There is no sort of textual corruption which cannot be abundantly illustrated from the MSS. of Strabo; but they stand almost alone in one characteristic—the multitude of lacunae. It is not a question here of mutilation on a large scale, such as the loss of most of the seventh book, nor of the omission of words or lines through such causes as homoioteleuton; these can be easily proved to exist, and probably there are many cases of them which we cannot now prove. But the peculiar lacunae of Strabo are due to a conscientious scribe, somewhere in the genealogy of the MSS., who had before him a copy in which from time to time he came across words or letters which for some reason he was unable to decipher; he has therefore left blanks corresponding in length to the missing letters. These lacunae have been recently discussed by Allen in C.Q. ix. 88. It is there shewn that they do not arise from any physical mutilation of the MS.; their cause must be left uncertain.

Gaps such as these were evidently likely to be filled up in course of time, as Allen says, ‘either by bringing the ends together or by inserting supplements.’ And in the case of Strabo such supplements were constantly at hand.