| May 24, 2013 |
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| Various locations
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Pagus
Mountain.
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Coryphe
Mountain near Smyrna.
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Meles river
A small river of Ionia, flowing close by the walls of Smyrna, and
discharging its waters into the Hermaean gulf. (Strab. xii. p. 554, xiv. p. 646.)
The little stream derives its celebrity from its connection with the legends about
Homer, and from a report; about the healing powers of its waters. There was a
tradition that near the sources of the river Meles there was a cave in which Homer
had composed his epic poems, whence he is sometimes called Melesigenes. (Paus.
vii. 5. § 6 ; Vit. Hom. 2 ; Stat. Silv. iii. 3. 60, 7. 33 ; Tibull. iv. 1. 200.)
The belief in the healing power of its waters is attested by an inscription quoted
by Arundell (Asia Minor, vol. ii. p. 406) and Hamilton (Researches, vol. ii. Append.
No. 48). These circumstances are of some importance in identifying the river.
It used to be supposed that a small, dirty, and muddy stream, flowing close by
the modern town of Smyrna, was the same as the ancient Meles. But there is another
stream, with bright and sparkling water, which rushes over its rocky bed near
Bournoubat, and is still celebrated for its agreeable and wholesome qualities.
Travellers are now justly inclined to identify this river with the ancient Meles.
This supposition is confirmed by our more accurate knowledge of the site of ancient
Smyrna, which was on the north of the bay, while new Smyrna was on the south of
it, at a distance of 20 stadia from the former; the site of the ancient place
is still marked by a few ruins; and close by them flows the clear stream which
we must assume to be the ancient Meles. (Comp. Hom. Hymn. viii. 3; Ptol. v. 2.
§ 7; Steph. B. s. v. Meletou kolpos, according to whom the river was also called
Meletus; Plin. v. 31; Hamilton, Researches, vol. i. p. 51, foll.)
| This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited August 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks |
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Smyrnaeus Sinus
Smyrnaeus sinus (Smurnaion kolpos), also called the bay of Hermus
(Hermeios kolpos), from the river Hermus, which flows into it, or the bay of Meles
(Meletou k.), from the little river Meles, is the bay at the head of which Smyrna
is situated. From its entrance to the head it is 350 stadia in length, but is
divided into a larger and a smaller basin, which have been formed by the deposits
of the Hermus, which have at the same time much narrowed the whole bay. A person
sailing into it had on his right the promontory of Celaenae, and on his left the
headland of Phocaea; the central part of the bay contained numerous small islands.
(Strab. xiv. p. 645; Pomp. Mela, i. 17; Vit. Hom. 2; Steph. B. s. v. Smurna.)
| This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited September 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks |
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