The islands lying about it, called Cyclades, gave it celebrity, since they were in the habit of sending at the public charge, as a testimony of respect, sacred delegates, (Theori,) sacrifices, and bands of virgins; they also repaired thither in great multitudes to celebrate festivals.[837] 3. Originally, there were said to be twelve Cyclades, but many others were added to them. Artemidorus enumerates (fifteen?) where he is speaking of the island Helena,[838] and of which he says that it extends from Thoricus[839] to Sunium,[840] and is about 60 stadia in length; it is from this island, he says, the Cyclades, as they are called, begin. He names Ceos,[841] as the nearest island to Helena, and next to this Cythnus, Seriphus,[842] Melos, Siphnus, Cimolus, Prepesinthus,[843] Oliarus,[844] and besides these Paros,[845] Naxos,[846] Syros,[847] Myconus,[848] Tenos,[849] Andros,[850] Gyarus.[851] The rest I consider as belonging to the Twelve, but not Prepesinthus, Oliarus, and Gyarus. When I put in at the latter island I found a small village inhabited by fishermen. When we left it we took in a fisherman, deputed from the inhabitants to go to Cæsar, who was at Corinth on his way to celebrate his triumph after the victory at Actium.[852] He told his fellow-passengers, that he was deputed to apply for an abatement of the tribute, for they were required to pay 150 drachmæ, when it was with difficulty they could pay 100. Aratus,[853] in his Details, intimates how poor they were; “O Latona, thou art shortly going to pass by me [_an insignificant island_] like to the iron-bound Pholegandrus, or to unhappy Gyarus. 4. Although Delos[854] was so famous, yet it became still more so, and flourished after the destruction of Corinth by the Romans.[855] For the merchants resorted thither, induced by the immunities of the temple, and the convenience of its harbour. It lies favourably[856] for those who are sailing from Italy and Greece to Asia. The general festival held there serves the purposes of commerce, and the Romans particularly frequented it even before the destruction of Corinth.[857] The Athenians, after having taken the island, paid equal attention to the affairs both of religion and of commerce. But the generals[858] of Mithridates, and the tyrant,[859] who had occasioned the defection of (Athens from the Romans), ravaged it entirely. The Romans received the island in a desolate state on the departure of the king to his own country; and it has continued in an impoverished condition to the present time.[860] The Athenians are now in possession of it. 5. Rheneia[861] is a small desert island 4 stadia from Delos, where are the sepulchral monuments of the Delians. For it is not permitted to bury the dead in Delos, nor to burn a [CAS. 486] dead body there. It is not permitted even to keep a dog in Delos. Formerly it had the name of Ortygia.[862]