Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/347

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Chap. 20.] ACCOTJNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 313 from Cvthera, aud of twenty-five from Phalasarna, a city of Crete. CHAP. 20. — CEETE. Crete itself lies from east to west, the one side facing the south, the other the north, and is known to fame by the renown of its hundred cities. Dosiades says, that it took its name from the nymph Crete, the daughter of Hesperides ^ ; Anaximander,from a king of the Curetes, Philistides of Mallus

          1. . -^yl^ile Crates says that it was at first called Aeria,

and after that Curetis ; and some have been of opinion that it had the name of Macaron"- from the serenity of its climate. In breadtli it nowhere exceeds fifty miles, being widest about the middle. In length, however, it is full 270 miles, and 589 in circumference, forming a bend towards the Cretan Sea, which takes its name from it. At its eastern extremity is the Promontory of Sammonium^, facing llhodes, wliile towards the west it throws out that of Criu- metopon**, in the direction of Cyrene. The more remarkable cities of Crete are, Phalasarna, Eta^a*, Cisamon'^, Pergamum, Cydonia^, Minoium^, Apteron^, Panto- matrium, Amphimalla^", Rhithymna, Panormus, Cytaum, A- pollonia, Matium' lleraclea, Miletos, Ampelos, Kierapytna^^, ^ Daleclmmps suggests Hesperus. 2 The island " of the Blessed." 3 jfow Capo Salomon. ^ Frora the Greek Kpiov ^erujirov, "the ram'a forehead" ; now called Capo Crio. ^ Also called Elaa. Pococke speaks of it as a promontory called Chaule-burnau. ^ Ilardoidn calls it Chisamo. 7 The modem Kliania, The quince derived its Latui name, "Malum Cydoniiun," from this district, to Avhich it was indigenous. From its Latin name it was called melicototie bv the writers of the Elizabellian period. ^ Now Minolo, according to llardouin. ^ The port of Apteron, or Aptera, which Mr. Pashlev supjioses to be denoted by the ruins of Palteokastro ; he also thinks that its port was at or near the modern Kalyres. ^*' Now La 8uda, aceordhig to llardouin, who says that llliithyuma is called Rctimo; Panormus, Panormo ; and Cytieum, Set la. ^' Sui)posed by Ansart to iiave stood in the vicinity uf the modem city of Candia. '- Strabo says that it stood on the nan-owest part of the island, opposite Minoa. Vestiges of it have been found at the Kastele of Jlierapetra. Its foundation was ascribed to the Corybantcs.