Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/43

 B. viii. c. iv. 61- MESSENIA. 35 CHAPTER IV. 1. MESSENIA is continuous with the Eleian territory, inclin- ing for the most part towards the south, and the Libyan Sea. Being part of Laconia, it was subject in the Trojan times to Merielaus. The name of the country was Messene. But the present city called Messene, the acropolis of which was Ithome, was not then founded. After the death of Menelaus, when the power of those who succeeded to the possession of Laco- nia was altogether weakened, the Neleidae governed Messenia. At the time of the return of the Heracleidae, and according to the partition of the country at that time, Melanthus was king of the Messenians, who were a separate community, but formerly subject to Menelaus. As a proof of this, in the space from the Messenian Gulf and the continuous gulf, (called the Asinaean from the Messenian Asine,) were situated the seven cities which Agamemnon promised to Achilles ; " Cardamyle, Enope, the grassy Hira, the divine Pherae, 1 Antheia with rich meadows, the beautiful ^Epeia, and Pedasus abounding with vines." 2 He certainly would not have promised what did not belong either to himself or to his brother. The poet mentions those, who accompanied Menelaus from Pherae to the war, 3 and speaks of (CEtylus) in the Laconian catalogue, a city situated on the Gulf of Messenia. Messene follows next to Triphylia. The promontory, after which are the Coryphasium and Cyparissia, is common to both. At the distance of 7 stadia is a mountain, the -ZEga- leum, situated above Coryphasium and the sea. 2. The ancient Messenian Pylus was a city lying below the .ZEgaleum, and after it was razed, some of the inha- bitants settled under the Coryphasium. But the Athenians in their second expedition against Sicily, under the command of Eurymedon and Stratocles, got possession of it, and used it as a stronghold against the Lacedaemonians. 4 Here also is the Messenian Cyparissia, (and the island Prote,) lying close 1 The text of Homer gives the name of Pharis. 2 II. ix. 150. 3 II. ii. 582. 4 Thucydides, b. iv. ch. 2. The expedition was under the command of Eurymedon and Sophocles. Stratocles being at the time archon at Athens. D 2