Sicilie

Sources from old books

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

SICILIE is next to bee described, which excelleth all the Ilands of the Mediterranean Sea. Thucidides calleth it Sicania from Sicanus, who, as Solinus and Capella doe write, came with a band of Iberians into that Country before the Trojan warres. Many doe call it Trinacria, and especially the Poets, in regard it hath 3. Promontories. Or else because it resembleth a Triangle or three cornerd figure, for it runneth forth divers wayes with three Promontories, and so is like the greeke letter Delta, which beareth this shape Δ. These three Promontories are Pelorus, Pachynus, and Lilybaum. The Graecians did call it Sicelia. But some suppose,

—Trinacria quondamMutavere, situm: rupit confinia Nereus:Italiae pars una fuit, sed pontus & aestusVictor, & abscissos interluit aequore monteis. Trimacria hath her situation chang'd,And now the Sea their borders hath estrang'd,Heretofore it was a part of Italie,From whence 'tis now divided by the Sea.

And hence Rhegium * 1.1 is so called in Italie, because Sicilie is there divided from Italie: On the North it hath the Tyrrhene Sea; on the East the Hadriatick and Ionian Sea; on the South the Affrick Sea, and on the West the Sardinian Sea. Thycydides writeth Lib. 6. that the compasse of Sicile is about 8. dayes journey, and yet it lyeth but 20. furlongs from the maine land or continent of Italy. Moreover this Iland doth excell for the wholesomenesse of the ayre, the fruitfullnesse of the soyle, and plenty of all fruite, and other things, which are necessary for the use of man: For it lyeth in the 4. Climate, which for the gentlenesse, and temperatenesse of the ayre, doth exceede the sixe others. So that Sicilie produceth the best fruites. So that Marcus Cato calleth it the Stoarehouse of the Commonwealth, and the Nurse of the Romane People; and Strabo the Barne of Rome. In the Sunensian fields, where the ancients doe faine that Proserpine was tooke away violently, which they call the Navell of Italie, the Corne yeeldeth so great an increase, insomuch that one bushell of Wheate sowed yeeldeth an hundred, which field they call therefore Campe dallo cento Salme. The Leontine fielde is not inferiour unto this, concerning which Cicero saith in his third Oration against Verres. Quid Vina commorabo optimi saporis adorisque? What should I mention the fragrant pleasant Wines.? Pliny (who was most diligent and curious in reckoning the best sorts of Wines) doth affirme that there is excellent good Wine made in Sicilie. And hee saith that there is the Balincian Wine in Sicilie, which tasteth like Methegling, or Wine mingled with honey. So that they suppose the Balincian Wine is that which they call Muskadine, which is very sweete. For both Alpes Muskadine whence so called,* 1.2 that is Bees, and Muscae that is flies doe haunt these Grapes, which are therefore called Muskadine Grapes, out of which a sweet pleasant wine is pressed which they call Muskadine: though some suppose that it was so called because it smelleth like Muske. So that the Wine of Sicilie may be rightly esteemed the best, for it is as good as the Italian Wine, and as pleasing to the Pallat, and will keepe as long. Moreover Sicilie hath great store of Oyle, Suger, Saffron, Honey, Salt, all sorts of fruites, and excellent Silke. Besides Sicilie is rich in Mettalls: for it hath Gold, Silver, Iron, and Allom. It produceth also Pretious stones, as the Emerald, the Achates, the Berill, the red Marble stone, the Iasper, and it hath great heards and flocks of Oxen and Cattell. There is excellent hunting of Does and Boares, and Hauking at Partridges and Quailes, which they commonly call Francolinas. And Falcons, who are enimies to all flying fowle, are taken heere. The fierce Lestrigonians did first possesse this Country, afterward the Sieanians, a Colonie of Spaniards, and lastly the Trojans and Cretensians came hither. Afterward the Graecians did invade it, then the Romanes, and after the division of the Easterne, and Westerne Empire it was subject to Constantinople almost 200. yeares. But in the raigne of the Emperour Iustinian, the Gothes invaded this Iland, who 17. yeares afterward were expelled and droven out by Belisarius. Afterward the Saracens did possesse it, under Michael Balbus, and held it 400. yeares. The Normans succeeded them, and afterward the Langbards, Suevians, and Germanes: but they being droven out by Clement the 4. the Frenchmen possessed it 16. yeares. Afterward it was subject to the Aragonians, untill the raigne of King Ferdinand, after whose decease the Kings of Spaine were also Kings of Aragon, and Sicilie. Pliny reckoneth that there are 72. Citties in it. But now there are 173. Citties and Townes, as Maginus witnesseth. The Metropolis or mother Citty of the Kingdome is Panormus, which Ptolomy and others doe call Palernum, it is now called Palermo. It is an ancient Citty, and a Colony of the Phoenicians, as appeareth by some Epitaphs written in Caldean letters. It is thought that it was built in Abrahams time, being seated in a pleasant fruitfull soyle. It looketh Northward, and is washed with the Tyrrhene Sea, having high walls, which were built by King Frederick. Neere the Sea there is a Castle, which hath beene much enlarged, which they call Castrumad Mare, or the Castle by the Sea. There are also three Gates of the ancient Citty yet standing, and the old Walls, with many Towres built of foure square stone. There is a Church at Panormus consecrate to S. Peter, which was built by Rogerius King of Sicilie, which excelleth both for beauty, and costly building, all the ancient and new Churches in Italy, so that learned men and travellers that come to see it doe much admire it. The greater Church of this Citty is of a kind of a networke building, carved with divers figures and Images, and built by Gualther the second Archbishop of that name, which was founded in the yeare 1185. where the bodies of the Kings, and Queenes, and Dukes are buried and interr'd. There is also a publike Schoole, and an Hospitall for strangers. It would be tedious to rehearse the other faire buildings, and aedifices which are in this Citty. The other Citties are Siracusa, which was heretofore a great Cittie, which the Orator thus describeth in his 4. Oration against Verres. You have often heard that Siracusa is the greatest and fairest of all the Graecian Citties. And so it is, O Iudges as you have heard. For it is strongly situate, and hath a faire comming to it both by Sea and Land, and it hath Havens which are inclosed on every side with bvildings, which having divers entrances, doe at last meete and flow together. Where a part of the Towne, which is called the Ile, being disjoyned by their meeting together, with a straite Sea, is joyned together againe with a Bridge. It is so great a Citty, that they say it doth consist of 4. great Citties, one of which is the Iland aforesaid: which is encompassed with two Havens, at the Mouth of one of which there is King Hierons Pallace, in which the Praetors now dwell. There are many Churches in it, but especially two, which doe farre exceede the rest, one consecrate to Diana, and the other to Minerva, which was a faire Church before Verres came thither. In the farthest part of the Iland, there is a Fountaine of sweet water, which is called Arethusa, which is very great, and full of fish, which would be coverd with the waves of the Sea, but that it is walled about with stones. But there is another Citty of Syracusa which is called Acardina, in which there is a great Market-place, a faire Gallery, and Counsell-house, a great Court, and a Temple of Iupiter Olympus, and many private Aedifices. There is a third Citty which is called •yche, in which there is a great Schoole, and many Churches, and it is well inhabited and frequented. The fourth Citty is that which because it was last built, is called Neapolis, or the new Citty, in which there is a great Theater, & two great Churches, one consecrate to Ceres, and another to Bacchus, and a faire Statue of Apollo, which is called Tennites. But not all the beauty of this Citty is decayd, and onely some ruinous parts of the Towne are remaining. Messana is a Citty by the Sea side, the Inhabitants whereof were first called Messanians, and afterward Mamertinians, which Herodotus and Thucydides doe mention. There is also Catina, which is called Catana, where Charonda the Lawmaker was borne, and it hath now a famous Schoole. Taurominium is a Citty built by the Zanclaeans, it is now called Taormina. There is also Leontium, where Gorgias Sophista was borne. Agrigentum is an ancient Citty, which heretofore the Carthaginians raced, and Megalus and Feriscus re-edified it againe. There are also Augusta which was heretofore called Megara: also Castrogianum, heretofore Ennea: Drepanum, Monreale, Heraclea, and many other Citties. It is watered with many Rivers, in which, as in the Lakes there are good store of Mullets, Eeles, Tenches, and Trowts. And in the Sea there is good fishing for Tunyes, not onely at Pachynum, but also at Panormum, and Drepanum, and all that Coast which lyeth by the Tyrrhene Sea. There are also Sword-fishes taken in the Massonian Sea. Lastly, there is excellent good fishing in the Sicilian Sea, for there are great store of Mullets, which the Grecians call Trichias, and Sophronius and Cicero doe call them Barbels, and also great store of Lampreys. But the Cicilian straites are narrow, dangerous, and rough, and are called by the name of Scylla and Charybdis. The chiefe Mountaines Aetna & Eryx. Aetna by Pindarus is called the Pillar of Heaven. Silius Italicus calleth it Tiphoeum. It is now called Monte Gibella, or Mongibello. Eryx is much memoriz'd for Venus Chappell, which was built by Aeneas. In Sicily are the Archbishops Panormitanus, under whom are the Bishops Agrigentinus, Masarensis, Milevitanus, or Maltensis. The Archbishop of Montis Regalis, under whom are Siracusanus, and Cothanensis. The Archbishop of Messanensis, under whom are Cephaludensis, Pacensis, Lipariensis, Marcus and Militensis, now Milaza.

1682. Cosmography and geography in two parts by Richard Blome.

The Island of SICILY is the greatest neighbouring Isle to Italy, from which it is divided by a small Channel running between Messina and Regio, now called the Phare of Messina, and higher in this passage were the Scylla and Charybdis of the Ancients. This Isle was once called Trinacria, from its being Triangular, and abating 3 Promontories at each corner into the Sea, to wit, Cape de Faro, regarding Italy; Cape Passaro, regarding Morea; and Cap• Boij, or Cape Coco, facing the Promontory Mercurio, of Africa. This Isle is termed the Queen of the Mediterranean Isles, not only for its greatness, being in compass about 700 miles; but for her other excellencies and admirable fertility, yielding all things necessary for the use of man; it chiefly abounds in Wines, Oyls, Sugars, Honey, Wax, Salt, Saffron, Minerals, Alom, Agats, Coral, Emeralds, and Silk in great plenty, both raw and wrought, and such abundance of all sorts of Grains, that it was called the Granary of the Roman Empire, and is now found to furnish Malta, the adjacent Isles, Spain, and some part of Italy with her super••ities. Here are many Baths of different natures, which are found good for several Infirmities. The chief Hills in this Isle are Mount Hybla, famous for its Bees and Honey, and Mount Aetna, for its sending forth flames of fire, which in the year 1669 made such an eruption, that it destroyed divers Towns; and for its height, whose top is exalted ten miles above its Basis, and is a good Land-mark to Saylers. This Island was first inhabited by a race of huge Giants, much spoken of by Homer, who called them the Lestrigones; and the Cyclopes of which last was Polyphemus, so famoused for the entertainment of Ʋlysses and his Fellows. This Isle is divided into 3 Provinces or Valleys.

• 1.711. VALLI DE NOTO, which is the South-east part, hath for its chief places, 1. Siracusa, once the Metropolis of the whole Isle, strongly fenced about with a Wall, and other Fortifications, being a Garrison of Spaniards. Its Buildings are fair, and shew something of its Antiquity; it hath two Havens, one towards the South, and the other towards the North-sides of the City. 2. Leontium, seated Northwards of Siracusa, with which it had divers times struglings for Priority: And 3. Enna, a Midland Town or City.

2. VALLI DE MAZORA containeth all the West part of the Isle; its chief places are, 1. Moreal, or Montreal, famous for its Archbishops See and Church. 2. Girgenti, the Seat of the Tyrant Phalaris, who afflicted Perillus in the Brazen Bull: and 3. Palermo, once a Colony of the Phoenicians, and now the: chief City in the Isle, being the Seat of the Spanish Viceroy. It is beautified with magnificent Palaces and Temples, curious Buildings, and fair Streets, famous for being the Birth-place of so many brave Men, as was Siracusa.

3. VALLI DE DEMONA, possessing the North-east part of the Isle, and boasteth of its chief Town Messina, seated opposite to Rhegium in Naples, a place of great strength, as well by Nature as Art, haying before it the Sea, where they have a no less famous and commodious, than a strong Haven, and behind it are high Hills. It is the See of an Archbishop, beautified with fair and stately Edifices; and here the Vice-Roy hath a magnificent Palace adjoyning to the Arsenal, where their Gallies, &c. are kept; and here Venus, Neptune, Castor, and Pollux had their Temples, from whose ruins are now erected Christian Churches. The Gentry and Citizens here live in great delight and pleasure; this City is the chiefest place of Traffick in the Isle, being very well frequented by Merchants and Strangers. Its other places are Malaso, seated on the North Promontory; then Erix, where Venus was worshipped; next Catania, where there is a Colledge for the studying the Sciences, but chiefly for the Civil and Canon Laws; and lastly Nicosia, a Midland Town.