104 JOURNEY FROM AVhen we consider that the cape which forms the Cephalas Promontorium is, at least, as we have stated, an hundred feet high; and that, from the soft quality of the stone, which is continually crumbling away, it may have been in Strabo’s time considerably higher, we may fairly conclude that the term (or /iig/i) is not quite so inapplicable to it as Signor Della Celia has asserted.

not clearly appear how the removal of a comma from a place which it never occupied, and the insertion of it in a place whei’e it always existed, can be said to amend a defective passage. A comma is placed after uXains, in all the copies of Strabo with which we are acquainted, but none after axga although there might be without impropriety; and it seems more consistent with the Doctor’s translation to suppose that he meant exactly the contrary of what he has i-ecommended ; that is to say, that his real intention was to remove the comma from and place it after axga. We might then read, by giving to aJ/wXig the sense which Signor Della Celia requires for it, — “ Then comes the promontory, which forms the distant and woody extremity of the Greater Syrtis,” — instead of — “ Then (comes) the high and woody promontory, which is the beginning of the Greater Syrtis.” We must, however, confess that we do not see any difference in the sense of the passage in question, whether a comma be placed after axga or not, provided that after vXul-ni be allowed to keep its place : but by the change which we propose, the Doctor’s punctuation will at any rate correspond with his version, which, as it stands, it does not.

We give the observations and the passage together in Signor Della Celia’s own woi'ds. — “ Con questa avvertenza io crederei doversi intendere un passo di Strabone molto diversamente dal penso che gli e dato da tutti i traduttori ; parlando del Capo Cefalo, questo geografo cosi si esprime — eit’ ctv.pa. xai vXailrts, («§%■»! of course is intended) rns- fj:.eyxXr,s — che tutti traducono — indi (viene) il promontorio alto e selvoso, che e il principio della gran Sirte.

L’esattezza di questo illustre geografo puoesser salvata togliendo la virgola dopo axga e transportandola dopo e tradiicendo — quindi viene il promontorio, che forma r alta e selvosa estremita della gran Sirte — dovendosi riputare quell’ alto non all’ altezza del capo, che non quadra col vero, ma alia disianza che divide 1’ estremita della gran Sirte dal suo fondo. In questo stesso senso la voce trovasi spesso adoperata da Omero per dinotare gli sfondi del mare nelle terre.

OTE xf/xa axTr, E(f’ t/4-riXr) OTE xivTifEi Noror eXBm, &c. — (V. da Tripoli, p. 54.