ndoubtedly, the place had its name.
[834]Bitumen nascitur prope lacum Sosingitem, cujus alveo Tigris voratus,
fluensque subterraneus, procursis spatiis longis, emergit. Hic et Naptha
gignitur specie picea. In his pagis hiatus conspicitur terrae, unde halitus
lethalis exsurgens, quodcunque animal prope consistit, odore gravi
consumit. There was an island of the like nature at the mouth of the river
Indus, which was sacred to the Sun, and styled Cubile [835]Nympharum: in
qua nullum non animal absumitur. In Athamania was a temple of the Nymphs,
or [836]Nymphaeum; and near it a fountain of fire, which consumed things
brought near to it. Hard by Apollonia was an eruption of bituminous matter,
like that in Assyria: and this too was named [837]Nymphaeum. The same author
(Strabo) mentions, that in Seleucia, styled Pieria, there was alike
bituminous eruption, taken notice of by Posidonius; and that it was called
Ampelitis: [838][Greek: Ten Ampeliten gen asphaltode, ten en Seleukeiai te
Pieriai metalleuomenen]. The hot streams, and poisonous effluvia near
Puteoli and lake Avernus are well known. It was esteemed a place of great
sanctity; and people of a prophetic character are said to have here
resided. Here was a [839]Nymphaeum, supposed to have been an oracular
temple. There was a method of divination at Rome, mentioned by [840]Dion
Cassius, in which people formed their judgment of future events from the
steam of lighted frankincense. The terms of inquiry were remarkable: for
their curiosity was indulged in respect to every future contingency,
excepting death and marriage. The place of divination was here too called
[841]Nymphaeum. Pausanias takes notice of a cavern near Platea, which was
sacred to the Nymphs of Cithaeron: [Greek: Huper de tes koruphes, eph' hei
ton bomon poiountai, pente pou malista kai deka hupokatabanti stadious
NYMPHON estin antron Kithaironidon--MANTEUESTHAI de tas Numphas to archaion
autothi echei logos.] We find that the Nymphs of this place had been of old
prophetic. Evagrius mentions a splendid building at Antioch called
Nymphaeum, remarkable [842][Greek: Namaton ploutoi], for the advantage of
its waters. There was a Nymphaeum at Rome mentioned by Marcellinus.
[843]Septemzodium celebrem locum, ubi Nymphaeum Marcus condidit Imperator.
Here were the Thermae Antonianae. As from Ain Ompha came Nympha; so from Al
Ompha was derived Lympha. This differed from Aqua, or common water, as
being of a sacred and proph