Chap. 9.] 
ACCoraT or counteies, etc. 
193 
the Pelasgi, the Arcades, the Seculi, the Aurunci, the Eutuli, 
and, beyond Circeii, the Volsci, the Osci, and the Ausones 
whence the name of Latium came to be extended as far as 
the river Liris^ 
"We will begin with Ostia^, a colony founded by a king of 
Eome, the town of Laurentum^, the grove of Jupiter Indi- 
gos^, the river !N^umicius^, and Ardea^, founded by Danae, the 
mother of Perseus. Next come the former site of Aphro- 
disium'', the colony of Antium^, the river and island called 
Astura^, the river Nymphseus^^, the Clostra E.omana^\ and 
Circeii formerly an island, and, if we are to believe Homer, 
surrounded by the open sea, thoughnow by an extensive plain. 
The circumstances which v/e are enabled to publish on this 
subject for the information of the world are very remarkable. 
Theophrastus, the first foreigner who treated of the affairs of 
Kome with any degree of accuracy (for Theopompus, before 
whose time no Grreek writer had made mention of us, only 
^ Now the Grarigliano, the same river which he previously calls the 
Glanis. It was the boundary between Latium and Campania. 
2 Founded by Ancus Martins, as we learn from Livy. It was aban- 
doned under the Emperor Claudius, who built the Portus Romanus or 
Portus Augusti in its vicinity ; and it only continued famous for its salt- 
works, which had been estabhshed there by Ancus Martins. Its ruins, 
stm called Ostia, are nearly three miles from the coast, in consequence of 
the receding of the sea. 
3 Now San Lorenzo. It was between Ostia and Antium. 
^ By some, -3Eneas was supposed to have been worshiped by that 
name. ^ Now tne river Numico. 
^ The ruins of this once great city may still be seen near the present 
village of the same name. Its situation was peculiarly unhealthy. An- 
other tradition, besides the one mentioned by Pliny, was, that it was 
founded by a son of Ulysses and Circe. It was twenty-foui* miles distant 
from E-ome. 
7 A temple of Yenus, of which the ruins are stUl to be seen. 
^ Its few ruins are still known as Anzio E-ovinato. It was famous for 
its temple of Fortune, addressed by Horace, Odes, i. 35. Near the site is 
the modern village of Porto d'Anzo. 
^ This island was occupied by villas of the Roman nobility, and was 
the resort of Cicero, Augustus and Tiberius. There is stiU a fortified 
town called the Torre di Astura. The modern Ninfa. 
11 "The Roman Bulwarks." They were thrown up to protect the 
frontier of the ancient kingdom of Rome from the inroads of the Yolscians' 
^2 To our previous note we may add that this spot was supposed to 
have been once inhabited by the enchantress Circe, the daughter of the 
Sun, and from her to have taken its name. 
YOL. I. O 
