<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<TEI.2><text lang="en"><body><div1 type="book" n="7" org="uniform" sample="complete"><div2 type="chapter" n="6" org="uniform" sample="complete"><p><milestone ed="P" n="2" unit="section" /></p>
<p>From the promontory, then, that reduces the strait to

5 stadia, to the Port under the Fig-tree, as it is called, are 35

stadia; thence to the Horn of the Byzantines, 5 stadia. This

Horn, close to the walls of Byzantium, is a bay, extending

westwards 60 stadia, and resembling a stag's horn, for it is

divided into a great many bays, like so many branches. The

Pelamides<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified">In Italian, Pelamide, or Palamide, well known in the Mediterranean.

It is not to be compared in size to the Thunny, but is much larger than

the Mackerel, of a dark blue and streaked. Like the Thunny, it is

migratory. Aristotle erroneously conjectures the Pelamide to be the

young of the Thunny.</note> resort to these bays, and are easily taken, on account

of their great number, and the force of the current, which

drives them together in a body; and also on account of the

narrowness of the bays, which is such that they are caught

even by the hand. These fish are bred in the marshes of the

Mæotis. When they have attained a little size and strength,

they rush through the mouth in shoals, and are carried along

the Asiatic coast as far as Trapezus and Pharnacia. It is

here that the fishery begins, but it is not carried on to any

considerable extent, because the fish are not of a proper size at

this place. When they get as far as Sinope, they are in better

season for the fishery, and for the purpose of salting. But

when they have reached and passed the Cyaneæ, a white rock

projects from the Chalcedonian shore, which alarms the fish,

so that they immediately turn away to the opposite coast.

There they are caught by the stream, and the nature of the

places being such as to divert the current of the sea in that

part towards Byzantium, and the Horn near it, the fish are

impelled thither in a body, and afford to the Byzantines, and

to the Roman people, a large revenue. The Chalcedonians,

however, although situated near, and on the opposite side,

have no share of this supply, because the Pelamides do not

approach their harbours.
</p><p>After the foundation of Chalcedon, Apollo is said to have



<pb n="492" />



enjoined the founders of Byzantium, in answer to their in-

quiries, to build their city opposite to the Blind, applying this

name to the Chalcedonians, who, although they were the first

persons to arrive in these parts, had omitted to take possession

of the opposite side, which afforded such great resources of

wealth, and chose the barren coast.
</p><p>We have continued our description to Byzantium, because

this celebrated city,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified">The ancient Byzantium, there are grounds for believing, was marked

by the present walls of the Seraglio. The enlarged city was founded by

the emperor Constantine, A. D. <date value="328" authname="328">328</date>, who gave it his name, and made it the

rival of Rome itself. It was taken from the Greeks in <date value="1204" authname="1204">1204</date>, by the Venetians under Dandolo; retaken by the Greeks in <date value="1261" authname="1261">1261</date> under the emperor Michael Palæologus, and conquered by the Turks in <date value="1453" authname="1453">1453</date>. The

crescent found on some of the ancient Byzantine coins was adopted as a

symbol by the Turks.</note> by its proximity to the mouth of the

Euxine Sea, forms a better-known and more remarkable

termination of an account of the coast from the Danube than

any other.
</p><p>Above Byzantium is the nation of the Asti, in whose territory is the city Calybe, which Philip the son of Amyntas

made a settlement for criminals.


</p></div2></div1></body></text></TEI.2>