forces a passage through the range of Taurus. At Claudiopolis[3787], in Cappadocia, it takes an easterly direction; and here, for the first time in this contest, Taurus turns it out of its course; though conquered before, and rent asunder by its channel, the mountain-chain now gains the victory in another way, and, breaking its career, compels it to take a southerly direction. Thus is this warfare of nature equally waged,—the river proceeding onward to the destination which it intends to reach, and the mountains forbidding it to proceed by the path which it originally intended. After passing the Cataracts[3788], the river again becomes navigable; and, at a distance of forty miles from thence, is Samosata[3789], the capital of Commagene. CHAP. 21.—SYRIA UPON THE EUPHRATES. Arabia, above mentioned, has the cities of Edessa[3790], formerly called Antiochia, and, from the name of its fountain, Callirhoë[3791], and Carrhæ[3792], memorable for the defeat of Crassus there. Adjoining to this is the præfecture of Mesopotamia, which derives its origin from the Assyrians, and in which are the towns of Anthemusia[3793] and Nicephorium[3794]; after which come the Arabians, known by the name of Prætavi, with Singara[3795] for their capital. Below Samosata, on the side of Syria, the river Marsyas[3796] flows into the Euphrates. At Cingilla ends the territory of Commagene, and the state of the Immei begins. The cities which are here washed by the river are those of Epiphania[3797] and Antiochia[3798], generally known as Epiphania and Antiochia on the Euphrates; also Zeugma, seventy-two miles distant from Samosata, famous for the passage there across the Euphrates. Opposite to it is Apamia[3799], which Seleucus, the founder of both cities, united by a bridge. The people who join up to Mesopotamia are called the Rhoali. Other towns in Syria are those of Europus[3800], and what was formerly Thapsacus[3801], now Amphipolis. We then come to the Arabian Scenitæ[3802]. The Euphrates then proceeds in its course till it reaches the place called Ura[3803], at which, taking a turn to the east, it leaves the Syrian Deserts of Palmyra[3804], which extend as far as the city of Petra[3805] and the regions of Arabia Felix. (25.) Palmyra is a city famous for the beauty of its site, the riches of its soil, and the delicious quality and abundance of its water. Its fields are surrounded by sands on every side, and are thus separated, as it were, by nature from the rest of the world. Though placed between the two great empires of Rome and Parthia, it still maintains[3806] its independence; never failing, at the very first moment that a rupture between them is threatened, to attract the careful attention of both. It is distant 337 miles from Seleucia[3807] of the Parthians, generally known as Seleucia on the Tigris, 203 from the nearest part of the Syrian coast, and twenty-seven less from Damascus.