Γεωγραφικά 1.4.6

1.4.6

παραμυθούμενος δʼ ἐπὶ πλέον, ὅτι κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς ἐπὶ δύσιν διάστημα μεῖζον λέγειν, κατὰ φύσιν φησὶν εἶναι ἀπὸ τῆς ἕω πρὸς τὴν ἑσπέραν μακροτέραν εἶναι τὴν οἰκουμένην, καθάπερ εἰρήκαμεν· ὡς οἱ μαθηματικοί φασι, κύκλον συνάπτειν, συμβάλλουσαν αὐτὴν ἑαυτῇ, ὥστʼ εἰ μὴ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ Ἀτλαντικοῦ πελάγους ἐκώλυε, κἂν πλεῖν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς Ἰβηρίας εἰς τὴν Ἰνδικὴν διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ παραλλήλου, τὸ λοιπὸν μέρος παρὰ τὸ λεχθὲν διάστημα ὑπὲρ τὸ τρίτον μέρος ὂν τοῦ ὅλου κύκλου· εἴπερ ὁ διʼ Ἀθηνῶν ἐλάττων ἐστὶν εἴκοσι μυριάδων, ὅπου πεποιήμεθα τὸν εἰρημένον σταδιασμὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς εἰς τὴν Ἰβηρίαν. οὐδὲ ταῦτα οὖν εὖ λέγει· οὗτος γὰρ ὁ λόγος περὶ μὲν τῆς εὐκράτου καὶ καθʼ ἡμᾶς ζώνης λέγοιτʼ ἂν κατὰ τοὺς μαθηματικούς, ἧς μέρος ἡ οἰκουμένη ἐστί, περὶ δὲ τῆς οἰκουμένης καλοῦμεν γὰρ οἰκουμένην ἣν οἰκοῦμεν καὶ γνωρίζομεν· ἐνδέχεται δὲ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ εὐκράτῳ ζώνῃ καὶ δύο οἰκουμένας εἶναι ἢ καὶ πλείους, καὶ μάλιστα ἐγγὺς τοῦ διʼ Ἀθηνῶν κύκλου τοῦ διὰ τοῦ Ἀτλαντικοῦ πελάγους γραφομένου. πάλιν δὲ ἐπιμένων τῇ περὶ τοῦ σφαιροειδῆ τὴν γῆν εἶναι ἀποδείξει τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως ἂν τυγχάνοι. ὡς δʼ αὕτως καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ὅμηρον οὐ παύεται περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν διαφερόμενος.

Further, endeavouring to support the opinion that it is in accordance with natural philosophy to reckon the greatest dimension of the habitable earth from east to west, he says that, according to the laws of natural philosophy, the habitable earth ought to occupy a greater length from east to west, than its breadth from north to south. The temperate zone, which we have already designated as the longest zone, is that which the mathematicians denominate a continuous circle returning upon itself. So that if the extent of the Atlantic Ocean were not an obstacle, we might easily pass by sea from Iberia to India, still keeping in the same parallel; the remaining portion of which parallel, measured as above in stadia, occupies more than a third of the whole circle: since the parallel drawn through Athens, on which we have taken the distances from India to Iberia, does not contain in the whole 200,000 stadia. Here too his reasoning is incorrect. For this speculation respecting the temperate zone which we inhabit, and whereof the habitable earth is a part, devolves properly on those who make mathematics their study. But it is not equally the province of one treating of the habitable earth. For by this term we mean only that portion of the temperate zone where we dwell, and with which we are acquainted. But it is quite possible that in the temperate zone there may be two or even more habitable earths, especially near the circle of latitude which is drawn through Athens and the Atlantic Ocean. After this he returns to the form of the earth, which he again declares to be spheroidal. Here he exhibits the same churlishness we have previously pointed out, and goes on abusing Homer in his old style. He proceeds: