λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν περὶ τῶν κλιμάτων, ὅπερ καὶ αὐτὸ ἔχει καθολικὴν ὑποτύπωσιν, ὁρμηθεῖσιν ἐκ τῶν γραμμῶν ἐκείνων, ἃ στοιχεῖα ἐκαλέσαμεν, λέγω δὲ τῆς τε τὸ μῆκος ἀφοριζούσης τὸ μέγιστον καὶ τῆς τὸ πλάτος, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς τὸ πλάτος. τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἀστρονομικοῖς ἐπὶ πλέον τοῦτο ποιητέον, καθάπερ Ἵππαρχος ἐποίησεν. ἀνέγραψε γάρ, ὡς αὐτός φησι, τὰς γινομένας ἐν τοῖς οὐρανίοις διαφορὰς καθʼ ἕκαστον τῆς γῆς τόπον τῶν ἐν τῷ καθʼ ἡμᾶς τεταρτημορίῳ τεταγμένων, λέγω δὲ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰσημερινοῦ μέχρι τοῦ βορείου πόλου. τοῖς δὲ γεωγραφοῦσιν οὔτε τῶν ἔξω τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης φροντιστέον, οὔτʼ ἐν αὐτοῖς τῆς οἰκουμένης μέρεσι τὰς τοιαύτας καὶ τοσαύτας διαφορὰς παραδεκτέον τῷ πολιτικῷ· περισκελεῖς γάρ εἰσιν. ἀλλʼ ἀρκεῖ τὰς σημειώδεις καὶ ἁπλουστέρας ἐκθέσθαι τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ λεχθεισῶν, ὑποθεμένοις, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, εἶναι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς γῆς σταδίων εἴκοσι πέντε μυριάδων καὶ δισχιλίων, ὡς καὶ Ἐρατοσθένης ἀποδίδωσιν· οὐ μεγάλη γὰρ παρὰ τοῦτʼ ἔσται διαφορὰ πρὸς τὰ φαινόμενα ἐν τοῖς μεταξὺ τῶν οἰκήσεων διαστήμασιν. εἰ δή τις εἰς τριακόσια ἑξήκοντα τμήματα τέμοι τὸν μέγιστον τῆς γῆς κύκλον, ἔσται ἑπτακοσίων σταδίων ἕκαστον τῶν τμημάτων· τούτῳ δὴ χρῆται μέτρῳ πρὸς τὰ διαστήματα ἐν τῷ λεχθέντι διὰ Μερόης μεσημβρινῷ λαμβάνεσθαι μέλλοντα. ἐκεῖνος μὲν δὴ ἄρχεται ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν τῷ ἰσημερινῷ οἰκούντων, καὶ λοιπὸν ἀεὶ διʼ ἑπτακοσίων σταδίων τὰς ἐφεξῆς οἰκήσεις ἐπιὼν κατὰ τὸν λεχθέντα μεσημβρινὸν πειρᾶται λέγειν τὰ παρʼ ἑκάστοις φαινόμενα· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν ἀρκτέον. καὶ γὰρ εἰ οἰκήσιμα ταῦτά ἐστιν, ὥσπερ οἴονταί τινες, ἰδία γέ τις οἰκουμένη αὕτη ἐστί, διὰ μέσης τῆς ἀοικήτου διὰ καῦμα στενὴ τεταμένη, οὐκ οὖσα μέρος τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης· ὁ δὲ γεωγράφος ἐπισκοπεῖ ταύτην μόνην τὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένην. αὕτη δʼ ἀφορίζεται πέρασι νοτίῳ μὲν τῷ διὰ τῆς Κινναμωμοφόρου παραλλήλῳ, βορείῳ δὲ τῷ διὰ Ἰέρνης· οὔτε δὲ τὰς τοσαύτας οἰκήσεις ἐπιτέον ὅσας ὑπαγορεύει τὸ λεχθὲν μεταξὺ διάστημα, οὔτε πάντα τὰ φαινόμενα θετέον, μεμνημένοις τοῦ γεωγραφικοῦ σχήματος. ἀρκτέον δʼ, ὥσπερ Ἵππαρχος, ἀπὸ τῶν νοτίων μερῶν.
It now remains for us to speak of the climata. Of these too we shall give but a general description, commencing with those lines which we have denominated elementary, namely, those which determine the greatest length and breadth of the [habitable earth], but especially its breadth.
To enter fully into this subject is the duty of astronomers. This has been done by Hipparchus, who has noted down (as he says) the differences of the heavenly appearances for every degree of that quarter of the globe in which our habitable earth is situated, namely, from the equator to the north pole.
What is beyond our habitable earth it is not however the business of the geographer to consider. Nor yet even in regard to the various parts of the habitable earth must too minute and numerous differences be noticed, since to the man of the world they are perplexing; it will suffice to give the most striking and simple of the statements of Hipparchus. Assuming, as he does himself after the assertion of Eratosthenes, that the circumference of the earth is 252,000 stadia, the differences of the [celestial] phenomena will not be great for each [degree] within the limits between which the habitable earth is contained. Supposing we cut the grand circle of the earth into 360 divisions, each of these divisions will consist of 700 stadia. This is the calculation adopted by [Hipparchus] to fix the distances, which [as we said] should be taken under the before-mentioned meridian of Meroe. He commences at the regions situated under the equator, and stopping from time to time at every 700 stadia along the whole length of the meridian above mentioned, proceeds to describe the celestial phenomena as they appear from each. But the equator is not the place for us to start from. For even if there be there a habitable region, as some suppose, it forms a habitable earth to itself, a narrow slip enclosed by the regions uninhabitable on account of the heat; and can be no part of our habitable earth. Now the geographer should attend to none but our own habitable earth, which is confined by certain boundaries; on the south by the parallel which passes over the Cinnamon Country; on the north by that which passes over Ierna. But keeping in mind the scheme of our geography, we have no occasion to mark all the places comprehended within this distance, nor yet all the celestial phenomena. We must however commence, as Hipparchus does, with the southern regions.
φησὶ δὴ τοῖς οἰκοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῷ διὰ τῆς Κινναμωμοφόρου παραλλήλῳ, ὃς ἀπέχει τῆς Μερόης τρισχιλίους σταδίους πρὸς νότον, τούτου δʼ ὁ ἰσημερινὸς ὀκτακισχιλίους καὶ ὀκτακοσίους, εἶναι τὴν οἴκησιν ἐγγυτάτω μέσην τοῦ τε ἰσημερινοῦ καὶ τοῦ θερινοῦ τροπικοῦ τοῦ κατὰ Συήνην· ἀπέχειν γὰρ τὴν Συήνην πεντακισχιλίους τῆς Μερόης· παρὰ δὲ τούτοις πρώτοις τὴν μικρὰν ἄρκτον ὅλην ἐν τῷ ἀρκτικῷ περιέχεσθαι καὶ ἀεὶ φαίνεσθαι· τὸν γὰρ ἐπʼ ἄκρας τῆς οὐρᾶς λαμπρὸν ἀστέρα, νοτιώτατον ὄντα, ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ ἱδρῦσθαι τοῦ ἀρκτικοῦ κύκλου ὥστʼ ἐφάπτεσθαι τοῦ ὁρίζοντος. τῷ δὲ λεχθέντι μεσημβρινῷ παράλληλός πως παράκειται ἕωθεν ὁ Ἀράβιος κόλπος· τούτου δʼ ἔκβασις εἰς τὸ ἔξω πέλαγος ἡ Κινναμωμοφόρος ἐστίν, ἐφʼ ἧς ἡ τῶν ἐλεφάντων γέγονε θήρα τὸ παλαιόν. ἐκπίπτει δʼ ὁ παράλληλος οὗτος τῇ μὲν ἐπὶ τοὺς νοτιωτέρους μικρὸν τῆς Ταπροβάνης ἢ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐσχάτους οἰκοῦντας, τῇ δʼ ἐπὶ τὰ νοτιώτατα τῆς Λιβύης.
He tells us that the people who dwell under the parallel of the Cinnamon Country, which he places at 3000 stadia south of Meroe, and 8800 [north] of the equator, live nearly at equal distances between the equator and the summer tropic which passes by Syene; for Syene is 5000 stadia [north] of Meroe. They are the first for whom the whole [constellation] of the Lesser Bear is comprised within the Artic Circle, and to whom it is always visible. For the bright and most southern star, at the tip of the tail, is here contained within the Arctic Circle, and appears to touch the horizon.
The Arabian Gulf lies eastward parallel to the said meridian. Its egress into the Exterior Ocean is [in the same latitude as] the Cinnamon Country, the place where anciently they used to hunt the elephants. The parallel of the Cinnamon Country on the one side passes a little south of Taprobana, or perhaps over its southern extremity; and on the other side over the most southern parts of Libya.
τοῖς δὲ κατὰ Μερόην καὶ Πτολεμαΐδα τὴν ἐν τῇ Τρωγλοδυτικῇ ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν ἐστι τρισκαίδεκα· ἔστι δʼ αὕτη ἡ οἴκησις μέση πως τοῦ τε ἰσημερινοῦ καὶ τοῦ διʼ Ἀλεξανδρείας παρὰ χιλίους καὶ ὀκτακοσίους τοὺς πλεονάζοντας πρὸς τῷ ἰσημερινῷ· διήκει δʼ ὁ διὰ Μερόης παράλληλος τῇ μὲν διʼ ἀγνωρίστων μερῶν, τῇ δὲ διὰ τῶν ἄκρων τῆς Ἰνδικῆς. ἐν δὲ Συήνῃ καὶ Βερενίκῃ τῇ ἐν τῷ Ἀραβίῳ κόλπῳ καὶ τῇ Τρωγλοδυτικῇ κατὰ θερινὰς τροπὰς ὁ ἥλιος κατὰ κορυφῆς γίνεται, ἡ δὲ μακροτάτη ἡμέρα ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν ἐστι τρισκαίδεκα καὶ ἡμιωρίου, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἀρκτικῷ φαίνεται καὶ ἡ μεγάλη ἄρκτος ὅλη σχεδόν τι πλὴν τῶν σκελῶν καὶ τοῦ ἄκρου τῆς οὐρᾶς καὶ ἑνὸς τῶν ἐν τῷ πλινθίῳ ἀστέρων. ὁ δὲ διὰ Συήνης παράλληλος τῇ μὲν διὰ τῆς τῶν Ἰχθυοφάγων τῶν κατὰ τὴν Γεδρωσίαν καὶ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς διήκει, τῇ δὲ διὰ τῶν νοτιωτέρων Κυρήνης πεντακισχιλίοις σταδίοις παρὰ μικρόν.
At Meroe and Ptolemais in the Troglodytic the longest day consists of thirteen equinoctial hours. These cities are at nearly equal distances between the equator and Alexandria, the preponderance on the side of the equator being only 1800 stadia. The parallel of Meroe passes on one side over unknown countries, and on the other over the extremities of India. At Syene, and at Berenice, which is situated on the Arabian Gulf and in the Troglodytic, at the summer solstice the sun is vertical, and the longest day consists of thirteen equinoctial hours and a half, and the whole of the Greater Bear appears within the Arctic Circle, with the exception of his thighs, the tip of his tail, and one of the stars composing his body. The parallel of Syene traverses on one side the portion of Gedrosia occupied by the Ichthyophagi, and India; and on the other side the countries situated south of Cyrene by rather less than 5000 stadia.
̔́απασι δὲ τοῖς μεταξὺ κειμένοις τοῦ τε τροπικοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἰσημερινοῦ κύκλου μεταπίπτουσιν αἱ σκιαὶ ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα, πρός τε ἄρκτους καὶ μεσημβρίαν, τοῖς δʼ ἀπὸ Συήνης ἐκ τοῦ θερινοῦ τροπικοῦ πρὸς ἄρκτους πίπτουσιν αἱ σκιαὶ κατὰ μεσημβρίαν· καλοῦνται δʼ οἱ μὲν ἀμφίσκιοι οἱ δʼ ἑτερόσκιοι. ἔστι δέ τις καὶ ἄλλη διαφορὰ τοῖς ὑπὸ τῷ τροπικῷ, ἣν προείπομεν ἐν τῷ περὶ τῶν ζωνῶν λόγῳ. αὐτή τε γάρ ἐστιν δίαμμος καὶ σιλφιοφόρος καὶ ξηρά, τῶν νοτιωτέρων μερῶν εὐύδρων τε καὶ εὐκάρπων ὄντων.
In all the countries situated between the tropic and the equatorial circle, the shadows fall [alternately] on either side, north and south. In those which are north of Syene and beyond the summer tropic the shadows at mid-day fall to the north. The former are called amphiscii, the latter heteroscii. There is also another method of determining what places are under the tropic, which we spoke of in our observations on the zones. The soil is sandy, arid, and produces nothing but silphium, while more to the south the land is well irrigated and fertile.
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς διʼ Ἀλεξανδρείας καὶ Κυρήνης νοτιωτέροις ὅσον τετρακοσίοις σταδίοις, ὅπου ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ὡρῶν ἐστιν ἰσημερινῶν δεκατεττάρων, κατὰ κορυφὴν γίνεται ὁ ἀρκτοῦρος μικρὸν ἐκκλίνων πρὸς νότον. ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ὁ γνώμων λόγον ἔχει πρὸς τὴν ἰσημερινὴν σκιάν, ὃν ἔχει τὰ πέντε πρὸς τρία. Καρχηδόνος δὲ νοτιώτεροί εἰσι χιλίοις καὶ τριακοσίοις σταδίοις, εἴπερ ἐν Καρχηδόνι ὁ γνώμων λόγον ἔχει πρὸς τὴν ἰσημερινὴν σκιάν, ὃν ἔχει τὰ ἕνδεκα πρὸς τὰ ἑπτά. διήκει δʼ ὁ παράλληλος οὗτος τῇ μὲν διὰ Κυρήνης καὶ τῶν νοτιωτέρων Καρχηδόνος ἐνακοσίοις σταδίοις μέχρι Μαυρουσίας μέσης, τῇ δὲ διʼ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Κοίλης Συρίας καὶ τῆς ἄνω Συρίας καὶ Βαβυλωνίας καὶ Σουσιάδος Περσίδος Καρμανίας Γεδρωσίας τῆς ἄνω μέχρι τῆς Ἰνδικῆς.
In the countries situated about 400 stadia south of the parallel of Alexandria and Cyrene, where the longest day consists of fourteen equinoctial hours, Arcturus passes the zenith, slightly declining towards the south. At Alexandria at the time of the equinox the proportion which the gnomon bears to the shadow is as five to seven. Thus they are south of Carthage 1300 stadia, that is, admitting that in Carthage at the time of the equinox the proportion which the gnomon bears to the shadow is as eleven to seven. This parallel on the one side passes by Cyrene and the regions 900 stadia south of Carthage as far as the midst of Maurusia; and on the other side through Egypt, Coelosyria, Upper Syria, Babylonia, Susiana, Persia, Carmania, Upper Gedrosia, and India.
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς περὶ Πτολεμαΐδα τὴν ἐν τῇ Φοινίκῃ καὶ Σιδῶνα καὶ Τύρον ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ἐστὶν ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν δεκατεττάρων καὶ τετάρτου· βορειότεροι δʼ εἰσὶν οὗτοι Ἀλεξανδρείας μὲν ὡς χιλίοις ἑξακοσίοις σταδίοις, Καρχηδόνος δὲ ὡς ἑπτακοσίοις. ἐν δὲ τῇ Πελοποννήσῳ καὶ περὶ τὰ μέσα τῆς Ῥοδίας καὶ περὶ Ξάνθον τῆς Λυκίας ἢ τὰ μικρῷ νοτιώτερα καὶ ἔτι τὰ Συρακοσίων νοτιώτερα τετρακοσίοις σταδίοις, ἐνταῦθα ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ἐστὶν ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν δεκατεττάρων καὶ ἡμίσους· ἀπέχουσι δʼ οἱ τόποι οὗτοι Ἀλεξανδρείας μὲν τρισχιλίους ἑξακοσίους τετταράκοντα […] · διήκει δʼ ὁ παράλληλος οὗτος κατʼ Ἐρατοσθένη διὰ Καρίας Λυκαονίας Καταονίας Μηδίας Κασπίων πυλῶν Ἰνδῶν τῶν κατὰ Καύκασον.
At Ptolemais in Phoenicia, and at Sidon and Tyre, the longest day consists of fourteen hours and a quarter. These cities are north of Alexandria by about 1600 stadia, and north of Carthage about 700. In the Peloponnesus, and about the middle of Rhodes, at Xanthus in Lycia, or a little to the south of this place, and at 400 stadia south of Syracuse, the longest day consists of fourteen and a half equinoctial hours. These places are distant from Alexandria 3640 stadia. . . . This parallel, according to Eratosthenes, passes through Caria, Lycaonia, Cataonia, Media, the Caspian Gates, and India next the Caucasus.
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς περὶ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν μέρεσι τῆς Τρῳάδος, κατʼ Ἀμφίπολιν καὶ Ἀπολλωνίαν τὴν ἐν Ἠπείρῳ, καὶ τοὺς Ῥώμης μὲν νοτιωτέρους βορειοτέρους δὲ Νεαπόλεως, ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ἐστὶν ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν δεκαπέντε ἀπέχει δὲ ὁ παράλληλος οὗτος τοῦ μὲν διʼ Ἀλεξανδρείας τῆς πρὸς Αἰγύπτῳ ὡς ἑπτακισχιλίους σταδίους πρὸς ἄρκτον, τοῦ δʼ ἰσημερινοῦ ὑπὲρ δισμυρίους ὀκτακισχιλίους ὀκτακοσίους, τοῦ δὲ διὰ Ῥόδου τρισχιλίους τετρακοσίους, πρὸς νότον δὲ Βυζαντίου καὶ Νικαίας καὶ τῶν περὶ Μασσαλίαν χιλίους πεντακοσίους, μικρὸν δʼ ἀρκτικώτερός ἐστιν ὁ διὰ Λυσιμαχείας, ὅν φησιν Ἐρατοσθένης διὰ Μυσίας εἶναι καὶ Παφλαγονίας καὶ τῶν περὶ Σινώπην καὶ Ὑρκανίαν καὶ Βάκτρα.
In the parts of the Troad next Alexandria in Amphipolis, Apollonia in Epirus, the countries just south of Rome and north of Neapolis, the longest day consists of fifteen hours. This parallel is distant from that of Alexandria in Egypt 7000 stadia to the north, above 28,800 stadia north of the equator, and 3400 stadia from the parallel of Rhodes; it is south of Byzantium, Nicaae, and Marseilles 1500 stadia. The parallel of Lysimachia is a little to the north, and according to Eratosthenes passes through Mysia, Paphlagonia, Sinope, Hyrcania, and Bactra.
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς περὶ τὸ Βυζάντιον ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ὡρῶν ἐστιν ἰσημερινῶν δεκαπέντε καὶ τετάρτου, ὁ δὲ γνώμων πρὸς τὴν σκιὰν λόγον ἔχει ἐν τῇ θερινῇ τροπῇ ὃν τὰ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι πρὸς τετταράκοντα δύο λείποντα πέμπτῳ. ἀπέχουσι δʼ οἱ τόποι οὗτοι τοῦ διὰ μέσης τῆς Ῥοδίας περὶ τετρακισχιλίους καὶ ἐνακοσίους, τοῦ δʼ ἰσημερινοῦ ὡς τρισμυρίους τριακοσίους. εἰσπλεύσασι δʼ εἰς τὸν Πόντον καὶ προελθοῦσιν ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους ὅσον χιλίους καὶ τετρακοσίους ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα γίνεται ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν δεκαπέντε καὶ ἡμίσους ἀπέχουσι δʼ οἱ τόποι οὗτοι ἴσον ἀπό τε τοῦ πόλου καὶ τοῦ ἰσημερινοῦ κύκλου, καὶ ὁ ἀρκτικὸς κύκλος κατὰ κορυφὴν αὐτοῖς ἐστιν, ἐφʼ οὗ κεῖται ὅ τʼ ἐν τῷ τραχήλῳ τῆς Κασσιεπείας καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ δεξιῷ ἀγκῶνι τοῦ Περσέως μικρῷ βορειότερος ὤν.
About Byzantium the longest day consists of fifteen and a quarter equinoctial hours; the proportion borne by the gnomon to the shadow at the summer solstice, is as 120 to 42, minus one-fifth. These places are distant from the middle of Rhodes about 4900 stadia, and 30,300 from the equator. Sailing into the Euxine and advancing 1400 stadia to the north, the longest day is found to consist of fifteen and a half equinoctial hours. These places are equi-distant between the pole and equatorial circle; the arctic circle is at their zenith, the star in the neck of Cassiopeia is within this circle, the star forming the right elbow of Perseus being a little more to the north.
ἔν τε τοῖς ἀπέχουσι Βυζαντίου πρὸς ἄρκτον ὅσον τρισχιλίους ὀκτακοσίους ἡ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ἐστὶν ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν δεκαέξ· ἡ οὖν δὴ Κασσιέπεια ἐν τῷ ἀρκτικῷ φέρεται. εἰσὶ δʼ οἱ τόποι οὗτοι περὶ Βορυσθένη καὶ τῆς Μαιώτιδος τὰ νότια· ἀπέχουσι δὲ τοῦ ἰσημερινοῦ περὶ τρισμυρίους τετρακισχιλίους ἑκατόν. ὁ δὲ κατὰ τὰς ἄρκτους τόπος τοῦ ὁρίζοντος ἐν ὅλαις σχεδόν τι ταῖς θεριναῖς νυξὶ παραυγάζεται ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου ἀπὸ δύσεως ἕως καὶ ἀνατολῆς ἀντιπεριισταμένου τοῦ φωτός. ὁ γὰρ θερινὸς τροπικὸς ἀπέχει ἀπὸ τοῦ ὁρίζοντος ἑνὸς ζωδίου ἥμισυ καὶ δωδέκατον· τοσοῦτον οὖν καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἀφίσταται τοῦ ὁρίζοντος κατὰ τὸ μεσονύκτιον. καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν δὲ τοσοῦτον τοῦ ὁρίζοντος ἀποσχὼν πρὸ τοῦ ὄρθρου καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἤδη καταυγάζει τὸν περὶ τὴν ἀνατολὴν ἢ τὴν δύσιν ἀέρα. ἐν δὲ ταῖς χειμεριναῖς ὁ ἥλιος τὸ πλεῖστον μετεωρίζεται πήχεις ἐννέα. φησὶ δʼ Ἐρατοσθένης τούτους τῆς Μερόης διέχειν μικρῷ πλείους ἢ δισμυρίους τρισχιλίους. διὰ γὰρ Ἑλλησπόντου εἶναι μυρίους ὀκτακισχιλίους, εἶτα πεντακισχιλίους εἰς Βυρυσθένη. ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀπέχουσι τοῦ Βυζαντίου σταδίους περὶ ἑξακισχιλίους τριακοσίους, βορειοτέροις οὖσι τῆς Μαιώτιδος, κατὰ τὰς χειμερινὰς ἡμέρας μετεωρίζεται τὸ πλεῖστον ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ πήχεις ἕξ, ἡ δὲ μεγίστη ἡμέρα ἐστὶν ὡρῶν ἰσημερινῶν δεκαεπτά.
In regions 3800 stadia north of Byzantium the longest day consists of sixteen equinoctial hours; the constellation Cassiopeia being brought within the arctic circle. These regions are situated around [the mouth of] the Dnieper and the southern parts of the Maeotis, at a distance from the equator of 34,100 stadia; and the northern part of the horizon during almost all the summer nights is illuminated by the light of the sun; a certain degree of light continuing from sunset to sunrise. For the summer tropic is distant from the horizon only the half and the twelfth part of a sign [of the zodiac], and this therefore is the greatest distance of the sun below the horizon at midnight. With us when the sun is at this distance from the horizon before sunrise and after sunset, the atmosphere is enlightened to the east and west respectively. In the winter the sun when at the highest is nine cubits above the horizon. These places, according to Eratosthenes, are distant from Meroe rather more than 23,000 stadia, for he says that [from the parallel of Meroe] to the Hellespont there are 18,000 stadia, and thence to the Dnieper 5000 more. In regions distant 6300 stadia from Byzantium, and north of the Maeotis, the sun during the winter time is, when highest, six cubits [above the horizon]. The longest day consists of seventeen hours.
τὰ δʼ ἐπέκεινα ἤδη πλησιάζοντα τῇ ἀοικήτῳ διὰ ψῦχος οὐκέτι χρήσιμα τῷ γεωγράφῳ ἐστίν. ὁ δὲ βουλόμενος καὶ ταῦτα μαθεῖν καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα τῶν οὐρανίων Ἵππαρχος μὲν εἴρηκεν ἡμεῖς δὲ παραλείπομεν διὰ τὸ τρανότερα εἶναι τῆς νῦν προκειμένης πραγματείας, παρʼ ἐκείνου λαμβανέτω. τρανότερα δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν περισκίων καὶ ἀμφισκίων καὶ ἑτεροσκίων, ἅ φησι Ποσειδώνιος. ὅμως γε καὶ τούτων τό γε τοσοῦτον ἐπιμνηστέον ὥστε τὴν ἐπίνοιαν διασαφῆσαι καὶ πῆ χρήσιμον πρὸς τὴν γεωγραφίαν καὶ πῆ ἄχρηστον. ἐπεὶ δὲ περὶ τῶν ἀφʼ ἡλίου σκιῶν ὁ λόγος ἐστίν, ὁ δʼ ἥλιος πρὸς αἴσθησιν κατὰ παραλλήλου φέρεται καθʼ οὗ καὶ ὁ κόσμος, παρʼ οἷς καθʼ ἑκάστην κόσμου περιστροφὴν ἡμέρα γίνεται καὶ νύξ, ὅτε μὲν ὑπὲρ γῆς τοῦ ἡλίου φερομένου ὅτε δʼ ὑπὸ γῆν, παρὰ τούτοις οἵ τε ἀμφίσκιοι ἐπινοοῦνται καὶ οἱ ἑτερόσκιοι. ἀμφίσκιοι μὲν ὅσοι κατὰ μέσον ἡμέρας τοτὲ μὲν ἐπὶ τάδε πιπτούσας ἔχουσι τὰς σκιάς, ὅταν ὁ ἥλιος ἀπὸ μεσημβρίας τῷ γνώμονι προσπίπτῃ τῷ ὀρθῷ πρὸς τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἐπίπεδον, τοτὲ δʼ εἰς τοὐναντίον, ὅταν ὁ ἥλιος εἰς τοὐναντίον περιστῇ (τοῦτο δὲ συμβέβηκε μόνοις τοῖς μεταξὺ τῶν τροπικῶν οἰκοῦσιν), ἑτερόσκιοι δʼ ὅσοις ἢ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄρκτον ἀεὶ πίπτουσιν ὥσπερ ἡμῖν, ἢ ἐπὶ τὰ νότια ὥσπερ τοῖς ἐν τῇ ἑτέρᾳ εὐκράτῳ ζώνῃ οἰκοῦσι· τοῦτο δὲ συμβαίνει πᾶσι τοῖς ἐλάττονα ἔχουσι τοῦ τροπικοῦ τὸν ἀρκτικόν. ὅταν δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν ἢ μείζονα, ἀρχὴ τῶν περισκίων ἐστὶ μέχρι τῶν οἰκούντων ὑπὸ τῷ πόλῳ. τοῦ γὰρ ἡλίου καθʼ ὅλην τὴν τοῦ κόσμου περιστροφὴν ὑπὲρ γῆς φερομένου, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ ἡ σκιὰ κύκλῳ περιενεχθήσεται περὶ τὸν γνώμονα· καθʼ ὃ δὴ καὶ περισκίους αὐτοὺς ἐκάλεσεν, οὐδὲν ὄντας πρὸς τὴν γεωγραφίαν· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰκήσιμα ταῦτα τὰ μέρη διὰ ψῦχος, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς πρὸς Πυθέαν λόγοις εἰρήκαμεν. ὥστʼ οὐδὲ τοῦ μεγέθους τῆς ἀοικήτου ταύτης φροντιστέον ἐκ τοῦ λαβεῖν, ὅτι οἱ ἔχοντες ἀρκτικὸν τὸν τροπικὸν ὑποπεπτώκασι τῷ γραφομένῳ κύκλῳ ὑπὸ τοῦ πόλου τοῦ ζωδιακοῦ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου περιστροφήν, ὑποκειμένου τοῦ μεταξὺ διαστήματος τοῦ τε ἰσημερινοῦ καὶ τοῦ τροπικοῦ τεττάρων ἑξηκοστῶν τοῦ μεγίστου κύκλου.
The countries beyond this which border upon the regions uninhabitable on account of their cold, have no interest to the geographer. He who desires to learn about them, and the celestial phenomena which Hipparchus has described, but which we pass over as being too much in detail for our present undertaking, must seek for them in that author. The statements of Posidonius concerning the periscii, the amphiscii, and the heteroscii are likewise too detailed. Still we must touch on these points sufficiently to explain his view, and to point out how far such matters are serviceable in geography, and how far not. The terms made use of refer to the shadows cast from the sun. The sun appears to the senses to describe a circle parallel to that of the earth. Of those people for whom each revolution of the earth produces a day and a night, the sun being carried first over, then under, the earth, some are denominated amphiscii, others heteroscii. The amphiscii are the inhabitants of countries in which when a gnomon is placed perpendicularly on a plane surface, the shadow which it casts at mid-day, falls first to one side then to the other, as the sun illumines first this side, then that. This however only occurs in places situated between the tropics. The heteroscii are those amongst whom the shadow always falls to the north, as with us; or to the south, as amongst those who inhabit the other temperate zone. This occurs in all those regions where the arctic circle is less than the tropic. Where however it becomes the same as or greater than the tropic, this shows the commencement of the periscii, who extend thence to the pole. In regions where the sun remains above the horizon during an entire revolution of the earth, the shadow must evidently have turned in a complete circle round the gnomon. On this account he named them periscii. However they have nought to do with geography, inasmuch as the regions are not habitable on account of the cold, as we stated in our review of Pytheas. Nor is there any use in determining the size of this uninhabitable region, [it is enough to have established] that those countries, having the tropic for their arctic circle, are situated beneath the circle which is described by the pole of the zodiac in the diurnal] revolution of the earth, and that the distance between the equator and the tropic equals four-sixtieths of the great circle [of the earth].
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