Geography

​Next after Abydos, then, is the Dardanian promontory, which we mentioned a little earlier, and the city of Dardanus, seventy stadia distant from Abydos. In between, the river Rhodius flows out, opposite which in the Chersonese is Cynos-sema, which they say is the tomb of Hecuba; but some say that the Rhodius empties into the Asepus; and this is also one of those mentioned by the poet: “Rhesus and Heptaporus and Caresus and Rhodius.” Dardanus is an ancient foundation, but so easy to despise that the kings often moved its population to Abydos, and others moved them back again to the ancient foundation. Here Cornelius Sulla, the leader of the Romans, and Mithridates, surnamed Eupator, came together and made an agreement with each other for the termination of the war.

​Near this is Ophrynium, where there is the sacred grove of Hector in a conspicuous place; and next in order is Lake Pteleos.

​Then comes Rhoeteum, a city situated on a hill, and adjacent to Rhoeteum is a flat beach, on which are the tomb, the shrine, and the statue of Ajax, which Antony took and carried to Egypt, but Augustus Caesar restored again to the Rhoeteans, just as he did to others. For the most beautiful offerings from the most illustrious shrines Antony took away to gratify the Egyptian woman, but Augustus restored them to the gods.

​After Rhoeteum is Sigeum, a demolished city, and the naval station, the harbor of the Achaeans, the Achaean camp, the so-called Stomalimne, and the outlets of the Scamander. For the Simois and the Scamander, meeting in the plain and carrying down much silt, heap up the shore and make a blind mouth, lagoons, and marshes. Opposite the Sigean promontory, in the Chersonese, is the shrine of Protesilaus and Elaeus, concerning which we have spoken in the Thracian parts.

​And the length of this coast from Rhoeteum to Sigeum and the tomb of Achilles is sixty stadia for those sailing in a straight line; and it all lies below Ilium, being about twelve stadia distant from the present city along the harbor of the Achaeans, and from the former city thirty other stadia higher up in the direction of Mount Ida. Now both the shrine and the tomb of Achilles are near Sigeum, and there are also the tombs of Patroclus and Antilochus, and the Ilians offer sacrifices to all of these and to Ajax. But Heracles they do not honor, alleging as a reason the destruction of the city by him. Yet he, someone might say, destroyed it in such a way as to leave a city, though damaged, for those who were to destroy it completely later; wherefore the poet also has said: “He desolated the city of Ilium, and widowed her streets.” For “widowhood” is a kind of depopulation, not complete disappearance; but these others, whom they think worthy of sacrifices and honor as gods, destroyed it completely; unless they should make this accusation, that those waged a just war, but he an unjust one “on account of the horses of Laomedon.” But against this, again, a myth is opposed; for it was not on account of the horses, but for the reward for Hesione and the sea-monster. But let us leave these things; for it leads into refutations of myths; perhaps some more reliable reasons escape us, because of which it occurred to the Ilians to honor some and not others. And the poet seems to show that the city was small in the account concerning Heracles, if indeed: “With only six ships and fewer men, he desolated the city of Ilium.” And Priam, from such a state, seems to have become great from a small beginning and a king of kings, as we said. A little further on from this coast is Achaiium, which already belongs to the mainland opposite Tenedos.