Dionysius of Byzantium, Anaplous of the Bosporos
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§ 100 After which another anchorage Phiela [...] of the Chalcedonian men able to do great things.
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§ 101 On it a low, rounded mountain with the base making a circular shape. Seeing it, though an unintentional work of nature, one would suppose it to be a theater, hence the name it is called by, Theater.
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§ 102 Nearby is a headland named Lembos (raft), called this from the shape. Adjoining it is a beach, with a very steep island at the mouth, where the bottom is whitened by submerged reefs that divert the run of fish toward Europe. Startled by the sight they cut their course with a favoring current. The Chalcedonians call it Blabe (Harm), giving it a ready name suitable to what happens in their experience.
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§ 103 Then the so-called Potamonion and after it Nausikleia where, they say, the Chalcedonians prevailed in a sea battle over those sailing against them,
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§ 104 and Echaia promontory with a current around it, and Lykadion bay, somewhat deep. The former is named for a Megarian man, and Lykadion from some local person.
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§ 105 Near it is Nausimachion, a village notable for another sea battle.
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§ 106 Thence Kikonion, which took its name from the excessive harshness and wickedness of the settlers. Worsted in civil strife, they were driven out of the country.
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§ 107 After this the so-called Roizousai (hissing) headlands, around which the wave breaks and hisses, and then the Diskoi. The first is the larger, the second is much inferior, but both are similar in shape.
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§ 108 Following on them is Metopon (forehead) parallel to the one on the European side. After which an excellent harbor, both large and calm. A deep, soft beach surrounds it.
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§ 109 The area beyond the sea is a plain sitting upon the shore. It is called Chrysopolis, some say, because here under Persian rule they collected the gold assigned from the cities, but most say that it is on account of the tomb of Chrysos, the child of Chryseis and Agamemnon. For he is said to have come here fleeing in fear of Aigisthos and Klytaimnestra, intending to cross over to Tauris to Iphigeneia his sister. For Iphigeneia was already priestess of Artemis. But he died of disease and left his name to the place. But the name could have come from the convenience of the harbor, since wonderful things are compared to gold.
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§ 110 Next a headland protrudes, exposed to the pounding of the sea. For much current is driven against it, toward the so-called Cow. This is a sort of launch point for crossing to Europe, with a white marble column on which is a cow, which Chares the Athenian general made after the funeral of his concubine Boidion (calf), who expired here. The inscription shows the truth of this account. Meanwhile, those who make their historical inquiry casually and without taking any trouble assume the image is of the ancient end and are led far astray.
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§ 111 After the Cow is the spring of Heragoras and the precinct of the hero Eurostos. After which a low, flat shore, watered by the Himeros river, and on it a precinct of Aphrodite. Beside it a small isthmus defines a very large peninsula on which is the city, a little beyond the river of Chalcedon. And it has harbors on both sides at the recesses of the isthmus. The one facing west is natural, the one looking east and toward Byzantium is artificial. It stands on the lower part of the hill and the rougher part of the plain. There are many wonderful things in it from the antiquity of its founding and its deeds and fluctuations of fortune, and in particular a precinct and oracle of Apollo that falls short of the greatest in no respect.
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§ 112 Let this be the end point of my historical account, just as it is the end point for those transiting the Bosporos.
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Via ToposText (topostext.org), a project of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation created by Brady Kiesling. Translated by Brady Kiesling. Composed ca. 100 CE. Licence: freely available for any non-commercial purpose with acknowledgement. Source.