PROLEGOMENA.

Finally, the description of the regions of Italy attributed to Augustus by Pliny III 46 sqq. relates in no way to geography, but only to some edict constituted for the purpose of administering the empire well, nor does it agree with Agrippa or the chorographus geographer, a matter about which I will speak at the bottom of p. 8. There is, I say, nothing—and Muellenhoff p. 184 and F. Philippi p. 30 almost agree—nothing at all handed down that draws us to believe that Augustus, whether led by a desire for knowledge or looking out for the convenience of citizens, took care of geographical matters either in those censuses or at any other time. 1 Furthermore, that the Division of the World 1 (see p. 15) makes the 'divine Augustus' the author of a chorography, I consider to be of no value, since it originates only from a misunderstanding of the words of Pliny III 17 (cf. III 3). But, you will say, does not Isidorus V 36, 4 say 'Augustus described the Roman world'? I hear you. But you should compare that passage of Isidorus with the 'Cosmography of Julius Caesar' such as I presented on p. 21 sqq. Indeed, the narrative that exists there about four measurers lat. mensores measuring the earth in the age of Caesar and Augustus is quite memorable. For it contains both what may seem recent and fabulous: I mean the partition of the work effected through the four parts of the world (though it should not for that reason be considered a mere fable with Muellenhoff p. 183, cf. below p. XXIV n.)—but also those things which bear the appearance of a genuine narrative taken as if from the acts of the empire (which is also Ritschl's opinion, p. 505): I mean the most accurate computation of the consulships and of the times spent in measurement: about which I will speak later. But although I do not wish to judge anything about this narrative in this place, I do hold it certain that it does not pertain to geographical reasons such as descriptions of provinces and measurements of routes. For how, since milestones had long since been established everywhere, unless perhaps they were given to the foulest sloth, could the measurers have spent twenty or thirty years on these matters? On the contrary, if the measurers (cf. Herm. IX 186) had been sent with the intention (which I believe is true) that they should know and examine the boundaries of towns and fields and the rights of all, and investigate what tributes could be exacted from them, if they were ordered to compile lists of individual possessions (which are called kataster cadastre/land registry by us) and were striving not for geography but for the convenience of the treasury, then such a long time would indeed have to be attributed to their work. Therefore, it is possible that from their works—

1) No one will deny that Dionysius of Charax, whom he sent ahead to his elder son who was going to Armenia 'to comment on all things' (Pliny VI 141), was ordered to look to the utility of Tiberius, not to literature.