Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/305

 271 BOOK ly. JC^ ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAYENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEO- PLES VfHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED. CHAP. 1. (1.) — EPIEUS. The third great Gulf of Europe begins at the mountains of Acroceraiinia and ends at the Hellespont, embracing an extent of 2500 miles, exclusive of the sea-line of nineteen smaller gulfs. Upon it are Epirus, Acarnania, ^tolia, Phocis, Locris, Achaia, Messenia, Laconia, Argolis, Megaris, Attica, Bo'otia ; and again, upon the other sea'-^, the same Phocis and Locris, Doris, Phthiotis, Thessalia, Magnesia, Macedonia and Thracia, All the fabulous lore of Greece, as well as the effulgence of her literature, first shone forth upon the banks of this Gulf "We shall therefore dwell a little the longer upon it. Epirus^, generally so called, begins at the mountains of Acroceraunia. The first people that we meet are the Chaones, from whom Chaonia'* receives its name, then the Thesproti*, and then the Autigonenses^. AYe then come to the place where Aornos'^ stood, with its exhalations so deadly to the feathered race, the Cestrini^, the Perrha;bi^, in whose coun- ^ Now caUed Monti deUa Chimera, or Mountains of Kliimara. See p. 262. 2 '£yQ JEgean Sea, the present Archipelago. 2 This country contained, accordmg to Pouqueville, the present San- giacs of Janina, Delvino, and Chamouri, with the Yavodilika or Princi- paUty of Ai'ta. This name was originally given to the whole of the west of Greece, from the Promontory of Acroceraunia to the entrance of the Corin- thian Gulf, in contradistinction to Corcyra and the island of Cephallenia. ^ This district, according to Pouqueville, occupied the present Cantons of Chimera, lapouria, Arboria, Paracaloma, and Philates, ^ They occupied the site of the present Paraniytliia, according to Pou- queville. ^ Antigonia was about a mile distant, PouquevUle says, from tlio modern town of Tebelen. 7 From 'A "not," and upvis "a bird." Its site is now unknown. There were many places of this name. Avemus or Aomos in Campania has been previously mentioned. ^ The remains of Cestria are stiU to be seen at Palea Yenetia, near the town of Fdiates. PouquetiUe calls the place Chamouri. ^ According to Pouqueville, the modern Zagori stands on the site of Perrhaebia. Pindus is sometimes called Grammoi?, but is still known by ito ancient name.