Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/517

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Chap. 36.]
ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC.
483

Strongyle, and over against Sidyma[1] the isle of Antiocluis. Towards the mouth of the river Grlaucus[2], there are Lagussa[3], Macris, Didymæ, Helbo, Scope, Aspis, Telandria, the town of which no longer exists, and, in the vicinity of Caunus[4] Rhodussa.

CHAP. 36.—RHODES.

But the fairest of them all is the free island of Rhodes, 125, or, if we would rather believe Isidorus, 103 miles in circumference. It contains the inhabited cities of Lindos, Camirus[5], and Ialysus[6], now called Ehodos. It is distant from Alexandria in Egypt, according to Isidorus, 583 miles ; but, according to Eratosthenes, 469. Mucianus says, that its distance from Cyprus is 166. This island was formerly called Ophiussa[7], Asteria[8], Æthria[9], Trinacrie[10], Corymbia[11] Pœeëssa[12], Atabyria[13], from the name of one of its kings ; and, in later times, Macaria[14] and Oloessa[15] The islands of the Rhodians are Carpathus[16], which has given its name to the

  1. On the coast of Lycia.
  2. In Lycia. See C. 29 of the present Book.
  3. Probably so called from the number of hares found there.
  4. On the coast of Caria.
  5. Still known as Lindo and Camiro, according to D'Anville.
  6. One of the three ancient Doric cities of Rhodes. It lay three-quarters of a mile to the south-west of the city of Rhodes, with which Pliny seems here to confound it. Its site is occupied by a village which still bears the name of Ialiso, and where a few ancient remains are to be found.
  7. From its productiveness of serpents.
  8. Either from Asterius, its former king, or from its being a "constellation" of the sea.
  9. Probably because of the clearness and serenity of its atmosphere. See B. ii. c. 62.
  10. From its three-cornered shape.
  11. Perhaps so called from its fruitfulness in ivy, in Greek (Symbol missingGreek characters) or else from (Symbol missingGreek characters), "a summit," from its elevated position.
  12. From its verdant and grassy soil.
  13. Either from King Atabyrius, or the mountain Atabyrion; or else from the temple of Jupiter Tabyrius, which Appian speaks of as situate in this island,
  14. The "fortunate," or "blessed" island.
  15. "Venomous," or "deadly." This name it most probably had in early times (and not more recently, as Pliny says), when it was covered with dense forests, the retreats of serpents and noxious reptiles.
  16. Now known as Skarpanto.