σύρτις

σύρτις — sýrtis

Σύρτις (Lachmann Σύρτις; cf. Tdf. Proleg., p. 103; Chandler § 650), Συρτισεως, accusative Σύρτιν, ἡ (σύρω, which see (others from Arabicsert, i. e. 'desert'; others besides, see Pape, Eigennamen, under the word)), Syrtis, the name of two places in the African or Libyan Sea between Carthage and Cyrenaica, full of shallows and sandbanks, and therefore destructive to ships; the western Syrtis, between the islands Cercina and Meninx (or the promontories of Zeitha and Brachodes), was called Syrtis minor, the eastern (extending from the promontory of Cephalae on the Winers Grammar, to that of Boreum on the E.) was called Syrtis major (sinus Psyllicus); this latter must be the one referred to in Act 27:17, for upon this the ship in which Paul was sailing might easily be cast after leaving Crete. (Cf. B. D. under the word.)