Greek Texts & Translations

SINCE Euboea ^note stretches along the whole of this coast from Sunium to Thessaly, except the extremity on each side, ^note it may be convenient to connect the description of this island with that of Thessaly. We shall then pass on to Aetolia and Acarnania, parts of Europe of which it remains to give an account. 10.1.2

The island is oblong, and extends nearly 1200 stadia from Cenaeum ^note to Geraestus. ^note Its greatest breadth is about 150 stadia, but it is irregular. ^note

Cenaeum is opposite to Thermopylae, and in a small decree to the parts beyond Thermopylae: Geraestus ^note and Petalia ^note are opposite to Sunium.

Euboea then fronts ^note Attica, Boeotia, Locris, and the Malienses. From its narrowness, and its length, which we have mentioned, it was called by the ancients Macris. ^note

It approaches nearest to the continent at Chalcis. It projects with a convex bend towards the places in Boeotia near Aulis, and forms the Euripus, ^note of which we have before spoken at length. We have also mentioned nearly all the places on either side of the Euripus, opposite to each other across the strait, both on the continent and on the island. If anything is omitted we shall now give a further explanation.

And first, the parts lying between Aulis (Chalcis?) and the places about Geraestus are called the Hollows of Euboea, for the sea-coast swells into bays, and, as it approaches Chalcis, juts out again towards the continent. 10.1.3

The island had the name not of Macris only, but of Abantis also. The poet in speaking of Euboea never calls the inhabitants from the name of the island, Euboeans, but always Abantes; they who possessed Euboea, the resolute Abantes; ^note
in his train Abantes were following.
Aristotle says that Thracians, taking their departure from Aba, the Phocian city, settled with the other inhabitants in the island, and gave the name of Abantes to those who already occupied it; other writers say that they had their name from a hero, ^note as that of Euboea was derived from a heroine. ^note But perhaps as a certain cave on the sea-coast fronting the

Aegean Sea is called Boos-Aule, (or the Cow's Stall.) where lo is said to have brought forth Epaphus, so the island may have had the name Euboea ^note on this account.

It was also called Oché, which is the name of one of the largest mountains ^note there.

It had the name of Ellopia, from Ellops, the son of Ion; according to others, he was the brother of Aeclus, and Cothus, who is said to have founded Ellopia, ^note a small place situated in the district called Oria of the Histiaeotis, near the mountain Telethrius. ^note He also possessed Histiaea, Perias, Cerinthus, Aedepsus, ^note and Orobie, where was an oracle very free from deception. There also was an oracle of Apollo Selinuntius.

The Ellopians, after the battle of Leuctra, were compelled by the tyrant Philistides to remove to the city Histiea, and augmented the number of its inhabitants. Demosthenes ^note says that Philistides was appointed by Philip tyrant of the Oreitae also, for afterwards the Histiaeans had that name, and the city, instead of Histiaea, was called Oreus. According to some writers, Histiaea was colonized by Athenians from the demus of the Histiaeeis, as Eretria was from the demus of the Eretrieis. But Theopompus says, that when Pericles had reduced Euboea, the Histiaeans agreed to remove into Macedonia, and that two thousand Athenians, who formerly composed the demus of the Histiaeans, came, and founded Oreus. ^note 10.1.4

It is situated below Mount Telethrius, at a place called Drymus, near the river Callas, on a lofty rock; ^note whence perhaps because the Ellopians, the former inhabitants, were a mountain tribe, ^note the city had the name of Oreus. Orion, who was brought up there, seems to have had his name from the place. But according to some writers, the Oreitae, who had a

city of their own, being attacked by the Ellopians, migrated, and settled with the Histiaeans, and although it was a single city it had both appellations, as Lacedaemon and Sparta were the same city. We have said, that the Histiaeotis in Thessaly had its name from the people who were carried away from this country by the Perrhaebi.