in Ancient Geography, an island of the Aegean sea, one of the Cyclades, with a strong nominal town, 38 miles distant from Delos (Pliny, Nepos). Anciently called Paitye and Minoa (Pliny); also Demetrias, Zacynthus, Hyria, Hylecetta, and Cabarnis (Nicanor). The country of Archilochus the iambic poet (Strabo). An island famous for its white marble (Virgil, Horace, Ovid), called lychnites, because dug with lamps (Pliny). The name of Cabarnis is borrowed, according to Stephanus, from one Cabarnus, who first informed Ceres of the rape of her daughter Proserpine; or, according to Hesychius, from the Cabarni, the priests of Ceres being so called by the inhabitants of this island. The name of Minoa is borrowed from Minos king of Crete, who subdued this, as he did most of the other islands of the Aegean sea. It was called Paros, which name it retains to this day, from Paros the son of Parrhasius, or, as Stephanus will have it, of Jafon the Argonaut. Paros, according to Pliny's computation, is distant from Naxos seven miles and a half, and 28 from Delos. Some modern travellers suppose that it is 8c, others only 50 miles in compass. Pliny says it is half as large as Naxos, that is, between 36 and 37 miles in compass. It was a rich and powerful island, being termed the most wealthy and happy of the Cyclades, and by Cornelius Nepos an island elated with its riches. The city of Paros, the metropolis, is styled by Stephanus a potent city, and one of the largest in the Archipelago: the present city of Paros, now Parichia, is supposed to have been built upon its ruins, the country abounding with valuable monuments of antiquity. The very walls of the present city are built with columns, architraves, pedestals, mingled with pieces of ancient marble of a surprising magnitude, which were once employed in more noble edifices. Paros was indeed formerly famous for its marble, which was of an extraordinary whiteness, and in such request among the ancients that the best statuaries used no other (A). The island is provided with several capacious and safe harbours, and was anciently much resorted to by traders. It was, according to Thucydides, originally peopled by the Phoenicians, who were the first masters of the sea. Afterwards the Carians settled here, as we are told by Thucydides and Diodorus. But these two authors differ as to the time when the Carians came first into the island; for Thucydides tells us, that the Carians were driven out by the Cretans under the conduct of Minos; and Diodorus writes, that the Carians did not settle here till after the Trojan war, when they found the Cretans in possession of the island. Stephanus thinks that the Cretans, mixed with some Arcadians, were the only people that ever possessed this island. Minos himself, if we believe Pliny, resided some time in the island of Paros, and received here the melancholy news of the death of his son Androgeus, who was killed in Attica after he had distinguished himself at the public games. We find the inhabitants of this island chosen from among all the Greeks by the Milesians to compose the differences which had for two generations rent that unhappy state into parties and factions. They acquitted themselves with great prudence, and reformed the government. They assisted Darius in his expedition against Greece with a considerable squadron; but after the victory obtained by Miltiades at Marathon, they were reduced to great straits by that general. However, after blocking up the city for 26 days, he was obliged to quit the enterprise, and return to Athens with disgrace. Upon his departure, the Parians were informed that Timo, a priest of the national gods, and then his prisoner, had advised him to perform some secret ceremony in the temple of Ceres, near the city; assuring him that he would thereby gain the place. Upon this information they sent deputies to consult the oracle of Delphi, whether they should punish her with death, for endeavouring to betray the city to the enemy, and discovering the sacred mysteries to Miltiades. The Pythian answered that Timo was not the adviser; but that the gods, having resolved to destroy Miltiades, had only made her the instrument of his death. After the battle of Salamis, Themistocles subjected Paros and most of the other neighbouring islands to Athens, exacting large sums from them by way of punishment for having favoured the Persians. It appears from the famous monument of Adulas, which Colmos of Egypt has described with great exactness, that Paros and the other Cyclades were once subject to the Ptolemies of Egypt. However, Paros fell again under the power of the Athenians, who continued masters of it till they were driven out by Mithridates

(A) Sutherland says, "that while its marble quarries continued to be worked, Paros was one of the most flourishing of the Cyclades; but on the decline of the eastern empire they were entirely neglected, and are now converted into caves, in which the shepherds shelter their flocks. We have been in several of these subterraneous folds, which put me much in mind of Homer's description of Polyphemus. The common walls are almost entirely composed of marble; and in examining a very small part of one, we found several pieces of cornice and basso rilievo. Several fine blocks of marble (fragments of columns) are lying close to the water's edge; and seem to have been brought there by travellers, who for want of a proper purchase to get them on board, have not been able to carry them further." Paros thridates the Great. But that prince being obliged to yield to Sylla, to Lucullus, and to Pompey, this and the other islands of the Archipelago submitted to the Romans, who reduced them to a province with Lydia, Phrygia, and Caria.

Mr Sutherland, who lately visited Paros, says, that "the water in it is excellent; and as that which we got at Messina has been complained of, as being too hard to make proper pefte soup for the people, all the casks are ordered to be emptied and refilled. The Ruffians made this place their grand arsenal; their powder magazines, and several other buildings, are still standing; and the island is considerably indebted to them for improving the convenience for water, and for the trade which the cash they expended introduced among the inhabitants."