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The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6): CHAP. 27.—MOUNT TAURUS.

The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)
CHAP. 27.—MOUNT TAURUS.
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table of contents
  1. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PLINY.
  2. PREFACE
  3. THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF PLINY.
  4. CONTENTS. OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
  5. BOOK I.34 DEDICATION. C. PLINIUS SECUNDUS TO HIS FRIEND TITUS VESPASIAN.
  6. BOOK II. AN ACCOUNT OF THE WORLD AND THE ELEMENTS.
    1. CHAP. 1. (1.)—WHETHER THE WORLD BE FINITE, AND WHETHER THERE BE MORE THAN ONE WORLD.
    2. CHAP. 2. (2.)—OF THE FORM OF THE WORLD91.
    3. CHAP. 3. (3.)—OF ITS NATURE; WHENCE THE NAME IS DERIVED.
    4. CHAP. 4. (5.)—OF THE ELEMENTS100 AND THE PLANETS101.
    5. CHAP. 5. (7.)—OF GOD109.
    6. CHAP. 6. (8.)—OF THE NATURE OF THE STARS; OF THE MOTION OF THE PLANETS.
    7. CHAP. 7.—OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE MOON AND THE SUN.
    8. CHAP. 8. (11.)—OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS.
    9. CHAP. 9. (12.)—AN ACCOUNT OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE HEAVENS BY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
    10. CHAP. 10. (13.)—ON THE RECURRENCE OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE SUN AND THE MOON.
    11. CHAP. 11. (14.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE MOON.
    12. CHAP. 12. (15.)—OF THE MOTIONS OF THE PLANETS AND THE GENERAL LAWS OF THEIR ASPECTS204.
    13. CHAP. 13.—WHY THE SAME STARS APPEAR AT SOME TIMES MORE LOFTY AND AT OTHER TIMES MORE NEAR.
    14. CHAP. 14. (17.)—WHY THE SAME STARS HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIONS.
    15. CHAP. 15.—GENERAL LAWS240 OF THE PLANETS.
    16. CHAP. 16. (18.)—THE REASON WHY THE STARS ARE OF DIFFERENT COLOURS.
    17. CHAP. 17. (19.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE SUN AND THE CAUSE OF THE IRREGULARITY OF THE DAYS.
    18. CHAP. 18. (20.)—WHY THUNDER IS ASCRIBED TO JUPITER.
    19. CHAP. 19. (21.)—OF THE DISTANCES OF THE STARS.
    20. CHAP. 20. (22.)—OF THE HARMONY OF THE STARS.
    21. CHAP. 21. (23.)—OF THE DIMENSIONS OF THE WORLD.
    22. CHAP. 22. (24.)—OF THE STARS WHICH APPEAR SUDDENLY, OR OF COMETS270.
    23. CHAP. 23.—THEIR NATURE, SITUATION, AND SPECIES.
    24. CHAP. 24. (26.)—THE DOCTRINE OF HIPPARCHUS293 ABOUT THE STARS.
    25. CHAP. 25.—EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY OF CELESTIAL PRODIGIES; FACES, LAMPADES, AND BOLIDES295.
    26. CHAP. 26.—TRABES CELESTES; CHASMA CŒLI.
    27. CHAP. 27. (27.)—OF THE COLOURS OF THE SKY AND OF CELESTIAL FLAME.
    28. CHAP. 28. (28.)—OF CELESTIAL CORONÆ.
    29. CHAP. 29.—OF SUDDEN CIRCLES.
    30. CHAP. 30.—OF UNUSUALLY LONG ECLIPSES OF THE SUN.
    31. CHAP. 31. (31.)—MANY SUNS.
    32. CHAP. 32. (32.)—MANY MOONS.
    33. CHAP. 33. (33.)—DAYLIGHT IN THE NIGHT.
    34. CHAP. 34. (34.)—BURNING SHIELDS311.
    35. CHAP. 35. (35.)—AN OMINOUS APPEARANCE IN THE HEAVENS, THAT WAS SEEN ONCE ONLY.
    36. CHAP. 36. (36.)—OF STARS WHICH MOVE ABOUT IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS.
    37. CHAP. 37. (37.)—OF THE STARS WHICH ARE NAMED CASTOR AND POLLUX316.
    38. CHAP. 38. (38.)—OF THE AIR AND ON THE CAUSE OF THE SHOWERS OF STONES.
    39. CHAP. 39. (39.)—OF THE STATED SEASONS.
    40. CHAP. 40. (40.)—OF THE RISING OF THE DOG-STAR.
    41. CHAP. 41. (41.)—OF THE REGULAR INFLUENCE OF THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.
    42. CHAP. 42. (42.)—OF UNCERTAIN STATES OF THE WEATHER.
    43. CHAP. 43. (43.)—OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.
    44. CHAP. 44.—THE ORIGIN OF WINDS.
    45. CHAP. 45.—VARIOUS OBSERVATIONS RESPECTING WINDS.
    46. CHAP. 46. (47.)—THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF WINDS349.
    47. CHAP. 47.—THE PERIODS OF THE WINDS360.
    48. CHAP. 48.—NATURE OF THE WINDS376.
    49. CHAP. 49. (48.)—ECNEPHIAS AND TYPHON.
    50. CHAP. 50.—TORNADOES; BLASTING WINDS; WHIRLWINDS389, AND OTHER WONDERFUL KINDS OF TEMPESTS.
    51. CHAP. 51. (50.)—OF THUNDER393; IN WHAT COUNTRIES IT DOES NOT FALL, AND FOR WHAT REASON.
    52. CHAP. 52. (51.)—OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIGHTNING395 AND THEIR WONDERFUL EFFECTS.
    53. CHAP. 53. (52.)—THE ETRURIAN400 AND THE ROMAN OBSERVATIONS ON THESE POINTS.
    54. CHAP. 54. (53.)—OF CONJURING UP THUNDER.
    55. CHAP. 55. (54.)—GENERAL LAWS OF LIGHTNING.
    56. CHAP. 56. (55.)—OBJECTS WHICH ARE NEVER STRUCK.
    57. CHAP. 57. (56.)—SHOWERS OF MILK, BLOOD, FLESH, IRON, WOOL, AND BAKED TILES422.
    58. CHAP. 58. (57.)—RATTLING OF ARMS AND THE SOUND OF TRUMPETS HEARD IN THE SKY.
    59. CHAP. 59. (58.)—OF STONES THAT HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CLOUDS429. THE OPINION OF ANAXAGORAS RESPECTING THEM.
    60. CHAP. 60. (59.)—THE RAINBOW.
    61. CHAP. 61.—THE NATURE OF HAIL, SNOW, HOAR, MIST, DEW; THE FORMS OF CLOUDS.
    62. CHAP. 62. (62.)—THE PECULIARITIES OF THE WEATHER IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
    63. CHAP. 63. (63.)—NATURE OF THE EARTH.
    64. CHAP. 64. (64.)—OF THE FORM OF THE EARTH.
    65. CHAP. 65. (65.)—WHETHER THERE BE ANTIPODES?
    66. CHAP. 66.—HOW THE WATER IS CONNECTED WITH THE EARTH. OF THE NAVIGATION OF THE SEA AND THE RIVERS.
    67. CHAP. 67. (67.)—WHETHER THE OCEAN SURROUNDS THE EARTH.
    68. CHAP. 68. (68.)—WHAT PART OF THE EARTH IS INHABITED.
    69. CHAP. 69. (69.)—THAT THE EARTH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD.
    70. CHAP. 70. (70.)—OF THE OBLIQUITY OF THE ZONES484.
    71. CHAP. 71.—OF THE INEQUALITY OF CLIMATES.
    72. CHAP. 72.—IN WHAT PLACES ECLIPSES ARE INVISIBLE, AND WHY THIS IS THE CASE.
    73. CHAP. 73. (71.)—WHAT REGULATES THE DAYLIGHT ON THE EARTH.
    74. CHAP. 74. (72.)—REMARKS ON DIALS, AS CONNECTED WITH THIS SUBJECT.
    75. CHAP. 75. (73.)—WHEN AND WHERE THERE ARE NO SHADOWS.
    76. CHAP. 76. (74.)—-WHERE THIS TAKES PLACE TWICE IN THE YEAR AND WHERE THE SHADOWS FALL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.
    77. CHAP. 77. (75.)—WHERE THE DAYS ARE THE LONGEST AND WHERE THE SHORTEST.
    78. CHAP. 78. (76.)—OF THE FIRST DIAL.
    79. CHAP. 79. (77.)—OF THE MODE IN WHICH THE DAYS ARE COMPUTED.
    80. CHAP. 80. (78.)—OF THE DIFFERENCE OF NATIONS AS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE WORLD.
    81. CHAP. 81. (79.)—OF EARTHQUAKES.
    82. CHAP. 82. (80.)—OF CLEFTS OF THE EARTH.
    83. CHAP. 83. (81.)—SIGNS OF AN APPROACHING EARTHQUAKE.
    84. CHAP. 84. (82.)—PRESERVATIVES AGAINST FUTURE EARTHQUAKES.
    85. CHAP. 85. (83.)—PRODIGIES OF THE EARTH WHICH HAVE OCCURRED ONCE ONLY.
    86. CHAP. 86. (84.)—WONDERFUL CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING EARTHQUAKES.
    87. CHAP. 87. (85.)—IN WHAT PLACES THE SEA HAS RECEDED.
    88. CHAP. 88. (86.)—THE MODE IN WHICH ISLANDS RISE UP.
    89. CHAP. 89. (87.)—WHAT ISLANDS HAVE BEEN FORMED, AND AT WHAT PERIODS.
    90. CHAP 90.—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN SEPARATED BY THE SEA.
    91. CHAP. 91. (89.)—ISLANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN UNITED TO THE MAIN LAND.
    92. CHAP. 92. (90.)—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN TOTALLY CHANGED INTO SEAS.
    93. CHAP. 93. (91.)—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN SWALLOWED UP.
    94. CHAP. 94. (92.)—CITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN ABSORBED BY THE SEA.
    95. CHAP. 95. (93.)—OF VENTS587 IN THE EARTH.
    96. CHAP. 96. (94.)—OF CERTAIN LANDS WHICH ARE ALWAYS SHAKING, AND OF FLOATING ISLANDS.
    97. CHAP. 97. (96.)—PLACES IN WHICH IT NEVER RAINS.
    98. CHAP. 98.—THE WONDERS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES COLLECTED TOGETHER.
    99. CHAP. 99. (97.)—CONCERNING THE CAUSE OF THE FLOWING AND EBBING OF THE SEA.
    100. CHAP. 100.—WHERE THE TIDES RISE AND FALL IN AN UNUSUAL MANNER.
    101. CHAP. 101. (98.)—WONDERS OF THE SEA.
    102. CHAP. 102. (99.)—THE POWER OF THE MOON OVER THE LAND AND THE SEA.
    103. CHAP. 103. (100.)—THE POWER OF THE SUN.
    104. CHAP. 104.—WHY THE SEA IS SALT.
    105. CHAP. 105. (102.)—WHERE THE SEA IS THE DEEPEST.
    106. CHAP. 106. (103.)—THE WONDERS OF FOUNTAINS AND RIVERS.
    107. CHAP. 107.—THE WONDERS OF FIRE AND WATER UNITED.
    108. CHAP. 108. (104.)—OF MALTHA.
    109. CHAP. 109. (105.)—OF NAPHTHA.
    110. CHAP. 110. (106.)—PLACES WHICH ARE ALWAYS BURNING.
    111. CHAP. 111. (107.)—WONDERS OF FIRE ALONE.
    112. CHAP. 112. (108.)—THE DIMENSIONS OF THE EARTH.
    113. CHAP. 113.—THE HARMONICAL PROPORTION OF THE UNIVERSE.
  7. BOOK III. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED. INTRODUCTION.
    1. CHAP. 1. (1.)—THE BOUNDARIES AND GULFS OF EUROPE FIRST SET FORTH IN A GENERAL WAY.
    2. CHAP. 2.—OF SPAIN GENERALLY.
    3. CHAP. 3.—OF BÆTICA.
    4. CHAP. 4. (3.)—OF NEARER SPAIN.
    5. CHAP. 5. (4.)—OF THE PROVINCE OF GALLIA NARBONENSIS.
    6. CHAP. 6. (5.)—OF ITALY.
    7. CHAP. 7.—OF THE NINTH1167 REGION OF ITALY.
    8. CHAP. 8.—THE SEVENTH REGION OF ITALY.
    9. CHAP. 9.—THE FIRST REGION OF ITALY1264; THE TIBER; ROME.
    10. CHAP. 10.—THE THIRD REGION OF ITALY.
    11. CHAP. 11.—SIXTY-FOUR ISLANDS, AMONG WHICH ARE THE BALEARES.
    12. CHAP. 12. (6.)—CORSICA.
    13. CHAP. 13.—SARDINIA.
    14. CHAP. 14. (8.)—SICILY.
    15. CHAP. 15. (10.)—MAGNA GRÆCIA, BEGINNING AT LOCRI.
    16. CHAP. 16.—THE SECOND REGION OF ITALY.
    17. CHAP. 17. (12.)—THE FOURTH REGION OF ITALY.
    18. CHAP. 18. (13.)—THE FIFTH REGION OF ITALY.
    19. CHAP. 19. (14.)—THE SIXTH REGION OF ITALY.
    20. CHAP. 20. (15.)—THE EIGHTH REGION OF ITALY; THE PADUS.
    21. CHAP. 21. (17.)—THE ELEVENTH REGION OF ITALY; ITALIA TRANSPADANA.
    22. CHAP. 22. (18.)—THE TENTH REGION OF ITALY.
    23. CHAP. 23. (19.)—ISTRIA, ITS PEOPLE AND LOCALITY.
    24. CHAP. 24. (20.)—THE ALPS, AND THE ALPINE NATIONS.
    25. CHAP. 25. (21.)—LIBURNIA AND ILLYRICUM.
    26. CHAP. 26. (22.)—DALMATIA.
    27. CHAP. 27. (24.)—THE NORICI.
    28. CHAP. 28. (25.)—PANNONIA.
    29. CHAP. 29. (26.)—MŒSIA.
    30. CHAP. 30.—ISLANDS OF THE IONIAN SEA AND THE ADRIATIC.
  8. BOOK IV. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED.
    1. CHAP. 1. (1.)—EPIRUS.
    2. CHAP. 2.—ACARNANIA.
    3. CHAP. 3. (2.)—ÆTOLIA.
    4. CHAP. 4. (3.)—LOCRIS AND PHOCIS.
    5. CHAP. 5. (4.)—THE PELOPONNESUS.
    6. CHAP. 6. (5.)—ACHAIA.
    7. CHAP. 7.—MESSENIA.
    8. CHAP. 8.—LACONIA.
    9. CHAP. 9.—ARGOLIS.
    10. CHAP. 10. (6.)—ARCADIA.
    11. CHAP. 11. (7.)—ATTICA.
    12. CHAP. 12.—BŒOTIA.
    13. CHAP. 13.—DORIS.
    14. CHAP. 14.—PHTHIOTIS.
    15. CHAP. 15. (8.)—THESSALY PROPER.
    16. CHAP. 16. (9.)—MAGNESIA.
    17. CHAP. 17. (10.)—MACEDONIA.
    18. CHAP. 18. (11.)—THRACE; THE ÆGEAN SEA.
    19. CHAP. 19. (12.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE BEFORE THE LANDS ALREADY MENTIONED.
    20. CHAP. 20.—CRETE.
    21. CHAP. 21.—EUBŒA.
    22. CHAP. 22.—THE CYCLADES.
    23. CHAP. 23.—THE SPORADES.
    24. CHAP. 24.—THE HELLESPONT.—THE LAKE MÆOTIS.
    25. CHAP. 25.—DACIA, SARMATIA.
    26. CHAP. 26.—SCYTHIA.
    27. CHAP. 27.—THE ISLANDS OF THE EUXINE. THE ISLANDS OF THE NORTHERN OCEAN.
    28. CHAP. 28.—GERMANY.
    29. CHAP. 29. (15.)—NINETY-SIX ISLANDS OF THE GALLIC OCEAN.
    30. CHAP. 30. (16.)—BRITANNIA.
    31. CHAP. 31. (17.)—GALLIA BELGICA.
    32. CHAP. 32. (18.)—GALLIA LUGDUNENSIS.
    33. CHAP. 33. (19.)—GALLIA AQUITANICA.
    34. CHAP. 34. (20.)—NEARER SPAIN, ITS COAST ALONG THE GALLIC OCEAN.
    35. CHAP. 35. (21.)—LUSITANIA.
    36. CHAP. 36.—THE ISLANDS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
    37. CHAP. 37. (23.)—THE GENERAL MEASUREMENT OF EUROPE.
  9. BOOK V. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED.
    1. CHAP. 1.—THE TWO MAURITANIAS.
    2. CHAP. 2. (3.)—NUMIDIA.
    3. CHAP. 3. (4.)—AFRICA.
    4. CHAP. 4.—THE SYRTES.
    5. CHAP. 5. (5.)—CYRENAICA.
    6. CHAP. 6. (6.)—LIBYA MAREOTIS.
    7. CHAP. 7. (7.)—THE ISLANDS IN THE VICINITY OF AFRICA.
    8. CHAP. 8. (8.)—COUNTRIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF AFRICA.
    9. CHAP. 9. (9.)—EGYPT AND THEBAIS.
    10. CHAP. 10.—THE RIVER NILE.
    11. CHAP. 11.—THE CITIES OF EGYPT.
    12. CHAP. 12. (11.)—THE COASTS OF ARABIA, SITUATE ON THE EGYPTIAN SEA.
    13. CHAP. 13. (12.)—SYRIA.
    14. CHAP. 14.—IDUMÆA, PALÆSTINA, AND SAMARIA.
    15. CHAP. 15. (14.)—JUDÆA.
    16. CHAP. 16. (18.)—DECAPOLIS.
    17. CHAP. 17. (19.)—PHŒNICE.
    18. CHAP. 18.—SYRIA ANTIOCHIA.
    19. CHAP. 19. (23.)—THE REMAINING PARTS OF SYRIA.
    20. CHAP. 20. (24.)—THE EUPHRATES.
    21. CHAP. 21.—SYRIA UPON THE EUPHRATES.
    22. CHAP. 22. (27.)—CILICIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
    23. CHAP. 23.—ISAURIA AND THE HOMONADES.
    24. CHAP. 24.—PISIDIA.
    25. CHAP. 25.—LYCAONIA.
    26. CHAP. 26.—PAMPHYLIA.
    27. CHAP. 27.—MOUNT TAURUS.
    28. CHAP. 28.—LYCIA.
    29. CHAP. 29.—CARIA.
    30. CHAP. 30.—LYDIA.
    31. CHAP. 31.—IONIA.
    32. CHAP. 32. (30.)—ÆOLIS.
    33. CHAP. 33.—TROAS AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
    34. CHAP. 34. (31.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE IN FRONT OF ASIA.
    35. CHAP. 35.—CYPRUS.
    36. CHAP. 36.—RHODES.
    37. CHAP. 37.—SAMOS.
    38. CHAP. 38.—CHIOS.
    39. CHAP. 39.—LESBOS.
    40. CHAP. 40. (32.)—THE HELLESPONT AND MYSIA.
    41. CHAP. 41.—PHRYGIA.
    42. CHAP. 42.—GALATIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
    43. CHAP. 43.—BITHYNIA.
    44. CHAP. 44.—THE ISLANDS OF THE PROPONTIS.
  10. APPENDIX OF CORRECTIONS.
  11. FOOTNOTES:
  12. THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

CHAP. 27.—MOUNT TAURUS.

Adjoining to Pamphylia is the Sea of Lycia and the country of Lycia3887 itself, where the chain of Taurus, coming from the eastern shores, terminates the vast Gulf3888 by the Promontory of Chelidonium3889. Of immense extent, and separating nations innumerable, after taking its first rise at the Indian Sea3890, it branches off to the north on the right-hand side, and on the left towards the south. Then taking a direction towards the west, it would cut through the middle of Asia, were it not that the seas check it in its triumphant career along the land. It accordingly strikes off in a northerly direction, and forming an arc, occupies an immense tract of country, nature, designedly as it were, every now and then throwing seas in the way to oppose its career; here the Sea of Phœnicia, there the Sea of Pontus, in this direction the Caspian and Hyrcanian3891, and then, opposite to them, the Lake Mæotis. Although somewhat curtailed by these obstacles, it still winds along between them, and makes its way even amidst these barriers; and victorious after all, it then escapes with its sinuous course to the kindred chain of the Riphæan mountains. Numerous are the names which it bears, as it is continuously designated by new ones throughout the whole of its course. In the first part of its career it has the name of Imaüs3892, after which it is known successively by the names of Emodus, Paropanisus, Circius, Cambades, Paryadres, Choatras, Oreges, Oroandes, Niphates, Taurus, and, where it even out-tops itself, Caucasus. Where it throws forth its arms as though every now and then it would attempt to invade the sea, it bears the names of Sarpedon, Coracesius, Cragus, and then again Taurus. Where also it opens and makes a passage to admit mankind, it still claims the credit of an unbroken continuity by giving the name of “Gates” to these passes, which in one place are called the “Gates of Armenia3893,” in another the “Gates of the Caspian,” and in another the “Gates of Cilicia.” In addition to this, when it has been cut short in its onward career, it retires to a distance from the seas, and covers itself on the one side and the other with the names of numerous nations, being called, on the right-hand side the Hyrcanian and the Caspian, and on the left the Paryadrian3894, the Moschian, the Amazonian, the Coraxican, and the Scythian chain. Among the Greeks it bears the one general name of Ceraunian3895.

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