Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/142

 134 STRABO. CASAUB. 432. dium that the country, in which it is situated, was a part of that under the command of Achilles. Others, who regard it as a city, allege that the Pharsalii show at the distance of 60 stadia from their own city, a city in ruins, which they believe to be Hellas, and two springs near it, Messei's and Hypereia. But the Melitaeenses say, that at the distance of about 10 stadia from their city, was situated Hellas on the other side of the Enipeus, 1 when their own city had the name of Pyrrha, and that the Hellenes migrated from Hellas, which was built in a low situation, to theirs. They adduce in proof of this the tomb of Hellen, son of Deucalion and Pj^rrha, which is in their market-place. For according to historians, Deucalion was king of Phthiotis and of all Thessaly. The Enipeus flows from Othrys 2 beside Pharsalus, 3 and empties itself into the Apidanus, 4 and the latter into the Peneius. Thus much, then, respecting the Hellenes. 7. The people under the command of Achilles, Protesilaus, and Philoctetes, are called Phthii. The poet furnishes evi- dence of this. Having recited in the Catalogue of those under the command of Achilles, " the people of Phthia," 5 he represents them at the battle at the ships, as remaining in the ships with Achilles, and inactive ; but those under the command of Philoctetes, as fighting with Medon [as their leader], and those under the command of Protesilaus, with Podarces [as their chief]. Of these the poet speaks in general terms ; " there were Boeoti and laones wearing long robes, Locri, Phthii, and illustrious Epeii." 6 But here he particularizes them ; "at the head of the Phthii fought Medon and Podarces, firm in battle. These armed with breastplates fought together with Boeoti, at the head of the magnanimous Phthii, keeping away the enemy from the ships." 7 Perhaps the people with Eurypylus were called Phthii, as they bordered upon the country of the latter. At present, however, historians assign to- Magnesia the country about Ormenium, which was subject to Eurypylus, and the whole of that subject to Philoctetes ; but they regard the country, un- 1 The Vlacho. 2 Part. of the range of Mount Gura. 3 Satalda. The plain of Pharsalia is to the north. 4 The Gura. 5 11. ii. 683. 6 II. xiii. 685. 7 11. xiii. 693, 699.