Message #20006

[Bianca]

STRABO - Book III Chapter 5


THE EDITOR'S NOTES



133 Diodorus Siculus (5.17) says the islands were "by the Greeks called 'Gymnesiae,' on account of the fact that the inhabitants went 'unclad' (γθμνοὺς τῆς ἐσθῆτος) in the summer-time (so Livy, Epit. 60), "both by the natives and the Romans 'Baliarides,' from the fact that they hurl (βάλλειν) big stones with their slings the best of all mankind" (so Livy, l.c., who adds, "or else from Baleus, companion of Hercules"). Strabo elsewhere (14.2.10) makes Baliarides of Phoenician origin.

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134 Cp. vol. I, page 101, and footnote 1.

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135 That is, for a shield.

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136 But cp. Diodorus Siculus, who says (5.18): "Their equipment for fighting is three slings (so also Florus 3.8 = 1.43 in Rossbach's ed.); and, of these, they keep one round the head, another round the belly, and a third in the hands."

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137 The works of Philetas of Cos are lost. This "Hermeneia," meaning "Interpretation" (?), is otherwise unknown. The reference may be to a poem of Philetas which, according to Parthenius (Erotica 2), was entitled "Hermes." However, the entire reference has every appearance of being merely a gloss on "black-tufted rush," as was first suggested by Casaubon.

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