Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/348

 yl4 PLINT's ITATUEAL HISTORY. [Book lY. LebenaaudHierapolis; and, in the interior, Grortyna^, Phae- stnm, Cnossus^, Polyrreuiiim, Myrina, Lycastus, Eliamnus, Lyctiis, Dium"*, Asus, Pyloros, Ehytion, Elatos, Pharae, liolopyxos, Lasos, Eleuthernae^, Tberapnae, Maratbusa, and Tjdisos ; besides some sixty otbers, of wbicb the me- mory only exists, Tbe mountains are tbose of Cadistus®, Ida, Dictynnaeus, and Corycus^. Tbis island is distant, at its promontory of Criumetopon, according to Agrippa, from Pbycus'^, the promontory of Cyrene, 125 miles ; and at Ca- distus, from Malea in the Peloponnesus, eigbty. Erom the island of Carpatlios^, at its promontory of Sammonium it lies in a westerly direction, at a distance of sixty miles ; tbis last-named island is situate between it and Ebodes. Tbe otber islands in its vicinity, and lying in front of the 1 Now Lionda. 2 Next to Cnossus in splendour and importance. Mr. Pasliley places its site near the modern Haghius Dheka, the place of the martyrdom of the ten Saints, according to tradition, in the Decian persecution. 3 It has been remarked, that Pliny is mistaken here if he intends to enumerate Cnossus among the towns of the interior of Crete. The only remains of tliis capital of Crete, situate on the north of the island, are those seen at Makro-Teikho, or the " Long Walls," so called from the masses of Rom.an brick- work there seen. ■* Though an inland town, it probably stood in the vicinity of the headland or promontory of the same name, which is now called Kavo StaTTO. Many of these names are utterly unknown. ^ One of the most important towns of Crete, on the N.W. slope of Mount Ida, about fifty stadia from the port of Astale. Mr. PasUey says that some remains probably of tliis place are stiU to be seen on a hill near a place called Eletherna, five miles south of the great convent of Arkadlii. 6 The loftiest point of the momitain-range that traverses the island of Crete from west to east. Its head is covered with snow. The modern name is Psiloriti, looking down on the plain of Mesara. The word Ida is supposed to mean a mountain in which mines are worked, and the Idaei DactyH of Crete were probably among the fu"st workers in iron and bronze. The position of Momit Cadistus, belonging to the range of White Mountains, has been fixed by Hoeck at Cape Spadlia, the most northerly point of the island. It is thought that Phny and Solinus are in error in speaking of Cadistus and Dictynnseus as separate peaks, these being, both of them, names of the mountain of which the cape was formed; the latter name havmg been given in later times, from the worsliip and temple there of Dictynna. 7 Now Grabusa, the N.W, promontory of Crete. ^ Now Ras-al-Sem, or Cape Rasat, in Africa. The distance, according to Brotier, is in reality about 225 miles. ^ Now Skarpanto.