(26.) Below the deserts of Palmyra is the region of Stelendene[3808], and Hierapolis, Berœa, and Chalcis, already mentioned[3809]. Beyond Palmyra, Emesa[3810] takes to itself a portion of these deserts; also Elatium, nearer to Petra by one-half than Damascus. At no great distance from Sura[3811] is Philiscum, a town of the Parthians, on the Euphrates. From this place it is ten days’ sail to Seleucia, and nearly as many to Babylon. At a distance of 594 miles beyond Zeugma, near the village of Massice, the Euphrates divides into two channels, the left one of which runs through Mesopotamia, past Seleucia, and falls into the Tigris as it flows around that city. Its channel on the right runs towards Babylon, the former capital of Chaldæa, and flows through the middle of it; and then through another city, the name of which is Otris[3812], after which it becomes lost in the marshes. Like the Nile, this river increases at stated times, and at much about the same period. When the sun has reached the twentieth degree of Cancer, it inundates[3813] Mesopotamia; and, after he has passed through Leo and entered Virgo, its waters begin to subside. By the time the sun has entered the twenty-ninth degree of Virgo, the river has fully regained its usual height. CHAP. 22. (27.)—CILICIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS. But let us now return to the coast of Syria, joining up to which is Cilicia. We here find the river Diaphanes[3814], Mount Crocodilus, the Gates[3815] of Mount Amanus, the rivers Androcus[3816], Pinarus[3817], and Lycus[3818], the Gulf of Issos[3819], and the town of that name; then Alexandria[3820], the river Chlorus[3821], the free town of Ægæ[3822], the river Pyramus[3823], the Gates[3824] of Cilicia, the towns of Mallos[3825] and Magarsos[3826], and, in the interior, Tarsus[3827]. We then come to the Aleian Plains[3828], the town of Cassipolis, Mopsos[3829], a free town on the river Pyramus, Thynos, Zephyrium, and Anchiale[3830]. Next to these are the rivers Saros[3831] and Cydnus[3832], the latter of which, at some distance from the sea, runs through the free city of Tarsus, the region of Celenderitis with a town[3833] of similar name, the place where Nymphæum[3834] stood, Soli of Cilicia[3835], now called Pompeiopolis, Adana[3836], Cibyra[3837], Pinare[3838], Pedalie[3839], Ale, Selinus[3840], Arsinoë[3841], Iotape[3842], Doron, and, near the sea, Corycos, there being a town[3843], port, and cave[3844] all of the same name. Passing these, we come to the river Calycadnus[3845], the Promontory of Sarpedon[3846], the towns of Holmœ[3847] and Myle, and the Promontory and town of Venus[3848], at a short distance from the island of Cyprus. On the mainland there are the towns of Myanda, Anemurium[3849], and Coracesium[3850], and the river Melas[3851], the ancient boundary of Cilicia. In the interior the places more especially worthy of mention are Anazarbus[3852], now called Cæsarea,