PART 12
I wish to show, respecting Asia and Europe, how, in all respects,
they differ from one another, and concerning the figure of 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
[p. 32]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.