Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/444

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430
STRABO.
CASAUB. 282.

Tarentum to Brentesium is like a peninsula. The road by land from Brentesium to Tarentum is but a day’s journey for a light person on foot, it constitutes the isthmus of the said peninsula, which people in general call Messapia, Iapygia, Calabria, or Salentinum, without being at all particular; but some, as we have said before, do make a distinction. Thus have we described the towns on the sea-coast.

6. In the inland are Rudiæ and Lupiæ, and at a short distance from the sea Aletia;[1] about the middle of the isthmus is Uria,[2] in which is still shown the palace of a certain famous nobleman.[3] As Hyria[4] is described by Herodotus as situated in Iapygia, and as founded by the Cretans who strayed from the fleet of Minos while sailing to Sicily;[y 1] we must suppose that he meant either this place [Uria] or Veretum. It is said that a colony of Cretans settled in Brentesium,[p 1] but the tradition varies; some say they were those who came with Theseus from Cnossus;[y 2] others, that they were some out of Sicily who had come with Iapyx; they agree however in saying that they did not abide there, but went thence to Bottiæa. At a later period, when the state was under the government of a monarch, it lost a large portion of its territories, which was taken by the Lacedæmonians who came over under Phalanthus; notwithstanding this the Brundusians received him when he was expelled from Tarentum, and honoured him with a splendid tomb at his death. They possess a district of superior fertility to that of the Tarentines; for its soil is light, still it is fruitful, and its honey and wools are amongst the most esteemed; further, the harbour of Brentesium is superior to that of Tarentum, for many havens are protected by the single entrance,[5] and rendered perfectly smooth, many

  1. ↑ We have followed Kramer’s text in calling this place Aletia, several MSS. read Salepia. Cramer, in his description of Ancient Italy, vol ii. p. 316, says, Aletium is naturally supposed to have occupied the site of the church of S. Maria della Lizza.—It was called Ἀλήτιον by Ptolemy.
  2. ↑ We have followed Kramer’s reading; some MSS. have Θυρέαι, some Θυραῖαι, &c.
  3. ↑ lit. of a certain one of the nobles.
  4. ↑ Οὐρία, MSS., but a note in the French translation explains that Strabo was quoting Herodotus from memory. We follow Kramer.
  5. ↑ Great changes have taken place in this locality since Strabo’s description was drawn.
  1. ↑ Brindisi.
  1. ↑ B. C. 1353.
  2. ↑ About B. C. 1323.
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