Strabo, Geography, Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator), 10.1.2

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[2] The island is oblong, and extends nearly 1200 stadia from Cenaeum¹ to Geraestus.² Its greatest breadth is about 150 stadia, but it is irregular.³ Cenaeum is opposite to Thermopylae, and in a small decree to the parts beyond Thermopylae: Geraestus⁴ and Petalia⁵ are opposite to Sunium.

Euboea then fronts⁶ Attica, Boeotia, Locris, and the Malienses. From its narrowness, and its length, which we have mentioned, it was called by the ancients Macris.⁷

It approaches nearest to the continent at Chalcis. It projects with a convex bend towards the places in Boeotia near Aulis, and forms the Euripus,⁸ 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 Euboea, for the sea-coast swells into bays, and, as it approaches Chalcis, juts out again towards the continent.

Geography. Strabo. Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator). London. 1854-1857.

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Current edition Perseus

Geography (English) (Strabo. The Geography of Strabo, Vols. 1-3. Hamilton, Hans Claude, translator; Falconer, William, translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854-1857.)

Editions (1)

Γεωγραφικά Perseus (Strabo. Strabonis Geographica, Vols. 1-3. Meineke, August, editor. Leipzig: Teubner. 1877.) — 10.1.2 focus

[2] παραμήκης μὲν τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἡ νῆσος ἐπὶ χιλίους σχεδόν τι καὶ διακοσίους σταδίους ἀπὸ Κηναίου πρὸς Γεραιστόν, τὸ δὲ πλάτος ἀνώμαλος, κατὰ δὲ τὸ πλέον ὅσον πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν σταδίων. τὸ μὲν οὖν Κήναιον ἔστι κατὰ Θερμοπύλας καὶ τὰ ἔξω Θερμοπυλῶν ἐπʼ ὀλίγον, Γεραιστὸς δὲ καὶ Πεταλία πρὸς Σουνίῳ. γίνεται οὖν ἀντίπορθμος τῇ τε Ἀττικῇ καὶ Βοιωτίᾳ καὶ Λοκρίδι καὶ τοῖς Μαλιεῦσι. διὰ δὲ τὴν στενότητα καὶ τὸ λεχθὲν μῆκος ὑπὸ τῶν παλαιῶν Μάκρις ὠνομάσθη. συνάπτει δὲ τῇ ἠπείρῳ κατὰ Χαλκίδα μάλιστα, κυρτὴ προπίπτουσα πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Αὐλίδα τόπους τῆς Βοιωτίας καὶ ποιοῦσα τὸν Εὔριπον, περὶ οὗ διὰ πλειόνων εἰρήκαμεν, σχεδὸν δέ τι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀντιπόρθμων ἀλλήλοις τόπων κατά τε τὴν ἤπειρον καὶ κατὰ τὴν νῆσον ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα τοῦ Εὐρίπου, τά τε ἐντὸς καὶ τὰ ἐκτός. εἰ δέ τι ἐλλέλειπται, νῦν προσδιασαφήσομεν. καὶ πρῶτον, ὅτι τῆς Εὐβοίας τὰ Κοῖλα λέγουσι τὰ μεταξὺ Αὐλίδος καὶ τῶν περὶ Γεραιστὸν τόπων· κολποῦται γὰρ ἡ παραλία, πλησιάζουσα δὲ τῇ Χαλκίδι κυρτοῦται πάλιν πρὸς τὴν ἤπειρον.

Translations (1)

Geography (Books 6-14) Perseus (Strabo. The Geography of Strabo, Vols. 3-6. Jones, Horace Leonard, translator. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1924-1929 (printing).) — 10.1.2 focus

[2] In its length, then, the island extends parallel to the coast for a distance of about one thousand two hundred stadia from Cenaeum to Geraestus, but its breadth is irregular and generally only about one hundred and fifty stadia. Now Cenaeum lies opposite to Thermopylae and, to a slight extent, to the region outside Thermopylae, whereas Geraestus and Petalia lie towards Sunium. Accordingly, the island lies across the strait and opposite Attica, Boeotia, Locris,and the Malians. Because of its narrowness and of the above-mentioned length, it was named Macris¹ by the ancients. It approaches closest to the mainland at Chalcis, where it juts out in a convex curve towards the region of Aulis in Boeotia and forms the Euripus. Concerning the Euripus I have already spoken rather at length,² as also to a certain extent concerning the places which lie opposite one another across the strait, both on the mainland and on the island, on either side of the Euripus, that is, the regions both inside and outside³ the Euripus. But if anything has been left out, I shall now explain more fully. And first, let me explain that the parts between Aulis and the region of Geraestus are called the Hollows of Euboea; for the coast bends inwards, but when it approaches Chalcis it forms a convex curve again towards the mainland.

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. C. Lithada. The mountain Lithada above the cape, rises to the height of 2837 feet above the sea.

2. C. Mantelo.

3. The real length of the island from N. to S. is about 90 miles, its extreme breadth is 30 miles, but in one part it is not more than 4 miles across. See Smith art. Euboea.

4. Cape Mantelo.

5. 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 Petaliae, which may here be meant, to the Spili islands.

6. ἀντίποοͅθμος.

7. Euboea has various names. Formerly (says Pliny, b. iv. c. 12) it was called Chalcedontis or Macris, according to Dionysius and Ephorus; Aacra, according to Aristides; Chalcis, from brass being there first discovered, according to Callidemus; Abantias, according to Menaechmus; and Asopis by the poets in general.

8. The narrow channel between the island and the mainland.

Strabo Geography 10.1.2

Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator)

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