Читать книгу The Natural History of Pliny (Vol. 1-6) - Pliny the Elder - Страница 172

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Lying opposite to Thesprotia, at a distance of twelve miles from Buthrotus, and of fifty from Acroceraunia, is the island of Corcyra2594, with a city of the same name, the citizens of which are free; also a town called Cassiope2595, and a temple dedicated to Jupiter Cassius. This island is ninety-seven miles in length, and in Homer has the names of Scheria and Phæacia; while Callimachus calls it Drepane. There are some other islands around it, such as Thoronos2596, lying in the direction of Italy, and the two islands of Paxos2597 in that of Leucadia, both of them five miles distant from Corcyra. Not far2598 from these, and in front of Corcyra, are Ericusa, Marathe, Elaphusa, Malthace, Trachie, Pythionia, Ptychia, Tarachie, and, off Phalacrum2599, a promontory of Corcyra, the rock into which (according to the story, which arises no doubt from the similarity of appearance) the ship of Ulysses was changed.

Before Leucimna2600 we find the islands of Sybota, and between Leucadia and Achaia a great number of islands, among which are those called Teleboïdes2601, as also Taphiæ; by the natives, those which lie before Leucadia are called by the names of Taphias, Oxiæ, and Prinoessa2602; while those that are in front of Ætolia are the Echinades2603, consisting of Ægialia, Cotonis, Thyatira, Geoaris, Dionysia, Cyrnus, Chalcis, Pinara, and Mystus.

In front of these, and lying out at sea, are Cephallenia2604 and Zacynthus2605, both of them free, Ithaca2606, Dulichium2607, Same2608, and Crocyle2609. Cephallenia, formerly known as Melæna2610, lies at a distance of eleven miles from Paxos, and is ninety-three miles in circumference: its city of Same has been levelled to the ground by the Romans; but it still possesses three others2611. Between this island and Achaia lies the island of Zacynthus, remarkable for its city of the same name, and for its singular fertility. It formerly had the name of Hyrie, and lies to the south of Cephallenia, at a distance of twenty-five miles; in it there is the famous mountain of Elatus2612. This island is thirty-six miles in circumference. At a distance of fifteen miles from Zacynthus is Ithaca, in which is Mount Neritus2613; its circumference in all is twenty-five miles. Twelve miles distant from this island is Araxus2614, a promontory of the Peloponnesus. Before Ithaca, lying out in the main sea, are Asteris2615 and Prote; and before Zacynthus, at a distance of thirty-five miles in the direction of the south-east wind, are the two Strophades2616, by some known as the Plotæ. Before Cephallenia lies Letoia2617, before Pylos the three Sphagiæ2618, and before Messene the Œnussæ2619, as many in number.

In the Asinæan Gulf there are the three Thyrides2620, and in that of Laconia Theganusa2621, Cothon, and Cythera2622, with the town of that name, the former name of which island was Porphyris. It is situate five miles from the promontory of Malea2623, thus forming a strait very dangerous to navigation. In the Gulf of Argolis are Pityusa2624, Irine, and Ephyre; opposite the territory of Hermione2625, Tiparenus, Aperopia2626, Colonis2627, and Aristera; and, opposite that of Trœzen, Calauria2628, at a distance of half a mile, Plateis2629, Belbina, Lasia, and Baucidias. Opposite Epidaurus is Cecryphalos2630, and Pityonesos2631, six miles distant from the mainland; and, at a distance of fifteen miles from this last, Ægina2632, a free island, the length of which, as you sail past it, is eighteen miles. This island is twenty miles distant from Piræus, the port of Athens: it used formerly to be called Œnone. Opposite the promontory of Spiræum2633, lie Eleusa2634, Adendros2635, the two islands called Craugiæ, the two Cæciæ, Selachusa, Cenchreis, and Aspis; as also, in the Gulf of Megara, the four Methurides. Ægila2636 lies at a distance of fifteen miles from Cythera, and of twenty-five from Phalasarna, a city of Crete.