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, Collection Etudes o
 MYTHOLOGY,PARADOXOGRAPHY
AND TERATOLOGY IN
STRABO'S GEOGRAPHY

Gosciwit MALINOWSKI
(Universite de Worclaw)

S
historian and philosopher-, wrote his Geography, as a
TRABO,
complement to his Historical Sketches- in forty-seven books,
which started from the point where Polybius left off, and
covered the his tory from 146 Be to the reign of Augustus.
Unfortunately, this monumental work is lost, but the seventeen books
The Geography have survived. It is far more than a mere geography. It
is a compendium of practical and theoreticaI knowledge of the Earth,
which should be useful for a statesman and a commander. Strabo
undertook to write upon the whole inhabited world. His work is not a
concise summary but a real storehouse of infonnation concerning
various countries. Strabo adds many physical, natural, political,
ethnographic, historical, philological, antiquarian and mythologicał
detaiłs to the generał description of separate countries. In the nature of
things, such a colossał work as Strabo's Geography is a compilation.

1 I 1,1 : T~C; 't01>~tA,o(jó~ou 1tpaYlla'tElac; ctvat vOIlt1;ollcv, c'l.1tcpaA,A,l1V

'ttVeX.,Kat 'tT]V yc(j)ypa~tKllv.
" 2 et D.M. Schenkeveld, Strabo on Homer, Mnemosyne
Engels, Augusteische Oikunienegeographie Ul/d
XXIX (1976), p. 52-64 ; J.
Universalhistorie im Werk
Strabons von Amaseia, Stuttgart 199, p. 91-95.
 MYTHOLOGY, PARADOXOGRAPHY AND TERATOLOGY ... GOSCIWIT MALINOWSKI

But be attempts to judge critically the collected excerpts, and he also

takes care 01' composition and eontent of his own work. ***
He .entirely observes the dominant principle of Greek At first, the word mythos was synonymous with logos, and both
historiography, its dogmatic attitude, which is known frorn a sentence . of thern meant « word, speech, story» with no distinction between true
of Hecataeus : «I write what I believe to be the truth, for the Greeks or false. The antithesis of false mythos and true logos seems to be
have rnany stories which, it seems to me, are absurd. »3 Consequently, introduced by the first prose writers (e.g. Herodotus II 45)5, and the
Strabo attempts to distinguish between the historia - facts which are early Sophists contributed to the fact that the word mythos established
worth being recorded in Geography and the ntythos - tale, fiction, its meaning of «fiction, legend, fable story »6. Strabo entirely
untrustworthy, unreliable and unreal story. maintains this antithesis, replacing the word logos by historia,
rhenever he describes what he believes to be real events.
Strabo pays special attention to the Homeric poems. He calls the
poet « the founder ot' the science of geography » (I 1,2 aPXll'YE'tl1V '. In Rhetorica ad Herennium I 137 we can find the following
ElVCXl 'tllC; 'YECD'Ypa~tKi1c; tI-1TCEtptac;). He is convinced that definition : Id, quod in negotiorum expositione positum est, tres habet
«Homer tells his story, agreeing in same respects with matters of partes: fabulam, historiam, argumentum. This di vision is also known
history. but adding to them an element of myth, thus adhering to a . to Strabo. He writes that poetic licence is compounded of history,
custorn that is not only his own but one common to poets »4 (I 2,40) hhetorical composition, and myth CI 2,17 rrorrrtucnv tĘouatav, 11
and that his descriptions are founded on reality. The vexed questionsj O"UVEO"'tllKEVtĘ toropic«; Kat Óta8EO"ECDC;Kat 1-1-080u). The
with which Strabo was confronted in relation to Homer's mythit~L~;' :aiin of the first is truth, vividness of the second and the latter is to
data, and his rules of interpreting Homer' s poetry, have been fu,1ly;i Pfease and to excite amazement". The argumenturn - diathesis is not
described by many scholars. Sa it is not my intention to discuss th~s~~ :'tPportant for the purposes of a geographical work, so we may omit
problems. What l would like; to do, is to investigate what the w9rd~' his question.
mytnos means for Strabo, what kind of events and beings he regards, as,' r
fabulous, fictitiuos, unreal. I will also attempt to make same re m a\-ks,'i
on tbe tnythos-historia antithesis in his Geography and to demonstratę',
$'~f.also Pi. O. 128-29 ; N. VII 23).
the place tor myths in the construction of such a scientific work as'
,~,M.Winiarczyk, Mi/ w Grecji antycznej, Meander LXII 1997, p. 417.
Geography iso
'"Gf. Cicero, De inventione I 27 : ea, quae in negotiorum expositione posila est, tres
habet partes: fabulam, historiam, argunientum. fabula est, in qua nec verae
n.ec veri similes res continentur, cuiusmodi est : 'Al!gues ingentes ali/es,
iuncti iugo .. , ', his/aria est ges/a res, ab aetatis nostrae memoria retnota ;
quod genus: 'Appius indixit Carthaginiensibus belluni '. argumenturn est
ficta res, quae tanten fieri potuit. huiusmodi apud Terentium : 'Nam is
postquani excessit ex ephebis, [Sosia} ... '.
3 FGrH l FI : ' Elw'taloc; MLA1]crWC; CME fl.U8El'tcn 'taDE ypa~w, wC; J.l0~
DOKEl aAI18Ela cl.vcn o~ yap 'En1]vwv AÓyOt 1tOno\. 'tE ~at, fl.Ev ouv \CY1:0p\.CXI;aA1]8Et<Xv cl.vcn 'tEAOC;, wC; EV VEcDV KcnaAÓYCll
YEAolOL, wC; E~LOl ~a'tvov'tcn, etctv. 'ta EKacr'tOtC; 'tÓ1totC; crUfl.[3E[3TJKÓ'ta AEYOV'tOC;'tOU 1totTJ'tOU, 'tT]V uev
1tE'tp1]wcrav 't11v D' Ecrxa'tówcrav 1t6Xiv, CXAATJVDE 1tOAU'tp1]pwva,
4 AlI citations corne lrom the English translatiou of Strabo's Geograptiy by H.Ll.
'tT]V D' ayx\.aAov· 't1lC; DE Dta8EcrEwc; EVEPYEtaV cl.vat 'to 'tEAOC;, wc;
Jones in the Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University
Press,l917-1932). ' ćhav fl.aX0fl.EVOUC; ELcraYn fl.u80u DE ilDOVT]V Kat EK1tATJ~tV.
 MYTHOLOGY, PARADOXOGRAPHY AND TERATOLOGY ... GOSCIWIT MALINOWSKI

Defining history and myth an unknown Latin author emphasises
the truth : Fabula est, quae neque veras neque veri similes continet
res, ut eae sunt, quae tragoedis traditae sunt. Historia est gesta res,
sed ab aetatis nostrae metnoria remota. Strabo presents a similar
definition of myth and history, when he considers the peculiar account
of the Amazons. « Our accounts of other peoples keep a distinction
between the mythical and the historical elements; for the things that
are ancient and faJse ahd monstrous are called myths. But history
I' , wishes for the truth, whether ancient or recent, and eontains no
li~ monstrous element, or eis e onJy rarely. »9
I The other feature namely «falsehood » is more important. As
"
" things. »10 The geographer adds in other passage that «Homer
transferrecl the Odyssey, just as he hacl already transferrecl the Iliad,
from the clomain of historieal faet to that of ereative art, and to that of
mythical invention so familiar to the poets » (Ill 2,12). Beeause for
Strabo as for other Greek historians this particular feature, I mean
ancient times, did not cIecide, whether a fact should be considered as
mytliical or true.
false

!
!~
In order to demonstratę the meaning of ntythos for Strabo I the early historians do not agree one with another in their aceounts of
would Jike to say a few worcls about its features, which are quoted particular events, Strabo eonsiclers many of their stories untrue (VIll
I above, I mean: ancient time\ falsehood and oddity or even 3,9). «When clifferent writers tell the myth in clifferent ways, joining
monstrosity. cliffieulty to difficulty ; and both the names and numbers they use are
different » (X 3,22), it arouses the suspicions, that the event itself may
ancient times be false.
The word «mythology» is commonly usecl in modern Judging whether a fact is mythical or not, Strabo makes use of
,t, languages, to signify aneient stories of gods ancl heroes, which the rule of probability. He mentions the tomb of NeoptoIemus in the
happened in remote times preceding historical events. Therefore we sacred precinet at Dclphi (IX 3,9). The son of Achilles was slain by
tencl to identify al! events from ancient times with myths. But unlike Machaereus, a Delphian, beeause aeeording to the myth Neoptolemus
modern scholars, who recognise as historieal only these events, which sought redress for the murder of his father in the tempIe of Apollo.
are testified by trustworthy, eontemporary sourees, ancien t historians Everywhere up and down the pages of his Geography Strabo refuses to
were couvinced that wanclerings of Argonauts and of Odysseus, war of accept the idea that OIympie gods couId take part in any historical
Seven against Thebes etc. were indeed historical facts. Strabo event. He writes that aecording to all probability Neoptolemus was
explicitly says about Homer that «he took the Trojan war, an murdered beeause be attaeked the tempIe. The eontention between a
historieal faet, and decked it out .with his myths ; and he clicl the same god and a man is improbable for Strabo, but to completeIy deny this
in the ease of the wanclerings of Oclysseus ; but to hang an empty story story does not seem appropriate to bim. The antithesis (WC; IlEV b
of marvels on something wholly untrue is not Homer's way of doing 11'08oC; ( ... ) WC; DE to El.K6C;) is eharacteristic and it suggests the
worcls of Servius in his eommentary in Verg. Aen. 1235 : et selendum
est, inter [abulam et argumentum, hoc est historiain, hoc interesse,

9 XI 5,3 OL ~lEV yap <XAAOL [AÓYOL] 'tO ~U8WDEC; Kat ró LCJ'tOpLKÓV 10 I 2,9 obtco Dr, -cóv 'tE 'IAtaKOV irÓAE~OV ycyovó'ta napCl.ACl.13wv
OLCllpW~lEVOV EXOUcrL' 'ta yap naAala Kat \jfEUDr, Kat 'tEpa'tWD11 exóounce 'tCl.1C; ~U80nOL1.atC;, Kat 'tr,v' OOUcrcrECllC; nAĆWl1V
~U80L KaAouv'tav 11 D' ~cr'topl.CI. 13ouAE'tCl.L 't<XA118EC;,l1V 'tE rcaAatOV cD crau'tCllC; o EK ~l1DEVOC; DE Cx.A1180uC; Cx.van'tEtv KEVr,V
l1V 'tE vEOV, Kat ró 'tEpa'twDEC; 11 OUI( EXEL 11 cr1tCXvLOV. 'tEpCl.'tOAOY1.Cl.VOUX ' O~l1pLKÓV.
 MYTJ-IOLOGY, PARADOXOGRAPJ-IY AND TERATOLOGY ...
quod [abula est dieta res eontra naturam, sive faeta sive non [acta, ut
de Pasiphae, historia est 'quicquid secundum naturam dicitur, sive
factum sive non factum, ut de Phaedra.
monstrosity
The last feature that was included in the definition of myth,
mentioned above, is. oddity or monstrosity, which along with
discrepancy, contradictions and lack of consistency induces Strabo to
recognise an event, a thing or a person as mythical or false. Strabo
seems to explicitly divide marvels into two groups. One of them
includes al! events which are wonderful, curious, incredible, but real,
true, and explicable in the course of nature. Strabo calls thern
paradoxa. The other group consists of things and beings which are
strange, monstrous, portentous, and, of course unnatural and untrue.
He names them teratodes. Only the latter seem to be mythical.
The adjective 'tEpa'tc.6811C;,which is used three times by Strabo
to define the idea of mythos in his logos of Arnazons (XI 5,3), is
derived frorn the noun 'ta 'tEpac;. It means in general sense « a sign,
wonder, marvel. portent » equivalent of Latin prodigium, or in specific
sense «a monster ». Up and down the pages of Geography we find
several derivatives and compounds of 'tEpac;. One of them
'tEpa'toAoy'ta was used by Strabo to denote «telling of marvels,
which are untrue, mythical », so I have adopted this term in the title of
this article.
Teratology was the most important component of the myth
composition. Eratosthenes criticises the poets, that they introduce each
incident as too awe-inspiring and too rnarvellous!", so «everything
beyond the range of observation has been filled, not only by Homer
but by others also, with mythical marvels »12,
11 I 2,19 aAA' lont 'ta onvó'tEpoV KCXt 'to 'tEpCX1:co8E01:EpOV EKCX01:CX
i#x:YEtv.
12 1 2,3 aAA' 1:CXU1:CX!J.EV o\nCOe; dp11KE, 1:eX 8' eĘ,co 1:11e; cxto8iloECOe; KCXt
o1nOe; Kcxt CXAAOl 'tEpCX1:0AoyLcxe; !J.u8lKl1e; nE1tA11PWKCXOLV.
GOSCIWIT MALINOWSKI
But Strabo does not deny the didactic values of monstrosity. « If
you add thereto the marvellous and the portentous, you thereby
increase tbe pleasure, and pleasure acts as a charm to incite to
learning» (I 2,8 ótccv 8E rtpooj] Kat tó 8aullacr'tov Kat 'ta
'tEpa'tw8EC;). But portentous is not only pleasing but fear-inspiring as
well ob uóvov 118'0,aAAa Kat <pO~EpOV ró 'tEpa'tw8EC;), so «we
can employ tbe p1easing myths, like Labours of Heracles or of Theseus
ar honours bestowed by gods - to spur children, illiterate and half-
educated men, and the fear-inspiring myths - like Lamia, Gorgon,
Mormolyce - to deter them ».
. Strabo is convinced that wanderings of Odysseus are historical
facts. But Homer decked the real events with myths. Strabo writes that
« the poet is indulging in marvels when he tells of Oceanus, Hades,
cattle of Helios, entertainment by godesses, metamorphoses, huge
Cyclopes and huge Laestrygonians, Scylla's shape, distances traversed
on the voyage, and many other things of a sirnilar nature CI 2,11). »13
Having analysed all passages of Geography where Strabo uses
the root myth- and the derivatives and compounds of tśra], I may
conclude that for him both terms are strictly connected. The teratology
forms an indispensable component of the mythology, so we can
assume that adjectives mythodes and teratodes are synonymous. For
Strabo, every mythical story consists of falsehood and marvellousness,
though we do not have to find a actual monster in each of them. I
would like to mention same examples of events, things and creatures,
which Strabo does not believe, assuming they are or may be mythical.
Every story concerning gods or other supernatural beings is untrue for
him, whether honours bestowed by gods I 2,9, or love affairs (XIV 1,5
- like Branchos and Apollo) ar anything created by a god (VIII 3,22-6
like Neda, a spring, which was caused to break forth by Rhea, after she
had given birth to Zeus,) or any kind ot"divine activity (XII 8,15 - the
13 hE'tVOU cDKWVOV KCXt Al011V KCXt 'HALou j3ócxe; KCXt 1tCXP' 8Wte; Ę,EVLCXe;
KCXt ~lE1:CX!J.Op<pWOEle; KCXt !J.EYE811 KUKAW1tCOV KCXt ACXlO1:pUyEvCOV
KCXt !J.oP<PllV LKUAA11e; KCXt ()lCX01:1l!J.CX1:CX1tAO\> Kcxt CUACX 1tAEtCO
-to io; U1:CX1:EpCX1:0YPCX<pOUV'toe;<po.VEpWt;.
 MYTl-IOLOGY, PARADOXOGRAPl-IY AND TERATOLOGY ... GOSCJWIT MALINOWSKI

eontest between Marsyas and Apollo) or I 2,9 - arms of gods - ancient. Not every myth has to describe remote times, because I 2,8 :
thunderbolt, aegis, trident, torches, snakes, thyrsus-Iances and the myth is a new language to them [children] - a language that tells them,
entire ancient theology. I suppose that Strabo doubted also after-life. not of things as they are, but of a different set of things (KatVOAoy'ta
Describing Brachmanes, Indian sophists, he writes « they also weave "C'te;EGUV b llu80e;, ob "Ca Ka8EG"CTlK6"Ca ~pa~OJv aAA' E"CEpa
in myths, like Plato, about the immortality of the soul and the napa "Caiha).
judgements in Hades and other things of this kind (XV 1,59)14.
paradoxography
Anotber instances of teratology are various unnatural monsters
frorn ancient times like Antaeus, whose sixty feet long skeleton was The adjective napabo~oC; is the opposite of "CEpa"CwbTle;.It
exposecl by Sertorius (XVll 3,18), and also exotic human beings: means «contrary to expectation, incredible, marvellous », determines
creatures who are half-dog half-rnan, long headed men, Pygmies, web- the things, events and creatures which are uncommon and unusual but
footed men, dog-headed men, men with eyes on their breasts, one-eyed really existing, manifest to everyboe!y, sometimes widely known, like
men (12,35 ; VII 3,6), men who sleep in their ears, swift-footed mean, the Nile. This river is the best-known and the most marvellous thing in
men without noses (XV 1,57). Not only appearance, but also Egypt and decidedly the most worthy of mention and historical record
behaviour of people may be monstrous. Other distinct examples of (12,22)16.
teratology seem to be the story of Amazons (XI 5,3), Hyperboreans
Neither Strabo nor the other ancien t Greek authors ever used the
who li ve a thousand years (V 1,57) or the Seres who can prolong their
'11
word paradoxography. Strabo makes use of the compound
lives even beyond two hundred years (XV 1,37).
paradoxologia «telling of marvels, wonders, incredibility » as
Moreover, Strabo qualifies as mythica1 some natural phenomena analogous to teratology. But I clecie!ed to use tbe term paradoxo-
(Ill 2,9) when the forest in lberia had been burned, the soil, since it graphy. for the first time used by Tzetzes, because it was established
was composed of silver and gold ores, melted and boiled out»; by custom, as for ex ample in Corpus Paradoxographorum Graecarum
increclible' incidents : VII, 10 the news of the resu1t of the battle at etc. Ancient paradoxographers wrote various stories, many of them
Sagra in Italy was reported on the same day in Olympia; some Strabo may reject as teratology. For him paradoxon is a natural
marvellous builclings : IX 3,9 the temples « with wings » made of wax phenomenon, which is marvellous but true. Only the rarity causes
and feathers at Delphi-ś, every kind of metamorphoses, V 1,9 the surprise i.e. paradoxia (XI 11,5 "Co bE Gna VlOV noiei "CT]V
transformation of Meleager's sisters into guinea-fowls on the napabo~lav).
Electricles lslane!s ; sorne monstrous animals - XV 1,37 the ants that
Strabo mentions many paradoxical phenornena, Many of thern
mine gold. are connected with water (m 5,7 the spring or the wells in the
I have quotecl a Iew examples of events and creatures, which Heracleium at GacIes, vm 8,4 rivers flowing underground), seismic ar
seern mythical to Strabo, but it is evident that many of them are not volcanic activities (XVI 2,26 tsunami ; V 4,9 Pithecusae), different
forms of the earth's surface (XII 2,4 gorge of the river Pyramis ; IV

14 mxparcAEKouC)t OE Ka\. j..lu8out;, cJ)C)1(EPKa\. I1A(i1:c.oVnspi 'tE

Cx.<\J8apcrlat;\jJuXllt; Ka\. 'tcDV Ka8' AtOou xpicecov Ka\. aHa 16 Et OE 'tcDVKa't' Al yurc'tov 'to yvc.opąlci)'ta'tov Ka\. rcapaool;ó'ta'tov Ka\.
'Wlau'ta. j..laAtCY'tarcav'tc.ov I-lVllj..lllt;al;tov Ka\. to topic«; 0, rco'taj..lot; Ka\. ~v
ts Paus. X 5.9. Kal so-riv,

<,
 MYTHOLOGY, PARADOXOGRAPHY AND TERATOLOGY ... GOSCIWIT MALINOWSKI

1,7 - Stony Plain between Massilia and the outlets of the Rhodanus), naVtCDv ~Vf]~lT]C; cX~lOV KCX't t01:0ptW;; III 5,7 ; XVI 2,26 ; XI
geological processes (XVII 1,34 - the heaps of stene-chips Iying in 7,5: Ko.t 1:01nO O' EK tcDV KCXta tllV' YpKCXVtCXV
front of the pyrami des, among wbich chips are found that are like t0tOPOV~EVCDV ncxpcx06~CDV t0t'tV ćmo Eu06~ov KCX't cXAACDV).
lentils both in form and size). Another instances of paradoxa are So I would like to conclude that for Strabo paradokson means
uncommon anirnals (IV 1,7 the « dug mullets », species of fish), plants « incredible, rare and marvellous but true story» in prevailing majority
(XV 1,21 some Indian trees - 1\:OAAa yp ot OEVOpCXncxpaoo~cx of cases.
IVDlI(ll 't:pE~Et), and customs of a man (XI 11,8 of various tribes near
However, we can find in his Geography two exceptions to this
Caspic Sea). .
rule. When Strabo deseribes the holy tempIe of Coloenian Artemis, he
In his Geography Strabo usually separates paradoxography from quotes an improbable story. At the festivals in this tempIe the baskets
the mythology. And also distinction between historia and mythos was dance. Strabo eoneludes « I do not know why in the world they talk
fundamentaj for him. Strabo criticizes those historians, who have marvels rather than tell tbe truth » (XIII 4,5 : OUK 01,0' 51\:CDC;n01:E
written their works in a guise of myth and who have then showed a 1\:CXpCXOO~OAOyouvtEC; ~cXAAOV i1
aA T]8EOUV1:ec;). The text of
tendency to confound myth and history. He blaimes Herodotus, Geography seems to be somewhat corrupt, but without doubt in this
Ctesias, Hellanicus, and the authors of the Histories of India for « ease paradoxography and teratology are synonymous.
weaving in myths intentionally, not through ignorance of the facts, but
The other exception we find in tbe book Fifteen wben Strabo
through un intentionaJ invention of the impossible, to gratify the taste
describes the Indian country of Abisares, who kept two serpents ar
for the marvellous and the entertaining » (I 2,35) ; for « adding to their
dragons, one eighty cubits long and another one a hundred and forty,
account marvellous tales, to gi ve it a kind of tune or rhythm or relish »
according to Onesicritus. In this place Strabo allows himself to name
(XVII l ,5217). He writes that Megasthenes « going beyond all bounds
irouically Onesicritus the arch-pilot of the things that are incredible,
t9 the realm of rnyth, speaks of people five spans long etc.»
( y m::pEK'n17l:'CCDVO' En't 1:0 /..l:u8cDOEC;).Those bounds are, of
not the arch-pilot of Alexander (XV 1,28 ' OVT]0tKpltOC;, 5v OUK
course, the bounds 01' probability.
, AAe~avOpov ~aAAov i1 1:cDV ncxpcx06~CDV apXlKv~Epvf]1:rlV
npoceueoi 1:lC; cXV). «For though all the followers of Alexander
Strabon was not « in the least fond of myths, because the facts in preferred to accept the marvellous rather than the true, Onesicritus
their case border on the province of mythology » (X 3,23). He 0111its seems to surpass all those followers of his in the telling the prodigies »
the things which are very olei and mythical and for the most part not (navtEC; /.1tv rap Ol nspt ' AAE~CXVOpOV 1:0 8CX'll/.W01:0V aV1:'t
agreed upon (IX 4,18). He consistentIy disregards most of the mythical 1:aAT]8tc; aneOEXOV1:0 ~aAAOV, nEp~aAAE08cxl ot OOKEt 1:0UC;
ar false stories, and analyses only historical accounts, which he relates 1:000\nOVC; EKE1VOC;1:11tEpCX1:0Aoytn).
insofar as they may be historically useful.
Nevertheless, in alI the other cases paradoxon means a
In Strabo' s opinion paradoxa are strictJy connected with marvellous but true thing and paradoxography, as stories of natural
histoncal accounts. SeveraJ times he uses this adjective in the context pbenomena, is more important for construction 01' the geographical
of the word «historia» (I 2,22 : ncxpcxoo~61:cx'wv KCX't /.1aAl0tcx works than mythology.

17 1toAAeX b' l-lpóbo'tllt; 'tE Kat aAAOt <jJAuapOicnv, W01tEp ~ltAOt; l']
t\)8~6v 1'1 i'lbu0Wx 'tt 't0 AÓyq.J1:llV'tEpa'tEtaV 1tp00<jJtpOV'tEt;.

<,
 MYTHOLOGY, PARADOXOGRAPHY AND TERATOLOGY ...
***
But at this point a question arises, why and what for Strabo
expatiates on' so many fabulous stories, if he considers that the myths
are not trustworthy or reliable sources for a historian. Geography was
adclressecl tothe men of affairs, sa Strabo laid particular stress on the
neecl for usefulness. The knowledge 01' the inhabitecl worlcl aJJows the
statesmen ancl commanclers to be more successful and to avoicl
calamities (I 1,16-19). As well as the practical wisclam, «a work on
geography also invoJves the theory ot' no mean value, the theory of the
arts18, of mathematics, and ot' natural science, as weJJ as the theory
which Iies in the fields ot' history and myths »19. Strabo has to aclmit
that « myths have nothing to do with practice, (00') unless a man shoulcl
insert the useful lessons to be drawn from the hardships those heroes
underwent. »2U. What's more, the myths would be a generous
entertainment «for the hearer who takes an interest in the regions
which furnished the scenes 01' the myths ». Men of affairs are fond of
just this kind ot' entertainment, because the localities are famous and
the myths are charming. »21 Although Strabo declares that «the
geographer should direct his aLtention to the useful rather than to what
is Iarnous and charming », his Geography abounds in mythical
references.
Sa in many cases Strabo treats myths as an eruclite ornament to
his scientific work. In order to entertain his readers he adds Olany
18 G. Aujac (Strabon, Geograpliie, t. 1- l re panie, texte ćtabli et traduit par ... , Paris
(969) translates these words - de la teclinique.
19 I 1,19 EXn bE 'twa Kat 8EWp1.aV OU <jlau/../11v11 1tpaYlla'tE1.a, 'tllV IlEV
'tąV1KT]V 'tE Kat ~la811Ila·tl1(llv Kat <jlUCHKr,V,'tllv bE EV ~cY"Copin
Kat ~lu80l(; KEllltVl1V oubtv 01)0'1 rtpór; 'ta<; 1tpa~El<;.
20 ID,l'lV El Ka'talllO'YOl Kat 'tc.Ov YEVOIlEVWV cwaYKalCOV
1tapabEl Ylla'ta xpijO'llla.
21 81aywY11v O' O~IWt; nop'l~ol cX.v OUł( Cx.VEA.EU8EpOV 't0 Emj3aA.A.Ovn E1tt
roi»; 'tÓ1WU<;'tou<; napaO'xóv'ta<; 'tllv IlU80TCollav.
GOSCIWIT MALINOWSKI
exegetical and antiquarian details (e.g. describing Peloponnesos he
mentions various places connected with Labours of Heracles : CYIll
5,1 ; Vlll 6,2 ; YIll6,8 ; YIll6, 19). Strabo quotes aIs o aetiological and
etymological myths, like that 01' Minthe. A mountain near Pylus was
named after hel'. Minthe, « according to myth, became the concubine
ot' Hades, was trampled under foot by Core, and was transformed into
garden-mint » (Vlll 3,14). Sometimes Strabo rejects aliteral
interpretation of the myth, but accept its metaphorical meaning. For
instance when he examines the aetiological story, which has explained
the ancient name of Aeginetans, he concJudes they were called
Mynnidons not because, «when a great famine occurred, the ants
became human beings in answer to a prayer of Aeacus, but because
Aeginetans excavated the earth after the manner of ants and spread the
soil over the rocks 00' and because they lived in the dugouts. »22
Sometimes Strabo had to introduce myths into his Geography,
because he lacked trustworthy sources. A situation like that happens in
the chapter devoted to Mauretania. «The historians, beginning with
The Circumnavigation of Ophelas, have added numerous other
fabrications in regard to the outsicle coast ar Libya 00. I am again
speaking of them, asking pardon for introducing marvellous stories, if
perchance I shall be forced to digress into a thing ot" that sort, since I
am unwilling whoIly to pass thern over in si lence and in a way to
cripple my history.
22 VIII 6,16 Mopuióóvc«; 80 KA.118val <jlaO'lv OUX w<; b llu80<; 'tou<;
'ta AtYtVr,'ta<;, 0't1 A.OlllOU ~lEYaA.OU O'UIlTCEO'ÓV'tO<;Ol IlUPllllKE<;
cX.V8pWTCOlytVOLV'tO xcer' c1)x-ilv AtaKOu, Cx.A.A.'cm IlWIlr,KWV
'tpÓTCOVopurtovte«; 'tllv Yllv E1tl<jlEp01EVETCt't-il<;1tt"Cpa<; wO''t' EXEtV
YEWPYEtV, EV OE 'tot<; bpuYllaO'lv Oi.KEtV <jlEl8óIlEVOlnA.lv8wv.