Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1005

 SICILIA. promontoiy, now Capo di Sta Croce (aKpcovlas aKpioTTipioP, Strab. vi. p. 267), within which was the XiPnoNiAN Port (Ai^ut)!' aKpuvfios, Scyl. p. 4), evidently the harbour of Augusta, one of the finest natural harbours in the island. Between this and Syracuse is the remarkable peninsular promon- tory of Thai'Sus {Magnisi), while immediately S. of Syracuse occurs the remarkable landlocked bay called the Great Harbour of that city, and the rocky headland of Plemmyrium which bounds it on the S. From this point to Cape Pachynus no ancient names have been preserved to us of the headlands or harbours. From Cape Pachynus to the site of Gela the coast is low but rocky. Along this line must be placed the port of Ulysses (Portus Odysseae) mentioned by Cicero, and the promontory of Ulysses of Ptolemy, both apparently in the immediate neigh- bourhood of Cape Pachynus [Pachynus.] The Bucra promontory (JiovKpa uKpa) of Ptolemy, which he places further W., is wholly unknown, as is also the port of Caucana of the same author {KavKdva M/xriv, Ptol. iii. 4. § 7). The remainder of the S. coast of Sicily from Gela to Lilybaeum presents on the whole a very uniform character ; it has few or no natural ports, and no remarkable headlands. It is bounded for the most part by hills of clay or soft limestone, generally sloping gradually to the sea, but sometimes forming cliffs of no great eleva- tion. The celebrated proinontoiT of Lily'baeum is a low rocky point, and its famous port, though secure, is of small extent. N. of Lilybaeum was the promontoiy of Aegithallus, with the adjacent low islands, on one of which the city Motya was built; while the more considerable islands of the Aegates lay a few miles further to the W., and the promontory of DiiEPANUM adjoining the city of the saiTie name formed the NW. point of Sicily. It is remarkable that no ancient name is preserved to us for the deep gulf of Castellamare which occurs on the coast between Trapani and Palermo, though it is one of the most remarkable features of the N.
 * oast of Sicily ; nor are the two striking headlands

that bound the Ba>/ of Palermo itself known to us by their ancient names. The bold and insulated hill of Monte Sla Rosalia is, however, the ancient Ercte. The northern coast of Sicily is bold and varied, formed by offshoots and ridges of the northern chain of mountains descending abruptly to the .sea; hence it was always a rugged and difiirult line of communication. But none of the rocky headlands that interrupt it are mentioned to us by their ancient names, till we come to that of Mylae adjoining the town of the same name (Milazzo'), and the PiiA- lAcuiAN Promontory (Ptol. iii. 4. § 2), ap- parently the Cajw di Rasocolmo within a few miles of Cape Pelorus. From the triangular form ot Sicily and the confi- guration of the mountain chains which traverse it, it is evident that it could not have any rivers of import- ance. Most of them indeed are little more than mere mountain torrents, swelling with great rapidity after violent storms or during the winter rains, but nearly, if not wholly, dry during the summer months. The most important rivers of the island are: 1. The SYMAETJtus(.SiWto or 6'ian'e//!rt), which rises in the northern chain of mountains (the Muns Nebrodcs), and flows to the S. and SE. round the foot of Aetna, falling into the sea about G miles S. of Catania. It re- ceives several tributaries, of which the Dittaino is cer- tainly the ancient Chrysas, that flowed near the city of Assorus, while the Adranus of Stephanus can SICILIA. OSTj be no other than the northern or main branch of tlin Symaethus itself. The Cyamosoras (^Kva/xdacopoi) of Polybius, which appears to have been in the neighbourhood of Centuripa, must probably be the branch now called Fiame Salso, which joins the /Smeto just below Centorbi. 2. The Acesines or AsiNES {F. Cantara), which rises very near the Symaethus, but flows along the northern foot of Aetna, and falls into the sea just below Taurome- nium. 3. The Himera (F. Salso), the most consi- derable of two rivers which bore the same name, rising in the 3Ionle Jfadonia (Jlons Nebrodes) only about 15 miles from the N. coast, and flowing due S. ; so that it traverses nearly the whole breadth of Sicily, and falls into the sea at Alicata (Phintias). 4. The Halycus {Platani), so long the boundary between the Carthaginian and Greek territories in the island, is also a considerable stream ; it rises not far fiom the Himera, but flows to the SW., and enters the sea between Agrigentum and Selinus, close to the site of Heraclea Minoa. 5. The Hyp- SAS (^Belici), falling into the sea on the S. coast, a, few miles E. of Selinus; and 6, the Anapus (vl«a/)o), which flows under the walls of Syracuse and falls into the great harbour of that city. It is unlike most of the rivers of Sicily, being a full clear stream, supplied from subterranean sources. The same character belongs still more strongly to its tributary the Cy'ANE, which has a considerable volume of water, though its whole course does not exceed two miles in length. The minor rivers of Sicily which are mentioned either in history or by the geographers are nume- rous, but in many cases are veiy difficult to identify. Beginning at Cape Pachynus and proceeding along the coast westward, we find: 1, the Motychanus (MoTvxo-vos, Ptol. iii. 4. § 7), evidently so called from its flowing near Motyca, and therefore pro- bably the stream now called Flume di Scicli ; 2, the Hirminius of Pliny, probably the Fiume di Ragusa, very near the preceding; 3, the Hipparis; and 4, the Oanus, two small streams which flowed under the walls of Camarina, now called the F. di Camarana and Frascolari; 5, the Gela or Gelas, which gave name to the city of Gela, and must therefore be the Fiume di Terranova; 6, the Acra- GAS, a small stream flowing under the walls of Agri- gentum, to which it gave name, and receiving a tributary called the Hypsas (Drago), which njust not be confounded with the more important river of the same name already mentioned; 7, the Camicus, probably the Fiu7ne delle Canne, about 10 miles W. of Girgenti; 8, the Selinus, flowing by the city of that name, now the Madiuni; 9, the JIazara or Mazarus, flovving by the town of the same name, and still called Fiume di Mazzara. Besides these Ptolemy mentions the Isburus and Sosias or Sossius, two names otherwise wholly unknown, and which caimot be placed with any approach to certainty. Equally uncertain is the more noted river Ac-hates, which "is placed by Pliny in the same part of Sicily with the Mazara and Hypsas; but tiiere is great confusion in his enumeration as well as that of Ptolemy. It is generally identified with the Dirillo, but this is situated in quite a different part of Sicily. The Aiithius of Ptolemy, which he jjlaces between Lilybaeum and Selinus, may bo the Fiume di Mar- sala. Along the N. coast, proceeding from Lilybaeum to Cape Pelorus, we meet with a number of small streams, having for the most part a short torrent