[V. 183.]And spic’d with Ginger: for the wrestling Grape
Makes Man, become from Man, a sottish Ape.
Nicosia is the principall Citie of Cyprus, and is invironed with mountaines, like unto Florence in Ætruria; The sixe Cities of Cyprus.wherein the Beglerbeg remaineth: The second is Famegusta, the chiefe strength and Sea-port in it: Selina, Lemisso, Paphos, and Fontana Morosa, are the other foure speciall Townes in the Iland.
This Ile of Cyprus was of old called Achametide, Amatusa, and by some Marchara, that is happy: It is of length extending from East to West, 210. large 60. and of circuit 600. miles. It yeeldeth infinite canes of Sugar, Cotten-wooll, Oyle, Honney, Cornes, Turpentine, Allum, Verdegreece, Grogranes, store of Mettals and Salt; besides all other sorts of fruit and commodities in abundance. It was also named Cerastis, because it butted toward the East with one horne: and lastly Cyprus, from the abundance of Cypresse trees there growing. This Iland was consecrated to Venus, where in Paphos she was greatly honoured, termed hence, Dea Cypri,
Festa Dies Veneris tota celeberrima Cypro,
Venerat, ipsa suis aderat Venus aurea festis.
Venus feast day, through Cyprus hollowed came,
Whose feasts, her presence, dignified the same.
Cyprus lyeth in the gulfe betweene Cilicia and Syria, having Ægypt to the West: Syria to the South: Cilicia to the East: and the Pamphilian Sea to the North: It hath foure chiefe Capes or headlands: first, Westward the Promontore of Acanias, modernely Capo di Santo Epifanio: to the South the Promontore Phæuria, now Capo Bianco: to the East Pedasia, modernely Capo di [V. 184.]Greco: to the North, the high foreland of Cramineon, now Capo di Cormathita: these foure are the chiefest Promontores of the Iland, and Cape di S. Andrea is the furthest poynt Eastward toward Cilicia: Diodore and Pliny say that anciently it contained nine Kingdomes, and fifteene good Townes: Cerania, now Selina, was built by Cyrus, who subdued the nine petty Kings of this Ile: Nicosia is situate in the bottome or plaine of Massara, and thirty foure miles from Famagusta; and the Towne of Famagusta was formerly named Salamus: I was informed by some of sound experience here, that this Kingdome containeth about eight hundreth and forty Villages, besides the sixe capitall Townes, two whereof are nothing inferiour for greatnesse and populosity to the best Townes in Candy, Sicily, or Greece.
Trohodos a huge hill in Cyprus.The chiefest and highest mountaine in this Ile, is by the Cypriots called Trohodos, it is of height eight, and of compasse forty eight miles, whereon there are a number of Religious Monasteries, the people whereof are called Colieros, and live under the order of Saint Basile. There is abundance here of Coriander seede, with medicinable Reubarbe, and Turpentine. Here are also mines of gold in it, of Chrysocole, of Calthante, of Allome, Iron, and exceeding good Copper. And besides these mines, there are diverse precious stones found in this Ile, as Emeraulds, Diamonds, Chrystall, Corall, red and white, and the admirable stone Amiante, whereof they make Linnen cloth, that will not burne being cast into the fire, but serveth to make it neate and white.