or CURZOLA, an island in the gulf of Venice, divided from Ragusa in Dalmatia by a narrow strait. E. Long. 18°. N. Lat. 42°. 35'.

COOS, or Coos, (anc. geogr.), a noble island on the coast coast of Caria, in the Hither Asia, fifteen miles to the west of Halicarnassus, a hundred in compass, called *Merope*; and hence Thucydides joins both names together, *Cos Merope*; it had a cognominal town *Cos*, but originally called *Alypalaea*, mentioned by Homer; with a port locked or walled round, (Scylax, Mei.). The island was fruitful, and yielded a generous wine, (Strabo). It boasted of Hippocrates and Apelles; each at the head of his several profession. It was the country of Philetas, an excellent elegiac poet, who flourished in the time of Philip and Alexander; the preceptor of Ptolemy Philadelphus: so thin and light that he was obliged to wear lead to prevent the being blown away by a puff of wind (Aelian, Athenaeus); much commended by Propertius. The *vespes Cone*, made of silk, were famous for their fineness and colour, (Horace, Propertius, Tibullus). In the suburbs of Cos stood the temple of Æsculapius, a noble structure, and extremely rich.