Strabo, Geography, Hans Claude Hamilton (Translator), William Falconer (Translator), 14.2.3

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[3] The city Caunus has a naval arsenal and a close harbour. Above the city upon a height is Imbrus, a stronghold. Although the country is fertile, yet the city is allowed by all to be unhealthy in summer, on account of the heat, and in autumn, from the abundance of fruits.

Stories of the following kind are related respecting the city. Stratonicus, the player on the cithara, seeing the Caunians somewhat dark and yellow,¹ said that this was what the poet meant in the line,

As are the leaves, so is the race of men.²

When he was accused of ridiculing the unhealthiness of the city, he answered, Can I be so bold as to call that city unhealthy, where even the dead walk about?

The Caunians once revolted from the Rhodians, but, by a decision of the Romans, they were received again by the Rhodians into favour. There is in existence an oration of Molo against the Caunians.

It is said that they speak the same language as the Carians, that they came from Crete, and retained their own laws and customs.³

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.) — 14.2.3 focus

[3] ἔχει δʼ ἡ πόλις νεώρια καὶ λιμένα κλειστόν· ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐν ὕψει φρούριον Ἴμβρος. τῆς δὲ χώρας εὐδαίμονος οὔσης ἡ πόλις τοῦ θέρους ὁμολογεῖται παρὰ πάντων εἶναι δυσάερος καὶ τοῦ μετοπώρου διὰ τὰ καύματα καὶ τὴν ἀφθονίαν τῶν ὡραίων· καὶ δὴ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα διηγημάτια θρυλεῖται, ὅτι Στρατόνικος ὁ κιθαριστὴς ἰδὼν ἐπιμελῶς χλωροὺς τοὺς Καυνίους, τοῦτʼ εἶναι ἔφη τὸ τοῦ ποιητοῦ

οἵη περ φύλλων γενεή, τοιήδε καὶ ἀνδρῶν.

¹ μεμφομένων δὲ ὡς σκώπτοιτο αὐτῷ ἡ πόλις ὡς νοσερά ἐγώ ἔφη ταύτην θαρρήσαιμʼ ἂν λέγειν νοσεράν, ὅπου καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ περιπατοῦσιν; ἀπέστησαν δέ ποτε Καύνιοι τῶν Ῥοδίων· κριθέντες δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἀπελήφθησαν πάλιν· καὶ ἔστι λόγος Μόλωνος κατὰ Καυνίων. φασὶ δʼ αὐτοὺς ὁμογλώττους μὲν εἶναι τοῖς Καρσίν, ἀφῖχθαι δʼ ἐκ Κρήτης καὶ χρῆσθαι νόμοις ἰδίοις.

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).) — 14.2.3 focus

[3] The city¹ has dockyards, and a harbor that can be closed. Above the city, on a height, lies Imbrus, a stronghold. Although the country is fertile, the city is agreed by all to have foul air in summer, as also in autumn, because of the heat and the abundance of fruits. And indeed little tales of the following kind are repeated over and over, that Stratonicus the citharist, seeing that the Caunians were pitiably² pale,³ said that this was the thought of the poet in the verse,

Even as is the generation of leaves, such is that also of men;

⁴and when people complained that he was jeering at the city as though it were sickly, he replied, “Would I be so bold as to call this city sickly, where even the corpses walk about?” The Caunians once revolted from the Rhodians, but by a judicial decision of the Romans they were restored to them. And there is extant a speech of Molon⁵ entitled Against the Caunians. It is said that they speak the same language as the Carians, but that they came from Crete and follow usages of their own.⁶

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. Kramer suggests the words ὑπομέλανας καὶ, for the corrupt reading, ἐπιμελῶς.

2. Il. vi. 146.

3. The Caunians were aborigines of Caria, although they affected to come from Crete.— Herod. i. 72.

Strabo Geography 14.2.3

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

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