Text, one version only, translated from the 1573 Latin 1st Add/1573 Latin (A), 1573 Dutch 1st Add/1573 Dutch, 1573 German 1st Add/1573 German, 1573 Latin (AB), 1574 French 1st Add/1574 French, 1574 Latin, 1575 Latin, 1579 Latin (AB), 1580/1589 German, 1581 French, 1584 Latin, 1587 French, 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin & 1598 French editions:
121.1. {1573L2Add{The territories of PADVA.
121.2. The territories of Padua (which form part of the marquisate of Treviso) were in old times larger, but are now contained within these bounds: on its South side runs the river Adige, on the North it borders on the little river Muslone, {not in 1573D1Add{in the East lies the gulf of Venice {1573G1Add & 1580/1589G only{with its hot baths}1573G1Add & 1580/1589G only, not in 1573D1Add} [and] in the West are the Montes Euganei and the province of Vicenza. The following verse was inscribed on the ancient seal of the city: Muso, mons, Athesis, mare, certos dant mihi fines, [that is: the [river] Muslone, the hill, [the river] Adige and the sea enclose me all around].
121.3. Its circumference is 180 miles. There are now 347 villages and hamlets in it. To the jurisdiction of Padua now belong these seven excellent towns: Montiniano, Castro Baldo, Atheste, Mons Silicis {1588S has instead{Monte de Pedernal}1588S}, Sacci city, Campo St. Pietro and Cittadella. And also these six villages: Miran, Oriaco, Titulo, Liviano and Arquata, famous for the tomb of Petrarcha, [then] Consylvio and Anguillaria. There are also in this territory the mountains called Euganei, made famous by the poets, near to which there is Abano, a village situated on the spring [of the river] Abano, often mentioned by Claudianus and Martialis.
121.4. Also, Cassiodorus in his Epistles writes that king Theodoricus gave order to repair them. The fertility of the soil of this province of Padua is such that of those things which are by necessity required for the sustenance of man, it yearly exports to neighbouring cities and countries a great abundance, without any [remaining] needs for the inhabitants.
121.5. Their wines are very rich, [and] hunting, fowling and fishing are very common here. {not in 1573G1Add/1573G only{It is so well provided with rivers that (to the great gain and profit of the inhabitants) there is no country village at a greater distance than five miles from a river}not in 1573G1Add/1573G only}. They brag about this great plenty and abundance of things in their common proverb which says: Bononia la grassa, Padua la passa, {not in 1588S{that is, Padua for fertility surpasses rich Bologna in spite of the fact that this [Bologna] is very fertile too}not in 1588S}. So far about the region.
121.6. Now something about the city from which it took its name. It is situated in a plain traversed everywhere by pleasant rivers. The city is very strong, enclosed [as it is] by a broad [and] deep ditch of water, by high and thick walls, and [it] is very populous. It has an excellent large common [meadow] outside the city, in which the enemy that might besiege it will not find any shelter. [There is] a town hall, most stately and sumptuous, all covered with lead.
121.7. [It also has] a university famous all over Europe, founded, as they report, by Charles the Great, [and] finished by Fredericus the second in the year of our Lord 1222, and confirmed by Urbanus, the fourth pope forty years later. There is in this city an orchard (which they call physicians garden), in form round and very large, planted with all kinds of strange herbs used in medicine for the instruction of young students in the knowledge of herbs and plants, a unique and worthy work. Clothing is the chief trade of the citizens, providing a return of 600,000 pounds a year and more.
121.8. {not in 1573D1Add, 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F{This we have taken from Bernardino Scardeonio who has written a whole volume on the location, liberties, antiquities, famous men and things worthy to be remembered about this city. He that desires to see more of this, let him read that, if he pleases, to whom may be added Leander's description of Italy}not in 1573D1Add, 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F}.
121.9. APVLIA {1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F, 1588S & 1598F only{or PVGLIA}1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F, 1588S & 1598F only}.
121.10. We have composed this discussion about this country on the basis of the treatise by Antonius Galatæus which he wrote about the situation of Iapygia. This country, he says, with respect to its location, finds itself in the most temperate place of the world. By various authors it has been called by different names. Aristoteles and Herodotus call it Iapygia, others Peucetia, others [again] Mesapia, others [again] Magna Græcia [Great Greece], others [again] Apulia, others [again] Calabria (for that which is now called Calabria used to be called Brutia).
121.11. The corn, vegetables and fruits of this country are of the best. The oats from this soil are as good as the barley from other countries, and the barley is as good as [other's] wheat. Melons of a most pleasing taste and lemons everywhere grow in great abundance. Medicinal herbs, of greater strength than elsewhere, are here everywhere very common. The climate is very wholesome, [and] the soil is neither dry nor marshy. But these great gifts and blessings are offset by some mischief, for here nature breeds a most obnoxious kind of spider {1574F1Add/1574, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{called tarantula}1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F only} whose venom is only expelled by [music from] drums and flutes.
121.12. Here is also a serpent called chersidrus {not in 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F, 1588S & 1598F{and locusts, causing very contageous diseases}not in 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F, 1588S & 1598F} {1573G1Add, 1574F1Add/1574F, 1580/1589G, 1581F, 1587F, 1588S & 1598F instead{caterpillars which hurt and spoil all things they land upon}1573G1Add, 1574F1Add/1574F, 1580/1589G, 1581F, 1587F, 1588S & 1598F instead}. The cities of this country, in old times were Tarentum, proudly located between two seas, exceedingly well provided with fish. [It] has a form resembling a long island. This city is invincible in everyone's judgement. [Then] Callipolis, a city situated at the end of a promontory, extending into the sea but with a much narrower isthmos, in some places only so narrow that carts can hardly pass each other.
121.13. It is very strong, and surrounded by high cliffs. From the mainland there is only one entrance, at which there is a very strong castle. Hydruntum [Otranto] is the main city and (which means a little more to me) metropolitan of the whole peninsula. For whether it is in terms of its antiquity, or the virtue and humanity of its citizens, it has always been considered a very famous and worthy city.
121.14. It has a very good and capacious harbour, but not so safe against the raging blasts of the North wind. It was once very strong and easy to defend, but now it lies almost level with the ground. The adjacent fields are very fruitful, full of springs, and always green. From there the Montes Cerauni, certain hills of Epirus, may easily be seen.
121.15. Here is the end of the Adriatic and Ionian seas, as Plinius states. Brindisi, a famous city, has as notable a harbour as any elsewhere in the world. The inner harbour is enclosed by two castles and a huge chain. The outer harbour is here and there beset with rocks and small islands, but its mouth, has been clogged by Alphonsus to such an extent that there is only passage of entry for small ships and {Latin editions only{two-oared}Latin editions only} barges.
121.16. It has in former times been a very populous city, but now it is only little inhabited. These are the chief coastal cities. Whoever would like to know more details about the ancient names, location, antiquities, and individual stories concerning the inland cities and towns, we refer [that person] to the learned discussion by Galatæus}1573D1Add/1573D, 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F end here}, written about this native country of his, to which whoever wants so may add the description by Leander, [and] I am convinced that the thirsty reader would not know what more to ask for}1573L1Add, 1573G1Add, 1573L(AB), 1574L, 1575L, 1579L(AB), 1580/1589G, 1584L, 1588S & 1592L end here}.