Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/350

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336
STRABO.
CASAUB. 226.

the via Flaminia, lying between Ocricli[1] and Rome. Below Mount Soracte[p 1] is the city of Feronia, having the same name as a certain goddess of the country, highly reverenced by the surrounding people: here is her temple, in which a remarkable ceremony is performed, for those possessed by the divinity pass over a large bed of burning coal and ashes barefoot, unhurt. A great concourse of people assemble to assist at the festival, which is celebrated yearly, and to see the said spectacle. Arretium,[p 2] near the mountains, is the most inland city: it is distant from Rome 1200 stadia: from Clusium[p 3] [to Rome] is 800 stadia. Near to these [two cities] is Perusia.[p 4] The large and numerous lakes add to the fertility of this country,[p 5] they are navigable, and stocked with fish and aquatic birds. Large quantities of typha,[2] papyrus, and anthela[3] are transported to Rome, up the rivers which flow from these lakes to the Tiber. Among these are the lake Ciminius,[p 6] and those near the Volsinii,[p 7] and Clusium,[p 8] and Sabatus,[p 9] which is nearest to Rome and the sea, and the farthest Trasumennus,[4] near Arretium. Along this is the pass by which armies can proceed from [Cisalpine] Keltica into Tyrrhenia; this is the one followed by Hannibal. There are two; the other leads towards Ariminum across Ombrica, and is preferable as the mountains are considerably lower; however, as this was carefully guarded, Hannibal was compelled to take the more difficult, which he succeeded in forcing after having vanquished Flaminius in a decisive engagement. There are likewise in Tyrrhenia numerous hot springs, which on account of their proximity to Rome, are not less frequented than those of Baiæ, which are the most famous of all.

10. Ombrica lies along the eastern boundary of Tyrrhenia, and commencing from the Apennines, or rather beyond those mountains, [extends] as far as the Adriatic. For

  1. ↑ Hodie Otricoli: the ancient town was situated nearer the Tiber than the modern.
  2. ↑ An aquatic plant, perhaps the Typha of Linnæus, used in making lamp-wicks, and for other purposes to which tow was applied.
  3. ↑ The downy substance growing on the flowering reed.
  4. ↑ All MSS. are corrupt at this word. It is now called Lago di Perugia.
  1. ↑ Monte di S. Silvestro.
  2. ↑ Arezzo.
  3. ↑ Chiusi.
  4. ↑ Perugia.
  5. ↑ Tyrrhenia.
  6. ↑ The Lago di Vico or di Ronciglione.
  7. ↑ Lago di Bolsena.
  8. ↑ Now only marshes.
  9. ↑ Lago di Bracciano.
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