Γεωγραφικά 15.1.33

15.1.33

̔η μὲν οὖν μεταξὺ τοῦ Ὑπάνιος καὶ τοῦ Ὑδάσπου λέγεται ἐννέα ἔχειν ἔθνη, πόλεις δὲ εἰς πεντακισχιλίας οὐκ ἐλάττους Κῶ τῆς Μεροπίδος· δοκεῖ δὲ πρὸς ὑπερβολὴν εἰρῆσθαι τὸ πλῆθος· ἡ δὲ μεταξὺ τοῦ Ἰνδοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ὑδάσπου εἴρηται σχεδόν τι ὑφʼ ὧν οἰκεῖται τῶν ἀξίων μνήμης. κάτω δʼ ἑξῆς εἰσιν οἵ τε Σίβαι λεγόμενοι, περὶ ὧν καὶ πρότερον ἐμνήσθημεν, καὶ Μαλλοὶ καὶ Συδράκαι μεγάλα ἔθνη· καὶ Μαλλοὶ μὲν παρʼ οἷς ἀποθανεῖν ἐκινδύνευσεν Ἀλέξανδρος τρωθεὶς ἐν ἁλώσει πολίχνης τινός, Συδράκαι δὲ οὓς τοῦ Διονύσου συγγενεῖς ἔφαμεν μεμυθεῦσθαι. πρὸς αὐτῇ δʼ ἤδη τῇ Παταληνῇ τήν τε τοῦ Μουσικανοῦ λέγουσι καὶ τὴν Σάβου, τὰ Σινδόμανα, καὶ ἔτι τὴν Πορτικανοῦ καὶ ἄλλων ὧν ἐκράτησεν ἁπάντων Ἀλέξανδρος, τὴν τοῦ Ἰνδοῦ παροικούντων ποταμίαν, ὑστάτης δὲ τῆς Παταληνῆς ἣν ὁ Ἰνδὸς ποιεῖ σχισθεὶς εἰς δύο προχοάς. Ἀριστόβουλος μὲν οὖν εἰς χιλίους σταδίους διέχειν ἀλλήλων φησὶν αὐτάς, Νέαρχος δʼ ὀκτακοσίους προστίθησιν, Ὀνησίκριτος δὲ τὴν πλευρὰν ἑκάστην τῆς ἀπολαμβανομένης νήσου τριγώνου τὸ σχῆμα δισχιλίων, τοῦ δὲ ποταμοῦ τὸ πλάτος καθʼ ὃ σχίζεται εἰς τὰ στόματα ὅσον διακοσίων· καλεῖ δὲ τὴν νῆσον Δέλτα καί φησιν ἴσην εἶναι τοῦ κατʼ Αἴγυπτον Δέλτα, οὐκ ἀληθὲς τοῦτο λέγων. τὸ γὰρ κατʼ Αἴγυπτον Δέλτα χιλίων καὶ τριακοσίων λέγεται σταδίων ἔχειν τὴν βάσιν, τὰς δὲ πλευρὰς ἑκατέραν ἐλάττω τῆς βάσεως. ἐν δὲ τῇ Παταληνῇ πόλις ἐστὶν ἀξιόλογος τὰ Πάταλα, ἀφʼ ἧς καὶ ἡ νῆσος καλεῖται.

The territory lying between the Hypanis and the Hydaspes is said to contain nine nations and five thousand cities, not less in size than Cos Meropis; but the number seems to be exaggerated. We have already mentioned nearly all the nations deserving of notice, which inhabit the country situated between the Indus and the Hydaspes.
Below, and next in order, are the people called Sibae, whom we formerly mentioned, and the great nations, the Malli and Sydracae (Oxydracae). It was among the Malli that Alexander was in danger of losing his life, from a wound he received at the capture of a small city. The Sydracae, we have said, are fabled to be allied to Bacchus.
Near Patalene is placed the country of Musicanus, that of Sabus, whose capital is Sindomana, that of Porticanus, and of other princes who inhabited the country on the banks of the Indus. They were all conquered by Alexander; last of all he made himself master of Patalene, which is formed by the two branches of the Indus. Aristobulus says that these two branches are distant 1000 stadia from each other. Nearchus adds 800 stadia more to this number. Onesicritus reckons each side of the included island, which is of a triangular shape, at 2000 stadia; and the breadth of the river, where it is separated into two mouths, at about 200 stadia. He calls the island Delta, and says that it is as large as the Delta of Egypt; but this is a mistake. For the Egyptian Delta is said to have a base of 1300 stadia, and each of the sides to be less than the base. In Patalene is Patala, a considerable city, from which the island has its name.