ὑπερβαλοῦσι δὲ τὴν Μεσωγίδα τὴν μεταξὺ Καρῶν τε καὶ τῆς Νυσαΐδος, ἥ ἐστι χώρα κατὰ τὰ τοῦ Μαιάνδρου πέραν μέχρι τῆς Κιβυράτιδος καὶ τῆς Καβαλίδος, πόλεις εἰσὶ πρὸς μὲν τῇ Μεσωγίδι καταντικρὺ Λαοδικείας Ἱερὰ πόλις, ὅπου τὰ θερμὰ ὕδατα καὶ τὸ Πλουτώνιον, ἄμφω παραδοξολογίαν τινὰ ἔχοντα· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὕδωρ οὕτω ῥᾳδίως εἰς πῶρον μεταβάλλει πηττόμενον ὥστʼ ὀχετοὺς ἐπάγοντες φραγμοὺς ἀπεργάζονται μονολίθους, τὸ δὲ Πλουτώνιον ὑπʼ ὀφρύι μικρᾷ τῆς ὑπερκειμένης ὀρεινῆς στόμιόν ἐστι σύμμετρον ὅσον ἄνθρωπον δέξασθαι δυνάμενον, βεβάθυνται δʼ ἐπὶ πολύ· πρόκειται δὲ τούτου δρυφάκτωμα τετράγωνον ὅσον ἡμιπλέθρου τὴν περίμετρον· τοῦτο δὲ πλῆρές ἐστιν ὁμιχλώδους παχείας ἀχλύος ὥστε μόγις τοὔδαφος καθορᾶν. τοῖς μὲν οὖν κύκλῳ πλησιάζουσι πρὸς τὸν δρύφακτον ἄλυπός ἐστιν ὁ ἀήρ, καθαρεύων ἐκείνης τῆς ἀχλύος ἐν ταῖς νηνεμίαις· συμμένει γὰρ ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου· τῷ δʼ εἴσω παριόντι ζῴῳ θάνατος παραχρῆμα ἀπαντᾷ· ταῦροι γοῦν εἰσαχθέντες πίπτουσι καὶ ἐξέλκονται νεκροί, ἡμεῖς δὲ στρουθία ἐπέμψαμεν καὶ ἔπεσεν εὐθὺς ἐκπνεύσαντα· οἱ δʼ ἀπόκοποι Γάλλοι παρίασιν ἀπαθεῖς, ὥστε καὶ μέχρι τοῦ στομίου πλησιάζειν καὶ ἐγκύπτειν καὶ καταδύνειν μέχρι ποσοῦ συνέχοντας ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τὸ πνεῦμα· ἑωρῶμεν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ὄψεως ὡς ἂν πνιγώδους τινὸς πάθους ἔμφασιν, εἴτʼ ἐπὶ πάντων οὕτω πεπηρωμένων τοῦτο εἴτε μόνων τῶν περὶ τὸ ἱερόν, καὶ εἴτε θείᾳ προνοίᾳ, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐνθουσιασμῶν εἰκός, εἴτε ἀντιδότοις τισὶ δυνάμεσι τούτου συμβαίνοντος. τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀπολιθώσεως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ ποταμῶν φασι συμβαίνειν καίπερ ὄντων ποτίμων. ἔστι δὲ καὶ πρὸς βαφὴν ἐρίων θαυμαστῶς σύμμετρον τὸ κατὰ τὴν Ἱερὰν πόλιν ὕδωρ, ὥστε τὰ ἐκ τῶν ῥιζῶν βαπτόμενα ἐνάμιλλα εἶναι τοῖς ἐκ τῆς κόκκου καὶ τοῖς ἁλουργέσιν· οὕτω δʼ ἐστὶν ἄφθονον τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ ὕδατος ὥστε ἡ πόλις μεστὴ τῶν αὐτομάτων βαλανείων ἐστί.
After crossing the Mesogis, situated between the Carians and the district of Nysa, which is a tract of country be yond the Maeander, extending as far as the Cibyratis and Cabalis, we meet with cities. Near the Mesogis, opposite Laodicea, is Hierapolis, where are hot springs, and the Plutonium, both of which have some singular properties. The water of the springs is so easily consolidated and becomes stone, that if it is conducted through water-courses dams are formed consisting of a single piece of stone.
The Plutonium, situated below a small brow of the overhanging mountain, is an opening of sufficient size to admit a man, but there is a descent to a great depth. In front is a quadrilateral railing, about half a plethrum in circumference. This space is filled with a cloudy and dark vapour, so dense that the bottom can scarcely be discerned. To those who approach round the railing the air is innoxious, for in calm weather it is free from the cloud which then continues within the enclosure. But animals which enter within the railing die instantly. Even bulls, when brought within it, fall down and are taken out dead. We have ourselves thrown in sparrows, which immediately fell down lifeless. The Galli, who are eunuchs, enter the enclosure with impunity, approach even the opening or mouth, bend down over it, and descend into it to a certain depth, restraining their breath as much as possible, for we perceived by their countenance signs of some suffocating feeling. This exemption may be common to all eunuchs; or it may be confined to the eunuchs employed about the temple; or it may be the effect of divine care, as is probable in the case of persons inspired by the deity; or it may perhaps be procured by those who are in possession of certain antidotes.
The conversion of water into stone is said to be the property of certain rivers in Laodiceia, although the water is fit for the purpose of drinking. The water at Hierapolis is peculiarly adapted for the dyeing of wool. Substances dyed with the roots, rival in colour those dyed with the coccus, or the marine purple. There is such an abundance of water, that there are natural baths in every part of the city.
μετὰ δὲ τὴν Ἱερὰν πόλιν τὰ πέραν τοῦ Μαιάνδρου. τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ Λαοδίκειαν καὶ Ἀφροδισιάδα καὶ τὰ μέχρι Καρούρων εἴρηται· τὰ δʼ ἑξῆς ἐστι τὰ μὲν πρὸς δύσιν ἡ τῶν Ἀντιοχέων πόλις τῶν ἐπὶ Μαιάνδρῳ, τῆς Καρίας ἤδη· τὰ δὲ πρὸς νότον ἡ Κιβύρα ἐστὶν ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἡ Σίνδα καὶ ἡ Καβαλὶς μέχρι τοῦ Ταύρου καὶ τῆς Λυκίας. ἡ μὲν οὖν Ἀντιόχεια μετρία πόλις ἐστὶν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ κειμένη τῷ Μαιάνδρῳ κατὰ τὸ πρὸς τῇ Φρυγίᾳ μέρος, ἐπέζευκται δὲ γέφυρα· χώραν δʼ ἔχει πολλὴν ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα τοῦ ποταμοῦ πᾶσαν εὐδαίμονα, πλείστην δὲ φέρει τὴν καλουμένην Ἀντιοχικὴν ἰσχάδα· τὴν δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ τρίφυλλον ὀνομάζουσιν· εὔσειστος δὲ καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τόπος. σοφιστὴς δὲ παρὰ τούτοις ἔνδοξος γεγένηται Διοτρέφης, οὗ διήκουσεν Ὑβρέας ὁ καθʼ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος μέγιστος ῥήτωρ.
After Hierapolis are the parts beyond the Maeander. Those about Laodiceia and Aphrodisias, and those extending to Carura, have been already described. The places which succeed are Antioch on the Maeander, now belonging to Caria, on the west; on the south are Cibyra the Great, Sinda, and Cabalis, as far as Mount Taurus and Lycia.
Antioch is a city of moderate size situated on the banks of the Maeander, at the side towards Phrygia. There is a bridge over the river. A large tract of country, all of which is fertile, on each side of the river, belongs to the city. It produces in the greatest abundance the fig of Antioch, as it is called, which is dried. It is also called Triphyllus. This place also is subject to shocks of earthquakes.
A native of this city was Diotrephes, a celebrated sophist; his disciple was Hybreas, the greatest orator of our times.
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