338 .jihtt's fatiteal histoet. [Book rv. 



them on to their neighbours, and so from one to the other, 

 till they should have arrived at Delos. However, this 

 custom, even, in time fell into disuse. 



The length of Sarmatia, Scythia, and Taurica, and of the 

 whole of the region which extends from the river Bory- 

 sthenes, is, according to Agrippa, 980 miles, and its breadth 

 717. I am of opinion, however, that in this part of the 

 earth all estimates of measurement are exceedingly doubtful. 



CHAP. 27. — THE ISLANDS OF THE ETIXnTE. THE ISLANDS 

 OF THE NOBTHEEN OCEAN. 



But now, in conformity with the plan which I originally 

 proposed, the remaining portions of this gulf must be de- 

 scribed. As for its seas, we have already made mention of 

 them. 



(13.) The Hellespont has no islands belonging to Europe 

 that are worthy of mention. In the Euxine there are, at a 

 distance of a mile and a half from the European shore, and 

 of fourteen from the mouth of the Strait, the two Cyanaean* 

 islands, by some called the Symplegades^, and stated in fabu- 

 lous story to have run the one against the other ; the reason 

 being the circumstance that they are separated by so short 

 an interval, that while to those who enter the Euxine opposite 

 to them they appear to be two distinct islands, but if viewed 

 in a somewhat oblique direction they have the appearance of 

 becoming gradually united into one. On this side of the 

 Ister there is the single island' of the Apolloniates, eighty 

 miles from the Thracian Bosporus ; it was from this place 

 that M. Lucullus brought the Capitoline'* Apollo. Those 



1 These islands, or rather rocks, are now known as Fanari, and lie at 

 the entrance of the Straits of Constantinople. 



2 From <Tvv and TrXriyT), "a striking together." Toumefort has ex- 

 plained the ancient story of these islands running together, by remarking 

 that each of them consists of one craggy island, but that when the sea is 

 distm'bed the water covers the lower parts, so as to make the different 

 points of eacli resemble isolated rocks. They are united to the mainland 

 by a kind of isthmus, and appear as islands only when it is invmdated in 

 stormy weather. 



* Upon which the city of Apollonia (now Siaeboh), mentioned in. 

 C. 18 of the present Book, was situate. 



* So called because it was dedicated by Lucullus in the Capitol. It 

 was thirty cubits in height. 



