Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/248

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214 pliky's natural histoet. [Book III. lumbaria, and Venaria. "We then come to Ilva^ with its iron mines, an island 100 miles in circumference, 10 miles distant from Populonimn, and called -^thalia by the Grreeks : from it the island of Planasia" is distant 28 miles. After these, beyond the mouths of the Tiber, and oft' the coast of Antium, we come to Astura^, then Palmaria and Sinonia, and, oppo- site to Pormiae, Pontise. In the Grulf of Puteoli are Panda- teria, and Prochyta, so called, not from the nurse of -lEneas, but because it has been poured forth^ or detached from JEnaria^, an island which received its name from hav- ing been the anchorage of the fleet of JEneas, though called by Homer Inarime^ ; it is also called Pithecusa, not, as many have fancied, on account of the multitudes of apes fornid there, but from its extensive manufactories of pottery. Between Pausilipum^ and Neapolis lies the island of Me- garis^, and then, at a distance of eight miles from Surrentum, Capreae^", famous for the castle of the emperor Tiberius: it is eleven miles in circumference. ^ The modern Elba. 2 Now Pianosa. 3 Astura still retains its ancient name, Palmaria is the present Pal- marola, Sinonia is now Senone, and Pontise is the modem Isola di Ponza. ^ Now Yentotiene.

  • Deriving its name from the Gi-reek word Trpoxwros, meaning " poured

forth." ^ The present island of Ischia, off the coasts of Campania. The name of Pithecusse appears to have been given by the Grreeks to the two islands of iEnaria and Prochyta collectively. "^ Ovid, like many other writers, mentions Inarime as though a different island from Pithecusse. See Met, B. xiv. 1. 89. As is here mentioned by PKny, many persons derived the name " Pithecusse " from ttiQtjkos " an ape," and, according to Strabo, " Aremus " was the Etriu-ian name for an ape. Ovid, in the Metamorphoses, loc. cit., confirms this tradition by relating the change of the natives into apes. The solution of its name given by Phny appears however extremely probable, that it gained its name from its manufacture of TnOrjKa, or earthen vessels. Yirgil is sup- posed to have corned the name of " Inarime." ^ Now Posilippo. It is said to have derived its name from the G-reek TravffiXvTTov, as tending to drive away care by the beauty of its situation. Yirgil was biiried in its vicinity. ^ The modem Castel del' Ovo. • ^° Now Capri, Here Tiberius established liis den of lustfiihiess and iniquity. He erected twelve villas in the island, the remains of several of which are still to be seen.