12。Iwishtoshow，respectingAsiaandEurope，how，inallrespects，theydifferfromoneanother，andconcerningthefigureoftheinhabitants，fortheyaredifferent，anddonotatallresembleoneanother。Totreatofallwouldbealongstory，butIwilltellyouhowIthinkitiswithregardtothegreatestandmostmarkeddifferences。Isay，then，thatAsiadiffersverymuchfromEuropeastothenatureofallthings，bothWithregardtotheproductionsoftheearthandtheinhabitants，foreverythingisproducedmuchmorebeautifulandlargeinAsia；thecountryismilder，andthedispositionsoftheinhabitantsalsoaremoregentleandaffectionate。
　　Thecauseofthisisthetemperatureoftheseasons，becauseitliesinthemiddleoftherisingsofthesuntowardstheeast，andremovedfromthecold（andheat），fornothingtendstogrowthandmildnesssomuchaswhentheclimatehasnopredominantquality，butageneralequalityoftemperatureprevails。ItisnoteverywherethesamewithregardtoAsia，butsuchpartsofthecountryaslieintermediatebetweentheheatandthecold，arethebestsuppliedwithfruitsandtrees，andhavethemostgenialclimate，andenjoythepurestwaters，bothcelestialandterrestrial。Forneitheraretheymuchburntupbytheheat，nordriedupbythedroughtandwantofrain，nordotheysufferfromthecold；sincetheyarewellwateredfromabundantshowersandsnow，andthefruitsoftheseason，asmightbesupposed，growinabundance，bothsuchasareraisedfromseedthathasbeensown，andsuchplantsastheearthproducesofitsownaccord，thefruitsofwhichtheinhabitantsmakeuseof，trainingthemfromtheirwildstateandtransplantingthemtoasuitablesoil；thecattlealsowhicharerearedtherearevigorous，particularlyprolific，andbringupyoungofthefairestdescription；theinhabitantstoo，arewellfed，mostbeautifulinshape，oflargestature，anddifferlittlefromoneanothereitherastofigureorsize；andthecountryitself，bothasregardsitsconstitutionandmildnessoftheseasons，maybesaidtobearacloseresemblancetothespring。Manlycourage，enduranceofsuffering，laboriousenterprise，andhighspirit，couldnotbeproducedinsuchastateofthingseitheramongthenativeinhabitantsorthoseofadifferentcountry，fortherepleasurenecessarilyreigns。Forthisreason，also，theformsofwildbeaststherearemuchvaried。Thusitis，asIthink，withtheEgyptiansandLibyans。
　　13。ButconcerningthoseontherighthandofthesummerrisingsofthesunasfarasthePalusMaeotis（forthisistheboundaryofEuropeandAsia），itiswiththemasfollows:theinhabitantstheredifferfarmorefromoneanotherthanthoseIhavetreatedofabove，owingtothedifferencesoftheseasonsandthenatureofthesoil。
　　Butwithregardtothecountryitself，mattersarethesamethereasamongallothermen；forwheretheseasonsundergothegreatestandmostrapidchanges，therethecountryisthewildestandmostunequal；
　　andyouwillfindthegreatestvarietyofmountains，forests，plains，andmeadows；butwheretheseasonsdonotchangemuchtherethecountryisthemosteven；and，ifonewillconsiderit，soisitalsowithregardtotheinhabitants；forthenatureofsomeisliketoacountrycoveredwithtreesandwellwatered；ofsome，toathinsoildeficientinwater；ofothers，tofennyandmarshyplaces；andofsomeagain，toaplainofbareandparchedland。Fortheseasonswhichmodifytheirnaturalframeofbodyarevaried，andthegreaterthevarietiesofthemthegreateralsowillbethedifferencesoftheirshapes。
　　14。Iwillpassoverthesmallerdifferencesamongthenations，butwillnowtreatofsuchasaregreateitherfromnature，orcustom；
　　and，first，concerningtheMacrocephali。Thereisnootherraceofmenwhichhaveheadsintheleastresemblingtheirs。Atfirst，usagewastheprincipalcauseofthelengthoftheirhead，butnownaturecooperateswithusage。Theythinkthosethemostnoblewhohavethelongestheads。Itisthuswithregardtotheusage:immediatelyafterthechildisborn，andwhileitsheadisstilltender，theyfashionitwiththeirhands，andconstrainittoassumealengthenedshapebyapplyingbandagesandothersuitablecontrivanceswherebythesphericalformoftheheadisdestroyed，anditismadetoincreaseinlength。Thus，atfirst，usageoperated，sothatthisconstitutionwastheresultofforce:but，inthecourseoftime，itwasformednaturally；sothatusagehadnothingtodowithit；forthesemencomesfromallpartsofthebody，soundfromthesoundparts，andunhealthyfromtheunhealthyparts。If，then，childrenwithbaldheadsareborntoparentswithbaldheads；andchildrenwithblueevestoparentswhohaveblueeyes；andifthechildrenofparentshavingdistortedeyessquintalsoforthemostpart；andifthesamemaybesaidofotherformsofthebody，whatistopreventitfromhappeningthatachildwithalongheadshouldbeproducedbyaparenthavingalonghead？Butnowthesethingsdonothappenastheydidformerly，forthecustomnolongerprevailsowingtotheirintercoursewithothermen。Thusitappearstometobewithregardtothem。
　　15。AstotheinhabitantsofPhasis，theircountryisfenny，warm，humid，andwooded；copiousandsevererainsoccurthereatallseasons；andthelifeoftheinhabitantsisspentamongthefens；
　　fortheirdwellingsareconstructedofwoodandreeds，andareerectedamidstthewaters；theyseldompracticewalkingeithertothecityorthemarket，butsailabout，upanddown，incanoesconstructedoutofsingletrees，fortherearemanycanalsthere。Theydrinkthehotandstagnantwaters，bothwhenrenderedputridbythesun，andwhenswollenwithrains。ThePhasisitselfisthemoststagnantofallrivers，andrunsthesmoothest；allthefruitswhichspringthereareunwholesome，feebleandimperfectgrowth，owingtotheredundanceofwater，andonthisaccounttheydonotripen，formuchvaporfromthewatersoverspreadsthecountry。ForthesereasonsthePhasianshaveshapesdifferentfromthoseofallothermen；fortheyarelargeinstature，andofaverygrosshabitofbody，sothatnotajointnorveinisvisible；incolortheyaresallow，asifaffectedwithjaundice。Ofallmentheyhavetheroughestvoices，fromtheirbreathinganatmospherewhichisnotclear，butmistyandhumid；
　　theyarenaturallyratherlanguidinsupportingbodilyfatigue。Theseasonsundergobutlittlechangeeitherastoheatorcold；theirwindsforthemostpartaresoutherly，withtheexceptionofonepeculiartothecountry，whichsometimesblowsstrong，isviolentandhot，andiscalledbythemthewindcenchron。Thenorthwindscarcelyreachesthem，andwhenitdoesblowitisweakandgentle。
　　ThusitiswithregardtothedifferentnatureandshapeoftheinhabitantsofAsiaandEurope。
　　16。Andwithregardtothepusillanimityandcowardiceoftheinhabitants，theprincipalreasontheAsiaticsaremoreunwarlikeandofgentlerdispositionthantheEuropeansis，thenatureoftheseasons，whichdonotundergoanygreatchangeseithertoheatorcold，orthelike；forthereisneitherexcitementoftheunderstandingnoranystrongchangeofthebodywherebythetempermightberuffledandtheyberousedtoinconsiderateemotionandpassion，ratherthanlivingastheydoalwaysinthestate。Itischangesofallkindswhicharouseunderstandingofmankind，anddonotallowthemtogetintoatorpidcondition。Forthesereasons，itappearstome，theAsiaticraceisfeeble，andfurther，owingtotheirlaws；formonarchyprevailsinthegreaterpartofAsia，andwheremenarenottheirownmastersnorindependent，butaretheslavesofothers，itisnotamatterofconsiderationwiththemhowtheymayacquiremilitarydiscipline，buthowtheymayseemnottobewarlike，forthedangersarenotequallyshared，sincetheymustserveassoldiers，perhapsendurefatigue，anddiefortheirmasters，farfromtheirchildren，theirwives，andotherfriends；andwhatevernobleandmanlyactionstheymayperformleadonlytotheaggrandizementoftheirmasters，whilstthefruitswhichtheyreaparedangersanddeath；and，inadditiontoallthis，thelandsofsuchpersonsmustbelaidwastebytheenemyandwantofculture。Thus，then，ifanyonebenaturallywarlikeandcourageous，hisdispositionwillbechangedbytheinstitutions。Asastrongproofofallthis，suchGreeksorbarbariansinAsiaasarenotunderadespoticformofgovernment，butareindependent，andenjoythefruitsoftheirownlabors，areofallothersthemostwarlike；fortheseencounterdangersontheirownaccount，beartheprizesoftheirownvalor，andinlikemannerendurethepunishmentoftheirowncowardice。AndyouwillfindtheAsiaticsdifferingfromoneanother，forsomearebetterandothersmoredastardly；ofthesedifferences，asIstatedbefore，thechangesoftheseasonsarethecause。ThusitiswithAsia。