Geography (Geographicae Enarrationis Libri Octo)

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Again, he says the navigation from the city of Curura is toward the winter sunrise southeast, as far as Palura, of nine thousand four hundred and fifty stadia, from which, if we subtract that third part likewise because of the irregularity of the course, we will have the distance which is fashioned from the continuity, and which tends almost toward the Eurus the Southeast wind, of almost six thousand three hundred stadia. Furthermore, if we also remove a sixth part from these, so that it may be reduced to the parallel line of the equinoctial, we will also find the distance of these meridians to be five thousand two hundred and fifty stadia, and ten and a half parts. From there, he posits the Gangetic gulf to be nineteen thousand stadia, and the navigation of those from Palura to Sada thirteen thousand, as if toward the equinoctial sunrise due East. For which reason, a third part of this space must be subtracted because of the irregularity of the navigation, so that the distance of these meridians is also left as eight thousand six hundred and seventy stadia, and seventeen and one-third parts; but he makes the remaining navigation from Sada as far as the city of Tamala to be three thousand and five hundred stadia, as if toward the winter sunrise, from which, if we again have deducted a third part, we will have two thousand and thirty stadia of continuous course, from which, if we also subtract a sixth part on account of the inclination toward the Eurus, we will also find the distance of the exposed meridians to be one thousand nine hundred and forty stadia, and almost three and one-half and one-third parts. Then, he posits the crossing from Tamala to the Golden Chersonesus to be one thousand six hundred stadia, as if again toward the winter sunrise, so that if there also we remove similar parts, there is left a distance of the meridians of nine hundred stadia, and one and four-fifths parts; the distance, however, which is from the Cory promontory as far as the Golden Chersonesus,

he collects to be thirty and four-fifths parts.

CAPVT .XIV.

A circular diagram represents a quadrant or navigational instrument with radiating lines and numerical markings (1/3, 1/12, 1/4) within a square frame.

MARINUS does not explain the number of stadia of that navigation which is from the Golden Chersonesus to Cattigara, but he reports that Alexander wrote that the land from there is contrary to the south, and that those who navigate along it arrive at the city of Zabas in twenty days. But those navigating from Zabas toward the south, and more to the left, for some days, reach Cattigara. Therefore, he increases the exposed distance, accepting "some days" for "many." For he says that on account of the multitude they were not encompassed by number, which I indeed consider ridiculous; for what number of days will be infinite, even if it contains the circuit of the whole traveled earth, or what prevents Alexander from saying "many" for certain ones? Just as he says that Dioscorus reported that the navigation from Rapta to Prassum is of many days, and it is more reasonable that one should understand "some days" for "few," for we are accustomed to reprehend such a mode of speaking. But lest we also, with some multitude proposed, appear to adapt ourselves only to simple conjectures, let us assume the navigation from the Golden Chersonesus as far as Cattigara is composed of the twenty days which are to Zaba, as well as from others which are to Cattigara, just as that navigation from Aromata to the Prassum promontory, which itself is composed of an equal number of days, twenty, to Rapta according to Theophilus, and from many others which are to Prassum according to Dioscorus, so that we may equally imitate Marinus, who compares "some days" to "many." Therefore, after we have shown by certain reasons and also from the appearances themselves that Prassum is under the parallel which is distant from the equinoctial, toward the south, by sixteen and one-third and one-twelfth parts, and the parallel which passes through Aromata is distant from the equinoctial toward the north by four and one-fourth parts, such that if the entire distance which is from Aromata to Prassum is contracted into one, it is twenty and one-third parts.