The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)Pliny, the Elder
History
The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)
Pliny, the Elder
Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
The more remarkable cities of Crete are, Phalasarna, Etæa[2641],
Cisamon[2642], Pergamum, Cydonia[2643], Minoium[2644], Apteron[2645],
Pantomatrium, Amphimalla[2646], Rhithymna, Panormus, Cytæum, Apollonia,
Matium[2647], Heraclea, Miletos, Ampelos, Hierapytna[2648],
Lebena[2649], and Hierapolis; and, in the interior, Gortyna[2650],
Phæstum, Cnossus[2651], Polyrrenium, Myrina, Lycastus, Rhamnus,
Lyctus, Dium[2652], Asus, Pyloros, Rhytion, Elatos, Pharæ, Holopyxos,
Lasos, Eleuthernæ[2653], Therapnæ, Marathusa, and Tylisos; besides
some sixty others, of which the memory only exists. The mountains are
those of Cadistus[2654], Ida, Dictynnæus, and Corycus[2655]. This
island is distant, at its promontory of Criumetopon, according to
Agrippa, from Phycus[2656], the promontory of Cyrene, 125 miles; and at
Cadistus, from Malea in the Peloponnesus, eighty. From the island of
Carpathos[2657], at its promontory of Sammonium it lies in a westerly
direction, at a distance of sixty miles; this last-named island is
situate between it and Rhodes.
The other islands in its vicinity, and lying in front of the
Peloponnesus, are the two isles known as Corycæ, and the two called
Mylæ[2658]. On the north side, having Crete on the right, and opposite
to Cydonia, is Leuce[2659], and the two islands known as Budroæ[2660].
Opposite to Matium lies Dia[2661]; opposite to the promontory of
Itanum[2662], Onisia and Leuce; and over against Hierapytna, Chrysa and
Gaudos[2663]. In the same neighbourhood, also, are Ophiussa, Butoa, and
Aradus; and, after doubling Criumetopon, we come to the three islands
known as Musagorus. Before the promontory of Sammonium lie the islands
of Phocœ, the Platiæ, the Sirnides, Naulochos, Armedon, and Zephyre.
Belonging to Hellas, but still in the Ægean Sea, we have the
Lichades[2664], consisting of Scarphia, Coresa, Phocaria, and many
others which face Attica, but have no towns upon them, and are
consequently of little note. Opposite Eleusis, however, is the
far-famed Salamis[2665]; before it, Psyttalia[2666]; and, at a distance
of five miles from Sunium, the island of Helene[2667]. At the same
distance from this last is Ceos[2668], which some of our countrymen
have called Cea, and the Greeks Hydrussa, an island which has been
torn away from Eubœa. It was formerly 500 stadia in length; but more
recently four-fifths of it, in the direction of Bœotia, have been
swallowed up by the sea. The only towns it now has left are Iulis and
Carthæa[2669]; Coresus[2670] and Pœëessa[2671] have perished. Varro
informs us, that from this place there used to come a cloth of very
fine texture, used for women’s dresses.
CHAP. 21.—EUBŒA.
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