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SANDYS. 207 almost of the Island, and midst of a goodly plaine, stands the late regali city of Nicosia: circular in forme, and five miles in circumference : not yeelding in beauty (before defaced by the Turks) unto the principali cities of Italy. Taken by the foresaid Mustafa on the ninth of September, in the yeare 1570 with an incredible slaughter, and death of Dandolus the un warlike Governor, The chiefe of the prisoners, and richest spoiles, he caused to be embarked in two tall ships, and a great galliou, for a present to send unto Solium* : when a noble aud beautifull Lady, preferring an honourable death before a life which would prove so repleate with slavery and hated prostitutions, set fire on certain ban-els of powder, which not only tore in peeces the vessels that earned her, but burnt the other so low that the sea devoured their reliques. The Frankes have their faeton» resident in Nicosia, partly in-habited by the ancient Greeke-Cypriots, and partly by Turkes and Moores. The buildings are low, flat rooft, the entrances little, for the most part ascended by staires for the more difficult entry. North of this and npon the sea, stood Cerunnia, erected by Cyrus (now of great strength and called Cerine**: yet surrendredjie the Turks before it was besieged) and at the West and of that Province the city of the Sunne, with the Temples of Venus and Isis, built by Phalerns and Achainus the Athenians. The mountains of Olympus lies on the South of Lepathia, high, and taking up fiftie miles with his basis, now called the mountaine of the Holy Crosse. Clothed with trees of all sorts, and stored with fountaines ; whereon are a number of Monasteries possest by the Greeke Oaloieros of the order of Saint Basil. South of which even to the sea, oxtendeth Amathusia, " heavy with my lies of brass." So called of the City Amathus, now scarcely showing her foundation, sacred unto Venus, and wherein the rites of her Adonis were annually celebrated. Built perhaps by Amasis (for I do but so conjecture by the name, and that it lieth opposite unto ./Egypt) who was the first that conquered Cyprus. Bast thereof are the Salines, so named of the abundance of salt-that is made there : where the Türke did first laud his army : the shore thereabout being fit for that purpose. On the west side of Amathus there is a promontory in forme of a peninsula, called formerly Curias (of the not far distant city built by the Argives, at this day named Episcopia, where Apollo had a grove hard by a promontory, from whence they were throwne that but presumed to touch his altar) now called the cape of Cats : whereon are the ruins of a monastery of Greeke Caloieros, faire when it flourished, with a sumptuous temple dedicated to Saint Nicholas. The Monkes, as they say, being obliged to foster a number of cats for the destruction of the abundance of serpents that infested those quarters; accustoming to return to the Convent at the sound of a bell when they had sufficiently hunted. Paphia coinprehendeth the west of Cyprus, so called of the maritime city built by the sonne of Pigmalion, by his Ivory Statue : such said to be in regard of her beauty ; of whom (having long lived a single life in detestation of those lustful] women) he became enamoured, (Ovid. Met. X. 297.) " She Paphus bare, whose name that Hand beare*." But Paphus, according to others, was built by Cinyras (both father and grandfather to Adonis) who called it so in remembrance of Paphus his father. This Cinyras having sworne to assist Menelaus with fiftie ships, sent hiin only one, with the models of the others in clay, to colour his perjury. No plaee there was through the whole earth where Venns was more honoured. (Virg. JEhi. 1.410.) " An hundred fiers Sabean gums consume, There in her fane, which fragrant wreathes perfume." Five miles from thence stands the City of Baffo, called new Paphos heretofore, and built by Agapeuor, frequented from all parts both by men and women, who went from

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