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APRIL, 1879.]
PERIPLUS OF THE ERYTHRÆAN SEA.
107
ANONYMI [ARRIANI UT FERTUR] PERIPLUS MARIS ERYTHRAI. Translated from the text as given in the Geographi Græci Minores, edited by C. Müller, Paris, 1865.
With Introduction and Commentary." BY J. W. MOCRINDLE, M.A., PRINCIPAL OF THE PÅTNA COLLEGE. INTRODUCTION.
for most of our knowledge of the remote shores of The Periplús of the Erythrean Sea is the title Eastern Africa, and the marts of India, and the prefixed to a work which contains the best account condition of ancient commerce in these parts of of the commerce carried on from the Red Sea and the world. the coast of Africa to the East Indies during the The name of the author is unknown. In the Heitime that Egypt was a province of the Roman em- delberg MS., which alone has preserved the little pire. The Erythræan Sea was an appellation work, and contains it after the Periplús of Arrian, given in those days to the whole expanse of ocean the title given is 'Applavoù trepitous ris' Epv@pas reaching from the coast of Africa to the utmost Dalaoons. Trusting to the correctness of this boundary of ancient knowiedge on the East--an title, Stuckius attributed the work to Arrian of appellation in all appearance deduced from the Nikomedia, and Fabricius to another Arrian who entrance into it by the Straits of the Red Sea, belonged to Alexandria. No one, however, who styled Erythra by the Greeks, and not exclud- knows how ancient books are usually treated can ing the Gulf of Persia.
fail to see what the real fact here is, viz. that The author was a Greek merchant, who in the since not only the Periplás Maris Erythrai, but first century of the Christian era had, it would also the Anonyini Periplus Ponti Eurini (whereof appear, settled at Berenike, a great seaport the latter part occurs in the Heidelberg MS. before situated in the southern extremity of Egypt, Arrian's Ponti Periplús) are attributed to Arrian, whence he made commercial voyages which carried and the different Arrians are not distinguished him to the seaports of Eastern Africa as far as by any indications afforded by the titles, there can Azania, and to those of Arabia as far as Kanê, be no doubt that the well-known name of the whence, by taking advantage of the south-west Nikomedian writer was transferred to the books monsoon, he crossed over to the ports lying on placed in juxtaposition to his proper works, by the western shores of India. Having made careful the arbitrary judgment of the librarians. In fact observations and inquiries regarding the naviga- it very often happens that short works written by tion and commerce of these countries, he commit- different authors are all referred to one and the ted to writing, for the benefit of other merchants, same author, especially if they treat of the same the knowledge which he had thus acquired. Much subject and are published conjointly in the same cannot be said in praise of the style in which he volume. But in the case of the work before us, writes. It is marked by a rude simplicity, which any one would have all the more readily ascribed shows that he was not a man of literary culture, it to Arrian who had heard by report anything but in fact a mere man of business, who in com- of the Paraplús of the Erythræan Sea described posing restricts himself to a narrow round of set in that author's Indika. On this point there phrases, and is indifferent alike to grace, freedom, is the utmost unanimity of opinion among or variety of expression. It shows further that writers. he was a Greek settled in Egypt, and that he must That the author, whatever may have been his have belonged to an isolated community of his name, lived in Egypt, is manifest. Thus he says countrymen, whose speech had become corrupt by in 29: “Several of the trees with us in Egypt much intercourse with foreigners. It presents a weep gum," and he joins the names of the very striking contrast to the rhetorical diction Egyptian months with the Roman, as may be which Agatharkhidês, a great master of all seen by referring to $$ 6, 39, 49, and 56. The place the tricks of speech, employs in his description of in which he was settled was probably Betenike, the Erythræan. For all shortcomings, however, since it was from that port he embarked on his in the style of the work, there is ample compensa- voyages to Africa and Arabia, and since he speaks tion in the fulness, variety, accuracy, and utility of the one coast as on the right from Berenike, of the information which it conveys. Such indeed and the other on the left. The whole tenor of the is its superiority on these points that it must be work proclaims that he must have been a merchant. reckoned as a most precious treasure : for to it That the entire work is not a mere compilation we are indebted far more than to any other work from the narratives or journals of other merchants
The Introduction and Commentary embody the main substance of Müller's Prolegomena and Notes to the Periplas, and of Vincent's Commerce and Navigation of
the Ancients so far as it relates specially to that work. The most recent authorities accessible have, however, been also consulted, and the result of their inquiries noted.
