Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/149

 B. ix. c. v. 17. THESSALY. 141 17. The poet having proceeded so far along the Magnesian coast, returns to Upper Thessaly, for beginning from Dolopia and Pindus he goes through the region extending along Phthiotis to Lower Thessaly. " They who occupy Tricca and rocky Ithome." l These places belong to Histiseotis, which was formerly called Doris. When it was in the possession of the Perrhasbi, who de- stroyed Histiseotis in Euboea, and had removed the inhabitants by force to the continent, they gave the country the name of Histia3otis, on account of the great numbers of Histiaeans among the settlers. This country and Dolopia are called Upper Thes- saly, which is in a straight line with Upper Macedonia, as Lower Thessaly is in a straight line with Lower Macedonia. Tricca, 2 where there is a very ancient and famous temple of JEsculapius, borders upon the Dolopes, and the parts about Pindus. Ithome, which has the same name as the Messenian Ithome, ought not, they say, to be pronounced in this manner, but should be pronounced without the first syllable, Thome, for this was its former name. At present, it is changed to [Thumaeum], It is a spot strong by nature, and in reality rocky. It lies between four strong-holds, which form a square, Tricca, Metropolis, Pelinnasum, and Gomphi. 3 Ithome be- longs to the district of the Metropolitas. Metropolis was formed at first out of three small obscure cities, and after- wards more were included, and among these Ithome. Calli- machus says in his Iambics, " among the Venuses, (for the goddess bears several titles,) Venus Cast- nietis surpasses all others in wisdom," for she alone accepts the sacrifice of swine. Certainly Calli- machus, if any person could be said to possess information, was well informed, and it was his object, as he himself says, all his life to relate these fables. Later writers, however, have proved that there was not one Venus only, but several, who accepted that sacrifice, from among whom the goddess worshipped at Metropolis came, and that this [foreign] rite was delivered down by one of the cities which contributed to form that settlement. 1 II. ii. 729. s Tricala. 3 The ruins are pointed out to the south of Stagus Kalabak.