The Geography of Strabo, Volume 1 (of 3): Literally Translated, with NotesStrabo
History
The Geography of Strabo, Volume 1 (of 3): Literally Translated, with Notes
Strabo
Geography -- Early works to 1800
5. They say that the greatest length of Tyrrhenia, which is along the
coast from Luna to Ostia, is about 2500 stadia; and that its breadth in
the direction of the mountains is less than half that number. Then from
Luna to Pisa there are more than 400 stadia; from thence to
Volaterræ[1699] 280; thence to [CAS. 222] Poplonium 270; and from
Poplonium to Cossa[1700] near 800, or as some say, 600. Polybius,
however, says that there are not[1701] in all 1330.[1702] Of these Luna
is a city and harbour; it is named by the Greeks, the harbour and city
of Selene.[1703] The city is not large, but the harbour[1704] is very
fine and spacious, containing in itself numerous harbours, all of them
deep near the shore; it is in fact an arsenal worthy of a nation holding
dominion for so long a time over so vast a sea. The harbour is
surrounded by lofty mountains,[1705] from whence you may view the
sea[1706] and Sardinia, and a great part of the coast on either side.
Here are quarries of marble, both white and marked with green, so
numerous and large, as to furnish tablets and columns of one block; and
most of the material for the fine works, both in Rome and the other
cities, is furnished from hence. The transport of the marble is easy, as
the quarries lie near to the sea, and from the sea they are conveyed by
the Tiber. Tyrrhenia likewise supplies most of the straightest and
longest planks for building, as they are brought direct from the
mountains to the river. Between Luna and Pisa flows the Macra,[1707] a
division which many writers consider the true boundary of Tyrrhenia and
Liguria. Pisa was founded by the Pisatæ of the Peloponnesus, who went
under Nestor to the expedition against Troy, but in their voyage home
wandered out of their course, some to Metapontium,[1708] others to the
Pisatis; they were, however, all called Pylians. The city lies between
the two rivers Arno[1709] and Æsar,[1710] at their point of confluence;
the former of which, though very full, descends from Arretium[1711] not
in one body, but divided into three; the second flows down from the
Apennines. Where they fall into one current, the shock between them is
so great as to raise the water to that height, that people standing on
either bank are not able to see each other; so that necessarily the
voyage up from the sea is difficult. This voyage is about 20 stadia.
There is a tradition, that when these rivers first descended from the
mountains they were impeded by the inhabitants of the district, lest
falling together they should inundate the country; however, they
promised not to inundate it, and they have kept their word. This city
appears to have been formerly flourishing, and at the present day it
still maintains its name, on account of its fertility, its
marble-quarries, and its wood for building ships, which formerly they
employed to preserve themselves from danger by sea; for they were more
warlike than the Tyrrheni, and were constantly irritated by the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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