Histories

In the second place, the country is rainless and frostless; but after snow has fallen, it has to rain within five days[*](It does not seem to be known what authority there is for this assertion.) ; so that if it snowed, it would rain in these lands. And thirdly, the men of the country are black because of the heat.

Moreover, kites and swallows live there all year round, and cranes come every year to these places to winter there, flying from the wintry weather of Scythia (region (general)), AsiaScythia. Now, were there but the least fall of snow in this country through which the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile flows and where it rises, none of these things would happen, as necessity proves.

The opinion about Ocean is grounded in obscurity and needs no disproof; for I know of no Ocean river; and I suppose that Homer or some older poet invented this name and brought it into his poetry.

If, after having condemned the opinions proposed, I must indicate what I myself think about these obscure matters, I shall say why I think the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile floods in the summer. During the winter, the sun is driven by storms from his customary course and passes over the inland parts of Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya.

For the briefest demonstration, everything has been said; for whatever country this god is nearest, or over, it is likely that that land is very thirsty for water and that the local rivers are dried up.