HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
uses Google technology and indexes only and selectively internet - libraries having books with free public access
 
  Previous Next  

CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 323

View PDF version of this page

Let us describe the sea coast, beginning from the promontory called " the ox tail," now Cape S. Andreas. Then the rains of the once famous Cyprian Salamis, built by Tencer, brother of Ajax, son of Telainon, after the fall of Troy, and afterwards called Constantia. In this spacious bay stood the city Arsinoe, called after its foundress Arsinoe, sister and wife of Ptolemy Philadelplms, king of Egypt. On its ruins was built the city now called Famagosta or Ammochostos, a later name concerning whose derivation authors curiously differ. Its harbour is safe but small, and partly filled np. The fortifications aro the work of the Lusignans, Genoese and Venetians. But these too aro growing ruinous, through the carelessness of the tyrants, who know only how to efface aud destroy, never how to build up and restore. These fortifications recall to well-informed persons a dreadful deed, a deed of the most savage and atrocious treachery, a trampling by tyrannic might on all the rights of humanity. Ah ! by such the world can judge truly of the character of this race. Next to Ammochostos comes Thronos, a city and promontory of the same name, now called Cape de la Grega. Further on is a broad bay, The chief roadstead of the island, called Scala, the resort of every nation. There is a small town on the seashore, called either Scala, or Salines, from the salt-lake or salines not far off. Half a mile inland from the lake is the city uf Larnaca, the residence of the Metropolitan of Cition, a few trading consuls, and a good many families of position. Larnaca is built on the ruins of an older city called Chrysopolis, which stood at no great distance from Cition. The excavations already made prove the importance of this city. While I was in Cyprus there were discovered subterranean passages full of graves and sarcophagi, still containing the bones and bodies of men who died long ago: donbtless this was the necropolis or cemetery of Chrysopolis. All about these tombs were set funeral lamps, vessels large and small, of clay and glass, which the ancients, according to their superstitious practice, filled on certain fixed days of the year with hydromel, oil and wine, offering libations and sacrifices to the gods of the lower world on behalf of their dead : thinking forsooth, the poor wretches, that with such meat and drink offerings poured upon the graves to Pinto and his fellows, the bodiless shades of their deceased friends which wandered about those fabled Elysian plains, were nourished, while the poor corpse who had left- behind him on earth no friend or relation passed unfed and hungry to Hades. So that we conclude and say without hesitation that this city was called Lamax from the tombs so frequently found there. Near this city, the ancient Chrysopolis, was (according to Strabo) the closed harbour of Cition. Cition lay not far from the cape of the same name, aud remnants of its destruction may be seen scattered here and there. It was once a notable and glorious city, built aud colonised by the Phoenicians, where flourished Zenon, the leader of the Stoic sect, and Apollonius, the famous physician. Before the walls of this city, while he was besieging its Persian garrison, fell Cimon, that wonderful Athenian general, who in no wise fell behind Miltiades in courage or Themistocles in skill. As he was dying he bade his soldiers to sail away forthwith from the island, concealing his death. So it befell that as neither the Persians nor the people of Cition discovered the stratagem the Athenians sailed in safety, with Cimon (even after his death) for leader. But the inhabitants of Cition, who were bidden by the oracle not to forget Cimon, but to honour him as a superior being, and pay him reverence, raised to hiin ontüde their city a magnificent monument, and honoured hiin in times of famine and dearth. Near the salines is situated a Turkish shrine, aud within it a tomb in which these sons of Hagar believe that the grandmother of their prophet was buried. Hither they Mock to do honour to the mother of their prophet's mother, without however enquiring too curiously how she was conveyed and transported to this spot from the depths of Arabia. No clear and CONSTANTI TS. 313

View PDF version of this page


  Previous First Next