Histories

But as to Asia (continent)Asia, most of it was discovered by Darius. There is a river, +Indus [67.75,24.416] (river), Asia Indus, second of all rivers in the production of crocodiles. Darius, desiring to know where this +Indus [67.75,24.416] (river), Asia Indus empties into the sea, sent ships manned by Scylax, a man of Caryanda, and others whose word he trusted;

these set out from the city of Caspatyrus and the Pactyic country, and sailed down the river toward the east and the sunrise until they came to the sea; and voyaging over the sea west, they came in the thirtieth month to that place from which the Egyptian king sent the above-mentioned Phoenicians to sail around Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya.

After this circumnavigation, Darius subjugated the Indians and made use of this sea. Thus it was discovered that Asia (continent)Asia, except the parts toward the rising sun, was in other respects like Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya.

But it is plain that none have obtained knowledge of Europe (continent)Europe's eastern or northern regions, so as to be able say if it is bounded by seas; its length is known to be enough to stretch along both Asia (continent)Asia and Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya.

I cannot guess for what reason the earth, which is one, has three names, all women's, and why the boundary lines set for it are the Egyptian Nile river and the Colchian Phasis river (though some say that the Maeetian Tanaïs river and the Cimmerian Ferries [*](cp. Hdt. 4.12.) are boundaries); and I cannot learn the names of those who divided the world, or where they got the names which they used.

For Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya is said by most Greeks to be named after a native woman of that name, and Asia (continent)Asia after the wife of Prometheus;[*](The Fire-giver celebrated by Aeschylus and Shelley; Asia (continent)Asia is one of the principal characters in Prometheus Unbound.) yet the Lydians claim a share in the latter name, saying that Asia (continent)Asia was not named after Prometheus' wife Asia (continent)Asia, but after Asies, the son of Cotys, who was the son of Manes, and that from him the Asiad clan at Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis also takes its name.

But as for Europe (continent)Europe, no men have any knowledge whether it is bounded by seas or not, or where it got its name, nor is it clear who gave the name, unless we say that the land took its name from the Tyrian Europa, having been (it would seem) before then nameless like the rest.