Γεωγραφικα 2.1.21

2.1.21

καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς δὲ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιχειρῶν ἢ ταὐτὰ λέγει τοῖς ἐξελεγχθεῖσιν ὑφʼ ἡμῶν, ἢ λήμμασι προσχρῆται ψευδέσιν, ἢ ἐπιφέρει τὸ μὴ ἀκολουθοῦν. οὔτε γὰρ τῷ ἀπὸ Βαβυλῶνος εἰς Θάψακον εἶναι σταδίους τετρακισχιλίους ὀκτακοσίους, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἄρκτον ἐπὶ τὰ Ἀρμένια ὄρη χιλίους ἑκατόν, ἀκολουθεῖ τὸ ἀπὸ Βαβυλῶνος ἐπὶ τοῦ διʼ αὐτῆς μεσημβρινοῦ ἐπὶ τὰ ἀρκτικὰ ὄρη πλείους εἶναι τῶν ἑξακισχιλίων· οὔτε τὸ ἀπὸ Θαψάκου ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη χιλίων καὶ ἑκατόν φησιν Ἐρατοσθένης, ἀλλʼ εἶναί τι λοιπὸν ἀκαταμέτρητον, ὥσθʼ ἡ ἑξῆς ἔφοδος ἐκ μὴ διδομένου λήμματος οὐκ ἂν ἐπεραίνετο· οὔτʼ ἀπεφήνατο οὐδαμοῦ Ἐρατοσθένης τὴν Θάψακον τῆς Βαβυλῶνος πρὸς ἄρκτους κεῖσθαι πλείοσιν ἢ τετρακισχιλίοις καὶ πεντακοσίοις σταδίοις.

In the instances which follow, Hipparchus, treating of these subjects, either asserts things similar to those which we have already refuted, or takes for granted matters which are not so, or draws improper sequences. For instance, from the computation [of Eratosthenes] that the distance from Babylon to Thapsacus is 4800 stadia, and thence northward to the mountains of Armenia 2100 stadia more, it does not follow that, starting from the meridian of that city, the distance to the northern mountains is above 6000 stadia. Besides, Eratosthenes never says that the distance from Thapsacus to these mountains is 2100 stadia, but that a part thereof has never yet been measured; so that this argument [of Hipparchus], founded on a false hypothesis, amounts to nothing. Nor (lid Eratosthenes ever assert that Thapsacus lies more than 4500 stadia north of Babylon.