Book 2
5.38
In the countries situated about 400 stadia south of the parallel of Alexandria and Cyrene, where the longest day consists of fourteen equinoctial hours, Arcturus passes the zenith, slightly declining towards the south. At Alexandria at the time of the equinox the proportion which the gnomon bears to the shadow is as five to seven.Kramer follows Gosselin in proposing to substitute τοͅία in place of ἑπτά. Thus they are south of Carthage 1300 stadia, that is, admitting that in Carthage at the time of the equinox the proportion which the gnomon bears to the shadow is as eleven to seven. This parallel on the one sideThe west side. passes by Cyrene and the regions 900 stadia south of Carthage as far as the midst of Maurusia;Algiers and Fez. and on the other sideThe eastern side. through Egypt,Lower Egypt is intended. Coelosyria, Upper Syria, Babylonia, Susiana,Khosistan. Persia,The modern province of Fars. Carmania,Kerman. Upper Gedrosia,Upper Mekran and India.
5.39
At Ptolemais in Phoenicia,S. Jean d’ Acre. and at SidonSeide. and Tyre,Tsur. the longest day consists of fourteen hours and a quarter. These cities are north of Alexandria by about 1600 stadia, and north of Carthage about 700. In the Peloponnesus, and about the middle of Rhodes, at 5anthusEksenide. in Lycia, or a little to the south of this place, and at 400 stadia south of Syracuse,Siragusa. the longest day consists of fourteen and a half equinoctial hours. These places are distant from Alexandria 3640 stadia. . . . This parallel, according to Eratosthenes, passes through Caria, Lycaonia, Cataonia, Media, the Caspian Gates, and India next the Caucasus.Caria occupied the southern and western parts of Anadoli, near the Island of Rhodes. Lycaonia formed a part of the modern Karaman. Cataonia was comprised in Aladeuli. Media is now Irak-Adjami. The Caspian Gates are the defiles of Firouz-Koh.
