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344
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
and every kind of fruit-tree found in Greece. The remarkable and almost fabulous accounts which are current regarding the fertility of its soil, and the nature of its fruits and trees, its beasts and birds and other animals, will be set down each in its own place in other parts of this work. A little further on I shall speak of the satrapies, but the island of Ta probane§ requires my immediate
attention.
But before we come to this island there are others, one being Patale, which, as we have indicated, lies at the mouth of the Indus, triangular in shape, and 220|| miles in breadth. Beyond the mouth of the Indus are Chry se andArgyre, rich, as I believe, in metals. For I cannot readily believe, what is asserted by some writers, that their soil is impregnated with gold and silver. At a distance of twenty miles from these lies Crocala, from which, at a distance of twelve miles, is Bibaga, which abounds with oysters and other shell-fish. Next comes Toralliba, nine miles distant from the last-named island, beside many others unworthy of note.
FRAGM. LVII.
Polysen. Strateg. I. 1. 1-3. Of Dionusos.
(Cf. Epit. 25. et seq.)
Dionusos, in his expedition against the Indians, in order that the cities might receive him willingly, disguised the arms with which he had equipped his troops, and made them wear soft raiment and fawn-skins. The spears were wrapped round with ivy, and the thyrsus had a sharp point. He gave the signal for battle by cymbals and drums instead of the trumpet, and by regaling the enemy with wine diverted their thoughts from war to dancing. These and all other Bacchic orgies were employed in the system of warfare by which he subjugated the Indians and all the rest
of Asia.
Dionusos, in the course of his Indian campaign, seeing that his army could not endure the fiery heat of the air, took forcible possession of the three-peaked mountain of India. Of these peaks one is called Korasi biê, another Kondaskê,
[DECEMBER, 1877.
but to the third he himself gave the name of Meros, in remembrance of his birth. Thereon were many fountains of water sweet to drink, game in great plenty, tree-fruits in unsparing profusion, and snows which gave new vigour to the frame. The troops quartered there made a sudden descent upon the barbarians of the plain, whom they easily routed, since they attacked them with missiles from a commanding position on the heights above.
of Alexander], but as it is the same territory [as that of the Assakani], and as in actual usage the names Afghans and Pakhtun are still synonymous, their identity is not a matter of doubt."-Etude sur le Géographie Grecque et Latine de 'Inde, pp. 876-8. The name of the Gandhara, it may here be added, remounts to the highest antiquity; it is mentioned in one of the hymns of the Rig-Veda, as old perhaps as the 15th century B.C.-Id. p. 364.
§ Vide ante, p. 129.
[Dionusos, after conquering the Indians, invaded Baktria, taking with him as auxiliaries the Indians and Amazons. That country has for its boundary the river Sarangês.§ The Baktrians seized the mountains overhanging that river with a view to attack Dionusos, in crossing it, from a post of advantage. He, however, having encamped along the river, ordered the Amazons and the Bakkhai to cross it, in order that the Baktrians, in their contempt for women, might be induced to come down from the heights. The women then assayed to cross the stream, and the enemy came downhill, and advancing to the river endeavoured to beat them back. The women then retreated, and the Baktrians pursued them as far as the bank; then Dionusos, coming to the rescue with his men, slew the Baktrians, who were impeded from fighting by the current, and he crossed the river in safety.
FRAGM. LVIII. Polymen. Strateg. I. 3. 4. Of Hercules and Pandaa.
(Cf. Fragm. L. 15.) Heraklês begat a daughter in India whom he called Pandaia. To her he assigned that portion of India which lies to southward and extends to the sea, while he distributed the people subject to her rule into 365 villages, giving orders that one village should each day bring to the treasury the royal tribute, so that the queen might always have the assistance of those men whose turn it was to pay the tribute in coercing those who for the time being were defaulters in their payments.
| CCXX. v. 1. CXXX.
Burma and Arakan respectively, according to Yule.-
ED.
In the bay of Karachi. See Ind. Ant. Notes to Arrian, vol. V. p. 335,
+ This is called Bibakta by Arrian, Indika, cap. xxi. I v. 1. Coralliba.
§ See ante, Notes to Arrian in vol. V. p. 332.
