To The
North Of These Mountains, Quite To The Ocean Which Environs The North East
End Of The Earth, Where The River Bore Empties Itself Into The Ocean, And
From Thence Westwards To The Caspian Sea, Which Extends To Mount Caucasus,
All The Land Is Called Old Scythia, Or Hircania.
In this country there are
forty-three nations, all situate at great distances from each other, on
account of the barrenness of the soil[19].
Then to the westward of the
Caspian unto the Tanais or Don, and the Palus Maeotis, thence south to
Mount Taurus[20], and north to the ocean, is all Scythia, and is divided
among thirty-two nations. The country on the east side of the Tanais is
inhabited by a nation called the Alboari in the Latin tongue, which we now
call Liobene. Thus have I shortly stated the boundaries of Asia, and shall
now state those of Europe, as far as we are informed concerning them.
Sec. 7. From the Tanais westwards to the Rhine, which takes its rise in the
Alps, and runs northward, till it falls into that branch of the ocean which
surrounds Bryttannia, and southward from the Tanais to the Donua or Danube,
whose source is near that of the Rhine, and which runs to the northward of
Greece, till it empties itself into the Euxine[21], and north even to that
part of the ocean which is called the Cwen sea[22], there are many
nations; and the whole of this extensive country is called Germany. Hence
to the north of the source of the Danube, and to the east of the Rhine are
the people called eastern Franks[23]. To the south of them are the
Swaepas[24]. On the opposite banks of the Danube, and to the south
and east, are the people called Baegth-ware[25], in that part which
is called Regnes-burh[26]. Due east from them are the Beme[27]. To
the north-east the Thyringas[28]. To the north of these are the Old
Seaxan[29]. To the north-west of these are the Frysan[30]; and to the west
of Old Saxony is the mouth of the Aelfe or Elbe, as also
Frysan or Friesland. Prom hence to the north-west is that land which
is called Angle, with Sellinde, and some other parts of
Dene[31]. To the north is Apdrede[32], and to the north-east the
Wolds[33], which are called AEfeldan[34]. From hence eastwards is
Wineda-land[35], otherwise called Sysyle[36]. To the south-west, at some
distance, is the Macroaro[37], and these have to the west the Thyringas and
Behemas, as also part of the Baegthware, all of whom have been already
mentioned. And to the south, on the other side of the Donua or Danube, is
the country called Carendrae[38].
Sec. 8. Southwards, towards and along the mountains which are called the Alps,
are the boundaries of the Baegthware and of the Swaefas already mentioned;
and then to the eastwards of the Carendrae country, and beyond the
Waste[39], is Pulgara-land or Bulgaria[40]. To the east is Greca-land[41]
or Greece; and to the east of the Moroaro or Moravians, is Wisle-land[42];
and to the east of that is Datia, though it formerly belonged to the
Gottan[43] or Goths.
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