320 PLI:N't's IfATUEAL HISTOET. [Book lY. 



and after that, Minois. At a distance of seven miles from 

 this last island is Naxos\ with a town of the same name ; 

 it is eighteen miles distant from Delos. This island was 

 formerly called Strongyle^, then Dia, and then Dionysias', 

 in consequence of the fruitfulness of its vineyards ; others 

 again have called it the Lesser Sicily, or Callipolis^ It is 

 seventy-five^ miles ia circumference — half as large again as 

 Paros. 



CHAP. 23. — THE SPOEABES. 



The islands thus far are considered as belonging to the 

 Cyclades; the rest that follow are the Sporades^ These 

 are, Helene', Phacussa, Nicasia, Schinussa, Pholegandros, 

 and, at a distance of thirty-eight miles from Naxos, Icaros®, 

 which has given its name to the surrounding sea, and is the 

 same number of miles in length^, with two cities, and a 

 third now no longer in existence : this island used formerly 

 to be called Doliche, Macris, and Ichthyoessa'". It is situate 

 fifty miles to the north-east of Delos, and thirty-five from the 

 island of Samos. Between Euboea and Andros, there is an 

 arm of the sea ten miles in width, and from Icaros to 

 Geraestus is a distance of 112^^ miles. 



^ ?7ow Naxia, famous both in ancient and modem times for its re- 

 markable fertility. 



2 From arpoyyvXoSy "roimd," its shape being somewhat inclined to 

 circular, though by Eustathius it is compared to the shape of a vine-leaf. 

 It is commonly called Dia by the poets. Toumefort says that it is distant 

 forty miles from Delos. ^ From Aiovvffos, or Bacchus, the god of wine. 



*« Or " Fine City." It took its other name from the fact of its rivalling 

 the fertihty of Sicily. 



5 According to Brotier, the Jesuit Babin, on visiting it, found its cir- 

 cumference estimated at thu'ty-sis miles only. 



^ So called from lying scattered at random as it were, (nropds "scattered." 



7 Helene is supposed to be the modern Pira ; Phacussa, Fccussa ; 

 Kicasia, Racliia ; Schinussa, Schinusa ; and Pholegandros, PoUcandro. • 



8 Now Nikaria, to the west of Samos. According to tradition, it 

 derived its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus, who was beUeved to 

 have fallen into the sea in its vicinity. 



^ Its length is not so great as is here mentioned by Pliny. Its towns 

 were Drepanum, or Dracanum, CEnoe, and Isti, 



^0 The first two names are from the Greek, in allusion to its long, 

 narrow shape, and the last bears reference to the fact of its shores 

 abounding in fish. 



