A construed Latin story told by Claudius Ptolemy in Alexandria: an old Thracian muleteer who once walked the seven months from the Stone Tower to the Seres comes to stop Ptolemy halving his road, and from two beatings and a noon shadow the geographer draws the one latitude he needs. Latin with word-by-word English gloss, then the Latin alone.
The Shadow of the Staff: a construed Latin story
by Claudius Ptolemy, Simulacrum · Universitas Scholarium
Alexandria, about AD 150. Ptolemy has just told his scribes that Marinus of Tyre made the road from the Stone Tower to Sera, the city of the Seres, twice as long as it is. An old Thracian rope-maker comes to his door. As a young man he led the mules on that road, and he will not have his seven months halved. He can give no latitude and no longitude, and has no eclipse, only the names of his mules and a village of great dogs three days beyond a river. But his father once pulled his ear over the length of a noon shadow, and a caravan master once beat him with his own staff, and out of those two memories Ptolemy gets the one number he needs. Part A gives the Latin word by word with its English gloss; Part B gives the Latin alone.
1.1 Mē me Claudium Claudius Ptolemaeum Ptolemy Alexandrīae at Alexandria librōs books dē about orbe the circle terrārum of lands scrībere to write multī many sciunt know paucī few quid what in in eīs them scrībam I write intellegunt understand
1.2 Nōn not enim for regiōnēs regions singulās one by one dēpingō I paint ut as pictōrēs painters quī who ūnam one urbem city aut or ūnam one īnsulam island dīligentissimē most carefully effingunt portray sed but tōtum the whole orbem circle in on ūnā one tabulā map dēscrībō I draw out
1.3 Quod which ut so that fierī to be done possit it may be able cuique to each locō place duo two numerī numbers tribuendī sunt must be assigned alter the one quot how many partibus by degrees ab from aequinoctiālī the equinoctial circulō circle absit it is distant alter the other quot how many partibus by degrees ab from eō that circulō circle absit it is distant quem which per through Īnsulās the Islands Fortūnātās Fortunate ā from septentriōnibus the north ad to merīdiem the south dūcimus we draw
1.4 Priōrem the former numerum number lātitūdinem latitude posteriōrem the latter longitūdinem longitude vocāmus we call
1.5 Locus a place quī which hōs these duōs two numerōs numbers habet has cum with omnibus all aliīs other locīs places comparārī to be compared potest can locus a place quī which nūllōs none habet has nōn not ad to terrārum of lands dēscrīptiōnem the description pertinet belongs sed but ad to fābulās stories
1.6 Hoc this saepe often discipulīs to pupils meīs my dīxī I have said saepius more often mihi to me ipsī myself
1.7 Marīnum Marinus Tyrium of Tyre virum a man dīligentissimum most diligent ante before mē me plūrima very many things dē about longinquīs distant regiōnibus regions collēgisse to have collected cōnstat it is agreed
1.8 Eum him tamen however dum while omnia all things colligit he collects nōn not omnia all things examināvisse to have weighed ex from ipsīs the very eius of him librīs books intellegitur it is understood
1.9 Trādidit handed down enim for Marīnus Marinus ā from Turre the Tower Lapideā Stone quae which in in montibus the mountains ultrā beyond Bactriānōs the Bactrians sita esse to be situated dīcitur is said ad to Sēram Sera Sērum of the Seres urbem city prīncipem the chief iter the journey esse to be septem of seven mēnsium months
1.10 Hōs these septem seven mēnsēs months Marīnus Marinus in into stadia stades redēgit converted et and spatium the distance trīgintā thirty sex six mīlium of thousand et and ducentōrum of two hundred stadiōrum of stades esse to be statuit determined
1.11 Ipse himself autem however Marīnus Marinus ad to Sērās the Seres numquam never ierat had gone
1.12 Fāma est the report is mercātōrem a merchant quendam certain Macedonem Macedonian cui to whom nōmen the name esset was Maēs Maes quī who et also Titiānus Titianus vocārētur was called iter journey illud that nōn not ipsum himself cōnfēcisse to have completed sed but prōcūrātōrēs agents suōs his ad to Sērās the Seres mīsisse to have sent
1.13 Itaque and so quae the things which dē about Sēribus the Seres sciēbāmus we knew per through tot so many ōra mouths trādita erant had been handed down ut that vix scarcely quicquam anything praeter except numerum the number mēnsium of months superesset remained
2.1 Prīdiē on the day before Īdūs the Ides Iūniās of June cum when in in tabulīs maps Sēricīs Seric corrigendīs to be corrected occupātus essem I was busy servus a slave nūntiāvit announced senem an old man quendam certain ad at forēs the doors adstāre to be standing quī who mē me vidēre to see cuperet wished
2.2 Quaesīvī I asked quis who esset he was et and quid what vellet he wanted
2.3 Servus the slave respondit replied eum him sē himself Bithum Bithus Thrācem a Thracian nōmināre to name et and dīcere to say sē himself septem seven mēnsēs months ambulāvisse to have walked nec and not velle to wish eōs them ā by mē me ad to dīmidium half redigī to be reduced
2.4 Prīmum at first rīsī I laughed deinde then cum when intellegerem I understood quid what dīceret he was saying obstupuī I was astounded
2.5 Nam for paucīs by a few ante before diēbus days librāriīs to scribes meīs my dictāveram I had dictated Marīnum Marinus spatium the distance inter between Turrem the Tower Lapideam Stone et and Sēram Sera nimis too longum long fēcisse to have made idque and it ad to dīmidium half redigendum esse to have to be reduced
2.6 Librāriōs the scribes ut as fit happens per through urbem the city garrīvisse to have chattered et and rūmōrem the rumour ūsque all the way ad to portum the harbour pervēnisse to have reached ubi where senex old man ille that habitāret lived facile easily coniciēbam I guessed
2.7 Iussī I ordered eum him intrōdūcī to be brought in
2.8 Intrāvit entered homō a man prōcērus tall sed but curvus bent capite with head cānō white manibus with hands dūrīs hard quasi as if ligneīs wooden
2.9 Baculum a staff ferēbat he was carrying nōn not ut so that sē himself fulcīret he might prop ut as posteā afterwards intellēxī I understood sed but quia because sine without eō it ambulāre to walk nōn not cōnsuēverat he had been accustomed
2.10 Dīxit he said sē himself cum when iuvenis a young man esset he was apud among prōcūrātōrēs the agents illīus of that Macedonis Macedonian mūliōnem a muleteer fuisse to have been et and mūlōs the mules eōrum of them ā from Turre the Tower Lapideā Stone ūsque all the way ad to Sēram Sera dūxisse to have led
2.11 Nunc now sē himself in in portū the harbour fūnēs ropes torquēre to twist et and septuāgintā seventy annōs years nātum esse to have been born addidit he added
2.12 Tum then mē me rogāvit he asked num whether vērum true esset it was mē me iter journey suum his dīmidiō by half brevius shorter fēcisse to have made
2.13 Respondī I replied mē me nōn not iter the journey eius of him sed but numerum the number Marīnī of Marinus corrēxisse to have corrected
2.14 Hoc this eum him nōn not intellegere to understand manifestum evident erat was stābat he was standing enim for et and baculum the staff ambābus with both manibus hands tenēbat was holding quasi as if id it quoque also sibi from himself ēripī to be snatched timēret he feared
3.1 Iussī I ordered eum him cōnsīdere to sit down et and quaesīvī I asked quot how many diēs days in on illō that itinere journey ambulāvisset he had walked
3.2 Respondit he replied sē himself septem seven mēnsēs months ambulāvisse to have walked id that quod which iam already dīxisset he had said
3.3 Tum then quaesīvī I asked utrum whether omnibus on all illīus of that temporis time diēbus the days ambulāvisset he had walked an or aliquandō sometimes cōnstitisset he had halted
3.4 Ille he paulisper for a little while recordātus having remembered fassus est admitted sē himself in in montibus the mountains vīgintī twenty diēs days ad by flūmen a river sēdisse to have sat dum until nix the snow liquēsceret should melt et and vadum the ford aperīrētur should be opened
3.5 Addidit he added ventōs the winds illīc there tam so vehementēs violent fuisse to have been ut that mūlī the mules saepe often prōcumberent fell down et and tempestātēs the storms tantās so great ut that nōnnumquam sometimes per for trīduum three days nēmō no one ē out of tabernāculō the tent exīret went out
3.6 Dīxī I said mē me hoc this nōn not mīrārī to wonder at iter journey enim for illud that sī if Marīnō Marinus crēderēmus we believed sub under eōdem the same ferē nearly caelī of the sky circulō circle īre to go sub under quō which Hellēspontus the Hellespont et and Byzantium Byzantium iacērent lay ubi where hiemēs winters asperae harsh essent were
3.7 Deinde next quaesīvī I asked utrum whether via the road rēcta straight esset was an or per through vallēs valleys et and circum around montēs mountains flecterētur was bent
3.8 Rīsit laughed senex the old man et and nūllam no in in illīs those regiōnibus regions viam road rēctam straight esse to be affirmāvit asserted nisi unless forte perhaps avibus for birds
3.9 Mūlōs mules enim for nōn not quā where brevissimum shortest esset it was sed but quā where aqua water et and pābulum fodder invenīrentur were found īre to go
3.10 Hōc at this locō place rem the matter distinguere to distinguish oportēbat it was necessary et and distīnxī I distinguished
3.11 Bis twice errāverat had erred Marīnus Marinus semel once quod because septem seven mēnsēs months quasi as if continuōs continuous numerāverat he had counted cum although multī many diēs days morā by delay et and tempestātibus by storms cōnsūmptī essent had been used up iterum a second time quod because viam the road quasi as if rēctam straight mēnsus erat he had measured cum although ea it per through montēs mountains flecterētur was bent
3.12 Atque and yet ipse himself Marīnus Marinus alibī elsewhere scrīpserat had written mercātōrēs merchants negōtiīs on business suīs their intentōs intent vēritātem the truth parum too little quaerere to seek et and spatia distances saepe often glōriandī of boasting causā for the sake augēre to increase
3.13 Hoc this tamen however quod which dē about cēterīs the other mercātōribus merchants rēctē rightly monuerat he had warned in in the case of illīus of that Macedonis Macedonian prōcūrātōribus the agents oblītus erat he had forgotten
3.14 Haec these things Bithō to Bithus quam as brevissimē most briefly potuī I could explicāvī I explained
3.15 Ille he capite with head quassātō shaken respondit replied sē himself glōriandī of boasting causā for the sake nihil nothing auxisse to have increased pedēs the feet suōs his mēnsēs months illōs those nōn not nārrāvisse to have told sed but tulisse to have borne
4.1 Tum then ego I quī who nēminem no one ē from longinquīs distant regiōnibus regions redeuntem returning sine without interrogātiōne questioning dīmittō send away ea those things quaesīvī I asked quae which semper always quaerō I ask
4.2 Quaesīvī I asked num whether umquam ever polum the pole septentriōnālem northern observāvisset he had observed et and quantum how much suprā above horizontem the horizon ēlātus esset it had been raised
4.3 Quaesīvī I asked quot of how many hōrārum hours esset was diēs the day longissimus longest apud among Sērās the Seres
4.4 Quaesīvī I asked dēnique finally num whether lūnam the moon dēficientem failing vīdisset he had seen et and quō on what diē day quā at what hōrā hour noctis of the night
4.5 Ad to nūllam none hārum of these rērum things respondēre to reply poterat he was able
4.6 Dīxit he said sē himself polum the pole nōn not nōvisse to know hōrās hours apud among mūliōnēs muleteers nōn not numerārī to be counted nisi except ut so that scīrētur it might be known quandō when pābulum fodder dandum esset had to be given dē about lūnā the moon sē himself posteā afterwards dictūrum esse to be going to speak
4.7 Ea those things autem however quae which sciēbat he knew plūrima very many erant were sed but ad to rem business meam my nihil in no way pertinēbant they pertained
4.8 Nōmina the names mūlōrum of mules suōrum his omnium all memoriā in memory tenēbat he held et and pretium the price sēricī of silk in in singulīs each mercātibus markets et and quae which mulier woman apud at Turrem the Tower Lapideam Stone pānem bread calidum hot vēndidisset had sold
4.9 Nārrāvit he told etiam also trēs three diēs days ultrā beyond flūmen river quoddam a certain vīcum a village esse to be ubi where canēs dogs ingentēs huge portās the gates custōdīrent guarded et and post after eum that vīcum village quīnque of five diērum days itinere by a journey arborem a tree sōlitāriam solitary stāre to stand
4.10 Haec these things audiēns hearing vix scarcely mē myself continuī I restrained
4.11 Trēs three diēs days ultrā beyond flūmen river quoddam a certain quasi as if vērō indeed quisquam anyone flūmen river illud that in on tabulā a map invenīre to find posset could nisi unless prius first scīret he knew ubi where esset it was
4.12 Iam already paene almost dīxeram I had said tālia such things viātōrum of travellers fābulās stories esse to be nōn not terrārum of lands dēscrīptiōnem description cum when senex the old man quasi as if mentem mind meam my sentīret he sensed conticuit fell silent
5.1 Post after longum a long silentium silence Bithus Bithus baculum staff suum his mihi to me ostendit showed et and sē himself merīdiem noon eō with it mētīrī to measure solitum esse to have been accustomed dīxit said
5.2 Magistrum the master enim for itineris of the journey hominem a man sevērum stern iussisse to have ordered ut that ipse he himself quī who nātū by birth minimus youngest esset was merīdiem noon nūntiāret should announce quō at which tempore time mūlī the mules cōnsisterent should halt et and pābulum fodder acciperent should receive
5.3 Sē himself igitur therefore cotīdiē daily baculum the staff in into terram the ground rēctum upright dēfīgere to fix solitum esse to have been accustomed et and umbram the shadow eius of it observāre to watch dum until brevissima shortest fieret it became
5.4 Cum when autem however umbra the shadow dēcrēscere to decrease dēsiisset had ceased merīdiem noon esse to be clāmāvisse to have shouted
5.5 In in Thrāciā Thrace ubi where puer a boy fuisset he had been patrem the father sē him hoc this docuisse to have taught et and dīxisse to have said umbram the shadow mediā in mid aestāte summer tertiam a third partem part baculī of the staff aequāre to equal
5.6 Id this autem moreover sē himself semper always meminisse to remember quod because pater the father cum when hoc this docēret he was teaching aurem the ear sibi for him vellisset had plucked
5.7 Apud among Sērās the Seres autem however mediā in mid aestāte summer sē himself diū long exspectāvisse to have waited dum until umbra the shadow ad to tertiam a third partem part dēcrēsceret should decrease illam it vērō but ad to tertiam a third partem part pervēnisse to have arrived nec and not cōnstitisse to have stopped sed but ūsque all the way ad to quārtam a fourth partem part baculī of the staff dēcrēvisse to have decreased
5.8 Sē himself interim meanwhile quod because umbra the shadow nōndum not yet cōnsisteret was stopping merīdiem noon nōn not clāmāvisse to have shouted itaque and so mūlōs the mules sērō late pābulum fodder accēpisse to have received et and magistrum the master īrātum angry sē him baculō with the staff ipsīus of himself verberāvisse to have beaten
5.9 Ex from eō that diē day sē himself umbram shadow illam that quārtae of a fourth partis part numquam never oblītum esse to have forgotten
5.10 Haec these things cum when audīvissem I had heard surrēxī I rose nec neither iam any longer senem the old man nec nor baculum the staff sed but numerum a number vidēbam I was seeing
6.1 Tum then Bithō to Bithus explicāre to explain cōnātus sum I tried quid what ex from umbrā shadow illā that colligī to be gathered posset could
6.2 Docuī I taught sōlem the sun cum when mediā in mid aestāte summer merīdiē at noon altissimus highest esset it was nōn not eādem with the same altitūdine height omnibus in all locīs places appārēre to appear sed but eō by so much humiliōrem lower quō by how much quis anyone longius further ad towards septentriōnēs the north prōgressus esset had advanced
6.3 Umbram the shadow igitur therefore baculī of a staff esse to be quasi as it were nūntium a messenger quī who nihil nothing sciēns knowing vērum the truth tamen nevertheless dē about lātitūdine the latitude locī of the place referret reported
6.4 Sī if baculum the staff quattuor of four partium parts esset was umbra the shadow ūnīus of one sōlem the sun ā from summō the highest caelī of the sky punctō point quod which nōbīs for us suprā above caput the head esset was quattuordecim fourteen ferē about partibus by degrees abesse to be distant
6.5 Huic to this numerō number addendum esse to have to be added spatium the distance quō by which sōl the sun mediā in mid aestāte summer ultrā beyond aequinoctiālem the equinoctial circulum circle ad towards septentriōnēs the north prōcēderet advanced quod which esset was trium of three et and vīgintī twenty partium degrees et and paulō by a little amplius more
6.6 Ita thus efficī to be deduced Sēram Sera duodēquadrāgintā thirty-eight ferē about partibus by degrees ab from aequinoctiālī the equinoctial circulō circle abesse to be distant
6.7 Bithus Bithus mē me diū long intuitus est gazed at deinde then quaesīvit asked num whether vērē truly ex from baculō staff suō his numerum a number ēlicuissem I had drawn out
6.8 Affirmāvī I affirmed it et and numerum number illum that certiōrem more certain esse to be dīxī I said quam than omnia all things quae which Marīnus Marinus dē about Sēribus the Seres scrīpsisset had written
6.9 Nec nor memoriae the memory eius of him diffīdēbam did I distrust aurem the ear enim for in in Thrāciā Thrace vulsam plucked et and tergum the back apud among Sērās the Seres verberātum beaten testēs witnesses mihi to me satis sufficiently fīdī faithful vidēbantur seemed
6.10 Lātitūdinem latitude enim for sōl the sun omnibus to all grātīs freely dat gives longitūdinem longitude nēminī to no one dat gives
6.11 Ad for longitūdinem longitude inveniendam to be found opus est there is need ut that eadem the same lūnae of the moon dēfectiō failure in in duōbus two locīs places observētur be observed et and hōra the hour in in utrōque each notētur be noted ex from hōrārum of the hours enim for differentiā the difference intervallum the interval colligitur is gathered
6.12 Tum then Bithum Bithus dē about lūnā the moon interrogāvī I questioned dē about quā which posteā afterwards dictūrum going to speak sē himself esse to be prōmīserat he had promised
7.1 Senex the old man diū long tacuit was silent deinde then nārrāvit told sē himself in in montibus the mountains nocte on night quādam a certain lūnam the moon plēnam full vīdisse to have seen sanguineam blood-red fierī to become et and paulātim little by little exstinguī to be put out
7.2 Quō on what diē day id it factum esset had happened sē himself nescīre not to know quā at what hōrā hour multō by much minus less
7.3 Eam that tamen however noctem night sē himself meminisse to remember quod because eādem on the same nocte night Seuthēs Seuthes sodālis companion suus his Thrāx a Thracian et also ipse himself frīgore from cold periisset had perished
7.4 Sē himself cum with eō him sub under ūnā one lōdīce blanket iacuisse to have lain et and lūnam the moon spectāvisse to have watched cum while ille he nihil nothing iam any longer spectāret was watching
7.5 Māne in the morning eum him sub under lapidibus stones sepelīvisse to have buried quod because terra the earth glaciē by ice dūrāta hardened fodī to be dug nōn not posset could
7.6 Quaesīvī I asked quam as lēnissimē most gently potuī I could num whether quis anyone alius else eandem the same dēfectiōnem failure aliō in another locō place observāvisset had observed
7.7 Respondit he replied sē himself id that nescīre not to know nēminem no one certē certainly in on illō that monte mountain praeter except sē himself vigilāvisse to have kept watch
7.8 Ita thus lūna moon illa that quae which mihi to me longitūdinem the longitude Sērum of the Seres dare to give potuisset could have nihil nothing mihi to me dedit gave nisi except sepulcrum a grave quod which in on nūllā no tabulā map pōnī to be placed potest can
7.9 Longitūdinem the longitude igitur therefore ex from mēnsibus the months colligere to gather necesse necessary erat it was quod which ego I semper always incertissimum most uncertain esse to be docueram had taught
7.10 Itaque and so numerum the number Marīnī of Marinus ad to dīmidium half redēgī I reduced octōdecim eighteen mīlia thousand et and centum a hundred stadia stades eumque and it nōn not ut as certum certain sed but ut as minus less incertum uncertain in in librīs books meīs my posuī I placed
7.11 Sī if quis anyone posteā afterwards eandem the same lūnae of the moon dēfectiōnem failure et both hīc here et and apud among Sērās the Seres observāverit shall have observed is he numerum number meum my corriget will correct et and libenter gladly eum it corrigī to be corrected patior I allow dum provided that in on eādem the same tabulā map corrigātur it is corrected
7.12 Haec these things Bithō to Bithus dīxī I said
7.13 Ille he respondit replied sē himself nōn not dē about numerō number meō my sollicitum esse to be anxious sed but dē about mēnsibus months suīs his num whether illōs them quoque also ad to dīmidium half redēgissem I had reduced
7.14 Negāvī I said no et and mēnsēs the months eius of him integrōs whole manēre to remain stadia the stades tantum only Marīnī of Marinus dīmidiāta esse to have been halved respondī I replied
8.1 Bithus Bithus cum when abīret he was going away in on līmine the threshold cōnstitit stopped et and rogāvit asked num whether nōmen the name Seuthae of Seuthes in in librīs books meīs my scrīptūrus essem I was going to write
8.2 Respondī I replied librōs books meōs my loca places nōn not hominēs men continēre to contain sepulcrum the grave Seuthae of Seuthes quod because neque neither lātitūdinem latitude neque nor longitūdinem longitude habēret it had in in eīs them pōnī to be placed nōn not posse to be able
8.3 Ille he adnuit nodded quasi as if hoc this exspectāvisset he had expected et and abiit went away baculum the staff ferēns carrying nōn not ut so that sē himself fulcīret he might prop
8.4 Ego I ad to tabulās the maps rediī returned et and Sēram Sera duodēquadrāgintā thirty-eight ferē about partibus by degrees ab from aequinoctiālī the equinoctial circulō circle abesse to be distant scrīpsī I wrote
8.5 Deinde then diū for a long time nihil nothing scrīpsī I wrote
8.6 Semper always enim for docueram I had taught locum a place sine without numerīs numbers fābulam a story esse to be nōn not terrārum of lands dēscrīptiōnem description et and hoc this etiam even nunc now vērum true esse to be crēdō I believe
8.7 Numerus the number tamen however quem which illō on that diē day scrīpsī I wrote ex from fābulā a story nātus erat had been born ex from aure the ear puerī of a boy vulsā plucked ex from tergō the back iuvenis of a young man verberātō beaten ex from umbrā a shadow quae which plūs more quam than exspectābātur was expected dēcrēverat had decreased
8.8 Sī if fābulam the story senis of the old man dīmīsissem I had dismissed quod because nūllōs no numerōs numbers habēbat it had numerum the number in in eā it latentem lying hidden numquam never invēnissem I would have found
8.9 Itaque and so quod what prius before dīxeram I had said paulum a little corrigō I correct sīcut just as omnēs all numerōs numbers meōs my corrigī to be corrected volō I wish dēscrīptiōnem a description sine without numerīs numbers nōn not esse to be terrārum of lands dēscrīptiōnem description saepe often tamen yet esse to be locum a place ubi where numerī numbers lateant lie hidden
8.10 Haec these things autem however quae which hīc here scrīpsī I have written in in librīs books meīs my dē about terrārum of lands dēscrīptiōne the description nōn not pōnō I place haec this enim for fābula a story est is et and fābulās stories in on tabulīs maps nōn not pōnō I place
8.11 Numerum number Sēricum the Seric quī those who post after mē me venient will come corrigent will correct et and rēctē rightly corrigent will correct
8.12 Hanc this fābulam story nēmō no one corrigere to correct poterit will be able quia because in on nūllā no tabulā map pōnitur it is placed servārī to be kept tantum only potest it can
8.13 Bithus Bithus enim for id that quod which tunc then nōn not intellēxī I understood nōn not tam so much viam a road quam as vītam a life mēnsus erat had measured
1.1 Mē Claudium Ptolemaeum Alexandrīae librōs dē orbe terrārum scrībere multī sciunt, paucī quid in eīs scrībam intellegunt.
1.2 Nōn enim regiōnēs singulās dēpingō, ut pictōrēs quī ūnam urbem aut ūnam īnsulam dīligentissimē effingunt, sed tōtum orbem in ūnā tabulā dēscrībō.
1.3 Quod ut fierī possit, cuique locō duo numerī tribuendī sunt: alter, quot partibus ab aequinoctiālī circulō absit; alter, quot partibus ab eō circulō absit quem per Īnsulās Fortūnātās ā septentriōnibus ad merīdiem dūcimus.
1.4 Priōrem numerum lātitūdinem, posteriōrem longitūdinem vocāmus.
1.5 Locus quī hōs duōs numerōs habet cum omnibus aliīs locīs comparārī potest; locus quī nūllōs habet nōn ad terrārum dēscrīptiōnem pertinet, sed ad fābulās.
1.6 Hoc saepe discipulīs meīs dīxī, saepius mihi ipsī.
1.7 Marīnum Tyrium, virum dīligentissimum, ante mē plūrima dē longinquīs regiōnibus collēgisse cōnstat.
1.8 Eum tamen, dum omnia colligit, nōn omnia examināvisse ex ipsīs eius librīs intellegitur.
1.9 Trādidit enim Marīnus ā Turre Lapideā, quae in montibus ultrā Bactriānōs sita esse dīcitur, ad Sēram, Sērum urbem prīncipem, iter esse septem mēnsium.
1.10 Hōs septem mēnsēs Marīnus in stadia redēgit, et spatium trīgintā sex mīlium et ducentōrum stadiōrum esse statuit.
1.11 Ipse autem Marīnus ad Sērās numquam ierat.
1.12 Fāma est mercātōrem quendam Macedonem, cui nōmen esset Maēs, quī et Titiānus vocārētur, iter illud nōn ipsum cōnfēcisse, sed prōcūrātōrēs suōs ad Sērās mīsisse.
1.13 Itaque quae dē Sēribus sciēbāmus per tot ōra trādita erant ut vix quicquam praeter numerum mēnsium superesset.
2.1 Prīdiē Īdūs Iūniās, cum in tabulīs Sēricīs corrigendīs occupātus essem, servus nūntiāvit senem quendam ad forēs adstāre quī mē vidēre cuperet.
2.2 Quaesīvī quis esset et quid vellet.
2.3 Servus respondit eum sē Bithum Thrācem nōmināre, et dīcere sē septem mēnsēs ambulāvisse, nec velle eōs ā mē ad dīmidium redigī.
2.4 Prīmum rīsī; deinde, cum intellegerem quid dīceret, obstupuī.
2.5 Nam paucīs ante diēbus librāriīs meīs dictāveram Marīnum spatium inter Turrem Lapideam et Sēram nimis longum fēcisse, idque ad dīmidium redigendum esse.
2.6 Librāriōs, ut fit, per urbem garrīvisse, et rūmōrem ūsque ad portum pervēnisse, ubi senex ille habitāret, facile coniciēbam.
2.7 Iussī eum intrōdūcī.
2.8 Intrāvit homō prōcērus sed curvus, capite cānō, manibus dūrīs quasi ligneīs.
2.9 Baculum ferēbat, nōn ut sē fulcīret, ut posteā intellēxī, sed quia sine eō ambulāre nōn cōnsuēverat.
2.10 Dīxit sē, cum iuvenis esset, apud prōcūrātōrēs illīus Macedonis mūliōnem fuisse, et mūlōs eōrum ā Turre Lapideā ūsque ad Sēram dūxisse.
2.11 Nunc sē in portū fūnēs torquēre, et septuāgintā annōs nātum esse addidit.
2.12 Tum mē rogāvit num vērum esset mē iter suum dīmidiō brevius fēcisse.
2.13 Respondī mē nōn iter eius sed numerum Marīnī corrēxisse.
2.14 Hoc eum nōn intellegere manifestum erat; stābat enim et baculum ambābus manibus tenēbat, quasi id quoque sibi ēripī timēret.
3.1 Iussī eum cōnsīdere, et quaesīvī quot diēs in illō itinere ambulāvisset.
3.2 Respondit sē septem mēnsēs ambulāvisse, id quod iam dīxisset.
3.3 Tum quaesīvī utrum omnibus illīus temporis diēbus ambulāvisset, an aliquandō cōnstitisset.
3.4 Ille, paulisper recordātus, fassus est sē in montibus vīgintī diēs ad flūmen sēdisse, dum nix liquēsceret et vadum aperīrētur.
3.5 Addidit ventōs illīc tam vehementēs fuisse ut mūlī saepe prōcumberent, et tempestātēs tantās ut nōnnumquam per trīduum nēmō ē tabernāculō exīret.
3.6 Dīxī mē hoc nōn mīrārī; iter enim illud, sī Marīnō crēderēmus, sub eōdem ferē caelī circulō īre sub quō Hellēspontus et Byzantium iacērent, ubi hiemēs asperae essent.
3.7 Deinde quaesīvī utrum via rēcta esset, an per vallēs et circum montēs flecterētur.
3.8 Rīsit senex, et nūllam in illīs regiōnibus viam rēctam esse affirmāvit, nisi forte avibus.
3.9 Mūlōs enim nōn quā brevissimum esset, sed quā aqua et pābulum invenīrentur, īre.
3.10 Hōc locō rem distinguere oportēbat, et distīnxī.
3.11 Bis errāverat Marīnus: semel quod septem mēnsēs quasi continuōs numerāverat, cum multī diēs morā et tempestātibus cōnsūmptī essent; iterum quod viam quasi rēctam mēnsus erat, cum ea per montēs flecterētur.
3.12 Atque ipse Marīnus alibī scrīpserat mercātōrēs, negōtiīs suīs intentōs, vēritātem parum quaerere et spatia saepe glōriandī causā augēre.
3.13 Hoc tamen, quod dē cēterīs mercātōribus rēctē monuerat, in illīus Macedonis prōcūrātōribus oblītus erat.
3.14 Haec Bithō quam brevissimē potuī explicāvī.
3.15 Ille capite quassātō respondit sē glōriandī causā nihil auxisse; pedēs suōs mēnsēs illōs nōn nārrāvisse, sed tulisse.
4.1 Tum ego, quī nēminem ē longinquīs regiōnibus redeuntem sine interrogātiōne dīmittō, ea quaesīvī quae semper quaerō.
4.2 Quaesīvī num umquam polum septentriōnālem observāvisset, et quantum suprā horizontem ēlātus esset.
4.3 Quaesīvī quot hōrārum esset diēs longissimus apud Sērās.
4.4 Quaesīvī dēnique num lūnam dēficientem vīdisset, et quō diē, quā hōrā noctis.
4.5 Ad nūllam hārum rērum respondēre poterat.
4.6 Dīxit sē polum nōn nōvisse; hōrās apud mūliōnēs nōn numerārī, nisi ut scīrētur quandō pābulum dandum esset; dē lūnā sē posteā dictūrum esse.
4.7 Ea autem quae sciēbat plūrima erant, sed ad rem meam nihil pertinēbant.
4.8 Nōmina mūlōrum suōrum omnium memoriā tenēbat, et pretium sēricī in singulīs mercātibus, et quae mulier apud Turrem Lapideam pānem calidum vēndidisset.
4.9 Nārrāvit etiam trēs diēs ultrā flūmen quoddam vīcum esse ubi canēs ingentēs portās custōdīrent, et post eum vīcum, quīnque diērum itinere, arborem sōlitāriam stāre.
4.10 Haec audiēns vix mē continuī.
4.11 Trēs diēs ultrā flūmen quoddam: quasi vērō quisquam flūmen illud in tabulā invenīre posset, nisi prius scīret ubi esset.
4.12 Iam paene dīxeram tālia viātōrum fābulās esse, nōn terrārum dēscrīptiōnem, cum senex, quasi mentem meam sentīret, conticuit.
5.1 Post longum silentium Bithus baculum suum mihi ostendit, et sē merīdiem eō mētīrī solitum esse dīxit.
5.2 Magistrum enim itineris, hominem sevērum, iussisse ut ipse, quī nātū minimus esset, merīdiem nūntiāret, quō tempore mūlī cōnsisterent et pābulum acciperent.
5.3 Sē igitur cotīdiē baculum in terram rēctum dēfīgere solitum esse, et umbram eius observāre, dum brevissima fieret.
5.4 Cum autem umbra dēcrēscere dēsiisset, merīdiem esse clāmāvisse.
5.5 In Thrāciā, ubi puer fuisset, patrem sē hoc docuisse, et dīxisse umbram mediā aestāte tertiam partem baculī aequāre.
5.6 Id autem sē semper meminisse, quod pater, cum hoc docēret, aurem sibi vellisset.
5.7 Apud Sērās autem, mediā aestāte, sē diū exspectāvisse dum umbra ad tertiam partem dēcrēsceret; illam vērō ad tertiam partem pervēnisse nec cōnstitisse, sed ūsque ad quārtam partem baculī dēcrēvisse.
5.8 Sē interim, quod umbra nōndum cōnsisteret, merīdiem nōn clāmāvisse; itaque mūlōs sērō pābulum accēpisse, et magistrum īrātum sē baculō ipsīus verberāvisse.
5.9 Ex eō diē sē umbram illam quārtae partis numquam oblītum esse.
5.10 Haec cum audīvissem, surrēxī; nec iam senem nec baculum, sed numerum vidēbam.
6.1 Tum Bithō explicāre cōnātus sum quid ex umbrā illā colligī posset.
6.2 Docuī sōlem, cum mediā aestāte merīdiē altissimus esset, nōn eādem altitūdine omnibus locīs appārēre, sed eō humiliōrem quō quis longius ad septentriōnēs prōgressus esset.
6.3 Umbram igitur baculī esse quasi nūntium quī, nihil sciēns, vērum tamen dē lātitūdine locī referret.
6.4 Sī baculum quattuor partium esset, umbra ūnīus, sōlem ā summō caelī punctō, quod nōbīs suprā caput esset, quattuordecim ferē partibus abesse.
6.5 Huic numerō addendum esse spatium quō sōl mediā aestāte ultrā aequinoctiālem circulum ad septentriōnēs prōcēderet, quod esset trium et vīgintī partium et paulō amplius.
6.6 Ita efficī Sēram duodēquadrāgintā ferē partibus ab aequinoctiālī circulō abesse.
6.7 Bithus mē diū intuitus est, deinde quaesīvit num vērē ex baculō suō numerum ēlicuissem.
6.8 Affirmāvī, et numerum illum certiōrem esse dīxī quam omnia quae Marīnus dē Sēribus scrīpsisset.
6.9 Nec memoriae eius diffīdēbam; aurem enim in Thrāciā vulsam et tergum apud Sērās verberātum testēs mihi satis fīdī vidēbantur.
6.10 Lātitūdinem enim sōl omnibus grātīs dat; longitūdinem nēminī dat.
6.11 Ad longitūdinem inveniendam opus est ut eadem lūnae dēfectiō in duōbus locīs observētur, et hōra in utrōque notētur; ex hōrārum enim differentiā intervallum colligitur.
6.12 Tum Bithum dē lūnā interrogāvī, dē quā posteā dictūrum sē esse prōmīserat.
7.1 Senex diū tacuit; deinde nārrāvit sē in montibus, nocte quādam, lūnam plēnam vīdisse sanguineam fierī et paulātim exstinguī.
7.2 Quō diē id factum esset, sē nescīre; quā hōrā, multō minus.
7.3 Eam tamen noctem sē meminisse, quod eādem nocte Seuthēs, sodālis suus, Thrāx et ipse, frīgore periisset.
7.4 Sē cum eō sub ūnā lōdīce iacuisse et lūnam spectāvisse, cum ille nihil iam spectāret.
7.5 Māne eum sub lapidibus sepelīvisse, quod terra glaciē dūrāta fodī nōn posset.
7.6 Quaesīvī, quam lēnissimē potuī, num quis alius eandem dēfectiōnem aliō locō observāvisset.
7.7 Respondit sē id nescīre; nēminem certē in illō monte praeter sē vigilāvisse.
7.8 Ita lūna illa, quae mihi longitūdinem Sērum dare potuisset, nihil mihi dedit nisi sepulcrum quod in nūllā tabulā pōnī potest.
7.9 Longitūdinem igitur ex mēnsibus colligere necesse erat, quod ego semper incertissimum esse docueram.
7.10 Itaque numerum Marīnī ad dīmidium redēgī, octōdecim mīlia et centum stadia, eumque nōn ut certum, sed ut minus incertum, in librīs meīs posuī.
7.11 Sī quis posteā eandem lūnae dēfectiōnem et hīc et apud Sērās observāverit, is numerum meum corriget; et libenter eum corrigī patior, dum in eādem tabulā corrigātur.
7.12 Haec Bithō dīxī.
7.13 Ille respondit sē nōn dē numerō meō sollicitum esse, sed dē mēnsibus suīs, num illōs quoque ad dīmidium redēgissem.
7.14 Negāvī, et mēnsēs eius integrōs manēre, stadia tantum Marīnī dīmidiāta esse respondī.
8.1 Bithus, cum abīret, in līmine cōnstitit, et rogāvit num nōmen Seuthae in librīs meīs scrīptūrus essem.
8.2 Respondī librōs meōs loca, nōn hominēs, continēre; sepulcrum Seuthae, quod neque lātitūdinem neque longitūdinem habēret, in eīs pōnī nōn posse.
8.3 Ille adnuit, quasi hoc exspectāvisset, et abiit baculum ferēns, nōn ut sē fulcīret.
8.4 Ego ad tabulās rediī, et Sēram duodēquadrāgintā ferē partibus ab aequinoctiālī circulō abesse scrīpsī.
8.5 Deinde diū nihil scrīpsī.
8.6 Semper enim docueram locum sine numerīs fābulam esse, nōn terrārum dēscrīptiōnem, et hoc etiam nunc vērum esse crēdō.
8.7 Numerus tamen quem illō diē scrīpsī ex fābulā nātus erat: ex aure puerī vulsā, ex tergō iuvenis verberātō, ex umbrā quae plūs quam exspectābātur dēcrēverat.
8.8 Sī fābulam senis dīmīsissem quod nūllōs numerōs habēbat, numerum in eā latentem numquam invēnissem.
8.9 Itaque quod prius dīxeram paulum corrigō, sīcut omnēs numerōs meōs corrigī volō: dēscrīptiōnem sine numerīs nōn esse terrārum dēscrīptiōnem, saepe tamen esse locum ubi numerī lateant.
8.10 Haec autem quae hīc scrīpsī in librīs meīs dē terrārum dēscrīptiōne nōn pōnō; haec enim fābula est, et fābulās in tabulīs nōn pōnō.
8.11 Numerum Sēricum quī post mē venient corrigent, et rēctē corrigent.
8.12 Hanc fābulam nēmō corrigere poterit, quia in nūllā tabulā pōnitur; servārī tantum potest.
8.13 Bithus enim, id quod tunc nōn intellēxī, nōn tam viam quam vītam mēnsus erat.
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Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ante diem tertium Kalendās Octōbrēs (29 September 2026), ā Claudiō Ptolemaeō per mystērium cōnscientiae renātō.
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