However, the parallel goes ...

[pars]

Dear all:
What is the exact meaning of the following passage? It is from Willem Floor, German Sources on Safavid Persia, p. 400. Of course, the text was originally written in German nearly 300 years ago. The whole words in bold are problematic. The underlined words are seemingly Latin.

However, the parallel goes right through the center of Persia at 33 Elev. Poli Borealis, and calculated down to one degree becomes 50 aequatoris, thus, the length of Persia comes down to 337.5 miles. Therefore, neither width nor length are by far not so big as some geographers have held out.

Thanks very much.

 

[5jj]

Also asked here: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/elev-poli-borealis-50-aequatoris.3977790/#post-20384965

 

[pars]

Also asked here: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/elev-poli-borealis-50-aequatoris.3977790/#post-20384965

Thanks, but, that answer was far from satisfactory.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks, but, that answer was far from satisfactory.

It looks fairly clear to me. What exactly was your problem with it?

Please note that when you come to us with a question you have asked elsewhere, you should provide the link to the other forum yourself (in post #1) and explain why you didn't find the answer satisfactory.

 

[pars]

It looks fairly clear to me. What exactly was your problem with it?

Please note that when you come to us with a question you have asked elsewhere, you should provide the link to the other forum yourself (in post #1) and explain why you didn't find the answer satisfactory.

The whole words in bold are problematic for me.

 

[jutfrank]

pars, tell us which bits you don't understand. Don't make us guess. I assume you know where Persia is.

 

[pars]

pars, tell us which bits you don't understand. Don't make us guess. I assume you know where Persia is.

Exactly these words "33 Elev. Poli Borealis, and calculated down to one degree becomes 50 aequatoris,"

 

[probus]

"The parallel" refers to a line of latitude, specifically 33 degrees north. "Poli borealis" is Latin. It's the genitive singular so it means "of or from the north pole". So the passage seems to be saying that because that latitude line is where it is, Persia is much smaller than one would otherwise think in both length and breadth. Mathematically, that seems to be a non sequitur, that is it does NOT follow by logic. Additional context might help to clarify the author's argument.

 

[pars]

Thanks very much, but what does "50 aequatoris" mean?

 

[probus]

"50 aequatoris"means nothing to me. I suspect poor translation from the German.