OLYMPUS
OLYMPUS (
Ὄλυμπος, Strab. xiv. pp. 682, 683;
Ptol. 5.14.5), a mountain range in the lofty island of Cyprus. On one of its eminences--breast-shaped (
μαστοειδής)--was a temple to Aphrodite “of the heights” (
ἀκραία), into which women were not permitted to enter. (Strab.
l.c.) This probably implies that all but the “hierodulae” were excluded. (Comp. Claudian,
Nupt. Hon. et Mar. 49--85; Achill. Tat. 7.13.)
According to Pococke (
Trav. vol. ii. p. 212; comp. Mariti,
Viaggi, vol. i. p. 206), this part of the chain is now called
Haghios Stavros, or
Sta. Croce, from a convent dedicated to the Cross. (Engel,
Kypros, vol. i. pp. 33--37).
[
E.B.J]
