Cartographica Neerlandica Map Text for Ortelius Map No. 226


Text, translated from the 1601 Latin, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612 Spanish/Latin & 1624 Latin Parergon/1641 Spanish [but text in Latin] editions:

226.1{1601L{ARGONAVTICA, {1606E only{That is, IASONS voyage for the GOLDEN FLEECE}1606E only}.

226.2. There is almost none among the ancients who has not as it were in passing touched upon the story of the ARGONAVTS, that is, of IASON, or of the GOLDEN FLEECE. But among those that have purposed to handle that matter, such as Cleon, Herodotus, Pisander, Dionysius Milesius, Varro Attacinus, and Epimenides, (who, as Laërtes writes, has published extensively about this in 6500 verses), there are only three [authors] remaining now that have come into our hands, namely Caius Valerius Flaccus, Orpheus and Apollonius Rhodius. In all three [of these authors], the journey outwards of those Argonauts {1606E only{(that is, of Iason and his companions who sailed with him on the ship named Argo)}1606E only} is described reasonably similarly, but their return homewards differs very much from one to another in their accounts.
226.3. For Flaccus brings them back from Colchis via the Northern shore of the Euxine sea {1606E only{(Mar maiore)}1606E only} and further to the mouth of the river Ister or Danubius {1606E only{(Done or Donaw)1606E only} and leaves them there, being prevented by death [to return home], as he may have supposed. Apollonius brings them up against the stream of the river mentioned, and away from it via the river Sabus {1606E only{(Saw)}1606E only} as Plinius and Trogus think, to the Hadriatic and Ionian seas, not far from Tergeste {1606E & 1608/1612I only{(Trieste, in Friuli)1606E & 1608/1612I only} but, as Plinius says, they were forced out of their way {not in 1606E{by wind}not in 1606E} to the river Eridianus {1606E & 1608/1612I only{(Po)}1606E & 1608/1612I only} into the Rhodanus {1606E only{(Rhosne [Rhône])}1606E only} unto the Stœchades {1606E & 1608/1612I only{(Isles de hyerres}1606E & 1608/1612I only}), {1603L only{certain islands in the Ligurian sea}1603L only} {1606E only{(Mar di Leone over against Narbonne in France}1606E only}. From which, sailing through the Mediterranean and Ægean seas, they came home safely to the place where they first departed.
226.4. But Orpheus tells the story in far greater detail and relates that they made a large detour namely, via the river Tanais {1606E only{(Don)}1606E only} and that huge forest {not in 1606E{[in Greek lettering:]Asooeton hulen}not in 1606E}(as he calls it), or endless [forest] {not in 1606E{[in Greek lettering:]Apooeiriton}not in 1606E}, as Dionysius Afer calls it. And that not without good reason, for I consider it to be the largest forest of the whole world that has yet been described to us, (in these recent times called by the single proper name of Orcynium or Hercyna). Then via the North sea, by them called Cronium (mentioned by Seneca in his tragedy entitled Medea called Ursæ vetitum mare [the sea of the forbidden bear]), and via the Atlantic sea to Hercules pillars {1606E only{(the straits of Gibraltar)}1606E only}, circumnavigating all of Europe, [until] they finally came home again safely to their own houses.
226.5. This voyage therefore we have on this map of ours, composed on the basis of those three authors mentioned, which will easily and plainly become clear to whoever examines them and the stories they published. Next to those places they mention, we have added certain others from other authors, never visited by them, but still pertaining to their purpose, such as Salmydessus in Thracia, where Apollodorus says that they landed. Also Æmonia, a town built by the Argonauts in that place where they put the Argo, their ship, on conveyances [or] on their shoulders, as Pindarus and Trogus claim, as well as Plinius, according to the best authors, and carried it away from the shore for 400 furlongs or, which is the same, for 50 miles, all the way to the coast of the Thessalians (Italians is what Zozomen reads, differing in words, but not in the truth of the story, for they were Thessalians by birth and parentage, now situated in the land of Italy) as we find recorded in Zosimus and others.
226.6. There is the city of Pola, a work begun and perfected by the Colchi who, being sent out to pursue Medea up the river Ister as high as the islands then called Absyrtides, where they stayed, being frustrated in their intentions. And after the river Ister, which they sailed upstream, they called the country through which it runs Istria. Phla, or if you like Phila, an island in the Libyan Triton swamps {1606E instead{the waters of Triton in Africa}1606E instead}, where Herodotus writes that Iason arrived. And since the North wind was blowing strongly against them, he was driven to Malea, a promontory of the Peloponnesus, and there gave his tripos [tripod] {1606E only{(or trevet)}1606E only} to Triton.
226.7. Polybius says that Iason built a temple at Bosphorus Thracius {1606E only{(Stretto di Constantinopoli, the straits of Constantinople, the Greek call it Laimon, the Turks Bogazin)}1606E only}, and [he did] that to the honour of Neptunus, as Pindarus reports. There he also consecrated twelve altars for those services and sacrifices. The very same temple is by Demosthenes called the temple of the Argonauts. In Pausanias and Varro we read that the same Iason dedicated a temple to Iuno, on the isle of Samos {1606E only{(Samo)}1606E only}. Also, to Iuno [he dedicated] Argivæ in the fields of Picentino, {1606E only{(Principate or Costa de Ainalfe)}1606E only}, as Plinius has left on record. And Aristoteles tells us in his Admiranda that he erected altars near the river Ister {1606E only(Done or Donaw)}1606E only} where it divides itself into two streams, emptying its water partly into Pontus {1606E only{(Mar maiore)}1606E only} and partly into Adria {1606E only{(the Gulf of Venice)}1606E only}. I suppose he was here referring to the Caucasian rocks (Caucasi scopuli). [Authors from] fabulous antiquity truly believed that the river Ister emptied itself into the Hadriatic sea.
226.8. Maybe [they were inspired] by what Plinius in the 15th chapter of his fourth {1624LParergon/1641S instead{9th}1624LParergon/1641S instead} book has most fabulously written, [namely] that certain fish, called tunas, breed in the Euxine sea {1606E only{(Pontus Euxinus Mar maiore)}1606E only} swim up the river Ister and from there go on, through secret passages underground, to the Hadriatic sea. So far about this roaming and roving voyage by sea, which from their first start to their return, as Apollodorus reports on the basis of ancient records, was effected in a period of four months. Which in my judgment does not seem very probable. I believe he was dreaming when he wrote this story. For this number of months would hardly be sufficient for someone to sail up the river Ister, against the stream, from its mouth where it empties into {1606E only{the Mar maiore to}1606E only} Tergeste {1606E only{(Trieste) on the Gulf of Venice}1606E only}, [and] it is [even] much less likely that they could, in such a short time, make such a long journey as this was described to be.
226.9. More true and far more likely are those words {not in 1606E{which we find in Ovidius}not in 1606E} of Hypsipula to Iason (for she entertained him in her house at the isle of Lemnos {1606E only{(now it is named Stalamine)}1606E only}: [in three columns, except for 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1624LParergon/1641S:]
Tertia messis erat, cùm tu dare vela coactus,
Implesti lacrymis talia verba tuis: [next column:]
Abstrahor Hypsipyle. si dent modò fata recursum:
Vir tuus hinc abeo,vir tibi semper ero. [next column:)
Quod tamen è nobis grauida celatur in aluo,
Vivat; & eiusdem simus vterque parens.
{1606E & 1608/1612I only{Thus [translated]{not in 1608/1612I{in[to] English by M[r]. George Tubervile}not in 1608/1612I}:
When [the] third autumn came you were forced with line,
To hoist your sails, these words you spoke with gushing tears of mine,
My own, I must depart, if fortune says Amen,
from there I pass your spouse, and will repass your spouse again.
The imp within your womb God grant that it may live,
And we his parents both a decent name may give}1606E & 1608/1612I only}.
226.10. Whoever wants a more elaborate description of this overseas journey (which Philostephanus says was made on one long ship, or with a fleet or group of various ships, as Pharax reports), let him turn to those three authors mentioned before, often cited by us. To these you may add [what] Diodorus Siculus [writes] in his fourth book, Ovidius' seventh book of his Metamorphosis, Hyginus fables, Pindarus and Callimachus and, if you like, the history of Dares the Phrygian. Appianus in his Mithridatica writes that Cneius Pompeius {not in 1606E{the Great}not in 1606E} after he had pursued Mithridates as far as Colchis, went on land here to view the peregrinations and travels of the Argonauts and to see mount Caucasus, the bed of Prometheus. This is what we here on this map offer to the eye and contemplation of the student interested [to have] this knowledge with a great deal less toil and travel, and perhaps with as much satisfaction and pleasure.
226.11. Cydias the painter depicted the story of the Argonauts so excellently that he sold it, as Plinius writes in the eleventh chapter of his thirty-fifth book, to Hortentius, the famous Roman orator, for 144 sesterces {1608/1612I only{which amounts to 3600 scudi}1608/1612I only}.
226.12. That the Argonauts, who were also called Minyæ, Dioscuri {1608/1612I only{sons of Ioue}1608/1612I only} and Tyndaridæ, were fifty in number is clearly stated by Lucianus in his Saltationes and [by] Philostratus in his Icones. Also [by] Valerius Flaccus in his seventh book in these words: Quinquaginta Asiam (pudet hui) penetrauit Iason Exulibus: {1606E & 1608/1612I only{Brave Iason with his fifty mates, I blush to tell, Did first set foot in Asia great}1606E & 1608/1612I only}. Orpheus lists fifty-two [Argonauts]. Diodorus Siculus and Apollonius fifty-four. We, from various different writers, have in total gathered more than eighty [in fact, 89]. And these are their names, with the authors by whom they were mentioned [in four columns in 1601L, 1606E; in three columns in 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612S/L, in two columns in 1624LParergon/1641S:]

226.13. Acastus, by Apollodorus, Apollonius and Val. Flaccus.
226.14. Actor, by Apollodorus.
226.15. Actorides, by Orpheus and Flaccus.
226.16. Acterion, by Orpheus.
226.17. Admetus, by Orpheus, Apollonius, Valerius Flaccus and Apollodorus.
226.18. Æthalides, by Orpheus, Apollonius and Valerius Flaccus [next column in 1624LParergon/1641S:]
226.19. Aglaus, by Orpheus.
226.20. Almenus, by Apollodorus.
226.21. Amphiaraus, by Apollodorus.
226.22. Amphidamas, by Flaccus and Apollonius {1608/1612I instead{Apollodorus}1608/1612I instead}.
226.23. Amphion, by Apollonius, Flaccus and Orpheus.
226.24. Ancæus, by Apollodorus, Orpheus, Apollonius and Val. Flaccus [next column in 1624LParergon/1641S:]
226.25. Anchisteus, by Orpheus.
226.26. Areices, by Apollonius and Orpheus.
226.27. Argus, by Apollonius, Apollodorus and Valerius Flaccus.
226.28. Armenius, by Trogus.
226.29. Ascalaphus, by Apollodorus.
226.30. Asterius, by Orpheus, Apollonius, Apollodorus and Flaccus
226.31. Atalanta, by Diodorus and Apollodorus.
226.32. Augeas, by Apollonius, Orpheus, Apollodorus and Philostratus.
226.33. Autes, by Valerius Flaccus.
226.34. Autolicus, by Apollodorus and Flaccus. [next column on 1601L:]
226.35. Buphagus, by Orpheus [next column in 1606E:]
226.36. Butes, by Orpheus, Apollonius and Apollodorus.
226.37. Cæneus, by Orpheus.
226.38. Calais, by Apollodorus, Apollonius, Orpheus, Pindarus, Val. Flaccus and Oppianus.
226.39. Canthus, by Orpheus, Apollonius and Val. Flaccus.
226.40. Castor, by Apollodorus, Herodotus, Diodorus, Apollonius, Orpheus, Flaccus and Pindarus.
226.41. Cepheus, by Flaccus, Apollonius, Orpheus, and Apollodorus [next column in 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612S/L:]
226.42. Climenus, by Val. Flaccus.
226.43. Clytius, by Apollonius.
226.44. Coronus, by Apollonius.
226.45. Deiloontus, by C. Valerius Flaccus.
226.46. Deucalion, by C. Valerius Flaccus.
226.47. Echion, by Orpheus, Flaccus and Apollonius.
226.48. Erginus, by Apollonius, Apollodorus, Orpheus and Valerius Flaccus.
226.49. Euphemus, by Flaccus, Apollodorus and Pindarus.
226.50. Euryalus, by Apollodorus.
226.51. Eurybotes, by Apollonius and Flaccus.
226.51a.Eurydamas, by Orpheus and Apollonius.
226.52. Eurytus, by Orpheus, Apollonius, Flaccus and Apollodorus.
226.52a. {1608/1612I only{Fano by Apollodorus
226.52b. Falero by Pausanias, Orpheus, Apollonius and Flaccus.
226.52c. Filotette by Apollonius, Orpheus and Flaccus.
226.52d. Flia by Apollodorus, Orpheus and Flaccus.
226.52e. Fogo by Apollonius, Orpheus and Flaccus}1608/1612I only}.
226.53. Glaucos, by Athenæus.
226.54. Hercules, by Apollodorus, Apollonius, Diodorus, Orpheus, Pindarus and Flaccus [next column in 1606E:]
226.55. Hylas, by Orpheus, Apollonius and Liberalis. [next column in 1601L:]
226.56. Iason, by Diodorus, Orpheus, Apollonius and Val. Flaccus.
226.57. Idas, by Apollodorus and Apollonius.
226.58. Idmon, by Orpheus, Apollonius, Flaccus and Marcellinus.
226.59. Iphidamas, by Orpheus.
226.60. Iphitus, by Valerius Flaccus and Apollonius [next column in 1624LParergon/1641S:]
226.61. Iphyclus, by Diodorus, Orpheus, Apollonius, Flaccus and Apollodorus.
226.62. Iphys, by Valerius Flaccus.
226.63. Iritus, by Apollodorus.
226.64. Laërtes, by Apollodorus [next column in 1608/1612I:]
226.65. {not in 1608/1612I{Laocoon, by Apollonius}not in 1608/1612I}.
226.66. Laodocus, by Orpheus, Apollonius and Valerius Flaccus.
226.67. Leitus, by Apollodorus.
226.68. Lynceus, by Apollonius, Apollodorus, Orpheus and Flac.
226.69. Meleager, by Flaccus, Apollonius, Orpheus, Diodorus and Apollodorus [next column in 1603L & 1609/1612S/L:]
226.70. Menœtius, by Orpheus, Apollonius and C. Val. Flaccus.
226.71. Mopsus, by Pindarus, Orpheus and Valerius Flaccus.
226.72. Nauplius, by Orpheus, Flaccus and Apollonius.
226.73. Nestor, by C. Val. Flaccus.
226.74. Olieus, by Apollonius, Orpheus and Flaccus.
226.75. Orpheus, by Apollodorus and Diodorus.
226.76. Palæmon, by Orpheus, Apollonius and Apollodorus [next column in 1606E:]
226.77. Peleus, by Orpheus and Apollodorus [next column in 1601L:]
226.78. Peneleus, by Apollodorus.
226.79. Periclymenus, by Apollonius, Apollodorus, Pindarus, Orpheus and Flaccus.
226.80. {not in 1608/1612I{Phanus, by Apollodorus.
226.81. Phalerus, by Pausanias, Orpheus, Apollonius and Flaccus.
226.82. Philoctetes, by C. Valerius Flaccus.
226.83. Phlias, by Apollonius, Orpheus and Flaccus.
226.84. Phogus, by C. Val. Flaccus}not in 1608/1612I}.
226.85. Poeas, by Apollodorus.
226.86. Pollux, by Apollodorus, Diodorus, Pindarus and Herodotus.
226.87. Polyphemus, by Flaccus, Orpheus, Apollodorus and Apollonius.
226.88. Staphylus, by Apollodorus.
226.89. Sthelenus, by Ammianus.
226.90. Tænarius, by Orpheus.
226.91. Talaus, by Apollonius and Val. Flaccus.
226.92. Telamon, by Diodorus, Orpheus, Apollodorus and Flaccus.
226.93. Theseus, by Pindarus, Apollodorus and Plutarchus.
226.94. Tideus, by C. Val. Flaccus.
226.95. Tiphys, by Orpheus, Apollodorus, Flaccus, Philostratus, Ovidius, Pausanias and Marcellinus.
226.96. Zetes, by Apollodorus, Apollonius, Orpheus, Pindarus, Flaccus and Oppianus.

226.97. All of these, [as] Philo Iudæus says, were gentlemen, free born, and of good parentage, allied to kings, and of royal blood, as Varro writes in his second book on Farming. The dear darlings of the gods is what Theocritus writes in his twenty-seventh Idyllion, or half-gods, as Philostratus calls them in his Icones. And the poet Catullus greets them like this: Heroes saluete Deum genus, {1606E & 1608/1612I only{All hail brave worthy [men], born of seed divine}1606E only}.
226.98. As for the ship Argo (which Flaccus calls fatidicam, {1606E & 1608/1612I only{the predictor}1606E only} of fatal matters}1608/1612I only}, Lucianus, Claudianus and others [call it] loquacem, {1606E & 1608/1612I only{the talkative ship}1606E & 1608/1612I only}, [it] was finally, as Manilius reports, taken up to heaven) after which it was named like that, who made it, in what place, of what wood, from where it first set sail &c. Hieronymus Columna in his Commentaries on the fragment of Ennius, printed in Rome, has most diligently collected and selected from all ancient writers [all relevant material], and followed them faithfully.
226.99. [About] these Argonautica, Martialis writes in his seventh book {1606E only{of Epigrams}1606E only}, where he speaks about the fragment of the broken keel of this Argo {1603L, not in 1606E{at the time of Domitianus the emperor}1603L, not in 1606E}, [and he], except where he jests, presents it as a true story, not as a made up tale and fiction {1606E only{like the poets do}1606E only}:

226.100. Fragmentum quod vile putas & inutile lignum
226.101. Hæc fuit ignoti prima carina maris [next column in 1601L, 1603L, 1606E, 1609/1612S/L:]
226.102. Quam nec Cyaneæ quondam potuere ruinæ
226.103. Frangere,nec Scythici tristior vnda freti [next column in 1601L, 1603L, 1606E, 1609/1612S/L:]
226.104. Sæculæ vicerunt, sed quamuis cesserit annis,
226.105. Sanctior est salua parua tabella rate}1601L, 1603L, 1606E, 1609/1612S/L end here}.
226.106. {1608/1612I only{[that is] This fragment, which you consider to be a worthless piece of wood that is not useful,
226.107. was once the first keel in unknown waters,
226.108. which could neither break the ruins of the Cyanæ,
226.109. nor the hapless flood of the Scythian sea,
226.110. The ages have been victorious, but although it was conquered by the years,
226.111. this small piece of wood is holier than a ship that has been saved, as you can see on the small map}1608/1612I only which ends here}.

226.112 {1624LParergon/1641S only, announcing the Peutinger tables which are to follow in that edition{BALTHASAR MORETVS TO THE READER:
THE TABVLA ITINERARIA or Travel Map I here insert an ancient map in its proper order, ornated in eight distinct sections, and depicted on four sheets, which ORTELIUS with diligence, and at his own expense had almost finished, and which he, dying, dedicated to my father under the condition that he would take care of its completion, as a token of his lasting devotion, and would return it to the very honourabe and learned Marcus VELSERUS, through whose generosity he discovered it in the famous PEUTINGER Library, where he obtained it. Which map he would make accessible. And the remarks of VELSERUS (described by him in an exhaustive booklet) are added here with a preface, saying which author, time, application and other aspects of the map have been discussed by him learnedly and usefully, and what opinion he held about it himself, after he had received it undamaged, is added here as a counterachievement for its final shape. Farewell, reader, and enjoy this splendid memorial of antiquity.}1624LParergon/1641S only which ends here}.

Bibliographical sources


For questions/comments concerning this page, please e-mail info@orteliusmaps.com.