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
21. Next to the Piræus is the demus Phalereis, on the succeeding line of
coast, then Halimusii, Æxoneis, Alæeis, the Æxonici, Anagyrasii; then
Theoris, Lampesis; Ægilieis, Anaphlystii, Azenieis; these extend as far
as the promontory Sunium. Between the above-mentioned demi is a long
promontory, Zoster,[317] the first after the Æxoneis; then another
promontory after Thoreis, Astypalæa; in the front of the former of these
is an island, Phabra,[318] and of the latter an island, Eleüssa,[319]
opposite the Æxoneis is Hydrussa. About Anaphlystum is the Paneum, and
the temple of Venus Colias. Here, they say, were thrown up by the waves
the last portions of the wrecks of the vessels after the naval
engagement with the Persians near Salamis, of which remains Apollo
predicted,
“The women of Colias shall shudder at the sight of oars.”
In front of these places lies off, at no great distance, the island
Belbina; and the rampart of Patroclus; but most of these islands are
uninhabited.
22. On doubling the promontory at Sunium, we meet with Sunium, a
considerable demus; then Thoricus, next a demus called Potamus, from
which the inhabitants are called Potamii; next Prasia,[320] Steiria,
Brauron, where is the temple of [CAS. 399] Diana Brauronia, Halæ
Araphenides, where is the temple of Diana Tauropola; then Myrrhinus,
Probalinthus, Marathon, where Miltiades entirely destroyed the army of
Datis the Persian, without waiting for the Lacedæmonians, who deferred
setting out till the full moon. There is laid the scene of the fable of
the Marathonian bull, which Theseus killed.
Next to Marathon is Tricorynthus, then Rhamnus, where is the temple of
Nemesis; then Psaphis, a city of the Oropii. Somewhere about this spot
is the Amphiaraeum, an oracle once in repute, to which Amphiareus fled,
as Sophocles says,
“The dusty Theban soil opened and received him with his
armour, and the four-horse chariot.”
Oropus has frequently been a subject of contention, for it is situated
on the confines of Attica and Bœotia.
In front of this coast, before Thoricum and Sunium, is the island
Helena; it is rocky and uninhabited, extending in length about 60
stadia, which, they say, the poet mentions in the words, in which
Alexander addresses Helen,
“Not when first I carried thee away from the pleasant
Lacedæmon, across the deep, and in the island Cranaë embraced
thee.”[321]
For Cranaë, from the kind of intercourse which took place there, is now
called Helena. Next to Helena,[322] Eubœa[323] lies in front of the
following tract of coast. It is long and narrow, and stretching along
the continent like Helena. From Sunium to the southern point of Eubœa,
which is called Leuce Acte,[324] [or, the white coast,] is a voyage of
300 stadia, but we shall speak hereafter of Eubœa.
It would be tedious to recite the names of the Demi of Attica in the
inland parts, on account of their number.[325]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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