The Geography of Strabo, Volume 2 (of 3): Literally Translated, with NotesStrabo
History
The Geography of Strabo, Volume 2 (of 3): Literally Translated, with Notes
Strabo
Geography -- Early works to 1800
“There are many Achæan women in Hellas and Phthia.”[492]
The poet then makes these places to be two, but whether cities or
countries he does not expressly say. Some of the later writers, who
affirm that it is a country, suppose it to have extended from
Palæpharsalus to Thebæ Phthiotides. In this country also is Thetidium,
near both the ancient and the modern Pharsalus; and it is conjectured
from [CAS. 432] Thetidium that the country, in which it is situated,
was a part of that under the command of Achilles. Others, who regard it
as a city, allege that the Pharsalii show at the distance of 60 stadia
from their own city, a city in ruins, which they believe to be Hellas,
and two springs near it, Messeïs and Hypereia. But the Melitæenses say,
that at the distance of about 10 stadia from their city, was situated
Hellas on the other side of the Enipeus,[493] when their own city had
the name of Pyrrha, and that the Hellenes migrated from Hellas, which
was built in a low situation, to theirs. They adduce in proof of this
the tomb of Hellen, son of Deucalion and Pyrrha, which is in their
market-place. For according to historians, Deucalion was king of
Phthiotis and of all Thessaly. The Enipeus flows from Othrys[494] beside
Pharsalus,[495] and empties itself into the Apidanus,[496] and the
latter into the Peneius.
Thus much, then, respecting the Hellenes.
7. The people under the command of Achilles, Protesilaus, and
Philoctetes, are called Phthii. The poet furnishes evidence of this.
Having recited in the Catalogue of those under the command of Achilles,
“the people of Phthia,”[497]
he represents them at the battle at the ships, as remaining in the ships
with Achilles, and inactive; but those under the command of Philoctetes,
as fighting with Medon [as their leader], and those under the command of
Protesilaus, with Podarces [as their chief]. Of these the poet speaks in
general terms;
“there were Bœoti and Iaones wearing long robes, Locri,
Phthii, and illustrious Epeii.”[498]
But here he particularizes them;
“at the head of the Phthii fought Medon and Podarces, firm in
battle. These armed with breastplates fought together with
Bœoti, at the head of the magnanimous Phthii, keeping away the
enemy from the ships.”[499]
Perhaps the people with Eurypylus were called Phthii, as they bordered
upon the country of the latter. At present, however, historians assign
to Magnesia the country about Ormenium, which was subject to Eurypylus,
and the whole of that subject to Philoctetes; but they regard the
country under the command of Protesilaus as belonging to Phthia, from
Dolopia and Pindus to the sea of Magnesia; but as far as the city
Antron, (now written in the plural number,) which was subject to
Protesilaus, beginning from Trachinia and Œta, is the width of the
territory belonging to Peleus and Achilles. But this is nearly the whole
length of the Maliac Gulf.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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