CONCERNING ANCIENT INDIA.

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two thoufand armed chariots 48 ; and Megafthenesrelates, that he had an audience of Sandracottusin a place where he was encamped with an armyof four hundred thoufand men 48 . The enormousdimenfions which he affigns to Palibothra , of nolefs than ten miles in length, and two in breadth,and furrounded by walls in which there were fivehundred and leventy towers, and fixty-four gates,would probably have been ranked by Europeansamong the wonders which he delighted to relate,if they were not now well acquainted with therambling manner in which the cities of India arebuilt , and did not know with certainty that,both in former and in the prefent times, it mightboaft of cities flill more extenfive ! \

This embafiy of Megafthenes to Sandracottus,and another of Daimachus to his fon and fuccefforAllitrochidas, are the laid tranfactions of the Syrian monarchs with India , of which we have anyaccount s ‘. Nor can we either fix with accuracythe time, or deferibe the manner in which theirpoffelfions in India were wrefted from them. It isprobable that they were obliged to abandon thatcountry foon after the death of Seleucus ’ 1 .

But though the great monarchs of Syria loft,about this period, thofe provinces in India whichhad been fubjebt to their dominion, the Greeksin a fmaller kingdom, compofed of forae fragments

48 Diod. 'Sicul. lib. xvii. p. 252. Q. Curt. lib. ix. c. 2.48 Strabo , lib. xv. p. 1035. C. ’* Rennell, Mem. 49, 50,51 See NOTE XIV. " Juftin. lib. xv. c. 4.

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