Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/359

 B. T. c. in. 5. ITALY. G45 tainous and rocky; but even these are not absolutely idle and useless, since they furnish abundant pasturage, wood, and the peculiar productions of the marsh and rock ; while Ccecubum, which is entirely marshy, nourishes a vine, the dendritis, 1 which produces the most excellent wine. Of the maritime cities of Latium, one is Ostia. This city has no port, owing to the accumulation of the alluvial deposit brought down by the Tiber, which is swelled by numerous rivers ; vessels therefore bring to anchor further out, but not without danger; however, gain overcomes every thing, for there is an abundance of lighters in readiness to freight and un- freight the larger ships, before they approach the mouth of the river, and thus enable them to perform their voyage speedily. Being lightened of a part of their cargo, they enter the river and sail up to Rome, a distance of about 190 stadia. Such is the city of Ostia, founded by Ancus Martius. Next in order comes Antium, which city is likewise destitute of any port ; it is situated on rocks, and about 260 stadia distant from Ostia. At the present clay it is devoted to the leisure and recreation of statesmen from their political duties, when- ever they can find time, and is in consequence covered with sumptuous mansions suited to such rusticating. The in- habitants of Antium had formerly a marine, and even after they were under subjection to the Romans, took part with the Tyrrhenian pirates. Of this, first, Alexander sent to com- plain; after him Demetrius, having taken many of these pirates, sent them to the Romans, saying that he would sur- render them their persons on account of their affinity to the Greeks, and remarking at the same time, that it seemed to him a great impropriety, that those who held sway over the whole of Italy should send out pirates, and that they who had consecrated in their forum a temple to the honour of the Dioscuri, 2 whom all denominated the Saviours, should like- wise send to commit acts of piracy on Greece, which was the father-land of those divinities. Hereupon the Romans put a stop to this occupation [piracy]. Between these two cities is Lavinium, which contains a temple of Venus common to all the Latini, the care of which is intrusted to the priests of 1 The vine to which the term arbustive or hautain is applied, which the French translators explain as a vine trained from the foot of a tree. 8 Castor and Pollux.