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
“At sunrise I go to the magnanimous Caucones, where a debt
neither of a late date nor of small amount is owing to me.[57]
When Telemachus comes to thy house send him with thy son, thy
chariot, and thy horses;”
a certain district in the territory of the Epeii appears to be
designated, which the Caucones, a different nation from that in
Triphylia, possessed, and who perhaps extended even as far as the Dymean
territory.] But it was not proper to omit, whence Dyme had the name
Cauconitis, nor why the river was called Caucon, because the question
is, who the Caucones[58] were, to whom Minerva says, she is going to
recover a debt. For if we understand the poet to mean those in Triphylia
about Lepreum, I know not how this is probable; whence some persons even
write the passage,
“where a large debt is owing to me in the sacred Elis.”
This will appear more clearly, when we describe the Pisatis, and after
it Triphylia as far as the confines of Messenia.
12. Next to the Chelonatas is the long tract of coast of the Pisatæ;
then follows a promontory, Pheia; there was also a small town of this
name;
“by the walls of Pheia about the stream of the Jardanes,”[59]
for there is a small river near it.
Some writers say, that Pheia is the commencement of the Pisatis. In
front of Pheia is a small island and a harbour; thence to Olympia by
sea, which is the shortest way, is 120 stadia. Then immediately follows
another promontory, [Icthys,] projecting very far towards the west, like
the Chelonatas; from this promontory to Cephallenia are 120 stadia. Next
the Alpheius discharges itself, at the distance from the Chelonatas of
280, and from the Araxus of 545, stadia. It flows from the same places
as the Eurotas. There is a village of the name of Asea in the
Megalopolitis, where the two sources, whence the above-mentioned rivers
issue, are near to one another. After running under the earth the
distance of many stadia, they then rise to the surface, when one takes
its course to Laconia, the other to the Pisatis. The Eurotas reappears
at the commencement of the district Bleminates, flowing close beside
Sparta, and passing through a long valley near Helos, which the poet
mentions, empties itself between Gythium, the naval arsenal of Sparta,
and Acræa. But the Alpheius, after receiving the Celadon, (Ladon?) and
Erymanthus, and other obscure streams, pursues its course through
Phrixa, and the Pisatis, and Triphylia, close to Olympia, [CAS. 343]
and discharges itself into the Sicilian Sea between Pheia and Epitalium.
At its mouth, and at the distance of 80 stadia from Olympia, is situated
the grove of Artemis Alpheionia, or Alpheiusa, for both words are in
use. At Olympia an annual festival, to which multitudes resort, is
celebrated in honour of this goddess, as well as of Diana Elaphia and
Diana Daphnia. The whole country is full of temples dedicated to Diana,
and Aphrodite, and the Nymphs, which are situated amidst flowery groves,
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