of Eto'lia was Cal'ydon, on the Eve'nus; and of Acarna'nia, Stra'tus. 20. The peninsula which contains southern Greece was anciently called the A'pian Land ;* but when Pe'lops had established his authority in that part of the country, in honour of him it was named the Peloponne'sus. In modern times it is called the Mo'rea, from its resemblance in shape to the leaf of a mulberry. In the centre of the peninsula is a lofty range of hills, branching out in several directions; between these are rich and fertile plains, watered by the mountain streams; but there is not any river of considerable magnitude. It contained eight countries. 21. I. Arca'dia, a mountainous inland district, nowhere bordering on the sea-coast. The general appearance of the country is very similar to that of Switzerland, and this resemblance extended to the character of the inhabitants; both were distinguished by the love of freedom and the love of money. The Arca'dian mercenaries were just as ready to fight for pay as the Swiss of the seventeenth century, and were equally indifferent to the justice of the cause for which they drew their swords. The inhabitants led a pastoral life, and the poets always described the Arca'dians as models of rural felicity. 22. The principal mountains in Arca'dia were Cylle'ne, Eryman 'thus, Mo'nalus, Lycæ'us, &c. From these descended the streams which watered the Peloponne'sus, two of which only merit the name of rivers, the Pe'neus and the Euro'tas. Stym'phalus, the only lake in southern Greece, was in Arca'dia: it was the scene of one of the labours of Her'cules. The principal cities of Arca'dia were Mantinei'a, Tegei'a, Orcho'menus, Pso'phis, and Megalo'polis, which in a later age became the capital of the country. 23. II. Laco'nia; this district, which may well be termed the land of heroes, extended to the south of Arca'dia, about sixty-six miles in length, by thirty-six in breadth. Though rugged and mountainous, it was very thickly inhabited, so that it is said to have contained nearly one hundred towns and villages. It was watered by the Euro'tas, a river celebrated throughout Greece for the clearness and purity of its streams. The chief towns were Sparta,† the capital, Amy'clæ, celebrated for the oracle of Apollo, and Gyth'ium, which was the harbour for the Spartan fleet, when the state, mis * See Hi, chap. I. † See next chapter. taking its true policy, endeavoured to become a naval power. Laco'nia terminated in two headlands, between which lay the Laconian bay, called now the Gulf of Colokythia; the cape at the eastern extremity was named Male'a, now St. Angelo, that on the west was called Tæna'rium, now Matapan. 24. III. Messe'nia; the chain of Mount Tayge'tus divides this fertile province from Laconia. The rich plains of Messe'nia early attracted the cupidity of the Spartans, who at length made themselves masters of the country, and by having thus doubled their territories, became the first of the Grecian states.* The chief towns were Messe'ne, Metho'ne, and Py'lus,† the modern Navarino. The other most remarkable places were the mountain fortresses of Ithomé and Eira. 25. IV. Ar'golis; this country, so celebrated in the heroic ages, consists of a neck of land stretching out into the sea about fifty-four miles, until it terminates in the promontory of Scyllæum; between it and Attica was the Saronic gulf, (now Gulf of Engia,) and on the other side lay the Argolic bay, (now Gulf of Napoli.) Its principal cities were Argos, once the chief in Greece, Mycæ'ne, the residence of Agamem'non, Epidau'rus, and Træze'ne. The other remarkable places were Ti'ryns, Neme'a, and Cynu'ria, the scene of several exploits of Her'cules. The Argives, though possessed of an extensive and well-situated country, lost their pre-eminence after the Trojan war, and did not again take a lead in the affairs of Greece. 26. V. E'lis, on the western side of the Peloponnesus. This district may be called the holy land of Greece, since it was the spot where the different branches of the Hellenic race met together as one people, and forgot petty animosities in their common worship of the Olympic Jupiter. No wars were allowed to violate this sacred soil: armies indeed were permitted to pass through, but they were first deprived of their weapons, which were not restored until they had again crossed the boundaries. It was subdivided into three districts, Elis, deriving its name from the capital city which stood on the banks of the Pe'neus; Pisa'tis, * See History, chap. II. This harbour and the neighbouring island of Spnacteria have been the scene of great exploits, both in the ancient and modern wars o Greece. of Eto'lia was Cal'ydon, on the Eve'nus; and of Acarna’nia, Stra'tus. 20. The peninsula which contains southern Greece was anciently called the A'pian Land; but when Pe'lops had established his authority in that part of the country, in honour of him it was named the Peloponne'sus. In modern times it is called the Mo'rea, from its resemblance in shape to the leaf of a mulberry. In the centre of the peninsula is a lofty range of hills, branching out in several directions; between these are rich and fertile plains, watered by the mountain streams; but there is not any river of considerable magnitude. It contained eight countries. 21. I. Arca'dia, a mountainous inland district, nowhere bordering on the sea-coast. The general appearance of the country is very similar to that of Switzerland, and this resemblance extended to the character of the inhabitants; both were distinguished by the love of freedom and the love of money. The Arca'dian mercenaries were just as ready to fight for pay as the Swiss of the seventeenth century, and were equally indifferent to the justice of the cause for which they drew their swords. The inhabitants led a pastoral life, and the poets always described the Arca'dians as models of rural felicity. 22. The principal mountains in Arca'dia were Cylle'ne, Eryman'thus, Mo'nalus, Lycæ'us, &c. From these descended the streams which watered the Peloponne'sus, two of which only merit the name of rivers, the Pe'neus and the Euro'tas. Stym'phalus, the only lake in southern Greece, was in Arca'dia: it was the scene of one of the labours of Her'cules. The principal cities of Arca'dia were Mantinei'a, Tegei'a, Orcho'menus, Pso'phis, and Megalo'polis, which in a later age became the capital of the country. 23. II. Laco'nia; this district, which may well be termed the land of heroes, extended to the south of Arca'dia, about sixty-six miles in length, by thirty-six in breadth. Though rugged and mountainous, it was very thickly inhabited, so that it is said to have contained nearly one hundred towns and villages. It was watered by the Euro'tas, a river celebrated throughout Greece for the clearness and purity of its streams. The chief towns were Sparta,† the capital, Amy'clæ, celebrated for the oracle of Apollo, and Gyth'ium, whic' was the harbour for the Spartan fleet, when the state, r * See His chap. I. char taking its true policy, endeavoured to become a naval power. Laco'nia terminated in two headlands, between which lay the Laconian bay, called now the Gulf of Colokythia; the cape at the eastern extremity was named Male'a, now St. Angelo, that on the west was called Tæna'rium, now Matapan. 24. III. Messe'nia; the chain of Mount Tayge'tus divides this fertile province from Laconia. The rich plains of Messe'nia early attracted the cupidity of the Spartans, who at length made themselves masters of the country, and by having thus doubled their territories, became the first of the Grecian states.* The chief towns were Messe'ne, Metho'ne, and Py'lus, the modern Navarino. The other most remarkable places were the mountain fortresses of Ithomé and Eira.es were the mountai Wendy 25. IV. Ar'golis; this country, so celebrated in the heroic ages, consists of a neck of land stretching out into the sea about fifty-four miles, until it terminates in the promontory of Scyllæum; between it and Attica was the Saronic gulf, (now Gulf of Engia,) and on the other side lay the Argolic bay, (now Gulf of Napoli.) Its principal cities were Argos, once the chief in Greece, Mycæ'ne, the residence of Agamem'non, Epidau'rus, and Træze'ne. The other remarkable places were Ti'ryns, Neme'a, and Cynu'ria, the scene of several exploits of Her'cules. The Argives, though possessed of an extensive and well-situated country, lost their pre-eminence after the Trojan war, and did not again take a lead in the affairs of Greece. 26. V. E'lis, on the western side of the Peloponnesus. This district may be called the holy land of Greece, since it was the spot where the different branches of the Hellenic race met together as one people, and forgot petty animosities in th mon worship of the Olympic Jupiter. ed to violate this sacred soil: armies d to pass through, but they were first pons, which were not restored until 1 the boundaries. It was subdivided dits name from the capital the Pe'neus; Pisa'tis, leg nd of Spaacteria have been ient and modern wars o. of to'lia was Cal'ydon, on the Eve'nus; and of Acarna'nia, Stra'tus. 20. The peninsula which contains southern Greece was anciently called the A'pian Land; but when Pe'lops had established his authority in that part of the country, in honour of him it was named the Peloponne'sus. In modern times it is called the Mo'rea, from its resemblance in shape to the leaf of a mulberry. In the centre of the peninsula is a lofty range of hills, branching out in several directions; between these are rich and fertile plains, watered by the mountain streams; but there is not any river of considerable magnitude. It contained eight countries. 21. I. Arca'dia, a mountainous inland district, nowhere bordering on the sea-coast. The general appearance of the country is very similar to that of Switzerland, and this resemblance extended to the character of the inhabitants; both were distinguished by the love of freedom and the love of money. The Arca'dian mercenaries were just as ready to fight for pay as the Swiss of the seventeenth century, and were equally indifferent to the justice of the cause for which they drew their swords. The inhabitants led a pastoral life, and the poets always described the Arca'dians as models of rural felicity. 22. The principal mountains in Arca'dia were Cylle'ne, Eryman'thus, Mo'nalus, Lycæ'us, &c. From these descended the streams which watered the Peloponne'sus, two of which only merit the name of rivers, the Pe'neus and the Euro'tas. Štym'phalus, the only lake in southern Greece, was in Arca'dia: it was the scene of one of the labours of Her'cules. The principal cities of Arca'dia were Mantinei'a, Tegei'a, Orcho'menus, Pso'phis, and Megalo'polis, which in a later age became the capital of the country. 23. II. Laco'nia; this district, which may well be termed the land of heroes, extended to the south of Arca'dia, about sixty-six miles in length, by thirty-six in breadth. Though rugged and mountainous, it was very thickly inhabited, so that it is said to have contained nearly one hundred towns and villages. It was watered by the Euro'tas, a river celebrated throughout Greece for the clearness and purity of its streams. The chief towns were Sparta,† the capital, Amy'clæ, celebrated for the oracle of Apollo, and Gyth'ium, which was the harbour for the Spartan fleet, when the state, mis * See Hi. chap. I. † See next chapter. |