Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/361

 B. v. c. in. 6. ITALY. LATIUM. 347 road is paved from Rome to Brundusium, 1 and has great traffic. Of the maritime cities, these alone are situated on it ; Tarracina, beyond it Formiae, 2 Minturnoe, 3 Sinuessa, 4 and towards its extremity Tarentum and Brundusium. Near to Tarracina, advancing in the direction of Rome, a canal runs by the side of the Via Appia, which is supplied at intervals by water from the marshes and rivers. Travellers generally sail up it by night, embarking in the evening, and landing in the morning to travel the rest of their journey by the way : however, during the day the passage boat is towed by mules. 5 Beyond is Formias, founded by the Lacedaemonians, and formerly called Hormias, on account of its excellent port. Be- tween these [two cities], 6 is a gulf which they have named Caiata, 7 in fact all gulfs are called by the Lacedaemonians Caietae : some, however, sayfthat the gulf received this appella- tion from [Caieta], the nurse of jiEneas. From Tarracina to the promontory of Caiata is a length of 100 stadia. Here 8 are opened vast caverns, which contain large and sumptuous mansions. From hence to Formiaa is a distance of 40 stadia. Between this city and Sinfoessa, at a distance of about 80 stadia from each, is Minturnae. The river Liris, 9 formerly named the Clanis, flows through it. It descends from the Apennines, passes through the country of the Vescini, 10 and by the village of Fregellas, (formerly a famous city,) and so into a sacred grove situated below the city, and held in great veneration by the people of jS^inturnaa. There are two islands, named Pandataria and Pontfa, 11 lying in the high sea, and clearly discernible from the! caverns. Although small, they are well inhabited, are not) at any great distance from each other, and at 250 stadia from the mainland. Caecubum is situated on the gulf of Cajata, and next to it Fundi, a city on the Via Appia. All these places produce excellent wines ; but those of Cascubum, Fund, and Setia 12 are most in repute, and so are theFalernian, Alban, 13 and Statanian wines. Sinuessa is situated in a gulf from which it takes its name, sinus signify- 1 BptvTeffiov, now Brindes. 3 Mola di Gaeta. 3 The ruins of this town are extant on either bank of the Garigliano, the ancient Liris. 4 Rocca di Monte Dragone. 5 Compare Horace, Satir. 1. i. sat. 5. 6 Tarracina and Formiae. 7 Giii-ta. 8 At Sperlunga. The Garigliano. 10 Vestini, MSS. " Ponza. 12 Sezza. The French translators think this should be Vescia. IS Albano.