Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/159

 B. x. c. i. 3. NEGROPONT. 151 Cenaeum is opposite to Thermopylae, and in a small degree to the parts beyond Thermopylae : Geraestus 1 and Petalia 2 are opposite to Sunium. Euboea then fronts 3 Attica, Boeotia, Locris, and the Mali- enses. From its narrowness, and its length, which we have mentioned, it was called by the ancients Maoris. 4 It approaches nearest to the continent at Chalcis. It pro- jects with a convex bend towards the places in Boeotia near Aulis, and forms the Euripus, 5 of which we have before spoken at length. We have also mentioned nearly all the places on either side of the Euripus, opposite to each other across the strait, both on the continent and on the island. If anything is omitted we shall now give a further explanation. And first, the parts lying between Aulis (Chalcis ?) and the places about Geraestus are called the Hollows of Eubrea, for the sea-coast swells into bays, and, as it approaches Chal- cis, juts out again towards the continent. 3. The island had the name not of Macris only, but of Abantis also. The poet in speaking of Eubcea never calls the inhabitants from the name of the island, Eubceans, but always Abantes ; "they who possessed Euboea, the resolute Abantes;" 6 " in his train Abantes were following." Aristotle says that Thracians, taking their departure from Aba, the Phocian city, settled with the other inhabitants in the island, and gave the name of Abantes to those who al- ready occupied it ; other writers say that they had their name from a hero, 7 as that of Eubcea was derived from a heroine. 8 But perhaps as a certain cave on the sea-coast fronting the 1 Cape Mantelo. 2 Strabo is the only ancient author who describes a place of this name as existing in Euboea. Kiepert and the Austrian map agree in giving the name Petaliee, which may here be meant, to the Spili islands. 3 di/ri7rop0/zo. 4 Euboea has various names. Formerly (says Pliny, b. iv. c. 12) it was called Chalcedontis or Macris, according to Dionysius and Ephorus ; Macra, according to Aristides ; Chalcis, from brass being there first dis- covered, according to Callidemus ; Abantias, according to Mensechmus ; and Asopis by the poets in general. 5 The narrow channel between the island and the mainland. 6 II. ii. 536, 542. 7 From Abas, great grandson of Erectheus. 8 From Euboea, daughter of the river Asopus and mistress of Neptune.