The Geography of Strabo, Volume 1 (of 3)

Enjoy the easiest life; no snow is there, No biting winter, and no drenching shower, But zephyr always gently from the sea Breathes on them to refresh the happy race.”[1104]

Now the purity of the air, and the gentle breathing of the zephyr, are both applicable to this country, as well as the softness of the climate, its position in the west, and its place at the extremities of the earth, where, as we have said, he feigned that Hades was. By coupling Rhadamanthus with it, he signifies that the place was near to Minos, of whom he says,

“There saw I Minos, offspring famed of Jove; His golden sceptre in his hand, he sat Judge of the dead.”[1105]

Similar to these are the fables related by later poets; such, for instance, as the expeditions after the oxen of Geryon, and the [CAS. 150] golden apples of the Hesperides, the Islands of the Blessed[1106] they speak of, which we know are still pointed out to us not far distant from the extremities of Maurusia, and opposite to Gades.

14. I repeat that the Phœnicians were the discoverers [of these countries], for they possessed the better part of Iberia and Libya before the time of Homer, and continued masters of those places until their empire was overthrown by the Romans. This also is an evidence of the wealth of Iberia: in the expedition of the Carthaginians under Barcas,[1107] they found, according to historians, that the people of Turdetania used silver goblets[1108] and casks. One might guess too that it was on account of this great opulence that the men of the country, and their chiefs in particular, were styled long-lived. Wherefore Anacreon thus sings,

“Neither would I desire the horn of Amalthea, nor to reign over Tartessus one hundred and fifty years.”

Herodotus too has preserved the name of the king, whom he calls Arganthonius.[1109] The passage of Anacreon must therefore either be understood [of this king], or some other like him; or else more generally thus, “nor to reign for a lengthened period in Tartessus.” Some writers[1110] are of opinion that Tartessus is the present Carteia.

15. The Turdetani not only enjoy a salubrious climate but their manners are polished and urbane, as also are those of the people of Keltica, by reason of their vicinity [to the Turdetani], or, according to Polybius, on account of their being of the same stock, but not to so great a degree, for they live for the most part scattered in villages. The Turdetani, on the other hand, especially those who dwell about the Guadalquiver,[1111] have so entirely adopted the Roman mode of life, as even to have forgotten their own language. They have for the most part become Latins,[1112] and received Roman colonists; so that a short time only is wanted before they will be all Romans. The very names of many of the towns at present, such as Pax Augusta[1113] amongst the Keltici, Augusta-Emerita[1114] amongst the Turduli, Cæsar-Augusta[1115] amongst the Keltiberians and certain other colonies, are proof of the change of manners I have spoken of. Those of the Iberians who adopt these new modes of life are styled togati. Amongst their number are the Keltiberians, who formerly were regarded as the most uncivilized of them all. So much for these.