ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Τρωγιλίου στάδιοι τετταράκοντα εἰς τὴν Σάμον· βλέπει δὲ πρὸς νότον καὶ αὐτὴ καὶ ὁ λιμὴν ἔχων ναύσταθμον. ἔστι δʼ αὐτῆς ἐν ἐπιπέδῳ τὸ πλέον ὑπὸ τῆς θαλάττης κλυζόμενον, μέρος δέ τι καὶ εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀνέχει τὸ ὑπερκείμενον. ἐν δεξιᾷ μὲν οὖν προσπλέουσι πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἔστι τὸ Ποσείδιον ἄκρα ἡ ποιοῦσα πρὸς τὴν Μυκάλην τὸν ἑπταστάδιον πορθμόν, ἔχει δὲ νεὼν Ποσειδῶνος· πρόκειται δʼ αὐτοῦ νησίδιον ἡ Ναρθηκίς· ἐπʼ ἀριστερᾷ δὲ τὸ προάστειον τὸ πρὸς τῷ Ἡραίῳ καὶ ὁ Ἴμβρασος ποταμὸς καὶ τὸ Ἡραῖον, ἀρχαῖον ἱερὸν καὶ νεὼς μέγας, ὃς νῦν πινακοθήκη ἐστί· χωρὶς δὲ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἐνταῦθα κειμένων πινάκων ἄλλαι πινακοθῆκαι καὶ ναΐσκοι τινές εἰσι πλήρεις τῶν ἀρχαίων τεχνῶν· τό τε ὕπαιθρον ὁμοίως μεστὸν ἀνδριάντων ἐστὶ τῶν ἀρίστων· ὧν τρία Μύρωνος ἔργα κολοσσικὰ ἱδρυμένα ἐπὶ μιᾶς βάσεως, ἃ ἦρε μὲν Ἀντώνιος ἀνέθηκε δὲ πάλιν ὁ Σεβαστὸς Καῖσαρ εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν βάσιν τὰ δύο, τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ τὸν Ἡρακλέα, τὸν δὲ Δία εἰς τὸ Καπετώλιον μετήνεγκε κατασκευάσας αὐτῷ ναΐσκον.
From Trogilium to Samos are 40 stadia. Both this and the harbour, which has a station for vessels, have a southern aspect. A great part of it is situated on a flat, and is overflowed by the sea, but a part also rises towards the mountain which overhangs it. On the right hand, in sailing towards the city, is the Poseidium, a promontory, which forms towards Mycale the strait of 7 stadia. It has upon it a temple of Neptune. In front is a small island, Narthecis; on the left, near the Heraeum, is the suburb, and the river Imbrasus, and the Heraeum, an ancient temple, and a large nave, which at present is a repository for paintings. Besides the great number of paintings in the Heraeum, there are other repositories and some small chapels, filled with works of ancient art. The Hypaethrum also is full of the best statues. Of these, three of colossal size, the work of Myron, stand upon the same base. Antony took them all away, but Augustus Caesar replaced two, the Minerva and the Hercules, upon the same base. He transported the Jupiter to the Capitol, having built a chapel for its reception.
περίπλους δʼ ἐστὶ τῆς Σαμίων νήσου σταδίων ἑξακοσίων. ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ Παρθενία πρότερον οἰκούντων Καρῶν, εἶτα Ἀνθεμοῦς, εἶτα Μελάμφυλλος, εἶτα Σάμος, εἴτʼ ἀπό τινος ἐπιχωρίου ἥρωος εἴτʼ ἐξ Ἰθάκης καὶ Κεφαλληνίας ἀποικήσαντος. καλεῖται μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄκρα τις Ἄμπελος βλέπουσά πως πρὸς τὸ τῆς Ἰκαρίας Δρέπανον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὄρος ἅπαν ὃ ποιεῖ τὴν ὅλην νῆσον ὀρεινὴν ὁμωνύμως λέγεται· ἔστι δʼ οὐκ εὔοινος, καίπερ εὐοινουσῶν τῶν κύκλῳ νήσων, καὶ τῆς ἠπείρου σχεδόν τι τῆς προσεχοῦς πάσης τοὺς ἀρίστους ἐκφερούσης οἴνους· οἷον Χίου καὶ Λέσβου καὶ Κῶ· καὶ μὴν καὶ ὁ Ἐφέσιος καὶ Μητροπολίτης ἀγαθοί, ἥ τε Μεσωγὶς καὶ ὁ Τμῶλος καὶ ἡ Κατακεκαυμένη καὶ Κνίδος καὶ Σμύρνα καὶ ἄλλοι ἀσημότεροι τόποι διαφόρως χρηστοινοῦσιν ἢ πρὸς ἀπόλαυσιν ἢ πρὸς διαίτας ἰατρικάς. περὶ μὲν οἴνους οὐ πάνυ εὐτυχεῖ Σάμος, τὰ δʼ ἄλλα εὐδαίμων, ὡς δῆλον ἔκ τε τοῦ περιμάχητον γενέσθαι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τοὺς ἐπαινοῦντας μὴ ὀκνεῖν ἐφαρμόττειν αὐτῇ τὴν λέγουσαν παροιμίαν ὅτι φέρει καὶ ὀρνίθων γάλα. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τῶν τυραννίδων αἴτιον αὐτῇ κατέστη καὶ τῆς πρὸς Ἀθηναίους ἔχθρας.
The voyage round the island Sarnos is 600 stadia. Formerly, when the Carians inhabited it, it was called Parthenia, then Anthemus, then Melamphylus, then Samos, either from the name of some native hero, or from some one who conducted a colony thither from Ithaca and Cephallenia. In it is a promontory looking towards Drepanum in Icaria, which has the name of Ampelos, (the Vine,) but the whole mountain, which spreads over the island, has the same name. The island is not remarkable for good wine, although the islands around, as Chios, Lesbos, Cos, and almost all the adjacent continent, produce wines of the best kind. The Ephesian and the Metropolites are good wines, but the Mesogis, the Tmolus, the Catacecaumene, Cnidos, Smyrna, and other more obscure places, are distinguished for the excellence of their wines, whether for gratification or dietetic purposes.
Samos is not very fortunate as regards the production of wine, but in general it is fertile, as appears from its possession being a subject of warlike contention, and from the language of its panegyrists, who do not hesitate to apply to it the proverb, It produces even birds’ milk, as Menander somewhere says. This was the cause also of the tyrannies established there, and of the enmity of the Athenians.
αἱ μὲν οὖν τυραννίδες ἤκμασαν κατὰ Πολυκράτη μάλιστα καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ Συλοσῶντα· ἦν δʼ ὁ μὲν καὶ τύχῃ καὶ δυνάμει λαμπρὸς ὥστε καὶ θαλαττοκρατῆσαι· τῆς δʼ εὐτυχίας αὐτοῦ σημεῖον τιθέασιν ὅτι ῥίψαντος εἰς τὴν θάλατταν ἐπίτηδες τὸν δακτύλιον λίθου καὶ γλύμματος πολυτελοῦς, ἀνήνεγκε μικρὸν ὕστερον τῶν ἁλιέων τις τὸν καταπιόντα ἰχθὺν αὐτόν· ἀνατμηθέντος δʼ εὑρέθη ὁ δακτύλιος· πυθόμενον δὲ τοῦτο τὸν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλέα φασὶ μαντικῶς πως ἀποφθέγξασθαι ὡς ἐν βραχεῖ καταστρέψει τὸν βίον εἰς οὐκ εὐτυχὲς τέλος ὁ τοσοῦτον ἐξηρμένος ταῖς εὐπραγίαις· καὶ δὴ καὶ συμβῆναι τοῦτο· ληφθέντα γὰρ ἐξ ἀπάτης ὑπὸ τοῦ σατράπου τῶν Περσῶν κρεμασθῆναι. τούτῳ συνεβίωσεν Ἀνακρέων ὁ μελοποιός· καὶ δὴ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ποίησις πλήρης ἐστὶ τῆς περὶ αὐτοῦ μνήμης. ἐπὶ τούτου δὲ καὶ Πυθαγόραν ἱστοροῦσιν ἰδόντα φυομένην τὴν τυραννίδα ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἀπελθεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ Βαβυλῶνα φιλομαθείας χάριν· ἐπανιόντα δʼ ἐκεῖθεν, ὁρῶντα ἔτι συμμένουσαν τὴν τυραννίδα, πλεύσαντα εἰς Ἰταλίαν ἐκεῖ διατελέσαι τὸν βίον. περὶ Πολυκράτους μὲν ταῦτα.
The tyrannies were at their height in the time of Polycrates and his brother Syloson. The former was distinguished for his good fortune, and the possession of such a degree of power as made him master of the sea. It is related as an instance of his good fortune, that having purposely thrown into the sea his ring, which was of great value both on account of the stone and the engraving, a short time afterwards a fisherman caught the fish which had swallowed it, and on cutting the fish open, the ring was discovered. When the king of Egypt was informed of this, he declared, it is said, with a prophetic spirit, that Polycrates, who had been elevated to such a height of prosperity, would soon end his life unfortunately; and this was actually the case, for he was taken by the Persian satrap by stratagem, and crucified. Anacreon, the lyric poet, was his contemporary, and all his poetry abounds with the praises of Polycrates.
It is said that in his time Pythagoras, observing the growing tyranny, left the city, and travelled to Egypt and Babylon, with a view to acquire knowledge. On his return from his travels, perceiving that the tyranny still prevailed, he set sail for Italy, and there passed the remainder of his life.
So much respecting Polycrates.
Συλοσῶν δʼ ἀπελείφθη μὲν ἰδιώτης ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, Δαρείῳ δὲ τῷ Ὑστάσπεω χαρισάμενος ἐσθῆτα, ἧς ἐπεθύμησεν ἐκεῖνος φοροῦντα ἰδών, οὔπω δʼ ἐβασίλευε τότε, βασιλεύσαντος ἀντέλαβε δῶρον τὴν τυραννίδα. πικρῶς δʼ ἦρξεν, ὥστε καὶ ἐλειπάνδρησεν ἡ πόλις· κἀκεῖθεν ἐκπεσεῖν συνέβη τὴν παροιμίαν / ἕκητι Συλοσῶντος εὐρυχωρίη. /
Syloson was left by his brother in a private station. But he made a present to Darius, son of Hystaspes, of a robe which the latter saw him wearing, and very much desired to possess. Darius was not king at this time, but when he became king, Polycrates received as a compensation the tyranny of Samos. He governed with so much severity, that the city was depopulated, which gave occasion to the proverb, By the pleasure of Syloson there is room enough.
Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ πρότερον μὲν πέμψαντες στρατηγὸν Περικλέα καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ Σοφοκλέα τὸν ποιητὴν πολιορκίᾳ κακῶς διέθηκαν ἀπειθοῦντας τοὺς Σαμίους, ὕστερον δὲ καὶ κληρούχους ἔπεμψαν δισχιλίους ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ὧν ἦν καὶ Νεοκλῆς ὁ Ἐπικούρου τοῦ φιλοσόφου πατήρ, γραμματοδιδάσκαλος, ὥς φασι· καὶ δὴ καὶ τραφῆναί φασιν ἐνθάδε καὶ ἐν Τέῳ καὶ ἐφηβεῦσαι Ἀθήνησι· γενέσθαι δʼ αὐτῷ συνέφηβον Μένανδρον τὸν κωμικόν· Σάμιος δʼ ἦν καὶ Κρεώφυλος, ὅν φασι δεξάμενον ξενίᾳ ποτὲ Ὅμηρον λαβεῖν δῶρον τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν τοῦ ποιήματος ὃ καλοῦσιν Οἰχαλίας ἅλωσιν. Καλλίμαχος δὲ τοὐναντίον ἐμφαίνει διʼ ἐπιγράμματός τινος, ὡς ἐκείνου μὲν ποιήσαντος λεγομένου δʼ Ὁμήρου διὰ τὴν λεγομένην ξενίαν τοῦ Σαμίου πόνος εἰμί, δόμῳ ποτὲ θεῖον Ὅμηρον / δεξαμένου· κλείω δʼ Εὔρυτον ὅσσʼ ἔπαθεν, / καὶ ξανθὴν Ἰόλειαν· Ὁμήρειον δὲ καλεῦμαι / γράμμα· Κρεωφύλῳ, Ζεῦ φίλε, τοῦτο μέγα. / τινὲς δὲ διδάσκαλον Ὁμήρου τοῦτόν φασιν, οἱ δʼ οὐ τοῦτον ἀλλʼ Ἀριστέαν τὸν Προκοννήσιον.
The Athenians formerly sent Pericles their general, and with him Sophocles the poet, who harassed with the evils of a siege the refractory Samians. Afterwards they sent thither a colony of two thousand citizens, among whom was Neocles the father of Epicurus, and, according to report, a schoolmaster. It is said, that Epicurus was educated here and at Teos, and was admitted among the ephebi at Athens, having as his comrade in that class Menander the comic poet. Creophylus was a native of Samos, who, it is said, once entertained Homer as his guest, and received, in return, his poem entitled The taking of Oechalia. Callimachus, on the contrary, intimates in an epigram that it was the composition of Creophylus, but ascribed to Homer on account of the story of his hospitable entertainment by Creophylus: I am the work of the Samian, who once entertained in his house, as a guest, the divine Homer. I grieve for the sufferings of Eurytus, and mourn for the yellow-haired Ioleia. I am called Homer’s writing. O Jupiter, how glorious this for Creophylus. Some say that he was Homer’s master; according to others, it was not Creophylus, but Aristeas of Proconnesus.
παράκειται δὲ τῇ Σάμῳ νῆσος Ἰκαρία ἀφʼ ἧς τὸ Ἰκάριον πέλαγος. αὕτη δʼ ἐπώνυμός ἐστιν Ἰκάρου παιδὸς τοῦ Δαιδάλου, ὅν φασι τῷ πατρὶ κοινωνήσαντα τῆς φυγῆς, ἡνίκα ἀμφότεροι πτερωθέντες ἀπῆραν ἐκ Κρήτης, πεσεῖν ἐνθάδε μὴ κρατήσαντα τοῦ δρόμου· μετεωρισθέντι γὰρ πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἐπὶ πλέον περιρρυῆναι τὰ πτερὰ τακέντος τοῦ κηροῦ. τριακοσίων δʼ ἐστὶ τὴν περίμετρον σταδίων ἡ νῆσος ἅπασα καὶ ἀλίμενος πλὴν ὑφόρμων, ὧν ὁ κάλλιστος Ἱστοὶ λέγονται· ἄκρα δʼ ἐστὶν ἀνατείνουσα πρὸς ζέφυρον. ἔστι δὲ καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερὸν καλούμενον Ταυροπόλιον ἐν τῇ νήσῳ καὶ πολισμάτιον Οἰνόη, καὶ ἄλλο Δράκανον ὁμώνυμον τῇ ἄκρᾳ ἐφʼ ᾗ ἵδρυται, πρόσορμον ἔχον· ἡ δὲ ἄκρα διέχει τῆς Σαμίων ἄκρας τῆς Κανθαρίου καλουμένης ὀγδοήκοντα σταδίους, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐλάχιστον δίαρμα τὸ μεταξύ. νυνὶ μέντοι λιπανδροῦσαν Σάμιοι νέμονται τὰ πολλὰ βοσκημάτων χάριν.
The island of Icaria, from which the Icarian Sea has its name, is near Samos. The island has its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus, who, it is said, having accompanied his father in his flight, when both of them, furnished with wings, set out from Crete, fell on that island, unable to sustain his flight. He had mounted too near the sun, and the wings dropped off on the melting of the wax [with which they were fastened].
The whole island is 300 stadia in circumference; it has no harbours, but only anchorages, the best of which is called Histi. A promontory stretches towards the west. There is also on the island a temple of Diana, called Tauropolium, and a small town Oenoë; and another, Dracanum, of the same name as the promontory on which it stands, with an anchorage for vessels. The promontory is distant from the promontory of the Samians, called Cantharius, 80 stadia, which is the shortest passage from one to the other. The Samians occupy it at present in its depopulated state, chiefly for the sake of pasture which it affords for cattle.
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