Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/383

 B. V. C. IV. ITALY. 369 islands to rise in the sea, containing springs of hot water. Pindar throws more credibility into the myth, by making it conformable to the actual phenomena, for the whole strait from Cumasa to Sicily is subigneous, and below the sea has certain galleries which form a communication between [the volcanos 1 of the islands 2 ] and those of the main-land. He shows that JEtna is on this account of the nature described by all, and also the Lipari Islands, with the regions around Dicasarchia, Neapolis, Baire, and the PithecussaB. And mind- ful hereof, [Pindar] says that Typhon lies under the whole of this space. "Now indeed the sea-girt shores beyond .Cumae, and Sicily, press on his shaggy breast." 3 Timoeus, 4 who remarks that many paradoxical accounts were related by the ancients concerning the Pithecussoe, states, nevertheless, that a little before his time, Mount Epomeus, 5 in the middle of the island, being shaken by an earthquake, vomited forth fire ; and that the land between it and the coast was driven out into the sea. That the powdered soil, after being whirled on high, was poured down again upon the island in a whirlwind. That the sea retired from it to a dis- tance of three stadia, but after remaining so for a short time it returned, and inundated the island, thus extinguishing the fire. And that the inhabitants of the continent fled at the noise, from the sea-coast, into the interior of Campania. It seems that the hot-springs 6 here are a remedy for those afflicted with gravel. Capreas 7 anciently possessed two small cities, after- wards but one. The Neapolitans possessed this island, but having lost Pithecussa3 in war, they received it again from Csesar Augustus, giving him in exchange Caprese. This [island] having thus become the property of that prince, he 1 The volcanos of Sicily, Lipari, Pithecusss, or Ischia, and Mount Vesuvius. See Humboldt (Cosmos i. '238, note). 2 We, in common with the French translators and Siebenkees, have adopted the vi}<rov found in the MS. of Pqter Bembo, and some others cited by Casaubon. 3 Pindar Pyth. Od i. 32 ; Conf. Pindar. Olymp. Od. iv. 2. 4 This writer flourished about 264 years before the Christian era. 5 Epopeus mons, now sometimes called Epomeo, but more commonly Monte San Nicolo. 6 The waters at the source Olmitello, in the southern part of the island, are the most efficacious for this disease. 7 Capri. VOL. i. 2 B