The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. V.

¶ Cyrene.

THe region Cyrenaica, called also Pentapolitana, is famous and renowned for the Oracle of Hammon, which is from Cyrenae 400 miles, for the fountaine of the Sunne, and princi∣pally [unspec K] for 5 cities, Berenice, Arsinoe, Ptolemais, Apollonia, and Cyrene it selfe. Berenice standeth vpon the vtmost winding and nouke of Syrtis, called sometim the city of the aboue∣named Hesperīdes, according to the wandering tales of Greece. And before the towne, not far off, is the riuer Lethon, the sacred groue where the hort-yards of these Hesperides are reported to be. From Leptis it is 385 miles. From it stands Arsinoe, vsually named Teuchira, 43 miles: and from thence 22 miles, Ptolemais, called in old time Barce. And then 250 miles off the pro∣montory Phycus runs out along the Creticke sea, distant from Taenarus a cape of Laconia, 350 miles: but from Creet it selfe 125 miles. And after it Cyrene, 11 miles from the sea. From Phycus to Apollonia is 24 miles: to Cherronesus 88: and so forth to Catabathnus 216 miles. The inhabitants there bordering, be the Marmaridae, stretching out in length almost from Pa∣raetonium [unspec L] to the greater Syrtis. After them the Ararauceles: and so in the very coast and side of Syrtis, The Nasamones, whom before-time the Greekes called Mesammones by reason of the place, for that they were seated in the middest betweene the two quicke sands. The Cyrenaick countrie, for the space of 15 miles from the sea side, is fruitfull for trees: and for the same com∣passe within the land, but for corne onely: but then for 30 miles in bredth, and 250 in length, for the gum Laser and nothing else. After the Masamones, the Hasbitae and Masae do liue. Be∣yond them the Hammanientes, eleuen daies iournie from the greater Syrtes to the West, and euen they also euery way are compassed about with sands: how beit they find without much ado pits almost in cubits deepe, for that the waters there of Mauritania doe ouerflow. Houses they make themselues of salt, hewed out of their owne hils in maner of stone. From these to the Tro∣glodites, [unspec M] in the Southwest coast is foure daies iournie, with whom they chaffer and traffick on∣ly for a certaine precious stone or gem, which we call a Carbuncle, brought out of Aethyopia. There comes betweene, the countrie Phazania, lying toward the wildernesse abouesaid of Af∣frick, aboue the lesse Syrtis: where we subdued the nation of the Phazanij, together with the ci∣ties

Alele and Cillaba. In like manner Dydamum ouer-against Sabrata. Next to whom there [unspec A] is a mountain, reaching a great way from the East into the West, called by our men Ater, natu∣rally as it were burnt, & like as if it were scorched, and set on fire with the reflection of the Sun. Beyond that mountain are the desarts: also Matelgae a town of the Garamants, & likewise De∣bris, which casteth forth a spring of waters seething vp from noon to midnight exceeding hot: and for as many houres again into midday most chilling cold; also the most goodly towne Ga∣rama, the chiefe head of the Garamantes. All which places the Romanes haue conquered by force of armes, and ouer them Cornelius Balbus triumphed, the onely man of forreiners that was honoured with the triumphant chariot, and endowed besides with the freedome of Romane citizens. For why, being borne at Gades, he and his vncle both, Balbus the elder, were made free denizons of Rome. And this is maruell that our writers haue recorded, that besides the towns [unspec B] abouenamed by him conquered, himselfe in his triumph caried the titles and pourtraictes not of Cydamus and Garama only, but also of all other nations and cities, which were ranged in a Roll, and went in this order, The towne Tabidium, the nation Niteris, the towne Neglige∣mela, the Nation Bubeium, the town Vel, the nation Enipi, the town Thuben, the hill named Niger. The towns Nitibrum and Rapsa, the nation Discera, the town Debris, the riuer Natha∣bur, the towne Tapsagum, the nation Nannagi, the towne Boin, the towne Pege, the riuer Dasi∣bari. And again forward, these townes lying one to another together, Baracum, Buluba, Alasi, Balsa, Galla, Maxala, and Zizama. The hill Gyri, wherein Tit•…•… hath reported that precious stones were engendred. Hitherto the way to the Garamants, was intricat and vnpassable, by rea∣son of the robbers and theeues of that countrey, who vsed to dig certain pits in the way (which to them that know the quarters of the counttey, is no hard matter to doe) and then couer them [unspec C] lightly ouer with sand. But in the last war which the Romans maintained against the Oenses, vnder the conduct and fortunate auspices of Vespasian the Emperor, there was found a short and neere way of foure daies iourney; & this way is called Praeter caput Saxi (besides the rocks head) The frontier towne of Cyrenaica is called Catabathmos, which is a towne and a vaile all on a sudden falling with a steepe descent. To this bound, from the lesse Syrtis, Cyrenaica Africa li∣eth in length 1060 miles, and in bredth, for so much as is knowne, 800.