Greek Texts & Translations

The Axius is a turbid river, but as a spring of clearest water rises in Amydon, and mingles with the Axius, some have altered the line Ἀξιοῦ, οὗ κάλλιστον ὕδωρ ἐπικίδναται αἶαν,
Axius, whose fairest water o'erspreads Aea,
to Ἀξιοῦ, ὧ κάλλιστον ὕδωρ ἐπικίδναται αἴης.
Axius, o'er whom spreads Aea's fairest water.
For it is not the fairest water which is diffused over the spring, but the fairest water of the spring which is diffused over the Axius. ^note EPIT. 24

After the river Axius is the city Thessalonica, formerly called Therma. It was founded by Cassander, who called it after the name of his wife, a daughter of Philip Amyntas. He transferred to it the small surrounding cities, Chalastra, Aenea, Cissus, and some others. Probably from this Cissus came Iphidamas, mentioned in Homer, whose grandfather Cisseus educated him, he says, in Thrace, which is now called Macedonia. EPIT. 25

Somewhere in this neighbourhood is the mountain Bermius, ^note which was formerly in the possession of the Briges, a Thracian nation, some of whom passed over to Asia and were called by another name, Phrygians (Phryges). After Thessalonica follows the remaining part of the Thermaean Gulf, ^note extending to Canastraeum. ^note This is a promontory of a peninsula form, and is opposite to Magnesia. Pallene is the name of the peninsula. It has an isthmus 5 stadia in width, with a ditch cut across it. There is a city on the peninsula, formerly