Geographical Treasury

...as we were able to draw from those who serve the cause of learning. We also frequently compared handwritten manuscripts codices: ancient or medieval handwritten books, as opposed to printed ones with printed versions. With their help, we applied a corrective hand to many passages that were corrupt or nonsensical. By comparing various histories and traditional stories, we clarified many obscure passages and removed barbaric or distorted readings. By our own judgment, if I am not mistaken, we often corrected faulty readings found in the works of reputable authors. Some points we have merely noted in passing.

Nevertheless, I present many such corrupt and strange names here, though not without a warning mark. To tell the truth, I would have preferred to leave these out entirely, but I chose to prioritize the convenience and needs of students over my own preferences. Perhaps some readers will wish for more ancient names to be interpreted into their modern equivalents. I could have done this more often using the books of others or my own judgment. However, I deliberately and willingly passed over many instances because I see that many such identifications are based only on conjecture. These guesses are often not very firm, and I do not approve of them. Even in cases where I have inserted identifications based on the opinions of others, I do not pledge my own word for their accuracy. Instead, I refer the reader to the original authors, whom I cite at every point. On the other hand, I know there will be those who take less pleasure in these modern names. I ask them to simply skip those parts, leaving what is not to their taste for the palate of others.

We have added Greek terms to the ancient names whenever the source books allowed. Sometimes we lacked access to Greek manuscripts. We did this so that the correct spelling might be better established and preserved. We also added synonyms to each entry where they existed. I saw that a careful consideration of these details brings significant clarity to students of history and geography. We have deliberately, though not entirely, avoided using epithets and descriptive phrases commonly used by poets and orators. Although these might look like names, they belong more to the study of grammar than geography. They relate more to the stories and fables of a nation or place than to its physical location or actual knowledge. Those who wish to know about such things have an excellent resource in the works of Johannes Ravisius Textor Jean Tixier de Ravisi, a French humanist scholar whose popular reference books cataloged poetic epithets and classical lore..

If anyone wished for longer descriptions of places, let them know that I intended to create a nomenclature nomenclaturam: a systematic list of names or terms, not a full history. I did not want this work to grow into an immense and expensive volume by including the words of others. Yet, for those who value such details, this work provides a way to satisfy their curiosity. We immediately provide the authors who mention each name. I believe all moderately learned people will agree with me that it is much safer to seek information from the original sources than from the secondary accounts drawn from us or others.

I am longer in my descriptions at certain times, but only where the difficulty of the location seemed to require it. I also provide more detail for information found in unpublished books or letters, or provided by friends who support our project. Because these things could not be found in printed books, and I judged them useful for students to know, I have been a little more generous with space than in other entries. These are the things that I honestly share with you, honest Reader, through this labor of mine. Farewell, and look kindly upon this work.