Crete itself lies from east to west, the one side facing the south, the other the north, and is known to fame by the renown of its hundred cities. Dosiades says, that it took its name from the nymph Crete, the daughter of Hesperides2637; Anaximander, from a king of the Curetes, Philistides of Mallus * * * * *; while Crates says that it was at first called Aëria, and after that Curetis; and some have been of opinion that it had the name of Macaron2638 from the serenity of its climate. In breadth it nowhere exceeds fifty miles, being widest about the middle. In length, however, it is full 270 miles, and 589 in circumference, forming a bend towards the Cretan Sea, which takes its name from it. At its eastern extremity is the Promontory of Sammonium2639, facing Rhodes, while towards the west it throws out that of Criumetopon2640, in the direction of Cyrene.

The more remarkable cities of Crete are, Phalasarna, Etæa2641, Cisamon2642, Pergamum, Cydonia2643, Minoium2644, Apteron2645, Pantomatrium, Amphimalla2646, Rhithymna, Panormus, Cytæum, Apollonia, Matium2647, Heraclea, Miletos, Ampelos, Hierapytna2648, Lebena2649, and Hierapolis; and, in the interior, Gortyna2650, Phæstum, Cnossus2651, Polyrrenium, Myrina, Lycastus, Rhamnus, Lyctus, Dium2652, Asus, Pyloros, Rhytion, Elatos, Pharæ, Holopyxos, Lasos, Eleuthernæ2653, Therapnæ, Marathusa, and Tylisos; besides some sixty others, of which the memory only exists. The mountains are those of Cadistus2654, Ida, Dictynnæus, and Corycus2655. This island is distant, at its promontory of Criumetopon, according to Agrippa, from Phycus2656, the promontory of Cyrene, 125 miles; and at Cadistus, from Malea in the Peloponnesus, eighty. From the island of Carpathos2657, at its promontory of Sammonium it lies in a westerly direction, at a distance of sixty miles; this last-named island is situate between it and Rhodes.

The other islands in its vicinity, and lying in front of the Peloponnesus, are the two isles known as Corycæ, and the two called Mylæ2658. On the north side, having Crete on the right, and opposite to Cydonia, is Leuce2659, and the two islands known as Budroæ2660. Opposite to Matium lies Dia2661; opposite to the promontory of Itanum2662, Onisia and Leuce; and over against Hierapytna, Chrysa and Gaudos2663. In the same neighbourhood, also, are Ophiussa, Butoa, and Aradus; and, after doubling Criumetopon, we come to the three islands known as Musagorus. Before the promontory of Sammonium lie the islands of Phocœ, the Platiæ, the Sirnides, Naulochos, Armedon, and Zephyre.

Belonging to Hellas, but still in the Ægean Sea, we have the Lichades2664, consisting of Scarphia, Coresa, Phocaria, and many others which face Attica, but have no towns upon them, and are consequently of little note. Opposite Eleusis, however, is the far-famed Salamis2665; before it, Psyttalia2666; and, at a distance of five miles from Sunium, the island of Helene2667. At the same distance from this last is Ceos2668, which some of our countrymen have called Cea, and the Greeks Hydrussa, an island which has been torn away from Eubœa. It was formerly 500 stadia in length; but more recently four-fifths of it, in the direction of Bœotia, have been swallowed up by the sea. The only towns it now has left are Iulis and Carthæa2669; Coresus2670 and Pœëessa2671 have perished. Varro informs us, that from this place there used to come a cloth of very fine texture, used for women’s dresses.