Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, BOOK IV. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED., CHAP. 12.

Home Collections/Texts Perseus Catalog Research Grants Open Source About Help

Hide browse bar Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position:

This text is part of:

Greek and Roman Materials

View text chunked by:

book : chapter

CHAP. 12.—BŒOTIA.

In this country are Anthedon¹, Onchestus², the free town of Thespiæ³, Lebadea⁴, and then Thebes⁵, surnamed Bœotian⁶, which does not yield the palm to Athens even in celebrity; the native land, according to the common notion, of the two Divinities Liber and Hercules. The birth-place of the Muses too is pointed out in the grove of Helicon. To this same Thebes also belong the forest of Cithæron⁷, and the river Ismenus. Besides these, there are in Bœotia the Fountains of Œdipodia, Psamathe, Dirce, Epicrane, Arethusa, Hippocrene⁸, Aganippe, and Gargaphie; and, besides the mountains already mentioned, Mycalesos, Hadylius, and Acontius. The remaining towns between Megara and Thebes are Eleutheræ⁹, Haliartus¹⁰, Platææ¹¹, Pheræ, Aspledon¹², Hyle¹³, Thisbe¹⁴, Erythræ¹⁵, Glissas¹⁶, and Copæ¹⁷; near the river Cephisus, Larymna and Anchoa¹⁸; as also Medeon, Phlygone, Acræphia¹⁹, Coronea²⁰, and Chæronea²¹. Again, on the coast and below Thebes, are Ocalea²², Heleon, Scolos, Schœnos²³, Peteon²⁴, Hyriæ²⁵, Mycalesos²⁶, Iresion, Pteleon, Olyros, and Tanagra²⁷, the people of which are free; and, situate upon the very mouth of the Euripus²⁸, a strait formed by the opposite island of Eubœa, Aulis²⁹, so famous for its capacious harbour. The Bœotians formerly had the name of Hyantes.

After them come the Locrians, surnamed Epicnemidii³⁰, formerly called Leleges, through whose country the river Cephisus passes, in its course to the sea. Their towns are Opus³¹; from which the Opuntian Gulf³² takes its name, and Cynos. Daphnus³³ is the only town of Phocis situate on the coast. In the interior of Locris is Elatea³⁴, and on the banks of the Cephisus, as we have previously stated³⁵, Lilæa, and, facing Delphi, Cnemis³⁶ and Hyampolis³⁷. Again, upon the coast of the Locrians, are Larymna³⁸, and Thronium³⁹, near which last the river Boagrius enters the sea. Also, the towns of Narycion, Alope⁴⁰, and Scarphia⁴¹; and then the gulf which receives the name of the Maliac⁴² from the people who dwell there, and upon which are the towns of Halcyone, Econia, and Phalara⁴³.

1 Its ruins are supposed to be those seen eight miles from Egripo. Lukisi has also been suggested.

2 Its ruins are still to be seen on the S.W. slope of Mount Faga.

3 On the S.E. slope of Mount Helicon. Its ruins are to be seen at the modern Eremo or Rimokastro.

4 Now Livadhia. The celebrated cave of Trophonius stood in its vicinity.

5 Extensive remains of it are still to be seen; but the modern town of Theba or Stiva stands only on the site of its ancient Cadmea or citadel.

6 To distinguish it from places of the same name in Egypt, Phthiotis, and Lucania.

7 On the range of mountains of that name separating Bœotia from Megaris and Attica. The forest abounded in game, and the vicinity was a favourite scene of the poetic legends. Paleovuni is the highest summit of the Heliconian range. Leake fixes the Grove of the Muses at the present church of Saint Nicholas, at the foot of Mount Marandali, one of the summits of Helicon.

8 These fountains or springs are very difficult to identify, but Hippocrene, or the "Iorse-Spring" (said to have been produced by Pegasus striking the ground with his feet), was probably at the present Makariotissa; while Aganippe is the fountain that flows midway between Paleo-panaghia and Pyrgaki.

9 This place was originally a member of the Bœotian confederacy, but joined the Athenians, though it did not become an Attic Demus. Leake thinks that its ruins are those seen at Myupoli. Ross thinks that it stood to the east of Ghyfto-kastro, while other writers are of opinion that it stood more to the west, near the modern village of Kundara.

10 Razed to the ground by the Roman prætor Lucretius, for having espoused the cause of king Perseus. Its remains are seen about a mile from the village of Mazi, on the road from Thebes to Lebadæa.

11 Memorable for the defeat of the Persians under Mardonius, B.C. 479.

12 Distant twenty stadia from Orchomenus. Leake places it at the modern Izamali, Forchhammer at Avro-Kastro.

13 Its site is uncertain. Leake supposes it to be at Paleokastro, between the north end of Lake Hylica and the foot of Mount Palea. Ulrichs places it at the south end of the lake.

14 The modern Kakosia occupies its site.

15 At the foot of Mount Cithæron. Leake places it eastward of Katzula, at the foot of the rocks there.

16 Leake identifies it with the ruins on the torrent of Plataniki, below the mountain of Siamata. Pausanias says it was situate seven stadia beyond Teumessus, and at the foot of Hypatus, now Siamata.

17 On Lake Copaïs. The modern village of Topolia occupies its site.

18 The waters of the Cephisus here burst forth from their subterraneous channel.

19 On Lake Copaïs. Its ruins are at a short distance to the south of the modern Kardhitza.

20 South of Mount Helicon. Its principal remains are those of its theatre, a temple of Hera, and the agora or market-place.

21 On the borders of Phocis; famous for the battles fought in its vicinity between the Athenians and Bœotians, B.C. 447, and between Philip of Macedon and the Athenians and Bœotians, B.C. 338, and that in which Sylla defeated the generals of Mithridates B.C. 86. It stood on the site of the modern village of Kapurna.

22 On the river Copais, at the foot of Mount Tilphusion.

23 On the river of that name, and on the road from Thebes to Anthedon.

24 Its site appears to be unknown.

25 Enumerated by Homer with Aulis. Ancient critics have, without sufficient reason, identified it with Hysiæ.

26 It was sacked by the Athenians, B.C. 413, and in ruins in the time of Pausanias.

27 The modern Grimadha or Grimala occupies its site.

28 The modern channel of Egripo.

29 The place where the Grecian fleet assembled when about to sail for Troy. Leake says that its harbour is now called Vathy, evidently from the Greek βαθὺς, "wide."

30 So called from dwelling near Mount Cnemis.

31 Its ruins are to be seen three miles from the modern Talanti.

32 Now the Golfo di Talanti.

33 On the Eubœan Sea, which here extended to the Corinthian Gulf. It was in ruins in the time of Strabo. Cynus was the chief sea-port of the Locri Opuntii. Its site is marked by a tower called Palæopyrgo, and some ruins to the south of the village of Livanates.

34 The modern village of Lefti stands on its site, and there are some ruins to be seen.

35 In C. iv. of this Book.

36 Or Cnemides, a fortress built on the range of Mount Cnemis, near the modern Nikoraki.

37 Ravaged by Philip of Macedon. Its ruins are near the modern village of Vogdhani.

38 The Lower Larymna. Its ruins are seen between the modern Matzumadi and Martini.

39 Its ruins are to be seen near the modern Andera.

40 Between Daphnus and Cynus. Gell found its ruins on a hill near the sea-shore.

41 Its ruins are to be seen three miles from those of Thronium.

42 Now called the Gulf of Zeitoun. The people from whom it received its name were the Malienses.

43 Its ruins are two leagues from the modern town of Zeitoun.

The Natural History. Pliny the Elder. John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

Commentary references to this page (1):
- W. W. How, J. Wells, A Commentary on Herodotus, 8.7
Cross-references to this page (158):
- The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, ARTEMISION Euboia, Greece.
- The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, ASPIS (Evraionisos) Corinthia, Greece.
- The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, HERAKLEION (Iraklion) Temenos district, Crete.
- The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, KISAMOS (Kastelli Kisamou) Kisamos district, Crete.
- The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, PATMOS The Dodecanese, Greece.
- Harper's, Corassiae
- Harper's, Helĕna
- Harper's, Ios
- Harper's, Naulŏchus
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), A´BNOBA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), AEGI´LIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ALA´NI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), A´NAPHE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), APERO´PIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ARETHU´SA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ARI´STERAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ASTYPALAEA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ATALANTA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), AXI´ACES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), BASTARNAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), BELBINA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), BO´SPORUS THRA´CIUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), BUCES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), BU´DROAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CADISTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CALYMNA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CARAMBIS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CA´RCINA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CARPATES MONS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CA´RPATHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CARYSTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CASUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CECRYPHALEIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CENAEUM
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CEOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CEPHALLE´NIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CERINTHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CICYNE´THUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CIMO´LUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CI´NARA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CISAMUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CLAUDA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), COLO´NIS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CORA´SSIAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CORCY´RA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CRA´NII
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CRITHO´TE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CY´CLADES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CYDO´NIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CYTHE´RA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CYTHNUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), DA´CIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), DELOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), DICTE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), DIUM
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ECHI´NADES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ELEU´SA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), E´PHYRA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), EUBOEA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), EUXI´NUS PONTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), GELO´NI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), GERAESTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), GERRHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), GY´AROS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HALONNE´SUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HE´LENA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HELLESPONTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HERMISIUM
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HIPPU´RIS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), HY´PANIS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), IDA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ILA´TTIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), IMBROS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), IOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), IRINE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ISIACO´RUM PORTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ITANUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), JA´ZYGES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LASUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LEA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LEBEN
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LEBINTHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LELANTUS CAMPUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LEMNOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LETANDROS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LEUCE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LI´CHADES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LYCASTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), LYCTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MARATHE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MARATHUSA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MESSE´NIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), METHURIADES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MILE´TUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MINO´A
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MIROBRIGA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MUSAGORES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MY´CONUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MYLAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), NAU´LOCHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), NAXOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), OLI´ARUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ONI´SIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PANTICAPAEUM
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PANTICAPES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PAXI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PE´LOPIS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PE´RGAMUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PETA´LIAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PEUCE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PHACUSSA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PHAESTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PHALASARNA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PITYONE´SOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), POLYAEGUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), POLYRRHE´NIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PORTHMUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PORTUS ACHAEORUM
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PREPESINTHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PRINOESSA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PRONI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PYLO´RUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PYLUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ROXOLA´NI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SA´LAMIS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SAME
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SCA´NDILA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SCHINUSSA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SELACHUSA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SERI´PHOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SI´CINOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SIPHNOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SIRNIDES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SOLIMNIA
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SPO´RADES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), STRO´PHADES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SY´MBOLON PORTUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SYROS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TA´PHIAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TAPHRAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TAU´RICA CHERSONE´SUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TENOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), THASOS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), THYRIDES
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), THYSSA´GETAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TIBISCUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TIPARENUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TRACTARI
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TYRAS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TYRAS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ZACYNTHUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ZE´PHYRE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ZEPHY´RIUM
- Smith's Bio, Callide'mus
- Smith's Bio, Crates
- Smith's Bio, Hyas
- Smith's Bio, Manaechmus
- Smith's Bio, My'rsilus
Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (15):
- Lewis & Short, Ăchaeus
- Lewis & Short, Aegīra
- Lewis & Short, Ăgăthyrsi
- Lewis & Short, Būra
- Lewis & Short, Clĕōnae
- Lewis & Short, Dāci
- Lewis & Short, Hămaxŏbĭi
- Lewis & Short, Isthmus
- Lewis & Short, Lĕchaeum
- Lewis & Short, Pellēnē
- Lewis & Short, Sĭcyon
- Lewis & Short, Tyras
- Lewis & Short, ăb, ā
- Lewis & Short, afflātus
- Lewis & Short, as-sensĭo

Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar:

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History
John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.

This text is part of:

View text chunked by:

Table of Contents:

CHAP. 12.—BŒOTIA.

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.

This text is part of:

View text chunked by:

Table of Contents:

CHAP. 12.—BŒOTIA.

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History
John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.