Kitap 8
4.2
The ancient Messenian Pylus was a city lying below the Aegaleum, and after it was razed, some of the inhabitants settled under the Coryphasium. But the Athenians in their second expedition against Sicily, under the command of Eurymedon and Stratocles, got possession of it, and used it as a stronghold against the Lacedaemonians.Thucydides, b. iv. ch. 2. The expedition was under the command of Eurymedon and Sophocles. Stratocles being at the time archon at Athens. Here also is the Messenian Cyparissia, (and the island Prote,) lying close to Pylus, the island Sphagia, called also Sphacteria. It was here that the Lacedaemonians lost three hundred men,Thucydides, b. iv. ch. 38. The number was 292. who were besieged by the Athenians and taken prisoners.
4.2
Two islands, called Strophades,Strivali. belonging to the Cy- parissii, lie off at sea in front of this coast, at the distance of about 400 stadia from the continent, in the Libyan and southern sea. According to Thucydides this Pylus was the naval station of the Messenians. It is distant from Sparta 400 stadia.
4.3
Next is Methone.According to Pausanias, Mothone, or Methone, was the Pedasus of Homer. It is the modern Modon. This city, called by the poet Pedasus, was one of the seven, it is said, which Agamemnon promised to Achilles. There Agrippa killed, in the Actian war, Bogus, the king of the Maurusii, a partisan of Antony’s, having got possession of the place by an attack by sea
4.4
Continuous with Methone is Acritas,Cape Gallo. The Gulf of Messenia is now the Gulf of Coron. where the Messenian Gulf begins, which they call also Asinaeus from Asine, a small city, the first we meet with on the gulf, and having the same name as the Hermionic Asine.
