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the　inhabitants；　for　they　are　different；　and　do　not　at　all　resemble
one　another。　To　treat　of　all　would　be　a　long　story；　but　I　will　tell
you　how　I　think　it　is　with　regard　to　the　greatest　and　most　marked
differences。　I　say；　then；　that　Asia　differs　very　much　from　Europe　as
to　the　nature　of　all　things；　both　With　regard　to　the　productions　of
the　earth　and　the　inhabitants；　for　everything　is　produced　much　more
beautiful　and　large　in　Asia；　the　country　is　milder；　and　the
dispositions　of　the　inhabitants　also　are　more　gentle　and　affectionate。
The　cause　of　this　is　the　temperature　of　the　seasons；　because　it　lies
in　the　middle　of　the　risings　of　the　sun　towards　the　east；　and
removed　from　the　cold　（and　heat）；　for　nothing　tends　to　growth　and
mildness　so　much　as　when　the　climate　has　no　predominant　quality；　but　a
general　equality　of　temperature　prevails。　It　is　not　everywhere　the
same　with　regard　to　Asia；　but　such　parts　of　the　country　as　lie
intermediate　between　the　heat　and　the　cold；　are　the　best　supplied　with
fruits　and　trees；　and　have　the　most　genial　climate；　and　enjoy　the
purest　waters；　both　celestial　and　terrestrial。　For　neither　are　they
much　burnt　up　by　the　heat；　nor　dried　up　by　the　drought　and　want　of
rain；　nor　do　they　suffer　from　the　cold；　since　they　are　well　watered
from　abundant　showers　and　snow；　and　the　fruits　of　the　season；　as　might
be　supposed；　grow　in　abundance；　both　such　as　are　raised　from　seed　that
has　been　sown；　and　such　plants　as　the　earth　produces　of　its　own
accord；　the　fruits　of　which　the　inhabitants　make　use　of；　training　them
from　their　wild　state　and　transplanting　them　to　a　suitable　soil；　the
cattle　also　which　are　reared　there　are　vigorous；　particularly
prolific；　and　bring　up　young　of　the　fairest　description；　the
inhabitants　too；　are　well　fed；　most　beautiful　in　shape；　of　large
stature；　and　differ　little　from　one　another　either　as　to　figure　or
size；　and　the　country　itself；　both　as　regards　its　constitution　and
mildness　of　the　seasons；　may　be　said　to　bear　a　close　resemblance　to
the　spring。　Manly　courage；　endurance　of　suffering；　laborious
enterprise；　and　high　spirit；　could　not　be　produced　in　such　a　state
of　things　either　among　the　native　inhabitants　or　those　of　a
different　country；　for　there　pleasure　necessarily　reigns。　For　this
reason；　also；　the　forms　of　wild　beasts　there　are　much　varied。　Thus
it　is；　as　I　think；　with　the　Egyptians　and　Libyans。
　　13。　But　concerning　those　on　the　right　hand　of　the　summer　risings
of　the　sun　as　far　as　the　Palus　Maeotis　（for　this　is　the　boundary　of
Europe　and　Asia）；　it　is　with　them　as　follows：　the　inhabitants　there
differ　far　more　from　one　another　than　those　I　have　treated　of　above；
owing　to　the　differences　of　the　seasons　and　the　nature　of　the　soil。
But　with　regard　to　the　country　itself；　matters　are　the　same　there　as
among　all　other　men；　for　where　the　seasons　undergo　the　greatest　and
most　rapid　changes；　there　the　country　is　the　wildest　and　most　unequal；
and　you　will　find　the　greatest　variety　of　mountains；　forests；
plains；　and　meadows；　but　where　the　seasons　do　not　change　much　there
the　country　is　the　most　even；　and；　if　one　will　consider　it；　so　is　it
also　with　regard　to　the　inhabitants；　for　the　nature　of　some　is　like　to
a　country　covered　with　trees　and　well　watered；　of　some；　to　a　thin　soil
deficient　in　water；　of　others；　to　fenny　and　marshy　places；　and　of　some
again；　to　a　plain　of　bare　and　parched　land。　For　the　seasons　which
modify　their　natural　frame　of　body　are　varied；　and　the　greater　the
varieties　of　them　the　greater　also　will　be　the　differences　of　their
shapes。
　　14。　I　will　pass　over　the　smaller　differences　among　the　nations；
but　will　now　treat　of　such　as　are　great　either　from　nature；　or　custom；
and；　first；　concerning　the　Macrocephali。　There　is　no　other　race　of　men
which　have　heads　in　the　least　resembling　theirs。　At　first；　usage　was
the　principal　cause　of　the　length　of　their　head；　but　now　nature
cooperates　with　usage。　They　think　those　the　most　noble　who　have　the
longest　heads。　It　is　thus　with　regard　to　the　usage：　immediately
after　the　child　is　born；　and　while　its　head　is　still　tender；　they
fashion　it　with　their　hands；　and　constrain　it　to　assume　a　lengthened
shape　by　applying　bandages　and　other　suitable　contrivances　whereby　the
spherical　form　of　the　head　is　destroyed；　and　it　is　made　to　increase　in
length。　Thus；　at　first；　usage　operated；　so　that　this　constitution
was　the　result　of　force：　but；　in　the　course　of　time；　it　was　formed
naturally；　so　that　usage　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　for　the　semen
comes　from　all　parts　of　the　body；　sound　from　the　sound　parts；　and
unhealthy　from　the　unhealthy　parts。　If；　then；　children　with　bald　heads
are　born　to　parents　with　bald　heads；　and　children　with　blue　eves　to
parents　who　have　blue　eyes；　and　if　the　children　of　parents　having
distorted　eyes　squint　also　for　the　most　part；　and　if　the　same　may　be
said　of　other　forms　of　the　body；　what　is　to　prevent　it　from
happening　that　a　child　with　a　long　head　should　be　produced　by　a　parent
having　a　long　head？　But　now　these　things　do　not　happen　as　they　did
formerly；　for　the　custom　no　longer　prevails　owing　to　their　intercourse
with　other　men。　Thus　it　appears　to　me　to　be　with　regard　to　them。
　　15。　As　to　the　inhabitants　of　Phasis；　their　country　is　fenny；　warm；
humid；　and　wooded；　copious　and　severe　rains　occur　there　at　all
seasons；　and　the　life　of　the　inhabitants　is　spent　among　the　fens；
for　their　dwellings　are　constructed　of　wood　and　reeds；　and　are　erected
amidst　the　waters；　they　seldom　practice　walking　either　to　the　city
or　the　market；　but　sail　about；　up　and　down；　in　canoes　constructed
out　of　single　trees；　for　there　are　many　canals　there。　They　drink　the
hot　and　stagnant　waters；　both　when　rendered　putrid　by　the　sun；　and
when　swollen　with　rains。　The　Phasis　itself　is　the　most　stagnant　of　all
rivers；　and　runs　the　smoothest；　all　the　fruits　which　spring　there
are　unwholesome；　feeble　and　imperfect　growth；　owing　to　the
redundance　of　water；　and　on　this　account　they　do　not　ripen；　for　much
vapor　from　the　waters　overspreads　the　country。　For　these　reasons　the
Phasians　have　shapes　different　from　those　of　all　other　men；　for　they
are　large　in　stature；　and　of　a　very　gross　habit　of　body；　so　that　not　a
joint　nor　vein　is　visible；　in　color　they　are　sallow；　as　if　affected
with　jaundice。　Of　all　men　they　have　the　roughest　voices；　from　their
breathing　an　atmosphere　which　is　not　clear；　but　misty　and　humid；
they　are　naturally　rather　languid　in　supporting　bodily　fatigue。　The
seasons　undergo　but　little　change　either　as　to　heat　or　cold；　their
winds　for　the　most　part　are　southerly；　with　the　exception　of　one
peculiar　to　the　country；　which　sometimes　blows　strong；　is　violent
and　hot；　and　is　called　by　them　the　wind　cenchron。　The　north　wind
scarcely　reaches　them；　and　when　it　does　blow　it　is　weak　and　gentle。
Thus　it　is　with　regard　to　the　different　nature　and　shape　of　the
inhabitants　of　Asia　and　Europe。
　　16。　And　with　regard　to　the　pusillanimity　and　cowardice　of　the
inhabitants；　the　principal　reason　the　Asiatics　are　more　unwarlike
and　of　gentler　disposition　than　the　Europeans　is；　the　nature　of　the
seasons；　which　do　not　undergo　any　great　changes　either　to　heat　or
cold；　or　the　like；　for　there　is　neither　excitement　of　the
understanding　nor　any　strong　change　of　the　body　whereby　the　temper
might　be　ruffled　and　they　be　roused　to　inconsiderate　emotion　and
passion；　rather　than　living　as　they　do　always　in　the　state。　It　is
changes　of　all　kinds　which　arouse　understanding　of　mankind；　and　do　not
allow　them　to　get　into　a　torpid　condition。　For　these　reasons；　it
appears　to　me；　the　Asiatic　race　is　feeble；　and　further；　owing　to　their
laws；　for　monarchy　prevails　in　the　greater　part　of　Asia；　and　where　men
are　not　their　own　masters　nor　independent；　but　are　the　slaves　of
others；　it　is　not　a　matter　of　consideration　with　them　how　they　may
acquire　military　discipline；　but　how　they　may　seem　not　to　be
warlike；　for　the　dangers　are　not　equally　shared；　since　they　must　serve
as　soldiers；　perhaps　endure　fatigue；　and　die　for　their　masters；　far
from　their　children；　their　wives；　and　other　friends；　and　whatever
noble　and　manly　actions　they　may　perform　lead　only　to　the
aggrandizement　of　their　masters；　whilst　the　fruits　which　they　reap　are
dangers　and　death；　and；　in　addition　to　all　this；　the　lands　of　such
persons　must　be　laid　waste　by　the　enemy　and　want　of　culture。　Thus；
then；　if　any　one　be　naturally　warlike　and　courageous；　his
disposition　will　be　changed　by　the　institutions。　As　a　strong　proof
of　all　this；　such　Greeks　or　barbarians　in　Asia　as　are　not　under　a
despotic　form　of　government；　but　are　independent；　and　enjoy　the　fruits
of　their　own　labors；　are　of　all　others　the　most　warlike；　for　these
encounter　dangers　on　their　own　account；　bear　the　prizes　of　their　own
valor；　and　in　like　manner　endure　the　punishment　of　their　own
cowardice。　And　you　will　find　the　Asiatics　differing　from　one
another；　for　some　are　better　and　others　more　dastardly；　of　these
differences；　as　I　stated　before；　the　changes　of　the　seasons　are　the
cause。　Thus　it　is　with　Asia。
　　17。　In　Europe　there　is　a　Scythian　race；　called　Sauromatae；　which
inhabits　the　confines　of　the　Palus　Maeotis；　and　is　different　from
all　other　races。　T