In a second example furnished by Herodotus, and that on an exceeding long line of distance, being the whole extent between Sardis and Susa, 13,500 stadia, the result, when due allowances are made for the inflections of the road (as in other cases,) is 694 and a fraction'. But this may be liable to exception, as it appears to be founded on the relative proportions of the Persian parasanga and the Grecian stade; the former of which is valued by Herodotus, Erato, c. 42, as well as by Xenophon, Anabasis, lib. 2, at 30 stades. It may justly be doubted whether any parasanga was of so short a standard as the one reported by Xenophon; and it is certain that the modern farsang, which represents it, is universally of a longer standard, and bears a

1 This occurs in Terpsichore, c. 52. It is said that the road between Sardis and Susa is of the extent of 450 parasangas, each of 30 stades: that is, an aggregate of 13,500 stades. · The distance on the map, taken through the points of Issus and Mosul, to Sus, (supposed to be Susa,) is 1,120 G. miles, from which results a proportion of 723 to a degree. But as this is calcuated on exceeding long lines of distance, it requires that some addition should yet be made to the 1,120 miles, in order to arrive at the measure of the road distance; although that road may be supposed to have been made straighter than the ordinary ones in that country; since it not only formed the grand communication between Asia Minor, Cilicia, and Persia, but was styled the Royal Road, and was divided into stathmi of about the length of the ordinary march of an army, terminated by inns or caravanserais of great magnificence, for the use of the king. Probably

may be required, in addition to the inflections already allowed, on occasion of its passing through Issus and Mosul; and then the proportion will be 694 or 695 to a degree; falling short of that between Athens and Pisa, by about 13 part.

much nearer proportion to the parasanga of Herodotus, than to that of Xenophon, if compared with the ground itself. At the same time, Xenophon travelled over the ground which he describes; and Herodotus, no doubt, took his account from hearsay: and from a view of the whole matter, one would certainly be led to conclude that Herodotus deduced his number of stades from the number of parasangas reported to him; and that the Grecian general (Clearchus) kept the account of his marches in stades, which Xenophon turned into parasangas, at the rate of 30 to each. It may be remarked on this occasion, that comparisons between itinerary measures of different countries, have commonly been made inaccurately, even by persons, from whom accuracy might have been expected. Fractions occur, and these are neglected; or an even number of elementary parts is taken, when an odd number approaches nearer to the truth. Thus the Indian coss is compared by Thevenot to half a French league, although it be little less than two of our miles. We could adduce many other instances. It appears

It appears that Taverniere reckoned 282 farsangs between Kandahar and Ispahan, on a line of 683 G. miles; giving a result of

.

2,339

to each farsang

2,496

Forster on 229 farsangs to 571 miles, in Korasan

Chardin and Olearius, on 82 farsangs to 252 miles between Casbin and Ispahan 3,055

in direct distance.

that no less than 33 stades of those of 718 to a degree (which is the result of our inquiries into the length of the mean stade) are required to make up a parasanga of the scale arising on the 450 stated by Herodotus between Sardis and Susa, when reduced to road distance: for these being in direct distance nearly 21 G. miles each 3, cannot well be less than 2,8 by the road, when an eighth is allowed for inflections. And it is highly probable, that instead of 13,500 stades between Sardis and Susa, it should have been 15,000, or thereabouts: that is, 450 multiplied by 33 instead of 30.

3

In Egypt, and in the Euxine sea, the stade of Herodotus falls so low, that it is evidently meant for something different from the Greek stade: since no less than 1001 to a degree, are required in the first instance; 1032 in the latter. To us it appears that in respect of Egypt, the cause arises from his having taken the schoene one third above its real

Critically 2,489.

4 Examples in Egypt.

1. Between Heliopolis and the sea, 80 G. miles direct, or about 90 by the road, is given at 1500 stadia, Euterpe 7. Result

. 1000

2. Coast of Egypt, 3600 stadia, Euterpe 6, distance 195 G. miles. Result

1108

3. Heliopolis to Thebes, 4860 stadia, Eut. 9, distance by the road 312

General mean, 990 stades to 597 G. miles Example in the Euxine sea.

1001 •

935

From the entrance to the river Phasis, 11,100 stades, dis

tance by coasting navigation 645 G. miles, Melpom. c. 85.

Result

1032

standard; that is, at 60 stades, instead of 40, as it really appears to be. For, in describing the dimensions of Egypt, he gives them in schones, and then reduces them to stades, at the rate of 60 to a schoene, Euterpe 6 and 9. We have given a number of examples in the notes: and there appears not the shadow of a doubt that a schoene consisted of 40 stades, or about four Roman miles 5.

There is another circumstance in proof of the like error, in his allowing more than 6000 stades between Thebes and the sea, whilst Eratosthenes allowed 5000 only for the difference of parallels, between Syene and Alexandria. And again, in assigning 2400 stades to the breadth of the Delta, (40 schoenes)

5 In the Antonine Itin. p. 152, a station named Pentaschænon, occurs between Mount Casius and Pelusium, and is of 20 MP. agreeing to about 40 stades to a schoene. In Isidore of Charax, Hudson's Minor Geog. Vol. ii. the schoene turns out equal to about 4 MP. also. Pliny says, lib. 12, c. 14, that Eratosthenes reckons it 40 stadia, equal to 5 MP. but that some allow 32 only. Doubtless the authority of Eratosthenes may be followed.

There is also an example in Herodotus himself, between Heliopolis and the sea. The distance he says, Euterpe 7, is 1,500 stadia (probably deduced from 25 schoenes of 60 stades each.) The distance is 80 G. miles direct, equal to 100 Roman miles : so that the schoenes should be 4, 3 R. M. each, or about 43 stades, instead of 60; and the whole distance 1,000 stades of those of 750 to a degree. Add for the probable windings of the road, and we have 1,125 stades of the same standard. Now, according to the proportion of the road from Athens to Pisa, the 80 G. miles give about 1,130 stades of 755 to a degree. Is not this conclusive, respecting his error of reckoning 60 stades instead of 40, to a schoene: and does not this account for the scale of his stade in Egypt?

whilst Eratosthenes, Pliny, and Strabo, severally allow no more than 1300, 1360, and 1500 o.

It is certain that the use of a similar standard in the Euxine sea, cannot be accounted for, in the same manner, unless it be supposed that Herodotus visited that sea in an Egyptian ship, in which the reckoning would naturally have been kept in schoenes. But perhaps there may be more colour for this supposition, than appears at first sight, for as Herodotus says, Melpom. 86, speaking of his own voyage in the Euxine, that in a long day, a ship will sail through the space of 700 stadia; which, at the rate of 718 to a degree (the result of our inquiries) are equal to 58 miles; whilst his own statements, in the other parts of his history, as well as the uniform testimony of the ancients, limit the mean rate of sailing of their ships, to about 37 G. miles per day (say 450 stadia '); it is clear that a measure very different from the ordinary stade must be meant, when 700 are given: and as the mean rate of sailing bears nearly the same. proportion to the rate described in the Euxine, as

In Euterpe, c. 9, Herodotus reckons about nine days for the voyage from Heliopolis to Thebes, which gives 540 stades, or 50 of our miles per day, had the stades been of the Grecian standard. This rate is, however, out of all rule: and it is probable that 19 days, or thereabouts, were originally written. Norden was about 19 days in ascending the Nile from Cairo to Thebes, in December, a very favourable season, which may reduce the rate to 22 or 24 British miles by the course of the river; and agrees to the ordinary rate of progress in other great rivers. But it is to be understood, that the voyage was made in a boat of a considerable size.

See article "Sailing of ancient ships," in the Index.