CHAP. 33.—TROAS AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
The first place in Troas is Hamaxitus[4124], then Cebrenia[4125], and then Troas[4126] itself, formerly called Antigonia, and now Alexandria, a Roman colony. We then come to the town of Nee[4127], the Scamander[4128], a navigable river, and the spot where in former times the town of Sigeum[4129] stood, upon a promontory. We next come to the Port of the Achæans[4130], into which the Xanthus[4131] flows after its union with the Simois[4132], and forms the Palæscamander[4133], which was formerly a lake. The other rivers, rendered famous by Homer, namely, the Rhesus, the Heptaporus, the Caresus, and the Rhodius, have left no vestiges of their existence. The Granicus[4134], taking a different route, flows into the Propontis[4135]. The small city of Scamandria, however, still exists, and, at a distance of a mile and a half from its harbour, Ilium[4136], a place exempt from tribute[4137], the fountain-head of universal fame. Beyond the gulf are the shores of Rhœteum[4138], peopled by the towns of Rhœteum[4139], Dardanium[4140], and Arisbe[4141]. There was also in former times a town of Achilleon[4142], founded near the tomb of Achilles by the people of Mitylene, and afterwards rebuilt by the Athenians, close to the spot where his fleet had been stationed near Sigeum. There was also the town of Æantion[4143], founded by the Rhodians upon the opposite point, near the tomb of Ajax, at a distance of thirty stadia from Sigeum, near the spot where his fleet was stationed. Above Æolis and part of Troas, in the interior, is the place called Teuthrania[4144], inhabited in ancient times by the Mysians. Here rises the river Caïcus already mentioned. Teuthrania was a powerful nation in itself, even when the whole of Æolis was held by the Mysians. In it are the Pioniæ[4145], Andera[4146], Cale, Stabulum, Conisium, Teium, Balcea[4147], Tiare, Teuthranie, Sarnaca, Haliserne, Lycide, Parthenium, Thymbre, Oxyopum, Lygdamum, Apollonia, and Pergamum[4148], by far the most famous city in Asia, and through which the river Selinus runs; the Cetius, which rises in Mount Pindasus, flowing before it. Not far from it is Elæa, which we have mentioned[4149] as situate on the sea-shore. The jurisdiction of this district is called that of Pergamus; to it resort the Thyatireni[4150], the Mosyni, the Mygdones[4151], the Bregmeni, the Hierocometæ[4152], the Perpereni, the Tiareni, the Hierolophienses, the Hermocapelitæ, the Attalenses[4153], the Panteenses, the Apollonidienses, and some other states unknown to fame. The little town of Dardanum[4154] is distant from Rhœteum seventy stadia. Eighteen miles thence is the Promontory of Trapeza[4155], from which spot the Hellespont first commences its course.
Eratosthenes tells us that in Asia there have perished the nations of the Solymi[4156], the Leleges[4157], the Bebryces[4158], the Colycantii, and the Tripsedri. Isidorus adds to these the Arimi[4159], as also the Capretæ, settled on the spot where Apamea[4160] stands, which was founded by King Seleucus, between Cilicia, Cappadocia, Cataonia, and Armenia, and was at first called Damea[4161], from the fact that it had conquered nations most remarkable for their fierceness.
CHAP. 34. (31.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE IN FRONT OF ASIA.
Of the islands which lie before Asia the first is the one situate in the Canopic Mouth of the Nile, and which received its name, it is said, from Canopus, the pilot of Menelaüs. A second, called Pharos, is joined by a bridge to Alexandria, and was made a colony by the Dictator Cæsar. In former times it was one day’s sail[4162] from the mainland of Egypt; at the present day it directs ships in their course by means of the fires which are lighted at night on the tower[4163] there; for in consequence of the insidious nature of the shoals, there are only three channels by which Alexandria can be approached, those of Steganus[4164], Posideum[4165] and Taurus.
In the Phœnician Sea, before Joppe there is the island of Paria[4166], the whole of it forming a town. Here, they say, Andromeda was exposed to the monster: the island also of Arados, already mentioned[4167], between which and the continent, as we learn from Mucianus, at a depth of fifty cubits in the sea, fresh water is brought up from a spring at the very bottom by means of leather pipes[4168].
CHAP. 35.—CYPRUS.
The Pamphylian Sea contains some islands of little note. The Cilician, besides four others of very considerable size, has Cyprus[4169], which lies opposite to the shores of Cilicia and Syria, running east and west; in former times it was the seat of nine kingdoms. Timosthenes states that the circumference of this island is 427 miles, Isidorus[4170] 375; its length, between the two Promontories of Dinæ[4171] and Acamas[4172] lying on the west, is, according to Artemidorus, 1601⁄2 miles, according to Timosthenes, 200. Philonides says that it was formerly called Acamantis, Xenagoras that it had the names of Cerastis[4173], Aspelia, Amathusia, and Macaria[4174], while Astynomus gives it the names of Cryptos[4175] and Colinia. Its towns are fifteen in number, Neapaphos[4176], Palæpaphos[4177], Curias[4178], Citium[4179], Corineum, Salamis[4180], Amathus[4181], Lapethos[4182], Solœ, Tamasos[4183], Epidarum, Chytri[4184], Arsinoë[4185], Carpasium[4186], and Golgi[4187]. The towns of Cinyria, Marium, and Idalium[4188] are no longer in existence. It is distant from Anemurium[4189] in Cilicia fifty miles; the sea which runs between the two shores being called the Channel of Cilicia[4190]. In the same locality[4191] is the island of Eleusa[4192], and the four islands known as the Clides[4193], lying before the promontory which faces Syria; and again at the end of the other cape[4194] is Stiria: over against Neapaphos is Hierocepia[4195], and opposite to Salamis are the Salaminiæ.
In the Lycian Sea are the islands of Illyris, Telendos, and Attelebussa[4196], the three barren isles called Cypriæ, and Dionysia, formerly called Caretha. Opposite to the Promontory of Taurus are the Chelidoniæ[4197], as many in number, and extremely dangerous to mariners. Further on we find Leucolla with its town, the Pactyæ[4198], Lasia, Nymphäis, Macris, and Megista, the city on which last no longer exists. After these there are many that are not worthy of notice. Opposite, however, to Cape Chimæra is Dolichiste[4199], Chœrogylion, Crambussa[4200], Rhoge[4201], Enagora, eight miles in circumference, the two islands of Dædala[4202], the three of Crya[4203], Strongyle, and over against Sidyma[4204] the isle of Antiochus. Towards the mouth of the river Glaucus[4205], there are Lagussa[4206], Macris, Didymæ, Helbo, Scope, Aspis, Telandria, the town of which no longer exists, and, in the vicinity of Caunus[4207], Rhodussa.