[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) › 18.3 # Ἰνδικά 18.3: Strabo XV, p. 702 de Gange Ἰνδικά 18.3 - **Language:** Ancient Greek ### [18.3](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.3) Λέγουσιν οἱ μὲν τριάκοντα σταδίων τοὐλάχιστον πλάτος, οἱ δὲ καὶ τριῶν· Μεγασθένης δὲ, ὅταν ᾖ μέτριος, καὶ ἐς ἑκατὸν εὐρύνεσθαι, βάθος δὲ εἴκοσι ὀργυιῶν τοὐλάχιστον. Ἐπὶ δὲ συμβολῇ τούτου κτλ. > The Prinas and the Cainas (a tributary of the Ganges) are both navigable rivers. The tribes which dwell by the Ganges are the Calingae, nearest the sea, and higher up the Mandei, also the Malli, among whom is Mount Mallus, the boundary of all that region being the Ganges. Some have asserted that this river, like the Nile, rises from unknown sources, and in a similar way waters the country it flows through, while others trace its source to the Skythian mountains. Nineteen rivers are said to flow into it, of which, besides those already mentioned, the Condochates, Erannoboas, Cosoagus, and Sonus are navigable. > According to other accounts, it bursts at once with thundering roar from its fountain, and tumbling down a steep and rocky channel lodges in a lake as soon as it reaches the level plain, whence it issues forth with a gentle current, being nowhere less than eight miles broad, while its mean breadth is a hundred stadia, and its least depth twenty fathoms. > Solin. 52. 6-7. > In India the largest rivers are the Ganges and the Indus, — the Ganges, as some maintain, rising from uncertain sources, and, like the Nile, overflowing its banks; while others think that it rises in the Skythian mountains. In India there is also the Hupanis, a very noble river, which formed the limit of Alexander's march, as the altars set up on its banks testify. The least breadth of the Ganges is eight miles, and the greatest twenty. Its depth where least is fully one hundred feet. > Conf. Fragm. XXV. 1. > Some say that the least breadth is thirty stadia, but others only three; while Megasthenes says that the mean breadth is a hundred stadia, and its least depth twenty orguias. > — John Watson McCrindle 1877, Ancient India as Described by Megasthenês and Arrian - [Previous: 18.2](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.2) - [Next: 19.1](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.19.1) - [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.20b) — John Watson McCrindle 1877, English - [Latin translation (Müller)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes*fhg~la-muller.18.3) — Karl Müller, Latin --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.3](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.gr.hellenistic.megasthenes.18.3) · Pramāṇa