account given by Etearchos the Ammonian let so much suffice
as is here said, except that, as the men of Kyrene told me, he alleged
that the Nasamonians returned safe home, and that the people to whom
they had come were all wizards. Now this river which ran by the city,
Etearchos conjectured to be the Nile, and moreover reason compels us to
think so; for the Nile flows from Libya and cuts Libya through in the
midst, and as I conjecture, judging of what is not known by that which
is evident to the view, it starts at a distance from its mouth equal to
that of the Ister: for the river Ister begins from the Keltoi and the
city of Pyrene and so runs that it divides Europe in the midst (now
the Keltoi are outside the Pillars of Heracles and border upon the
Kynesians, who dwell furthest towards the sunset of all those who have
their dwelling in Europe); and the Ister ends, having its course through
the whole of Europe, by flowing into the Euxine Sea at the place where
the Milesians have their settlement of Istria.

34. Now the Ister, since it flows through land which is inhabited, is
known by the reports of many; but of the sources of the Nile no one
can give an account, for the part of Libya through which it flows is
uninhabited and desert. About its course however so much as it was
possible to learn by the most diligent inquiry has been told; and it
runs out into Egypt. Now Egypt lies nearly opposite to the mountain
districts of Kilikia; and from thence to Sinope, which lies upon the
Euxine Sea, is a journey in the same straight line of five days for
a man without encumbrance; 3701 and Sinope lies opposite to the place
where the Ister runs out into the sea: thus I think that the Nile passes
through the whole of Libya and is of equal measure with the Ister.

Of the Nile then let so much suffice as has been said.

35. Of Egypt however I shall make my report at length, because it has
wonders more in number than any other land, and works too it has to show
as much as any land, which are beyond expression great: for this reason
then more shall be said concerning it.

The Egyptians in agreement with their climate, which is unlike any
other, and with the river, which shows a nature different from all other
rivers, established for themselves manners and customs in a way opposite
to other men in almost all matters: for among them the women frequent
the market and carry on trade, while the men remain at home and weave;
and whereas