CHAP. 22.—THE CYCLADES.
Beyond Eubœa, and out in the Myrtoan[1] Sea, are numerous
other islands; but those more especially famous are, Glau-
connesos and the Ægila[2]. Off the promontory, too, of
Geræstus are the Cyclades, lying in a circle around Delos,
from which circumstance[3] they derive their name. The
first of them is the one called Andros[4] with a city of the
same name, distant from Geræstus ten miles, and from Ceos
thirty-nine. Myrsilus tells us that this island was at first
called Cauros, and after that Antandros; Callimachus calls
it Lasia, and others again Nonagria, Hydrussa, and Epagris.
It is ninety-three miles in circumference. At a distance of
one mile from Andros and of fifteen from Delos, is Tenos[5],
with a city of the same name; this island is fifteen miles
in length. Aristotle says that it was formerly called Hydrussa, from the abundance of water found here, while some
writers call it Ophiussa[6]. The other islands are, Myconos[7],
with the mountain of Dimastus[8], distant from Delos fifteen[9]
miles; Siphnus[10], formerly called Meropia and Acis,
twenty-eight miles in circumference; Seriphus[11], twelve miles
in
circuit; Prepesinthus[12]; Cythnos[13]; and then, by far the most
famous among the Cyclades, and lying in the very middle
of them, Delos[14] itself; so famous for its temple of Apollo,
and its extensive commerce. This island long floated on the
waves, and, as tradition says, was the only one that had never
experienced an earthquake, down to the time of M. Varro[15];
Mucianus however has informed us, that it has been twice
so visited. Aristotle states that this island received its
name from the fact of its having so suddenly made its
appearance[16] on emerging from the sea; Aglaosthenes, however, gives it the name of Cynthia, and others of Ortygia[17],
Asteria, Lagia, Chlamydia, Cynthus, and, from the circumstance of fire having been first discovered here, Pyrpile. Its
circumference is five miles only; Mount Cynthus[18] here
raises his head.
Next to this island is Rhene[19], which Anticlides calls by
the name of Celadussa, and Callidemus, Artemite; Scyros[20],
which the old writers have stated to be twenty miles in circumference, but Mucianus 160; Oliaros[21]; and Paros[22], with
a city of the same name, distant from Delos thirty-eight
miles, and famous for its marble[23]; it was first called Platea,
and after that, Minois. At a distance of seven miles from
this last island is Naxos[24], with a town of the same name;
it is eighteen miles distant from Delos. This island was
formerly called Strongyle[25], then Dia, and then Dionysias[26],
in consequence of the fruitfulness of its vineyards; others
again have called it the Lesser Sicily, or Callipolis[27]. It is
seventy-five[28] miles in circumference—half as large again as
Paros.
1. Hardouin remarks here, that Pliny, Strabo, Mela, and Pausanias use
the term "Myrtoan Sea," as meaning that portion of it which lies
between Crete and Attica, while Ptolemy so calls the sea which lies off
the coast of Caria.
2. Now called Spitilus, and the group of Micronisia, or "Little Islands,"
according to Hardouin.
3. From ku/klos, "a circle."
4. Now Andro. It gives name to one of the comedies of Terence. The
ruins of the ancient city were found by the German traveller Ross, who
has published a hymn to Isis, in hexameter verse, which he discovered
here. It was famous for its wines.
5. Now Tino.
6. From its abounding in snakes (o)/feis) and scorpions.
7. Now Mycono, south-east of Tenos and east of Delos. It was famous
in ancient mythology as one of the places where Hercules was said to
have defeated the Giants. It was also remarkable for the great proportion
of bald persons among its inhabitants.
8. So called from its resemblance to two breasts, mazoi.
9. Wheeler says that the distance is but three miles; Tournefort, six.
10. Once famous for its gold and silver mines, but equally notorious for
the bad character of its people. It is now called Siphno.
11. Now Serpho, lying between Cythnos and Siphnus.
12. Now Fermina, according to Hardouin.
13. Between Ceos and Seriphus. It is now called Thermia. Cydias the
painter was born here, and it was famous for its cheeses. Its modern
name is derived from its hot springs, which are much frequented.
14. Still called Delos; and, though so celebrated, nothing more than a
mere rock, five miles in circumference.
15. That is, according to Varro, whose statement is ridiculed by Seneca.
Some of the editors, however, punctuate this passage differently, making
it to mean, "the only island that has never experienced an earthquake.
Mucianus however has informed us, that down to the time of M. Varro,
it has been twice so visited."
16. From its then becoming dh=los, "plain," or "manifest." It was
after the fall of Corinth that Delos became so famous for its commerce.
Its bronze was in great request.
17. From o)/rtuc, "a quail"; the legend being, that Latona was changed
into that bird by Jupiter, in order to effect her escape thither from the anger
of Juno. Its name of Asteria was derived from a)/stron, "a star," either
in consequence of its being devoted to the worship of the great luminary
Apollo, or of its being considered by the gods the star of the earth. It was
also called Lagia, from lagw\s, "a hare," that animal
abounding there; and Cynæthus, from ku/wn, "a dog," it being
famous for its hounds.
18. A bare granite rock, not more than 500 feet in height. The island
is now a mass of ruins; a great part of its remains having been carried
away in the middle ages to Venice and Constantinople.
19. Divided by a strait of four stadia in width from Delos. Nicias
connected the two islands by a bridge. Its name of Celadussa was said
to be derived from the noise of the waves, ke/lados, and of
Artemite, from Artemis, or Diana.
20. Now Syra; famous for its wine and corn.
21. Now Antiparos; famous for its stalactite grotto, which is not
mentioned by the ancient writers.
22. Now Paro; south of Delos and west of Naxos. The ruins of its
town are still to be seen at the modern Paroikia. The Parian Chronicle,
inscribed on marble, and containing a chronicle of Grecian history from
Cecrops, B.C. 1582, to B.C. 264, was found here. It
is preserved at Oxford.
23. Chiefly obtained from a mountain called Marpessa.
24. Now Naxia, famous both in ancient and modern times for its re-
markable fertility.
25. From stroggu/los, "round," its shape being somewhat inclined to
circular, though by Eustathius it is compared to the shape of a vine-leaf.
It is commonly called Dia by the poets. Tournefort says that it is distant
forty miles from Delos.
26. From Dio/nusos, or Bacchus, the god of wine.
27. Or "Fine City." It took its other name from the fact of its rivalling
the fertility of Sicily.
28. According to Brotier, the Jesuit Babin, on visiting it, found
its circumference estimated at thirty-six miles only.