40 at the Arabian gulf,
into which Dareios conducted a channel from the Nile. Now in the line
stretching to Phenicia from the land of the Persians the land is broad
and the space abundant, but after Phenicia this peninsula goes by the
shore of our Sea along Palestine, Syria, and Egypt, where it ends; and
in it there are three nations only.

40. These are the parts of Asia which tend towards the West from the
Persian land; but as to those which lie beyond the Persians and Medes
and Saspeirians and Colchians towards the East and the sunrising, on one
side the Erythraian Sea runs along by them, and on the North both the
Caspian Sea and the river Araxes, which flows towards the rising sun:
and Asia is inhabited as far as the Indian land; but from this onwards
towards the East it becomes desert, nor can any one say what manner of
land it is.

41. Such and so large is Asia: and Libya is included in the second
peninsula; for after Egypt Libya succeeds at once. Now about Egypt
this peninsula is narrow, for from our Sea to the Erythraian Sea is a
distance there of ten myriads of fathoms, 41 which would amount to
a thousand furlongs; but after this narrow part, the portion of the
peninsula which is called Libya is, as it chances, extremely broad.

42. I wonder then at those who have parted off and divided the world
into Libya, Asia, and Europe, since the difference between these is not
small; for in length Europe extends along by both, while in breadth
it is clear to me that it is beyond comparison larger; 42 for Libya
furnishes proofs about itself that it is surrounded by sea, except so
much of it as borders upon Asia; and this fact was shown by Necos king
of the Egyptians first of all those about whom we have knowledge. He
when he had ceased digging the channel 43 which goes through from the
Nile to the Arabian gulf, sent Phenicians with ships, bidding them sail
and come back through the Pillars of Heracles to the Northern Sea and so
to Egypt. The Phenicians therefore set forth from the Erythraian Sea and
sailed through the Southern Sea; and when autumn came, they would put
to shore and sow the land, wherever in Libya they might happen to be as
they sailed, and then they waited for the harvest: and having reaped
the corn they would sail on, so that after two years had elapsed, in the
third year they turned through the Pillars of Heracles and arrived again
in Egypt. And they reported a thing which I cannot believe, but another