Periplus Ponti Euxini

Arrian to the Emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus, greeting. We have come to Trapezus, a Greek city, as that Xenophon says, settled on the sea, a colony of the Sinopeans; and we gladly looked down upon the sea of the Euxine from the very place where Xenophon and you yourself did. 2. And the altars stand there already—of rough stone, however, so that the letters are not clearly carved, and the Greek inscription has even been written with errors, as one would expect of a thing written by barbarians. I have therefore resolved both to set up the altars of white stone, and to engrave the inscriptions in well-marked letters. 3. For your statue stands—in its posture aptly enough, since it points out the sea—but in its workmanship neither like you nor otherwise fine. 4. So send a statue worthy to be named yours, in this same posture; for the place is most suited to an everlasting memorial.

The temple too has been made of squared stone, not poorly; but the statue of Hermes is worthy neither of the temple nor of the place itself. If it seems good to you, send me a statue of Hermes of about five feet; for so large it seems to me will be in proportion to the temple. And another, of Philesius, of four feet; 2. for it does not seem to me out of place that he should share the temple and the altar with his forefather. And one man will sacrifice to Hermes, another to Philesius, another to both as he passes. And both these and those will give pleasure to Hermes and to Philesius—to Hermes, because they honour his descendant, and to Philesius, because they honour his forefather. For I myself sacrificed an ox there, not 3. as that Xenophon did at the harbour of Calpe, taking an ox from a wagon for want of victims, but with the Trapezuntians themselves having furnished a victim of no mean kind. And we examined the entrails there and poured libations over them. And for whom we first prayed for blessings is not hidden 4. from you, who both are not ignorant of our disposition and are conscious to yourself that you are worthy that all should pray for blessings upon you, even all those of us who have been less well treated by you.

Setting out from Trapezus, on the first day we put in at the harbour of Hyssus and exercised the infantry there; for this unit, as you know, is one of infantry and has twenty horsemen for service. But it was necessary that these too should hurl their lances. From there we sailed, 2. at first using the breezes that blow from the rivers at dawn, and at the same time the oars; for the breezes were cold, as Homer too says, but not sufficient for those who wish to sail swiftly. Then a calm overtook us, so that we used the rowing alone. Then 3. suddenly a cloud rose up and burst, chiefly from the east, and brought on a violent wind, and this exactly contrary, which by itself would have destroyed us; for in a short time it made the sea hollow, so that the water poured in upon us abundantly from both sides, not only at the oars but even over the outriggers—that very thing of the tragedy, 4. "And the one we bailed out, the other poured in." But the surge was at least not abeam. This way too we accomplished it scarcely and with difficulty by the rowing, and indeed, having suffered much, we came to Athens.

For there is in the Euxine Sea too a place so called, and there is there also a Greek temple of Athena, whence, it seems to me, this name belongs to the place. And there is a fort there, but neglected. 2. The anchorage is of such a kind as to receive, in the season of the year, not many ships and to give them shelter from the south wind and again from the east; the ships at anchor would be kept safe also from the north, but not from the north-by-north-east nor from what is called in the Pontus the thrascias and in Greece the skiron. 3. But during the night hard thunder and lightning held sway, and the wind was no longer the same, but had shifted to the south, and in a short time from the south to the south-west wind, and the anchorage was no longer safe for the ships. 4. Before, then, the sea grew altogether savage, all the ships that the place of Athens itself could receive, these we hauled up on land there, except the trireme; for she, lying at anchor under a certain rock, rode safely.

The many ships it seemed best to send to the neighbouring beaches to be hauled up. And they were hauled up so that all came through unharmed except one, which, while anchoring, having turned sideways before the right moment, the wave caught up and carried out onto the shore and shattered. 2. Yet everything was saved—not only the sails and the ship's gear and the men, but even the nails; and the wax was scraped off, so that there was need of nothing but timber fit for shipbuilding for the refitting, of which there was a great quantity. A storm held us for two days, and it was necessary to wait; for, after all, it was not fated that we should sail past the Athens that is in the Pontus, like some deserted and nameless anchorage. Setting out from there, toward dawn, with the surge abeam, 1. we made the attempt; but as the day advanced, a slight north wind blowing settled the sea and made it calm down. And we came before midday more than five hundred stades to Apsarus, where the five cohorts are stationed. And I gave the pay 2. to the soldiers, and inspected the arms and the wall and the trench and the sick and the supply of grain that was on hand. The opinion I formed about these matters has been written in the Latin dispatch. They say that the place Apsarus was called Apsyrtus 3. of old; for here Apsyrtus was killed by Medea, and the tomb of Apsyrtus is shown. Then the name was corrupted by the surrounding barbarians, just as many other names too have been corrupted; just as 4. they say that Tyana among the Cappadocians was named Thoana, after Thoas, the king of the Tauri, who, pursuing Orestes and Pylades, is reported to have come as far as this country and to have died there of disease. We passed by, in the coasting voyage from 1. Trapezus, these rivers: the Hyssus, after which Hyssus' harbour is named, which is one hundred and eighty stades distant from Trapezus; and the Ophis, which is distant about ninety stades from Hyssus' harbour and bounds the country of the Colchians from that of the Thiannica. Then the so-called Cold 2. River, distant about thirty stades from the Ophis. Then the Fair River; and this too is thirty distant from the Cold. Next is the Rhizius River, distant one hundred and twenty stades from the Fair. 3. And from this, thirty, the Ascurus, another river; and a certain Adienus, sixty from the Ascurus; from there to Athens, one hundred and eighty. And to Athens there belongs the Zagatis River, distant about seven stades from it. Setting out from Athens, we passed by the Prytanis, where also is the palace of Anchialus. And this is forty stades distant from Athens. 4. Adjoining the Prytanis is the Pyxites River; ninety stades between the two. And from the Pyxites to Archabis, another ninety; from Archabis to Apsarus, sixty. Setting out from Apsarus, we passed by the Acampsis by night, fifteen stades distant from Apsarus. 5. The Bathys River is seventy-five distant from this, and the Acinases ninety from the Bathys, and the Isis ninety from the Acinases. Both the Acampsis and the Isis are navigable, and they send out strong morning breezes. From the Isis we passed by the Mogrus. There are ninety stades between the Mogrus and the Isis. And this too is navigable.

From there we sailed into the Phasis, ninety distant from the Mogrus—of the rivers I have known, the one that furnishes the lightest water and the most strikingly altered in colour. 2. For the lightness one might judge by the weight, and before this, because it floats upon the sea and does not mingle with it, just as Homer says the Titaresius flows over the Peneus, "on top like oil." 3. And it was possible, by dipping at the surface of what flows over, to draw up sweet water, but if one let the pitcher down into the depth, salt. And yet the whole Pontus has much sweeter water than the outer sea; and the cause of this is the rivers, which are beyond counting in number and size. A proof of the sweetness, 4. if proofs are needed for things plain to the senses, is that those who dwell by the sea bring down all their cattle to the sea and water them from it; and they are seen to drink with pleasure, and the report prevails that this drink is even beneficial to them, more so than fresh water. And the colour of the Phasis is as if the water had been dyed with lead or tin; 5. but when it settles, it becomes most clear. Therefore it is not the custom for those who sail in to carry water into the Phasis, but when they have entered into the stream, the order is given to pour out all the water that is in the ships; if not, the report prevails that those who neglect this do not have a good voyage. And the water of the Phasis does not rot, but remains pure even beyond the tenth year, except that the sweeter part changes. As one enters the Phasis, on the left there is set up 1. the Phasian goddess. She would be, to one judging by the figure, Rhea; for she has a cymbal in her hands and lions under the throne, and she is seated just as the statue of Phidias is in the Metroon at Athens. There too 2. the anchor of the Argo is shown. And the iron one did not seem to me to be ancient—although in size it is not like the anchors of today, and in shape somehow altered—but it appeared to me to be of more recent date. There were also shown fragments of another, of stone, which were ancient, so that these rather one would guess to be the remnants of the anchor of the Argo. But there was no other memorial there of the legends about Jason. The fort 3. itself, where four hundred picked soldiers are stationed, seemed to me, by the nature of the place, to be most strongly fortified, and to lie in a most suitable position for the safety of those who sail there. And a double trench is thrown round the wall, each one broad. 4. Of old, then, the wall was of earth, and wooden towers stood upon it; but now it is made of baked brick, both itself and the towers; and it is securely founded, and engines stand upon it, and, in a word, it is furnished with everything to prevent any of the barbarians even from approaching it, much less from bringing those who garrison it into the danger of a siege. 5. And since the anchorage too needed to be safe for the ships, and all that was settled outside the fort by those discharged from the army and certain other men engaged in trade, it seemed good to me to throw out from the double trench that is cast round the wall another trench toward the river, which will enclose both the naval station and the houses outside the wall.

From the Phasis we passed by the Charies River, navigable; ninety stades between the two. And from the Charies we sailed into the Chobus River, another ninety, where also we anchored. For what reasons, and all we did there, the Latin dispatch will make plain to you. 2. From the Chobus we passed by the Singames River, navigable; it is distant from the Chobus about two hundred and ten stades. Adjoining the Singames is the Tarsuras River; one hundred and twenty stades between the two. The Hippus River is distant from the Tarsuras one hundred and fifty stades, and the Astelephus thirty from the Hippus. 3. Having passed by the Astelephus, we came to Sebastopolis before midday, having set out from Chobus, the hundred and twenty stades from Astelephus, so as to give the pay to the soldiers that same day, and to see the horses and the arms and the horsemen vaulting onto their horses, and the sick, and the grain, and to go round the wall and the trench. Stades from Chobus 4. to Sebastopolis, six hundred and thirty; from Trapezus to Sebastopolis, two thousand two hundred and sixty. Sebastopolis was of old called Dioscurias, a colony of the Milesians. And we passed by these peoples.

Bordering on the Trapezuntians, just as Xenophon too says, are the Colchians. And those whom he says are the most warlike and most hostile to the Trapezuntians, he names Drilae, but to me these seem to be the Sanni. For they are most warlike to this day, and most hostile to the Trapezuntians, and they dwell in strong places, a people without a king, and of old 2. subject also to tribute to the Romans, but, on account of their brigandage, they are not exact in their payment. But now, with God granting it, they will be exact, or we shall destroy them. Adjoining these are the Macrones and the Heniochi; their king is Anchialus. Adjoining the Macrones and Heniochi are the Zydretae; these are subjects of Pharasmanes. Adjoining the Zydretae are the Lazi; the king of the Lazi is Malassas, who has his kingship from you. Adjoining the Lazi are the Apsilae; 3. their king is Julianus; he has his kingship from your father. Bordering on the Apsilae are the Abasci; and the king of the Abasci is Rhesmagas; and he too has his kingship from you. Adjoining the Abasci are the Sanigae, where also Sebastopolis is settled; the king of the Sanigae, Spadagas, has his kingship from you. As far, then, as 4. Apsarus we were sailing toward the east, with the Euxine on our right, and Apsarus appeared to me to be the limit of the Pontus in respect of its length; for from there our voyage was already toward the north, as far as the Chobus River, and beyond the Chobus to the Singames. From the Singames we bent round to the left side of the Pontus, as far as the Hippus River. 5. And from the Hippus, toward the Astelephus and Dioscurias, we looked down upon Caucasus, the mountain, in height most like the Celtic Alps. And a certain peak of Caucasus was pointed out—Strobilus the peak is named—where Prometheus is fabled to have been hung up by Hephaestus at the command of Zeus.

The parts from the Thracian Bosporus as far as the city of Trapezus are as follows. By the Thracian Bosporus and the mouth of the Euxine Pontus, in the parts of Asia on the right, which belong to the people of the Bithynians, lies a place called Hieron, in which is a temple of Zeus called thus, Ourios. This place is the starting-point for those who sail into the Pontus. 2. To one who has sailed into the Pontus, having Asia on the right and coasting round the adjoining part of the people of the Bithynians that lies toward the Pontus, the coasting voyage is as follows. The Hieron of Zeus Ourios is distant from Byzantium one hundred and twenty stades. And the mouth of the Pontus, where it discharges 3. into the Propontis, is here called the Narrowest. These things I say to you who know them. Sailing from the Hieron, on the right is the Rhebas River; it is distant from the Hieron of Zeus ninety stades. Then the Dark Headland, so called, one hundred and fifty. From the Dark Headland to the Artanes River, where also there is an anchorage for small ships by a temple of Aphrodite, another one hundred and fifty. 4. From the Artanes to the Psillis River, one hundred and fifty; and small boats might anchor by the rock that rises up not far from the outlets of the river. From there to the harbour of Calpe, two hundred and ten 5. stades. What kind of place the harbour of Calpe is, and what kind of anchorage, and that there is in it a spring of cold and clear water, and that there are by the sea woods of shipbuilding timber, and these full of game—these things have been told by the elder Xenophon. From the harbour of Calpe to Rhoe, twenty stades; an anchorage 1. for small ships. From Rhoe to Apollonia, a small island lying a little off the mainland, another twenty. A harbour under the islet. And thence to Chelae, twenty stades. From Chelae, one hundred and eighty, where the Sangarius River discharges into the Pontus. From there to the outlets of the Hypius, 2. another one hundred and eighty. To Lillium, a trading-post, from the Hypius, one hundred stades, and from Lillium to Elaeon, sixty. From there to Cales, another trading-post, one hundred and twenty. From Cales 3. to the Lycus River, eighty, and from the Lycus to Heraclea, a Greek Dorian city, a colony of the Megarians, twenty stades. In Heraclea there is an anchorage for ships, and from Heraclea to the so-called Metroon, eighty stades. From there to the Poseideion, forty, 4. and thence to Tyndaridae, forty-five, and fifteen from there to the Nymphaeum. And from the Nymphaeum to the Oxinas River, thirty. And from the Oxinas to Sandarake, ninety. Sandarake is an anchorage for small ships. From there to Crenides, sixty. 5. And from Crenides to Psylla, a trading-post, thirty. From there to Tium, a Greek Ionian city, settled on the sea, this too a colony of the Milesians, ninety. From Tium to the Billaeus River, twenty stades. From the Billaeus to the Parthenius River, one hundred stades. Up to this point the Thracian Bithynians dwell, of whom Xenophon too 6. in his work made mention, that they were the most warlike of the peoples in Asia, and that the army of the Greeks suffered many evils in this country, when the Arcadians were separated from the division of Cheirisophus and of Xenophon.

The parts from this point are now Paphlagonia. From the Parthenius to Amastris, a Greek city, ninety stades; an anchorage for ships. From there to Erythini, sixty. And from 2. Erythini to Cromna, another sixty. From there to Cytorus, ninety. An anchorage for ships at Cytorus. And from Cytorus to Aegiali, sixty. To Thymena, ninety. And to Carambis, one hundred and twenty. 3. From there to Zephyrium, sixty. From Zephyrium to the Wall of Abonus, a small city, one hundred and fifty; an anchorage for ships, not safe, but they might ride at anchor unharmed, unless a great storm should hold sway. From the Wall of Abonus to Aeginetes, another one hundred and fifty. From there to Cinolis, a trading-post, another sixty. And at Cinolis ships might ride at anchor in the season of the year. From Cinolis to Stephane, 4. one hundred and eighty; a safe anchorage for ships. From Stephane to Potami, one hundred and fifty. From there to the Slender Headland, one hundred and twenty. From the Slender Headland to Harmene, sixty; a harbour there. And 5. Xenophon made mention of Harmene. And thence to Sinope, forty stades; the Sinopeans are colonists of the Milesians. From Sinope to Carusa, one hundred and fifty; a roadstead for ships. From there to Zagora, again another one hundred and fifty. From there to the Halys River, three hundred.

This river was of old the boundary of the kingdom of Croesus and of that of the Persians, but now it flows under the dominion of the Romans—not from the south, as Herodotus says, but from the rising sun. And where it discharges into the Pontus, it bounds the lands of the Sinopeans and the Amisenes. 2. From the Halys River to Naustathmus, ninety stades, where there is also a lagoon. From there to Conopium, another lagoon, again another fifty. From Conopium to Eusene, one hundred and twenty. From there to Amisus, 3. one hundred and sixty. Amisus, a Greek city, a colony of the Athenians, is settled on the sea. From Amisus to Ancon, a harbour, where also the Iris discharges into the Pontus, one hundred and sixty stades. From the outlets of the Iris to Heracleium, three hundred and sixty; an anchorage for ships. From there to the Thermodon River, forty. This is the Thermodon, where the Amazons are said to have dwelt. From the Thermodon to the Beris River, ninety stades.

From there to the Thoaris River, sixty. From the Thoaris to Oenoe, thirty. From Oenoe to the Phigamus River, forty. From there to Phadisane, a fort, one hundred and fifty. From there to Polemonium, 2. a city, ten stades. From Polemonium to the headland called Iasonium, one hundred and thirty stades. From there to the island of the Cilicians, fifteen stades. From 3. the island of the Cilicians to Boon, seventy-five. At Boon an anchorage for ships. From there to Cotyora, ninety. This Xenophon mentioned as a city, and says it is a colony of the Sinopeans; but now it is a village, and not even that a large one. From Cotyora to the Melanthius River, about sixty stades. From there to Pharmatenus, another river, one hundred and fifty. And thence to Pharnacia, one hundred and twenty. This Pharnacia of old 4. was called Cerasus, this too a colony of the Sinopeans. From there to the island Aretias, thirty. And thence to Zephyrium, one hundred and twenty; an anchorage for ships. From Zephyrium to Tripolis, ninety stades. From there to Argyria, twenty stades. From Argyria to 5. Philocaleia, ninety. From there to Coralla, one hundred. From Coralla to the Sacred Mountain, one hundred and fifty. From the Sacred Mountain to Cordyle, forty; 6. an anchorage for ships. From Cordyle to Hermonassa, forty-five. And here too an anchorage. From Hermonassa to Trapezus, sixty stades. Here you are making a harbour; for of old, so far as to ride at anchor in the season of the year, it was an open anchorage.

The distances from Trapezus to Dioscurias have been stated above, measured by the rivers. They come to, from Trapezus to Dioscurias, now called Sebastopolis, two thousand two hundred and sixty stades. 2. These, then, are the things for those sailing from Byzantium on the right toward Dioscurias, at which camp the dominion of the Romans ends for those sailing in on the right 3. into the Pontus. And since I learned that Cotys had died, the king of the Bosporus called Cimmerian, I made it my care to make plain to you also the voyage as far as the Bosporus, so that, if you should be taking any counsel about the Bosporus, you may be able to take counsel not ignorant of this voyage too.

To those setting out, then, from Dioscurias, the first anchorage would be at Pityus; three hundred and fifty stades. From there to Nitike, one hundred and fifty stades, where of old dwelt a Scythian people, of whom mention is made 2. by the chronicler Herodotus, and he says that these are the louse-eaters, and to this day the same opinion prevails about them. From Nitike to the Abascus River, ninety stades. The Borgys is distant from the Abascus one hundred and twenty stades, and the Nesis from the Borgys, where also the headland Heraclea rises up, sixty stades. From the Nesis to Masaitike, ninety stades. 3. From there to the Achaeus, sixty stades, which river divides the Zilchi and the Sanigae. The king of the Zilchi is Stachemphax; he too has had his kingship from you. From the Achaeus to the headland Heraclea, one hundred and fifty stades. From there to a headland, where there is shelter from the north-by-north-east wind and the north, one hundred and eighty. From there to the so-called Old Lazice, 4. one hundred and twenty stades. From there to the Old Achaia, one hundred and fifty, and thence to the harbour of Pagrae, three hundred and fifty. From the harbour of Pagrae to the Sacred Harbour, one hundred and eighty. From there to Sindice, three hundred. From Sindice to the Bosporus called Cimmerian 1. and the city of the Bosporus, Panticapaeum, five hundred and forty. From there to the Tanais River, sixty, which is said to bound Europe from Asia. And it sets out from the Maeotian lake and discharges into the sea of the Euxine Pontus. And yet Aeschylus, in the Prometheus Unbound, makes the Phasis the boundary 2. of Europe and of Asia. At any rate the Titans say to Prometheus that "We have come . . . to look upon these labours of yours, Prometheus, and this suffering of your bonds." Then they recount how much country they have traversed: "There the twofold boundary of the land, the great frontier of Europe and Asia, the Phasis." The coasting voyage round the Maeotian lake in a circle is said 3. to be about nine thousand stades. From Panticapaeum to the village Cazeca, settled on the sea, four hundred and twenty stades. From there to Theodosia, a deserted city, two hundred and eighty stades. And 4. this was of old a Greek Ionian city, a colony of the Milesians, and there is mention of it in many writings. From there to the deserted harbour of the Scythotauri, two hundred stades; and thence to Lampas of the Tauric land, six hundred stades. 5. From Lampas to the harbour of Symbolon, this too Tauric, five hundred and twenty stades. And thence to Cherronesus of the Tauric land, one hundred and eighty. From Cherronesus to Carcinitis, six hundred stades, and from Carcinitis to the Fair Harbour, this too Scythian, another seven hundred.

From the Fair Harbour to Tamyrace, three hundred; within Tamyrace there is a lagoon, not large. And thence to the outflows of the lagoon, another three hundred. From the outflows of the lagoon to Eïones, three hundred and eighty stades. And thence to the Borysthenes River, one hundred and 2. fifty. By the Borysthenes, to one sailing up, a Greek city named Olbia has been founded. From the Borysthenes to a small island, deserted and nameless, sixty stades. And thence to Odessus, eighty. At Odessus an anchorage for ships. After Odessus follows the harbour of the Istrianoi. Stades to it, two hundred and fifty. 3. From there follows the harbour of the Isiakoi. Stades to it, fifty. And thence to the so-called Bare mouth of the Ister, one thousand two hundred. The parts in between are deserted and nameless.

Off this mouth especially, to one sailing straight out onto the open sea with a north wind, an island lies, which some name the island of Achilles, others the Race-course of Achilles, others the White from its colour. This, it is said, Thetis gave up to her son, and Achilles dwells in it. And there is a temple of Achilles in it, and a wooden image of ancient workmanship. 2. The island is deserted of men, but is grazed by goats, not many. And these, it is said, those who put in there dedicate to Achilles. And many other offerings are dedicated in the temple, bowls and rings and stones of the more costly kind, and inscriptions, some composed in Latin, others in Greek, in one metre and another—praises of Achilles. There are also some 3. of Patroclus; for indeed they honour Patroclus together with Achilles, all who wish to gratify Achilles. And many birds make their roost on the island—gulls and shearwaters and sea-crows, beyond counting in their number. These birds tend the temple of Achilles. 4. At dawn each day they fly down to the sea; then, with their wings wetted from the sea, they fly back in haste into the temple and sprinkle the temple. And when it is well, they sweep clean the floor again with their wings. Others relate these things too. Of those who have put in at the 1. island, some, sailing to it on purpose, carry victims in their ships, and of these slaughter some and let others go free to Achilles; while others, compelled by a storm to put in, ask for a victim from the god himself, consulting an oracle about the victims, whether it is better and more profitable for them to sacrifice the one they themselves choose with their mind as it grazes, paying down at the same time the price that seems fitting to them. But if the 2. oracle should refuse—for there are oracles in the temple—they add to the price; and if it should still refuse, they add still more. And when it consents, they know that the price is sufficient. And the victim of its own accord stands still upon this, and 3. no longer flees away. And thus much silver is dedicated to the hero as the prices of the victims. 4. And Achilles appears in a dream to some who have put in at the island, and to others even while sailing, when they are not far off from it, and tells them where it is better to put in at the island and where to anchor. And some say that Achilles even appeared to them awake, on the mast or at the tip of the 1. yard-arm, just like the Dioscuri; only in this is Achilles less than the Dioscuri, that the Dioscuri appear clearly to those sailing everywhere and, appearing, become saviours, but he to those who are already drawing near the island. And some say that Patroclus too 2. was seen by them in a dream. These things about the island of Achilles I have written down by hearsay, from those who either have themselves put in there or have learned from others; and they seem to me not to be incredible. 3. For I am persuaded that Achilles, if any other man also, was a hero—judging both by his nobility and by his beauty and by the strength of his soul, and by his passing young from among men, and by Homer's poetry upon him, and by his having been loving and fond of his comrade, so as even to choose to die after his beloved.

From the so-called Bare mouth of the Ister to the second mouth, sixty stades. From there to the so-called Fair mouth, forty stades. And from the Fair to the so-named Naracum, the fourth mouth of the Ister, sixty stades. 2. From there to the fifth, one hundred and twenty, and thence to the city Istria, five hundred stades. From there to the city Tomea, three hundred stades. 3. From Tomea to the city Callatis, another three hundred; an anchorage for ships. From there to the harbour of the Carians, one hundred and eighty; and the land in a circle round the harbour is called Caria. From the harbour of the Carians to Tetrisias, one hundred and twenty stades. From there to Bizone, a deserted place, sixty stades. 4. From Bizone to Dionysopolis, eighty stades. From there to Odessus, two hundred; an anchorage for ships. From Odessus to the foothills of Haemus, which descend to the Pontus, three hundred and sixty stades. And here too an anchorage for ships. From Haemus to the city Mesembria, ninety; 5. an anchorage for ships. And from Mesembria to the city Anchialus, seventy stades, and from Anchialus to Apollonia, one hundred and eighty. All these cities are Greek, 6. settled in Scythia, on the left to one sailing into the Pontus. From Apollonia to Cherronesus, sixty stades; an anchorage for ships. And from Cherronesus to the Wall of Aulaeus, two hundred and fifty. From there to the Thynian shore, one hundred and twenty. From the Thynian shore to Salmydessus, two hundred stades.

Of this place the elder Xenophon made mention, and says that as far as this came the army of the Greeks, which he himself led, when at the last he campaigned with Seuthes the Thracian. And about the harbourlessness of the 2. place he wrote much—that ships are cast ashore here when forced by a storm, and that the neighbouring Thracians fight among themselves over the wreckage. From Salmydessus 3. to Phrygia, three hundred and thirty stades. From there to the Cyaneae, three hundred and twenty. These are the Cyaneae which the poets say were of old wandering, and through which the Argo, the first ship, passed, which brought Jason to the Colchians. From the Cyaneae to the 4. temple of Zeus Ourios, where the mouth of the Pontus is, forty stades. From there to the harbour of Daphne, called the Mad, forty stades. From Daphne to Byzantium, eighty. These, then, are also the parts from the Cimmerian Bosporus to the Thracian Bosporus and the city Byzantium.