Chapter 247

1505These are probably the small islands now called Formiete or Formicole di Grossetto, Troja, Palmajola, and Cervoli.

1506The modern Elba.

1507Now Pianosa.

1508Astura still retains its ancient name, Palmaria is the present Palmarola, Sinonia is now Senone, and Pontiæ is the modern Isola di Ponza.

1509Now Ventotiene.

1510Deriving its name from the Greek wordπροχυτὸς, meaning “poured forth.”

1511The present island of Ischia, off the coasts of Campania. The name of Pithecusæ appears to have been given by the Greeks to the two islands of Ænaria and Prochyta collectively.

1512Ovid, like many other writers, mentions Inarime as though a different island from Pithecusæ. See Met. B. xiv. l. 89. As is here mentioned by Pliny, many persons derived the name “Pithecusæ” fromπίθηκος“an ape,” and, according to Strabo, “Aremus” was the Etrurian name for an ape. Ovid, in the Metamorphoses,loc. cit., confirms this tradition by relating the change of the natives into apes. The solution of its name given by Pliny appears however extremely probable, that it gained its name from its manufacture ofπιθηκὰ, or earthen vessels. Virgil is supposed to have coined the name of “Inarime.”

1513Now Posilippo. It is said to have derived its name from the Greekπαυσίλυπον, as tending to drive away care by the beauty of its situation. Virgil was buried in its vicinity.

1514The modern Castel del’ Ovo.

1515Now Capri. Here Tiberius established his den of lustfulness and iniquity. He erected twelve villas in the island, the remains of several of which are still to be seen.

1516The distance between is hardly five miles.

1517These rocks appear at the present day to be nameless. The old name seems to mean, the “Rabbit Warrens.”

1518Phintonis, according to Hardouin, is the modern Isola di Figo, according to Mannert, Caprera. Cluver makes Fossæ to be the present Isola Rossa, while Mannert considers it to be the same with Santa Maddalena.

1519Ταφρὸςbeing the Greek for the Latin word “fossa,” the ordinary meaning of which is an “excavation.”

1520Probably the Cape of Carbonara, from which however Africa is distant only 121 miles, and the gulf of Gades or Cadiz 980.

1521Now Capo Falcone.

1522Now Asinara or Zavara, and Isola Piana.

1523Now called Santo Antiocho, off La Punta dell’ Ulga.

1524According to Cluver, the modern Coltelalzo.

1525The “Baths of Juno.” The identity of these islands does not appear to have been ascertained.

1526Said by Pausanias to have been descended from persons who escaped on the fall of Troy under the command of Iolaüs.

1527Of the town of Sulcis. Its ruins are probably those seen at the village of Sulci, near the port Palma di Solo.

1528Their town was probably on the site of the present Iglesias.

1529Their town was probably either the present Napoli or Acqua di Corsari.

1530Their town is probably indicated by the ruins on the river Gavino.

1531Their town was Caralis, the present Cagliari.

1532Their town was probably Nora, the present Torre Forcadizo.

1533“At Libyso’s Tower.”

1534From the Greekἴχνος, “a footstep.”

1535Now La Licosa, a small rocky island.

1536Now Torricella, Praca, and Brace, with other rocks.

1537Posidonius, quoted by Strabo, says 550.

1538Meaning that it comes from the Greek verbῥηγνύμι, “to break.” This is probably only a fanciful origin of the name.

1539The present Garofalo. At the present day small boats approach it without danger.

1540In Chap. x. Pelorus is the modern Capo di Faro.

1541Now Capo di Passaro.

1542The present Capo di Boco Marsala.

1543Now Cape Bon. The real distance is but seventy-eight miles.

1544The following are more probably the correct distances: 150, 210, and 230 miles.

1545Now Messina.

1546The modern Capo di Santo Alessio.

1547Now called Taormini; the remains of the ancient town are very considerable.

1548Probably the present Alcantara.

1549The present Madonia and Monte di Mele.

1550Now called I Fariglioni.

1551In modern times called “Lognina Statione,” according to Hardouin.

1552The modern city of Catania stands on its site.

1553The Fiume di Santo Leonardo, according to Hardouin, but Mannert says the river Lentini. Ansart suggests the Guarna Lunga.

1554Now Lentini. The ruins of Megaris are still to be seen, according to Mannert.

1555Now the Porcaro.

1556The modern city of Siracosa.

1557See B. xxxi. c. 30, for particulars of this fountain.

1558According to Mirabella, these springs are in modern times called Fonte di Canali, Cefalino, Fontana della Maddalena, Fonte Ciane, and Lampismotta.

1559The modern Fonte Bianche. The Elorus, according to Hardouin, is the modern Acellaro, according to Mannert, the Abisso.

1560The southern side.

1561Now the Maulo, or Fiume di Ragusa.

1562Still called Camarina. Scarcely any vestiges of the ancient city now remain.

1563According to Hardouin the Fiume Salso; but according to D’Anville and Mannert, the Fiume Ghiozzo.

1564Now Girgenti. Gigantic remains of the ancient city are still to be seen.

1565See note1572in this page.

1566The Achates is the modern Belice, the Mazara retains its name, and the Hypsa is now the Marsala.

1567So called by the Greeks from its abundant growth of parsley, called by themσέλινον. Its remains are still to be seen at the spot called Selenti.

1568Now Trapani. Some vestiges of its ancient mole are to be seen.

1569The present Monte San Juliano.

1570The great city of Palermo stands on its site. It was founded by the Phœnicians.

1571The modern Solunto.

1572Himera was destroyed by the Carthaginians,B.C.408, upon which its inhabitants founded Thermæ, so called from its hot springs. This was probably the colony of Thermæ mentioned above by Pliny, though wrongly placed by him on the southern coast between Selinus and Agrigentum. The modern town of Termini stands on the site of Thermæ; remains of its baths and aqueduct are still to be seen. Himera stood on a river of the same name, most probably the present Fiume Grande, and Fazello is of opinion that the town was situate on the site now occupied by the Torre di Bonfornello. Himera was the birth-place of the poet Stesichorus.

1573Or Cæphalœdium. Some remains of it are to be seen at the spot called Cefalu.

1574Probably on the site now occupied by the town of San Marco. Fazello and Cluver however place Aluntium near San Filadelfo, where some ruins were formerly visible, and regard San Marco as the site of Agathyrna or Agathyrnum.

1575Probably situate near the church of Santa Maria at Tindari, now the Capo di Mongioio.

1576Now called Melazzo.

1577Their city was Centuripa, on a hill S.W. of Ætna. The modern Centorbi occupies its site, and some of its ruins may still be seen.

1578Netum probably stood on the spot now known as Noto Anticho.

1579The ruins of Segesta are supposed to be those near the river San Bartolomeo, twelve miles south of Alcamo.

1580Asaro occupies its site.

1581A people dwelling at the foot of Mount Ætna, according to D’Anville, at a place now called Nicolosi.

1582The people of Agyrium; the site of which is now called San Filippo d’Argiro. Diodorus Siculus was a native of this place.

1583Acræ occupied a bleak hill in the vicinity of the modern Pallazolo, where its ruins are still to be seen.

1584Their town was Bidis near Syracuse. The modern Bibino or San Giovanni di Bidini is supposed to stand on its site.

1585The people of Cetaria, between Panormus and Drepanum. Its site is unknown.

1586The people of Cacyrum, supposed to have stood on the site of the modern Cassaro. The Drepanitani were so called from living on the promontory of Drepanum.

1587The ruins near La Cittadella are probably those of Ergetium.

1588The people of Echetla. According to Faziello and Cluver its ruins were those to be seen at the place called Occhiala or Occhula, two miles from the town of Gran Michele.

1589The inhabitants of the city of Eryx, on the mountain of that name, now San Giuliano. The ancient city stood probably half-way down the mountain.

1590The town of Entella survived till the thirteenth century, when it was destroyed by the Emperor Frederic II. The ruins were formerly to be seen near Poggio la Reale.

1591Perhaps the people of Enna, once a famous city. According to the story as related by Ovid and Claudian, it was from this spot that Proserpine was carried off by Pluto. It stood on the same site as the town of Castro Giovanni. This note may however be more applicable to the Hennenses, mentioned below.

1592The ruins of Enguinum are probably those in the vicinity of the modern town of Gangi.

1593The people of Gela, one of the most important cities of Sicily. Its site was probably the modern Terranova, near the river Fiume di Terranova.

1594The people probably of Galata or Galaria; on the site of which the modern village of Galata is supposed to stand.

1595The people probably of Halesa; its ruins are supposed to be those near the village of Tysa, near the river Pettineo.

1596The people of Hybla. There were three cities of this name in Sicily, the Greater, the Less, and Hybla Megara. The name was probably derived from the local divinity mentioned by Pausanias as being so called.

1597The people of Herbita; the site of which was probably at Nicosia, or else at Sperlinga, two miles south of it.

1598There were two places in Sicily known as Herbessus or Erbessus—one near Agrigentum, the other about sixteen miles from Syracuse, on the site, it is supposed, of the present Pantalica.

1599The people of Halicyæ, in the west of Sicily. The modern town of Salemi is supposed to occupy its site.

1600The people of Adranum or Hadranum, a town famous for its temple of the Sicilian deity Adranus. Its site is occupied by the modern town of Aderno. The ruins are very considerable.

1601The people of Ietæ; the site of which town is said by Fazello to be the modern Iato. The sites of the places previously mentioned cannot be identified.

1602The site of their town is situate at the modern Mistretta, where some ruins are still to be seen.

1603The site of their town was probably the present village of Mandri Bianchi on the river Dittaino.

1604Probably the people of Motuca, mentioned by Ptolemy, now Modica.

1605Their town probably stood on the site of the present Mineo.

1606It has been suggested that these are the same as the people of Tauromenium, said to have been a Naxian colony.

1607They are supposed to have dwelt on the site of the present Noara.

1608The ruins of the town of Petra are supposed to have been those to be seen near Castro Novo, according to Mannert.

1609Fazello is of opinion that the present Colisano occupies the site of the ancient Paropus.

1610The city of Phthinthias was peopled by the inhabitants of Gela, by command of Phthinthias the despot of Agrigentum. Its ruins are probably those seen in the vicinity of the modern Alicata.

1611The people of Selinus previously mentioned in p. 218.

1612Randazzo, at the foot of Ætna, is supposed to occupy the site of the ancient Tissa.

1613The people of Triocala, now Troccoli, near Calata Bellota.

1614Zancle was the ancient Greek name of Messina, which was so called from its similarity in shape to a sickle. The Messenian colony of the Zanclæi probably dwelt in its vicinity.

1615Gaulos is the present Gozo, and Melita the important island of Malta. The distance here mentioned is in reality only sixty-one miles from Camerina.

1616Now Pantellaria.

1617The modern island of Maretimo.

1618Probably the present island of Limosa.

1619Galata still has the name of Calata, Lopadusa is the present Lampedosa, and Æthusa, according to Mannert, is called Favignana.

1620Now Levanzo.

1621According to Mannert, this is the island Alicur, to the west of the Æolian or Liparian islands. Ustica still retains its ancient name.

1622The least distance between these localities is forty-five miles.

1623There are now eleven, some of which are supposed to have risen from the sea since the time of Pliny.

1624From Vulcan the god of fire, the Greek Hephæstus.

1625Now called the Great Lipara.

1626According to Solinus, c. vi., Æolus succeeded him. Its name Melogonis was by some ascribed to its great produce of honey.

1627The shortest distance between these localities is forty-six miles.

1628Now called Volcano.

1629Now Strongoli and Stromboli. It is the only one of these mountains that is continually burning. Notwithstanding the dangers of their locality, this island is inhabited by about fifty families.

1630Strabo makes the same mistake; the distance is twenty miles.

1631According to Hardouin and D’Anville this is the modern Saline, but Mannert says Panaria. The geographers differ in assigning their ancient names to the other three, except that Euonymos, from its name, the “left-hand” island, is clearly the modern Lisca Bianca.

1632These are the Gulf of Locri, the Gulf of Scyllacium, and the Gulf of Tarentum.

1633Now called the Sagriano, though some make it to be the modern Alaro. The site of the town of Caulon does not appear to be known: it is by some placed at Castel Vetere on the Alaro.

1634Said by Hardouin to be the modern Monasteraci or Monte Araci.

1635Supposed to have been situate on a hill near the modern Padula.

1636The modern Punta di Stilo, or “Point of the Column.”

1637The modern Gulf of Squillace.

1638Now Squillace.

1639Now the Gulf of Saint Eufemia.

1640“Hannibal’s Camp.” This was the seaport of Scyllacium, and its site was probably near the mouth of the river Corace.

1641According to Strabo, B. vi., he intended to erect a high wall across, and so divide it from the rest of Italy; but if we may judge, from the use by Pliny of the word “intercisam,” it would seem that it was his design to cut a canal across this neck of land.

1642According to Hardouin, the Carcines is the present river Corace, the Crotalus the Alli, the Semirus the Simari, the Arocas the Crocchio, and the Targines the Tacina.

1643The present Strongolo, according to D’Anville and Mannert.

1644The present Monte Monacello and Monte Fuscaldo are supposed to form part of the range called Clibanus.

1645Meaning that it was sacred to Castor and Pollux. Such are the changes effected by lapse of time that these two islands are now only bleak rocks. The present locality of the other islands does not appear to be known.

1646Now Capo di Colonne.

1647The real distance from Acroceraunium, now Capo Linguetta, is 153 miles, according to Ansart.

1648Or Crotona, one of the most famous Greek cities in the south of Italy. No ruins of the ancient city, said by Livy to have been twelve miles in circumference, are now remaining. The modern Cotrone occupies a part of its site. Pythagoras taught at this place.

1649The modern Neto.

1650Now called Turi, between the rivers Crati and Sibari or Roscile.

1651A Greek town, famous for the inordinate love of luxury displayed by its inhabitants, whence a voluptuary obtained the name of a “Sybarite.” It was destroyed by the people of Crotona, who turned the waters of the Crathis upon the town. Its site is now occupied by a pestilential swamp.

1652A famous Greek city founded on the territory of the former Ionian colony of Siris. The foundations of it may still be seen, it is supposed, near a spot called Policoro, three miles from the sea. The rivers are now called the Sinno and the Agri.

1653The modern Salandra or Salandrella, and the Basiento.

1654So called from its lying between the two seas. It was once a celebrated Greek city, but was in ruins in the time of Pausanias. The place called Torre di Mare now occupies its site.

1655The site of Aprustum is supposed to be marked by the village of Argusto, near Chiaravalle, about five miles from the Gulf of Squillace. Atina was situate in the valley of the Tanager, now the Valle di Diano. The ruins of Atina, which are very extensive, are to be seen near the village of Atena. Livy and Acron speak of Bantia as in Apulia, and not in Lucania. An ancient abbey, Santa Maria di Vanze, still marks its site.

1656The ruins of Eburi are supposed to be those between the modern Eboli and the right bank of the Silarus. The remains of Grumentum, a place of some importance, are still to be seen on the river Agri, half a mile from the modern Saponara. Potenza occupies the site of ancient Potentia.

1657The Sontini were probably situate on the river Sontia, now the Sanza, near Policastro. The Sirini probably had their name from the river Siris.

1658Volcentum was situate near the Silarus, probably on the spot now called Bulcino or Bucino. The site of Numistro appears to be unknown.

1659In his work “De Originibus.”

1660Livy, B. viii., and Justin mention how that Alexander I. (in the yearB.C.326) was obliged to engage under unfavourable circumstances near Pandosia, on the Acheron, and fell as he was crossing the river; thus accomplishing a prophecy of Dodona which had warned him to beware of Pandosia and the Acheron. He was uncle to Alexander the Great, being the brother of Olympias. The site of Pandosia is supposed to have been the modern Castro Franco.

Back to Index Next