Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/351

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Cliap. 22.] ACCOUNT OF COUITTEIES, ETC. 317 (opposite which, on the mainland, is Aulis), Geraestus*, Eretria"^, Carystiis^, Oritaniim, and xVrtemisium Here are also the Fountain of Aretluisa^ the river Lelantus, and the warm springs known as Ellopiae ; it is still better known, liowever, for the marble of Carystus. This island used fonnerly to be called Chalcodontis and Macris", as we learn from Dionysius and Ephorus ; according to Aristides, Macra ; also, as Callidemus says, Chalcis, because copper was first discovered here. Mensechmus says that it was called Abantias^, and the poets generally give it the name of Asopis. CHAP. 22. — THE CTCLADES. Beyond Euboea, and out in the Myrtoan^ Sea, are numerous other islands ; but those more especially famous are, Glau- bridge, partly of stone, partly of wood. The poet Lvcophron and the orator Isoeus were natives of this place, and Ai'istotle died here. ^ Near the promontory of that name, now Capo jMandili. In the town there was a famous temple of Poseidon, or Neptune. According to Hardouin, the modern name is lastura. 2 One of the most powerful cities of Euboea. It was destroyed by the Persians vuidcr Darius, and a new tovm was built to the soutli of the old one. New Eretria stood, according to Leake, at the modern Kastri, and old Eretria in the neighbourhood of Vathy. The tragic poet Aeha?us, a contemporary of ^Esehylus, was born here ; and a school of philosoplay was founded at this place by Mencdemus, a disciple of Plato. 3 Now Karysto, on the south of the island, at the foot of Monnt Ocha, upon which are supposed to have been its quarries of marble. There are but few remains of the ancient city. The liij;torian Antigonus, the comic poet Apollodorus, and the physician Diodes, were natives of this place. ■* Probably on the promontory of the same name. It was off this coast that the Greek fleet engaged that of Xerxes, B.C. -180. ^ There were tame fish kept in this fountain ; and its waters were sometimes disturbed by volcanic agency. Leake says that it has now totally disappeared. s From the fact of its producing copper, and of its being in shape long and narrow. 7 Strabo remarks, that Homer calls its inhabitants Abantea, while he gives to the island the name of Euboea. The poets say that it took its name from the cow (Boi)s) lo, who gave birth to Epaphus on this island. 8 Hardouin remarks here, that Pliny, Strabo, Mela, and Pausanias use tlio term " Myrtoan Sea," as meaning that portion of it which lies between Crete and Attica, while Ptolemy so calls the sea which hes olf the coast of Caria.