Hono'rius, Ju'lius
Works
the name prefixed to a short geographical tract first published by J. Gronovius, in his edition of Pomponius Mela (Lug. Bat. 1685), from an imperfect MS. in the Thuanean library at Paris, under the title
Julii Honorü Oratoris Excerpta quae ad Cosmographiam pertinent. According to the arrangement here adopted, the world is divided into four Oceans, the Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern (
Oceanus Orientalis, Occidentaiis, Septentrionalis, Meridianus), and a catalogue is given of the seas, islands, mountains, provinces, towns, rivers, and nations contained in each, furnishing nought save a bare enumeration of names, except in the case of the rivers, whose source, termination, and occasionally length of course, are specified.
With regard to the author of this work, or of the work of which this may be an abridgment, nothing whatsoever is known, although there can be little or no doubt that he is the
Julius Orator mentioned by Cassiodorus (
Div. Leet. 100.25) as a distinguished writer upon these topics, and he is one of the many personages to whom the Itinerary of Antoninus has been ascribed, as well as the Cosmography of Aethicus Hister, a compilation in many points identical with the piece which we have been describing. [ANTONINUS; AETHICUS.]
Further Information
See the edition of Pomponius Mela by .1. Gronovius, Lug. Bat. 8vo., 1685, and by A. Gronovius. Lug. Bat. 8vo., 1722; also the preface of Wesseling to his edition of the ancient Roman Itineraries, Amst. 4to., 1735.
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W.R]
