CHAP. 36—RHODES.
But the fairest of them all is the free island of Rhodes,
125, or, if we would rather believe Isidorus, 103 miles in
circumference. It contains the inhabited cities of Lindos,
Camirus[1], and Ialysus[2], now called Rhodos. It is distant
from Alexandria in Egypt, according to Isidorus, 583 miles;
but, according to Eratosthenes, 469. Mucianus says, that
its distance from Cyprus is 166. This island was formerly
called Ophiussa[3], Asteria[4], Æthria[5],
Trinacrie[6], Corymbia[7],
Pœeëssa[8], Atabyria[9], from the name of one of its
kings; and,
in later times, Macaria[10] and Oloessa[11]. The islands of the
Rhodians are Carpathus[12], which has given its name to the
surrounding sea; Casos[13], formerly known as Achne[14];
Nisyros[15], twelve miles distant from Cnidos, and formerly
called Porphyris[16]; and, in the same vicinity, midway between
Rhodes and Cnidos, Syme[17]. This island is thirty-seven miles
and a half in circumference, and welcomes us with eight fine
harbours. Besides these islands, there are, in the vicinity
of Rhodes, those of Cyclopis, Teganon, Cordylussa[18], the
four islands called Diabetæ[19], Hymos, Chalce[20], with its city
of that name, Sentlussa[21], Narthecussa[22], Dimastos, Progne;
and, off Cnidos, Cisserussa, Therionarce, and Calydne[23], with
the three towns of Notium, Nisyros, and Mendeterus. In
Arconnesus[24] there is the town of Ceramus. Off the coast
of Caria, there are the islands known as the Argiæ, twenty
in number; also Hyetussa[25], Lepsia, and Leros.
The most noted island, however, in this gulf is that of
Cos[26], fifteen miles distant from Halicarnassus, and 100 in
circumference, according to the opinion of many writers.
It was formerly called Merope; according to Staphylus, Cea;
Meropis, as Dionysius tells us; and, after that, Nymphæa.
In this island there is Mount Prion. Nisyros[27], formerly
called Porphyris, is supposed to have been severed from the
island of Cos. We next come to the island of Caryanda[28],
with a city of that name, and that of Pidosus[29], not far
from Halicarnassus. In the Gulf of Ceramicus we also find
Priaponnesos[30], Hipponnesos, Psyra, Mya, Lampsa. Æmyndus,
Passala, Crusa, Pinnicussa, Sepiussa[31], and Melano. At a
short distance from the mainland is an island which bears
the name of Cinædopolis, from the circumstance that King
Alexander left behind there certain persons of a most
disgraceful character.
1. Still known as Lindo and Camiro, according to D'Anville.
2. One of the three ancient Doric cities of Rhodes. It lay three-quarters
of a mile to the south-west of the city of Rhodes, with which Pliny
seems here to confound it. Its site is occupied by a village which still
bears the name of Ialiso, and where a few ancient remains are to be found.
3. From its productiveness of serpents.
4. Either from Asterius, its former king, or from its being a "constellation" of the sea.
5. Probably because of the clearness and serenity of its atmosphere.
See B. ii. c. 62.
6. From its three-cornered shape.
7. Perhaps so called from its fruitfulness in ivy, in Greek
korumbh/qra,
or else from ko/rumbos, "a summit," from its elevated position.
8. From its verdant and grassy soil.
9. Either from King Atabyrius, or the mountain Atabyrion; or else
from the temple of Jupiter Tabyrius, which Appian speaks of as situate
in this island.
10. The "fortunate," or "blessed" island.
11. "Venomous," or "deadly." This name it most probably had in
early times (and not more recently, as Pliny says), when it was covered
with dense forests, the retreats of serpents and noxious reptiles.
12. Now known as Skarpanto.
13. Mentioned by Homer, II. ii. 676. See also B. iv. c. 23
of the present
work. It is described by Ross as a single ridge of mountains, of
considerable height.
14. Signifying "sea-foam."
15. Still known as Nicero.
16. From its production of the 'murex,' or 'purple.'
17. Now called Symi, a small island off the south-west coast of Caria,
at the mouth of the Gulf of Doris, to the west of the Promontory of
Cynossema.
18. Now called the Island of St. Catherine, according to Ansart.
19. Stephlanus Byzantinus mentions these islands as lying in the vicinity
at Syme. Perhaps they are the group lying to the south of it, now
called Siskle.
20. Distant about fifty miles from Carpathus, or Skarpanto. It was
probably subject to Rhodes, in the vicinity of which it was situate. Its
present name is Chalki.
21. An island, according to Hardouin, not far from Halicarnassus, on
the cost of Ionia.
22. So called from its productiveness of the na/rqhc, or ferula.
23. More probably Calydnæ, because there were several islands forming
the group, of which Calymna was the chief. See B. iv. c. 23, where
Pliny mentions only one town, that of Coös. There are some remains
of the ancient towns still to be seen.
24. A small island of Caria, south of Halicarnassus. It is now called
Orak-Ada.
25. Probably so called from the almost continual rains there.
26. Now called Stanko, or Stanclio, a corruption of e)s ta\n
*kw=.
27. Which has been previously mentioned in this Chapter.
28. In C. 29, Pliny has mentioned a Caryanda on the mainland. It is
probable that there was a town on the mainland and another in the
island of the same name. Leake says, that there can be little doubt that
the large peninsula, towards the west end of which is the fine harbour
called by the Turks Pasha Limani, is the ancient island of Caryanda, now
joined to the mainland by a narrow sandy isthmus.
29. The island of Hyali, near the harbour of Meffi, on the coast of
Caria, according to Dupinet.
30. Probably so called from the worship of the god Priapus there.
31. Few, if any, of these islets can now be recognized. Sepiussa was
probably so called from the abundance of the sepia, or cuttle-fish, there.