An island; it lies directly opposite Thrace.[1] They say that Samians settled it and gave it this name; and [the story] has been told as follows by Antiphon, in the Samothracian Speech: "in fact those who settled the island in the beginning were Samians, from whom we were born. They were settled by necessity, not from desire for the island: for they were exiled from Samos by tyrants and enjoyed the following fate. Taking plunder from Thrace, they arrived at the island."[2]
"But if any of you [is] an initiate in Samothrace, now it is well to pray that the feet of the fetcher be turned back."[3] In Samothrace there were certain rituals which they believed were performed as averting spells against certain dangers. There, too, were the mysteries of the Korybantes, those of Hekate, and the cave of Zerinthos in which they used to sacrifice dogs. The initiates were thought to be saved by these things from dangers and storms. "Turned back" [is said] in place of "broken", [referring] to the man fetching the pestle; or [because] the road into the second[4] became obstructive to him, so that he never returned.