194 plint's NATUEAL HISTOEX. [Book III. 



stated the fact that the city had been taken by the Grauls, 

 and Clitarchus, the next after him, only spoke of the embassy 

 that was sent by the Romans to Alexander) — Theophrastus, 

 I say, following something more than mere rumour, has 

 given the circuit of the island of Circeii as being eighty stadia, 

 in the volume which he wrote during the archonship of Ni- 

 codorus at Athens \ being the 440th year of our city. What- 

 ever land therefore has been annexed to that island beyond the 

 circumference of about ten miles, has been added to Italy 

 since the year previously mentioned. 



Another wonderful circumstance too. — Near Circeii are 

 the Pomptine Marshes^, formerly the site, according to 

 Mucianus, who was thrice consul, of four-and-twenty cities. 

 Next to this comes the river TJfens^, upon which is the 

 town of Terracina^, called, in the language of the Volsci, 

 Anxur; the spot too where Amyclae* stood, a town de- 

 stroyed by serpents. Next is the site of the Grrotto^ Lake 

 Pundanus', the port of Caieta®, and then the town of For- 

 mise', formerly called Hormiae, the ancient seat of the Lae- 

 strygones^", it is supposed. Beyond this, formerly stood the 



1 This has been also translated " dedicated to Nicodorus, the Archon 

 of Athens," but nothing appears to be known of such a fact as the 

 dedication to Nicodorus of any of his works. 



2 Now called the " Palude Pontine." They are again mentioned in 

 B. xxvi. c. 9. ^ Now called II Portatore, 



■* It was situate fifty-eight miles from Eome ; the modem town of 

 Terracina stands on its site. The remains of the ancient citadel are 

 visible on the slope of Montecchio. 



s The exact site of this place is unknown. Servius, in liis Commen- 

 tary on B. X. of the ^Eneid, 1. 564, tells the same story of the serpents. 



6 This was near Amyclee. A villa was situate there called " Speluncse," 

 froiQ the cavities in the rock, in one of which the Emperor Tiberius nearly 

 lost his life by the falling in of the roof. The modem village of Sperlonga, 

 eight miles west of G-aeta, marks its site. 7 Now Lago di Fondi. 



8 Now Gaeta, said to have received its name from being the burial- 

 place of Caieta, tlie nurse of ^neas. The shore was studded with nume- 

 rous villas of the Roman nobihty. It is now a city of great opulence ; in 

 its vicinity extensive ruins are to be seen. 



^ On the spot now called Moladi Gaeta. Many of the wealthy Eomans, 

 and among them Cicero, had villas here : and at this place he was put to 

 death. It was destroyed by the Saracens in the year 856. The remains 

 of antiquity to be seen on this spot are very extensive. 



^^ Homer places these Cannibals on the coast of Sicily, but the Romans 

 in general transplanted them to the vicinity of Circeii, and suppose For- 



