71r

More Seas

This mountain is so big
that it overlooks the Ocean^{1The Ocean Sea, which was believed to encircle all three continents of the world.} to the east;
the Chaldean or Indian Sea to the south.
It also overlooks the Syrian Sea to the west,
the one near Trebizond^{2The Black Sea; Trabzon was located on the Black Sea in northeastern Turkey.} to the northwest,
and the Persian Sea^{3Possibly the Persian Gulf?}, which is nearby.
It overlooks all of Syria and Chaldea^4Babylonia.
and the land of Sheba to the southeast.

Nineveh and Baghdad

There you see the site of the great ancient city
of Nineveh on the Tigris, which was the first
imperial capital and queen over the surrounding lands.^{5Translating "donna" as "capital and queen" to render its dual meaning. Contrade has a specific meaning in Italian—subject territories surrounding a city—that does not always translate into English.}
A little further down the river
is now Baghdad, and then beyond that, where it falls
into the sea, the river gives a view of the high peak
where stood the great tower that Nimrod made
after the Flood and Noah's Ark.

The Indian Sea^{6Most likely the Persian Gulf.}

The shores of the Indian Sea are on the lefthand side
when going up towards the East,
with the shores of Egypt^{7By "Egypt" he probably means Saudi Arabia.} on the righthand side:
they run parallel to each other, in a straight line.
Close to that shore was the training ground
of arrogant giants, where the people
spoke so many languages, and where one can see
the high tower [of Babel] still standing.^{8See illustration (mislabeled as the Tower of "Mabel").}