Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 2.djvu/87

 62$ kkna. nenns: Coitro CUcvanm), an ancient and important dtj of Sicilj, ritnated as nearly as posdble in the eentre of the island; whence Cioero caUs it ** medi- temuiea mazime" (^Verr, iiL 83), and telle ne that it was within a da/s joarnej of the nearest point on all the three coasts. Hence the sacred grove of Proserpine, in its immediate neighbourhood, was often called the *^ nmbilicos Skdliae." (Cic. Venr, vr, 48; OallioL ff. in Ctr. 15.) The pecoliar ritoation of Enna is described by seven! ancient authors, and is indeed one of the most remarkable in Sicily. Placed on the level summit of a gigantic hill, so lofty as almost to deserve to be called a moontain, and snr- nonded on all sides with predpitons cliflb almost wholly inaccessible, except in a very few spots which are easily defended, abundantly supplied with water which gushes from the iaoe of the rocks on all sides, and having a fine plain or tableland of abontS miles in drcumferenoe on the summit, it forms (me of the most remarkable natural fortresses in the world. (Liv. zxiv. 37 ; Cic. Verr. iv. 48; Stnb. vL p. 272.) 8tepbanus of Byzantium tells us («. «. "Zvpa)^ but without citing his authority, that Enna was a colony of Syracuse, founded 80 years after the settlement of the parent dty (b. o. 654) : but the silence of Thu- cydides, where he mentions the other oolonioB of Syracuse foonded about this period (vi. 2.), tells ttrongly against this statement. It is improbable also ^t the Syracusans should have established a cdony so fiir inland at so early a period, and it is certain that when Enna first figures in history, it appears as a Siculian and not as a Greek d^. Dionysios of Syracuse seems to have fully appreciated its importance, and repeatedly attempted to make himsdf master of the place; at first by aiding and encouraging Aeimnestos, a dtlzen of Enna, to sdze on the sovereign power, and afterwardii, fiuling in his object by this means, turning against him and assisting the Ennaeans to get rid of their despot. (Died. ziv. 14.) He did not however at this time acoompluth his purpose, and it was not till a later period that, after repeated expeditious against the ndghbouring Sidlian cities, Enna also was betrayed into his hands. (Id. xiv. 78.) In the time of Aga- thocles we find Enna for a time subject to that tyrant, but when the Agrigentines under Xenodicus began to prodaim the restonitim of the other dties of Sicily to freedom, the Ennaeans were the first to join their standard, and opened their gates to Xeno- ■dicttSy B, G. 309. (Id. xx. 31.) In the First Punic War Enna is repeatedly mentioned; it was taken fint by the Carthaginians under Hamilcar, and subsequently recaptured by the Romans, but in both instances by treachery and not by force. (Died, xxiii. 9. p. 503; Pol i. 24.) In the Second Punic War, while Maroellus was engaged in the siege of Syracuse B. o. 214, Enna became the soene of a fearftil mas- sacre. The defection of several Sicilian towns from Kome had alarmed Pinarius the governor of Enna, lest the dtizeus of that place should follow their example; and in order to forestal the apprehended treachery, he with the Roman garrison fell upon the dtiiens when assembled in the theatre, and put them all to the sword without distinction, after which he gave up the dty to be plundered by his soldiers. (Liv. xxrr. 37 — 39.) Eighty years later Enna again became oonspicuous as the head-quarters of the great Servile War in Sdly (b. c. 134—132), which first broke out there under the lead of Eunus, who made himself master in the first instance of Enna, which from its central position and great natuxal strength EliXiU' the centre of his opentions, and thtMeeeptaaeto of the plunder of Sicily. It was the last pbee tliaft held out against the proconsul Eupilius, aod w»b a£ length betrayed into his hands, its impregnaUa strength having defied all his effiirts. (IKod. xxnr^ Exc PhoL pp^ 526—529, Exc. ViUes, ppi 599, 600; Fkir. iiL 19. § 8; Oros. v. 9.; Smb. vL p. 272.) Strabo tells us (/. c.) that it suffiered ae- verdy upon this oocasioD (which, indeed, oould scarody be otherwise), and regards thb period as the ooounencement of its subsequent dedine. Cioeray however, nodces it rqwatedly in a manner which seems to im^dy that it was sdll a flourishing voubA* dpal town: it had a fertile territory, wett>ada|rtad for the growth of com, and diligently cultavated, till it was rendered almost desolate by ihb exactions of Verres. (Cic. Verr. iiL 18, 42, 83.) From thia time we hear little of Enna: Strabo speaks of it as still inhabited, though by a small population, in has time: and the name appean in Pliny among the munidpal towns of Sidly, as wdl as in Ptdenny and the Itineraries. (Stnib./.c.: Plin. iiL 8. s. 14; PtoL Ui. 4. § 14; Itm, AnL ^ 93; T(A, PenL) Ito great natural advantages, as wdl as its central pontifny must have secured it in all times from oompleta decay, and it seems to have continned to exist throughout the middle ages. Its modem name of Cattro Giovanm seems to be merely an ItaHaoised form of CatUro Jatud^ the name by which it is known in the native dialect of Sicily, and this is probaUj only a corruption of the name of Castmm Ennae or CoMtro di Enna, The neighbourhood of Enna is cdebrated in my* thological story as the place from whence Proserpina was carried off by Pluto. (Ovid, Met. v. 385 — 408; Claudian, de Rapt Proterp, ii.; Diod. v. 3.) The exact spot assigned by load tradition as the scene of this event was a small lake surrounded by loft j and predpitons hilU, about 5 miles from Enna, the meadows on the banks of which abounded in fiowen% while a cavern or grotto hard by was shown as that from which the infernal king suddenly emerged. This lake is called Pergus by Odd (Ifd v. 386) and Claudian (Lc, iL 112), but it is remarkable that neither Cioero nor Diodorus speaks of any lake in particular as the scene of the occurrence: the former however says, that around Enna were '* lams lucique plurimi, et laetissimi flares omni tempore anni." ( Verr, iv. 48.) Diodoms, on the contrarji, describes the spot from whence Proserpine was carrini off as a meadow abounding in flowere, especially odoriferous ones, to such a degree that it was impos* dble for hounds to follow thdr prey by the scent across this tract: he speaks of it as endooed on all ddes by steep clifis, and having groves and marafaea in the neighbourhood, but makes no mention of » lake (v. 3). The cavern however is alluded to by him as well as by Cicero, and would seem to pdnt to a definite locahty. At the present day there still remains a small lake in a basin-shaped hdlow suf* rounded by great hills, and a cavern near it is stiU pointed out as that described by Cioero and Diodorus, but the flowers have in great measure disappeared, as well as the groves and woods which fonnerly surrounded the spot, and the scene is desiaibed by modem travellers as bare and desolate. (Hoare's Ckuneal Tour, vd. ii. p^ 252; Parthey, Wand^ rungen d, SUsSUen, p. 135; Mstrquas of Ormonde^ Autumn in SicUy, p^ 106, who has given a view of the lake.) The comiectioii of this myth with Enpa natuilly