1. Let us pass to the islands of Ibérie. The first which we will quote are the two Pityusses islands and the islands Gymnésies or Baliarides, two also: these islands are located at the height of the coast ranging between Tarracon and Sucron, of the coast where Sagonte rises, and all four on the open sea, but Pityusses, though more Western, are by the fact more with broad that Gymnésies. One of both names Ebysus and contains a of the same city name; it has 400 stages of circuit and about the same extent in width as in length. The other island, named Ophiussa, is deserted, much smaller than Ebysus, and very brought closer it. From the two Gymnésies islands, largest contains two cities, Palma and Polentia, located, one, in the Eastern part, and the other, in the Western part. The island hardly has less than 600 stages in length, and, in width, guète less than 200. Artémidore, him, account double for one and other dimensions. The other island, smaller, is at [ 400 ] stages approximately of Polentia; much lower than largest under the report/ratio of the extent, it does not have anything to envy to him under the report/ratio of the natural advantages, because both fertile and are equipped with good ports: only, with the entry of these ports shelves are which require some precaution when one comes from the sea. The happy nature of the places makes that the inhabitants of these islands, just like those of Ebysus, are of peaceful mood. But the presence among them of some scélérats which had made alliance with the pirates of the inland sea is enough to compromise them all, and gave place to the forwarding of Métellus, which conquered the nickname of Baléarique there and founded there at the same time the cities about which we spoke. Remainder, very peaceful that are the inhabitants of these islands, they were done, by pushing back the frequent aggressions to which their richnesses exposed, reputation of the most skilful slingers that there is in the world; and, if what one says is true, their superiority in the handling of this weapon would go up at the time where Phéniciens these islands occupied. It is also believed that they are Phéniciens which introduced among these people the use of the tunics with broad edge of crimson. [ Before they knew only the plain tunics and coarse the sisyrne ], that they even left to go to the combat, not keeping whereas a shield passed in their arm [ left ], while their hand [ right ] held up a small swath hardened with the leu and sometimes armed with a small iron point. They carried moreover, girded around the head, three made slings of mélancranis, of hair or bowel, long to reach the enemy by far, short to reach it closely, and an average to reach it when it was placed at a poor distance. As of childhood, one exerted them to handle the sling, and, for this purpose, the parents did not give to their children the bread which they needed only when those with their slings had cut down it place where it was placed. Métellus knew their address, and, when it was to approach in their islands, it made tighten skins above the bridge of each ship so that its men were sheltered against the projectiles of the slingers gymnésiens. 3000 colonists taken among the Roman population of Ibérie. 2. With their natural fertility these islands join another advantage, it is that one would have sorrow to meet no harmful animal there. The rabbits themselves, so that one ensures, are not indigenous there, but one of the inhabitants having brought to close coast a male and a female, this first couple made stock, and such was the abundance with which the race of these animals first of all multiplied, who the populations, seeing their houses and their trees sapped and reversed, were reduced, have us says, to seek a refuge near the Romans. Today fortunately the skill of the hunters does not let any more the plague thus take the top and the owners are free to cultivate their grounds with profit. - the islands from which we come to speak are located in on this side Pillars of Hercules. 3. Near, now, of the aforesaid Columns are two small islands, from which one is known under the name of island of Junon. Sometimes even these are the two small islands to which one gives the name of Pillars of Hercules. Then, beyond the Columns, is the island of Gadira, of which we did not still say anything, if it is not that it is at 750 stages approximately of Calpé, and very close to the mouths of Baetis. However, it deserves that we speak about it more with length. There are no people indeed which sends, either in the inland sea, or in the sea Extérieure, a greater number of buildings and buildings of a stronger tonnage than Gaditans: as their island is extended little, that they do not have on the continent with respect to considerable establishments, that they do not have either other islands, almost all have the sea for usual residence, and one counts of it only one small number which lives in his hearths or which came to be fixed in Rome. Was not this circumstance, Gadira could pass for the city most populated empire after Rome. I have ouï to say indeed that, in one of the general censuses operated nowadays, it had been listed to five hundred knights gaditans, but not a town of Italy, if it is not perhaps Patavium, does not provide as much of it. Many as they are, Gaditans occupy however only one island from which the length exceeds hardly hundred stages, while the width by places is reduced to it at a stage. In this island, they had built a first city as tightened as possible; Balbus de Gadira, the same one which obtained the honors of the triumph, builds of it one second at side to them which one calls Villeneuve; catches together, these two cities received the name of Didyme, and, though they do not have more than twenty stages of turn, space does not miss there yet, considering a small number only of inhabitants resides at it, the large majority of Gaditans, I repeat it, passing their life at sea or preferably living the coast of ground-firm, and especially the edges of a small island which is opposite Gadira, and whom they found if with their liking, because of his fertility and its happy position, that they made some as which would say the Antione. But it is yet relatively only one weak part of Gaditans which lives this small island and the district of the arsenal built by Balbus on the continent opposite. As for the city itself, it is located in the Western part of the island of Gadira, and precedes Cronium or temple by Saturn, which is prolonged until the end of the island and fact face in the other small island about which we spoke. With the opposite, side of the East, and on the point where the island is brought closer to the continent, considering it is more separate only by one channel of a stage broad, rises Heracleum or temple of Hercules. It is claimed that the distance from this temple at the east city of twelve miles, and that it is intentionally that the number of the miles was equalized with that of work of the god; but, by the fact, the distance is more considerable, almost equalizing dimension in length of the island itself, which is caught O with the E. 4. Phérécyde seems to say that Gadira is old Erythie where the Fable placed the adventures of Géryon. According to other authors, this small island close to Gadira, which is separated from the city only by one channel of a stage of width, represents Erythie better, considering the beauty of its pastures and this remarkable circumstance that the milk of the cattle that one pupil does not contain there serum, and that it is so crémeux that one is obliged, fear capacity to make cheese of it, to mingle with it much water. As for the cattle, it is necessary to draw to him from blood at least every fifty days, without what or would see it suffocated by grease. The grass of these pastures, although, the cattle fattens prodigiously dries, and these presumed authors that it is this characteristic which gave place to the fable of the herds of Géryon. Remainder [ today, as we said ], all the littoral of this small island is covered with dwellings. 5. On the foundation of Gadira, here the tradition which has course in the country. An old oracle having ordered in Tyriens to go to found an establishment with the Pillars of Hercules, the first forwarding left to discovered the points indicated: arrived at the strait of Calpé, the sailors who made it up took for the same ends of the inhabited ground and for the term of the races of Hercules the two headlands which form the strait, and, being convinced that these was there the Columns about which oracle had spoken, they dropped anchor in on this side strait, where the city of Exitans rises today, and offered on this point of the coast a sacrifice to the god, but, the victims not being found favourable, they had to regain Tyr. The one second forwarding, sent little time after, approximately exceeded the strait of 1500 stages, and, having reached on the coast of Ibérie and close to the town of Onoba an island devoted to Hercules, believed itself arrived there at the goal indicated by oracle; it then offered a sacrifice to the god, but, as this time still the victims were found contrary, forwarding was turned over from there. A third finally left, which founded the establishment of Gadira and builds the temple in the Eastern part of the island at the same time as the city in the Western part. - According to this tradition, the ones wanted to see the Pillars of Hercules in the two headlands which form the strait, others recognized under this name the island of Gadira itself; others further sought them than Gadira within the sea Extérieure. One also believed that it could be the Calpé mount and Abilyx, mountain of Libya which deals with Calpé and which Eratosthène places to Métagoniens, populates numide, or, if not these two mountains, at least the two small islands which border them and of which is known under the name of island of Junon. Artémidore, mentions this island of Junon well to him, as well as the temple which it contains, but it denies at the same time as there is another island opposite, either that a mountain of the name of Abilyx and a Métagonienne nation. Other authors, transporting here the rocks Planctae or Symplégades, saw the Columns there, or, like known as Pindare, Pyles Gadirides, last term of the races of Hercules. Finally Dicéarque, Eratosthène, Polybe and the majority of the Greeks speak about true columns placed supposedly at the accesses of the strait, or better at Gadira, since Ibériens and Libyens support that there exists nothing with the accesses the strait which resembles columns. Some further go and expressly recognize these monuments in the columns of bronze, high of eight bent, which decorate Heracleum de Gadira and on which one registered the detail of the expenses of construction of the temple: they are based on what the sailors, at the end of their crossing, never fail to come to greet these columns and to sacrifice at the same time to Hercules, and they think that a similar use could well give place to the noise so widespread that here the extreme limit of the ground and the seas was. Posidonius considers the this opinion most plausible of all; as for the history of oracle and the three successive forwardings sent by Tyriens, it sees there only one of these familiar lies in Phéniciens. We hardly include/understand, to tell the truth, that on these forwardings of Tyriens one can be also affirmative, the reasons to be pled for or counters the authenticity of the fact appearing also plausible to us; but the other objection, that small islands or mountains do not resemble less of the world columns and that should be heard true columns what is known as inhabited earth terminals and races or voyages of Hercules, is not completely stripped of base. It was indeed the use of the olden days to pose similar terminals, witnesses this small column in the shape of turret raised by Rhégiens on the strait of Sicily and the tower of Pélore set up opposite; witnesses the furnace bridges of Philènes placed about the middle of the interval which separates both Syrtes, witness still the column which rose at one time, says one, on the isthmus of Corinth and which the Ionian ones, become Masters of the Attic and Mégaride after their expulsion of the Peloponnese, had built of joint account with the new owners of the Peloponnese the Ionian ones having registered on the face which looked at Mégaride: "This is not the Peloponnese, but well Ionie", while the others had engraved these words on the opposite face: "This is the Peloponnese and not Ionie". Let us add that Alexandre, him also, to mark the term of its forwarding in India, wanted to raise furnace bridges at the place even where its victorious walk had stopped towards Far East, to thus imitate what before him Hercules and Bacchus had done. It was thus there, one sees it, a very old habit. 6. But it is natural, at the same time, to think that the places where monuments of this kind were set up borrowed the names of them, especially after time had destroyed the monuments themselves. The furnace bridges of Philènes, for example, do not remain today any more, and however the site where they rose retained their name. And in India, where it is constant that no traveller did not see upright the Bacchus and Pillars of Hercules, it was necessary well that the name or the aspect of certain places recalled the Macedonians such or such detail of the history of Bacchus or Hercules so that they were praised to have reached the Columns of these heroes. One can thus believe that here pareillement the first conquerors wanted to mark the term of their races by terminals or other made monuments of hand of man, such as furnace bridges, turns or columns raised in the most remarkable places of the remote region where they had arrived, and which places more remarkable than the opening of a strait, or the top of the cliffs which border it, or the shore of the islands and small islands which border it, which places more suitable to make recognize either the beginning or the end of a country? Then, these made monuments of hand of man will have disappeared, and their name will have passed quite naturally to the places where they rose at one time, either that one wants to find these places in the small islands about which we spoke, or that one recognizes them in the two headlands which form the strait, because it is difficult to decide for which headlands or islands the name of Columns is appropriate best, the columns resembling to tell the truth as much the ones that with the others, in this direction at least that their site is always selected in order to make first of all distinguish the entry or the exit from a country, just like in the strait of Calpé for example or such other which resembles to him, the beginning or the end of the same sea, according to whether one engages there by the external side or the interior side, which as well as possible expresses the name of Mouths given sometimes also to these straits. And, of effect, if the two small islands, which are placed at the accesses of the strait or the Mouths of Calpé and which by their contours Nets and drawn well seem made to be used as signal or bench marks, lend themselves to wonder so that one compares them with columns, the comparison is not less right applying to the mountains which dominates the strait, considering the summit of the mountains is detached in the air as the point from a pyramid or the ridge from a column. It is not until the expression of Pyles or Gadirides Doors employed by Pindare, which is not perfectly exact, since one claims to find the Pillars of Hercules in the same mouths of Calpé, the mouths or straits resembling doors indeed. On the other hand, the position of Gadira, almost to the medium of a long coast dug in the shape of gulf, does not offer any analogy with the site of a terminal or extreme limit; and what still appears less reasonable to us it is than one wanted to bring all that said Pillars of Hercules to these bronze columns of Heracleum de Gadira, bus, why this name of Columns it became so famous? These that apparently the monuments that it indicated had been, like the columns of India, is set up by conquerors and not by merchants. Let us add that the inscription of Heracleum, such at least that it is given to us, and by that only that it contains, not a pious dedication, but a statement of expenses and expenditure, seems to also protest against attribution suggested, since it is natural to think that the Columns known as of Hercules were intended to point out the great actions of the hero, rather than the money sacrifices of Phéniciens. 7. _ according to Polybe, it exist in the Heracleum of Gadira a source of drinking water potable, to which one can draw only in descend some step, and of which the mode be so-called the reverse of that of sea, considering that it dry up with high tide haute and himself fill with low tide basse: Polybe explains the fact by saying that, like the air, which depths of the ground is exhaled on the surface, cannot more, with the high tide, when the surface of the ground is covered by the floods, to escape by its usual ways or exits, it is naturally driven back inside manner to block the conduits of the source, which produces the apparent drying up of its water; but that with the low tide, when the surface of the ground is again exposed, the draught takes again its direction first and ceases blocking the veins of the source, so that this one starts again to spout out with same abundance. Artémidore contradicts this explanation of Polybe, but neither its objections, neither the explanation that itself proposes phenomenon, nor the opinion of the Silanus historian, that it quotes on this occasion, appear me to deserve to be reported here, Silanus and being obviously as foreign to him as one can be it with the questions of this nature. As for Posidonius, it declares the fact controuvé. "Initially, he says, they is two wells, and not one, which Heracleum contains, and it is of it a third still in the city; of the two wells of Heracleum, smallest, for little that one draws there without interruption, dries up incontinent, but to start again at once to fill, if one ceases drawing there; and largest which is enough perfectly all the day with the needs for those which draw there, while dropping however progressively, as that generally arrives for all the wells, largest rises again during the night, by the very simple reason, than then nobody takes water there. Only, Posidonius adds, it often happens that the moment of the backward flow coincides with that where these wells fill, and this vain appearance was enough so that people of the country believed in a constant opposition between the mode of the aforesaid sources and the phenomenon of the tides ". At least Posidonius notes it the general belief in the fact in question; on our side, we always intended it to quote with the number of the facts considered marvellous. We have ouï to say, moreover, that it was many of other wells with Gadira, either in the orchards of the suburbs of the city, or in the city itself, but that, considering the bad quality of the water of these wells, one liked better to be useful of water of cistern and that one consequently had multiplied these kinds of tanks on all the points of the city. Is there maintaining some other well among these which lends to this assumption of an opposite mode of that of the sea? It is what we could not say. But, in this case even, it would have to be recognized that the phenomenon is those which it is quite difficult to explain. Undoubtedly the explanation which Polybe proposes is specious; couldn't one however also design the thing of another kind and to say only some of the veins which feed the sources slacken with the contact and under the influence of the wet ground and leave their water épandre by the sides, instead of pushing them by their ordinary ways until in the basin of the fountain? And in fact this influence of the moisture of the ground is inevitable when, with the high tide, the flood very invaded. If it is true, moreover, as Athénodore claims it, than flow and the backward flow of the sea resembles the double phenomenon of the expiry and of the aspiration in the animals, cannot it be made only the rivers, which spout out naturally on the surface of the ground by certain conduits, whose openings are what we call of the fountains or the sources, that these rivers, say I, at the same time by other ways is requested and involved towards the depths of the sea, that they raise then, and of which they determine the upswing, not without obeying themselves with who their fact of giving up their natural ways until the backward flow enables them to return there? 8. On the other hand, I am not explained only Posidonius, which, in general presents Phéniciens like lit people, allots here a belief to them which would indicate in them idiom rather that sagacity. It is known that the one day duration and one night corresponds to a complete revolution of the sun, which during this revolution is sometimes above and sometimes below the ground; however, Posidonius claims that the movement of the Ocean, like the course of the stars, is subjected to a periodic walk and that it is to have, like the moon and harmonically with the moon, one diurnal period, one monthly period and an annual period: "when the moon, adds it, traversed all the extent of a sign to the top of the horizon, the sea starts to be raised and invades its shores appreciably, until the star reached the meridian line; after which, the declining star, the sea withdraws little by little until the moon is not any more but with the distance from a sign above the point where it lies down. The sea remains stationary then all the time that puts the moon to reach the point its to sleep, all the time also that it puts to traverse the space of a sign below the horizon; then it starts again to go up until the moon reaches the lower meridian line, withdraws itself then again until the moment when the moon, having advanced towards raising, is not any more that with the distance from a sign of the horizon, and finally remains stationary until the star again rose of a whole sign above the horizon, to still start again to go up ". Such is, following Posidonius, the diurnal period of the Ocean; as for its monthly period, it would consist of what the strongest tides of a lunation always have place at the time of the conjunction of the star or Néoménie, after which they decrease to the first district, to again increase intensity to full moon, and to decrease further during the waning of the moon to the last district, which a new increase until the following néoménie succeeds, and an increase more marked as well under the report/ratio of the duration as under the speed ratio. Remain the annual period of the tides; however, it is by Gaditans same as Posidonius had been informed of it: it had learned from them that, towards the summer solstice, the rising and downward tides were stronger than in all the remainder of the year, and it had conjectured itself of it that starting from this solstice the tides were to decrease by rise until the equinox, then to start again to grow until the winter solstice, to decrease again until the equinox of spring, and to still grow until the summer solstice. But, with these periodic movements of the sea, which reproduce each day and each night, the sea assembling two times and withdrawing two times in the one day space and one night, and with regular intervals can the night like the day, how it be made that the backward flow often coincides with the moment when the well in question fills, and seldom with that where it dries up, or, if not seldom, not as often of less, as with the other? And, if one supposes so frequent coincidence in both cases, how is made it that Gadirites were not able to observe what occurred tous.les.jours under their eyes, them which had supposedly known to recognize the annual period of the tides by the patient observation of a fact which occurs only one time per annum? Because one could not doubt that Posidonius did not add a whole faith to this last observation, since it took it for starting point of its own assumptions on the successive wanings and increases in the tides in the interval of one solstice at the other and on the return of these same variations. It is hardly probable, however, that of so good observers let pass unperceived the real facts to let itself take with chimerical facts! 9. By the way, now, of what Séleucus says, historian originating in the edges of the sea Erythrée, "which the tides can be still irregular or regular, according to whether the moon is in such or such sign, that, when it is in the equinoctial signs, for example, the tides offer same appearances everywhere, while there is on the contrary inequality in the amplitude and the speed of the tides, when the moon is in the solstitial signs, that finally, when it is in one of the intermediate signs, the tides are irregular or regular, with proportion which the star is brought closer the signs more equinoctial ", Posidonius notes that indeed, having had occasion to spend several days of continuation in Heracleum de Gadira, at the time of the summer solstice, and when the moon was in its full, it could not surprise in the tides any of these differences which mark the annual period of it, although it had, the same month, at the time of new moon, observed in the backward flow of Baetis, in Ilipa, an enormous change at the price of what it had seen it before, water of the river, which, usually, in these kinds of backward flows caused by the tide, banks, having then grown bigger so much, that the soldiers could draw there without sorrow: and Ilipa is at 700 stages approximately of the sea! In the same way, while the plains of the littoral were covered until a distance of 30 stages in the interior by the tide, which had made there of true islands, the flood (Posidonius affirms it to have measured it itself) had not covered ten bent height of not sat a naos of Heracleum and a pier which precedes the port by Gadira. However, doubled blooms this height for the cases where this same tide rises here more, these twenties bent would not be equivalent yet to the height which the distance reached by the flood in the plains of the littoral represents. These anomalies, from the remainder, pass to occur on all the circumference of the Ocean; but what Posidonius about Ebre adds is a fact new and particular to this river: they are raw which occurs there of time to other, without to be preceded by rains nor by snows, but under the prolonged influence of the winds of north, which can hold, following him, with the large lake which Ebre crosses, and so that a part of water of this lake, driven out by the winds, runs out at the same time as those of the river. 10 Posidonius still announces to Gadira the presence of a tree, which has that of remarkable, that its branches are curved towards the ground and that its sheets, long sometimes of one bent and broad of four fingers, affect the shape of a sword. Then it speaks about another tree, which come in the surroundings from Carthage-the-New, and about the spines of which one draws a fibrous bark, which is used to make splendid fabrics. We saw ourself in Egypt a tree which resembled that of Gadira, at least for the curve of the branches, because the shape of the sheets was not the same one; moreover, it did not bear fruit, while, with the statement of Posidonius, that of Gadira in door. As regards fabrics of bark of spine, one also makes some in Cappadoce; only, in this country, the spine which one employs the bark is not that of a tree, but that of a dwarf shrub. One adds this other circumstance about the tree of Gadira, that, if one breaks a branch of it, it results from this from milk, while it drips a vermilion liquor of it, if it is a root which one cuts. But in here is enough on Gadira. 11 The Cassitérides islands, which follow, ten, all are very brought closer the ones the others. One on the open sea finds them while advancing in north starting from the port of Artabres. Only one of these islands is deserted; in all others, inhabitants have for costume of large coats black, that they carry over long tunics talaires, tightened by belt around chest, which, joined to stick that they always have with the hand when they walk, the fact of resembling completely avenger Furies of the tragedy. They in general live product of their herds to the way of the wandering people. As for the products of their lead and tin mines, they exchange them, as well as the skins of their cattle, against potteries, salt and ustensils of copper or bronze that foreign merchants bring to them. In the principle, Phéniciens de Gadira were the only people which sent vessels to adulterate in these islands, and they carefully hid with all the others the road which carries out to it. It even arrived that an owner of ship phenician, which was seen followed by Roman buildings, whose pilots had hoped to thus be able to know the road of these counters, voluntarily ran aground and by pure national jealousy on a hollow, where it could involve the Romans with a assured loss; but having succeeded, him, to escape from the medium of this general shipwreck, it was compensated by the State for the goods which it had lost. With force to test, however, the Romans ended up discovering the road of these islands. It was Publius Crassus which passed the first there, and, as it recognized the little thickness of the seams and the peaceful character of the inhabitants, it gave all the indications being able to however facilitate the free practice of these trimmings, more distant from us than is to it the sea of Brittany. Here stops what we had to say of Ibérie and the islands located compared to its coasts.

III, 4 - La côte méditerranéenne de l'Ibérie et la Celtibérie

1. The part of Ibérie which remains us to be described includes/understands: 1° all the littoral of our sea of the Pillars of Hercules to the Pyréné Mount; 2° all the interior area located above the aforementioned coast. _ however, this area interior, of width unequal, have a little more than de 4000 stage of length, i.e. 2000 stage of less than the coast to which it correspond and of which one break up the length as it follow: Calpé mount, close to the Pillars of Hercules, with Carthage-the-New, a first section of 2200 stages, occupied by Bastétans, the same ones as one names Bastules sometimes, and partly also by some tribes orétanes; then, of Carthage-the-New for Ebre, one second of the same section length or little is necessary of it that the first, and occupied by Edétans; finally a third section of 1600 stages, extending in on this side Ebre to the Pyréné Mount and the Trophies from Pumped, and inhabited in a part still by some tribes of Edétans, and in the remainder by the nation of Indicètes, which is divided in four tribes. 2. Let us take again Calpé mount now to describe all this coast in detail. All along Bastétanie and the territory of Orétans reigns an assembly line covered high and thick groves, which forms separation between the littoral and the interior area: this chain, in many place, has also mines, gold mines and other metals. The first city which one meets in this part of the East coast Malaca. Located just at the same distance from Calpé that Gadira, Malaca is emporium or the market which the people numides attend preferably opposite coast. It is important establishments of saltings there. Some authors think that this city is not other than Maenacé, than the tradition gives us for most Western of the colonies phocéennes, but it of it is nothing. The site of Maenacé, city now ruined, is at a larger distance of Calpé, and, moreover, the little of vestiges which remain about it indicates a Hellenic city, while Malaca, at the same time as it is brought closer Calpé, has the aspect complétement phenician. Then the city comes from Exitans, which gave its name also to a kind of estimated saltings. 3. Abdères, which succeeds to him, is also of origin phenician. Above this city, now, in the mountain, is, says one, Odyssea, the town of Ulysses, with the temple of Minerve which depends on it. Posidonius affirms the fact, like Artémidore and Asclépiade de Myrlée, grammairien known to have professed at Turdétans and to have published in the form of relation of voyage a description of the people of these regions. This last author adds that the walls of the temple of Minerve with Odyssea still support the shields and the spurs of ship which were fixed there in the past in commemoration of the errors of Ulysses. He as wants that it there had at Callaïques an establishment formed by some of the companions of Teucer, and recalls at the same time as one at one time saw in this country two cities called one Hellenes and other Amphilochi, which would seem to prove that Amphilochus had come to die here, and that his/her companions, continuing to wander with the adventure, had pushed further until in the interior of the grounds. According to another tradition collected by the same author, some of the companions of Hercules would have also founded an establishment in Ibérie. It would have also come there a colony messénienne. Finally Asclépiade and other authors speak to us about a band of Lacédémoniens who would have occupied a part of Cantabrie. Add that it is in the same region a city of the name of Opsicella [ or of Ocela ], which passes to be founded by Ocelas, one of the heroes who accompanied Anténor and his/her children at the time of their passage in Italy. In Libya, in addition, if it is necessary to add faith to the reports/ratios of the Gadirites merchants, as made certain authors that Artémidore names, it really exists above Maurusie, and in the vicinity of the Ethiopian Westerners, the people called Lotophages because they nourish plant and root of the lottos, which the exemption of drinking or rather holds place of drink to them, the country which they live and who is prolonged until above Cyrène being completely deprived of water. They are not even there only Lotophages, because one also gives this name to the inhabitants of the island Méninx, one of the two islands which order the entry of Small Syrte. 4. One thus conceives perfectly that the imagination of Homère could, modifying on this point the traditions relating to the errors of Ulysses, to transport across the Pillars of Hercules, on the open sea Atlantique, a part of the adventures of the hero (bus here, as well by the choice of the places as by the other circumstances, the fiction deviated rather little positive data of the history to appear almost probable); one also conceives that it was people, like here is Cratès de Mallos and others still, which, reconciling their faith in these historical traditions with the respect due to the great scholarship of Homère, made its poems a subject of scientific discussions. On the other hand, there are authors who included/understood the work of the so rustic poet of way, one can say, whom, nonglad to refuse to him, as they could have made to the grave-digger or with the simple harvester, science and the scholarship itself, they treated foolish whoever had been able to subject its poems to a study, with a scientific examination; and up to now nobody, are among the grammairiens, that is to say among the mathematicians, did not dare to undertake a defense in rule of Homère, nor even to rectify or contradict in an unspecified way the assertions of these authors. It however seems possible to to me to justify Homère of the majority of the reproaches that one addressed to him and to rectify who more is many error of his criticisms, in particular those where they fell, to have believed in the lies of Pythéas, in the complete ignorance where they were geography of the regions which border the Ocean with O and N of the inhabited ground. But let us leave this subject, which would require to be covered in a special way with all the developments that it comprises. 5. As for these migrations of Hellènes among cruel people, it is necessary to believe that they had had due the parcelling out to the Hellenic nation in as well to small fractions or States, as pride prevented from forming any bond together, which left them without force against the aggressions come from the outside. This same presumptuous pride existed with the most degree at Ibères, joint with a naturally false and perfidious character. Skilful to surprise their enemy, these people lived only of armed robberies, risking well small blows of hand, but never of large companies, fault of having known to double their forces by melting a league or powerful confederation. Otherwise, if they had agree to link their weapons, one had not seen the best part of their country so easily invaded and conquered by the Carthaginians and in the past still by Tyriens, then by the Celts, the same ones as one names Celtibères and Vérons today, and more recently by Viriathe, a brigand, by Sertorius and many other jealous chief, like him, to increase his empire. After which, the Romans came who, having attacked and having overcome with one each tribe ibère, lost it is true much time in this long continuation of partial wars, but ended after two hundred years and more up seeing the entire country reduced in their power. - Let us take again the methodical description of Ibérie. 6. Passed Abdères, the first city which is presented is Carthage-the-New, which was founded by Asdrubal, successor of Barca, the father of Annibal. Of all the towns of this region, it is undoubtedly most powerful. A naturally strong situation, an enclosing wall admirably built, the proximity of several ports, a lake or pond and money mines about which we spoke higher, such are the advantages which distinguish it. One also finds around many establishments to salt fish. Finally this city is the principal warehouse where at the same time the populations of the interior go to supply food products come by sea, and foreign merchants to buy the products come from the interior of the country. Between Carthage-the-New and the mouth of Ebre, almost with half way, one meets the course of Sucron with a of the same city name with its mouth. This river takes its source in one of the buttresses of the assembly line which dominates Malaca and the territory of Carthage; it is guéable, almost parallel in Ebre and a little less distant from Carthage than it is it of Ebre. Between Sucron, now, and Carthage, and at a short distance of the river, three small places are, whose population is massaliote of origin: most known of the three is Hemeroscopium. On the headland which borders it rises a temple devoted to Diane Ephésienne, and in great honor in the country. Sertorius had made its maritime place of weapons of it. It is indeed a very strong position, and a true nest of pirates, who realizes by far at sea: it is called Dianium (what is equivalent for us to Artemisium). Near this course are iron mines of good quality, and the small islands of Planesia and Plumbaria, then, in inside of the coast, a lagoon of 400 stages of turn. It is then seen, while approaching Carthage, the island of Hercules, known as Scombroaria [ or Scombraria ], because of the scombres that one fishes there and who are used to make best the garum: this island is located at 24 stages of Carthage. On the other side of Sucron, in the direction of the mouths of Ebre, rises Sagonte, colony zacynthienne, that Annibal destroyed against the faith of the treaties, which gave place to the second Punic War. Close to Sagonte are the towns of Cherronesos, of Oleastrum and Cartalias, then, on the same edges of Ebre, at the place where this river is passed, the colony of Dertossa. Ebre, which takes its source in the country of Cantabres, runs at midday through a plain of great extent and parallel to the Pyrenees Mounts. 7. Between the mouths of Ebre and the end of the Pyréné Mount, on which rises the Trophy of Pumped, the first city which one meeting is Tarracon, which, without having port itself, occupies on the edges of a gulf an advantageous situation in all connections, it is not populated today than Carthage, and, being conveniently placed to be the center of the voyages or rounds of the prefects, it became as which would say the metropolis, not only of the province in on this side Ebre, but still of a good part of the Ultérieure province. It is enough to the remainder to see with which proximity it is of Gymnesiae and Ebysus, islands, as one knows, very considerable, to include/understand all the importance of his position. Eratosthene goes until making of Tarracon a maritime station, but it is contradicted on this point by Artémidore, which denies formally that it has even a passable anchoring. 8. Generally, since the Pillars of Hercules up to now, the coast offers only one very small number of ports; on the other hand, of Tarracon with Emporium, the good ports are not rare. The ground, which more is, in this part of the littoral, is pointed out by its fertility, in particular at Laeétans, Lartolaeètes, etc. Emporium, colony of Massalie, are only at 40 stages approximately Pyréné Mount and border of the Celtic one; all its territory, along the coast, also rich, fertile and is equipped with good ports. One sees there also Rhodopé [ or Rhodé ], small place whose population is emporite, but which, following certain authors, would have been founded by Rhodiens. Diane d' Ephèse is there, like to Emporium, the object of a particular worship, we will say the reason of it while speaking about Massalia. In the principle, Emporites had occupied only this small island close to the coast, which one calls today Palaeopolis, the Old woman-City, but currently their principal establishment is on the continent, and includes/understands two cities distinct, separated by a wall, here why: in the immediate vicinity of new Emporium were some tribes of Indicètes, which, very continuously to manage themselves, wanted, for their safety, to have with the Greeks a common enclosure. By the fact, the enclosure was double, since a partition-wall divided it by the medium. But, with time, the two cities were based in only one city, whose constitution was being a mixture of Greek laws and habits cruel, which remainder was seen in many of other places. 9. Let us add that to little distance of Emporium a river passes which goes down from the Pyréné Mount, and whose mouth is used as port at the city. Emporites are very skilful to weave the flax. Grounds which they have in the interior, the ones are fertile, the others produce only sparte or snap ring of marsh, of all the species of the snap ring least suitable to be implemented. One calls all this canton the Plain of the Snap rings (Juncarius Campus). It is still of Emporites which occupies the end of the chain of the Pyréné Mount to the Trophies of Pumped. To the foot of this monument the road passes which the travellers follow coming from Italy which go in Ibérie later, and in particular in Bétique. This road sometimes skirts the sea and sometimes deviates some, but that especially in the Western part of its course. It moves on Tarracon since the Trophies of Pumped, while passing by the Plain of the Snap rings, Veteres and the Marathon plain, otherwise known as in Latin Foenicularius campus, because of the great quantity of fennel (marathon) which it produces; then, of Tarracon, it gains the passage of Ebre with Dertossa, crosses then Sagonte and Saetabis, and starts to move away imperceptibly from the sea, after which it reaches the Spartaire Field, as which would say on our premises the Field of Schoenes: it is a large plain without water, where grows abundantly the species of sparte which is used to make the ropes and which one exports in any country, especially in Italy. Formerly, the aforementioned road passed by the medium right of the plain and by Egelastae, only one found it long and difficult, one then traced of it a news more brought closer to the coast, which does not make any more but touch with the Spartaire Field, but which ends, like the old one, around Castlon and of Obalcon, considering which it is necessarily necessary to pass by these cities to go in Corduba and Gadira, two more important places of trade of all Ibérie. Obulcon is at 300 stages approximately of Corduba, and, with the statement of the historians, César spent twenty-seven days to come from Rome to Obulcon, where its army camped, when the moment had come for him to open the countryside of Munda. 10 Such is the aspect that the coast of Ibérie presents since the Pillars of Hercules to the border of Celtic. As for the interior area located above this coast (and I understand by there all the country who extend in on this side from the Pyrenees and the septentrional side from Ibérie to the territory from Astures), two principal assembly lines divide it: one which parallel to runs the Mount Pyréné and which starts at Cantabres to go to finish at the same edges of our sea (it is called Idubeda) and the other which, being detached from the medium of that one, is prolonged with setting, then inclines at midday, in the direction of the coast which we saw beginning with the Pillars of Hercules: this second chain, far from initially and completely high naked, is connected, after having crossed the Spartaire field, to the thick forest located above the territory da Carthage-the-New and of Malaca: it is named Orospeda. Between the Pyréné mount and Idubeda is Ebre, river which parallel to runs the one and with the other chains, and enlarges rivers and other rivers which go down from there. On the edges of Ebre rise the town of Caesaraugusta and that of Celsa, colony Roman, where one passes the river on a stone bridge. Various people live the region about which we speak: most known is that of Iaccétans. Its territory starts with the first slopes of the Pyréné Mount, then is spread in the plain, to finish around Ilerda and of Osca, cities belonging to Ilergètes and located not far from Ebre. They are these two cities, with Calaguris, one of the cities of Vascons, and the two maritime places of Tarracon and Hemeroscopium, which were pilot last efforts of Sertorius, after it had been driven out out of Celtibérie, and it is in Osca that it was assassinated. More recently, in the surroundings of Ilerda, Afranius and Petreius, lieutenants de Pompée, were overcome by divine César. Ilerda is at 160 stages with the E of Ebre, at 460 stages approximately with N of Tarracon and at 540 stages with S. of Osca. These same cities are crossed by the road which starts from Tarracon and goes until to Vascons of the edges of the Ocean, in Pompelon, even further in Oeasoun, city built on the Ocean even: this road measures 2400 stages and stops just at the border of Aquitaine and Ibérie. The country of Iaccétans was also at one time the theatre of several engagements between Sertorius and Pompée, and they is there that later the fight of Sextus took place, wire of large Pompée, against lieutenants de César. Then, with the top of the laccétanie, in the direction of north, the nation of Vascons lives, which has as a principal city Pompeion, as which would say the city of Pumped. 11 Of the two slopes of the Pyréné Mount, that which looks at Ibérie is covered beautiful forests, composed of trees of any species, in particular of always green trees; that which looks at the Celtic one, on the contrary, entirely naked and is stripped; as for the central parts of the chain, they contain perfectly livable valleys: the majority of these valleys are occupied by Cerrétans, populates race ibérienne, which one seeks excellent hams with equal of those of [ Cibyre ], which is a great source of richness for the country. 12 Beyond Idubeda starts immediately Celtibérie, region roomy and of varied aspect, but of which the greatest part is naturally rough, and prone moreover to the overflows of large rivers. Indeed, without speaking about Anas and Tage which cross it, it is there that all this continuation of rivers starts which go down towards the Western Ocean: this number is Durius, which passes close to Nomantia and Serguntia. As for Baetis, it takes its source in Orospeda, crosses Orétanie and moves towards Bétique. With N of Celtibères, on the borders of the territory of Cantabres-Conisques, the Minnows live which, them also, result from the great Celtic emigration; their principal city east Varied, located at the one of the passages of Ebre. The Minnows confine at the same time in Bardyètes, or, like one says often also today, in Bardyles. With the maintaining O of Celtibérie some tribes of Astures are, of Callaïques, Vaccuens, and also of Vettons and Carpétans; the same region is limited at midday by Orétans and the various tribes hastétanes and [ sidétanes ] which live Orospeda; it is to it finally side of the E by Idubeda. 13 Of the four cantons or districts of Celtibérie, they are those of the east and of midday which contain the most powerful nation, I hear the nation of Arvaques, which confines with the territory of Carpétans and the sources of Tage. Their most famous city is Nomantia or Numance, which, in this famous twenty year old war between Celtibères and the Romans, deployed such an amount of courage; it is known, indeed, that after having destroyed several Roman armies with their chiefs Numantins, locked up in their walls, ended up being let die of hunger, except for a small number, which liked to better return the place. Lusons, which also lives the Eastern part of Celtibérie, confine, like Arvaques, with the sources of Tage. With the latter still the towns of Segeda and Pallantia belong. But to return from there in Numance, it is at 800 stages of distance of Caesaraugusta, which is, have us says, on the same edges of Ebre. Segobriga and Bilbilis, with the surroundings of which the fight between Métellus and Sertorius took place, are also cities of Celtibérie. Moreover, in enumeration that Polybe of the people vaccéens makes and celtibères and of the principal localities which belong to them, we find included/understood the towns of Segesama and Intercatia. What one reads in Posidonius, which Marcus Marcellus could raise in Celtibérie a tribute of 600 talents, gives rise to think that Celtibères formed a many and rich nation, although living a region if not very fertile. But at the same time Posidonius raises what Polybe had said, which Tiberius Gracchus had destroyed 300 cities in Celtibérie, it joke it on this subject, and shows it to have wanted to take pleasure in Gracchus by giving the name of cities to simple turns, as it arrives in the triumphal pumps. However, it could be well made that at the bottom it was right, bus Generals and historians let themselves go readily to this kind of lie which consists in embellishing the facts; it appears even obvious me that those which counted more than 1000 cities in Ibérie it made also only to have given the name of cities to simple villages, country comprising not naturally large a number of cities, so much ground in is poor, situation not very central and aspect wild, and manners of Ibères, as their manner to live (I exclude those of the littoral of the inland sea), supposing nothing either of analogue, since brutality is the fact of the populations which live dispersed in boroughs and which the majority of Ibères are savages, without counting that can hardly exert their civilizing influence, when the major part of the population continues to live wood and threatens from there the peace of their neighbors. 14 Celtibères, in the direction of midday, the people succeed which live Orospeda and the plain of Sucron: these people are, in addition to Sidétans, which extend until Carthage, Bastétans and Orétans, which extend, them, almost until Malaca. 15 In their wars, one can say that Ibères never fought differently than in peltastes, because, in consequence of their nabitudes of armed robbery they all were armed with light and did not carry, as make, have us says, Lusitans, than the javelin, the sling and the sword. With their infantry however some cavalry was also mingled: the horses in this country are drawn up to climb the mountains and to promptly bend the knees, when it is needed, with a given signal. Ibérie produces a great number of chamois and wild horses; its lakes or ponds abound in birds [ watery ], such as similar swans and species; one sees there also many bustards, and, on the edge of the rivers, the beavers. But the castoreum of Ibérie does not have all the virtues which that of the Bridge has; the medical properties, in particular, are only in this last, which is true remainder also of many other substance, copper of Cypre, for example, since, with the statement of Posidonius, it is the only one which gives tutty, vitriol and spodium. On the other hand, Posidonius announces us, like an exception actually belonging to Ibérie, this double characteristic which the crows are as black there [ as corbels ], and than the dress of the horses celtibériens, which is naturally gleamed, color changes since one makes them pass in the Ultérieure province. It adds that these horses resemble those of Parthes, in what they have in the same way incomparably more speed and basic that the others. 16 The tinctorial plants abound in Ibérie. As for the shrubs, such as the olive-tree, the vine, the fig tree and other similar all, they grow in quantity on the coasts which border our sea and on a good part also of the coasts of the sea Extérieure. If they also do not come on the septentrional coast, it is the cold which in is cause, but, on the other points of the littoral of the Ocean, it is the fault of the populations, their negligence and the state of abjection in which they take pleasure by routine, not seeking the wellbeing, but only the bare essential and the satisfaction of their instincts or appetites brutal, unless it is not supposed that it is by a refined love of the wellbeing, that the men and the women, among these people, employ to wash and be cleaned the teeth the urine which they let stagnate in Cantabres and their neighbors. This habit, to tell the truth, and that to sleep on the hard one exist as well among Celts at Ibères. According to some authors, Callaïques are atheistic; but Celtibères and the people which limit them to north have a divinity without name, to which they pay homage while forming, every month, at the time of full moon, the night, in front of the door of their houses, and each quite complete family, of the choruses of dance which are prolonged until the morning. The same authors tell, about Vettons, as the first of them which reflect the foot in a Roman camp believed, by seeing the centurions going and coming to walk, who they was the insane ones and wanted to renew them with their tents, not conceiving that men could make another thing, when they did not fight, to quietly remain in place sitted or lying. 17 II something of barbarian has there also, so that it seems, in the shape of certain ornaments specific to the women of Ibérie and that described Artémidore. In some cantons, for example, the women put around the neck circles of iron supporting of the corbels or rods in nozzle of corbin, which form an arc above the head and fall down well in front of the face; on these corbels they can, when they want it, lower their veils which, while being spread out, ombragent to them the face in a very elegant way to their liking; elsewhere, they are capped with a species of tympanium or small drum, perfectly round at the place of the chignon, and which tightens the head until behind the ears, to reverse itself then while widening by the top. Others depilate the top of the head, so as to return it shining more that the face itself. There is finally which adjusts on the head a small style of a foot top, around they roll up their hair and that they then cover with a black mante. Independently the details which precede on strange manners by Ibérie, we find in the historians and in the poets many details [ stranger still ], I do not say on bravery, but on ferocity, the bestial rage of Ibères, and in particular of those of north. It is told for example that, in the war of Cantabres, the mothers their children not to drop them to the hands Romans killed; a young boy, of which the father, the mother and the brothers were connected, égorgea all, on the order of his/her father, using an iron which had fallen to him under the hand; a woman égorgea in the same way all her companions of captivity. One saw finally a prisoner, that drunk soldiers had been made bring to the medium of them, precipitating itself in the flames one to rough-hew. All these features, let us say it, find themselves among Celts, Thraces and the Scythians, courage (and I hear the courage of the women as well as that of the men) being a virtue common to all the cruel nations. All these cruel women, indeed, work with the ground; hardly been confined, they yield the bed to their husbands and serve them. Often even, they are confined in the fields, wash their child in the current of a brook close which they were squatted, and themselves emmaillottent it. In Ligurie, for example, Posidonius intended to tell in certain Charmolaüs de Massalia, its host, the following fact: it had taken to dig a field of the daywage men, men and women to him; one of these women having felt the first pains of the childbirth deviated one moment from the place where it worked, was confined and returned at once to go back to the work, not to lose its wages. Charmolaüs realized that it worked with sorrow, but without guessing the cause initially of it, it learned it only late in the course of the day, paid it then and returned it. As for it, after having carried the new-born baby with a close fountain and y to have washed, it wrapped it as it could, and brought it back at it healthy and except. 18 Another use of Ibères, but which is not particular either for them, it is to go up to two the same horse, one of the two riders putting foot at ground at the time of the combat. In the same way Ibérie is not alone to have suffered from the invasions of rats and the epidemic diseases which are generally the continuation. The Romans tested by themselves in Cantabrie the effects of this plague, and last, to be delivered, organize a hunting in rule of it, with public promise of a premium by so much of killed rats; even thus, they had sorrow to escape from the contagion, the more so as the food shortage had come to worsen their position: reduced to draw from Aquitaine their corn and their other provisioning, they received them only with large-sorrow, considering the extreme difficulty of the ways. But, since it is a question of Cantabres, still let us point out a feature which will show until where their wild exaltation could go: it is told that prisoners of this nation, put in cross, entonnèrent their song of victory. Undoubtedly of such features indicate something of savage in manners. Here are others, on the other hand, which, without having still the character of civilization, are not however any more the fact the rough ones. Thus, at Cantabres, the use wants that it is the husband who brings a dowry to his wife, and the girls who inherit, with the responsibility of marry their brothers, which constitutes a species of gynaecocratie, mode which is however not precisely political. Another use ibérien is to usually carry on oneself certain poison which prepares daN the country using a plant similar to the aitch and which kills without pain, to have thus an always ready resource against unexpected misfortunes; finally there is not that Ibériens to devote itself as they make with those to which they are attached, until undergoing death for them. 19 Some authors divide, have us says, Ibérie in four parts, others count there up to five divisions. But one can nothing specify in this respect in consequence of the political changes which have occurred in this country and of little celebrity attached to his name. When they are well-known regions, of famous regions, one is capable to learn all that occurred there in fact from migrations from people, of divisions of territory, renamings and similar circumstances, because he does not miss people for you to inform some, among the Greeks especially, who are well most communicative of the men. But they are cruel and remote regions, divided which more and like is dismembered in many small countries, the documents become rare and little some and ignorance increases, with proportion that the aforementioned regions are more distant of Greece. To tell the truth, the Latin historians seek to imitate those of Greece, but they succeed there only imperfectly, being satisfied to translate what the Greeks said, without showing by themselves well curiosity lives. It results from it that, when the Greek historians are missing to us, the others do not offer great resource to us to fill the gap. Let us add that almost everywhere the most famous names are Greek names of origin. The name of Ibérie is these, and, following certain authors, the former Greeks had given it to all the country starting from the Rhone and of the isthmus which is tightened at the same time between the Galatiques gulfs, while, today, one looks at the Pyréné Mount like the limit of Ibérie, as one makes names of Ibérie and Hispanie two equivalent names. According to others, the name of Ibérie would have indicated initially only the area located in on this side Ebre or old country of Iglètes, thus called name of people which however, with the statement of Asclépiade de Myrlée, occupied only one territory relatively not very wide. Then the Romans came who, at the same time as they called the very whole region indifferently Ibérie and Hispanie, divided it in Ultérieure province and Citérieure province, reserving themselves to modify still thereafter the administrative division of the country, according to whether the circumstances would require it. 20 And it is what has just arrived: under the terms of the division recently made of the provinces between the People and the Senate on the one hand and the Prince of the other, Bétique is allotted to the people, and one sends to manage the new province, whose Eastern limit passes in the vicinity of Castlon, an assisted praetor of a questeur and a legate. But the remainder of Ibérie belongs to César, which sends to it to represent it two legates, one Praetorian, the other consular one: the Praetorian one, assisted itself of a legate, is charged to return justice in Lusitans, i.e. with the populations ranging between the border of Bétique and the course of Durius to its mouth, because all this part of Ibérie, including Emerita-Augusta, received the special name of Lusitanie. All that is now apart from Lusitanie (and it is the greatest part of Ibérie) is placed under the command of the consular legate, who has considerable forces, since it approximately has under his orders three legions and to three legates. One of these legates, with the head of two legions, keeps and observes all the region located across Durius in the direction of north, i.e. Lusitanie of old, called today Callaïque, and, with this region, the mountains which border it in north and which Astures and Cantabres live. The territory of Astures is crossed by the Melsas river; a little further is the town of Naega, then, very close to Naega, opens an estuary formed by the Ocean, which marks separation between the two people. All the continuation of the chain to the Pyréné Mount is under the special guard of the second legate and other legion. As for the third legate, it supervises the interior of the country and contains [ by its only presence ] the togati, as which would say the pacified populations, which indeed seem to have taken with the Roman toga the softness of manners, and even the character and the genius of the Italians. These populations are those of Celtibérie and two banks of Ebre to the littoral. Lastly, the prefect even, the consular legate is held during the winter in the maritime part of the province, in Carthage especially and Tarracon, double seat of his court; then, when comes the summer, it leaves for its round of inspection, during which it progressively raises on its passage all the abuses that it is urgent to reform. Let us add that there is in the province of the procurateurs of César, always taken among the knights, and who are charged to distribute to the troops the money necessary to their maintenance.

1. That one goes up now, while always leaving the headland Sacré, the other part of the coast, that which moves towards Tage, one sees it initially who grows hollow in the shape of gulf; then comes the headland Barbarium, follow-up immediately of the mouths of Tage: the crossing [ of the aforesaid gulf ] in hot line to the mouths of Tage is of [ 1000 ] stages. Estuaries are also noticed on this part of the coast; we will announce some in particular who, on the basis of [ headland ] named above, penetrates with more than 400 stages in the interior and [ can bring the buildings until Salacia ]. Tage, broad of 20 stages approximately to its mouth, is to have at the same time enough of depth so that largest transport of the trade can go up it; and like, with the high tide, it forms, while being spread on the campaigns which border it, two species of inland seas of an extent of 150 stages, all this portion of the plain is by the established fact with navigation. Of these two lakes or estuaries [ which form Tage ], that which is located highest approximately contains a small long of 30 stages and broad island about of as much, which points out itself by the beauty of its [ olive-trees ] and its vines. This island sees itself with the height of Moron, city fortunately located on a mountain, very close to the river, and with the distance from 500 stages approximately of the sea, with rich person campaigns around it and to great facilities of communication by the way of the river, since the strongest buildings can go up this one in a good part of its course, and that in the remainder, i.e. even further above Moron that there is not of Moron to the sea, it remains navigable with the boats or boats of river. It is of this city that Brutus, called Callaïque, had made its base of operations in its countryside against Lusitans, which finished, as one knows, by the defeat of these people. It moreover had strengthened Oliosipon, which by its position is like [ key ] river, in order to be a Master of its course and with being always free to make arrive by this way to its army the provisioning necessary: these two cities naturally are strongest among all those which border Tage. This river, already very full of fish, also abounds in shells. It takes its source at Celtibères and crosses successively the country of Vettons, and those of Carpétane and Lusitans, while moving to sleeping equinoctial. Up to a certain point of its course, it runs parallel to Anas and in Baetis; but, further, its direction deviates from their, these two rivers being diverted then towards the southernmost coast. 2. The people of which we spoke higher like inhabitant above the mountains, southernmost are Orétans, which advances even to the coast in the part of Ibérie included/understood in inside of the Pillars of Hercules. With N of those, now, one meets Carpétans, and further Vettons and Vaccéens, whose territory is crossed by Durius: it is in Acoutea indeed, city of Vaccéens, that one passes usually this river. Come finally Callaïques, which occupies a great part of the mountains, and which, having been for this reason more difficult to overcome, deserved to give their name to the winner of Disions and ended even today up extending it and to impose it on the majority people of Lusitanie. The principal cities of the 0rétanie are Castalon and Oria. 3. To N of Tage, Lusitanie extends, which lives most powerful of the nations ibériennes, that of all which longest stopped the Roman weapons. This region has as terminals, at midday Tage, the west and north the Ocean, and the east the possessions of Carpétans, Vettons, Vaccéens and Callaïques, to speak only about the known people, because there are of them others which do not deserve to be named, considering their little of importance and their darkness. As opposed to what we have just said, some modern authors include/understand among the people lusitans these tribes bordering themselves. Let us add whereas these tribes confine, on the side of the east, the callaïques ones with the nation of Astures and that of Celtibères, and all the others in Celtibérie. The length of Lusitanie [ until the course Nerium ] is of 3000 stages; as for width, which measures Eastern limit at the coast which faces him, it is much less. All the Eastern part is high and rough, but, below to the sea, the country forms nothing any more but one plain hardly stopped by some mountains poor height. Also Posidonius disapproves it Aristote to have allotted the phenomenon of the tides to the provision of this coast and that of Maurusie, as if the backward flow of the sea were due to the rise and the rocky nature of these ends of the inhabited ground, which receiving the flood hard, should naturally return it in the same way: coasts of Ibérie indeed, and Posidonius points out it with reason, offer only extremely low dunes almost everywhere. 4. The region that we describe is rich and fertile; rivers, large and small, sprinkle it, which all come from the east and run Tage parallel to; the majority can have gone up, and cart gold spangles in very great quantity. Most known of these rivers starting from Tage are Mundas and Vacua, which can and the other have gone up one only at one short distance. Then Durius comes, from which the source is very distant, and who bathes Numance or Nomantia and many other place belonging either to Celtibères or in Vaccéens; the large buildings themselves can go up it approximately the space of 800 stages. One still crosses other rivers, then one reaches Léthé. This river that the authors call also sometimes Limeas, and sometimes Oblivio, also goes down from Celtibérie and the country of Vaccéens. It is the same for Baenis which succeeds to him: Baenis, or Minius, as it sometimes is called, is of all the rivers of largest Lusitanie of much and it can be, like Durius, gone up the space of 800 stages. Posidonius, him, the fact of coming, as well as Durios, of the country of Cantabres. Its mouth is ordered by an island and is protected by a double pier, with the shelter of which the vessels can wet. Let us note a very happy provision here natural, it is that the bed of all these rivers is so deeply boxed that it is even enough to contain the floods of the rising tide, which prevents the overflows and prevents that the surrounding plains are never flooded. Baenis was the term of the operations of Brutus; but one would find further still from other rivers running the precedents parallel to. 5. The last people of Lusitanie are Artabres, which live close to the course Nerium. In the vicinity of the same course, which forms the end at the same time Western side and septentrional side of Ibérie, live Celtici, nearest relatives to those of the edges of Anas. One indeed tells that a band of the latter, which had at one time undertaken a forwarding in company of Turdules against the people of this part of Ibérie, being scrambled with his allies as of later bank of Limaeas, and, having lost at the same time, for roof of misfortune, the chief which ordered it, spread himself in the country and decided to remain there, which made give to Limaeas this denomination of river of Léthé or the Lapse of memory. The cities of Artabres are agglomerated around a known gulf of the sailors who practise these trimmings under the name of port of Artabres. Today however one gives to Artabres more readily the name of Arotrebes. - Thirty different people live the region ranging between Tage and the border of Artabres; but, although this region is naturally rich in fruits and cattle, like out of gold, money and other metals, the majority of these people gave up drawing part of these natural richnesses to live of armed robbery; from time immemorial, indeed, they lived in wars either between them, or with their neighbors of beyond Tage, until the Romans did not put an end in this state of affairs while reducing the people from the mountain in the plain and by reducing the majority of their cities not to be any more but of simple boroughs, at the same time as they melted some colonies in the medium of them. They was the mountain dwellers, as one can believe, who had begun the disorder: living a sad and wild country, and hardly having the necessary one, they had come from there to covet the good of their neighbors. Those, on their side, had had, to push back them, give up their own work, and, as they had put themselves at guerroyer, instead of cultivating the ground, their country, for lack of care, had ceased anything producing, and even the fruits which were natural for him, to become a true haunt of robbers. 6. Lusitans, so that one says, excellent to draw up ambushes and to light a track; they are nimble, light and flexible. The shield of which they are useful is small, being only two feet in diameter, the former part in is concave, and they carry it suspended to their neck by belts, one does not see any who has handle or of fasten. They are armed moreover with a dagger or large knife; the majority have armours of flax, others, but in small number, the coat of mail and the helmet carry to triple cimier; generally their helmets are of leather. The infantrymen have also cnémides, and hold with the hand each one several small swaths; some are useful of lances with bronze point. It is added that, among the bordering people of Durios, it is which live with the way of Lacédémoniens, rubbing of oil and being useful themselves of currycombs and drying ovens heated using stones reddened with fire, then bathing in cold water and never not making but one meal, very properly glossy admittedly but of an extreme frugality. Lusitans make frequent sacrifices with the gods, and examine the entrails, without tearing off them body of the victim, they observe also the veins of the chest, and draw moreover certain indications from the simple touch. They consult even in certain cases the human entrails, being used for this effect of their prisoners of war, which they cover as a preliminary saies for the sacrifice, and, when the victim falls broken hand from the haruspice, they draw a first warning from the fall even of the body. Often also they cut the right hand to their prisoners and make offering with the gods of it. 7. All these mountain dwellers are sober, drink only water and sleep on the hard one; they carry the hair long and floating with the manner of the women, but, to fight, they gird the face of a stringcourse. They nourish especially flesh of the goat, In their sacrifices with the god Mars, they immolent also goats, as well as horse and prisoners of war. They make moreover hecatombs of each species of victim, with the way of the Greeks. They celebrate plays gymnic, hoplitic and horse, in which they are exerted with pugilism and the race, and simulate skirmishes and pitched battles. The three quarters of the year, one nourishes in the mountain only nipples of oak, which, dried, crushed and crushed, are used to make bread. This bread can be kept a long time. A beer species made with barley is the ordinary drink there; as for the wine, it is rare, and the little that one in fact is consumed soon in these large so frequent banquets of family among these people. Butter holds place of oil to with it. One eats sitted; there is for that of the stone stalls, which reign all around the walls and where the guests take seat according to the age and the row. The mets circulate of hand in hand. While drinking, the men start to dance, sometimes forming choruses with the sound of the flute and trumpet, sometimes leaping one by one to which will jump highest in the air and will fall down most gracefully to knees. In Bastétanie, the women dance also frays with the men, each one having his dancer opposite, to whom it gives the hands from time to time. All the men are equipped with black, they do not leave their saies to be strictly accurate, making use of it even as covers on their beds of dry straw: these coats, like those of the Celts, are made of coarse wool or hair of goat. As for the women, they carry only coats and dresses of color made of stitched fabrics. In the interior of the grounds, one knows, in the absence of currencies, only the trade of exchange, or one cuts out in money blades of small pieces which one gives in payment of what one buys. The criminals condemned to death are precipitated; but the parricides are lapidated out of the territory, across the most moved back border. The ceremonies of the marriage are the same ones as in Greece. The patients, as that was practised in the past at the Assyrians, are exposed in the streets to thus cause the councils of those which were reached same evils. Before for the forwarding of Brutus, these people were used only of leather boats to cross the estuaries and ponds of their country; today they also start to have boats dug in only one tree trunk, but the use is still not very widespread. Salt that they collect is red crimson, only it becomes white when it is crushed. Such is the way of life of all the mountain dwellers, and, as I already said, I include/understand under this denomination the various people which border the Eastern side of Ibérie to the country of Vascons and the Pyréné Mount, namely Callaïques, Astures and Cantabres, which have all indeed a manner of living uniform: I could undoubtedly make the list of these people longer, but I do not have of it courage and I move back, I acknowledge it, in front of the trouble of a similar transcription, not imagining besides that nobody can find pleasure to hear names like those of Pleutaures, Bardyètes, Allobriges and others less harmonious and less known still. 8. Furthermore, it is not only the war which generated among these people these hard and wild manners, they are also due to the extreme distance where their country is other regions, because to arrive there either by ground, or by sea, it is always necessary to make a very long way, and naturally, this difficulty of communication their made lose any sociability and any humanity. It should however be said that today the evil is less large in consequence of the re-establishment of peace and the frequent voyages which the Romans make in their mountains. Remain some tribes which took part less up to now than the others in this double advantage, these preserved a more savage character, more brutal, without counting that at the majority of them this natural provision could be increased further by the roughness of the places and the rigour of the climate. But, I repeat it, all the wars are finished today; Cantabres themselves, which of all these people were attached to their practices of armed robbery, were reduced by César-Auguste, as well as the tribes which border them, and, instead of devastating as in the past the grounds of combined of the Roman people, they now carry the weapons for the same Romans: such is the case also of Coniaci, [ of Aruaci ], which lives [ the town of Segida ], with the sources of Ebre, [ of Belli and Tytthi ]. Moreover, Tibère has, on the indication of Auguste, his predecessor, sent in these regions a body of three legions, whose presence is much to have made already, not only to pacify, but still to civilize a part of these people.