\ 
274 pliky's katueal histobt. [Book ly. 
a colony founded by Augustus, with its famous temple of 
Apollo and the free city of JN'icopolis^ Passing out of the 
Ambracian Grulf into the Ionian Sea, we come to the coast 
of Leucadia, with the Promontory of Leucate^, and then the 
Grulf and the peninsula of Leucadia^, which last was formerly 
called Neritis"*. Ey the exertions of the inhabitants it was 
once cut off from the mainland, but was again joined to it 
by the vast bodies of sand accumulated through the action 
of the winds. This spot is called Dioryctos^, and is three 
stadia in length : on the peninsula is the town of Leucas, 
formerly called Neritus^. We next come to Alyzia', Stra- 
tos^, and Argos^, surnamed Amphilochian, cities of the 
Acarnanians : the river Acheloiis^^ flows from the heights 
of Pindus, and, after separating Acarnania from ^tolia, is 
fast adding the island of Artemita^^ to the mainland by the 
continual deposits of earth which it brings down its stream. 
^ " The city of Yictory." Pounded by Augustus on the spot where he 
had pitched his camp before the battle of Actium. 
2 Now called Capo Ducato or Capo tis Kiras. It is situate at the ex- 
tremity of the island of Leucas, and opposite to Cephallenia. Sappho is 
said to have leapt from this rock on finding her love for Phaon unre- 
quited : the story however is devoid of all historical truth. 
3 Now the island of Santa Maura. It was originally a peninsula, and 
Homer speaks of it as such ; but the Corinthians cut a canal through the 
isthmus and converted it into an island. After the canal had been choked 
up for some time with sand, the Komans reopened it. It is at present 
dry in some parts. 
4 Probably from its town Nericus, mentioned by Homer. 
5 l^rom the Grreek word diopvKTos, a "foss" or "trench." 
6 It probably had this name from the circumstance of the inhabitants 
of Nericns being removed thither by the Cormthians under Cypselus. 
The remains of Leiicas, which v»'as ravaged by the Eomans B.C. 197, are 
still to be seen. 
7 Its remams are still to be seen in the valley of Kandili, south of 
Yonitza. 
s Pouqueville says that very extensive and perfect ruins of this place 
are to be seen near the village of Lepenou. 
9 This famous city was deserted on the foundation of Nicopolis by 
Augustus. The place of its site has been a subject of much dispute, but 
it is considered most probable that Leake has rightly suggested that the 
ruins in the plain of Yhkha, at the village of Neokhori, are those of this 
city. Now the Aspropotamo. 
^1 One of the group of the Echinades ; small islands off the coast of 
Acarnania, which are mentioned by Phny, in C, 19 of the present Book. 
It is now quite united to the mainland. 
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