DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14699#0052
ioi4
Appendix P
(17) The Vadimonis Lacus, another lakelet of Etruria, lying on the right
bank of the Tiber about four miles above Horta {Orte) and in modern times
variously termed the Laghetto or Lagherello or even Lago di Bassano or Basanello
from a village in the neighbourhood, could boast in antiquity not only one floating
island (Plin. nat. hist. 2. 209, Sen. nat. quaestt. 3. 25. 8, and perhaps Strab. 614)
but several (anon, de aqiiis mirabilibus {supra p. 975) 38 tori hi ko.1 Xukkos
OvadifMovos KaXovfievrj Xlfxvrj ov [XtydXri cv 'iraKiq o/xo/to? I'^ouo-a vrj(ria irXttova ttcktij
way )j.(TaKivovjx(va), An interesting account of them is given by Plin. epist. 8. 20
(trans. W. Melmoth rev. W. M. L. Hutchinson): 'I went close up to this lake.
It is formed exactly circular (in similitudinem iacentis rotae circumscriptus et
undique aequalis); there is not the least obliquity or winding, but all is regular
and even as if it had been hollowed and cut out by the hand of art. The colour
of its water is a whitish-blue, verging upon green, and somewhat cloudy; it has
the odour of sulphur and a strong medicinal taste, and possesses the property of
cementing fractures. Though it is but of moderate extent, yet the winds have
a great effect upon it, throwing it into violent commotions. No vessels are
suffered to sail here, as its waters are held sacred; but several grassy islands
swim about it, covered with reeds and rushes, and whatever other plants the
more prolific neighbouring marsh and the borders of the lake produce. No two
are alike in size or shape; but the edges of all of them are worn away by their
frequent collision against the shore and one another. They have all the same
depth, and the same buoyancy; for their shallow bases are formed like the hull
of a boat. This formation is distinctly visible from every point of view ; the hull
lies half above and half below the water. Sometimes the islands cluster together
and seem to form one entire little continent; sometimes they are dispersed by
veering winds; at times, when it is calm, they desert their station and float up
and down separately [at times the wind falls dead and they are left floating in
isolation a.b.c.]. You may frequently see one of the larger islands sailing along
with a lesser joined to it, like a ship with its long boat; or perhaps, seeming to
strive which shall outswim the other; then again all are driven to one spot of
the shore, which they thus advance, and now here, now there, diminish or restore
the area of the lake; only ceasing to contract it anywhere, when they occupy
the centre. Cattle have often been known, while grazing, to advance upon those
islands as upon the border of the lake, without perceiving that they are on moving
ground, till, being carried away from shore they are alarmed by finding themselves
surrounded with water, as if they had been put on board ship; and when they
presently land wherever the wind drives them ashore, they are no more sensible
of disembarking than they had been of embarking. This lake empties itself into
a river, which after running a little way above ground, sinks into a cavern and
pursues a subterraneous course and if anything is thrown in brings it up again
where the stream emerges.' 'But,' says G. Dennis The Cities and Cemeteries of
Etruria* London 1883 i. 144, 'he who would expect Pliny's description to be
verified, might search for ever in vain. It is, indeed, no easy matter to find the
lake; for it has so shrunk in dimensions, that what must have been a spacious
tract of water in the olden time, is now but a small stagnant pond, almost lost
in the tall reeds and bulrushes that wave over it. These we may conclude
represent the islets, which either never had an existence, or have now clubbed
together to stop up the lake.'
(18) A floating island in agro...Mntinensi'(Plin. nat. hist. 2. 209) is mentioned
but once and has not been further identified.
(19) Yet another, on the Lacus Benacus {Lago di Garda), the largest of all
Appendix P
(17) The Vadimonis Lacus, another lakelet of Etruria, lying on the right
bank of the Tiber about four miles above Horta {Orte) and in modern times
variously termed the Laghetto or Lagherello or even Lago di Bassano or Basanello
from a village in the neighbourhood, could boast in antiquity not only one floating
island (Plin. nat. hist. 2. 209, Sen. nat. quaestt. 3. 25. 8, and perhaps Strab. 614)
but several (anon, de aqiiis mirabilibus {supra p. 975) 38 tori hi ko.1 Xukkos
OvadifMovos KaXovfievrj Xlfxvrj ov [XtydXri cv 'iraKiq o/xo/to? I'^ouo-a vrj(ria irXttova ttcktij
way )j.(TaKivovjx(va), An interesting account of them is given by Plin. epist. 8. 20
(trans. W. Melmoth rev. W. M. L. Hutchinson): 'I went close up to this lake.
It is formed exactly circular (in similitudinem iacentis rotae circumscriptus et
undique aequalis); there is not the least obliquity or winding, but all is regular
and even as if it had been hollowed and cut out by the hand of art. The colour
of its water is a whitish-blue, verging upon green, and somewhat cloudy; it has
the odour of sulphur and a strong medicinal taste, and possesses the property of
cementing fractures. Though it is but of moderate extent, yet the winds have
a great effect upon it, throwing it into violent commotions. No vessels are
suffered to sail here, as its waters are held sacred; but several grassy islands
swim about it, covered with reeds and rushes, and whatever other plants the
more prolific neighbouring marsh and the borders of the lake produce. No two
are alike in size or shape; but the edges of all of them are worn away by their
frequent collision against the shore and one another. They have all the same
depth, and the same buoyancy; for their shallow bases are formed like the hull
of a boat. This formation is distinctly visible from every point of view ; the hull
lies half above and half below the water. Sometimes the islands cluster together
and seem to form one entire little continent; sometimes they are dispersed by
veering winds; at times, when it is calm, they desert their station and float up
and down separately [at times the wind falls dead and they are left floating in
isolation a.b.c.]. You may frequently see one of the larger islands sailing along
with a lesser joined to it, like a ship with its long boat; or perhaps, seeming to
strive which shall outswim the other; then again all are driven to one spot of
the shore, which they thus advance, and now here, now there, diminish or restore
the area of the lake; only ceasing to contract it anywhere, when they occupy
the centre. Cattle have often been known, while grazing, to advance upon those
islands as upon the border of the lake, without perceiving that they are on moving
ground, till, being carried away from shore they are alarmed by finding themselves
surrounded with water, as if they had been put on board ship; and when they
presently land wherever the wind drives them ashore, they are no more sensible
of disembarking than they had been of embarking. This lake empties itself into
a river, which after running a little way above ground, sinks into a cavern and
pursues a subterraneous course and if anything is thrown in brings it up again
where the stream emerges.' 'But,' says G. Dennis The Cities and Cemeteries of
Etruria* London 1883 i. 144, 'he who would expect Pliny's description to be
verified, might search for ever in vain. It is, indeed, no easy matter to find the
lake; for it has so shrunk in dimensions, that what must have been a spacious
tract of water in the olden time, is now but a small stagnant pond, almost lost
in the tall reeds and bulrushes that wave over it. These we may conclude
represent the islets, which either never had an existence, or have now clubbed
together to stop up the lake.'
(18) A floating island in agro...Mntinensi'(Plin. nat. hist. 2. 209) is mentioned
but once and has not been further identified.
(19) Yet another, on the Lacus Benacus {Lago di Garda), the largest of all