DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0455
438 CORTONA. [chap. lvi.
Then the dark mass of Montepulciano, rising on the
further side of the wide plain, like a second Cortona,
is brightened into life. Anon the towers, battlements and
roofs of the town at our feet are touched with gold—and
ere long the fair face of the Thrasymene in the south
bursts into smiles—and the beams roll over the mountain-
tops in a torrent, and flood the vast plain beneath, dis-
closing regions of corn and wood, of vines and olives, with
many a glittering farm and village and town—a map of
fertility and luxuriance, in which the eye recognizes Chiusi,
La Pieve, and other familiar spots in the far southern
horizon.
The origin of Cortona, it has been said, is very ancient
—so remote indeed that it is necessarily involved in ob-
scurity.7 The legend that makes it the city of Dardanus
and elder sister of Troy has already been mentioned.
Tradition asserts that long ere the establishment of the
Etruscan State, Cortona was "great and flourishing8"—
" a memorable city of the Umbrians,9"—and that it was
taken from them by the Pelasgi and Aborigines, who used
it as a bulwark against them, seeing it was well fortified,
and surrounded by good pastures.1 Subsequently, with
7 This obscurity is increased by the and by Theopompus (ap. Tzetz. ad Ly-
different names by which the city was coph. loc. cit.), who records a tradition
known — Corythus, Croton, Crotona, that Ulysses, called by the Etruscans,
Cyrtonion, Creston, Gortynaea, Cothor- Nanos (cf. Lycoph. 1244 ; Tzetzes in
nia, or Cortona. The latter name, if loc), sailed to Etruria, took up his
we may believe Dionysius (I. p. 21) abode at Gortynaea, and there died,
was only given when the city was made This says Miiller is the Hellenised form
a Roman colony, not long before his of Cortona, for no other Etruscan city
day, taking the place of the old appel- can be here intended. Etrusk. IV. 4,1.
lation, Croton. Of Corythus, we have 8 Dion. Hal. I. p. 16.
already spoken. Cyrtonios or Cyrtonion 9 Dion. Hal. I. p. 20.
is the name used by Polybius (III. 82) > Dion. Hal. I. p. 16. cf. Hell-
and Stephanus of Byzantium. Creston anicus of Lesbos ap. eund. I. p. 22.
is found only in Herodotus, and will be The Pelasgic character of Cortona is
further mentioned presently. Gortynaea also intimated by the legend, which
is used by Lycophron (Cass. 806), represents Jasius son of Corythus, king
Then the dark mass of Montepulciano, rising on the
further side of the wide plain, like a second Cortona,
is brightened into life. Anon the towers, battlements and
roofs of the town at our feet are touched with gold—and
ere long the fair face of the Thrasymene in the south
bursts into smiles—and the beams roll over the mountain-
tops in a torrent, and flood the vast plain beneath, dis-
closing regions of corn and wood, of vines and olives, with
many a glittering farm and village and town—a map of
fertility and luxuriance, in which the eye recognizes Chiusi,
La Pieve, and other familiar spots in the far southern
horizon.
The origin of Cortona, it has been said, is very ancient
—so remote indeed that it is necessarily involved in ob-
scurity.7 The legend that makes it the city of Dardanus
and elder sister of Troy has already been mentioned.
Tradition asserts that long ere the establishment of the
Etruscan State, Cortona was "great and flourishing8"—
" a memorable city of the Umbrians,9"—and that it was
taken from them by the Pelasgi and Aborigines, who used
it as a bulwark against them, seeing it was well fortified,
and surrounded by good pastures.1 Subsequently, with
7 This obscurity is increased by the and by Theopompus (ap. Tzetz. ad Ly-
different names by which the city was coph. loc. cit.), who records a tradition
known — Corythus, Croton, Crotona, that Ulysses, called by the Etruscans,
Cyrtonion, Creston, Gortynaea, Cothor- Nanos (cf. Lycoph. 1244 ; Tzetzes in
nia, or Cortona. The latter name, if loc), sailed to Etruria, took up his
we may believe Dionysius (I. p. 21) abode at Gortynaea, and there died,
was only given when the city was made This says Miiller is the Hellenised form
a Roman colony, not long before his of Cortona, for no other Etruscan city
day, taking the place of the old appel- can be here intended. Etrusk. IV. 4,1.
lation, Croton. Of Corythus, we have 8 Dion. Hal. I. p. 16.
already spoken. Cyrtonios or Cyrtonion 9 Dion. Hal. I. p. 20.
is the name used by Polybius (III. 82) > Dion. Hal. I. p. 16. cf. Hell-
and Stephanus of Byzantium. Creston anicus of Lesbos ap. eund. I. p. 22.
is found only in Herodotus, and will be The Pelasgic character of Cortona is
further mentioned presently. Gortynaea also intimated by the legend, which
is used by Lycophron (Cass. 806), represents Jasius son of Corythus, king