - [Latin translation (Müller)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes*fhg~la-muller.18.2) — Karl Müller, Latin --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.2](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.2) · Pramāṇa