But the fairest of them all is the free island of Rhodes, 125, or, if we would rather believe Isidorus, 103 miles in circumference. It contains the inhabited cities of Lindos, Camirus[4208], and Ialysus[4209], now called Rhodos. It is distant from Alexandria in Egypt, according to Isidorus, 583 miles; but, according to Eratosthenes, 469. Mucianus says, that its distance from Cyprus is 166. This island was formerly called Ophiussa[4210], Asteria[4211], Æthria[4212], Trinacrie[4213], Corymbia[4214], Pœeëssa[4215], Atabyria[4216], from the name of one of its kings; and, in later times, Macaria[4217] and Oloessa[4218]. The islands of the Rhodians are Carpathus[4219], which has given its name to the surrounding sea; Casos[4220], formerly known as Achne[4221]; Nisyros[4222], twelve miles distant from Cnidos, and formerly called Porphyris[4223]; and, in the same vicinity, midway between Rhodes and Cnidos, Syme[4224]. This island is thirty-seven miles and a half in circumference, and welcomes us with eight fine harbours. Besides these islands, there are, in the vicinity of Rhodes, those of Cyclopis, Teganon, Cordylussa[4225], the four islands called Diabetæ[4226], Hymos, Chalce[4227], with its city of that name, Seutlussa[4228], Narthecussa[4229], Dimastos, Progne; and, off Cnidos, Cisserussa, Therionarce, and Calydne[4230], with the three towns of Notium, Nisyros, and Mendeterus. In Arconnesus[4231] there is the town of Ceramus. Off the coast of Caria, there are the islands known as the Argiæ, twenty in number; also Hyetussa[4232], Lepsia, and Leros. The most noted island, however, in this gulf is that of Cos[4233], fifteen miles distant from Halicarnassus, and 100 in circumference, according to the opinion of many writers. It was formerly called Merope; according to Staphylus, Cea; Meropis, as Dionysius tells us; and, after that, Nymphæa. In this island there is Mount Prion. Nisyros[4234], formerly called Porphyris, is supposed to have been severed from the island of Cos. We next come to the island of Caryanda[4235], with a city of that name, and that of Pidosus[4236], not far from Halicarnassus. In the Gulf of Ceramicus we also find Priaponnesos[4237], Hipponnesos, Psyra, Mya, Lampsa, Æmyndus, Passala, Crusa, Pinnicussa, Sepiussa[4238], and Melano. At a short distance from the mainland is an island which bears the name of Cinædopolis, from the circumstance that King Alexander left behind there certain persons of a most disgraceful character. CHAP. 37.—SAMOS.