§ 1  Throughout, O Theophrastos, as you know, I shape something personal, and not the toil of others, which some do, setting out my own work, now I have investigated all of Greece and the cities composing it in order, a Hellenic and not unmusical element, providing sufficient amusement to those able to correctly perceive each thing. For what is spoken of by the old authors in many words,

§ 10  will be expressed poetically in a short space, which is possible for one having sufficiently strong ability. I undertake that you will have stored up safely in your keeping the most famous cities, groves, rivers, islands, sea-crossings and harbors, and the races are in the Peloponnese and those bordering them, place by place, so that not even one of the whole will escape notice and you will have them all in memory, with each one clear and agreed. You would find this not a sluggish but an eager business, so give yourself wholly to the work without delay, and engage in love of knowledge, just as you are wont to do.

§ 24  The first polis of Hellas is Ambracia, which is said to be a colony of the Corinthians. It is built within the so-called Ambracian Gulf, 80 stades from the sea. It has a famous sanctuary of Athena in it, and a closed harbor. The whole country is called Dryopis.

§ 31  Hellas from Ambracia on seems to be continuous. Its limit comes at the river Peneios, as Phileas writes, and the mountain of the Magnesians called Homole. Some say Magnesia is part of Greece, and don't know that Phileas separates them, but this is evident to those who most aspire to be lovers of knowledge. Except now I will proceed with the rest of my account.

§ 40  From Ambracia to Thessaly is a road of three days. It has the river called Aratthos flowing out to the sea, and a mountain called Hieron looming over it. The coastal voyage is 120 stadia. [45] Next after this are the so-called Orestai, then Amphilochia, where Amphilochian Argos is. After this the Acarnanians. They have a number of cities and Leukas, after which there is a great Gulf leading to the Isthmus.

§ 50  Islands of the Kephallenians are lying in it: Ithaca 80 stadia long, narrow, lofty and with three harbors...
To the west of Aitolia dwell the ...
Below is a sanctuary called of Herakles, and another of Aphrodite. The country has a river, the Acheloos. The coastal voyage is two days and nights. Aitolia comes next, in which is a polis Pleuron, and a holy sanctuary named for Athena.

§ 60  Then Kalydon, and then the Echinades islands, and the Euenos river flowing from Pindos. These of the Dolopians dwell toward the south. Its coastal voyage is one day. Then after it Lokris, in which the polis Naupaktos. then a great harbor and the city Tolophon. After Tolophon is the river called Hylaithos. They say this flows from Aitolia. All the coastal voyage is not even a full day.

§ 70  These dwell to the south of Aitolia, who were previously called Leleges. Then the Phokians follow the Lokrians, and have the Krisaion plain. From Kirra advancing upwards is the polis of the Delphians and the sanctuary in which is the oracle, and Parnasos, a great and thick-shaded mountain, which has the Korykion cave of the nymphs. Then the polis Antikyra and the river Kephisos flowing from Phokis. The coastal voyage is not a whole day.

§ 80  Inland is the polis Kyparissos and Krisa, and after it Daulis. The Boiotian country is after the Phokians, lying east of Phokis. And there are two famed mountains, one called Helikon and the other Kithairon. Then the polis Oropos, and a sanctuary not far removed from the sea, of Amphiaraos with a temple and temenos, and Aulis a city of the Boiotians, with a harbor beside, and a sacred sanctuary of Artemis, which Agamemnon is said to have founded.

§ 90  Then the promontory called Eresion, then Euripos. Anthedon has the Anthedonion harbor. And not much after, Tanagra. Inland is a very fair polis, great Thebes, with a perimeter of 43 stadia. And Kopai polis, and Orchomenos. Then not much after, the polis Lebadeia and sanctuary of Trophonios, where they say the oracle happened. Then Okalea polis and Medeon.

§ 100  After this lies Thespia and then next what is called Plataiai, and after a certain polis Nisa. The length of Boiotia is, as they say, 500 stades, and the width 270. Rivers it has, the one called Ismenos, and Asopos, with well-watered plains lying alongside. Then the land of the Megarians. From there the beginning of the Peloponnese.
... Harbor ... piled up, and Lechaion ... polis ...

§ 110  Crete is a certain island, washed by the sea, lying off Kythera. Its size is almost 2500 stadia. It is the most pelagic of all, perfectly narrow. In it three races of Greeks had colonies: the Lakedaimonians, the Argives, and the Athenians. It also has indigenous barbarian races. That say that in Crete there is a city lying toward the sunset, with a closed harbor and a holy sanctuary of Artemis, and the goddess is called Diktynna. Next Aptera, so called, inland; and then Knossos and to the south Gortyna. There are others cities in Crete, which it would be laborious to state. Of rivers, it has the Lethaios, and then the Didymous (twin) rivers, and then the Mainomenos (raging), then the Kedrisos, Amphimela, and Messapolis; the Diktynnaion mount is to the west.

§ 130  We see the Cycladic islands lying beyond Geraistos, toward the south of Euboia, embracing the Myrtoan sea, the land of Attica fully sharing. [135] Near is Keos, first island, a tetrapolis and harbor, lying under Sounion. Kythnos follows, an island polis, then Seriphos with a harbor, then Siphnos and next Kimolos ... having two harbors.

§ 140  After it is the sacred island Delos, and a harbor, and a temple of Apollo. Next to it is Mykonos, and after it Tenos and a harbor, and Andros island and a harbor off Geraistos. These are the Cyclades, and there are others called Sporades, among which Melos, then not far away Thera island, then not far to Ios, then Naxos. After this one, pelagic Skyros, which we see lying off Euboia. From it [150] the island called Peparethos lies not far off, with three poleis. ...