Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/329

 B. v. c. i. 3. ITALY. 315 Ancona ; for these mountains, commencing at Liguria, enter Tyrrhenia, leaving but a narrow sea-coast ; they afterwards retire by degrees into the interior, and having reached the territory of Pisa, turn towards the east in the direction of the Adriatic as far as the country about Ariminum and Ancona, where they approach the sea-coast of the Heneti at right angles. Cisalpine Keltica is enclosed within these limits, and the length ot the coast joined^to that of the moun- tains is 6300 stadia ; its breadth rather less than 2000. The remainder of Italy is long and narrow, and terminates in two promontories, one 1 extending to the Strait of Sicily, the other 2 to lapygia. It is embraced on one side by the Adriatic, 3 on the other by the Tyrrhenian Sea. 4 The form and size of the Adriatic resembles that portion of Italy bounded by the Apennines and the two seas, and extending as far as lapygia and the isthmus which separates the Gulf of Taranto from that of Posidonium. 5 The greatest breadth of both is about 1300 stadia, and the length not much less than 6000. The remainder of the country is possessed by the Bruttii, and cer- tain of the Leucani. Polybius tells us, that traversing the sea-coast on foot from lapygia 6 to the Strait [of Sicily] there are 3000 stadia, the coast being washed by the Sea of Sicily ; but that going by water it is 500 stadia less. The Apen- nines, after approaching the country about Ariminum and Ancona, and determining the breadth of Italy at this point from sea to sea, change their direction and divide the whole country throughout its length. As far as the Peucetii and Leucani they do not recede much from the Adriatic, but on arriving at the Leucani they decline considerably towards the other sea, 7 and traversing the remainder of the distance through the Leucani and Bruttii, terminate at Leucopetra, 8 in Reggio. Such is a general description of the whole of present Italy. We will now endeavour to undertake a de- scription of its various parts. And, first, of those situated below the Alps. 1 The peninsula occupied by the people named Brettii, or Bruttii. 2 The peninsula now designated Terra di Lecce, and called by the ancients sometimes lapygia, at others Messapia, Calabria, and Salentina. The isthmus of this peninsula was supposed to be formed by a line drawn from Brindisi to Taranto. 3 The Gulf of Venice. 4 The Sea of Tuscany. * The Gulf of Salerno. 8 Capo di Leuca. J The Mediterranean. 8 Capo dell' Armi.