Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/521

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Chap. 39,] ACCOTJKT OF COTTNTEIES, ETC. 487 Tvitli a city of that name, Cercire, Halone Commone, llletia, Lepria and Eliesperia, Procusae, BolbuLr, Phana?, Priapos, Syce, Melaue, JEnare, Sidiisa, Pele, Drymusa*, Anhydros, Scopelos^, Sycnssa, Marathussa, Psile, Perirreusa, and many others of no note. In the main sea lies the celebrated island of Teos, with a city"* of that name, seventy- o^e miles and a half distant from Chios, and the same from the Erythrcne. In the vicinity of Smyrna are the Peristerides*, Carteria, Alopece, Elsenssa, Bachina, Pystira, Crommyonnesos, and Megale^. Facing Troas there are the Ascanire, and the three islands called Plateae. "We find also the Lamiiie, the two islands called Plitanioe, Plate, Scopelos, Getone, Arthe- don, CoelcT, Lagussa?, and Didymge. CHAP. 39. LESBOS. But Lesbos', distant from Chios sixty-five miles, is the most celebrated of them all. It was formerly called Himerte, Lasia, Pelasgia, ^gira, ^thiope, and Macaria, and is famous for its nine cities. Of these, however, that of Pyrrha has been swallowed up by the sea, Arisbe^ has perished by an earthquake, and 5lethymna is now united to Antissa** ; these lie in the vicinity of nine cities of Asia, along a coast of thirty-seven miles. The towns of Agamede and vicinity were forty in number ; of which Phny here gives the names of two-and-twenty. ^ South of Proconncsus ; now called Aloni.

  • Near the city of Clazomenae. It is now called Vourla, accorcUng

to Ansart. ^ Kow Koiitali, according to Ansart.

  • We learn from Strabo and other writers, that tliis city was on a ]icn-

insiila, and that it stood on the southern side of the isthnuis, coiniecting Mount Mhnas with the mainland of Lydia. It was the birth-place of Anacreon and Ilccataeus.

  • Or the " Dove Islands ;" probably from the multitude of those birds

found on those islands. ^ Now called Antigona, according to Ansart. ' Now Mitylene, or Metelin. ^ We find it also stated by Herodotus, that this island was destroyed by the Methymnwans. The cities of Mitylene, Melhynma, Erebus, Pyrrha, Antissa, and Arisbe, originally formed the vEolian HexapoUs, or Confederation of Six Cities. ^ The ruins found by Pocoeke at Calas Limneonas, ncirtli-east of Capo Sigi'i, may be those of Antissa. This j)laee was the bhth-phice of Ter- pander, the mveutor of the seven- stringed lyre.