[35,21] εἰσὶ δὲ λειμῶνες αὐτόθι πάγκαλοι καὶ φύσις ἀνθῶν τε καὶ δένδρων παρεχόντων τὴν μὲν σκιὰν ἄνωθεν ἐξ ὕψους, τὸν δὲ καρπὸν ἐν ἐφικτῷ τοῖς βουλομένοις λαβεῖν νευόντων τῶν κλάδων. οἵ τε ὄρνιθες κατᾴδουσιν, οἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν συγκαθήμενοι, πολύ τι πλῆθος, οἱ δὲ ἄνωθεν ἀπὸ ἀκρεμόνων, εὐφωνότεροι τῶν παρ´ ἡμῖν ὀργάνων. πνεῦμά τε ἀεὶ μέτριον διαρρεῖ, καὶ τῶν ἀέρων ἡ κρᾶσις ὁμοία διὰ παντός, μάλιστα δὲ ἔοικεν ἀρχομένῳ θέρει. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὅ τε οὐρανὸς ἐκεῖ καθαρώτερος καὶ τὰ ἄστρα πλείω καὶ λαμπρότερα. ζῶσι δὲ πλεῖον τετρακοσίων ἐτῶν, πάντα τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον ὡραῖοι καὶ νέοι καὶ οὔτε γῆράς ἐστι παρ´ ἐκείνοις οὔτε νόσος οὔτε πενία.

[35,21] And there are in that land meadows of utter beauty and a variety of flowering trees that provide shade from high above, though they bring their fruit within reach of all who wish to pluck it as the branches nod. And the birds charm them by their song, some seated in the meadows, a great flock of them, and some high up among the topmost branches, their notes more tuneful than those of our musical instruments. And a gentle breeze is ever blowing, and the climate is nearly constant throughout the year, and it resembles most closely that of early summer. And what is more, not only is their sky clearer, but also the stars are more numerous and more brilliant. And these people live more than four hundred years, and during all that time they are beautiful and youthful and neither old age nor disease nor poverty is found among them.

[35,22] τούτων δὲ τοιούτων {ὄντων} καὶ τοσούτων ὑπαρχόντων ἀγαθῶν, ὅμως εἰσὶν ἄνθρωποι καλούμενοι Βραχμᾶνες, οἳ χαίρειν ἐάσαντες τούς τε ποταμοὺς ἐκείνους καὶ τοὺς παρ´ αὐτοῖς ἐρριμμένους ἐκτραπέντες ἰδίᾳ τε ξυλλογίζονται καὶ φροντίζουσι, πόνους τε θαυμαστοὺς ἀναλαβόμενοι τοῖς σώμασιν οὐδενὸς ἀναγκάζοντος καὶ καρτερήσεις δεινὰς ὑπομένοντες. φασὶ δὲ ἐξαίρετον αὐτοῖς εἶναι μίαν πηγὴν τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας, πολὺ πασῶν ἀρίστην καὶ θειοτάτην, ἧς οὐδέποτε τοὺς γευσαμένους ἐμπίμπλασθαι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖθεν λόγος ἐστὶν ἀψευδής. ἤδη γάρ τινες τῶν ἀφικνουμένων ἔφασαν· ἀφικνοῦνται δὲ οὐ πολλοί τινες ἐμπορίας ἕνεκεν· οὗτοι δὲ ἐπιμίγνυνται τοῖς πρὸς θαλάττῃ. τοῦτο δὲ ἄτιμόν ἐστιν Ἰνδῶν τὸ γένος, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι φεύγουσιν αὐτούς.

[35,22] So wonderful and so numerous are these blessings, and yet there are people called Brachmanes who, abandoning those rivers and the people scattered along their banks, turn aside and devote themselves to private speculation and meditation, undertaking amazing physical labours without compulsion and enduring fearful tests of endurance. And it is said that they have one special fountain, the Fountain of Truth, by far the best and most godlike of all, and that those who drink their fil thereof have never been known to lie. Regarding conditions in that land, then, it is a true story that you have heard. For some of those who have been there have vouched for it; though only a few do go there, in pursuit of trade, and they mingle only with the people of the coast. And that branch of the Indian race is in low repute, and all the others say harsh things of them.