Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/344

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310 PLIIiTT'S NATUEAL HISTORY. [Book IT. then, are the seas and the various nations which are com- prehended in the third great Gulf of Europe. CHAP. 19. (12.) THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE BEEOEE THE LANDS ALEEADY MElSTTIOlSrED. Lying opposite to Thesprotia, at a distance of twelve miles from Buthrotus, and of fifty from Acroceraunia, is the island of Corcyra with a city of the same name, the citi- zens of which are free ; also a town called Cassiope^, and a temple dedicated to Jupiter Cassius. This island is ninety- seven miles in length, and in Homer has the names of Scheria and Phseacia ; while CaUimachus calls it Drepane. There are some other islands around it, such as Thoronos'"^, lying in the direction of Italy, and the two islands of Paxos"* in that of Leucadia, both of them five miles distant from Corcyra. Not far'^ from these, and in front of Corcyra, are Ericusa, Marathe, Elaphusa, Malthace, Trachie, Pythionia, Ptychia, Tarachie, and, off Phalacrum^, 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 Leucimna'^ we find the islands of Sybota, and be- tween Leucadia and Achaia a great number of islands, among which are those called Teleboides^, as also Taphiae ; by the natives, those which lie before Leucadia are called by the names of Taphias, Oxiae, and Prinoessa^ ; while those that are in front of ^Etolia are the Echinades^", consisting of ^gialia, Cotonis, Thyatira, Greoaris, Dionysia, Cyrnus, Chalcis, Piuara, and Mystus. im 1 Now Corfu. Of its city of Corcyra only a few ruins now exist. 2 There are still some remains of it near the village called Cassopo. 3 Now Fano, or Merlere. ^ Now Paxo and Antipaxo. 5 On the contrary, they he at the other end of the isle of Corcyi'a. Some of them are mere rocks, and cannot be distinguished by their ancient names. The present names of four are Sametraki, Diaplo, Boaia, and the Isle of Ulysses. ^ Now Capo Drasti. 7 Now Capo Levkimo. The islands are those of Santo Niccolo. 8 Or Islands of the Teleboans. 9 These three seem to be those now called Magnisi, Kalamota, and Kastus. These lie facmg the promontory of Leucadia, the others opposite

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^° Opposite Acamania : by the Venetians they were called the Islands of Kurtzolari. Some of them are cultivated, others again are mere rocks.