μετὰ δὲ τὸ Ποσείδιον τὸ Μιλησίων ἑξῆς ἐστι τὸ μαντεῖον τοῦ Διδυμέως Ἀπόλλωνος τὸ ἐν Βραγχίδαις ἀναβάντι ὅσον ὀκτωκαίδεκα σταδίους· ἐνεπρήσθη δʼ ὑπὸ Ξέρξου, καθάπερ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἱερὰ πλὴν τοῦ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ· οἱ δὲ Βραγχίδαι τοὺς θησαυροὺς τοῦ θεοῦ παραδόντες τῷ Πέρσῃ φεύγοντι συναπῆραν τοῦ μὴ τῖσαι δίκας τῆς ἱεροσυλίας καὶ τῆς προδοσίας. ὕστερον δʼ οἱ Μιλήσιοι μέγιστον νεὼν τῶν πάντων κατεσκεύασαν, διέμεινε δὲ χωρὶς ὀροφῆς διὰ τὸ μέγεθος· κώμης γοῦν κατοικίαν ὁ τοῦ σηκοῦ περίβολος δέδεκται καὶ ἄλσος ἐντός τε καὶ ἐκτὸς πολυτελές· ἄλλοι δὲ σηκοὶ τὸ μαντεῖον καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ συνέχουσιν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ μυθεύεται τὰ περὶ τὸν Βράγχον καὶ τὸν ἔρωτα τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος· κεκόσμηται δʼ ἀναθήμασι τῶν ἀρχαίων τεχνῶν πολυτελέστατα· ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν οὐ πολλὴ ὁδός ἐστιν οὐδὲ πλοῦς.
Next after the Poseidium of the Milesians, at the distance of 18 stadia from the sea-coast, is the oracle of Apollo Didymeus among the Branchidae. This, as well as the other temples, except that at Ephesus, was burnt by the order of Xerxes. The Branchidae delivered up the treasures of the god to the Persian king, and accompanied him in his flight, in order to avoid the punishment of sacrilege and treachery.
The Milesians afterwards built a temple, which exceeded in size all others, but it remained without a roof on account of its magnitude. The circuit of the sacred enclosure contained within it a village with a magnificent grove, which also extended beyond it; other sacred enclosures contain the oracle, and what belongs to the worship of the god.
Here is laid the scene of the fable of Branchus, and Apollo’s love for him. The temple is adorned with the most costly offerings, the productions of ancient art.
Thence to the city the journey is not long either by land or sea.
φησὶ δʼ Ἔφορος τὸ πρῶτον κτίσμα εἶναι Κρητικόν, ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης τετειχισμένον, ὅπου νῦν ἡ πάλαι Μίλητος ἔστι, Σαρπηδόνος ἐκ Μιλήτου τῆς Κρητικῆς ἀγαγόντος οἰκήτορας καὶ θεμένου τοὔνομα τῇ πόλει τῆς ἐκεῖ πόλεως ἐπώνυμον, κατεχόντων πρότερον Λελέγων τὸν τόπον· τοὺς δὲ περὶ Νηλέα ὕστερον τὴν νῦν τειχίσαι πόλιν. ἔχει δὲ τέτταρας λιμένας ἡ νῦν, ὧν ἕνα καὶ στόλῳ ἱκανόν. πολλὰ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἔργα ταύτης, μέγιστον δὲ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀποικιῶν· ὅ τε γὰρ Εὔξεινος πόντος ὑπὸ τούτων συνῴκισται πᾶς καὶ ἡ Προποντὶς καὶ ἄλλοι πλείους τόποι. Ἀναξιμένης γοῦν ὁ Λαμψακηνὸς οὕτω φησὶν ὅτι καὶ Ἴκαρον τὴν νῆσον καὶ Λέρον Μιλήσιοι συνῴκισαν καὶ περὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἐν μὲν τῇ Χερρονήσῳ Λίμνας, ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἀσίᾳ Ἄβυδον Ἄρισβαν Παισόν, ἐν δὲ τῇ Κυζικηνῶν νήσῳ Ἀρτάκην Κύζικον, ἐν δὲ τῇ μεσογαίᾳ τῆς Τρῳάδος Σκῆψιν· ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐν τοῖς καθʼ ἕκαστα λέγομεν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας τὰς ὑπὸ τούτου παραλελειμμένας. οὔλιον δʼ Ἀπόλλωνα καλοῦσί τινα καὶ Μιλήσιοι καὶ Δήλιοι, οἷον ὑγιαστικὸν καὶ παιωνικόν· τὸ γὰρ οὔλειν ὑγιαίνειν, ἀφʼ οὗ καὶ τὸ οὐλὴ καὶ τό οὖλέ τε καὶ μέγα χαῖρε. ἰατικὸς γὰρ ὁ Ἀπόλλων· καὶ ἡ Ἄρτεμις ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀρτεμέας ποιεῖν· καὶ ὁ Ἥλιος δὲ καὶ ἡ Σελήνη συνοικειοῦνται τούτοις, ὅτι τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἀέρας εὐκρασίας αἴτιοι· καὶ τὰ λοιμικὰ δὲ πάθη καὶ τοὺς αὐτομάτους θανάτους τούτοις ἀνάπτουσι τοῖς θεοῖς.
Ephorus relates that Miletus was first founded and fortified by the Cretans on the spot above the sea-coast where at present the ancient Miletus is situated, and that Sarpedon conducted thither settlers from the Miletus in Crete, and gave it the same name; that Leleges were the former occupiers of the country, and that afterwards Neleus built the present city.
The present city has four harbours, one of which will admit a fleet of ships. The citizens have achieved many great deeds, but the most important is the number of colonies which they established. The whole Euxine, for instance, and the Propontis, and many other places, are peopled with their settlers.
Anaximenes of Lampsacus says, that the Milesians colonized both the island Icarus and Lerus, and Limnae on the Hellespont, in the Chersonesus; in Asia, Abydus, Arisba, and Paesus; on the island of the Cyziceni, Artace and Cyzicus; in the interior of the Troad, Scepsis. We have mentioned, in our particular description of places, other cities which this writer has omitted.
Both the Milesians and Delians invoke Apollo Ulius, as dispensing health and curing diseases; for οὔλειν is to be in health, whence οὐλή a wound healed, and the phrase in Homer, οὖλέ τε καὶ μέγα χαῖρε, health and good welcome; for Apollo is a healer, and Artemis has her name from making persons ἀρτεμέας, or sound. The sun, also, and moon are associated with these deities, since they are the causes of the good qualities of the air; pestilential diseases, also, and sudden death are attributed to these deities.
ἄνδρες δʼ ἄξιοι μνήμης ἐγένοντο ἐν τῇ Μιλήτῳ Θαλῆς τε εἷς τῶν ἑπτὰ σοφῶν, ὁ πρῶτος φυσιολογίας ἄρξας ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ μαθηματικῆς, καὶ ὁ τούτου μαθητὴς Ἀναξίμανδρος καὶ ὁ τούτου πάλιν Ἀναξιμένης, ἔτι δʼ Ἑκαταῖος ὁ τὴν ἱστορίαν συντάξας, καθʼ ἡμᾶς δὲ Αἰσχίνης ὁ ῥήτωρ, ὃς ἐν φυγῇ διετέλεσε, παρρησιασάμενος πέρα τοῦ μετρίου πρὸς Πομπήιον Μάγνον. ἠτύχησε δʼ ἡ πόλις ἀποκλείσασα Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ βίᾳ ληφθεῖσα, καθάπερ καὶ Ἁλικαρνασός· ἔτι δὲ πρότερον ὑπὸ Περσῶν· καί φησί γε Καλλισθένης ὑπʼ Ἀθηναίων χιλίαις δραχμαῖς ζημιωθῆναι Φρύνιχον τὸν τραγικόν, διότι δρᾶμα ἐποίησε Μιλήτου ἅλωσιν ὑπὸ Δαρείου. πρόκειται δʼ ἡ Λάδη νῆσος πλησίον καὶ τὰ περὶ τὰς Τραγαίας νησία ὑφόρμους ἔχοντα λῃσταῖς.
Illustrious persons, natives of Miletus, were Thales, one of the seven wise men, the first person who introduced among the Greeks physiology and mathematics; his disciple Anaximander, and Anaximenes the disciple of Anaximander. Besides these, Hecataeus the historian; and of our time, Aeschines the orator, who was banished for having spoken with two great freedom before Pompey the Great, and died in exile.
Miletus shut her gates against Alexander, and experienced the misfortune of being taken by storm, which was also the fate of Halicarnassus; long before this time it was captured by the Persians. Callisthenes relates, that Phrynichus the tragic writer was fined a thousand drachmae by the Athenians for composing a play entitled The taking of Miletus by Darius.
The island Lade lies close in front of Miletus, and small islands about Tragaeae, which afford a shelter for pirates.
ἑξῆς δʼ ἐστὶν ὁ Λατμικὸς κόλπος, ἐν ᾧ Ἡράκλεια ἡ ὑπὸ Λάτμῳ λεγομένη, πολίχνιον ὕφορμον ἔχον· ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ πρότερον Λάτμος ὁμωνύμως τῷ ὑπερκειμένῳ ὄρει, ὅπερ Ἑκαταῖος μὲν ἐμφαίνει τὸ αὐτὸ εἶναι νομίζων τῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ ποιητοῦ Φθειρῶν ὄρει λεγομένῳ (ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῆς Λάτμου φησὶ τὸ Φθειρῶν ὄρος κεῖσθαι), τινὲς δὲ τὸ Γρίον φασίν, ὡς ἂν παράλληλον τῷ Λάτμῳ ἀνῆκον ἀπὸ τῆς Μιλησίας πρὸς ἕω διὰ τῆς Καρίας μέχρι Εὐρώμου καὶ Χαλκητόρων· ὑπέρκειται δὲ ταύτης ἐν ὄψει. μικρὸν δʼ ἄπωθεν διαβάντι ποταμίσκον πρὸς τῷ Λάτμῳ δείκνυται τάφος Ἐνδυμίωνος ἔν τινι σπηλαίῳ· εἶτα ἀφʼ Ἡρακλείας ἐπὶ Πύρραν πολίχνην πλοῦς ἑκατόν που σταδίων.
Next follows the Gulf of Latmus, on which is situated Heracleia under Latmus, as it is called, a small town with a shelter for vessels. It formerly had the same name as the mountain above, which Hecataeus thinks was the same as that called by the poet the mountain of the Phtheiri, for he says that the mountain of the Phtheiri was situated below Latmus; but some say that it was Grium, as being parallel to Latmus, and extending from the Milesian territory towards the east, through Caria, as far as Euromus and Chalcetores. However, the mountain rises up in sight of the city.
At a little distance further, after crossing a small river near Latmus, there is seen in a cave the sepulchre of Endymion. Then from Heracleia to Pyrrha, a small city, is about 100 stadia by sea, but a little more from Miletus to Heracleia, if we include the winding of the bays.
μικρὸν δὲ πλέον τὸ ἀπὸ Μιλήτου εἰς Ἡράκλειαν ἐγκολπίζοντι, εὐθυπλοίᾳ δʼ εἰς Πύρραν ἐκ Μιλήτου τριάκοντα· τοσαύτην ἔχει μακροπορίαν ὁ παρὰ γῆν πλοῦς. ἀνάγκη δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐνδόξων τόπων ὑπομένειν τὸ περισκελὲς τῆς τοιαύτης γεωγραφίας.
From Miletus to Pyrrha, in a straight line by sea, is 30 stadia; so much longer is the journey by sailing near the land.
ἐκ δὲ Πύρρας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκβολὴν τοῦ Μαιάνδρου πεντήκοντα· τεναγώδης δʼ ὁ τόπος καὶ ἑλώδης· ἀναπλεύσαντι δʼ ὑπηρετικοῖς σκάφεσι τριάκοντα σταδίους πόλις Μυοῦς, μία τῶν Ἰάδων τῶν δώδεκα, ἣ νῦν διʼ ὀλιγανδρίαν Μιλησίοις συμπεπόλισται. ταύτην ὄψον λέγεται Θεμιστοκλεῖ δοῦναι Ξέρξης, ἄρτον δὲ Μαγνησίαν, οἶνον δὲ Λάμψακον.
When we are speaking of celebrated places, the reader must endure with patience the dryness of such geographical descriptions.
From Pyrrha to the mouth of the Maeander are 50 stadia. The ground about it is marshy and a swamp. In sailing up the river in vessels rowed by oars to the distance of 30 stadia, we come to Myus, one of the twelve Ionian cities, which, on account of its diminished population, is now incorporated with Miletus. Xerxes is said to have given this city to Themistocles to supply him with fish, Magnesia with bread, and Lampsacus with wine.
ἔνθεν ἐν σταδίοις τέτταρσι κώμη Καρικὴ Θυμβρία, παρʼ ἣν ἄορνόν ἐστι σπήλαιον ἱερόν, Χαρώνιον λεγόμενον, ὀλεθρίους ἔχον ἀποφοράς. ὑπέρκειται δὲ Μαγνησία ἡ πρὸς Μαιάνδρῳ, Μαγνήτων ἀποικία τῶν ἐν Θετταλίᾳ καὶ Κρητῶν, περὶ ἧς αὐτίκα ἐροῦμεν.
At four stadia from Myus is Thymbria, a Carian village, near which is Aornum; this is a sacred cave called Charonium, which emits destructive vapours. Above it is Magnesia on the Maeander, a colony of the Magnesians of Thessaly and Crete. We shall speak of it very soon.
μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἐκβολὰς τοῦ Μαιάνδρου ὁ κατὰ Πριήνην ἐστὶν αἰγιαλός· ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δʼ ἡ Πριήνη καὶ Μυκάλη τὸ ὄρος εὔθηρον καὶ εὔδενδρον. ἐπίκειται δὲ τῇ Σαμίᾳ καὶ ποιεῖ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐπέκεινα τῆς Τρωγιλίου καλουμένης ἄκρας ὅσον ἑπταστάδιον πορθμόν. λέγεται δʼ ὑπό τινων ἡ Πριήνη Κάδμη, ἐπειδὴ Φιλωτᾶς ὁ ἐπικτίσας αὐτὴν Βοιώτιος ὑπῆρχεν· ἐκ Πριήνης δʼ ἦν Βίας εἷς τῶν ἑπτὰ σοφῶν, περὶ οὗ φησιν οὕτως Ἱππῶναξ καὶ δικάσσασθαι Βίαντος τοῦ Πριηνέως κρέσσον. /
After the mouths of the Maeander follows the shore of Priene. Above it is Priene, and the mountain Mycale. which abounds with animals of the chace, and is covered with forests. It is situated above the Samian territory, and forms towards it, beyond the promontory Trogilium, a strait of above 7 stadia in width. Priene is called by some writers Cadme, because Philotus, its second founder, was a Boeotian. Bias, one of the seven wise men, was a native of Priene, of whom Hipponax uses this expression; More just in pleadings than Bias of Priene.
τῆς δὲ Τρωγιλίου πρόκειται νησίον ὁμώνυμον· ἐντεῦθεν δὲ τὸ ἐγγυτάτω δίαρμά ἐστιν ἐπὶ Σούνιον σταδίων χιλίων ἑξακοσίων, κατʼ ἀρχὰς μὲν Σάμον ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντι καὶ Ἰκαρίαν καὶ Κορσίας, τοὺς δὲ Μελαντίους σκοπέλους ἐξ εὐωνύμων, τὸ λοιπὸν δὲ διὰ μέσων τῶν Κυκλάδων νήσων. καὶ αὐτὴ δʼ ἡ Τρωγίλιος ἄκρα πρόπους τις τῆς Μυκάλης ἐστί. τῇ Μυκάλῃ δʼ ὄρος ἄλλο πρόσκειται τῆς Ἐφεσίας Πακτύης· καὶ ἡ Μεσωγὶς δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν καταστρέφει.
In front of Trogilium lies an island of the same name. Thence, which is the nearest way, is a passage across to Sunium of 1600 stadia. At the commencement of the voyage, on the right hand are Samos, Icaria, and the Corsiae islands; on the left, the Melantian rocks. The remainder of the voyage lies through the middle of the Cyclades islands. The promontory Trogilium itself may be considered as a foot of the mountain Mycale. Close to Mycale is another mountain, the Pactyas, belonging to the Ephesian territory, where the Mesogis terminates.
Cite This Text