φησὶ δὲ ὁ Πολύβιος κρήνην ἐν τῷ Ἡρακλείῳ τῷ ἐν Γαδείροις εἶναι πότιμον, βαθμῶν ὀλίγων κατάβασιν ἔχουσαν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ, ἣν ταῖς παλιρροίαις τῆς θαλάττης ἀντιπαθεῖν, κατὰ μὲν τὰς πλήμας ἐκλείπουσαν κατὰ δὲ τὰς ἀμπώτεις πληρουμένην. αἰτιᾶται δʼ ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐκ τοῦ βάθους εἰς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν τῆς γῆς ἐκπῖπτον, καλυφθείσης μὲν αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ κύματος κατὰ τὰς ἐπιβάσεις τῆς θαλάττης, εἴργεται τῶν οἰκείων τοιούτων ἐξόδων· ἀναστρέψαν δὲ εἰς τὸ ἐντὸς ἐμφράττει τοὺς τῆς πηγῆς πόρους καὶ ποιεῖ λειψυδρίαν· γυμνωθείσης δὲ πάλιν, εὐθυπορῆσαν ἐλευθεροῖ τὰς φλέβας τῆς πηγῆς ὥστʼ ἀναβλύειν εὐπόρως. Ἀρτεμίδωρος δὲ ἀντειπὼν τούτῳ καὶ ἅμα παρʼ αὑτοῦ τινα θεὶς αἰτίαν, μνησθεὶς δὲ καὶ τῆς Σιλανοῦ δόξης τοῦ συγγραφέως, οὔ μοι δοκεῖ μνήμης ἄξια εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἂν ἰδιώτης περὶ ταῦτα καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ Σιλανός. Ποσειδώνιος δὲ ψευδῆ λέγων τὴν ἱστορίαν εἶναι ταύτην δύο φησὶν εἶναι φρέατα ἐν τῷ Ἡρακλείῳ καὶ τρίτον ἐν τῇ πόλει· τῶν δʼ ἐν τῷ Ἡρακλείῳ τὸ μὲν μικρότερον ὑδρευομένων συνεχῶς αὐθωρὸν καὶ ἐκλείπειν καὶ διαλειπόντων τῆς ὑδρείας πληροῦσθαι πάλιν, τὸ δὲ μεῖζον διʼ ὅλης τῆς ἡμέρας τὴν ὑδρείαν ἔχον, μειούμενον μέντοι, καθάπερ καὶ τἆλλα φρέατα πάντα, νύκτωρ πληροῦσθαι μηκέτι ὑδρευομένων· ἐπειδὴ δὲ συμπίπτει κατὰ τὸν τῆς συμπληρώσεως καιρὸν ἡ ἄμπωτις πολλάκις, πεπιστεῦσθαι κενῶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐγχωρίων τὴν ἀντιπάθειαν. ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἡ ἱστορία πεπίστευται, καὶ οὗτος εἴρηκε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τοῖς παραδόξοις θρυλουμένην παρειλήφαμεν. ἠκούομεν δὲ καὶ φρέατα εἶναι, τὰ μὲν πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἐν τοῖς κήποις τὰ δὲ ἐντός, διὰ δὲ τὴν μοχθηρίαν τοῦ ὕδατος κατὰ τὴν πόλιν δεξαμενὰς ἐπιπολάζειν τοῦ λακκαίου ὕδατος· εἰ μέντοι καὶ τούτων τι τῶν φρεάτων ἐπιδείκνυται τὴν τῆς ἀντιπαθείας ὑπόνοιαν, οὐκ ἴσμεν. τὰς δʼ αἰτίας, εἴπερ συμβαίνει ταῦτα οὕτως, ὡς ἐν χαλεποῖς ἀποδέχεσθαι δεῖ. εἰκὸς μὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἔχειν ὡς ὁ Πολύβιός φησιν, εἰκὸς δὲ καὶ τῶν φλεβῶν τινας τῶν πηγαίων νοτισθείσας ἔξωθεν χαυνοῦσθαι καὶ παρέκχυσιν εἰς τὰ πλάγια μᾶλλον διδόναι τοῖς ὕδασιν ἢ ἀναθλίβειν κατὰ τὸ ἀρχαῖον ῥεῖθρον εἰς τὴν κρήνην· νοτίζεσθαι δʼ ἀναγκαῖον ἐπικλύσαντος τοῦ κύματος. εἰ δʼ, ὥσπερ Ἀθηνόδωρός φησιν, εἰσπνοῇ τε καὶ ἐκπνοῇ τὸ συμβαῖνον περὶ τὰς πλημμυρίδας καὶ περὶ τὰς ἀμπώτεις ἔοικεν, εἶναι ἄν τινα τῶν ῥεόντων ὑδάτων, ἃ κατʼ ἄλλους μὲν πόρους ἔχει τὴν ἔκρυσιν κατὰ φύσιν εἰς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν, ὧν δὴ τὰ στόματα πηγὰς καὶ κρήνας καλοῦμεν, κατʼ ἄλλους δὲ πόρους συνέλκεται πρὸς τὸ τῆς θαλάττης βάθος· καὶ συνεξαίροντα μὲν ἐκείνην ὥστε πλημμυρεῖν, ὅταν οἷον ἡ ἐκπνοὴ γίνηται, τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀπολείπει ῥεῖθρον, πάλιν δʼ ἀναχωρεῖ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον ῥεῖθρον, ὅταν κἀκείνη λάβῃ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν.
Polybius relates that there is a spring within the temple of Hercules at Gades, having a descent of a few steps to fresh water, which is affected in a manner the reverse of the sea-tides, subsiding at the flow of the tide, and springing at the ebb. He assigns as the cause of this phenomenon, that air rises from the interior to the surface of the earth; when this surface is covered by the waves, at the rising of the sea, the air is deprived of its ordinary vents, and returns to the interior, stopping up the passages of the spring, and causing a want of water, but when the surface is again laid bare, the air having a direct exit liberates the channels which feed the spring, so that it gushes freely. Artemidorus rejects this explanation, and substitutes one of his own, recording at the same time the opinion of the historian Silanus; but neither one or other of their views seems to me worth relating, since both he and Silanus were ignorant in regard to these matters. Posidonius asserts that the entire account is false, and adds that there are two wells in the temple of Hercules, and a third in the city. That the smaller of the two in the temple of Hercules, if drawn from frequently, will become for a time exhausted, but that on ceasing to draw from it, it fills again: while in regard to the larger, it may be drawn from during the whole day; that it is true it becomes lower, like all other wells, but that it fills again during the night when drawing ceases. [He adds] that the ebb tide frequently happening to occur during the period of its re-filling, gave rise to the groundless belief of the inhabitants as to its being affected in an opposite manner [to the tides of the ocean]. However it is not only related by him that it is a commonly believed fact, but we have received it from tradition as much referred to amongst paradoxes. We have likewise heard that there are wells both within the city and also in the gardens without, but that on account of the inferiority of this water, tanks are generally constructed throughout the city for the supply of water: whether likewise any of these reservoirs give any signs of being affected in an opposite manner to the tides, we know not. If such be the case, the causes thereof should be received as amongst phenomena hard to be explained. It is likely that Polybius may have assigned the proper reason; but it is also likely that certain of the channels of the springs being damped outside become relaxed, and so let the water run out into the surrounding land, instead of forcing it along its ancient passage to the spring; and there will of course be moisture when the tide overflows. But if, as Athenodorus asserts, the ebb and flow resemble the inspiration and expiration of the breath, it is possible that some of the currents of water which naturally have an efflux on to the surface of the earth, through various channels, the mouths of which we denominate springs and fountains, are by other channels drawn towards the depths of the sea, and raise it, so as to produce a flood-tide; when the expiration is sufficient, they leave off the course in which they are then flowing, and again revert to their former direction, when that again takes a change.
οὐκ οἶδα δὲ πῶς κατʼ ἄλλα δεινοὺς ἀποφαίνων ὁ Ποσειδώνιος τοὺς Φοίνικας ἐνταῦθα μωρίαν μᾶλλον ἢ δριμύτητα αὐτῶν κατέγνωκεν. ἡμέρα μὲν γὰρ καὶ νὺξ τῇ τοῦ ἡλίου περιφορᾷ μετρεῖται τοτὲ μὲν ὑπὸ γῆς ὄντος τοτὲ δὲ ὑπὲρ γῆς φαινομένου· φησὶ δὲ τὴν τοῦ ὠκεανοῦ κίνησιν ὑπέχειν ἀστροειδῆ περίοδον, τὴν μὲν ἡμερήσιον ἀποδιδοῦσαν, τὴν δὲ μηνιαίαν, τὴν δʼ ἐνιαυσιαίαν συμπαθῶς τῇ σελήνῃ· ὅταν γὰρ αὕτη ζῳδίου μέγεθος ὑπερέχῃ τοῦ ὁρίζοντος, ἄρχεσθαι διοιδεῖν τὴν θάλατταν καὶ ἐπιβαίνειν τῆς γῆς αἰσθητῶς μέχρι μεσουρανήσεως· ἐκκλίναντος δὲ τοῦ ἄστρου, πάλιν ἀναχωρεῖν τὸ πέλαγος κατʼ ὀλίγον ἕως ἂν ζῴδιον ὑπερέχῃ τῆς δύσεως ἡ σελήνη, εἶτα μένειν τοσοῦτον ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ καταστάσει χρόνον ὅσον ἡ σελήνη συνάπτει πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν δύσιν, καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον τοσοῦτον ὅσον κινηθεῖσα ὑπὸ γῆς ζῴδιον ἀπόσχοι ἂν τοῦ ὁρίζοντος· εἶτʼ ἐπιβαίνειν πάλιν ἕως τοῦ ὑπὸ γῆν μεσουρανήματος· εἶτʼ ἀναχωρεῖν ἕως ἂν πρὸς τὰς ἀνατολὰς περιχωρήσασα ἡ σελήνη ζῴδιον τοῦ ὁρίζοντος ἀπόσχῃ, μένειν δὲ μέχρι ἂν ζῴδιον ὑπὲρ γῆς μετεωρισθῇ, καὶ πάλιν ἐπιβαίνειν· ταύτην μὲν εἶναι λέγει τὴν ἡμερήσιον περίοδον. τὴν δὲ μηνιαίαν, ὅτι μέγισται μὲν αἱ παλίρροιαι γίνονται περὶ τὰς συνόδους, εἶτα μειοῦνται μέχρι διχοτόμου· πάλιν δʼ αὔξονται μέχρι πανσελήνου, καὶ μειοῦνται πάλιν ἕως διχοτόμου φθινάδος· εἶθʼ ἕως τῶν συνόδων αἱ αὐξήσεις· πλεονάζειν δὲ καὶ χρόνῳ καὶ τάχει τὰς αὐξήσεις. τὰς δʼ ἐνιαυσιαίας παρὰ τῶν ἐν Γαδείροις πυθέσθαι φησί, λεγόντων ὡς κατὰ θερινὰς τροπὰς μάλιστα αὔξοιντο καὶ αἱ ἀναχωρήσεις καὶ αἱ ἐπιβάσεις. εἰκάζει δʼ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν τροπῶν μειοῦσθαι μὲν ἕως ἰσημερίας, αὔξεσθαι δὲ ἕως χειμερινῶν τροπῶν· εἶτα μειοῦσθαι μέχρι ἐαρινῆς ἰσημερίας· εἶτʼ αὔξεσθαι μέχρι θερινῶν τροπῶν. τῶν δὲ περιόδων τούτων οὐσῶν καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτα, τὸν συνάμφω χρόνον δὶς μὲν ἐπιβαινούσης τῆς θαλάττης δὶς δὲ ἀναχωρούσης, τεταγμένως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἡμερησίων χρόνων καὶ τῶν νυκτερινῶν, πῶς οἷόν τε πολλάκις μὲν συμβαίνειν κατὰ τὰς ἀμπώτεις τὴν πλήρωσιν τοῦ φρέατος, μὴ πολλάκις δὲ τὴν λειψυδρίαν; ἢ πολλάκις μέν, μὴ ἰσάκις δέ; ἢ καὶ ἰσάκις μέν, τοὺς δὲ Γαδειρίτας ταῦτα μὲν μὴ ἱκανοὺς γενέσθαι τηρῆσαι τὰ καθʼ ἡμέραν γινόμενα, τὰς δʼ ἐνιαυσίους περιόδους ἐκ τῶν ἅπαξ συμβαινόντων κατʼ ἔτος τηρῆσαι; ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι γε πιστεύει αὐτοῖς, δῆλον ἐξ ὧν καὶ προσεικάζει γίνεσθαι τὰς μειώσεις καὶ πάλιν αὐξήσεις ἀπὸ τροπῶν ἐπὶ τροπάς τε ἑτέρας κἀκεῖθεν πάλιν ἐπανόδους. καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο εἰκός, ὅτι τηρητικοὶ ὄντες τὰ μὲν συμβαίνοντα οὐκ εἶδον, τοῖς δὲ μὴ συμβαίνουσιν ἐπίστευσαν.
I cannot tell how it is that Posidonius, who describes the Phoenicians as sagacious in other things, should here attribute to them folly rather than shrewdness. The sun completes his revolution in the space of a day and night, being a portion of the time beneath the earth, and a portion of the time shining upon it. Now he asserts that the motion of the sea corresponds with the revolution of the heavenly bodies, and experiences a diurnal, monthly, and annual change, in strict accordance with the changes of the moon. For [he continues] when the moon is elevated one sign of the zodiac above the horizon, the sea begins sensibly to swell and cover the shores, until she has attained her meridian; but when that satellite begins to decline, the sea again retires by degrees, until the moon wants merely one sign of the zodiac from setting; it then remains stationary until the moon has set, and also descended one sign of the zodiac below the horizon, when it again rises until she has attained her meridian below the earth; it then retires again until the moon is within one sign of the zodiac of her rising above the horizon, when it remains stationary until the moon has risen one sign of the zodiac above the earth, and then begins to rise as before. Such he describes to be the diurnal revolution. In respect to the monthly revolution, [he says] that the spring-tides occur at the time of the new moon, when they decrease until the first quarter; they then increase until full moon, when they again decrease until the last quarter, after which they increase till the new moon; [he adds] that these increases ought to be understood both of their duration and speed. In regard to the annual revolution, he says that he learned from the statements of the Gaditanians, that both the ebb and flow tides were at their extremes at the summer solstice: and that hence he conjectured that they decreased until the [autumnal] equinox; then increased till the winter solstice; then decreased again until the vernal equinox; and [finally] increased until the summer solstice. But since these revolutions occur twice in the four-and-twenty hours, the sea rising twice and receding twice, and that regularly every day and night, how is it that the filling and failing of the well do not frequently occur during the ebb and flow of the tide? or if it be allowed that this does often occur, why does it not do so in the same proportion? and if it does so in the same proportion, how comes it that the Gaditanians are not competent to observe what is of daily occurrence, while they are nevertheless competent to the observing of revolutions which occur but once in the year. That Posidonius himself credited these reports is evident from his own conjecture respecting the decrease and increase [of the sea] from solstice to solstice. However, it is not likely, being an observant people, that they should be ignorant of what actually occurred, whilst giving credit to imaginary phenomena.
φησὶ δʼ οὖν Σέλευκον τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάττης καὶ ἀνωμαλίαν τινὰ ἐν τούτοις καὶ ὁμαλότητα λέγειν κατὰ τὰς τῶν ζῳδίων διαφοράς· ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἰσημερινοῖς ζῳδίοις τῆς σελήνης οὔσης ὁμαλίζειν τὰ πάθη, ἐν δὲ τοῖς τροπικοῖς ἀνωμαλίαν εἶναι καὶ πλήθει καὶ τάχει, τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ἑκάστου κατὰ τοὺς συνεγγισμοὺς εἶναι τὴν ἀναλογίαν. αὐτὸς δὲ κατὰ τὰς θερινὰς τροπὰς περὶ τὴν πανσέληνόν φησιν ἐν τῷ Ἡρακλείῳ γενόμενος τῷ ἐν Γαδείροις πλείους ἡμέρας μὴ δύνασθαι συνεῖναι τὰς ἐνιαυσίους διαφοράς. περὶ μέντοι τὴν σύνοδον ἐκείνου τοῦ μηνὸς τηρῆσαι μεγάλην παραλλαγὴν ἐν Ἰλίπᾳ τῆς τοῦ Βαίτιος ἀνακοπῆς παρὰ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν, ἐν αἷς οὐδὲ ἕως ἡμίσους τὰς ὄχθας ἔβρεχε· τότε δʼ ὑπερχεῖσθαι τὸ ὕδωρ ὥσθʼ ὑδρεύεσθαι τοὺς στρατιώτας αὐτόθι (διέχει δʼ Ἰλίπα τῆς θαλάττης περὶ ἑπτακοσίους σταδίους)· τῶν δʼ ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ πεδίων καὶ ἐπὶ τριάκοντα σταδίους εἰς βάθος καλυπτομένων ὑπὸ τῆς πλημμυρίδος, ὥστε καὶ νήσους ἀπολαμβάνεσθαι, τὸ τῆς κρηπῖδος ὕψος τῆς τε τοῦ νεὼ τοῦ ἐν τῷ Ἡρακλείῳ καὶ τῆς τοῦ χώματος, ὃ τοῦ λιμένος πρόκειται τοῦ ἐν Γαδείροις, οὐδʼ ἐπὶ δέκα πήχεις καλυπτόμενον ἀναμετρῆσαί φησι· κἂν προσθῇ δέ τις τὸ διπλάσιον τούτου κατὰ τὰς γενομένας ποτὲ παραυξήσεις, οὕτω παρασχεῖν ἂν τὴν ἔμφασιν, ἣν ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις παρέχεται τὸ μέγεθος τῆς πλημμυρίδος. τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τὸ πάθος κοινὸν ἱστορεῖται κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν κύκλῳ παρωκεανῖτιν, τὸ δὲ τοῦ Ἴβηρος ποταμοῦ καινὸν καὶ ἴδιόν φησιν οὗτος· πλημμυρεῖν γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπου καὶ χωρὶς ὄμβρων καὶ χιόνων, ἐπειδὰν τὰ βόρεια πνεύματα πλεονάσῃ, αἰτίαν δʼ εἶναι τὴν λίμνην διʼ ἧς ῥεῖ· συνεκβάλλεσθαι γὰρ τὸ λιμναῖον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνέμων.
Posidonius tells us that Seleucus, a native of the country next the Erythraean Sea, states that the regularity and irregularity of the ebb and flow of the sea follow the different positions of the moon in the zodiac; that when she is in the equinoctial signs the tides are regular, but that when she is in the signs next the tropics, the tides are irregular both in their height and force; and that for the remaining signs the irregularity is greater or less, according as they are more or less removed from the signs before mentioned. Posidonius adds, that during the summer solstice and whilst the moon was full, he himself passed many days in the temple of Hercules at Gades, but could not observe any thing of these annual irregularities. However, about the new moon of the same month he observed at Ilipa a great change in the reflux of the water of the Guadalquiver, as compared with previous flood-tides, in which the water did not rise half as high as the banks, and that then the water poured in so copiously, that the soldiers there dipped their supply without difficulty, although Ilipa is about 700 stadia from the sea. He says, that the plains next the sea were covered by the tides to a distance of 30 stadia, and to such a depth as to form islands, while the basement of the temple in the enclosure dedicated to Hercules, and the top of the mole in front of the harbour of Gades, were not covered higher than 10 cubits, as observed by actual soundings; but if any one should add the double of that for the occasional risings of the tide which occur, [neither] thus would he be able to estimate the violence with which the full force of the high tide rushes over the plains. Posidonius informs us that this violence [of the tide] is common to all the coasts of Spain on the Atlantic, but what he relates concerning the Ebro is unusual and peculiar to itself, for he says that it sometimes overflows after continued north winds, although there may have been neither rains nor snows. The cause of this [he supposes] to be the lake through which the Ebro flows, its waters being driven by the winds into the current of the river.
̔ιστορεῖ δὲ καὶ δένδρον ἐν Γαδείροις ὄζους ἔχον καμπτομένους εἰς ἔδαφος, πολλάκις δὲ φύλλα ξιφοειδῆ πηχυαῖα τὸ μῆκος, πλάτος δὲ τετραδάκτυλα. περὶ δὲ νέαν Καρχηδόνα δένδρον ἐξ ἀκάνθης φλοιὸν ἀφιέναι ἐξ οὗ ὑφάσματα γίνεται κάλλιστα. τῷ μὲν οὖν ἐν Γαδείροις καὶ ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅμοιον ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ κατὰ τὴν τῶν κλάδων κατάκαμψιν, τοῖς δὲ φύλλοις ἀνόμοιον οὐδὲ καρπὸν ἔχον· τοῦτο δʼ ἔχειν φησί. τὰ δʼ ἀκάνθινα ὑφαίνεται καὶ ἐν Καππαδοκίᾳ, φέρει δʼ οὐ δένδρον τὴν ἄκανθαν ἐξ ἧς ὁ φλοιός, ἀλλὰ χαμαίζηλος ἡ βοτάνη. τῷ δὲ δένδρῳ τῷ ἐν Γαδείροις καὶ τοῦτο προσιστόρηται ὅτι κλάδου μὲν ἀποκλωμένου γάλα ῥεῖ, ῥίζης δὲ τεμνομένης μιλτῶδες ὑγρὸν ἀναφέρεται. τοσαῦτα καὶ περὶ Γαδείρων.
The same writer mentions a tree at Gades, which had boughs reaching to the ground; its sword-shaped leaves often measuring a cubit long, and four fingers broad. Also that about Carthagena there was a tree whose thorns produced a bark from which most beautiful stuffs were woven. As for the tree [he saw] at Gades, we ourselves have observed a similar in Egypt, so far as the inclination of the boughs is concerned, but with a differently shaped leaf, and producing no fruit, which according to him the other did. In Cappadocia there are stuffs made from thorns, but it is not a tree which produces the thorn from which the bark is taken, but a low plant; he also tells us of a tree at Gades, from which if a branch be broken off a milk will flow, and if the root be cut a red fluid runs. Thus much for Gades.
αἱ δὲ Καττιτερίδες δέκα μέν εἰσι, κεῖνται δʼ ἐγγὺς ἀλλήλων πρὸς ἄρκτον ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν Ἀρτάβρων λιμένος πελάγιαι· μία δʼ αὐτῶν ἔρημός ἐστι, τὰς δʼ ἄλλας οἰκοῦσιν ἄνθρωποι μελάγχλαινοι, ποδήρεις ἐνδεδυκότες τοὺς χιτῶνας, ἐζωσμένοι περὶ τὰ στέρνα, μετὰ ῥάβδων περιπατοῦντες, ὅμοιοι ταῖς τραγικαῖς Ποιναῖς· ζῶσι δʼ ἀπὸ βοσκημάτων νομαδικῶς τὸ πλέον. μέταλλα δὲ ἔχοντες καττιτέρου καὶ μολίβδου κέραμον ἀντὶ τούτων καὶ τῶν δερμάτων διαλλάττονται καὶ ἅλας καὶ χαλκώματα πρὸς τοὺς ἐμπόρους. πρότερον μὲν οὖν Φοίνικες μόνοι τὴν ἐμπορίαν ἔστελλον ταύτην ἐκ τῶν Γαδείρων κρύπτοντες ἅπασι τὸν πλοῦν· τῶν δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἐπακολουθούντων ναυκλήρῳ τινί, ὅπως καὶ αὐτοὶ γνοῖεν τὰ ἐμπόρια, φθόνῳ ὁ ναύκληρος ἑκὼν εἰς τέναγος ἐξέβαλε τὴν ναῦν, ἐπαγαγὼν δʼ εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν ὄλεθρον καὶ τοὺς ἑπομένους αὐτὸς ἐσώθη διὰ ναυαγίου, καὶ ἀπέλαβε δημοσίᾳ τὴν τιμὴν ὧν ἀπέβαλε φορτίων. οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ὅμως πειρώμενοι πολλάκις ἐξέμαθον τὸν πλοῦν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ Πόπλιος Κράσσος διαβὰς ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἔγνω τὰ μέταλλα ἐκ μικροῦ βάθους ὀρυττόμενα καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας εἰρηναίους, ἐκ περιουσίας ἤδη τὴν θάλατταν ἐργάζεσθαι ταύτην τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν ἐπέδειξε καίπερ οὖσαν πλείω τῆς διειργούσης τὴν Βρεττανικήν. καὶ περὶ μὲν Ἰβηρίας καὶ τῶν προκειμένων νήσων ταῦτα.
The Cassiterides are ten in number, and lie near each other in the ocean towards the north from the haven of the Artabri. One of them is desert, but the others are inhabited by men in black cloaks, clad in tunics reaching to the feet, girt about the breast, and walking with staves, thus resembling the Furies we see in tragic representations. They subsist by their cattle, leading for the most part a wandering life. Of the metals they have tin and lead; which with skins they barter with the merchants for earthenware, salt, and brazen vessels. Formerly the Phoenicians alone carried on this traffic from Gades, concealing the passage from every one; and when the Romans followed a certain ship-master, that they also might find the market, the shipmaster of jealousy purposely ran his vessel upon a shoal, leading on those who followed him into the same destructive disaster; he himself escaped by means of a fragment of the ship, and received from the state the value of the cargo he had lost. The Romans nevertheless by frequent efforts discovered the passage, and as soon as Publius Crassus, passing over to them, perceived that the metals were dug out at a little depth, and that the men were peaceably disposed, he declared it to those who already wished to traffic in this sea for profit, although the passage was longer than that to Britain. Thus far concerning Iberia and the adjacent islands.
Cite This Text