λοιπὴ δʼ ἐστὶ τῆς Ἰβηρίας ἥ τε ἀπὸ τῶν στηλῶν μέχρι τῆς Πυρήνης καθʼ ἡμᾶς παραλία καὶ ἡ ταύτης ὑπερκειμένη μεσόγαια πᾶσα, τὸ μὲν πλάτος ἀνώμαλος τὸ δὲ μῆκος μικρῷ πλειόνων ἢ τετρακισχιλίων σταδίων· τὸ δὲ τῆς παραλίας ἔτι πλεῖον καὶ δισχιλίοις σταδίοις εἴρηται. φασὶ δὲ ἀπὸ μὲν Κάλπης τοῦ κατὰ στήλας ὄρους ἐπὶ Καρχηδόνα νέαν δισχιλίους καὶ διακοσίους σταδίους· οἰκεῖσθαι δὲ τὴν ᾐόνα ταύτην ὑπὸ Βαστητανῶν οὓς καὶ Βαστούλους καλοῦσιν, ἐκ μέρους δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ Ὠρητανῶν. ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἴβηρα ἄλλους τοσούτους σχεδόν τι (ταύτην δʼ ἔχειν Ἐδητανούς), ἐντὸς δὲ τοῦ Ἴβηρος μέχρι Πυρήνης καὶ τῶν Πομπηίου ἀναθημάτων χιλίους καὶ ἑξακοσίους· οἰκεῖν δὲ Ἐδητανῶν τε ὀλίγους καὶ λοιπὸν τοὺς προσαγορευομένους Ἰνδικήτας μεμερισμένους τέτραχα.
WHAT remains [to be described] of Iberia, is the seacoast of the Mediterranean from the Pillars to the Pyrenees, and the whole of the inland country which lies above. The breadth of this is irregular, its length a little above 4000 stadia. It has been remarked that the sea-coast is above 2000 stadia, and they say that from Mount Calpe, which is near the Pillars, to New Carthage, there are 2200 stadia. This coast is inhabited by the Bastetani, also called the Bastuli, and in part by the Oretani. Thence to the Ebro the distance is nearly as great. This [region] is inhabited by the Edetani. On this side the Ebro to the Pyrenees and the Trophies of Pompey there are 1600 stadia. It is peopled by a small portion of the Edetani, and the rest by a people named the Indicetes, divided into four cantons.
κατὰ μέρος δὲ ἀπὸ Κάλπης ἀρξαμένοις ῥάχις ἐστὶν ὀρεινὴ τῆς Βαστητανίας καὶ τῶν Ὠρητανῶν δασεῖαν ὕλην ἔχουσα καὶ μεγαλόδενδρον, διορίζουσα τὴν παραλίαν ἀπὸ τῆς μεσογαίας. πολλαχοῦ δὲ κἀνταῦθά ἐστι χρυσεῖα καὶ ἄλλα μέταλλα. πόλις δʼ ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ παραλίᾳ ταύτῃ πρώτη Μάλακα, ἴσον διέχουσα τῆς Κάλπης ὅσον καὶ τὰ Γάδειρα· ἐμπόριον δʼ ἐστὶν τοῖς ἐν τῇ περαίᾳ νομάσι, καὶ ταριχείας δὲ ἔχει μεγάλας. ταύτην τινὲς τῇ Μαινάκῃ τὴν αὐτὴν νομίζουσιν, ἣν ὑστάτην τῶν Φωκαϊκῶν πόλεων πρὸς δύσει κειμένην παρειλήφαμεν, οὐκ ἔστι δέ· ἀλλʼ ἐκείνη μὲν ἀπωτέρω τῆς Κάλπης ἐστί, κατεσκαμμένη, τὰ δʼ ἴχνη σώζουσα Ἑλληνικῆς πόλεως, ἡ δὲ Μάλακα πλησίον μᾶλλον, Φοινικικὴ τῷ σχήματι. ἐφεξῆς δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν Ἐξιτανῶν πόλις, ἐξ ἧς καὶ τὰ ταρίχη ἐπωνύμως λέγεται.
Commencing our particular description from Calpe, there is [first] the mountain-chain of Bastetania and the Oretani. This is covered with thick woods and gigantic trees, and separates the sea-coast from the interior. In many places it also contains gold and other mines. The first city along the coast is Malaca, which is about as far distant from Calpe as Calpe is from Gades. It is a market for the nomade tribes from the opposite coast, and there are great stores of salt-fish there. Some suppose it to be the same as Maenaca, which tradition reports to be the farthest west of the cities of the Phocaei; but this is not the case, for Maenaca, which was situated at a greater distance from Calpe, is in ruins, and preserves traces of having been a Grecian city, whereas Malaca is nearer, and Phoenician in its configuration. Next in order is the city of the Exitani, from which the salted fish bearing that name takes its appellation.
μετὰ ταύτην Ἄβδηρα Φοινίκων κτίσμα καὶ αὐτή. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν τόπων ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ δείκνυται Ὀδύσσεια καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ἐν αὐτῇ, ὡς Ποσειδώνιός τε εἴρηκε καὶ Ἀρτεμίδωρος καὶ Ἀσκληπιάδης ὁ Μυρλεανός, ἀνὴρ ἐν τῇ Τουρδητανίᾳ παιδεύσας τὰ γραμματικὰ καὶ περιήγησίν τινα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐκδεδωκὼς τῶν ταύτῃ. οὗτος δέ φησιν ὑπομνήματα τῆς πλάνης τῆς Ὀδυσσέως ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ἀσπίδας προσπεπατταλεῦσθαι καὶ ἀκροστόλια. ἐν Καλλαϊκοῖς δὲ τῶν μετὰ Τεύκρου στρατευσάντων τινὰς οἰκῆσαι, καὶ ὑπάρξαι πόλεις αὐτόθι, τὴν μὲν καλουμένην Ἕλληνες τὴν δὲ Ἀμφίλοχοι, ὡς καὶ τοῦ Ἀμφιλόχου τελευτήσαντος δεῦρο καὶ τῶν συνόντων πλανηθέντων μέχρι τῆς μεσογαίας. καὶ τῶν μεθʼ Ἡρακλέους δέ τινας καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ Μεσσήνης ἱστορῆσθαί φησιν ἐποικῆσαι τὴν Ἰβηρίαν, τῆς δὲ Κανταβρίας μέρος τι κατασχεῖν Λάκωνας καὶ οὗτός φησι καὶ ἄλλοι. ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ Ὠκέλλαν πόλιν Ὠκέλλα κτίσμα λέγουσι τοῦ μετὰ Ἀντήνορος καὶ τῶν παίδων αὐτοῦ διαβάντος εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν. καὶ ἐν τῇ Λιβύῃ δὲ πεπιστεύκασί τινες τοῖς τῶν Γαδειριτῶν ἐμπόροις προσέχοντες, ὡς καὶ Ἀρτεμίδωρος εἴρηκεν, ὅτι οἱ ὑπὲρ τῆς Μαυρουσίας οἰκοῦντες πρὸς τοῖς ἑσπερίοις Αἰθίοψι Λωτοφάγοι καλοῦνται, σιτούμενοι λωτόν, πόαν τινὰ καὶ ῥίζαν, οὐ δεόμενοι δὲ ποτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἔχοντες διὰ τὴν ἀνυδρίαν, διατείνοντες καὶ μέχρι τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς Κυρήνης τόπων. ἄλλοι τε πάλιν καλοῦνται Λωτοφάγοι τὴν ἑτέραν οἰκοῦντες τῶν πρὸ τῆς μικρᾶς Σύρτεως νήσων, τὴν Μήνιγγα.
After these comes Abdera, founded likewise by the Phoenicians. Above these places, in the mountains, the city of Ulyssea is shown, containing a temple to Minerva, according to the testimony of Posidonius, Artemidorus, and Asclepiades the Myrlean, a man who taught literature in Turdetania, and published a description of the nations dwelling there. He says that in the temple of Minerva were hung up spears and prows of vessels, monuments of the wanderings of Ulysses. That some of those who followed Teucer in his expedition settled among the Gallicians; and that two cities were there, the one called Hellenes, the other Amphilochi; but Amphilochus having died, his followers wandered into the interior. He adds, that it is said, that some of the followers of Hercules, and certain also of the inhabitants of Messene, settled in Iberia. Both he and others assert that a portion of Cantabria was occupied by Laconians. Here is the city named Opsicella, founded by Ocela, who passed into Italy with Antenor and his children. Some believe the account of the merchants of Gades, asserted by Artemidorus, that in Libya there are people living above Maurusia, near to the Western Ethiopians, named Lotophagi, because they feed on the leaves and root of the lotus without wanting to drink; for they possess [no drink], being without water. These people they say extend as far as the regions above Cyrene. There are others also called Lotophagi, who inhabit Meninx, one of the islands situated opposite the Lesser Syrtes.
οὐ δὴ θαυμάζοι τις ἂν οὔτε τοῦ ποιητοῦ τὰ περὶ τὴν Ὀδυσσέως πλάνην μυθογραφήσαντος τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον, ὥστʼ ἔξω στηλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἀτλαντικῷ πελάγει τὰ πολλὰ διαθέσθαι τῶν λεγομένων περὶ αὐτοῦ (τὰ γὰρ ἱστορούμενα ἐγγὺς ἦν καὶ τόποις καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τῶν ὑπʼ ἐκείνου πεπλασμένων, ὥστε οὐκ ἀπίθανον ἐποίει τὸ πλάσμα), οὔτʼ εἴ τινες αὐταῖς τε ταύταις ταῖς ἱστορίαις πιστεύσαντες καὶ τῇ πολυμαθείᾳ τοῦ ποιητοῦ καὶ πρὸς ἐπιστημονικὰς ὑποθέσεις ἔτρεψαν τὴν Ὁμήρου ποίησιν, καθάπερ Κράτης τε ὁ Μαλλώτης ἐποίησε καὶ ἄλλοι τινές. οἱ δʼ οὕτως ἀγροίκως ἐδέξαντο τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν τὴν τοιαύτην ὥστε οὐ μόνον τὸν ποιητὴν σκαπανέως ἢ θεριστοῦ δίκην ἐκ πάσης τῆς τοιαύτης ἐπιστήμης ἐξέβαλον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἁψαμένους τῆς τοιαύτης πραγματείας μαινομένους ὑπέλαβον· συνηγορίαν δὲ ἢ ἐπανόρθωσιν ἤ τι τοιοῦτον ἕτερον εἰς τὰ λεχθέντα ὑπʼ ἐκείνων εἰσενεγκεῖν οὐκ ἐθάρρησεν οὔτε τῶν γραμματικῶν οὔτε τῶν περὶ τὰ μαθήματα δεινῶν οὐδείς. καίτοι ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ δυνατὸν εἶναι καὶ συνηγορῆσαι πολλοῖς τῶν λεχθέντων καὶ εἰς ἐπανόρθωσιν ἄγειν καὶ μάλιστα ταῦτα ὅσα Πυθέας παρεκρούσατο τοὺς πιστεύσαντας αὐτῷ κατὰ ἄγνοιαν τῶν τε ἑσπερίων τόπων καὶ τῶν προσβόρρων τῶν παρὰ τὸν ὠκεανόν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἐάσθω λόγον ἔχοντα ἴδιον καὶ μακρόν.
No one should be surprised that the poet, in his fiction descriptive of the wanderings of Ulysses, should have located the majority of the scenes which he narrates without the Pillars, in the Atlantic. For historical events of a similar character did actually occur near to the places, so that the other circumstances which he feigned did not make his fiction incredible; nor [should any one be surprised] if certain persons, putting faith in the historical accuracy and extensive knowledge of the poet, should have attempted to explain the poem of Homer on scientific principles; a proceeding undertaken by Crates of Mallos, and some others. On the other hand, there have been those who have treated the undertaking of Homer so contemptuously, as not only to deny any such knowledge to the poet, as though he were a ditcher or reaper, but have stigmatized as fools those who commented on his writings. And not one either of the grammarians, or of those skilled in the mathematics, has dared to undertake their defence, or to set right any mistakes in what they have advanced, or any thing else; although it seems to me possible both to prove correct much that they have said, and also to set right other points, especially where they have been misled by putting faith in Pytheas, who was ignorant of the countries situated along the ocean, both to the west and north. But we must let these matters pass, as they require a particular and lengthened discussion.
τῆς δὲ τῶν Ἑλλήνων πλάνης τῆς εἰς τὰ βάρβαρα ἔθνη νομίζοι τις ἂν αἴτιον τὸ διεσπάσθαι κατὰ μέρη μικρὰ καὶ δυναστείας ἐπιπλοκὴν οὐκ ἐχούσας πρὸς ἀλλήλους κατʼ αὐθάδειαν, ὥστε ἐκ τούτου πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἔξωθεν ἀσθενεῖς εἶναι. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ αὔθαδες ἐν δὴ τοῖς Ἴβηρσι μάλιστα ἐπέτεινε προσλαβοῦσι καὶ τὸ πανοῦργον φύσει καὶ τὸ μὴ ἁπλοῦν· ἐπιθετικοὶ γὰρ καὶ λῃστρικοὶ τοῖς βίοις ἐγένοντο τὰ μικρὰ τολμῶντες, μεγάλοις δʼ οὐκ ἐπιβαλλόμενοι διὰ τὸ μεγάλας μὴ κατασκευάζεσθαι δυνάμεις καὶ κοινωνίας. εἰ γὰρ δὴ συνασπίζειν ἐβούλοντο ἀλλήλοις, οὔτε Καρχηδονίοις ὑπῆρξεν ἂν καταστρέψασθαι ἐπελθοῦσι τὴν πλείστην αὐτῶν ἐκ περιουσίας, καὶ ἔτι πρότερον Τυρίοις, εἶτα Κελτοῖς οἳ νῦν Κελτίβηρες καὶ Βήρωνες καλοῦνται, οὔτε τῷ λῃστῇ Οὐριάθῳ καὶ Σερτωρίῳ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ εἴ τινες ἕτεροι δυναστείας ἐπεθύμησαν μείζονος. Ῥωμαῖοί τε τῷ κατὰ μέρη πρὸς τοὺς Ἴβηρας πολεμεῖν καθʼ ἑκάστην διὰ ταύτην τὴν δυναστείαν πολύν τινα διετέλεσαν χρόνον, ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλους καταστρεφόμενοι τέως ἕως ἅπαντας ὑποχειρίους ἔλαβον διακοσιοστῷ σχεδόν τι ἔτει ἢ μακρότερον. ἐπάνειμι δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν περιήγησιν.
The settlement of the Grecians amongst these barbarous nations may be regarded as the result of the division of these latter into small tribes and sovereignties, having on account of their moroseness no union amongst themselves, and therefore powerless against attacks from without. This moroseness is remarkably prevalent amongst the Iberians, who are besides crafty in their manner, devoid of sincerity, insidious, and predatory in their mode of life; they are bold in little adventures, but never undertake any thing of magnitude, inasmuch as they have never formed any extended power or confederacy. If they had had but the will to assist each other, neither could the Carthaginians by making an incursion have so easily deprived them of the greater part of their country, nor before them the Tyrians, then the Kelts, now called the Keltiberians and Berones, nor after these the brigand Viriathus, and Sertorius, nor any others who desired power. On this account the Romans, having carried the war into Iberia, lost much time by reason of the number of different sovereignties, having to conquer first one, then another; in fact, it occupied nearly two centuries, or even longer, before they had subdued the whole.—I return to my description.
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