Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/501

 B. vii. c. v. 10. ILLYRIA. 487 sea. According to Theopompus, the name Ionian was de- rived from a chief (lonius) of that country, a native of Issa ; and the name Adriatic from a river, Adrias. 1 From the Liburni to the Ceraunian mountains is a distance of a little more than 2000 stadia. But Theopompus says, that it is six days' sail from the farthest recess of the bay, but a journey of thirty days by land along the length of Illy- ria. This appears to me an exaggeration, but he makes many incredible statements. Among other instances, he pretends that there is a subterraneous passage between the Adriatic and the JEgean Seas, grounding his opinion on the discovery of Chian and Thasian pottery in the river Naron. 2 The two seas, he says, may be seen from some pretended mountain. He describes the Liburnian islands as occupying a position so extensive as to form a circle of 500 stadia. According to him, the Danube discharges itself by one of its mouths into the Adriatic. 3 Similar mistakes are to be found in Eratosthenes, which Polybius, when speaking of him and other writers, de- scribes as having their origin in vulgar error. 4 10. On the coast of Illyria, along its whole extent, and in the neighbouring islands, there are numerous excellent har- bours, contrary to what occurs on the opposite Italian coast, where there are none. As in Italy, however, the climate is warm, and the soil productive of fruits ; olives also and vines grow readily, except in some few excessively rugged places. Although Illyria possesses these advantages, it was formerly neglected, "Tfirbugh ignorance, perhaps, of its fertility ; but it was principally avoided on account of the savage manners of the infiaWrants4, and their pirafical habus. The region situated above the sea-coast is mountainous, cold, and at times covered with snow. The northern part is still colder, so that vines are rarely to be met with either in the hills or in the plains lower down. These mountain-plains are in the possession of the Pannonians, and extend towards the south as far as the Dalmatians and Ardiaei. They ter- .minate towards the north at the Ister, and approach towards 1 The word Afyi'ac is translated Adriatic. In the version of the New Testament it is translated Adria. Acts xxvii. 27. The Tartaro. 3 A common opinion among ancient geographers. See b. i. c. ii. $ 39. 4 irapaKovafiara ao3oy named.
 * Narenta.