Geographiae informatio

The continents were called ἤπειροι as being boundless (ἄπειροι) , out of ignorance. Asia was named for coming close (ἆσσον) for those going over from Europe both by land and by the islands lying in a row: Euboea Andros Tenos Myconos Icaria Samos Mycale. Europe was named for its breadth (εὖρος). Libya was quite unknown to the Greeks, but from a signal nation †Phoenicians were named seafaring†. The ocean was named for quickly encircling (ὠκέως ἀνύειν) the earth.

Dicaearchus bounds the earth not by waters but by a straight line from the Pillars through Sardinia Sicily Peloponnesus Ionia Caria Lycia Pamphylia Cilicia and Taurus on to Mt Imaus, and he calls the several regions either northern or southern.