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GEORGE BELL & SONS, YORK ST., COVENT GARDEN,

AND NEW YORK.

888
57
2422
P2

v.l

LONDON:

REPRINTED FROM STEREOTYPE PLATES BY WM. CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED

STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

NOTICE.

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THE present translation of Strabo, the great Geographer
of Antiquity, is the first which has been laid before the
English public. It is curious that a classic of so much
renown and intrinsic value should have remained a
comparatively sealed book to this country for so many
centuries; yet such is the fact. It is true that the im-
perfect state of the Greek text, and the difficulty of
geographical identification, have always been appalling
obstacles; yet, after the acute and valuable labours of
Gossellin, Du Theil, Groskurd, and especially of Gustav
Cramer of Berlin, (whose text is followed in the pre-
sent volume,) we might fairly have expected that some
English scholar would have ventured to enter the field.
But the task, like many in a similar position, has been
reserved for the publisher of the Classical Library, and
he trusts it will be found conscientiously fulfilled.

The translation was, in the first instance, intrusted to
Mr. H. C. Hamilton, whose knowledge of the subject,
and familiarity with the various languages concerned,
peculiarly fitted him for the undertaking. His official

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duties, however, added to his anxious examination of every thing which tended to illustrate his author, prevented his proceeding with much speed; and it was only after the lapse of three years that he had reached the end of the sixth book. In the mean time it transpired that Mr. W. Falconer, son of the editor of the Oxford edition of the Greek text, had, after several years of care and attention, produced a very excellent translation, meaning to publish it. Under the circumstances it was deemed advisable to amalgamate the rival undertakings, and it is a source of gratification to the publisher that the respective translators were each so well satisfied with the labours of the other, that they assented readily to his proposal of associating their names.

This is all it seems necessary to state here. In the third volume will be given some account of the life and labours of Strabo, and of the manuscripts and principal editions; also a complete index of the places mentioned in the text, accompanied, where possible, by the modern

names.

H. G. B.

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