Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/340

306 Tomi, and Callatis , formerly called Acervetis. It also had the cities of Heraclea and Bizone, which latter was swallowed up by an earthquake; it now has Dionysopolis , formerly called Cruni, which is washed by the river Zyras. All this country was formerly possessed by the Scythians, surnamed Aroteres; their towns were, Aphrodisias, Libistos, Zygere, Rocobe, Eumenia, Parthenopolis, and Gerania , where a nation of Pigmies is said to have dwelt; the bar- barians used to call them Cattuzi, and entertain a belief that they were put to flight by cranes. Upon the coast, proceeding from Dionysopolis, is Odessus, a city of the Milesians, the river Panysus, and the town of Tetranaulo- chus. Mount Hæmus, which, with its vast chain, over- hangs the Euxine, had in former times upon its summit the town of Aristæum. At the present day there are upon the coast Mesembria, and Anchialum , where Messa for- merly stood. The region of Astice formerly had a town called Anthium; at the present day Apollonia occupies its site. The rivers here are the Panisos, the Riras, the Tearus, and the Orosines; there are also the towns of Thy- nias, Halmydessos , Develton , with its lake, now known as Deultum, a colony of veterans, and Phinopolis, near which last is the Bosporus. From the mouth of the Ister to the entrance of the Euxine, some writers have made to be

1 Now Temesvar, or Jegni Pangola, the capital of Scythia Minor. It was said to have been so called from the Greek τέμνω, "to cut," because Medea here cut to pieces the body of her brother Absyrtus. It is famous as the place of Ovid's banishment; and here he wrote his 'Tristia' and his 'Pontic Epistles.'

2 Usually identified with the modern Collat, or Collati.

3 Its site does not appear to be known, nor yet those of many of the towns here mentioned.

4 This story no doubt arose from the similarity of its name to γέρανος, "a crane;" the cranes and the Pigmies, according to the poets, being in a state of continual warfare.

5 Supposed to be the present Varna.

6 Now called Daphne-Soui, according to D'Anville.

7 Said to have been built by Aristæus, son of Apollo.

8 Now Missivri.

9 Or Anchiale, now Akiali.

10 Now Sizeboli, famous for its temple of Apollo, with his statue, thirty cubits in height, which Lucullus carried to Rome. In later times it was called Sozopolis.

11 Now Tiniada.

12 The present Midjeh, according to D'Anville.

13 Afterwards called Zagora, which name it still bears.

14 Or Straits of Constantinople.