Histories

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.

But it is plain that this woman was of Asiatic birth, and never came to this land which the Greeks now call Europe (continent)Europe, but only from +Phoenicia (region (general)), Asia Phoenicia to +Crete [25,35.166] (region), Greece, Europe Crete and from +Crete [25,35.166] (region), Greece, Europe Crete to +Lycia (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Lycia. Thus much I have said of these matters, and let it suffice; we will use the names established by custom.

Nowhere are men so ignorant as in the lands by the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Euxine +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus (excluding the Scythian nation) into which Darius led his army. For we cannot show that any nation within the region of the +Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus has any cleverness, nor do we know of (overlooking the Scythian nation and Anacharsis) any notable man born there.

But the Scythian race has made the cleverest discovery that we know in what is the most important of all human affairs; I do not praise the Scythians in all respects, but in this, the most important: that they have contrived that no one who attacks them can escape, and no one can catch them if they do not want to be found.