12。Iwishtoshow，respectingAsiaandEurope，how，inallrespects，theydifferfromoneanother，andconcerningthefigureoftheinhabitants，fortheyaredifferent，anddonotatallresembleoneanother。Totreatofallwouldbealongstory，butIwilltellyouhowIthinkitiswithregardtothegreatestandmostmarkeddifferences。Isay，then，thatAsiadiffersverymuchfromEuropeastothenatureofallthings，bothWithregardtotheproductionsoftheearthandtheinhabitants，foreverythingisproducedmuchmorebeautifulandlargeinAsia；thecountryismilder，andthedispositionsoftheinhabitantsalsoaremoregentleandaffectionate。
Thecauseofthisisthetemperatureoftheseasons，becauseitliesinthemiddleoftherisingsofthesuntowardstheeast，andremovedfromthecold（andheat），fornothingtendstogrowthandmildnesssomuchaswhentheclimatehasnopredominantquality，butageneralequalityoftemperatureprevails。ItisnoteverywherethesamewithregardtoAsia，butsuchpartsofthecountryaslieintermediatebetweentheheatandthecold，arethebestsuppliedwithfruitsandtrees，andhavethemostgenialclimate，andenjoythepurestwaters，bothcelestialandterrestrial。Forneitheraretheymuchburntupbytheheat，nordriedupbythedroughtandwantofrain，nordotheysufferfromthecold；sincetheyarewellwateredfromabundantshowersandsnow，andthefruitsoftheseason，asmightbesupposed，growinabundance，bothsuchasareraisedfromseedthathasbeensown，andsuchplantsastheearthproducesofitsownaccord，thefruitsofwhichtheinhabitantsmakeuseof，trainingthemfromtheirwildstateandtransplantingthemtoasuitablesoil；thecattlealsowhicharerearedtherearevigorous，particularlyprolific，andbringupyoungofthefairestdescription；theinhabitantstoo，arewellfed，mostbeautifulinshape，oflargestature，anddifferlittlefromoneanothereitherastofigureorsize；andthecountryitself，bothasregardsitsconstitutionandmildnessoftheseasons，maybesaidtobearacloseresemblancetothespring。Manlycourage，enduranceofsuffering，laboriousenterprise，andhighspirit，couldnotbeproducedinsuchastateofthingseitheramongthenativeinhabitantsorthoseofadifferentcountry，fortherepleasurenecessarilyreigns。Forthisreason，also，theformsofwildbeaststherearemuchvaried。Thusitis，asIthink，withtheEgyptiansandLibyans。
13。ButconcerningthoseontherighthandofthesummerrisingsofthesunasfarasthePalusMaeotis（forthisistheboundaryofEuropeandAsia），itiswiththemasfollows:theinhabitantstheredifferfarmorefromoneanotherthanthoseIhavetreatedofabove，owingtothedifferencesoftheseasonsandthenatureofthesoil。
Butwithregardtothecountryitself，mattersarethesamethereasamongallothermen；forwheretheseasonsundergothegreatestandmostrapidchanges，therethecountryisthewildestandmostunequal；
andyouwillfindthegreatestvarietyofmountains，forests，plains，andmeadows；butwheretheseasonsdonotchangemuchtherethecountryisthemosteven；and，ifonewillconsiderit，soisitalsowithregardtotheinhabitants；forthenatureofsomeisliketoacountrycoveredwithtreesandwellwatered；ofsome，toathinsoildeficientinwater；ofothers，tofennyandmarshyplaces；andofsomeagain，toaplainofbareandparchedland。Fortheseasonswhichmodifytheirnaturalframeofbodyarevaried，andthegreaterthevarietiesofthemthegreateralsowillbethedifferencesoftheirshapes。