Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/225

 B. in. c. i. 9. SPAIN. their expeditions by sea, and their friendship witl mans, has attained to that pitch of good fortune, that situated at the farthest extremities of the earth, it pL^coses a greater celebrity than any other island. But we will describe it when we come to speak of the other islands. 9. Next after [Cadiz] is the port of Menestheus, 1 and the estuary near to Asta and Nebrissa. 2 These estuaries are val- leys filled by the sea during its flood-tides, up which you may sail into the interior, and to the cities built on them, in the same way as you sail up a river. Immediately after are the two out- lets of the Guadalquiver. 3 The island embraced by these mouths has a coast of a hundred stadia, or rather more according to others. Hereabouts is the Orjacje of Menestheus, 4 and the tower of Caspio, 5 built upon a pock and washed on all sides by the sea. This is an admirable w r ork, resembling the Pharos, and constructed for the safety of vessels. For the mud carried out by the river forms shallows, and sunken rocks are also scattered before it, so that a beacon was greatly needed. Thence sailing up the river is the city of Ebura. 6 and the temple of Phosphorus, 7 which they call Lux Dubia. s You then pass up the other estuaries ; and after these the river Guadiana, which has also two mouths, 9 up either of which you may sail. Lastly, beyond is the Sacred Promontory, 10 distant from Gadeira 11 less than 2000 stadia. Some say that from the Sacred Promontory to the mouth of the Guadiana there are 60 miles ; thence to the mouth of the Guadalquiver 100 ; and from this latter place to Gadeira 70. 1 An Athenian king, who led the Athenians against Troy. The port of Menestheus is now Puerto Sta. Maria. 2 Hodie Lebrixa. 3 Baetis. 4 At or near the port of Menestheus, just mentioned. 5 Quintus Servilius Ceepio, a famous Roman general. Vide lib. iv. c. i. 13. 6 This city is not to be confounded with others of the same name in Spain. 7 Strabo is the only writer who speaks of this temple of Phosphorus. It was no doubt a temple to Diana, who was named "Aprtyuc *wff0opog. This temple, according to the "Spanish authors quoted by Lopez in his translation of Strabo, corresponds to the present San-Lucar de Barrameda. 8 Strabo here gives the Latin Lucem ditbiam in Greek characters, A-OVKep Sovfiiav. 9 The Guadiaua at-the present day has but one mouth. 10 Cape St. Vincent. u Cadiz. p 2