[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Foreign](https://indike.org/pramana/inf) › [Latin](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la) › [Principate (31 BCE – 300 CE)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial) › [Naturalis historia](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder) › 6.74 # Naturalis historia 6.74 Naturalis historia 6.74 - **Language:** Latin ### [6.74](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder.6.74) infra deserta haec Malthaecorae, Singae, Maroae, Rarungae, Moruni. hi montium, qui perpetuo tractu oceani in ora pertinent, incolae liberi et regum expertes multis urbibus montanos optinent colles. Nareae deinde, quos claudit mons altissimus Indicorum Capitalia; huius incolae alio latere late auri et argenti metalla fodiunt. > From the mouth of the Ganges to the Promontory of the Calingi and the town of Dandaguda, is six hundred and twenty-five miles; from thence to Tropina twelve hundred and twenty-five; from thence to the promontory of Perimula, where is held the most celebrated mart in all India, seven hundred and fifty, and from thence to the city of Patala, in the island just mentioned, six hundred and twenty miles. The mountain races between the Indus and the Jomanes are the Cesi, the Cetriboni, who dwell in the woods, and after them the Megallæ, whose king possesses five hundred elephants, and an army of horse and foot, the numbers of which are unknown; then the Chrysei, the Parasangæ, and the Asmagi, whose territory is infested by wild tigers; these people keep in arms thirty thousand foot, three hundred elephants, and eight hundred horse. They are bounded by the river Indus, and encircled by a range of mountains and deserts for a distance of six hundred and twenty-five miles. Below these deserts are the Dari and the Surve, and then deserts again for one hundred and eighty-seven miles, sands in general encircling these spots just as islands are surrounded by the sea. Below these deserts, again, are the Maltecoræ, the Singæ, the Marohæ, the Rarungæ, and the Morontes. These last peoples, who possess the mountains throughout the whole range of country as far as the shores of the ocean, are free, and independent of all kings, and hold numerous cities upon the declivities of the mountains. > — John Bostock & Henry Thomas Riley 1855, The Natural History of Pliny > After them come the Nareæ, who are bounded by Capitalia, the most lofty of all the Indian peaks: the inhabitants who dwell on the other side of it have extensive mines of gold and silver. After these again are the Oratæ, whose king possesses only ten elephants, but a large army of foot; next come the Suarataratæ, who live under the rule of a king as well, but breed no elephants, as they depend solely on their horse and foot; then the Odonbeores, the Arabastree, and the Horacæ, which last inhabit a fine city fortified by trenches cut in the marshes. It is quite impossible to approach the city, except by the bridge, as the water in the trenches is full of crocodiles, an animal most insatiate for human flesh. There is another city also in their territory, which has been greatly extolled, Automula by name, situate on the sea-shore, a famous mart, lying at the point of confluence of five rivers: their king possesses sixteen hundred elephants, one hundred and fifty thousand foot, and five thousand horse. The king of the Charmæ is a less opulent potentate; he has only sixty elephants and some small remains of his former strength. After these we come to the nation of the Pandæ, the only one throughout all India which is ruled by women. It is said that Hercules had but one child of the female sex, for which reason she was his especial favourite, and he bestowed upon her the principal one of these kingdoms. > — John Bostock & Henry Thomas Riley 1855, The Natural History of Pliny - [Previous: 6.73](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder.6.73) - [Next: 6.75](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder.6.75) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder.6) ## Translations (1) - [The Natural History of Pliny](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder~en-bostock-riley.6.23.2) — John Bostock & Henry Thomas Riley 1855, English --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder.6.74](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.pliny-elder.6.74) · Pramāṇa