Book 10
1.8
These cities, Eretria and Chalcis, when their population was greatly augmented, sent out considerable colonies to Macedonia, for Eretria founded cities about Pallene and Mount Athos; Chalcis founded some near Olynthus, which Philip destroyed. There are also many settlements in Italy and Sicily, founded by Chalcidians. These colonies were sent out, according to Aristotle,Repub. b. iv. c. 3. when the government of the Hippobatae, (or Knights,) as it is called, was established; it was an aristocratical government, the heads of which held their office by virtue of the amount of their property. At the time that Alexander passed over into Asia, they enlarged the compass of the walls of their city, including within them Canethus,According to the Scholiast in Apollon. Rhod. Argon. b i. v. 7, Canethus was a mountain on the Boeotian side of the Euripus. and the Euripus, and erected towers upon the bridge, a wall, and gates.
1.9
Above the city of the Chalcidians is the plain called Lelantum, in which are hot springs, adapted to the cure of diseases, and which were used by Cornelius Sylla, the Roman general. There was also an extraordinary mine which produced both copper and iron; such, writers say, is not to be found elsewhere. At present, however, both are exhausted. The whole of Euboea is subject to earthquakes, especially the part near the strait. It is also exposed to violent subterraneous blasts, like Boeotia, and other places of which I have before spoken at length.B. i. c. iii. § 16. The city of the same name as the island is said to have been swallowed up by an earthquake.B. ix. c. ii. § 13. It is mentioned by Aeschylus in his tragedy of Glaucus Pontius; Euboïs near the bending shore of Jupiter Cenaeus, close to the tomb of the wretched Lichas.
