Euboea

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

NEGROPONTE. (Book Negroponte) EUBOEA now called Nigropontus, or Nigroporte on the South thrusteth forth the Promontory Geresto, and Capha•eum: on the North Caeneum, it is no where broad, and yet the narrowest place is two miles over: but it is long, and lyeth over against •ae•tia, and is separated from the shore by a narrow strait. Heretofore it was joyned to Bae•tia. The compasse of it is 365. miles. This Iland hath abundance of Corne, Pulse, Wine, Oyle, and Trees fitt for Building of Shops. The Metropolis was heretofore •hal•is now it is called Nigr•p•n•e after the name of the Iland. It is famous for the death of A•ist•th who dyed here for griefe, when hee could not finde out the cause of the flowing and ebbing of the Sea 7. times by day, and seven times b• night Although Suia•s reporteth that he dyed not for grief• but that he was poyson'd, and L•ert•us saith that he dy'd by sicknesse. There are also the Citty Eretria, where Simonides the Lvrick Poet wa• borne: there is also Cha•istu• which Stephanus calleth Chironia and Aegea, now it is called Garisto, which was famous heretofore for Marble, there are also Heliaea, •irrha, Nesos, O••halia. Strabo writeth that there are two Rivers in this Iland Cerus and Neleus▪ which are of divers natures. For if beasts drinke out of one of them, their haire groweth white, but if they drinke of the water of the other River, their hide and haire groweth black. There is an arme of the Sea, which Livie calleth the Euborian Bay, which is a violent Sea, and floweth and ebb•th 7. times by day and 7. times by night, with such a violent course, that no Ship can sayle against it. There is also the Mountaine •apha••us▪ famous for the Shipwrack of the Graecians as they returned from Tr•y▪ and for the death of Pa•amedes at Troy, the Sonne of E•ripides N••plius King of the Eubaean Iland.