The first denominations of Sicilia.Sicilia was first named Trinacria (whose figure is Triquetria) for that being triangular, it butteth into the Sea with three Promontories: Capo di coro, South, Cap di passaro West: and Cap di saro East: The length of each triangle from point to point, being 200. miles.
Terra tribus scopulis, vastum procurrit in æquor,
Trinacris a positu, nomen adepta loci.
An Ile with corners three, out-braves the Mayne
From whence the name Trinacry it doth gaine.
It is now called Sicilia from the Siculi or Sicani who possessed it, and hath beene famous in all former ages:
[IX. 385.]By Diodorus Siculus, it was cognominated the Paragon of Iles: By Titus Livius, the Garden of Italy: It was also aunciently called the Grange of the Romanes, and is never a whit decayed to this day.
The length of the Iland lyeth East and West, in circuit sixe hundred, large fifty, and in length two hundred fourty Italian miles: The fertility of Sicilia.The soyle is incredible fruitfull, excelling in all sorts of graine, as cornes, Wheat, Wine, Sugar, Ryce, Oyle, Salt, Allom, all kinds of fruit, wholesome Hearbs, exceeding good Silke, exquisite mines of mettall, and the best Corall in the world is found here, beside Trapundy; growing under the water greene and tender, but when arising above, it becommeth red and hard: The like whereof is sayd to be found in the red-Sea, and gulfe of Persia.
The most of the Townes and Villages within land, are Townes set on heights reserve good ayre.builded on the highest hills and greatest heights in the Countrie; the reason is two-fold; first it serveth them for strength, and a great defence in time of cursarary invasions, of which divers bee so strait in ascending, that one man may easily resist and beat downe five hundred. The second is, because their dwellings being farre above the parching Plaines, these situations are good preservatives for their health, whereon they have a sweet and cooling ayre, which in such a hot climat, is the soveraigne salve to prevent sicknesse.
Their Villages be farre distant, some sixe, ten, fifteene, twenty miles one from another; in all which grounds there is no sequestrate house, unlesse (being a high way) it be a Fundaco or Inne. About the sides of the hills, whereon their Townes stand, grow all their Wines, and on the Plaines nothing but red Wheat, which for goodnesse [IX. 386.]is unparalelled, and the best bread and abundance of it in the world is here. Sicilia was formerly devided in The auncient divisions of Sicilia.three Regions, to wit, the valley of Demonia, containing Ætna, Catagna, Messina, and that angle of Cap di faro, of old Pelora: The other the valley of Neitia, containing Syracusa, Terra nova, and the angle of Cap di Cora of old, of Lilibea; and the third was the valley of Matzzara contayning Palermo, Trapundy, Malzara, and the angle of Cap di passero old Pachinum: Many thinke that Sicilia was rent from Italy by the violence of waters, at the generall Deluge, some by infinit earthquakes, and some simply conjecture the cause to have proceeded from combustious Ætna, which is meere ridiculous.