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Γεωγραφικά 2.3

Ancient India as Described in Classical Literature (Strabo, book 15) 2.3

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2.3.4

II. iii. 4. He (Posidonios) also narrates how a certain Eudoxus of Cyzicus . . . travelled into Egypt in the reign of Euergetes ii. (Physcon); and being a learned man and much interested in the peculiarities of different countries, he made interest with the king and his ministers on the subject, but especially for exploring the Nile. It chanced that a certain Indian was brought to the king by the (coast) guard of the Arabian Gulf. They reported that they had found him in a ship alone, and half dead: but that they neither knew who he was nor where he came from, as he spoke a language they could not understand. He was placed in the hands of preceptors appointed to teach him the Greek language, on acquiring which he related how he had started from the coast of India, but lost his course, and reached Egypt alone, all his companions having perished with hunger; but that if he were restored to his country he would point out to those sent with him by the king the route by sea to India. Eudoxus was of the number thus sent. He set sail with a good supply of presents, and brought back with him in exchange aromatics and precious stones, some of which the Indians collect from amongst the pebbles of the rivers, others they dig out of the earth, where they have been formed by the moisture, as crystals are formed with us. (He fancied he had made his fortune), however, he was greatly deceived, for Euergetes took possession of the whole treasure. On the death of that prince, his widow, Cleopatra, assumed the reins of government, and Eudoxus was again despatched with a richer cargo than before. On his journey back, he was carried by the winds above Ethiopia, and being thrown on certain (unknown) regions, he conciliated the inhabitants by presents of grain, wine, and cakes of pressed figs, articles which they were without; receiving in exchange a supply of water, and guides for the journey. He also wrote down several words of their language, and having found the end of a prow, with a horse carved on it, which he was told formed part of the wreck of a vessel coming from the west, he took it with him, and proceeded on his homeward course. He arrived safely in Egypt, where no longer Cleopatra, but her son, ruled; but he was again stripped of everything on the accusation of having appropriated to his own use a large portion of the merchandise sent out.

2.3.6

II. iii. 6. He (Posidonios) supposes that the length of the inhabited earth is about 70,000 stadia, being the half of the whole circle on which it is taken, so that, says he, starting from the west, one might, aided by a continual east wind, reach India in so many thousand stadia.

2.3.8

II. iii. 8. First, then, Ethiopians next Egypt are actually separated into two divisions, one part being in Asia, the other in Libya; otherwise there is no distinction between them. But it was not on this account that Homer divided the Ethiopians, nor yet because he was acquainted with the physical superiority of the Indians (for it is not probable that Homer had the slightest idea of the Indians, since, according to the assertion of Eudoxus, Euergetes was both ignorant of India and of the voyage thither), but his division rather resulted from the cause we formerly mentioned.

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