ation
of the philosopher," says Strabo, "geography, the science of which we
propose to treat, is certainly entitled to a high place; and this is
evident from many considerations. They who first undertook to handle
the matter were distinguished men. Homer, Anaximander the Milesian,
and Hecaeus (his fellow-citizen according to Eratosthenes), Democritus,
Eudoxus, Dicaearchus, and Ephorus, with many others, and after these,
Eratosthenes, Polybius, and Posidonius, all of them philosophers. Nor
is the great learning through which alone this subject can be approached
possessed by any but a person acquainted with both human and divine
things, and these attainments constitute what is called philosophy. In
addition to its vast importance in regard to social life and the art of
government, geography unfolds to us a celestial phenomena, acquaints us
with the occupants of the land and ocean, and the vegetation, fruits,
and peculiarities of the various quarters of the earth, a knowledge of
which marks him who cultivates it as a man earnest in the great problem
of life and happiness."

Strabo goes on to say that in common with other critics, including
Hipparchus, he regards Homer as the first great geographer. He has much
to say on the geographical knowledge of the bard, but this need not
detain us. We are chiefly concerned with his comment upon his more
recent predecessors, beginning with Eratosthenes. The constant reference
to this worker shows the important position which he held. Strabo
appears neither as detractor nor as partisan, but as one who earnestly
desires the truth. Sometimes he seems captious in his criticisms
regarding some detail, nor is he always correct in his emendations
of the labors of others; but, on the whole, his work is marked by an
evident attempt at fairness. In reading his book, however, one is forced
to the conclusion that Strabo is an investigator of details, not an
original thinker. He seems more concerned with precise measurements than
with questionings as to the open problems of his science. Whatever
he accepts, then, may be taken as virtually the stock doctrine of the
period.

"As the size of the earth," he says, "has been demonstrated by other
writers, we shall here take for granted and receive as accurate what
they have advanced. We shall also assume that the earth is spheroidal,
that its surface is likewise spheroidal and, above all, that bodies
have a tendency towards its centre, which latter po