Stelle 47 Igitur a monte Imauo, hoc est ab...; (Historiarum adversum paganos libri VII (417 - 418), I.2.47-53 (pp. 23-5, trans. Fear, pp. 41-2)) [5465]

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ID 5465
Text Historiarum adversum paganos libri VII (417 - 418) Orosius
Quotation 47 Igitur a monte Imauo, hoc est ab imo Caucaso et dextra orientis parte qua oceanus Sericus tenditur, usque ad promunturium Boreum et flumen Boreum, inde tenus Scythico mari quod est a septentrione, usque ad mare Caspium quod est ab occasu, et usque ad extentum Caucasi iugum quod est ad meridiem, Hyrcanorum et Scytharum gentes sunt XLII, propter terrarum infecundam diffusionem late oberrantes. 48 Mare Caspium sub Aquilonis plaga ab oceano oritur, cuius utraque circa oceanum litora et loca deserta incultaque habentur. inde meridiem uersus per longas angustias tenditur, donec per magna spatia dilatatum Caucasi montis radicibus terminetur. 49 Itaque a mari Caspio quod est ad orientem, per oram oceani septentrionalis usque ad Tanaim fluuium et Maeotidas paludes quae sunt ad occasum, per litus Cimmerici maris quod est ab Africo, usque ad caput et portas Caucasi quae sunt ad meridiem, gentes sunt XXXIIII. 50 Sed generaliter regio proxima Albania, ulterior sub mari et monte Caspio Amazonum nominatur. 51 Expliciti sunt quam breuissime fines Asiae. Nunc Europam in quantum cognitioni hominis conceditur stilo peruagabor. 52 Incipit a montibus Riphaeis ac flumine Tanai Maeotidisque paludibus quae sunt ad orientem, per litus septentrionalis oceani usque ad Galliam Belgicam et flumen Rhenum quod est ab occasu descendens, deinde usque ad Danuuium quem et Histrum uocant, qui est a meridie et ad orientem directus Ponto accipitur. 53 ab oriente Alania est, in medio Dacia ubi et Gothia, deinde Germania est ubi plurimam partem Suebi tenent. quorum omnium sunt gentes LIIII.
Translation 47. Between Mount Imavus, i.e. from the depths of the Caucasus, and the right‑hand part of the east, where the Chinese Ocean lies, as far as the promontory of Boreum and the river Boreum, and from there up to the Scythian Sea in the north as far as the Caspian Sea in the west and the extended Caucasus range in the south, live 42 Hyrcanian and Scythian tribes. These peoples wander far and wide because of the infertility of the soil. 48. The Caspian Sea rises on the north-eastern shore of the Ocean and its shores on either side by the Ocean, and the places nearby are deserted and uncultivated. Thence it extends south in a long, narrow channel until, spreading out into a wide expanse, it comes to an end at the foot of the Caucasus. 49. 34 peoples live in the lands which are bounded by the Caspian Sea on the east and run along the shore of the Northern Ocean to the river Tanaïs and the Maeotid marshes to the west, extending along the shore of the Cimmerian Sea in the south‑west to the summit and gates of the Caucasus in the south. 50. The nearer region is commonly called Albania and the further region, lying beneath the Caspian Sea and mountains, the land of the Amazons. 51. The dimensions of Asia have therefore been briefly outlined. I shall now wander with my pen through what man knows of Europe. 52. Europe begins in the east at the Riphaean mountains, the river Tanaïs, and the Maeotid marshes. Its border runs along the shore of the Northern Ocean to Gallia Belgica and the river Rhine in the west. It then comes down to the Danube, which is also called the Hister. This river runs from the south towards the east and ends in the Euxine Sea. 53. On its east is Alania, in its centre Dacia, where Gothia is also found, then comes Germany, the greater part of which is held by the Sueves. In total, 54 peoples live here. 54. Now I shall set out the area that the Danube cuts off from barbarian lands down as far as Our Sea.
Quotation source I.2.47-53 (pp. 23-5, trans. Fear, pp. 41-2)
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