Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/301

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Cliap, 30.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTEIES, ETC. 267 famous for its goats, Issa with the rights of Eoman citizens, and Pharia with a town. At a distance of twenty-five miles from Issa is Corc}Ta surnamed Melaena, A^ith a tovm. founded by the Cnidians ; between which and Illyricum is Melite', from which, as we learn from Callimachus, a certain kind of little dogs were called Melitaei ; fifteen miles from it we find the seven Elaphites^. In the Ionian Sea, at a distance of twelve miles from Oricnm, is Sasonis^, notorious from ha^dng been a harbour of pirates. Summary. — The towns and nations mentioned are in number * * * *5^ rjij^^ rivers of note are in number * * * *. The mountains of note are in number * * * *. The islands are in number * * * *. The to^Tis or nations which have disappeared are in number * * * *. The facts, statements, and observations are in number 326. EoMAN AuTHOES QUOTED. — Turannius Gracilis^, Cor- nelius Nepos^, T. Livius^, Cato the Censor^, M. Agrip- the coast of Dalmatia, and was used as a place of banishment under the emperors. ^ Now Curzola, or, in the Sclavonic, Karkar. It obtained its name of ISrigi'a or Melaena, "black," from the dark colom* of its pine woods. Sir Gr. Wilkinson describes it in his *' Dalmatia and Montenegro," vol. i. ^ Now called Meleda or Zapimtello. It is more generally to the other island of Melita or Malta that the origin of the "MeUtsei" or Maltese dogs is ascribed. Some winters are of opinion that it was upon this island that St. Paial was shipwTCcked, and not the larger Melita. 3 So caUed from their resemblance to a stag, eXa^os, of which the modern Giupan formed the head, Ruda the neck, Mezzo the body, Cala- motta the haunches, and the rock of Grebini or Pettini the tail. They produce excellent wine and oil, and are looked upon as the most valuable part of the Ragusan territory. ■* Still known as Sasino. It is ten miles from Eagusa, the port of Oricura, according to Pouqucville. ^ Tlic original nnmliers are lost. ^ He was a Spaniard by birth, a native of MeUaria in Ilispauia Ba^tica. He is mentioned by Cicero as a man of great learning, and is ])robably the same person that is mentioned by Ovid in liis Pontic Epistles, B. iv. ep. xvi. 1. 2U, as a distingvushed tragic writer. 7 See end of B. ii. ^ See end of B. ii.

  • M. Porcius Cato, or Cato the Elder ; famous as a statesman, a

patriot, and a pliUosopher. He wrote " De Re Rustica," a work which etill survives, and " Letters of Instruction to his Son," of which only some fragments remain. He also wrote a hit^torical work called " Origines,"