Greek Texts & Translations

3. Then follow other places, and after these the Hermionic Gulf. Since the poet places this gulf in the Argive territory, we must not overlook this division of the circumference of this country. It begins from the small city Asine; ^note then follow Hermione, ^note and Troezen. ^note In the voyage along the coast the island Calauria ^note lies opposite; it has a compass of 30 stadia, and is separated from the continent by a strait of 4 stadia. 4

Then follows the Saronic Gulf; some call it a Pontus or sea, others a Porus or passage, whence it is also termed the Saronic pelagos or deep. The whole of the passage, or Porus, extending from the Hermionic Sea, and the sea about the Isthmus (of Corinth) to the Myrtoan and Cretan Seas, has this name.

To the Saronic Gulf belong Epidaurus, ^note and the island in front of it, Aegina; then Cenchreae, the naval station of the Corinthians towards the eastern parts; then Schoenus, ^note a harbour at the distance of 45 stadia by sea; from Maleae tile whole number of stadia is about 1800.

At Schoenus is the Diolcus, or place where they draw the vessels across the Isthmus: it is the narrowest part of it. Near Schoenus is the temple of the Isthmian Neptune. At present, however, I shall not proceed with the description of these places, for they are not situated within the Argive territory, but resume the account of those which it contains. 5

And first, we may observe how frequently Argos is mentioned by the poet, both by itself and with the epithet designating it as Achaean Argos, Argos Jasum, Argos Hippium, or Hippoboton, or Pelasgicum. The city, too, is called Argos, Argos and Sparta— ^note
Il. iv. 52. those who occupied Argos and Tiryns; ^note
Il. 559. and Peloponnesus is called Argos, at our house in Argos, ^note
Il. i. 30. for the city could not be called his house; and he calls the whole of Greece, Argos, for he calls all Argives, as he calls them Danai, and Achaeans.