Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/530

 496 PLINY's NATIJEAL HISTOET. [Book V. place where the town of Spiropolis^ formerly stood. The Thyni occupy the whole of the coast, the Bithyni the in- terior. This is the termination of Asia, and of the 282 peoples, that are to be found between the Grulf of Lycia^ and this spot. We have already^ mentioned the length of the Hellespont and Propontis to the Thracian Bosporus as beino[ 239 miles ; from Chalcedon to Sigeum, Isidorus makes the distance 322-|-. CHAP. 44. — THE ISLANDS OP THE PROPONTIS. The islands of the Propontis are, before Cyzicus, Elaphon- nesus"*, from whence comes the Cyzican marble ; it is also known by the names of Neuris and Proconnesus. Next come Ophiussa^, Acanthus, Phcebe, Scopelos, Porphyrione, Halone^, with a city of that name, Delphacia, Polydora, and Artaceon, with its city. There is also, opposite to Nico- media, Demonnesos^ ; and, beyond Heraclea, and opposite to Bithynia, the island of Thynias, by the barbarians called Bithynia ; the island of Antiochia : and, at the mouth of the Ehyndacus, Besbicos^, eighteen miles in circumference ; the islands also of Elsea, the two called Ehodussae, and those of Erebinthus^, Megale, Chalcitis^°, and Pity odes ^ ^ Called Phinopolis in most of the editions. It is very doubtful whether this passage ought not to be translated, " At a distance thence of eight miles and three-quarters is the first entrance to tliis strait, at the spot," &c. We have, however, adopted the rendering of Holland, Ajas- son, and Littre. 2 Mentioned hi C. 28 of the present Book. 3 In B. iv. c. 24. ^ Or " Deer Island." ^ Now Afzia, according to D'AnvUle. ^ There is still an island in the Sea of Marmora known by the name Alon, which is separated from the north-western extremity of the Penin- sula of Cyzicus by a narrow channel. 7 Hesycliius says, that there were two islands near Byzantium called by the common name of Demonncsi, but severally having the names of Chalcitis and Pityusa. Phny, on the other hand, places Demonnesus opposite to Nicomedia, and at the same time mentions Chalcitis and Pityodes (^ probably the same as Pityusa) as distinct places. D'Anvihe calls Demonnesus " The Isle of Princes." 8 The position assigned to this island by Pliny and Strabo corresponds with that of Kalohmno, a small island ten miles north of the mouth of the Khyndacus. ^ Now called Prota, according to Parisot. ^^ So called from its copper-mines ; now called Khalki, or Karki. ^^ Now called Prinkipo, east of Khalki.