22 History of Nature. [BooK IV. 



Delos, lieth Tenos, with a Town stretched out 15 Miles in 

 Length : which, for the Plenty of Water, Aristotle saith, was 

 called Hydrussa, but others name it Ophiussa. The Rest are 

 these: Myconos, with the Mountain Dimastos, 15 Miles 

 from Delos. Scyros Syphnus, formerly named Meropia and 

 Acis, in Circuit 28 Miles : Seriphus, 12 Miles, Praepesinthus, 

 Cythnus. And Delos itself, of all others the most illustrious, 

 the midmost of the Cyclades, celebrated for the Temple of 

 Apollo, and for Merchandise; which, having a long Time 

 floated up and down (as it is reported), was the only Island 

 that never felt an Earthquake 1 unto the Time of M. Varro. 

 Mutianus hath recorded that it was twice shaken. Aristotle 

 giveth a Reason of the Name in this Sort, because it was 

 produced and discovered on a sudden. jEylosthenes termeth 

 it Cynthia : others Ortygia, Asteria, Lagia, Chlamydia, 

 Cynethus, and Pyrpile ; because in it Fire was first found 

 out. It is but five Miles about, and riseth up by the Moun- 

 tain Cinthus. Next to it is Rhene, which Anticlides calleth 

 Celadussa, and Helladius, Artemite. Moreover, Syros, which 

 ancient Writers have reported to be in Circuit 20 Miles, 

 and Mutianus, 160. Oliatos, Paros, with a Town, 38 Miles 

 from Delos, of great Name for white Marble, which at 

 first they called Pactia, but afterwards Minois. From it 

 seven and a half Miles is Naxus, 18 Miles from Delos; 

 with a Town, which they called Strongyle, afterwards Dia, 

 soon after Dionysius, from its Fertility of Vines ; and by 

 others, Sicily the Less, and Callipolis. It reacheth in Cir- 

 cuit 75 Miles, and is half as long again as Paros. And thus 

 far, indeed, they note for the Cyclades: the Rest that follow, 

 for the Sporades. And these are Helenum, Phocussa, Phae- 

 casia, Schinussa, Phalegandros ; and 17 Miles from Naxos, 

 Icaros : which gave Name to the Sea, lying out as far in 

 Length ; with two Towns, for the third is lost : beforetime 

 it was called Dolichum, Macris, and Ichtyoessa. It is situated 



1 Thucydides, book ii., says : " There was also a little before the time 

 of the Peloponnesian war, an earthquake at Delos, which, in the memory 

 of the Grecians, never shook before ; and was interpreted for, and seemed 

 to be a sign of, what was to come afterwards to pass." HOBBES. Wern. 

 Club. 



