Pompeii, its history, buildings, and antiquities : an account of the destruction of the city with a full description of the remains, and of the recent excavations, and also an itinerary for visitors . e river Liris. and on the south by the Silarus. Theline of coast included between these points is broken by twofar-projecting capes, Misenum and the promontory of Mi-nerva, between which lies a deep recess, called from its shapeCrater, the Cup, or the Gulf of Cumae, and known in moderntimes as the Bay of Naples. At the bottom of this bay stoodPompeii, about thirteen miles south-east of Naples, an
Pompeii, its history, buildings, and antiquities : an account of the destruction of the city with a full description of the remains, and of the recent excavations, and also an itinerary for visitors . e river Liris. and on the south by the Silarus. Theline of coast included between these points is broken by twofar-projecting capes, Misenum and the promontory of Mi-nerva, between which lies a deep recess, called from its shapeCrater, the Cup, or the Gulf of Cumae, and known in moderntimes as the Bay of Naples. At the bottom of this bay stoodPompeii, about thirteen miles south-east of Naples, and fivefrom Vesuvius. Of its history very little is known. It isrelated to have been founded by Hercules, as well as itsneighbour and fellow-victim, Herculaneum. Solinus saysthat the name of Pompeii is derived from Pompe, in allusionto the pomp with which Hercules celebrated his victories,while awaiting his fleet at the mouth of the river £ furnished with so resj:>ectable and credible an origin, 30 POJIPEII. it would be waste of time to inquire any further. An almostimpenetrable darkness bangs over tbese remote ages; andwben men are driven to take refuge in mythology, it is plain. Bay of Najiles. that they can find little satisfaction in history. Strabo, how-ever, asserts that these towns were founded by Pelasgiansand Tyrrhenians*. Tbe first inhabitants that we can traceon this coast are the Osci, who appear to have been the sameas the Ausones, and of Pelasgian extraction. At an early,but still an unknown period, a colony from Chalcis in Eubceafounded the town of Cuniae. Parthenope, afterwards calledNeapolis, now Naples, was an offset from thence, or from akindred colony of Eretrians. Pompeii and Herculaneumalso fell into their power, but their establishments seem tohave extended no further in this direction. Campania, where, in Plinys words, all imaginable delightswere in constant rivalry, has always been celebrated as tempt-* Lib. v. c. 4, § 8. HISTORICAL NOTIC
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