Book 9
4.2
Immediately after Halae, where the Boeotian coast opposite Euboea terminates, is the Opuntian bay. Opus is the capital, as the inscription intimates, which is engraved on the first of the five pillars at Thermopylae, near the Polyandrium:A monument, or cenotaph, common to many persons. Opoeis, the capital of the Locri, hides in its bosom those who died in defence of Greece against the Medes. It is distant from the sea about 15 stadia, and 60 from the naval arsenal. The arsenal is Cynus,The site is marked by a tower called Paleopyrgo, near the modern Lebanitis. a promontory, which forms the boundary of the Opuntian bay. The latter is 40 stadia in extent. Between Opus and Cynus is a fertile plain, opposite to Aedepsus in Euboea, where are the warm bathsMentioned by Athenaeus, b. iii. Hot springs were generally sacred to Hercules. of Hercules, and is separated by a strait of 160 stadia. Deucalion is said to have lived at Cynus. There also is shown the tomb of Pyrrha; but that of Deucalion is at Athens. Cynus is distant from Mount Cnemis about 50 stadia. The island AtalantaDiodorus Siculus asserts that it was separated from the continent by an earthquake; but statements of this kind were commonly and hastily made, where the natural appearances were favourable to them. is opposite to Opus, having the same name as the island in front of Attica. It is said, that some Opuntii are to be found in the Eleian territory, whom it is not worth while to notice, except that they pretend to trace some affinity subsisting between themselves and the Locri Opuntii. HomerIl. xxiii. 85. says that Patroclus was from Opus, and that having committed murder undesignedly, he fled to Peleus, but that the father Menoetius remained in his native country; for it is to Opus that Achilles promised Menoetius that he would bring back Patroclus on his return from the Trojan expedition.Il. xviii. 326. Not that Menoetius was king of the Opuntii, but Ajax the Locrian, who, according to report, was born at Narycus. The name of the person killed by Patroclus was Aeanes; a grove, called after him Aeaneium, and a fountain, Aeanis, are shown.
