Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/345

 B. v. c. ii. 6. ITALY. ETRURIA. 331 down from the Apennines. Where they fall into one current, the shock between them is so great as to raise the water to that height, that people standing on either bank are not able to see each other ; so that necessarily the voyage up from the sea is difficult. This voyage is about 20 stadia. There is a tradition, that when these rivers first descended from the mountains they were impeded by the inhabitants of the dis- trict, lest falling together they should inundate the country ; however, they promised not to inundate it, and they have kept their word. This city appears to have been formerly flourish- ing, and at the present day it still maintains its name, on account of its fertility, its marble-quarries, and its wood for building ships, which formerly they employed to preserve themselves from danger by sea ; for they were more warlike than the Tyrrheni, and were constantly irritated by the Ligu- rians, troublesome neighbours, who dwelt on the coast. At the present day the wood is mostly employed for building houses in Rome, and in the country villas [of the Romans], which resemble in their gorgeousness Persian palaces. 6. The country of the Volaterrani 1 is washed by the sea. Their city is situated in a deep hollow on the top of a high hill. The wall of the city is built round its summit, which is flat and precipitous on every side. From its base, the ascent upward is fifteen stadia, steep and difficult. Here certain of the Tyrrhenians and of those proscribed by Sulla, 2 took their stand, and having organized four bands, sustained a siege for two years, and at last secured articles of truce be- fore surrendering the place. Poplonium is situated on a lofty promontory, which projects into the sea, and forms a cher- sonesus. It likewise sustained a siege about the same time. This little place is now deserted, with the exception of the temples and a few houses ; the sea-port, which is situated at the root of the mountain, is better inhabited, having both a small har- bour and ship-sheds. This appears to me the only one of the ancient Tyrrhenian cities situated on the sea ; the reason being that this territory affords no harbours. The founders [of the cities] therefore either avoided the sea altogether, or threw up fortifications in order that they might not become the ready prey of those who might sail against them. On the 1 Volterra. 2 Eighty-one years B. c.