I considered the form of government among the Cretans as worthy of description, on account both of its peculiarity and its fame. Few of these institutions are now in existence, and the administration of affairs is chiefly conducted according to the orders of the Romans, as is the case also in their other provinces. CHAPTER V. 1. The islands about Crete are Thera,[819] the capital of the Cyrenæans, and a colony of the Lacedæmonians; and near Thera is Anaphe,[820] in which is the temple of Apollo Ægletes. Callimachus speaks of it in one place, thus, “And Æglete Anaphe, close to the Lacedæmonian Thera;” and in another, he mentions Thera only, “Mother of my country, celebrated for its fine breed of horses.” Thera is a long island, about 200 stadia in circumference. It lies opposite to the island Dia,[821] towards the Cnossian Heracleium. It is distant about 700 stadia from Crete. Near it are Anaphe and Therasia.[822] The little island Ios[823] is distant from the latter about 100 stadia. Here according to some authors the poet Homer was buried.[824] In going from Ios towards the west are Sicenus[825] and Lagusa,[826] and Pholegandrus,[827] which Aratus calls the iron island, on account of its rocks. Near these islands is Cimolus,[828] whence is obtained the Cimolian earth. From Cimolus Siphnus[829] is visible. To this island is applied the proverb, “a Siphnian bone (astragalus),” on account of its insignificance. Still nearer, both to Cimolus and Crete, is Melos,[830] more considerable than these. It is distant from the Hermionic promontory, the Scyllæum,[831] 700 stadia, and nearly as many from the Dictynnæan promontory. The Athenians formerly despatched an army to Melos,[832] and put to death the inhabitants from youth upwards. These islands are situated in the Cretan sea. Delos,[833] the Cyclades about it, and the Sporades adjacent to these, belong rather to the Ægæan sea. To the Sporades also are to be referred the islands about Crete, which I have already mentioned. 2. The city of Delos is in a plain. Delos contains the temple of Apollo, and the Latoum, or temple of Latona. The Cynthus,[834] a naked and rugged mountain, overhangs the city. [CAS. 485] The Inopus,[835] not a large river, for the island is small, flows through it. Anciently, even from the heroic times, this island has been held in veneration on account of the divinities worshipped here. Here, according to the fable, Latona was relieved from the pains of labour, and gave birth to Apollo and Diana. “Before this time,” (says Pindar,[836]) “Delos was carried about by the waves, and by winds blowing from every quarter, but when the daughter of Cœus set her foot upon it, who was then suffering the sharp pangs of approaching childbirth, at that instant four upright columns, resting on adamant, sprang from the depths of the earth and retained it fast on the rugged rock; there she brought forth, and beheld her happy offspring.”