CHAPTER V.
Mountains and Rivers of Asia.
But of the Indians I shall treat in a distinct work,[1] giving the most credible accounts which were compiled by those who accompanied Alexander in his expedition, as well as by Nearchus[2] who sailed right round the Great Sea which is near India. Then I shall add what has been compiled by Megasthenes[3] and Eratosthenes, two men of distinguished authority. I shall describe the customs peculiar to the Indians and the strange animals which are produced in the country, as well as the voyage itself in the external sea. But now let me describe so much only as appears to me sufficient to explain Alexander's achievements. Mount Taurus divides Asia, beginning from Mycale, the mountain which lies opposite the island of Samos; then, cutting through the country of the Pamphylians and Cilicians, it extends into Armenia. From this, country it stretches into Media and through the land of the Parthians and Chorasmians. In Bactria it unites with mount Parapamisus, which the Macedonians who served in Alexander's army called Caucasus, in order, as it is said, to enhance their king's glory; asserting that he went even beyond the Caucasus with his victorious arms. Perhaps it is a fact that this mountain range is a continuation of the other Caucasus in Scythia, as the Taurus[4] is of the same. For this reason I have on a previous occasion called this range Caucasus, and by the same
- ↑ Called the Indica, a valuable little work in the Ionic dialect, still existing.
- ↑ Nearchus left an account of his voyage, which is not now extant. Arrian made use of it in writing the Indica. See that work, chapters xvii. to lxiii.
- ↑ Megasthenes was sent with the Plataean Deimachus, by Seleuous Nicator, the king of Syria and one of Alexander's generals, as ambassador to Saudraootus, king of the country near the Ganges. He wrote a very valuable account of India in four books.
- ↑ Taurus is from the old root tor meaning high, another form of which is dor. Hence Dorians=highlanders.
