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CHAPTER I.

[1] SINCE Euboea¹ stretches along the whole of this coast from Sunium to Thessaly, except the extremity on each side,² it may be convenient to connect the description of this island with that of Thessaly. We shall then pass on to Aetolia and Acarnania, parts of Europe of which it remains to give an account.

[2] The island is oblong, and extends nearly 1200 stadia from Cenaeum³ to Geraestus.⁴ Its greatest breadth is about 150 stadia, but it is irregular.⁵ Cenaeum is opposite to Thermopylae, and in a small decree to the parts beyond Thermopylae: Geraestus⁶ and Petalia⁷ are opposite to Sunium.

Euboea then fronts⁸ Attica, Boeotia, Locris, and the Malienses. From its narrowness, and its length, which we have mentioned, it was called by the ancients Macris.⁹

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,¹⁰ 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.

[3] The island had the name not of Macris only, but of Abantis also. The poet in speaking of Euboea never calls the inhabitants from the name of the island, Euboeans, but always Abantes;

they who possessed Euboea, the resolute Abantes;¹¹

in his train Abantes were following.

Aristotle says that Thracians, taking their departure from Aba, the Phocian city, settled with the other inhabitants in the island, and gave the name of Abantes to those who already occupied it; other writers say that they had their name from a hero,¹² as that of Euboea was derived from a heroine.¹³ But perhaps as a certain cave on the sea-coast fronting the Aegean Sea is called Boos-Aule, (or the Cow’s Stall.) where lo is said to have brought forth Epaphus, so the island may have had the name Euboea¹⁴ on this account.

It was also called Oché, which is the name of one of the largest mountains¹⁵ there.

It had the name of Ellopia, from Ellops, the son of Ion; according to others, he was the brother of Aeclus, and Cothus, who is said to have founded Ellopia,¹⁶ a small place situated in the district called Oria of the Histiaeotis, near the mountain Telethrius.¹⁷ He also possessed Histiaea, Perias, Cerinthus, Aedepsus,¹⁸ and Orobie, where was an oracle very free from deception. There also was an oracle of Apollo Selinuntius.

The Ellopians, after the battle of Leuctra, were compelled by the tyrant Philistides to remove to the city Histiea, and augmented the number of its inhabitants. Demosthenes¹⁹ says that Philistides was appointed by Philip tyrant of the Oreitae also, for afterwards the Histiaeans had that name, and the city, instead of Histiaea, was called Oreus. According to some writers, Histiaea was colonized by Athenians from the demus of the Histiaeeis, as Eretria was from the demus of the Eretrieis. But Theopompus says, that when Pericles had reduced Euboea, the Histiaeans agreed to remove into Macedonia, and that two thousand Athenians, who formerly composed the demus of the Histiaeans, came, and founded Oreus.²⁰

[4] It is situated below Mount Telethrius, at a place called Drymus, near the river Callas, on a lofty rock;²¹ whence perhaps because the Ellopians, the former inhabitants, were a mountain tribe,²² the city had the name of Oreus. Orion, who was brought up there, seems to have had his name from the place. But according to some writers, the Oreitae, who had a city of their own, being attacked by the Ellopians, migrated, and settled with the Histiaeans, and although it was a single city it had both appellations, as Lacedaemon and Sparta were the same city. We have said, that the Histiaeotis in Thessaly had its name from the people who were carried away from this country by the Perrhaebi.

[5] As Ellopia induced us to commence our description with Histiaea and Oreus, we shall proceed with the places continuous with these.

The promontory Cenaeum is near Oreus, and on the promontory is situated Dium,²³ and Athenae Diades, a town founded by Athenians, and overlooks the passage across the strait to Cynus. Canae in Aeolia received colonists from Dium. These places are situated near Histiea, and besides these Cerinthus, a small city, close to the sea. Near it is a river Budorus, of the same name as the mountain in Salamis on the side of Attica,

[6] Carystus²⁴ lies at the foot of the mountain Oche, and near it are Styra²⁵ and Marmarium,²⁶ where is a quarry, from which are obtained the Carystian columns. It has a temple of Apollo Marmarinus, where there is a passage across to Hale-Araphenides. At Carystus there is found in the earth a stone,²⁷ which is combed like wool, and woven, so that napkins are made of this substance, which, when soiled, are thrown into the fire, and cleaned, as in the washing of linen.²⁸ These places are said to be inhabited by colonists from the Tetrapolis of Marathon, and by Steirieis. Styra was destroyed in the Maliac (Lamiac?) war by Phaedrus, the general of the Athenians. But the Eretrians are in possession of the territory. There is also a Carystus in Laconia, a place belonging to Aegys, towards Arcadia; from whence comes the Carystian wine, spoken of by Alcman.

[7] Geraestus²⁹ is not mentioned by Homer in the Catalogue of the Ships; it is however mentioned by him elsewhere;

The vessels came to Geraestus by night;³⁰

Od. iii. 177. which shows, that the place being near Sunium lies conveniently for persons who cross from Asia to Attica. It has a temple of Neptune the most remarkable of any in that quarter, and a considerable number of inhabitants.

[8] Next to Geraestus is Eretria, which, after Chalcis, is the largest city in Euboea. Next follows Chalcis, the capital as it were of the island, situated immediately on the Euripus. Both these cities are said to have been founded by Athenians before the Trojan war; [but it is also said that] after the Trojan war, Aeclus and Cothus took their departure from Athens; the former to found Eretria, and Cothus, Chalcis. A body of Aeolians who belonged to the expedition of Penthilus remained in the island. Anciently, even Arabians³¹ settled there, who came over with Cadmus.

These cities, Eretria and Chalcis, when their population was greatly augmented, sent out considerable colonies to Macedonia, for Eretria founded cities about Pallene and Mount Athos; Chalcis founded some near Olynthus, which Philip destroyed. There are also many settlements in Italy and Sicily, founded by Chalcidians. These colonies were sent out, according to Aristotle,³² when the government of the Hippobatae, (or Knights,) as it is called, was established; it was an aristocratical government, the heads of which held their office by virtue of the amount of their property. At the time that Alexander passed over into Asia, they enlarged the compass of the walls of their city, including within them Canethus,³³ and the Euripus, and erected towers upon the bridge, a wall, and gates.

[9] Above the city of the Chalcidians is the plain called Lelantum, in which are hot springs, adapted to the cure of diseases, and which were used by Cornelius Sylla, the Roman general. There was also an extraordinary mine which produced both copper and iron; such, writers say, is not to be found elsewhere. At present, however, both are exhausted. The whole of Euboea is subject to earthquakes, especially the part near the strait. It is also exposed to violent subterraneous blasts, like Boeotia, and other places of which I have before spoken at length.³⁴ The city of the same name as the island is said to have been swallowed up by an earthquake.³⁵ It is mentioned by Aeschylus in his tragedy of Glaucus Pontius;

Euboïs near the bending shore of Jupiter Cenaeus, close to the tomb of the wretched Lichas.

There is also in Aetolia a town of the name of Chalcis,

Chalcis on the sea-coast, and the rocky Calydon,³⁶

Il. ii. 640. and another in the present Eleian territory;

they passed along Cruni, and the rocky Chalcis,³⁷

Od. xv. 295. speaking of Telemachus and his companions, when they left Nestor to return to their own country.

[10] Some say, that the Eretrians were a colony from Macistus in Triphylia, under the conduct of Eretrieus; others, that they came from Eretria, in Attica, where now a market is held. There is an Eretria also near Pharsalus. In the Eretrian district there was a city, Tamynae, sacred to Apollo. The temple (which was near the strait) is said to have been built by Admetus, whom the god, according to report, served a year³⁸ for hire.

Eretria,³⁹ formerly, had the names of Melaneïs and Arotria. The village Amarynthus, at the distance of 7 stadia from the walls, belongs to it.

The Persians razed the ancient city, having enclosed with multitudes the inhabitants, according to the expression of Herodotus,⁴⁰ in a net, by spreading the Barbarians around the walls. The foundations are still shown, and the place is called ancient Eretria. The present city is built near it.

The power which the Eretrians once possessed, is evinced by a pillar which was placed in the temple of Diana Amarynthia. There is an inscription on it to this effect, that their processions upon their public festivals consisted of three thousand heavy-armed soldiers, six hundred horsemen, and sixty chariots. They were masters, besides other islands, of Andros, Tenos, and Ceos. They received colonists from Elis, whence their frequent use of the letter R, ( οͅ,)⁴¹ not only at the end, but in the middle of words, which exposed them to the raillery of comic writers. Oechalia,⁴² a village, the remains of a city destroyed by Hercules, belongs to the district of Eretria. It has the same name as that in Trachinia, as that near Tricca,⁴³ as that in Arcadia, (which later writers call Andania,) and as that in Aetolia near the Eurytanes.

[11] At present Chalcis⁴⁴ is allowed, without dispute, to hold the first rank, and is called the capital of the Euboeans. Eretria holds the second place. Even in former times these cities had great influence both in war and peace, so that they afforded to philosophers an agreeable and tranquil retreat. A proof of this is the establishment at Eretria of the school of Eretrian philosophers, disciples of Menedemus; and at an earlier period the residence of Aristotle⁴⁵ at Chalcis, where he also died.

[12] These cities generally lived in harmony with each other, and when a dispute arose between them respecting Lelantum, they did not even then suspend all intercourse so as to act in war entirely without regard to each other, but they agreed upon certain conditions, on which the war was to be conducted. This appears by a column standing in the Amarynthium, which interdicts the use of missiles. [For with respect to warlike usages and armour, there neither is nor was any common usage; for some nations employ soldiers who use missile weapons, such as bows, slings, and javelins; others employ men who engage in close fight, and use a sword, or charge with a spear.⁴⁶ For there are two methods of using the spear; one is to retain it in the hand; the other, to hurl it like a dart; the pike⁴⁷ answers both purposes, for it is used in close encounter and is hurled to a distance. The sarissa and the hyssus are similarly made use of.]⁴⁸

[13] The Euboeans excelled in standing⁴⁹ fight, which was also called close fight,⁵⁰ and fight hand to hand.⁵¹ They used spears extended at length according to the words of the poet; warriors eager to break through breastplates with extended ashen spears.⁵² The missile weapons were perhaps of different kinds, as, probably, was the ashen spear of Pelion, which, as the poet says,

Achilles alone knew how to hurl.⁵³

Il. xix. 389. When the poet says,

I strike farther with a spear than any other person with an arrow,⁵⁴

Od. viii. 229. he means with a missile spear. They, too, who engage in single combat, are first introduced as using missile spears, and then having recourse to swords. But they who engage in single combat do not use the sword only, but a spear also held in the hand, as the poet describes it,

he wounded him with a polished spear, pointed with brass, and unbraced his limbs.⁵⁵

He represents the Euboeans as fighting in this manner; but he describes the Locrian mode as contrary to this;

It was not their practice to engage in close fight, but they followed him to Ilium with their bows, clothed in the pliant fleece of the sheep.⁵⁶

An answer of an oracle is commonly repeated, which was returned to the Aegienses;

a Thessalian horse, a Lacedaemonian woman, and the men who drink the water of the sacred Arethusa,

meaning the Chalcideans as superior to all other people, for Arethusa belongs to them.

[14] At present the rivers of Euboea are the Cereus and Neleus. The cattle which drink of the water of the former become white, and those that drink of the water of the latter become black. We have said that a similar effect is produced by the water of the Crathis.⁵⁷

[15] As some of the Euboeans, on their return from Troy, were driven out of their course among the Illyrians; pursued their journey homewards through Macedonia, and stopped in the neighbourhood of Edessa; having assisted the people in a war, who had received them hospitably; they founded a city, Euboea. There was a Euboea in Sicily, founded by the Chalcideans, who were settled there. It was destroyed by Gelon, and became a strong-hold of the Syracusans. In Corcyra also, and at Lemnus, there was a place called Euboea, and a hill of this name in the Argive territory.

[16] We have said, that Aetolians, Acarnanians, and Athamanes are situated to the west of the Thessalians and Oetaeans, if indeed we must call the Athamanes,⁵⁸ Greeks. It remains, in order that we may complete the description of Greece, to give some account of these people, of the islands which lie nearest to Greece, and are inhabited by Greeks, which we have not yet mentioned.

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

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 focus

[1] ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ Εὔβοια παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν παραλίαν ταύτην παραβέβληται τὴν ἀπὸ Σουνίου μέχρι Θετταλίας, πλὴν τῶν ἄκρων ἑκατέρωθεν, οἰκεῖον ἂν εἴη συνάψαι τοῖς εἰρημένοις τὰ περὶ τὴν νῆσον, εἶθʼ οὕτω μεταβῆναι πρός τε τὰ Αἰτωλικὰ καὶ τὰ Ἀκαρνανικά, ἅπερ λοιπά ἐστι τῶν τῆς Εὐρώπης μερῶν.

[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.

[3] οὐ μόνον δὲ Μάκρις ἐκλήθη ἡ νῆσος, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀβαντίς. Εὔβοιαν γοῦν εἰπὼν ὁ ποιητὴς τοὺς ἀπʼ αὐτῆς Εὐβοέας οὐδέποτε εἴρηκεν, ἀλλʼ Ἄβαντας ἀεί

οἳ δʼ Εὔβοιαν ἔχον μένεα πνείοντες Ἄβαντες.

τῷ δʼ ἅμʼ Ἄβαντες ἕποντο.

²φησὶ δʼ Ἀριστοτέλης ἐξ Ἄβας τῆς Φωκικῆς Θρᾷκας ὁρμηθέντας ἐποικῆσαι τὴν νῆσον καὶ ἐπονομάσαι Ἄβαντας τοὺς ἔχοντας αὐτήν· οἱ δʼ ἀπὸ ἥρωός φασι, καθάπερ καὶ Εὔβοιαν ἀπὸ ἡρωίνης. τάχα δʼ ὥσπερ βοὸς αὐλὴ λέγεταί τι ἄντρον ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὸν Αἰγαῖον τετραμμένῃ παραλίᾳ, ὅπου τὴν Ἰώ φασι τεκεῖν Ἔπαφον, καὶ ἡ νῆσος ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς αἰτίας ἔσχε τοῦτο τοὔνομα. καὶ Ὄχη δὲ ἐκαλεῖτο ἡ νῆσος, καὶ ἔστιν ὁμώνυμον αὐτῇ τὸ μέγιστον τῶν ἐνταῦθα ὀρῶν. καὶ Ἐλλοπία δʼ ὠνομάσθη ἀπὸ Ἔλλοπος τοῦ Ἴωνος· οἱ δὲ Ἀίκλου καὶ Κόθου ἀδελφόν φασιν, ὃς καὶ τὴν Ἐλλοπίαν κτίσαι λέγεται, χωρίον ἐν τῇ Ὠρείᾳ καλουμένῃ τῆς Ἱστιαιώτιδος πρὸς τῷ Τελεθρίῳ ὄρει, καὶ τὴν Ἱστίαιαν προσκτήσασθαι καὶ τὴν πεδιάδα καὶ Κήρινθον καὶ Αἰδηψὸν καὶ Ὀροβίας, ἐν ᾧ μαντεῖον ἦν ἀψευδέστατον· ἦν δὲ μαντεῖον³ τοῦ Σελινουντίου Ἀπόλλωνος· μετῴκησαν δʼ εἰς τὴν Ἱστίαιαν οἱ Ἐλλοπιεῖς, καὶ ηὔξησαν τὴν πόλιν Φιλιστίδου τοῦ τυράννου βιασαμένου μετὰ τὰ Λευκτρικά. Δημοσθένης δʼ ὑπὸ Φιλίππου κατασταθῆναι τύραννόν φησι καὶ τῶν Ὠρειτῶν τὸν Φιλιστίδην· οὕτω γὰρ ὠνομάσθησαν ὕστερον οἱ Ἱστιαιεῖς, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἀντὶ Ἱστιαίας Ὠρεός· ἔνιοι δʼ ὑπʼ Ἀθηναίων ἀποικισθῆναί φασι τὴν Ἱστίαιαν ἀπὸ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Ἱστιαιέων, ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἐρετριέων τὴν Ἐρέτριαν. Θεόπομπος δέ φησι Περικλέους χειρουμένου Εὔβοιαν τοὺς Ἱστιαιεῖς καθʼ ὁμολογίας εἰς Μακεδονίαν μεταστῆναι, δισχιλίους δʼ ἐξ Ἀθηναίων ἐλθόντας τὸν Ὠρεὸν οἰκῆσαι, δῆμον ὄντα πρότερον τῶν Ἱστιαιέων.

[4] κεῖται δʼ ὑπὸ τῷ Τελεθρίῳ ὄρει ἐν τῷ Δρυμῷ καλουμένῳ παρὰ τὸν Κάλλαντα ποταμὸν ἐπὶ πέτρας ὑψηλῆς, ὥστε τάχα καὶ διὰ τὸ τοὺς Ἐλλοπιεῖς ὀρείους εἶναι τοὺς προοικήσαντας ἐτέθη τοὔνομα τοῦτο τῇ πόλει· δοκεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Ὠρίων ἐνταῦθα τραφεὶς οὕτως ὀνομασθῆναι· ἔνιοι δὲ τοὺς Ὠρείτας πόλιν ἔχοντας ἰδίαν φασὶ πολεμουμένους ὑπὸ τῶν Ἐλλοπιέων μεταβῆναι καὶ συνοικῆσαι τοῖς Ἱστιαιεῦσι, μίαν δὲ γενηθεῖσαν πόλιν ἀμφοτέροις χρήσασθαι τοῖς ὀνόμασι, καθάπερ Λακεδαίμων τε καὶ Σπάρτη ἡ αὐτή. εἴρηται δʼ ὅτι καὶ ἐν Θετταλίᾳ Ἱστιαιῶτις ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνασπασθέντων ἐνθένδε ὑπὸ Περραιβῶν ὠνόμασται.

[5] ἐπεὶ δʼ ἡ Ἐλλοπία τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱστιαίας καὶ τοῦ Ὠρεοῦ προσηγάγετο ἡμᾶς ποιήσασθαι, τὰ συνεχῆ λέγωμεν τοῖς τόποις τούτοις. ἔστι δʼ ἐν τῷ Ὠρεῷ τούτῳ τό τε Κήναιον πλησίον καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τὸ Δῖον καὶ Ἀθῆναι αἱ Διάδες, κτίσμα Ἀθηναίων, ὑπερκείμενον τοῦ ἐπὶ Κῦνον πορθμοῦ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Δίου Κάναι τῆς Αἰολίδος ἀπῳκίσθησαν· ταῦτά τε δὴ τὰ χωρία περὶ τὴν Ἱστίαιάν ἐστι καὶ ἔτι Κήρινθος πολείδιον ἐπὶ τῇ θαλάττῃ· ἐγγὺς δὲ Βούδορος ποταμὸς ὁμώνυμος τῷ κατὰ τὴν Σαλαμῖνα ὄρει τῷ πρὸς τῇ Ἀττικῇ.

[6] Κάρυστος δέ ἐστιν ὑπὸ τῷ ὄρει τῇ Ὄχῃ· πλησίον δὲ τὰ Στύρα καὶ τὸ Μαρμάριον, ἐν ᾧ τὸ λατόμιον τῶν Καρυστίων κιόνων, ἱερὸν ἔχον Ἀπόλλωνος Μαρμαρίνου, ὅθεν διάπλους εἰς Ἁλὰς τὰς Ἀραφηνίδας. ἐν δὲ τῇ Καρύστῳ καὶ ἡ λίθος φύεται ἡ ξαινομένη καὶ ὑφαινομένη, ὥστε τὰ ὕφη χειρόμακτρα γίνεσθαι, ῥυπωθέντα δʼ εἰς φλόγα βάλλεσθαι καὶ ἀποκαθαίρεσθαι τῇ πλύσει τῶν λίνων παραπλησίως· ᾠκίσθαι δὲ τὰ χωρία ταῦτά φασιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκ τετραπόλεως τῆς περὶ Μαραθῶνα καὶ Στειριέων· κατεστράφη δὲ τὰ Στύρα ἐν τῷ Λαμιακῷ πολέμῳ ὑπὸ Φαίδρου τοῦ Ἀθηναίων στρατηγοῦ· τὴν δὲ χώραν ἔχουσιν Ἐρετριεῖς. Κάρυστος δέ ἐστι καὶ ἐν τῇ Λακωνικῇ τόπος τῆς Αἴγυος πρὸς Ἀρκαδίαν, ἀφʼ οὗ Καρύστιον οἶνον Ἀλκμὰν εἴρηκε.

[7] Γεραιστὸς δʼ ἐν μὲν τῷ καταλόγῳ τῶν νεῶν οὐκ εἴρηται, μέμνηται δʼ ὁ ποιητὴς ὅμως αὐτοῦ

ἐς δὲ Γεραιστὸν

ἐννύχιοι κατάγοντο,

⁴καὶ δηλοῖ διότι τοῖς διαίρουσιν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας εἰς τὴν Ἀττικὴν ἐπικαιρίως κεῖται τῷ Σουνίῳ πλησιάζον τὸ χωρίον· ἔχει δʼ ἱερὸν Ποσειδῶνος ἐπισημότατον τῶν ταύτῃ καὶ κατοικίαν ἀξιόλογον.

[8] μετὰ δὲ τὸν Γεραιστὸν Ἐρέτρια πόλις μεγίστη τῆς Εὐβοίας μετὰ Χαλκίδα, ἔπειθʼ ἡ Χαλκὶς μητρόπολις τῆς νήσου τρόπον τινά, ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τῷ Εὐρίπῳ ἱδρυμένη· ἀμφότεραι δὲ πρὸ τῶν Τρωικῶν ὑπʼ Ἀθηναίων ἐκτίσθαι λέγονται, καὶ μετὰ τὰ Τρωικὰ Ἄικλος καὶ Κόθος ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν ὁρμηθέντες ὁ μὲν τὴν Ἐρέτριαν ᾤκισε Κόθος δὲ τὴν Χαλκίδα· καὶ τῶν Αἰολέων δέ τινες ἀπὸ τῆς Πενθίλου στρατιᾶς κατέμειναν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ, τὸ δὲ παλαιὸν καὶ Ἄραβες οἱ Κάδμῳ συνδιαβάντες. αἱ δʼ οὖν πόλεις αὗται διαφερόντως αὐξηθεῖσαι καὶ ἀποικίας ἔστειλαν ἀξιολόγους εἰς Μακεδονίαν· Ἐρέτρια μὲν γὰρ συνῴκισε τὰς περὶ Παλλήνην καὶ τὸν Ἄθω πόλεις, ἡ δὲ Χαλκὶς τὰς ὑπὸ Ὀλύνθῳ, ἃς Φίλιππος διελυμήνατο. καὶ τῆς Ἰταλίας δὲ καὶ Σικελίας πολλὰ χωρία Χαλκιδέων ἐστίν· ἐστάλησαν δὲ αἱ ἀποικίαι αὗται, καθάπερ εἴρηκεν Ἀριστοτέλης, ἡνίκα ἡ τῶν Ἱπποβοτῶν καλουμένη ἐπεκράτει πολιτεία· προέστησαν γὰρ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ τιμημάτων ἄνδρες ἀριστοκρατικῶς ἄρχοντες. κατὰ δὲ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου διάβασιν καὶ τὸν περίβολον τῆς πόλεως ηὔξησαν, ἐντὸς τείχους λαβόντες τόν τε Κάνηθον καὶ τὸν Εὔριπον, ἐπιστήσαντες τῇ γεφύρᾳ πύργους καὶ πύλας καὶ τεῖχος.

[9] ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῆς τῶν Χαλκιδέων πόλεως τὸ Λήλαντον καλούμενον πεδίον. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ θερμῶν τε ὑδάτων εἰσὶν ἐκβολαὶ πρὸς θεραπείαν νόσων εὐφυεῖς, οἷς ἐχρήσατο καὶ Σύλλας Κορνήλιος ὁ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμών· καὶ μέταλλον δʼ ὑπῆρχε θαυμαστὸν χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου κοινόν, ὅπερ οὐχ ἱστοροῦσιν ἀλλαχοῦ συμβαῖνον· νυνὶ μέντοι ἀμφότερα ἐκλέλοιπεν, ὥσπερ καὶ Ἀθήνησι τἀργυρεῖα. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἅπασα μὲν ἡ Εὔβοια εὔσειστος, μάλιστα δʼ ἡ περὶ τὸν πορθμόν, καὶ δεχομένη πνευμάτων ὑποφοράς, καθάπερ καὶ ἡ Βοιωτία καὶ ἄλλοι τόποι, περὶ ὧν ἐμνήσθημεν διὰ πλειόνων πρότερον. ὑπὸ τοιοῦδε πάθους καὶ ἡ ὁμώνυμος τῇ νήσῳ πόλις καταποθῆναι λέγεται, ἧς μέμνηται καὶ Αἰσχύλος ἐν τῷ Ποντίῳ Γλαύκῳ

Εὐβοΐδα καμπτὴν ἀμφὶ Κηναίου Διὸς

ἀκτήν, κατʼ αὐτὸν τύμβον ἀθλίου Λίχα.

⁵ Χαλκὶς δʼ ὁμωνύμως λέγεται καὶ ἐν Αἰτωλίᾳ

Χαλκίδα τʼ ἀγχίαλον, Καλυδῶνά τε πετρήεσσαν,

⁶ καὶ ἐν τῇ νῦν Ἠλείᾳ

βὰν δὲ παρὰ Κρουνοὺς καὶ Χαλκίδα πετρήεσσαν

⁷οἱ περὶ Τηλέμαχον ἀπιόντες παρὰ Νέστορος εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν.

[10] Ἐρέτριαν δʼ οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ Μακίστου τῆς Τριφυλίας ἀποικισθῆναί φασιν ὑπʼ Ἐρετριέως, οἱ δʼ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀθήνησιν Ἐρετρίας, ἣ νῦν ἐστὶν ἀγορά· ἔστι δὲ καὶ περὶ Φάρσαλον Ἐρέτρια, ἱερὰ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος. Ἀδμήτου δʼ ἵδρυμα λέγεται τὸ ἱερόν, παρʼ ᾧ θητεῦσαι λέγουσι τὸν θεὸν ἐνιαυτόν, πλησίον τοῦ πορθμοῦ. Μελανηὶς δʼ ἐκαλεῖτο πρότερον ἡ Ἐρέτρια καὶ Ἀρότρια· ταύτης δʼ ἐστὶ κώμη ἡ Ἀμάρυνθος ἀφʼ ἑπτὰ σταδίων τοῦ τείχους. τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀρχαίαν πόλιν κατέσκαψαν Πέρσαι, σαγηνεύσαντες, ὥς φησιν Ἡρόδοτος, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῷ πλήθει, περιχυθέντων τῶν βαρβάρων τῷ τείχει· καὶ δεικνύουσιν ἔτι τοὺς θεμελίους, καλοῦσι δὲ παλαιὰν Ἐρέτριαν, ἡ δὲ νῦν ἐπέκτισται. τὴν δὲ δύναμιν τὴν Ἐρετριέων ἣν ἔσχον ποτὲ μαρτυρεῖ ἡ στήλη, ἣν ἀνέθεσάν ποτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τῆς Ἀμαρυνθίας Ἀρτέμιδος· γέγραπται δʼ ἐν αὐτῇ τρισχιλίοις μὲν ὁπλίταις ἑξακοσίοις δʼ ἱππεῦσιν ἑξήκοντα δʼ ἅρμασι ποιεῖν τὴν πομπήν· ἐπῆρχον δὲ καὶ Ἀνδρίων καὶ Τηνίων καὶ Κείων καὶ ἄλλων νήσων. ἐποίκους δʼ ἔσχον ἀπʼ Ἤλιδος, ἀφʼ οὗ καὶ τῷ γράμματι τῷ ῥῶ πολλῷ χρησάμενοι οὐκ ἐπὶ τέλει μόνον τῶν ῥημάτων ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν μέσῳ κεκωμῴδηνται. ἔστι δὲ καὶ Οἰχαλία κώμη τῆς Ἐρετρικῆς, λείψανον τῆς ἀναιρεθείσης πόλεως ὑπὸ Ἡρακλέους, ὁμώνυμος τῇ Τραχινίᾳ καὶ τῇ περὶ Τρίκκην καὶ τῇ Ἀρκαδικῇ, ἣν Ἀνδανίαν οἱ ὕστερον ἐκάλεσαν, καὶ τῇ ἐν Αἰτωλίᾳ περὶ τοὺς Εὐρυτᾶνας.

[11] νυνὶ μὲν οὖν ὁμολογουμένως ἡ Χαλκὶς φέρεται τὰ πρωτεῖα καὶ μητρόπολις αὕτη λέγεται τῶν Εὐβοέων, δευτερεύει δʼ ἡ Ἐρέτρια. ἀλλὰ καὶ πρότερον αὗται μέγα εἶχον ἀξίωμα καὶ πρὸς πόλεμον καὶ πρὸς εἰρήνην, ὥστε καὶ φιλοσόφοις ἀνδράσι παρασχεῖν διαγωγὴν ἡδεῖαν καὶ ἀθόρυβον. μαρτυρεῖ δʼ ἥ τε τῶν Ἐρετρικῶν φιλοσόφων σχολὴ τῶν περὶ Μενέδημον ἐν τῇ Ἐρετρίᾳ γενομένη, καὶ ἔτι πρότερον ἡ Ἀριστοτέλους ἐν τῇ Χαλκίδι διατριβή, ὅς γε κἀκεῖ κατέλυσε τὸν βίον.

[12] τὸ μὲν οὖν πλέον ὡμολόγουν ἀλλήλαις αἱ πόλεις αὗται, περὶ δὲ Ληλάντου διενεχθεῖσαι οὐδʼ οὕτω τελέως ἐπαύσαντο ὥστʼ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ κατὰ αὐθάδειαν δρᾶν ἕκαστα, ἀλλὰ συνέθεντο ἐφʼ οἷς συστήσονται τὸν ἀγῶνα. δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἐν τῷ Ἀμαρυνθίῳ στήλη τις φράζουσα μὴ χρῆσθαι τηλεβόλοις⁸.

[13] οἱ δʼ Εὐβοεῖς ἀγαθοὶ πρὸς μάχην ὑπῆρξαν τὴν σταδίαν, ἣ καὶ συστάδην λέγεται καὶ ἐκ χειρός. δόρασι δʼ ἐχρῶντο τοῖς ὀρεκτοῖς, ὥς φησιν ὁ ποιητής

αἰχμηταὶ μεμαῶτες ὀρεκτῇσι μελίῃσι

θώρηκας ῥήσσειν.

⁹ ἀλλοίων ἴσως ὄντων τῶν παλτῶν, οἵαν εἰκὸς εἶναι τὴν Πηλιάδα μελίην ἥν, ὥς φησιν ὁ ποιητής

οἶος ἐπίστατο πῆλαι Ἀχιλλεύς

¹⁰καὶ ὁ εἰπών

δουρὶ δʼ ἀκοντίζω, ὅσον οὐκ ἄλλος τις ὀιστῷ,

¹¹τῷ παλτῷ λέγει δόρατι. καὶ οἱ μονομαχοῦντες τοῖς παλτοῖς χρώμενοι δόρασιν εἰσάγονται πρότερον, εἶτα ἐπὶ τὰ ξίφη βαδίζοντες· ἀγχέμαχοι δʼ εἰσὶν οὐχ οἱ ξίφει χρώμενοι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δόρατι ἐκ χειρός, ὥς φησιν

οὔτησε ξυστῷ χαλκήρεϊ, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.

¹²τοὺς μὲν οὖν Εὐβοέας τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ χρωμένους εἰσάγει, περὶ δὲ Λοκρῶν τἀναντία λέγει ὡς

οὔ σφιν σταδίης ὑσμίνης ἔργα μέμηλεν,

ἀλλʼ ἄρα τόξοισι καὶ ἐυστρόφῳ οἰὸς ἀώτῳ

Ἴλιον εἰς ἅμʼ ἕποντο.

¹³περιφέρεται δὲ καὶ χρησμὸς ἐκδοθεὶς Αἰγιεῦσιν

ἵππον Θεσσαλικόν, Λακεδαιμονίαν δὲ γυναῖκα,

ἄνδρας θʼ οἳ πίνουσιν ὕδωρ ἱερῆς Ἀρεθούσης,

τοὺς Χαλκιδέας λέγων ὡς ἀρίστους· ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἡ Ἀρέθουσα.

[14] εἰσὶ δὲ νῦν Εὐβοῗται ποταμοὶ Κηρεὺς καὶ Νηλεύς, ὧν ἀφʼ οὗ μὲν πίνοντα τὰ πρόβατα λευκὰ γίνεται, ἀφʼ οὗ δὲ μέλανα· καὶ περὶ τὸν Κρᾶθιν δὲ εἴρηται τοιοῦτόν τι συμβαῖνον.

[15] τῶν δʼ ἐκ Τροίας ἐπανιόντων Εὐβοέων τινὲς εἰς Ἰλλυριοὺς ἐκπεσόντες, ἀποβαίνοντες οἴκαδε διὰ τῆς Μακεδονίας περὶ Ἔδεσσαν ἔμειναν συμπολεμήσαντες τοῖς ὑποδεξαμένοις, καὶ ἔκτισαν πόλιν Εὔβοιαν· ἦν δὲ καὶ ἐν Σικελίᾳ Εὔβοια Χαλκιδέων τῶν ἐκεῖ κτίσμα, ἣν Γέλων ἐξανέστησε, καὶ ἐγένετο φρούριον Συρακουσίων· καὶ ἐν Κερκύρᾳ δὲ καὶ ἐν Λήμνῳ τόπος ἦν Εὔβοια καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀργείᾳ λόφος τις.

[16] ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῖς Θετταλοῖς καὶ Οἰταίοις πρὸς ἑσπέραν Αἰτωλοὶ καὶ Ἀκαρνᾶνές εἰσι καὶ Ἀθαμᾶνες, εἰ χρὴ καὶ τούτους Ἕλληνας εἰπεῖν, λοιπὸν ἐξηγήσασθαι περὶ τούτων, ἵνʼ ἔχωμεν τὴν περίοδον ἅπασαν τὴν τῆς Ἑλλάδος· προσθεῖναι δὲ καὶ τὰς νήσους τὰς προσχώρους μάλιστα τῇ Ἑλλάδι καὶ οἰκουμένας ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὅσας μὴ περιωδεύκαμεν.

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 focus

[1] Since Euboea lies parallel to the whole of the coast from Sunium to Thessaly, with the exception of the ends on either side,¹ it would be appropriate to connect my description of the island with that of the parts already described before passing on to Aetolia and Acarnania, which are the remaining parts of Europe to be described.

[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 Macris² 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,³ 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 outside⁴ 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.

[3] The island was called, not only Macris, but also Abantis; at any rate, the poet, although he names Euboea, never names its inhabitants “Euboeans,” but always “Abantes”:

And those who held Euboea, the courage-breathing Abantes . . .

⁵

And with him⁶ followed the Abantes.

⁷ Aristotle⁸ says that Thracians, setting out from the Phocian Aba, recolonized the island and renamed those who held it “Abantes.” Others derive the name from a hero,⁹ just as they derive “Euboea” from a heroine.¹⁰ But it may be, just as a certain cave on the coast which fronts the Aegaean, where Io is said to have given birth to Epaphus, is called Böos Aule,¹¹ that the island got the name Euboea¹² from the same cause. The island was also called Oche; and the largest of its mountains bears the same name. And it was also named Ellopia, after Ellops the son of Ion. Some say that he was the brother of Aïclus and Cothus; and he is also said to have founded Ellopia, a place in Oria, as it is called, in Histiaeotis¹³ near the mountain Telethrius, and to have added to his dominions Histiaea, Perias, Cerinthus, Aedepsus, and Orobia; in this last place was an oracle most averse to falsehood (it was an oracle of Apollo Selinuntius). The Ellopians migrated to Histiaea and enlarged the city, being forced to do so by Philistides the tyrant, after the battle of Leuctra. Demosthenes says that Philistides was set up by Philip as tyrant of the Oreitae too;¹⁴ for thus in later times the Histiaeans were named, and the city was named Oreus instead of Histiaea. But according to some writers, Histiaea was colonized by Athenians from the deme of the Histiaeans, as Eretria was colonized from that of the Eretrians. Theopompus says that when Pericles overpowered Euboea the Histiaeans by agreement migrated to Macedonia, and that two thousand Athenians who formerly composed the deme of the Histiaeans came and took up their abode in Oreus.

[4] Oreus is situated at the foot of the mountain Telethrius in the Drymus,¹⁵ as it is called, on the River Callas, upon a high rock; and hence, perhaps, it was because the Ellopians who formerly inhabited it were mountaineers that the name Oreus¹⁶ was assigned to the city. It is also thought that Orion was so named because he was reared there. Some writers say that the Oreitae had a city of their own, but because the Ellopians were making war on them they migrated and took up their abode with the Histiaeans; and that, although they became one city, they used both names, just as the same city is called both Lacedaemon and Sparta. As I have already said,¹⁷ Histiaeotis in Thessaly was also named after the Histiaeans who were carried off from here into the mainland by the Perrhaebians.

[5] Since Ellopia induced me to begin my description with Histiaea and Oreus, let me speak of the parts which border on these places. In the territory of this Oreus lies, not only Cenaeum, near Oreus, but also, near Cenaeun, Dium¹⁸ and Athenae Diades, the latter founded by the Athenians and lying above that part of the strait where passage is taken across to Cynus; and Canae in Aeolis was colonized from Dium. Now these places are in the neighborhood of Histiaea; and so is Cerinthus, a small city by the sea; and near it is the Budorus River, which bears the same name as the mountain in Salamis which is close to Attica.

[6] Carystus is at the foot of the mountain Oche; and near it are Styra and Marmarium, in which latter are the quarry of the Carystian columns¹⁹ and a temple of Apollo Marmarinus; and from here there is a passage across the strait to Halae Araphenides. In Carystus is produced also the stone which is combed and woven,²⁰ so that the woven material is made into towels, and, when these are soiled, they are thrown into fire and cleansed, just as linens are cleansed by washing. These places are said to have been settled by colonists from the Marathonian Tetrapolis²¹ and by Steirians. Styra was destroyed in the Malian war by Phaedrus, the general of the Athenians; but the country is held by the Eretrians. There is also a Carystus in the Laconian country, a place belonging to Aegys, towards Arcadia; whence the Carystian wine of which Alcman speaks.

[7] Geraestus is not named in the Catalogue of Ships, but still the poet mentions it elsewhere:

and at night they landed at Geraestus.

²²And he plainly indicates that the place is conveniently situated for those who are sailing across from Asia to Attica, since it comes near to Sunium. It has a temple of Poseidon, the most notable of those in that part of the world, and also a noteworthy settlement.

[8] After Geraestus one comes to Eretria, the greatest city in Euboea except Chalcis; and then to Chalcis, which in a way is the metropolis of the island, being situated on the Euripus itself. Both are said to have been founded by the Athenians before the Trojan War. And after the Trojan War, Aïclus and Cothus, setting out from Athens, settled inhabitants in them, the former in Eretria and the latter in Chalcis. There were also some Aeolians from the army of Penthilus²³ who remained in the island, and, in ancient times, some Arabians who had crossed over with Cadmus. Be this as it may, these cities grew exceptionally strong and even sent forth noteworthy colonies into Macedonia; for Eretria colonized the cities situated round Pallene and Athos, and Chalcis colonized the cities that were subject to Olynthus, which later were treated outrageously by Philip. And many places in Italy and Sicily are also Chalcidian. These colonies were sent out, as Aristotle²⁴ states, when the government of the Hippobatae,²⁵ as it is called, was in power; for at the head of it were men chosen according to the value of their property, who ruled in an aristocratic manner. At the time of Alexander’s passage across,²⁶ the Chalcidians enlarged the circuit of the walls of their city, taking inside them both Canethus and the Euripus, and fortifying the bridge with towers and gates and a wall.²⁷

[9] Above the city of the Chalcidians is situated the Lelantine Plain. In this plain are fountains of hot water suited to the cure of diseases, which were used by Cornelius Sulla, the Roman commander. And in this plain was also a remarkable mine which contained copper and iron together, a thing which is not reported as occurring elsewhere; now, however, both metals have given out, as in the case of the silver mines at Athens. The whole of Euboea is much subject to earthquakes, but particularly the part near the strait, which is also subject to blasts through subterranean passages, as are Boeotia and other places which I have already described rather at length.²⁸ And it is said that the city which bore the same name as the island was swallowed up by reason of a disturbance of this kind. This city is also mentioned by Aeschylus in his Glaucus Pontius:

Euboeïs, about the bending shore of Zeus Cenaeus, near the very tomb of wretched Lichas.

²⁹In Aetolia, also, there is a place called by the same name Chalcis:

and Chalcis near the sea, and rocky Calydon,

³⁰and in the present Eleian country:

and they went past Cruni and rocky Chalcis,

³¹that is, Telemachus and his companions, when they were on their way back from Nestor’s to their homeland.

[10] As for Eretria, some say that it was colonized from Triphylian Macistus by Eretrieus, but others say from the Eretria at Athens, which now is a marketplace. There is also an Eretria near Pharsalus. In the Eretrian territory there was a city Tamynae, sacred to Apollo; and the temple, which is near the strait, is said to have been founded by Admetus, at whose house the god served as an hireling for a year. In earlier times Eretria was called Melaneïs and Arotria. The village Amarynthus, which is seven stadia distant from the walls, belongs to this city. Now the old city was razed to the ground by the Persians, who “netted” the people, as Herodotus³² says, by means of their great numbers, the barbarians being spread about the walls (the foundations are still to be seen, and the place is called Old Eretria); but the Eretria of today was founded on it.³³ As for the power the Eretrians once had, this is evidenced by the pillar which they once set up in the temple of Artemis Amarynthia. It was inscribed thereon that they made their festal procession with three thousand heavy-armed soldiers, six hundred horsemen, and sixty chariots. And they ruled over the peoples of Andros, Teos, Ceos, and other islands. They received new settlers from Elis; hence, since they frequently used the letter r,³⁴ not only at the end of words, but also in the middle, they have been ridiculed by comic writers. There is also a village Oechalia in the Eretrian territory, the remains of the city which was destroyed by Heracles; it bears the same name as the Trachinian Oechalia and that near Tricce, and the Arcadian Oechalia, which the people of later times called Andania, and that in Aetolia in the neighborhood of the Eurytanians.

[11] Now at the present time Chalcis by common consent holds the leading position and is called the metropolis of the Euboeans; and Eretria is second. Yet even in earlier times these cities were held in great esteem, not only in war, but also in peace; indeed, they afforded philosophers a pleasant and undisturbed place of abode. This is evidenced by the school of the Eretrian philosophers, Menedemus and his disciples, which was established in Eretria, and also, still earlier, by the sojourn of Aristotle in Chalcis, where he also ended his days.³⁵

[12] Now in general these cities were in accord with one another, and when differences arose concerning the Lelantine Plain they did not so completely break off relations as to wage their wars in all respects according to the will of each, but they came to an agreement as to the conditions under which they were to conduct the fight. This fact, among others, is disclosed by a certain pillar in the Amarynthium, which forbids the use of long distance missiles. ³⁶ In fact among all the customs of warfare and of the use of arms there neither is, nor has been, any single custom; for some use long distance missiles, as, for example, bowmen and slingers and javelin-throwers, whereas others use close-fighting arms, as, for example, those who use sword, or outstretched spear; for the spear is used in two ways, one in hand-to-hand combat and the other for hurling like a javelin; just as the pike serves both purposes, for it can be used both in close combat and as a missile for hurling, which is also true of the sarissa³⁷ and the hyssus.³⁸

[13] The Euboeans excelled in “standing” combat, which is also called “close” and “hand-to-hand” combat; and they used their spears outstretched, as the poet says:

spearmen eager with outstretched ashen spears to shatter corselets.

³⁹Perhaps the javelins were of a different kind, such as probably was the “Pelian ashen spear,” which, as the poet says,

Achilles alone knew how to hurl;

⁴⁰and he⁴¹ who said,

And the spear I hurl farther than any other man can shoot an arrow,

⁴²means the javelin-spear. And those who fight in single combat are first introduced as using javelin-spears, and then as resorting to swords. And close fighters are not those who use the sword alone, but also the spear hand-to-hand, as the poet says:

he pierced him with bronze-tipped polished spear, and loosed his limbs.

⁴³Now he introduces the Euboeans as using this mode of fighting, but he says the contrary of the Locrians, that

they cared not for the tolls of close combat, . . . but relying on bows and well-twisted slings of sheep’s wool they followed with him to Ilium.

⁴⁴There is current, also, an oracle which was given out to the people of Aegium,

Thessalian horse, Lacedemonian woman, and men who drink the water of sacred Arethusa,

meaning that the Chalcidians are best of all, for Arethusa is in their territory.

[14] There are now two rivers in Euboea, the Cereus and the Neleus; and the sheep which drink from one of them turn white, and from the other black. A similar thing takes place in connection with the Crathis River, as I have said before.⁴⁵

[15] When the Euboeans were returning from Troy, some of them, after being driven out of their course to Illyria, set out for home through Macedonia, but remained in the neighborhood of Edessa, after aiding in war those who had received them hospitably; and they founded a city Euboe. There was also a Euboea in Sicily, which was founded by the Chalcidians of Sicily, but they were driven out of it by Gelon; and it became a stronghold of the Syracusans. In Corcyra, also, and in Lemnos, there were places called Euboea; and in the Argive country a hill of that name.

[16] Since the Aetolians, Acarnanians, and Athamanians (if these too are to be called Greeks) live to the west of the Thessalians and the Oetaeans, it remains for me to describe these three, in order that I may complete the circuit of Greece; I must also add the islands which lie nearest to Greece and are inhabited by the Greeks, so far as I have not already included them in my description.

Notes on the current edition

Geography

1. In the middle ages Euboea was called Egripo, a corruption of Euripus, the name of the town built upon the ruins of Chalcis. The Venetians, who obtained possession of the island upon the dismemberment of the Byzantine empire by the Latins, called it Negropont, probably a corruption of Egripo and Ponte, a bridge. Smith.

2. This expression is obscure; probably it may mean that Euboea is not equal in length to the coast comprehended between Sunium and the southern limits of Thessaly.

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

4. C. Mantelo.

5. 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.

6. Cape Mantelo.

7. 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.

8. ἀντίποοͅθμος.

9. 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.

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

11. Il. ii. 536,542.

12. From Abas, great grandson of Erectheus.

13. From Euboea, daughter of the river Asopus and mistress of Neptune

14. From εὕ well, and βοῦς, a cow. The ancient coins of the island bear the head of an ox.

15. Mount St. Elias, 4748 feet above the level of the sea. Bochart derives the name from an eastern word signifying narrow.

16. At the base of Ploko Vuno.

17. Mount Galzades, celebrated for producing medicinal plants. Theophrastus, Hist. Plant. b. ix. c. 15 and 20.

18. Dipso, according to Kiepert.

19. Philipp. iii.

20. Not the town named Histiaea-Oreus, which was on the sea-coast.

21. Livy, b. xxxi. c. 46.

22. διὰ τὸ ὀρείους εἵναι.

23. Kiepert accordingly places Dium near the modern Jaitra, but the Austrian map places it to the N. E. of Ploko Vuno.

24. Castel Rosso. The landing-place of the Persian expedition under Datis and Artaphernes, B. C. 490. Herod. b. vi. c. 99.

25. Sturae.

26. The ruins are indicated as existing opposite the Spili islands.

27. λιθος φύεται.

28. τῆ τῶν λίνων πλύσει.

29. C. Mantelo.

30. Od. iii. 177.

31. As this statement is unsupported by any other authority, Meineke suggests that the word Arabians ( ̓́αραβες οὶ) is an error for Aradii ( ̓αρἁδιοι).

32. Repub. b. iv. c. 3.

33. According to the Scholiast in Apollon. Rhod. Argon. b i. v. 7, Canethus was a mountain on the Boeotian side of the Euripus.

34. B. i. c. iii. § 16.

35. B. ix. c. ii. § 13.

36. Il. ii. 640.

37. Od. xv. 295.

38. ἐνιαυτόν for αὐτον. Meineke.

39. Near Palaeo-castro.

40. Herod. b. iii. c. 149, and b. vi. c. 101.

41. A common practice of the Dorians.

42. B. viii. c. iii. §

43. In Thessaly.

44. Negropont. It was one of the three cities which Philip of Macedon called the chains of Greece. Brass ( χαλκὸς) was said to have been first found there.

45. He retired there B. C. 322.

46. δόοͅυ.

47. κοντὸς.

48. ή σάρισσα και ὁ ὑσσὸς Probably an interpolation. Groskurd.

49. μάχην τὴν σταιδ́αν.

50. συστάδην

51. ἐκ χειοͅός

52. Il. ii. 543.

53. Il. xix. 389.

54. Od. viii. 229.

55. Il. iv. 469.

56. Il. xiii. 713, 716.

57. B. vi. c. i. § 13.

58. B. viii. c. vii. § 1.

Strabo Geography 10.1

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

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