Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/447

 B. vi. c. in. 9. ITALY. APULIA. 433 9. From Barium to the river Ofanto, 1 on which the Canu- sitre have established an emporium, there are 400 2 stadia. The course up the river to the emporium is 90 [stadia]. Near it is Salapia, 3 the port of the Argyrippeni. For the two cities, Canusium and Argyrippa, are situated at no great distance from the sea, and in the midst of a plain ; at one time they were the most important cities of the Greeks of Italy, as is manifest from the circumference of their walls, but now they have fallen off. One of them was originally called Argos Hippium, then Argyrippa, and then again Arpi. They are said to have been both founded by Diomed, and both the plain of Diomed and many other things are shown in these districts as evidence of his having possessed them. Such were the ancient offerings in the temple of Minerva, at Luceria. 4 That was an ancient city of the Daunii, but now it is of no account. Again, in the neighbouring sea there are two islands called the Diome- dean islands, one of which is inhabited, but the other, they say, is desert : in the latter it is fabled that Diomed dis- appeared from the earth, and that his companions were trans- formed into birds, 5 and indeed the fable goes so far as to pro- long their race to the present time, saying that they are tame, and lead a sort of human life, both in respect of food, and their readiness to approach men of gentle manners, and to shun the evil and wanton. We have already noticed 6 what is currently reported amongst the Heneti concerning this hero [Diomed] and the honours decreed to him by custom. It is thought also that Sipus 7 was a settlement founded by Diorned, 1 The Aufidus, celebrated by Horace, Od. iv. 9, " Ne forte credas interitura, quae Longe sonantem natus ad Aufidum, Non ante vulgatas per artes Verba loquor socianda chordis." 2 M. Gossellin considers this rather too much, and supposes 315 stadia would be nearer the truth. 3 Ruins now called Salpi. * Now Lucera, 5 See book v. c. 1, 9, p. 320. Ptolemy makes these five, which is the number of the isles of Tremiti at present, if we include in the group three barren rocks, which scarce deserve the name of islands. One was called Diomedea by Pliny, and Tremitus by Tacitus, who states that Augustus appointed it as the prison of his grand-daughter Julia; the second was called Teutria. The largest is at present called Isola San Domino, the other Isola San Nicolo. 6 Book v. c. i. 9, p. 320. 7 Siponto, a place in ruins near Manfredonia. VOL. 1. 2 F