Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/345

 Cliap. 19.] ACC0U2TT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 311 Tn front of these, and lying out at sea, are Cepliallenia^ and Zacynthus", botli of them free, Ithaea'"^, Dalicliium^, Same', and Crocyle^. Cephanenia, formerly known as ISIeliena'', lies at a distance of eleven miles from Paxos, and is ninety- three miles in circumference : its city of Same has been levelled to the groimd by the Romans ; but it still pos- sesses three others^. Between this island and Achaia lies the island of Zacynthus, remarkable for its city of the same name, and for its singidar fertility. It formerly had the name of Hyrie, and lies to the south of Cephallenia, at a distance of twenty-five miles ; in it there is the famous mountain of Elatus^. This island is thirty-six miles in cir- cumference. At a distance of fifteen miles from Zacynthus is Ithaca, in which is Moimt Neritus ^'^ ; its circumference in all is twenty-five miles. Twelve miles distant from this island is Araxus", a promontory of the Peloponnesus. Before Ithaca, lying out in the main sea, are Asteris^" and Prote ; and before Zacynthus, at a distance of thirty- five miles in the direction of the south-east wind, are the two Strophades^^, by some known as the Plotse. Before Cephallenia lies Letoia^^, before Pylos the three SphagiiB^^, and before Messene the (Enussa3^^, as many in number. ^ Now called CepliaUcnia. 2 Xow Zante. 3 Now Thiaki, or Cefalogna Piccola — Little Cephallenia. ^ The general opinion is, that Strabo is right m identifying this island with one of the Echinades ; but it seems impossible now to say which of them was so called. ° Sometimes confoimded with Cephallenia ; but, according to Virgil and Mela, as weU as Phny, they were different islands. ^ Crocylsea was a town of Acarnania, referred to by Homer ; and there was a district of Ithaca called Crocyleium. Pliny is probably in error in mentioning Crocyle as an island. ' Or the " Black Island ;" probably from its thick foUage. ' Pale, Cranii, and Proni. 9 So called from its fir-trees. It now has the name of Scopo. 10 Now Monte Stefano. '' See c. 6 of this Book. ^2 Supposed by some wTiters to be the same with the rocky isle now called Dyscallio. Though mentioned by Homer, its existence was dis- puted by many of the ancient commentators. 13 The modem Strivali and Stamjihane. ^* The present Guardiania, according to Lapie. 15 According to Ansart, these were Prote, nowProdano, and Sphagia, formerly Spha<'teria, before Pylos, now called Zonchio, or Old Navariuo j the third being perliaps the isle of Beehli, in the Bay of Navariuo. 1^ Now called Sapicnza, Santa Maria, and Cabrera.