[III. 96.]Zea to which we arrived from Mecano, was so called of Zeo, the sonne of Phebo; and of some, Tetrapoli; because of the foure Citties that were there of old. Symonides the Poet, and Eristato the excellent Physition, were borne in it. The next Ile of any note we touched at, was Tino: This Iland is under the Signory of Venice, and was sometime beautified with the Temple of Neptune. By Aristotle it was called Idrusa; of Demostenes, and Eschines, Erusea: It hath an impregnable Castle, builded on the top of a high Rocke, towards the East-end or Promontore of the Ile, and ever provided with three yeares provision, and a Garison of two hundreth Souldiers: So that the Turkes by no meanes can conquer it. The Iland it selfe is twenty miles in length, and a great refuge for all Christian Shippes and Galleys that haunt in the Levante.
The Ile of Pathmos.From this Ile I came to Palmosa, sometime Pathmos, which is a mountainous and barren Iland: It was here that Saint John wrote the Revelation after he was banished by Domitianus the Emperour. Thence I imbarked to Nicaria, and sayled by the Ile Scyro; which of old was the Signory of Licomedes, and in the habit of a woman, was Achilles brought up here, because his mother being by an Oracle premonished, that he should be killed in the Trojan Warre, sent him to this Iland; where he was maiden-like brought up amongst the Kings daughters: who in that time, begot Pyrhus upon Deidamia, the daughter of Licomedes, and where the crafty Ulysses afterward did discover this fatall Prince to Troy. As we fetched up the sight of Nicaria, we espied two Turkish Galleots, who gave us the Chace, and pursued us, straight to a bay, betwixt two Mountaines, where we left the loaden boate, and fled to the Rockes, from whence we mightily annoyed with huge tumbling stones, the persuing [III. 97.]Turkes: But in our flying, the Maister was taken, and other two old men; whom they made captives and slaves: and also seized upon the Boate, and all their goods: The number of us that escaped were nine persons.
This Ile Nicaria, was aunciently called Doliche, and Ithiosa, and is somewhat barren: having no Sea-port at all: It was here, the Poets feigned, that Icarus the sonne of Dedalus fell, when as he tooke flight from Creta, with his borrowed wings, of whom it hath the name; and Ovid de Trist.not following directly his father Dedalus, was here drowned.
Dum petit infirmis nimium sublimiæ pennis
Icarus, Icariis, nomina fecit aquis.
Whiles Icarus weake wings, too high did flye,
He fell, and baptiz’d the Icarian sea.
So many moe, experience may account,
That both above their minds, and meanes would mount.
Expecting certaine dayes here, in a Village called Laphantos, for passage to Sio, at last I found a Brigandino bound thither, that was come from the fruitfull Ile of Stalimene, of old Lemnos. This Ile of Stalimene is in circuit 90. miles, where in Hephestia it’s Metropolis, Vulcans birth.Vulcan was mightily adored; who being but a homely brat, was cast downe hither by Juno, whereby it was no marvaile if he became crooked, and went a halting: The soveraigne minerall against infections, called Teera Lemnia, or Sigillata is digged here: The former name proceedeth from the Iland: The latter is in force, because the earth being made up in little pellets, is sealed with a Turkish Signet, and so sold, and dispersed over Christendome. Having imbarked in the aforesaid Brigandine, we sayled by the Ile Samos, which is opposite to Caria, in Asia minor, where the Tyrant Policrates lived [III. 98.]so fortunate, as he had never any mischance all this time, till at last Orientes a Persian brought him to a miserable death: Leaving us an example, that fortune is certaine in nothing but in incertainties, who like a Bee with a sharpe sting, hath alwaies some misery following a long concatenation of felicities: It is of circuit 160. and of length 40. miles: It was of old named Driusa, and Melanphilo, in which Pythagoras the Philosopher, and Lycaon the excellent Musitioner were borne.