〈◊〉 It is built of white Marble with one end near the Wall where 't is said that Aegeus cast himself down at the sight of the Black Sails his Son Theseus forgot to change when he returned Victorious from the Combate with the Minotaur in Crete It was therefore stiled Without Wings because the Fame thereof arrived not at Athens before Theseus himself that brought it For otherwise Victory used still to be represented with Wings This Temple is not above fifteen Foot long and about eight or nine broad But of white Marble with chanel'd Pillars of the Dorick Order The Architrave hath a Basso-relievo on it of little Figures well cut and now serveth the Turks for a Magazin of Powder Almost over against this is another noble Edifice of white Marble which hath the Reputation to have been the Armory of Lycurgus and they say was used for an Armory many Years together both by the Christians and Turks until about twenty Years ago it was blown up by Gun-powder kept in it for which the Greeks keep an Anniversary thanks-giving-Thanks-giving-day telling That a certain Haga of the Castle a zealous Enemy to Christianity resolved one day to batter down a Church who having prepared all things in readiness over Night to do the intended Execution next day being a Festival according to their Law they meant thus maliciously to celebrate by the Ruin of a Christian Church But were the same Night miraculously prevented by Thunder and Lightning from Heaven which set the Powder on Fire and blew part of the Roof whereon the Haga's House stood together with him and his whole Family up into the Air a Girl only excepted who was saved and is since married to a Turk of Athens The next day they found Bows and Arrows Shields and other Armour all about the Country But never heard they any News of the Haga again The Walls of the Building held fast being of white Marble very thick and strongly cemented together yet were they so crack't in some Places that one may thrust ones hand through them But that part of the Building towards the Front which looketh Westwards received no harm either Walls or Roof The whole Structure is white Marble and you mount up to it by five or six steps whereof only one remains entire The Eagle of the Front is fashioned like other Temples sustained by four Pillars of the Dorick Order * The Eagle is the high Angle of the Front of a Temple where the Roman Eagle used to be placed On each hand this Front are placed two square Turrets whose sides next the Steps are sustained by Pillars of the same Order as they yet remain on the Northern Tower above which is built now the Haga's Lodgings but the Southern Tower is ruined and hath another high one built upon its antient Foundations appearing some Ranges of Stone above Ground The rest is a mixture of broken Rubbish raised upon it a good height But one may conclude there were antiently two very beautiful Towers raised on them The Pronaae is a large square Room whose Roof within is held up by four beautiful Ionick Pillars sustaining two great Marble Beams which are covered with large Marble Planks But whether this was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Building which Pausanias saith is on the left hand of the Propylaea full of Pictures or painted Work is hard to say and as hard to determin that it was indeed a Temple For those Foundations of Towers on each hand of the Front is a thing extraordinary and what I never saw belonging to any Temple Besides this although it is on the left hand of the Temple of Victory it is that which presents it self to view before it The Towers on each side of the Front perswade me very much that it was the famous Propylaea Templum Minervae Lib V We could hardly stay here TEMPLE OF MINERVA or PARTHENION to make all the Observations we might have done we were so impatient to go to the Temple of Minerva the chief Goddess of the Athenians which is not only still the chief Ornament of the Cittadel but absolutely both for Matter and Art the most beautiful piece of Antiquity remaining in the World I wish I could communicate the Pleasure I took in viewing it by a Description that would in some proportion express the Ideas I had then of it which I cannot hope to do but shall give you the Figure I took of it there with its Dimensions and so much of the Sculpture as I can remember This Temple is called by Pansanias Parthenion because the Goddess Minerva to whom it was dedicated professed Virginity It is situated about the middle of the Cittadel and consists altogether of admirable white Marble The Plane of it is above twice as long as it is broad being Two hundred and seventeen foot nine inches long and ninety eight foot six inches broad It hath an Ascent every way of five Degrees or Steps which seem to be so contrived to serve as a Basis to the Pertico which is supported by chanelled Pillars of the Dorick Order erected round upon them without any other Basis These Pillars are Forty six in number being eight to the Front and as many behind and seventeen on each side counting the four corner ones twice over to be deducted They are Forty two foot high and seventeen foot and a half about The Distance between Pillar and Pillar is seven foot and four inches This Portico beareth up a Front and Frize round about the Temple charged with Historical Figures of admirable Beauty and Work The Figures of the Front which the Antients called the Eagle appear though from that height of the natural bigness being in entire Relievo and wonderfully well carved Pausanias saith no more of them than that they concern the Birth of the Goddess Minerva What I observed and remember of them is this There is a Figure that stands in the middle of it having its right Arm broken which probably held the Thunder Its Legs stradle at some distance from each other where without doubt was placed the Eagle For its Beard and the Majesty which the Sculpture hath expressed in his Countenance although those other usual Characters be wanting here do sufficiently shew it to have been made for Jupiter He stands naked for so he was usually represented especially by the Greeks At his right hand is another Figure with its Hands and Arms broken off covered down half way the Leg in a posture as coming towards Jupiter which perhaps was a Victory leading the Horses of the Triumphant Chariot of Minerva which follows it The Horses are made with such great Art that the Sculptor seems to have outdone himself by giving them a more than seeming Life such a Vigour is express'd in each posture of their prauncing and stamping natural to generous Horses Minerva is next represented in the Chariot rather as the Goddess of Learning than War without Helmet Buckler or a Medusa's
the Banks of this River I observed great abundance of Anemonies of the dissected-leaf-kind of many colours as blue white red and purple The Mountain which make this Promontory is called by the Greeks Maurovouni MAUROVOUNI or Black Mountains Whence we passed to another Point in an Hour and half called Mauromidie but antiently Arrexius Promontory Cape MAUROMIDIE where there is another Lake or Fishing-place having communication with the Sea called by the Venetians Pescaria del Papa On this Point is the Ruins of a Watch-Tower perhaps in use when the Venetians were Masters of this Country This Place hath the advantage of a fair Prospect looking full into the Gulph of Lepanto North-East with the two Castles at its Mouth Patras almost at the bottom of the Bay made by this and the Morean Promontory of the Gulph of Lepanto or Corinth Messa-longia North a Promontory of Epirus North-West with a little Island called Courtzolari Cephalonia West Zant South-West and Castle-Tornese South From hence we crossed over to see Mr Pendarves then lading of Currans on an English Ship called the Merchant Factor riding near Messa-longia and Nathaligo These are two little Towns built like Venice upon little Islands in the Shallows of the Sea near the Shore of the antient Aetolia No Ship or Bark can come near them by four or five Miles nor to them at all unless they will fetch them in their little flat-bottom'd Boats made of one piece of Wood they therefore call Monoxylo as afore-said In which also they bring their Currans aboard coming to and fro in calm Weather as thick as Bees to a Hive Both these Towns consist for the greatest part of Christians free from the Irregular Insults of the Turks But have a Turkish Veivode over them Thence after we had the satisfaction of seeing our good Friend and of recruiting our Purses the thirtieth of December we proceeded more chearfully on our Voyage Keeping along the Shore of Aetolia we observed extraordinary great Flights of Pelicans and other Fowls and not far thence met with a Boat that was a fishing of whom besides a good dish of Fish we bought we observed among the rest a kind of Fish the Italians call Fulpo and the Greeks Octopodia because at one end spreading themselves abroad it is divided into eight long Points each of which points are full of Knobs like Warts whereby it sticketh fast to any thing it toucheth In the Center of these Feet is its place for the Evacuation of its Excrements smelling as sweet as Musk. The other end is a round lumpy Substance filled with its Garbadge whence the Italian Name seemeth to be taken Here we saw also another sort of Fish of near a foot long with a very sharp Beak and slender They call it a Needle Fish Another we saw something like an Eele for shape but the Flesh tasteth and is coloured like a Whiting They call it Grongo Another they call Barbouni which I take to be the same with our Gournits only their Beards are longer and are of a red colour like a boyled Lobster their Scales are also all in one and hard From this Point we crossed over to Patras leaving on our right hand the Promontory Mauromidie and about a dozen Miles from Patras a Town in sight of it called Mamminizza situated upon both sides of a River two or three Miles from the Sea This Village was in all likelihood the antient City Olenus and the River the antient Pirus which Pausanias puts about ten Miles from Patras Nearer to Patras one leaves the old Fortress of Achaia now slighted and as my Companion observes a Torrent whose Channel was then dry called now by the Greeks Leucas and by Pausanias Glaucos all which Places are in the Achaia of Peloponnesus To the other hand on the Romanian Shore are two very high-piked Mountains the first of which is called Gallata from a Town behind it bearing that Name which Monsieur Spon thinketh to be the antient Calydon Beyond the other Mountain we had the two Castles at the Mouth of the Gulph in sight Of Calydon Pausanias telleth this sad Love story Coresus the Priest of Bacchus fell in love with a fair Virgin of the Town called Callirhoe who the more she was courted the more she despised the Priest so that neither his rich Presents Vows nor Tears could move her to the least Compassion This at last made the Priest run in despair to the Image of Bacchus for succour imploring Vengeance from him Bacchus made it appear that he heard his Prayers by a Disease he sent on the Town which seemed a kind of Drunken Madness of which mad Fit the People died in abundance Whereupon they sent Deputies from Calydon to the Oracle of Jupiter of Dodona which was in reputation in those days amongst the Etolians Acarnanians and all the Country of Epirus to know what they should do to be freed from that woeful Malady Answer was given That Coresus must sacrifice Callirhoe or some other Person that would dedicate himself in her stead to appease the Anger of Bacchus The Virgin when she could no way obtain her Life of her Relations was brought to the Altar adorn'd as Victims used to be to be sacrificed by her Lover Coresus Whose wonderful Love even at that present so conquered all past thoughts of Revenge that instead of her he slew himself and became a Victim to generous Love instead of being any longer the Priest of Bacchus The Virgin also relenting of her Cruelty to him went and slew her self at a Fountain without the Town from thence called by her name Callirhoe But whether Gallata or the Ruins of another Town not far from thence towards Messalongia which Sr Clement Harby told me he saw there be the antient Calydon I cannot determin unless I had seen them both We arrived at Patras that Afternoon early Patras is situated upon an Hill PATRAS CERYNEA not above half a Mile from the Sea at the foot of an high Mountain which I think was called Cerynea with a Valley between It hath a Castle on the highest Point of the Hill and a Descent every way into a fruitful Valley well planted with Orange Limons and Citrons so much esteemed for their delicious Taste M. Pausa l. vii p. 448. Patras was the antient as well as the modern Name of the Place and is undoubtedly the same with that of the Romans being made a Roman Colony by Augustus Caesar after it had been for some time destroyed by more antient Fates Pausanias telleth That it was first built by one Eumelus Native of the Country who having received the manner how to build from Triptolemus as likewise Corn and how to sow it named the Place he built from his tilling the Ground Aroa Afterwards when the Ionians were driven out of the Peloponnesian Achaia one called Patreus enlarged it so that Aroa and its Walls were contained within the new Walls he made about it and the City
of Walls one above another which makes it at a distance somewhat resemble the Papal Crown Their little Oval Harbour is no small Ornament to it being placed in the middle of the South-side and having a little Tower at each side of the Entrance with some small Brass Guns in them But the Mouth is so narrow that it may be secured by a Chain of fifty foot long and is too shallow for any Vessels besides Barques and small Gallies of which the last cannot come in but in high Water For there is a kind of Tide in this Gulph in the Morning the Water comes in by the Castles and in the Evening it goes out as Monsieur Spon observed in his Return This Harbour is well walled about within and the Work looks antient On each side of the City under the Mountain which I take to be the Mountain Corax are fruitful Valleys to the Seaward That Westward is well planted with Olive-Trees Vineyards and Corn That Eastward is no less well-set and divided into Gardens of Oranges Citrons and Limons without Seeds being also well water'd with many pretty Streams that issue out of the Rocky Mountain above it and in the Summer 't is shaded with abundance of large Plane-trees There are not many Christians here the greatest part being Turks and Jews and hath been a very great Harbour for Pirats This was the Residence of the famous Corsair Durach-Bey who made the Ships and Barques of the Christians in these Parts tremble and had the best House in the Town although bad is the best now He was for his valour advanced to be a Captain Basha in the War of Candia But he had not long enjoyed that Honour before he was slain and that in an Enterprize of his own undertaking which was to surprize the Venetian Armada by night But they having notice of the design he was surpriz'd himself and after a bloody Conflict was defeated with his Squadron and slain by a Cannon-Bullet The Trade of this Place consists in Leather Oyl Tabaco Rice Barley and Wheat Furrs also are good cheap here and therefore by the Advice of our Host we lined our Vests with good Fox-skins which was but needful For the Winter proved extream cold in those Parts and as we had from our Lodging the Prospect of those Mountains about the Gulph covered with Snow so had we our share of the cold Wind that blew from them by reason of the bad Lodging provided us by the Frank-Consul called Signior Samuel on the Harbour He informed us That all who pass out of the Gulph pay three per Cent. Custom to the Emir who payeth Six thousand Crowns a year Rent for his Office No great Ships of the Franks are permitted to come within the Castles but stay at Patras and send in their Barques Concerning which our Host told us That during the War at Messina a French Vessel coming thither although he staid without the Castles with his Ship and only with its Bark came thither to treat with the Emir concerning the Custom and lodged with our Host the Vice-Consul Yet so soon as the Veivode heard of it he sent for him forthwith and without any more ceremony had him bastinadoed telling him He had brought hither Maltesi and Corsairs while he in vain endeavoured to make his Defence and tell him That the Ship came from Messina and belonged to the King of France For he still confounded Malta with Messina and would not understand any difference until he had obliged the Captain of the Ship to pay him fifty Crowns and given charge to get him gone with all speed Another came some time after and to compliment the Veivode sent him some Sweet-meats by the Vice-Consul which instead of being pleas'd with the proud Turk sent him back with this Answer What! does your Merchant take me to be a Child that he sends me Sweet-meats and not Coffee or something proper for Men But I believe Time and some little prudent Behaviour towards them would make them more tame especially when they should begin to find the Profit which Trading would bring them For nothing so covetous as a Turk and indeed they have some reason to make the best of their Offices for they pay commonly very dear for them We came in a very ill time to see this Place For the next day so soon as it was light all the Barques were seized upon to bring over the Basha of the Morea who had received Orders to come hither and to Saint Mauro to burn all the Galliots or small Gallies of the Pirates he should find there But they staid not to be so complemented by him The whole Town was in a Consternation at his coming none stirred aborad none opened their Shops or Doors However we had the opportunity to see his Reception without stirring out of our Chamber it over-looking the Harbour The whole of his Train was near Five hundred Persons of which fifty Sclavonians were his Guard He crossed over from Vostitza a Town of the Morea opposite to Lepanto Before him in a Boat came Kettle-Drums others playing upon Haut-Boys and another stringed Instrument play'd on by a Moor Between which we could conceive no manner of Harmony Before him also was carried upon a pole two Horses Tails the Marks of his Dignity At his Arrival the Port saluted him with five Guns and the Veivode Caddi and other chief Officers of the Town came to the Gate at his Landing to kiss his Vest and receive him with all the Respect they were capable to give him So soon as he was landed he mounted on Horse-back and was conducted to the Veivode's House the rest accompanying him on foot The next day he clapped the Emir in Prison instead of his Brother who had murdered one of the Town a great while ago But he came off again for a Sum of Money which was all the Basha desir'd The next day after he demanded fifty Horses of the Turks fifty of the Hebrews and thirty of the Christians these being the least Part of the Town The Wind being bad we could not proceed by Sea and our Hebrew Host so frighted us with the danger of Robbers by Land that our Greek refused absolutely to go farther with us unless by Water For he was a kind of Water-man and was not of their Faith that had rather trust God Almighty by Land than by Sea Yet he hastened us to be gone shewing us the Danger we were in staying there and what Peril himself also ran for entertaining us And to speak the truth we were no less willing to be gone than he was to have us gone For we found no great Encouragement either in the Curiosities of the Place or his Entertainment to make us stay So January the fifth we took a Boat and passed over to the Castle of the Morea to attend there better Weather which we did till we were weary with attending it being ten or twelve days time For we had not the Honour to be
Not far from Sassino North-East are the Fat 's of Piscaria where they catch abundance of Fish The â—ows they salt and dry in the Sun which maketh Botargo and the rest they pickle Passing this Gulph in the morning as soon as it was light we perceiv'd a far off a small Vessel that we took to be a Pirate which as soon as it saw us tacked about and fled and thereby confirmed us in that opinion especially so soon as we perceiv'd that he made towards Vallona But we pursued them so hotly that in less than an hour we came within Cannon-shot of them and fired two or three shot so near as obliged them to strike sail and come by our Lee. It proved nevertheless to be only a Barque of Cephalonia laden with Cheese and Oyl for Venice who took us to be as very Corsaires as we did them our Officers being sorry to have miss'd the Booty they expected and the others glad that they had escaped so well the danger they fear'd we each of us pursued our course Over against Sassino we had the prospect of those high Mountains called formerly Acroceraunii now called Chimera Chimera Towards the Sea-side there are five or six Villages which defend themselves against the Turks and will not pay him the Carattle or Tribute of Pole-money The principal of these Villages is called Chimera situate upon the top of a Rock having Precipices on all sides whither all the Country-people retire when need requireth If they should be assaulted by Sea they retreat into the Mountains which are almost inaccessible and drive away with them all their cattel But if they are set on by Land there are so many narrow passages that they may be able to defeat an Army meerly by tumbling down Stones upon them They have a Harbour called Porto-panormo They follow the Greek Religion and in Spiritual affairs are subject to the Archbishop of Janina a Town in Thessaly about two days Journey from thence They are esteemed good Soldiers being descended of the stout race of the Macedonians and are as bad Robbers as the Magnotti who are come of the Lacedemonians Two people in times past equally famous for War though now the off-spring of both be as infamous for Robbery For they say They will sell Turks to Christians and Christians to Turks The Wind being fair we staied not at Sassino but sailed on until we came at the Island Corfu Corfu was formerly called Corcyra Corfu as I find in many Greek Medals I brought with me from thence An Island of ancient Fame which had without doubt the Emperour Septimius Severus and his Family Med. 5 6 8 9 10 11. for its Great Benefactors For there is lately found abundance of his Medals and of Julia Domna his Empress and of his Son Antoninus Caracalla and of Plautilla his Empress and of Geta his other Son who both succeeded him in the Empire Those of Plautilla are rarely to be found any where else Of which because I have several Medals not ordinarily to be met with and no-where printed as I know of except by its Worthy and Nobly descended Historian Cavalier Marmero I shall for the satisfaction of the curious here present the Reverses of them to publick view Casiopia N. Cassopo Lib j Fig X A the Mountain of Corfu B the Ruines of Cassiopia C the Convent of Madonna di Cassopo D the Sea The first place we arrived at is a ruin'd City called now Cassopo but anciently Cassiopia famous for the Temple of Jupiter Cassius of which I have several Medals especially one which hath Jupiter sitting Med. 1 2 3 4 c. with these Letters about it ZEUC KATCIOC on the other side the Head of Apollo crowned with an Olive-branch behind ΚΟΡΚΥΡΑ and his Harp before with these Letters ΚΟRΚΥRΑ There is only remaining the Ruins of its Walls on a Rock almost compassed about by the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hard by it a Church called Panagia as they name the Blessed Virgin kept only by three or four Caloyers or Greek Monks This little Church is famous for a Picture of our Lady to which they attribute Miracles and whereof I had a mind to try the skill The way is thus Strangers that have a mind to know whether their Friends are alive or dead go to the Picture and clap a piece of money upon it thinking of some friend If the person they think of be alive the piece will stick fast but if dead it will drop down into a Sack placed under-neath so that dead or alive the Priest is sure of the money I applied some Farthings which I had to try how and where they would stick but had no other thought nor end being before well satisfied that it was but a ridiculous jugling Some of them indeed stuck but all to one and the same place those that were clapt on any where else falling still to the ground The Picture is painted upon the Walls and is very smooth and shining so that I attribute the sticking to some clamminess of the Varnish which they take care shall never be wanting in some places of it Among the Ruins of the Castle I saw a vast great Snake I believe above two yards long and big as the small of a mans leg of a dark brown colour thicker also at the tail than ours are so that I take it to be a different Species from ours I saw another afterward of the same kind but not so big The next day being the Eighteenth of July we came to the City now called by the name of the Island It is not a hundred years since this City was nothing but the old Castle and the present Suburbs of Castati But now it is a good large City and well fortified with Walls on the South and two Castles at the East and West-Ends though the side towards the Harbour be not so well fortified as not so much needing it It would be a Town almost impregnable were it not for a Rock that standeth towards the West and commandeth the adjoyning Fort with a great part of the Town The other Castle or Fort stands upon a Rock every way inaccessible running out like a Promontory in the Sea This is the place of Residence of the Venetian-Generals of the Levant by Sea and Land and to whom from the other Proveditours of Zant and Cephalonia c. Appeals may be made and a new Hearing had of all Civil Causes before him as Chief Judg under the Senate as well as Chief Commander of all their Forces He who had this Command then was Signior Priuli We being taken notice of here for designing places as we past were taken for spies So that order was given by the General that none should be admitted into the Forts insomuch that we could not at that time well know their strength But as I returned and touched here I had so much time as to see this Castle which is well
into equal parts wherewith though we filled not our bellies yet all seemed satisfied The Doctor and one of our Watermen were not yet returned but we saved their parts But for the next meal we were very sollicitous not knowing whose turn it might first be to have his haunches cut out to serve for Venison to the rest Some went a hunting with the Flemmish Gentleman which brought his Gun and Dog with him and found good sport with the Hares and Rabbets in which this Island yet abounds being sometimes called Lagia for that reason But Monsieur Engrand and I being weary of our Mornings walks stayed by the Boat and tried some Philosophical experiments how to make fresh water and first how the Sea-water would do by passing it through sand with which we filled our Basket emptied of provisions for I rememb'red I had read some such experiment but this proved without effect After this we fell a digging on the shore at some distance from the Sea with our hands sharp stones and the ends of our spears 'till we scraped so deep that at length we found water but it was salt Our Philosophy failing after two or three hours we return'd to the Boat hot with the toyl scorched with the Sun and thirsty with tasting the salt water and so in despair of relief laid our selves down in all the shade we could make under the side of the Boat For here groweth now no Palm-trees or any other that can make one committing our selves to the mercy of the great Preserver as well as Creator of beings But to lose no time I began to recollect what Plants I had seen here Besides the abundance of Stoechas Citrina I before spake of here groweth Lentiscus or the Mastick shrub in great plenty wild upon which I observed Tears of Mastick which made us believe that if it were cultivated here as well as at Scio it might bear as well as there Doctor Crescentio who knew that there was water in the Island and therefore resolved never to give over looking untill he had found some came within an hour after with this most welcome news that he had sound a Cistern of water this made us all though Greeks Romans English French Dutch and as differing in Religion as in Country agree in one to give praise to our great Preserver Not long after returned our hunters with a Rabbet and some Birds So all together we went with the Mariners about a mile from thence to the top of a little hill to the North-East of the Island where the ground riseth a little higher then the Theater with Ruins round it and hath on the top of all a little hollow place wherein is a small hole broken into a large Arched Cistern only big enough for a man to descend through by a Rope For the water is not directly under the hole but in a further corner not easily seen the Cistern being much filled with rubbish It proved excellent water This I have been larger upon than ordinary lest some whose curiosity should lead them thither may have the same need of it as we had Having filled all the Vessels we had we returned cheerfully to our Boat to prepare our Venison for supper which with a Loaf Monsieur Spon had laid by for a good time we eat heartily and with no little satisfaction not doubting but he that did this would when he saw it convenient for us still the winds and raging of the Sea also After this we made a great fire on the hill of Staechas Citrina and such other combustible stuff as we found there to give notice to our Vessel that we wanted help This done we laid our selves down as the Night before but with no great mind to rest Before day we found the wind much abated and in effect a calm Sowe took the opportunity and put out to Sea and although it ran high yet the wind being low by great providence we passed safe the Chanel about four miles over to the Port and Town of Micone Micone is so called by the Franks and was by the Ancient Greeks and is yet by the Modern called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micone The Poets fancied this to be the Burying place of the Centaurs conquered by Hercules It is not so far distant from Delos as Ferrarius in his Dictionary assureth it being but four miles at the most Between it and Delos is a Scoglio called by the Franks Dragonera by the Greeks Tragonisi that is the Island of Goats Micone hath a good and large harbour towards the West-side of it is rather bigger than lesser then Tine and may have twenty five or thirty miles in circumference It is fruitful in Wine and Corn especially Barley and is well peopled and by Christians only but now under the protection of the Turks Their Governour is a Christian sent by the Turks from Constantinople Monsieur Bandrond is therefore mistaken who hath augmented the Dictionary of Ferrarius to put it under the Venetians I had no information whether it ever were or when taken by the Turks Perhaps it was slighted in the War of Candia because not tenable For they have but one Town without any Fortifications by nature or art which lieth within the harbour There is about thirty Greek Churches and only one Latin in the Town They pay to the Turk a tribute which he sendeth for yearly but as to the true Sum I know not how to decide the difference between my Companions Memoirs and my Journal For he saith it is Three Thousand and Six Hundred Dollers but I have noted only that they present the Turk as often as he sendeth his Gallies Two Hundred Dollers besides the mischief they suffer from them in their Figs and Vineyards Perhaps the first claimed as a duty to the grand Signior and the last only as a present to the Carathi who with great greediness extort presents for themselves where ever they come The greatest part of the Inhabitants are Pyrats and this place is a great Staple for their prey Here they keep their Wives Children and Mistresses The greatest part of the Town seems to consist of Women who deservedly have a greater reputation for Beauty then Chastity the Men being most of them abroad seeking their Fortunes Our Captain had here a Seraglio of them when he was a Corsaire in these Seas as I before mentioned But those being now antidated he was for new game at his coming hither and therefore found out a pretty young Virgin for his Mistress which he bought of her Brutal Father as provision for his Voyage to Constantinople The History of the taking her I will not let pass without relating it because I was by accident at the Rape of this fair Helena The Admiral of our little Fleet unexpectedly hoisting Sail before he had brought her aboard he sent his long Boat to fetch her away by some of his trusty Servants I having left something ashore where I Lodged begged leave of
to keep off the Sun The Town is not walled no more then most of the Cities or Towns in Turky except some Frontier Towns But they say it is about six Miles about At our arrival we were saluted with the news that the Plague was in the Town and much more at Constantinople which is no great Noveltie in Turkey being seldom or never free So we thought we had as good begin here to accustome our selves to its company But with all care putting our confidence in the great preserver of Mankind This place did not seem at all populous considering the bigness whether because of the Plague or not I am not certain nevertheless they reckon the number of the Inhabitants to be Twelve Thousand Turks Four or Five Thousand Greeks and as many Jews The Bezestan is the only thing worth seeing here being Built Square with six Cupoloes covered with Lead We lodged in an open place by the Southern harbour being unwilling to venture our selves where we knew no body especially when the place was so infected But had the Italian Consul who was a Frier of the order of Saint Francis been in Town at his little Convent of him we might have hoped for directions to better accommodation This place hath the reputation of the best Water-Melons in those parts and we had as many as we would for nothing there lying great heaps of them neglected in the place where we Lodged There remain small marks of its Antiquity and not much of its fame in Ancient Authors On shore by the Southern Port lieth a Frize of Marble very well wrought and we found in the Town a small Inscription where the name of one Theodotus and Bitana Daughter of Anticles is mentioned ΠΑÎΤΑ ΘΕΟΔΟΤΟΥ ΤΗΠΘΥΓΑΤΕΡΑ ΒΑΤΑÎΑΠΑÎΤΙΚΛΕΟΥΣ We hoped to find somewhat more considerable at Lampsaco LAMSPACO which is on the opposite side of the streight on the Asian shore something more to the Southward And therefore the wind being contrary for our proceeding forward we took a bigger Boat and crossed over notwithstanding a strong wind that from the Propontis brought such foaming billows as often was like to oreturn our little Vessel Lampsacus now called Lampsaco hath lost the advantage it had in Strabo's time of Callipoli being now but a small Town inhabited by Turks and some Greeks Strabo counted the streight about five Miles over and I believe it is not much more or less Lampascus was one of the Towns Xerxes gave to Themistocles Magnasia was for his Bread Myuns for his Meat and this for his Wine And it hath yet indeed abundance of fine Vineyards all about it especially on the South parts well hedged with Pomegranate Trees In this place the God Priapus was worshipped before any of the rest as Pausanias affirmeth And was more Anciently called Petyusa It had a good harbour and was counted Twenty one Miles or 170 Stadia from Abydos It now consists of about Two Hundred houses and hath a fine Mosque whose Portick is supported by Red Marble Pillars It was formerly they say a Christian Church as they well prove by the Crosses that yet remain carved on the Capitals of the Pillars Entring into the Coffee-house we met with one that could speak a little Italian and was so kind as for our Money to shew us the Town and indeed shewed us many Inscriptions The best were in the Garden of a Turk called Achmet Aga Tchelebi The first is a Dedication of a Statue to Julia Augusta complemented with the Titles of Vesta and new Ceres by the Corporation but the Cost of both the Basis and setting up was done at the proper Charge of Dionisius Son of Apollonotimus overseer of the decent distribution of the Coronets Priest of the Emperours and Coronet-bearer of all their Family the second time Treasurer of the Senate ΙΟΥΛΙΑΠΣΕΒΑΣΤΗΠΕΣΤΙΑΠÎΕΑΠΔΕΜΗ ΤΡΑ Η. ΓΕΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΤΟ ΔΕ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΑΓΑΛΜΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΠΒΑ ΣΙÎ. ΚΑΙ ΤΗΠΑÎΑΣΤΑΣΙΠΑΥ ΤΟΥ ΔΑΠΑÎΗΜΑ ΠΟΙΗΣΑΜΕ ÎΟΥ ΕΚ ΤΩΠΙΔΙΩΠΥΠΕΡ ΤΗΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΣΤΕΦΑÎΟΥΣ ΕΥ ΖΕΒΙΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΙΕΡΕΩΣ ΤΩΠΣΕΒΑΣΤΩΠΚΑΙ ΣΤΕΦΑÎΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΣΥΜΠΑÎΤΟΣ ΑΥΤΩΠΟΙ ΚΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΑΜΙΟΥ ΥΟΥ ΔΗΜΟΥ ΤΟ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟΠΔΙΟÎΥΣΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΑΠΟΛΛΩÎΟΤΕΙΜΟΥ The second is the Basis of a Statue erected to the honour of one Cyrus Son of Apollonius the most excellent chief Physitian to the City erected by the Corporation for his many benefactions to the City Anointing them splendidly and very sumptuously and bestowing a Thousand Atticks on the Corporation Η ΓΕΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΚΥΡΟΠΑΠΟΛΛΟÎΙΟΥ ΑΡΧΙΑ ΤΡΟΠΑΡΙΣΤΟΠΠΟΛΕΙ ΤΗΠΕΠΙ ΣΗΜΟΠΠΡΟΣ ΠΟΛΛΟΙΣ ΕΥΕΡΓΕ ΤΗΜΑΣΙΠΕΙΣ ΑΥΤΗΠΑΛΕΙΨΑÎΤΑ ΛΑΜΠΡΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΥΔΑΠΑÎΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΥÎΚΡΙΤΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟΧΑΡΙΣΑΜΕ ÎΟΠΧΕΙΛΙΑΣ ΑΤΤΙΚΑΣ ΤΗ ΓΕΡΟΥΣΙΑ Another he shewed us where he said were formerly many Pillars and other Marbles dug up and some other Ruins which we judged to have been the Ancient Walls of the Town Another we Copied at a Christians house who told us there had been some Vessels of Marble with Inscriptions on them found thereabouts in the ground and are now in the hands of a Turk though formerly belonging to a Priest which we could not see he not being then at home He also conducted us about a Mile out of Town through the Vineyards to the Foundation of an Ancient Temple where he told us was an Inscription but we found it not There lie about it a dozen of Marble Pillars at the Front heaped upon one another of which they confidently tell that part of these were carried by the Turks to the Town to Build a Mosque with but that they were brought back again in the Night by no body knows what means and that twice after one another The Turks here are not so scrupulous as in many other places where they dare not plant Vineyards Wine being forbidden them by their Law Here they take the liberty of making them boiled Wines for Sorbet and make Aqua Vitae under the pretence of having Grapes to eat Of which most of them drink more freely than we do We returned in the evening to Gallipoli with the same wind as in the Morning and little less danger The next evening we parted from Gallipoli in the calm and in the Morning found our selves at Peraste Thirty Miles forwarder on the Thracian coast PERASTE It is a Town of about two hundred houses Here the Aga or Governour sent very civilly for us his Son having seen the Abbot Charpentier before at the Old Castles Who went the same way with us and entertained us with Coffee and other Fruits Here the number of the Turks and Christians are about equal At a Church we saw the head of a Bacchus defaced with some other Fragments of Antiquity here and there upon the ground But I cannot well guess at the Ancient name of the place we bought Wine here for our Voyage at four Aspers the Oka a weight used in Turkey of about Forty two Ounces as I remember which is not above Three-half-pence the quart Half a dozen Miles
bold a Shore that the greatest Ship may be tyed by the Bolt Sprit on Shore at Gallata and unlade and yet have several Fathoms of Water under her Keel And I have observed some Merchant Ships lying with the side so near the Shore that they went on Board and on Shore by a Plank between them Which I was sorry to see one being a Genuese infected with the Plague that lay within fifteen or twenty Yards of our Lodging being a Building on the Harbour separated from all others without the Wall of Gallata which our Landlord had provided us upon the first notice of the Infection seizing on the House adjoyning to his within the Walls For it was at Gallata we lodged during our stay at Constantinople at the House of an honest Jew called Abram Finch who served the English Nation in Business and us both in the nature of Guide and Drayoman better than most Turks could But when we made Visits to any of Quality we took also a Janizary and this was because we had no Letters of Recommendation to any other not thinking of going any further than Athens when we first undertook this Voyage from Venice Besides the Plague being there so hot we judged it unreasonable to intrude our selves into the Houses of any of our Country-men since our Curiosity led us every where without consideration of Danger Gallata is situate upon the South-side of a considerable steep Hill GALLATA jetting out into a Promontory on the North-side of the Harbour and comprehending the Suburbs on the East West and North-sides of it may be counted a good large City and very populous Yet the Circumference of the Walls take up no great space of Ground but the Houses are thick and the Streets narrow and the whole very populous On the top of the Hill is a round spired Tower covered with Lead and on the Wall we observed some Arms and modern Inscriptions which upon inquiry we found to belong to those of Genoua who sometime before the taking of Constantinople were Masters of this Place This City is peopled more by Christians and Jews than it is by Turks And here is the Scale of the Merchants who have a good Kan covered with Lead in Cuppaloes where they expose their Woollen Cloaths they call Londros and other Merchandize to sale On the North-side of Gallata PERA without the Walls are the Suburbs called by the Greeks Pera which signifies beyond by which Name they sometimes comprehend Gallata and all the adjacent Habitations being beyond the Harbour from Constantinople and therefore they call that Passage Perami Trajectus or the Passage and the Boats that carry them Peramidia There is one good large Street running Northwards with several that cross it and there dwell the foreign Ambassadours Residents and Envoys Sir John Finch His Majesties Ambassadour at the Port was then at Adrianople to have his Audience of the Grand Signior and did not return hither until about a Week or ten days before our Departure But so soon as he did he gave us frequent Opportunities of waiting on him and obliged us not only with his learned Conversation but with many useful Informations also We often went to visit the Marquess of Nantel Ambassadour of France who with great Courtesie entertained us with the Curiosities of his Travails He hath there about thirty Marbles with antient Inscriptions and Basso-relievo's brought from Athens and the Isles of the Archipelago of which he permitted us to copy what we would He hath also a great Number of Medals among which are some very singular He shewed us abundance of Designs of Edifices Basso-relievo's and Prospects of Countries drawn by a Painter he still carried with him in his Travels in Turkey All which I hope he will publish at his Return into France Dr. Covel then Chaplain to His Majesty's Ambassadour there among many Curiosities shewed us some Turkish Songs set to Musick which he told us were both for Sense and Musick very good but past our Understanding They were set by one Hulisbey a Renegado brought up in the Seraglio His Native Country was Poland and Christian Name Albertus Bobovius He was made a Slave when young and now dismissed from the Seraglio is become a principal Drugger-man and can speak they say seventeen Languages If I remember right Dr. Covel told me It was the same that gave Consul Ricaut much light in his Treatise of the Turkish Empire The Marquess of Nanteul hath a Description of the Seraglio written by him in Italian with many other curious things Dr. Covel also shewed me many rare Medals and antient Entaglos or Figures cut on several sorts of precious Stones as also many Descriptions of rare Plants and Animals which he had curiously designed himself being in that Art very ingenious as well as a learned Divine We went sometimes to see an English Surgeon OPIUM called Mahomet Basha in the place Atmeydam who informed us That he was taken young and made a Slave and brought up in the Mahometan Religion Here we saw the Turks come to take Opium which they call Affion They take it without any Preparation it being meerly the Juyce of Black Poppy dried in the Sun without any Purification And it is wonderful that Use should make that which is Poison to us a Cordial to them The ill Effects that it hath upon them is that the immoderate Use of it in time doth dose and stupifie them contracts the Nerves and makes them so round shoulder'd that they become crooked We saw many such and were told That it was the immoderate use of Opium which made them so This Surgeon Mahomet Basha makes a good Turkish Physician although his Skill exceedeth not the making of Conserves and Syrups letting Blood and some few good Wives Receipts He hath some few ordinary Books in English Italian and Latin and one in Arabick which he much commended but how well he understood it I am no competent Judge We informed our selves also of the Rusma or Chrisme of the Turks RUSMA wherewith they used to take off the Hair of the Body without shaving For neither the Women nor Men that pretend to Neatness suffer any to grow upon their Bodies They have two sorts of it One they make of quick Lime and Orpiment which they boyl together with Water to the consistence of an Oyntment The other hath Lime mixed with a kind of blackish Stone that cometh out of Egypt soft and pory like a Pumice-Stone and looketh something like Cinders of Iron some of it cometh from a place near Prosa in Natolia This they prepare like the other and apply it when they are at the Baths and the Bath-keepers take great care to take it off so soon as the Hair begins to come off easily Then washing the place with hot Water and rubbing it with a course Cloth bringeth all the Hair off without doing the least Hurt We bought some of it at Constantinople where it is very cheap Constantinople
Mouth which he placeth between Parium and Lampsacus emptying it self into the Propontis nor yet of the River Aesopus Wherefore these may be esteemed some other Rivers of Phrygia or Mysia Minor or Hellespontick Mysia which I suppose to be extended until the Mountain by the Iron-Gate or Mount Timnus now mentioned Whence also I believe Mysia major begins and reacheth unto the Mountain by Thyatira Thirdly This River at Mandragorai abovementioned is most probably the Caicus whose Fountain Ptolomy putteth in the same Latitude with the Rhyndicus but not in the same Longitude and Strabo makes the Caicus to pass through the best part of Mysia before it comes to Pergamo But this by the way I was going to tell what Plants I found by it in my Walk this Evening 1. PLANTS AT MANDRAGORAL Scordium Lanuginosum sive Creticum Downy or Candy Scordion 2. Alsine Lotoides sive Anthylloides sive Spergulae facie C. Bauhinus 3. Gingidium Hispanicum which the Spaniards call Visnago in great esteem among them for Tooth-picks as Dr Pickering informed me when he shewed it me growing all over these Countries The next morning we parted thence and soon passed the River Whence up and down in a rough Mountainous Country we travelled till about three in the Afternoon when we arrived at a Village under a Mountain called Courougouli or the Dry Lake For the Plain round about in Winter is filled with Water like a Lake and in the Summer is dry Plants here observed were 1. PLANTS AT COUROUGOULI Leucoium Alyfsoides clypeatum majus C. Bauhin Dioscorides Gerard page 465. Mine agreeth well with common Moonwort only the Leaves of it as it groweth bigger put out here and there a little Angle and grow round about it near the ground in a Tuft Whence it sendeth but a single Stalk as I observed in most of them set with oval Shields c. and the whole Plant very woolly like Woollen Cloth as it yet remaineth in my Book But that change may happen through Alteration of Climate Lib III. Fig IIII Origanum Spicatum montis Sipyli folijs glabris W 2. But the Plant which pleased me most to see here was a most beautiful kind of Origanum with long purple Flowers Mr. Merchant calleth it Origanum Heracleoticum Flore purpureo But Dr. Morison much better hath named it Origanum spicatum It is an Origanum different from any that hath been seen in our parts From black stringy and creeping Roots rise up many downy round Stalks beset in pairs of Leaves at first somewhat downy and ribbed with such small Ribs as are hardly perceiveable to the Touch. The Shape is round near the Stem and endeth in a sharp point like the small Myrtle These shoot a foot and half or two foot high from the Ground the Stalk and Leaves growing smooth and towards the top in pairs it sendeth out very small Twigs which end in a scaly Flower like a Hop sometimes near an inch long and of a light purple colour between whose scales come small Purple Flowers When they are bruised they send forth a weak Scent something resembling Stoecas Arabicus I found it both in Flower and Seed with which I have furnished several Gardens And it flourisheth now very well at Oxford The next day we passed over a good high Mountain whence we had the Prospect of a large Plain East of us and came very early to Basculumbai a Village of about two or three hundred Houses BASCULUMBAI having a Kan and three Mosques also We lodged at an Acquaintance of the Doctor 's a Turk that made as much of us as he could This place tradeth much in Cotton I took notice of the Instrument they separate the Seed from the Cotton with which is only two Rowls one of Wood about two or three inches diameter and another small one of Iron set in a frame so as to rouch one another each of which being turn'd round the other turneth also and letteth the Cotton pass between as it goeth about but leaveth the round Seeds behind Here I observed a little River which may fall into the Caicus Thursday the Nineteenth of October we parted hence early in the morning and about a Mile from the Town left the common Road to Smyrna on the right hand and passed through a pleasant Country mixed with Woods and Pastures until we came to a Mountain stretched out in length East and West yet not very high It hath a Gap in the middle through which we passed along a Stream great part of which is carried in Aqueducts under-ground to Thyatira This Mountain is supposed to part Mysia major and Lydia To defend this Passage on the right hand a good height are the Ruins of an old Castle called by the Turks Akeisar or White Castle as they do also now call Thyatira which we saw from hence over a Plain about two Miles further South and arrived thither about Noon Thyatira is a very antient City in Lydia or in the Confines of Mysia a Colony of the Macedonians according to Strabo situate almost in the mid-way between Pergamo and Sardis in a very delightful Plain But since more famous in Holy Writ being one of those Churches of Asia the Son of God vouchsafed to write to by the Holy Apostle St John THYATIRA shewing them what they must look for if they did not reclaim themselves from the Fornication with which they were polluted through the perswasion of some who taught them to eat Meats offered unto Idols thereby to dissemble the Truth Upon which warning how well they reformed is uncertain But certain that Christianity is almost extinct in this place there being not above ten Christians in the Town destitute both of Church and Priest Their Patience and Suffering undoubtedly is great among that disproportionable number of Infidels For the Town is very populous in Turks and may contain four or five thousand Souls It s antient Temporal as well as Spiritual Beauty is destroyed its Marble Buildings are buried in their own Ruins Houses built of Clods of Earth and dried in the Sun only remaining and it s once glorious Name obliterated Insomuch that a very little while ago none knew where it was to be found nor where it did stand Some thought with the ignorant Greeks that it was Tyreth a Town South-East of Ephesus about twenty Miles where they pretend they have the Apocalypse of St John's own writing as I have heard Until the Curiosity and Piety of the English Consul of Smyrna Mr Ricaut with several of the Merchants whose Devotions were raised by their Minister Mr Lake gave a Period to this gross Errour by finding this to be the antient Thyatira For they met with many Inscriptions here where the name Thyatira is mentioned of which all we could find being a dozen we copied with as great exactness as we could which gave us a great deal of News of this Place The first we were shewed was at a kind of
standing at the Altar of Diana Triclaria ready to be slain which made him quickly call to mind the words of the Oracle that agreed so well to what he saw here The People also seeing a strange King whom they had neither seen nor heard of before were no less moved at his Presence and at the Coffer which he brought not doubting but that it contain'd some sacred thing as it did So that remembring the Answers Apollo had severally given them there was great Joy on both sides the King that he found himself by this means restored to his right Mind and the City that they were delivered and set free from such a barbarous Custom From this cruel Sacrifice the River at which it was usually done had got the Name of Amilichus which is as much as to say Vnmerciful But when the wicked Rite and Custom thus expired it came to be called Milichus which signifieth Compassionate or Tender-hearted whereas before it was not known to have any Name at all The Stream runs thence South-Westwards and so winds about the Town to the Sea Thence passing over the River and up the Hill near the Town we came to the Jews Burying-place where I observed their Sepulchers to be made in the fashion of little Houses of Stone-building having at each end a Marble-Stone whereon is engraven an Inscription of their Name and Family which looking like the Doors of the little Houses of Death make the Burying-place seem a great Town when it is viewed at a distance from the wrong end of a Microscope From hence leaving the Town on the left hand we passed by the Castle on our right which is not much considerable either for Beauty or Strength having only one round Tower toward the Sea a broad-side towards the Town and ditch'd round about being then commanded by a Turk called Hebbey-Bey as is above-mentioned Here is also a Caddy or Judge to determine Civil Controversies and a Veivode whose Office it is to execute the Determinations of the Caddy and gather the Rights and Duties upon Merchandizes and Provisions He that was then Veivode was called Abdi-Aga who from his Sopha spied my Comrade walking by before his Window and perceiving him to be a Stranger sent a Janizary to him to bring him before him where by a Jew that was his Interpreter he examin'd him what he was and what he did in that Country My Companion answered That he was a Physician and that his passing near those parts was that he went to see a Friend of his that was Consul at Athens The Interpreter then made him understand That he ought to have made the Veivode some Present staying in the Town But to this he made him a Compliment telling him That he was no Merchant that only bad Weather staid him in Town and that he had brought hardly enough to defray his own Expences far from being able to make Presents to a Person of his Dignity and so he was dismissed His Brother also Haly Basha who was Master of the Customs hoped to have had something of us in this kind and for fear we should part without paying his Dues took the Rudder of our Barque and locked it up in the Custom-House The Turks are about a Third Part of the Town with the Jews and Christians the other Two Parts They have six Mosques one of which was formerly the Cathedral Church and hath an Iron Chain gilded with Gold hanging on the top of the Cuppalo Which was the reason that when it was taken from the Venetians as they say the Town was pillaged the Turks believing it to be Massive Gold and that they could not but have great Riches in the City The Jews who make the second Third-part of the Town have four Synagogues with a kind of Polity among themselves and chusing antient Men to decide their own Differences The whole number of Christians Turks and Jews are reputed about four or five thousand Their Trade consists in raw Silks made in the Morea in good quantity Leather is also cheap and so is Honey Wax Wool and Cheese The Currans of Patras are esteemed the best in those Parts but they have no great quantity of them Patras Nathaligo and Messa-longia all three together having enough to lade only one good Ship every year Here we went to visit the Vice-Consul of the French Monsieur Vitelin who shewed us a Marble Head of a Statue found in digging his Garden but so defaced that it could not be known for whom it was made As also a Gold-Ring set with a Stone having a Castle engraven on it and certain Gothick Letters about it We went also to visit the Venetian Consul to have a Pass-port of him because the English Consul was not then there and also because our Boat-men were of Zant under the Venetians For none can pass in and out again the Gulph of Lepanto without leave of one of the Castles at the Mouth which Castles are so near to each other that it is impossible to pass out of Gun-shot of one or other or both of them Besides if they let you pass into it at Lepanto one runs the risque of having the Barque burned and an Aveny set upon you besides To enter the Gulph leave must be had of the Castle of Morea and to come out of that of Romelia for so only they distinguish them But when we had gotten this Instrument we wanted another to wit the Rudder of our Bark which as I said the Emir or Receiver of Customs had taken away that we might not part without his Knowledge We could not for sometime find him and when we did we were forced to buy it of him at the price of half a Crown Lib IIII. Naupactush LEPANTO January the first LEPANTO we parted from Patras and came to Lepanto that Evening though it was past Noon when we took Water For we were presently dismiss'd at the Castle and it is not esteem'd above a dozen Miles distance from Patras to Lepanto being in sight of each other From one Castle to the other is not above a Mile But then the Gulph widens again on each side unto Lepanto Lepanto is now the chief City of this Gulph and of late hath given Name to it It was called formerly Naupactus and by the Greeks now Epactos only by the Franks Lepanto Ptolomy reckons it among those of Locris Ozelorum It is situate upon a very steep Hill with a Descent every way from the top but it is joyned to a Mountain behind it by two other little Hills which since the Invention to a Mountain behind it by two other little Hills which since the Invention of Gun-powder command it But it was so strong in antient times that it gave much disquiet to the Romans being a Refuge for the Rebellious Etolians It is built from the Sea-shore up to the highest Point of the Hill which is crowned with a little Castle to mount to which one must pass no less than four Ranges
Valley is but narrow being bounded by the Mountain Corax South-West and by the Ridges of Parnassus North-East and after eight or ten Miles riding from Sea this Valley brought us by Noon to Salona Salona is situated upon a Rock in the inmost Recess of this Valley under a high Mountain Northwards SALONA or AMPHISSA unto which Parnassus stretcheth out a Ridge on one hand as also does Mount Corax on the other On the top of this Rock is the Castle and about it is the Town The number of Christians and Turks here are about equal It is a Bishoprick subject to the Metropolitan of Athens and the Greeks have here six Churches The Reverend Bishop I saw upon my return from Athens at the Covent of Saint Luca. The Turks have seven Mosques But no Jews are permitted here Their Trade is in some Cotton but chiefly in Tabaco of which fifteen Okas are worth but one Dollar An Oka is a weight with them of about Forty two Ounces We saw nothing remarkable of Antiquity here only a Roman Eagle well cut in Marble Some have thought this to be the antient Delphos as Niger and Baudron from him But because this agreed not with the Idea we had of the Situation of that Place we made strict enquiry whether there were no old Stones with writing upon them about the Town and at last we heard of one at a Church on the side of the Mountain a quarter of a Mile above the Town which we went up to see The Church is called Sotiros Metamorphosis being dedicated to the Transfiguration of our Saviour But the poor Pappa seeing us come in our Turkish Habit was so frighted that he ran and hid himself among the Rocks But we unwilling to lose our Labour of climbing up so high for nothing sent our Greek to seek about for him and to assure him we were Christians and not Turks and that we came only to make our Stauroma or Sign of the Cross in his Church which is a Ceremony of the Greek Worship whereby they worship God when they come into their Churches and distinguish themselves from Turks and Jews the Enemies of Christ's Cross Upon this first his Wife came forth who called her Husband and soon confirmed him that we were Christians both by our Words and Behaviour When he had opened the Church he shewed us a large Stone upon the Pavements full written in Latine which we copied although the Letters were ill engraven for the V Consonants are form'd like the Old Greek Y and the Latine it self corrupt as you see DECIM SECYNDINYS YC PROCONS CYRAT IT DEFENS AMFISSENSIYM SALYTEM YT MEMINI NON REPYRGARI MODO AQYAED YCTYM YERYM ETIAM INDY CIA QYAM IYSSERAM CONFES TIM IGITYR IN YETERES CISTER NAS AQYA YT SEMPER CYCYR RERAT INDYCATYR GRATIA S AGENTE BEATITYDINI TEM PORIS ET MODERATIONI ME EHE SPERO QYOD FYNDYS QYI AQYAM PYBLICAM OCC YRAYIT PYBLICYS NON FIT SA .. NE SI SIMILIS INTERCEPTIO ITE RYM FIERI POSSIT IN CISTERNIS ID SIS LAPIDEO TITYLO POSITO YN DE AQYA YENIAT ADSCRIBITE Y T NYLLA INYADENDI PYBLICYM RELINQYATYR OCCASIO NEMO RESERITIS PERFACTAM A .... OMNIA ANTE DIEM DECIMY M KALENDARYM IANYARIA RYM YOS AD OFFICIYM NYN TIARE DEBERE OPTO BENE YALEATIS The Substance of which being the Copy of an Epistle sent by the Roman Proconsul Decimus Secundinus and addressed to the Inhabitants of Amphissa written there Amfissa in which stiling himself their Curator and Defendor he commands them to repair their Aqueducts and to bring the Publick Water into its old Ducts and Cisterns which shall have over them in writing upon Stone from whence the Water came that so the publick Right be by no means invaded and that it should be kept from none when done and that all this should be finished before the Calends of January This put it out of question that Salona had been called in former times Amphissa and not Delphos And besides the Situation of this Place agreeth exactly with what Pausanias and Strabo have said concerning Amphissa which Delphos does noâ— We requited the Pappa with some Timins who would needs make us taste of his White Wine which was exceeding good so with great satisfaction we returned By the way we came to a Fountain which our Guide assured us had a Stone written at the further end for it went in a good way under ground like an Aqueduct We were in hopes to have found here the Inscription that was commanded by the Proconsul to be written and set up as is abovesaid But my Comrade found it not although he went with a Candle up to the Knees in Water to seek for it Amphissa was the chief City of Locrii Ozelorum Strabo saith That in his time it was destroyed or lay waste But Pausanias who was after him describeth its Temples and other Buildings and Monuments Moreover our Inscription which is of later Date shews it to have been again inhabited It had its Name from the Nymph Amphissa with whom Apollo had to do and her Monument was the chief Ornament of the Town Next to which that of Andremon and his Wife Gorga had the Preheminence Minerva had a Temple in the Castle which is the same the Turks now have and her Image was thought by the Inhabitants to have been brought from Troy But Pausanias a great Judge in these Antiquities thought it rather from the Rudeness of the Work to be of Rhoecus and Theodorus of Samos his doing who first taught the Art of Founding Metals but were not accounted the most excellent Workmen Here was also a Temple of the Anactes Protectors of Infants that some take to be Cabires others Castor and Pollux others the Dioscouri or Curetes viz. those that looked unto Jupiter when he was an Infant And indeed it would be a wonder could they accommodate all their Gods to be the same under so different Names Stories Birth-places Sepulchers and Circumstances when from their different Names they were all rather to be judged different Persons proper Names being usually the same in all Languages with some small difference We heard of no such Place as Lambina which Niger takes to have been Amphissa and believe it to be another of his Errours This night we lodged with a Greek called Georgaki Andreno We had a Letter from Signior Samuel of Lepanto to a Turk called Mahomet Basha sirnamed Tunisino from the Place he came from But he not being at home a Relation of his sent us to an honest and merry Greek who made us all the welcome he could and provided us a Supper not ungrateful to our travelling Stomachs But we had like to have over-sawc'd it with Wine for out good Host would not let the Bowl stand still it being the Greek Mode to make the Cup go round without ceasing Nor was it Manners on our side to refuse it or call for Wine out of our turns Being now well assured that Salona was
there is on the top Tou Hagiou Georgiou vouni St Georges Mountain which might in times past be that which Pausanias calleth Anchesmus a little Mountain Not as the French Author of the New and Old Athens saith Pentelicus covered with Woods and where the Quarries of Marble are For here upon this Mountain of St George are neither Woods nor Quarries being only a bare Rock lying about a Mile off the Town East North-East It hath the Chanel of the River Ilissus running by it South-East and turneth round it South and South-Westwards by the Hill called in times past the Musaeum and is about a Bow-shot South-West of the Acropolis or Castle Whence it falls into another Stream which rising by several Fountains from Mount Parnes and Pentelicus runneth by the City North-East about three Miles distant from it and watering in its passage a Wood of Olive trees of at least half a dozen Miles long and one or two broad which is now the greatest Wealth and Ornament of the Athenian Plain It is not easie to determin whether this River should be called Cephisus or Eridanus Strabo plainly calleth it Cephisus But our Geographers of late and modern Times make it Eridanus with whom I will not for the present dispute Only I must tell them Latitude They are out in their Latitude of Athens whatever they are in their Longitude For they place it in Thirty Seven Degrees Latitude and Fifty Three Longitude whereas Mr Vernon found it to be Thirty Eight Degrees Five Minutes Latitude The Cittadel that now is was at first all the City having no other Inhabitants but such as dwelt within those Walls Afterwards in times of its greatest Prosperity it was no more than the Castle or Acropolis standing in the middle of the City And still it continueth to be the Castle even in this low Estate though it cannot at present be said to stand in the middle of it but rather somewhat above it to the South-West the rest encompassing in antient times being quite destroyed So that the present Town lieth not round about the Castle as antiently but to the North-West side of it being now spread on the Plain under it in length I believe a Mile and half in breadth somewhat above a Mile and is esteem'd four Miles in Circumference It hath no Walls to defend it self insomuch that they have been frequently surpriz'd by the Pirates from Sea and sustained great Losses from them Until some Years since they secured all the Avenues into the Town by Gates which they built anew and made the utmost Houses lying close together to serve instead of Walls These they now shut up every night and are by them reasonably well secured from those Corsairs The Houses are very close built together and the Streets very narrow The whole is divided into Eight Quarters or Parishes which they call Platoma besides the Castle Their Names and Situation are these which follow 1. The First is called Placa and is situate on the South-East-side of the Town It hath in it the Monument called The Lanthorn of Demosthenes the Church entituled Hagio-Kyra and the Consul's House 2. The Second is called Sotiras Tou Kotaki and lieth Eastwards towards the Church Lycodemou 3. The Third Monoca Luptis This is about the middle of the Town wherein is the New Mosque called T is Baciras from a Widow Woman of that Name who built it 4. The Fourth Roumbi which is about the Church Panagia Cacoumeria and the Place where they burn Lime 5. The Fifth is Sâ—â— Platoma on the North-East-side towards the Church Hagio Theodoro and the Pillar Hagios Johannis 6. The Sixth Boreas Platoma which is the North Quarter by the Church called Chrysospiliotisa 7. The Seventh Hagii Colymbi is North-Westwards towards the Temple of Theseus and Eleusis 8. The Eighth Gerlada is under the Castle about the Church Hagio Nicolao To these the Castle being added Athens is not so despicable a Place that it should deserve to be consider'd only as a small Village according to the Report of some Travellers who perhaps have seen it only from Sea through the wrong end of their Perspective-Glas For from the Sea the Castle is only perceivable which hideth all the rest of the Town spread out upon the Plain North of it But if it be compared with the former State when it took up a considerable Part of the Plain was joyned to its two Ports Phaleracus and Pyraeus by its two long Walls one four Miles in length the other five Munichia being joyn'd to Pyraea between them when it gave Laws to other Nations but received none when it was the Seat of the Muses of Wit Eloquence and Learning where all Arts and Sciences seem'd to be born nursed up and brought to their full State and heighth of Perfection Indeed those that shall thus consider Athens will find the Scene quite changed Philosophers being now more rigorously banished thence by Fate than they could ever be in old time by the ill Humours of their Governours For the Athenians have had their share in the ill Fortune of all those noble Cities of the East the Fury of the Destroyer having cast them also down although not utterly extinguish'd them Indeed I have seen but few Towns in Turky that have preserv'd themselves so well as this nor that enjoy greater Priviledges under the Tyranny of the Turks True it is some other Cities by Trading seem more Rich than Athens But I attribute this rather to the bad Fortune of the Place than to want either of good Harbours or good Merchandize to export or vend for such as may be imported They count their Town as I said four Miles in compass The Athenians Quality and Numbers and esteem themselves Eight or Ten thousand Inhabitants whereof three Parts are Christians the rest Turks No Jews among them nor would they ever admit any to inhabit with them although it hath often been attempted For this must with great truth be said of them Their bad Fortune hath not been able to take from them what they have by Nature that is much natural Subtilty or Wit of which Natural Wit the Serenity and Goodness of the Air they enjoy may be a great natural Cause as I doubt not but it is of the Healthiness of the People which is such Health that it is commonly observ'd that when the Pestilence is round about them From good Air. at Thebes Negropont Napoly Corinth c. it seldom or very rarely cometh thither Their natural Dexterity in all the little Matters they undertake shews it self extraordinary as in buying selling and all their Domestick Affairs and not a little also in Publick considering the Circumstances they are in For finding their Turkish Governours were still too hard for them Priviledges and still imposing upon them notwithstanding the Priviledges they had capitulated for at their Surrender and dearly purchas'd afterward they about thirty Years ago not without some Difficulty
and with no small Cost obtain'd the Protection of the Kizlar Haga or Chief of the Black Eunuchs who thereupon is become their Patron and whom they appeal to upon any Difficulty or Abuse put upon them by the Turks It is he that orders whom he will to be their Veivode their Caddi Governours Haga of the Castle The Veivode receiveth the Revenue of Athens and payeth to the Kizlar Haga for his place Thirty thousand Crowns a Year and is worth to himself over and above Five thousand Crowns all Charges and Expences defrai'd He is changed every Year commencing his Charge upon the beginning of March This Revenue is raised out of the Customs Caratchs Weights of the Town Avenies or Amercements Tenths and Vellanies which are the Cups of Acorns I before spake of and wherewith they Tan their Leather Those also that carry any Merchandize to any Fair as Moscoluri c. must pay him a certain Duty first About fifty Years past the Caratch or Poll-money was certain at four Dollers and a half every Head but lately the Veivodes have raised it to five Dollers here as well as in most other Places of Turky The other Officers are the Sardar who commands the Janizaries of Athens and of the Country Adjacent The Spahi Aga who commands the Spahies or Turkish Horse and holds certain Lands of the Grand Signior for that Service The Disdar or Haga of the Castle hath no other Authority than over the Neferides or Souldiers of the Garrison who have their Lodgings in the Castle The Caddi is Judge of all Causes and Differences among them whether between Turks and Christians or both The Christians indeed endeavour to avoid the severe Tribunal of the Turks as much as in them lies and to that purpose have composed a little Body politick among themselves Policy For having divided the Town into Eight Quarters as I said out of every one of these one of the most substantial and reverend antient Men is chosen whom they call Epitropi These Eight moderate all Concerns in a friendly manner between Christians and Christians and to these they commit all their Publick Affairs of moment Chief Families The Benninzellies the Palaeologues the Limbonai the Perouli and the Cavalaris are the chief Families of Athens and generally one out of each of these is chosen Epitropos The Chalcocondylas whom they now call Charcondyli are but in a low condition Stamati Charcondyli who is descended from the Historian of that Name who wrote the History of the Turks is a Merchant who lives ordinarily at Mizistra in the Morea but hath a House at Athens Polimeno Zarli is also a Merchant well enough to pass but was never Epitropus no more than Capitanuki who is a very civil Man and counted Rich. But they seldom come to that Degree of Dignity till they are antient grave Men and let their Beards grow to their full length For then they begin to be honoured with the Name or Titles of Geronti and Archonti and to wear a high-crown'd black Hat Habits made of such kind of stuff as the Turky-Carpets are and generally the same Habit with the Epitropi The ordinary Habits of the other Athenians is only a Skull-cap which sometimes they turn up with white and a long black Vest rarely any other colours Over their Vest is another loose Coat commonly lined with Furs which they hang on their Shoulders On their Feet and Legs they wear a thin black Boot which they set in Wrinkles about their Legs They never wear Papouches or Slippers like the Turks nor Turbants The Women wear a long Coat to their Feet of red or some other colour'd Cloth not girded abou them but loose almost as high as their Breasts and is hung on their Shoulders with a Bodice sewed to it without any stiffness or straitness Over this they have a short Vest of Silk or fine Woollen Cloth and sometimes Cloth of Gold lined with some rich Fur and adorned before with Buttons as big as Wallnuts of beaten Silver and sometimes Silver gilded Their Hair curiously plaited and braided down behind as low as the bending of their Knees having also for the most part Tassels of lesser Silver-Buttons tied to the ends of the Braids When they go to Church they cover their Faces with a thin Linnen Vail Although the little Hope the Athenians have of ever gaining their Liberty from the Turkish Tyranny constrains them to live peaceably under their Government without running into Rebellion against them or somenting any Factions in the State yet does their old Humour of Jealousie still continue which though they wisely moderate by Reason so far as not to be transported thereby into any Publick Mutiny against the Grand Signior they now owne for their Emperour yet they forbear not to shew themselves sensible of the Injuries committed by his Ministers and to complain of them and with notable Industry to prosecute the Vindication of their own Right An Example of which not unworthy of Observation happened about the time we were there The Veivode new come into his Place to get up the Sum of Money he had lately parted with to the Kizlar Haga for his Office most greedily and tyrannically without regard either to Right or Wrong imposed new Customs and Taxes upon them and their Merchandizes and to that effect was assisted by the Haga of the Castle and three others that were Brothers and principal Hagaes of Athens who conspiring together brought the poor Athenians daily into some troublesom Aveny or other meerly to get Money out of them This they could by no means long endure but soon took Counsel together and sent two of the Family of Limbona to Constantinople with large Presents to the Kizlar Haga who immediately upon hearing their Complaint laid a great Fine upon the Veivode dispossessed the Haga of the Castle and sent the three other Hagaes their Assistants to the Gallies So the Limbonaies return'd triumphantly to the great Mortification of the Turks in the Town and Satisfaction of the Athenians Some of the Greeks also who betrayed their Trust in this Affair fearing some Disgrace would befal them upon that score durst not any more appear abroad especially Jani Benninzelli who retired to the Convent of Penteli This they did without noise before or much boasting afterwards lest they should exasperate the Turks dwelling among them But indeed they never shewed their Spirits more than in this Rencounter which they carried on with such Unanimity and good Success that its probable the succeeding Governours will be more cautious how they treat them Athens is an Arch-Bishoprick Of the Archiepiscopal Province unto whose Province belong the Bishopricks of Salona Libadia Bodinitza and Thalanta Bodinitza is in the way between Athens and Larissa beyond the Thermopylae Thalanta is on the North-side of the Boeotia on the Gulph of Negropont to which Monsieur Guilitier who hath created him seven Suffragans hath added the Island Scirus with four other
Head on her Breast as Pausanias describes her Image within the Temple Next behind her is another Figure of a Woman sitting with her Head broken off Who it was is not certain But my Companion made me observe the next two Figures sitting in the Corner to be of the Emperour Adrian and his Empress Sabina whom I easily knew to be so by the many Medals and Statues I have seen of them At the left hand of Jupiter are five or six other Figures my Comrade taketh to be an Assembly of the Gods where Jupiter introduceth Minerva and owneth her for his Daughter The Postick or Hind-front was adorned with Figures expressing Minerva's Contest with Neptune about the naming of the City of Athens But now all of them are fallen down only part of a Sea-Horse excepted The Architrave is also charged with a Basso-relievo at several distances divided into Squares of about two or three foot broad and three or four foot high That towards the South is charged as Pausanias affirmed with the Representation of the Wars of the Giants who inhabited the narrow Streights of Thrace and Pallenis the Athenian's War with the Amazons their Victory of Marathon and their Conquering of the Gauls in Mysia Where I find the Interpreter of Pausanias hath erred in translating these words In eo Arcis muro qui ad Austrum versus est for it should be In eo muro not Arcis but Templi In that Wall of the Temple which is towards the South For it is of the Temple he is discoursing and of the Statues in it This also agrees with what follows viz. That each of them are contained in spaces of two Cubits distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the same Author I learn That this was done by the Munificence of Attalus King of Mysia and the same that was by the Oracle told He should be King of Lesser Asia or Taurica and whom the Athenians honoured by calling one of their Tribes after his Name of whose Riches and Magnificence Suidas telleth great things But it was Pericles that first built this Temple as Plutarch in his Cato telleth and employed Jctimus and Callicrates for his Architects Which perhaps was meant by him only of the Cella or Body of the Temple to which Attalus added this Magnificent Portico But the Emperour Adrian most probably repaired it and adorn'd it with those Figures at each Front For the whiteness of the Marble and his own Statue joyned with them apparently shew them to be of a later Age than the first and done by that Emperours command Within the Portico on high and on the outside of the Cella of the Temple it self is another Border of Basso-relievo round about it or at least on the North and South-sides which without doubt is as antient as the Temple and of admirable work but not so high a Relievo as the other Thereon are represented Sacrifices Processions and other Ceremonies of the Heathens Worship Most of them were designed by the Marquess De Nantell who employed a Painter to do it two Months together and shewed them to us when we waited on him at Constantinople The Cella of the Temple without is a Hundred and fifty eight foot long and broad Sixty seven foot Before you enter into the Body of the Temple from the Front is the Pronaos whose Roof is sustained by six chanelled Pillars of the same order and bigness with those of the Portico and contains near the third part of the Cella to wit Forty four foot of the length We observed in place of one of the Pillars a great pile of Stone and Lime of most rude work which they told us the Kizlar-Haga had ordered to be so done to help to support the Roof because he could never find a Stone big enough to supply the place of the old Pillar broken down although he had spent Two thousand Crowns to do it Here also we saw upon another Pillar two Inscriptions One was in Honour of Lucius Egnatius Victor Lollianus who had been publick Oratour at Athens The other is of a Proconsul of Greece called Rufus Festus whom the Athenians had honoured with the Title of Areâ—pagite ΤΗΙ ΤΥΧΗΙ Η ΕΞ ΑΡΕΙΟΠΑΓΟΥ ΒΟΥΛΗ Α. ΕΓÎΑΤ ΟΥΙΚΤΟΡΑ ΛΟΛΛΙΑÎΟΠΑÎΤΙ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΕΑΥΤΟΥΣ ΕΥÎΟΙΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΤΕ ΚΕΔΕΜΟÎΙΑΣ ΤΩΠΑΘΗÎΩΠΤΟΠΡΗΤΟΡΑ ΑΓΑΘΗΙ ΤΟΠΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΟΠΑÎΘΥΠΑΤΟΠΤΗΣ ΕΛΑΔΟΣ ΡΟΥΦΙΟΠΦΗϹΤΟΠΚΑΙ ΑΡΕΟΠΑΓΕΙΤΗΠΗ ΕΞ ΑΡΕΟΥ ΠΑΓΟΥ ΒΟΥΑΗ ΚΑΙ Η ΒΟΥΛΗ ΤΩΠΤΡΙΑΚΟϹΙΩΠΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟΣ Ο ΑΘΗ ÎΑΙΩΠΕΥÎΟΙΑϹ ΕÎΕΚΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΕΡ ΓΕϹΙΑϹ ΤΗϹ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΠΠΟΛΙΠΑÎΕ ϹΤΗϹΕΠΠΡΟÎΟΙΑ ΦΛΑΒΙΟΥ ΠΟΜ. ΔΑΔΟΥΧΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΔΙΑ ϹΗΜÎΟΤΑΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟΚΟΜΙΤΩΠMy Comrade found the same Rufus Festus by another Inscription he met with at Rome to have been a Roman of Quality born at Vulsinium a little Town in the way between Pisa and Rome now called Bolsina where his Epitaph is in Verse and as he believes of his own because he was a Poet some of whose Works are yet extant under the Name of Festus Avienus There is also a great Vessel of white Marble and curious Work which might have been a Font to Baptize in in time past But not as Monsieur Guiliter affirmeth for Holy-Water For the Greeks use no such thing in their Churches although they do at home being made once a Year in the Church Here hang also some few Lamps that the Turks carry into the Temple when they do their Night-Devotions From the Pronaos we entred into the Temple by a long Door in the middle of the Front But my Companion and I were not so much surprized with the Obscurity of it as Monsieur Guiliter because the Observations we had made on other Heathen Temples did make it no new thing unto us as I observed at Spalato And that the Heathens loved Obscurity in their Religious Rites and Customs many Reasons may be given especially because by that means the Pomps they exposed to the People had much advantage by it and the Defects of them with all their juggling and cheating were less exposed to view When the Christians consecrated it to serve God in they let in the Light at the East end which is all that it yet hath And not only that but made a Semicircle for the Holy Place according to their Rites which the Turks have not yet much altered This was separated from the rest by Jaspar Pillars two of which on each side yet remain Within this Chancel is a Canopy sustained by four Porphyry Pillars with beautiful white Marble Chapters of the Corinthian Order But the Holy Table under it is removed Beyond the Canopy are two or three Degrees one above another in a Semicirle where the Bishops and Presbyters used to sit in time of Communion upon certain Solemn days The Bishop sate in a Marble Chair above the rest which yet remaineth above the Degrees against the Window Towards the bottom of this Window are those marvelous Stones Monsieur Guiliter makes such a Miracle of They are only of a transparent Marble
the Plain of Lepsina or Eleusis which lieth between Eleusis and the Mountain Daphne is about seven or eight Miles long Westwards and three or four broad from the Sea Northwards is not so well tilled but abounds with those Oaks they make Vellania of But Northwards towards the Mountains it is covered with Woods of Pines At this Fountain we parted with our Consul and soon after began to climbe up the Mountain Gerata by a way so ill that we spent in going up and coming down from before two a Clock till after Sun-set This Mountain is called now Gerata as well as in antient times Kerata M. GERATA KERATA from two piked Rocks on the top which shew like two Horns On one of them is a Tower called now Gerata-pyrga PLANTS I observed much of the Herba Terribilis growing upon this Mountain and of that Thorney Spurge I before mentioned whereof I plucked up a young Root which was long and almost Bulbous but hollow and full of Milk After this we passed through a plain for about an hour and brought Night with us to Megara and lodged at a Greek's House MEGARA where we were like to be choak't with Smoak not could we have been accommodated any where better in the Town as we were told For Chimnies are not in fashion with them The only way for the Smoak to go out is either at the Door or at a Hole made in the top of the Room There is a Kan indeed belonging to the Town but so ill kept that there is no Lodging in it The next day we spent in seeing the Place and searching for its Antiquities This Place hath preserved its antient Name Megara and is situated in a Valley between the Mountain Kerata North which hath a Ridge running North-Westwards to joyn with Mount Cithaeron at the Bottom of a Bay of the Corinthian Gulph called now Livadostro The whole Mountain is called vulgarly Macriplai or the Long Mountain Westwardly towards Corinth the Plain is bounded with the Mountain called now Palaio bouni or the Old Mountain and antiently Gerania the Gulph of Engia or the Saronick South-Eastwards and the Bay Livadostro North-Westwards This Territory is not unfruitful about it is twenty Miles compass and was called in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City was built upon two little Rocks stretched out South South-East and West North-West about two Miles from the Shore of the Saronick Gulph It hath the Isle Egina in sight South by East and Colouri South-East The antient Bounds of it yet appearing comprehend those two Rocks and some part of the Plain Southwards But now it is only built upon one of the Rocks consisting of pitiful Cottages whose Walls are sometimes only the broken Stones of her Ruins or Clay dried in the Sun covered only with Faggots and those again spread over with Earth above them They are built close together but are only of one Story high and may be about three or four hundred in number In the middle of the Town on the highest point of the Rock is a Tower where a Veivode lived until the Corsairs came and took him away which hath ever since so skared the Turks that they durst no longer stay there So that they are now wholly without Turks in the Town But the Christians that are stand in such great fear of the Pirates whether Turks or Infidels pretending to be Christians that upon sight of every Boat in the day-time and but hearing their Dogs bark in the night they presently fall to packing up their few Goods which they hide as well as they can and run away Not long since the French Consul at Athens made an Agreement between them and Crevelly the chief of the Pirates of the Archipelago to give him yearly an hundred and fifty Measures of Corn to let them live in quiet They get their living by tilling the Ground for which they have half the Crop The rest the Turks have as their Landlords under the Grand Signior They also make Pitch and saw out Planks and Boards out of the Pines and Firrs which grow in great abundance on the Mountains about them The Antiquities we observed here were several fine Inscriptions ΣΑΒΕΙÎΑΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΠΣΕΒΑΣΤΗΠÎΕΑΠΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΑΔΡΙΑÎΟΥ ΓΥÎΑΙΚΑ ΠΑΜΦΥΛΟΙ ΥΠΟ ΤΗΠΕΠΙΜΕΙΛΕΙΑΠΙΟΥ ΛΙΟΥ ΚΑΠΙΤΟΥ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΟΥ ΑÎΘΥΠΑΤΟΥ ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΟΥÎΤΟΣ .......... ΑΙΣΧΙΩÎΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΔΑΜΟΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ The first as we entred into the Town was of the Empress Sabina Wife to Hadrianus dedicated when Julius Canditus was Proconsul of Achaia by the Pamphilians But what Pamphilians these were whether those of Asia minor or the City of Macedonia or of any other Town not mentioned in these Parts I determine not They compliment Sabina with the Title of New Ceres ÎΕΑΠΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ There is another of Herodes Atticus of whom I have before spoken In the Walls toward the Sea-side at the left hand of the Gate is the Foundation of a little square Building At one side of which are two great Stones and between them was the Entrance into the Building They seem to have had Statues set upon them by the Marks where their Feet were fastened And on the side is engraven a Catalogue of the several Athletick Games they were Victors in MEGARA Lib VI ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑ ΕΠΠΕΙΣΗ ΠΥΘΙΑ ΕΠΔΕΛΟΙΣ Î’. ÎΕΜΕΙΑ ΕÎΑΡ ΓΕΙ Γ. ΙΣΘΜΙΑ Î’. ΠΑÎΑΘΗÎΑΙΑ ΕΠΑΘΗÎΑΙΣ Î’. ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑ ΕΠΑ ΘΗΠΑΙΣ ΠΑÎΕΛΛΗÎΙΑ ΕΠΑΘΗÎΑΙΣ ΕΛΕΥΣΕΙÎΙΑ ΕΠΑΘΗÎΑΙΣ Γ. ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΑ ΕΠΘΗ ΒΑΙΣ ΤΡΟΦΩÎΕΙΑ ΕΠΛΕΒΑΔΕΙΑ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΕΙΑ ΕΠΠΛΑΤΕΑΙΣ ΤΗΠΕΥΖΑΡΤΗΣ ΑΣΠΙΔΑ ΠΥΘΙΑ ΕΠΜΕΙ ΛΗΤΩ ΠΥΘΙΑ ΕΠΜΑΓÎΗ ϹΙΑ ΚΟΙÎΑ ΑϹΙΑϹ ΕΠΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΕΙΑ ΑΚΤΙΑ ΕΠÎΕΙΚΟ ΠΟΛΕΙ Î’. ΠΥΘΙΑ ΕΠϹΙΔΗ Î’. ΠΥΘΙΑ ΕΠΠΕΡΤΗ Δ. ΠΥΘΙΑ ΕΠΘΕϹϹΑ ΛΟÎΕΙΚΗ ΑϹΚΛΕΠΙΔΕΙΑ ΕΠΕΠΙΔΑΥΡΩ ΚΑΠΗΤΩΛΙΑ ΕΠΡΩΜΗ ΑΘΥΙÎΑϹ ΠΡΟΜΑΧΟΥ ΕΠΡΩΜΗ Δ. ΕΥΣΕΒΕΙΑ ΕΠΠΟΤΙΟ ΛΟΙΣ ϹΕΒΑΣΤΑ ΕΠÎΕΑΠΟΛΕΙ I was of opinion that it belong'd to some Gymnasium But my Comrade said It was a Sacellum dedicated to some Great Heroes expert in those Games whose Names although not written thereon yet might perhaps be engraven on some other Stone on the Architrave of the Building But Pausanias confirms me in my Opinion For he speaks of an old Gymnasium by the Gate Nymphadia which I believe to be this by the Thread of his Discourse For he cometh from the Market-place by the way called the Streight-way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was undoubtedly this For it lieth as streight as possible to the Sea-side to Nicaea Not far thence is another great Stone twelve foot long with an Inscription upon it in Honour of a Gymnasiarch and a Grammarian by the Senate and People η βȣλη ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟΣ ... ΑΠΚΑΛΩÎΕΙΚΟΥ ... ÎΑΣΙΑΡΧΟΥÎΤΑ ΤΩ ΔΦΛΕΚΑ ... ΠΚΑΙ ΕΚΑΤΟΣ ΤΟΠΕΤΟϹ ΕΚ ΤΩΠΙΔΙΩΠΗ ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟϹ ... ΚΑΛΛΕÎΕΙΚΟΠÎΟΜΙΑΔΑ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΥϹΑÎΤΑϹ ΓΥΜÎΑϹΑΡ ΧΗϹΑÎΤΑ ΕΚ ΤΩΠΙΔΙΩΠΗ ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ Ο ΛΗΜΟΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΠΠΡΑΞΙΟÎΑ On the same Stone is another Inscription of his Son bearing the same Office and another
Bay of Livadostro behind it Above this North North-East is the Mountain Helicon with a high Bunch on its Back like a Camel and now called Zagara-Bouni in the same Point The highest point of the Mountain Gerania now called Palaio Bouni between Megara and Corinth in the Isthmus North-East by North. The Isthmus it self dividing the two Seas viz. the Archipelago and the Mediterranean runneth along hence East North-Eastwards towards the highest ridge of Mount Cithaeron now called Elatea Beyond Cithaeron Eastward follows Mount Parnes and Hymettus and between them appeareth the White Temple of Minerva upon the Castle of Athens By them the Island Coulouri I noted them from hence East But both by Monsieur Vernons account of the Latitude and my own Observations on Mount Hymettus it ought to be one point more Southwards to wit East by South The Island Aegina in the Saronique Gulph South-East Of the rest of the Isles in this Gulph I have already given an account So I need only say they appeared from hence as in a Map before me The Plain of Corinth towards Sicyon or Basilico is well watered by two Rivulets well Tilled well Planted with Olive-Yards and Vine-Yards and having many little Villages scattered up and down in it is none of the least of the Ornaments of this Prospect The Town also that lieth North of the Castle in little Knots of Houses surrounded with Orchards and Gardens of Oranges Lemons Citrons and Cypress Trees and mixed with Corn-fields between is a sight no less delightful So that it is hard to judge whether this Plain is more beautiful to the Beholders or profitable to the Inhabitants For it bears great plenty of Oyl the best and sweetest I ever tasted Nor do they want good Wine But as to Corn it affords so great plenty as supplyeth the Barrenness of its Neighbouring Countries And its Plenty failing brings most certainly a Famine upon their Neighbours round about them So that this might soon grow to be a rich and populous Country were they under any Government but the Mahumetans Tyranny and not so often persecuted and spoiled by Christian Pirates who give them many troublesome Visits I was inform'd at my return to Zant that a considerable Party of Pirates had of late suddenly surprized them and having sack'd and plunder'd the Town as much as they could they at last hamstring'd all their Horses also lest the Turks should make a head and pursue after them I saw not many great Guns planted here but some there are planted Northwards towards the Gulph of Lepanto Under this Western Top of the Hill is a place Walled in which they say was the place where the Jews lived when Corinth was under the Venctians They make four distinct quarters of this Castle each Governed by a distinct Haga But their Forces consist now only of the Inhabitants Turks and Christians no Jews are now amongst them The number of Turks and Christians seem to be equal and are esteem'd not to exceed fifteen hundred in number both in the Town and Castle but there are many more dispersed up and down in the Zengaries or Villages in the Plain which I do not now reckon By that time we returned to our Lodgings it was Evening SICYON and we resolved the next day to take our Horses and ride over the Plain to see the ancient Sicyon which lies about three hours riding from Corinth on the Gulph of Lepanto A little way out of the Town we turned out of the way on our right hand to the House of a Turk called Monselim Narb who is Assistant to the Caddi to see an Inscription we were inform'd was there and found upon a Stone that is the Transeant over his Door to Copy which we were admitted with some difficulty because he kept his Women there L. HERMIDIVS CELSVS ET RVTILIVS AVGVSTI ET L. HERMIDIVS MAXIMVS ET L. HERMVS .. AEDEM ET STATVAM APOLLINIS AVGVSTI ET TABERNAS DECEM We found the Inscription to be of one Lucius Hermidius Celsus and some others who had built the Temple of Apollo and dedicated his Statue in it and Ten Taverns from whence and the ruins the House had been built of we judg'd that there abouts was situate the Temple of Apollo and found it to agree well with Pausanias his acount of it For saith he going from the Market place towards Sicyon one leaves the Temple of Apollo on the right hand This and the other Inscription we found here are both Latin ones as are all the Medals found of this place The reason is Mâ—d. 125 126. because it being a Roman Colony from the time that Memmius the Roman Consul had destroyed the place and Chased away all the Native inhabitants thereof they used the Roman Language Upon their Coins they used the Pegasus and the Chimaera half Lyon and half Stag of each of which I have one in my Collection And these are all the remains of the Antiquities we observed about Corinth We found not the Tomb of Diogenes the Cynick which was in times past by the entrance into the Town coming from the Isthmus But we saw it and Copied his Epitaph at Venice in the Palace of Signior Erizzo upon a Marble under the Basso-relievo of a Dog which we suppose was brought from hence when the Morea was under the Dominion of that State Diogenis Illoniunentum Sepulchrale Lib. VI. ΕΙΠΕ ΚΥΩΠΤΙÎΟΣ ΑÎΔΡΟΣ ΕΨΙΣΤΑΣ ΣΗΜΑ ΨVΛΑΣΣΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΥÎΟΣ ΑΛΛΑ ΤΙΣΗΠΟΥΤΟΣ ΑÎΗΡ ΩΚΥΩΠΔΙΟΓΕÎΗΣ ΓΕÎΟΣ ΕΙΠΕ ΣΙÎΟΠΕΥΣ ΟΣ ΠΙΘΟΠΩΙΚΕΙ ΚΑΙΗΑΛΛΑÎÎ¥ÎΔΕ ΘΑÎΩΠΑΣΤΕΡΑΣ ΟΙΚΟ ΕΧΕΙ On it is an Epigram that importeth thus much Supposing a Passenger going that way enquireth of the Dog Whose Tomb he guardeth He answers The Dogs But who is this man you call the Dog Answer is made Diogenes the Cynick who lived in a Tub But now being dead inhabits among the Stars This rigid Philosopher Diogenes who lived in a Tub was native of Sinope but his sowre and austere nature and discipline having chang'd his nature It seems they changed his name from that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his nature being transformed from Humanity to the Churlishness of a Dog He was one of the Magistrates of his City and flattered by the Oracle aspir'd to the highest place in it by Coining of false money But for this he was Chased from Sinope and fled to Athens where he came acquainted with that great Philosopher Antisthenes who disputed so much against the seeking of glory He fell afterwards passing by Sea into the hands of Pyrats who brought him to be sold in the publick Market-place Where being asked what he could do he answer'd Govern men and seeing a certain Spendthrift of Corinth he desired he might be sold to him because he wanted a Governour who bought him and set him to teach his Children where he lived and died After this we return'd into our way again and left the Olive-Yards and Vineyards on our right hand which
are watered by the Rivulet Ornea running down from the Mountains that bound this Plain South and South-Westwards and from thence I believe runs into the River Nemea which we past about mid-way by a Bridge This River then was not very considerable but after rains is poured down from the Mountains in such abundance that it fills many Channels on each side of it which before were dry In our way we passed by many little Villages and arrived at Basilico after three hours riding Basilico or as some call it Basilica was in old time a great City called Sicyon When the Kingdom of the Morea was under the Tenetians it was a considerable Town now it is but a heap of Ruins and Inhabited only by three Families of Turks and about as many Christians This final destruction one of the Inhabitants told us happened about twenty years ago by the Plague which they held to be a Judgment of God upon the Turks for profaning one of the Christian Churches there turning it into a Mosque by Command of the Vaivode who fell down dead upon the place the first time he caused the Alchoran to be read in it whose Death was followed soon after with such a Pestilence as in a short time utterly destroyed the whole Town which could never since be re-peopled It is situated upon a Hill about three Miles from the Gulph of Lepanto and hath the River Asopus running under it on the East-side on which are some Powder-Mills as they told us which are the first I ever saw in Turkey There remaineth abundance of Ruins both ancient and modern The Wall of the Castle many Churches and some Mosques and a good way off the Castle Westwards is a Ruin they call the Kings Palace which seems to be very ancient but made of Bricks I take it to have been a Bath from the many Chanels down the Wall to bring Water Beyond that at a good distance is a Hill formed Semicircular I believe by Art and to have been a Theater or Stadium There are also abundance of Caverns and Vaults in the ground which we could not stay to examine with any exactness but returned part of our way towards Corinth that Evening and lay at a little Village about midway The next Morning we passed along the shore by several little Lakes and the ancient Port of Corinth called Lechaeum now quite choked up We left Corinth about two Miles off on the right hand and went two or three Miles further to a Village they call Heximillia where we spent the rest of a wet day because we could not reach to Megara that Night nor was there any where to lodge at in the way This Village is called Heximillia because the Isthmus at this place is six Miles wide The next day we came early to Megara and the day following to Athens The Plants I took notice of and gathered in the Isthmus are these 1. Sea-Pines with small Cones 2. Wild Olive-Trees 3. Lentiscus grown to the bigness of Trees 4. Much of the Horncod-Tree or Keratia 5. A Tree called by the Greeks Kedros It is very like Sabina baccifera but here it groweth to an extraordinary bigness tall and streight up like a Tree But I could perceive no difference between it and Sabina Baccifera besides For the Berries and green of both are alike 6. Cedrus Lyciae part of whose Leaves are like Sabina Baccifera and part like Juniper 7. Scabiosa argentea petraea or Silver-colour'd rock-scabious It is a little shrub with long and narrow silver-colour'd Leaves the Flowers I saw not 8. Aristolachiae Clematitis Species Of which before 9. Linaria Latifolia Valentiana Clusii It is a kind of Toad-flax with broad Leaves and the Flowers are of several Colours Blue Yellow and White which look very beautiful 10. Androsemum Vmbelliferum of which before 11. Scorzonera rotundâ radice as before Before I quit Attica I shall here insert another Journey I made to the Promontory Sunium although I did it another time after my Camerade and I had parted in Greece that what I have to say of the Attica may be together Consul Giraâ—d and a Merchant of Micone were so kind to let me have their Company We set out in Easter-Week and resolved to take Port-Raphti in our way to which our Road lay directly Eastwards from Athens We passed by Mount Saint George on our left hand about a Mile and made towards the end of Mount Hymettus which we left on the right hand about four Miles from Athens About six Miles from Athens we saw on the left hand a Village called Agopi where beginneth the Plain of Mescigia which is all that Tract of Land that is between Hymettus and Promontorium Sunium called in times past Paralia and was the Portion of Pallas another of the Sons of Panthion â—e came and Dined at a little Cell belonging to the Covent Kyriana called Metochi which signifieth a Farm where some Caloiroes live to Husband their grounds After Dinner we took Horse and continued our Journey until we came to Porto Raphti which is esteemed eighteen Miles from Athens But I do not believe it above fourteen or fifteen PORTO RAPHTI The Bay that maketh this Harbour is situated on the Eastern shore of Attica and hath the highest point of Mount Hymettus Northwest by North. The Southern Promontory of Negropont East It is divided into two little Baies by a sharp point that runneth into the middle of it and it hath two little Islands or Rocks towards the Mouth the biggest of which lieth East South-East off from the middle point and giveth the name to the Harbour from a Colossian Statue of White Marble representing a Taylor cutting Cloth which the Greeks call Raphti These secure the Port against all Winds coming from the Sea so that it is not only a secure Port but they say so convenient that hardly any Wind can blow but Ships may both go out and come in with the same I believe this Port was anciently called Panormus from whence the Athenians were wont to fail to Delos to carry the Mysteries of Apollo sent down through all Greece from the Hyperboreans Here are also the Ruins of a Town upon the shore which was the Town called anciently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prassae being the Harbour where in former times twenty Sail of the Issadâ— join'd with the Roman Fleet when they were called to help the Athenians against Philip King of Macedon We turned a little to the right hand thence and after we had rode about six Miles further we came to a Village called Marcopoli MARCOPOLI The Ruins hard by it shews it to have been a considerable place in old time but now it hath not above twenty or thirty Houses remaining Perhaps it was anciently the Town Aegilia of the Tribe of Antïoch Strabo calleth them Aeginenses but Meursius corrects him out of Suidas and Stephanus In some ruined Churches I found a few inconsiderable Inscriptions upon Pillars and
one we should have judg'd this place to have been Oropus had not the true Oropus so well preserved its ancient name I take the Hill by it to be that called Cerycius Mons in more ancient times And the Town to have been Tanagra so much spoken of and described last on the River Asopus by the ancients It was called first Paemandria after that Graea and Tanagraea as Pausanias but now Scamino Thence it is about three hours riding to Negropont in the way to which we passed by a Village called Dramish DRAMISH inhabited only by Fishermen and within three or sour Miles of Negropont a Port called yet Megalo Bathy MEGALO BATHY or Vathi of which Strabo takes notice by the same name signifying Portus Profundus Near this there is another small Bay called Micro Bathy MICRO BATHY and lastly there is a large Bay which hath two narrow Entrances one on this side and the other at the City making the famous Streight of the Euripus This Bay hath good Moorage all over and was the famous Port Aulis in times past where all the Grecian Fleet assembled to go against the Trojans But of the Town Aulis we observed no remainder although it was for certain near Chalcis now called Negropont by the Francks where we arrived in very good time and went and lodged at the House of one Gioseppe Rosso formerly a Slave of Malta but now bears the Character of French Consul there Negropont is called by the Grecians Egripos NEGROPONT EGRIPOS EVRIPUS as well the City as the Island which is very probably a corruption of the word Evripus which the Greeks would pronounce Evripos making the V after another Vowel sound as the Latines and we do the V Consonant and sometimes like an F or Ph. But the barbarous name by which the Italians and we from them call it hath no foundation for it but the ignorance of the Language For there is no such thing as a Black Bridge over the Euripus for them to call it Negropont from it Perhaps they might hear the Greeks say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or is ton Egripon or short Ston Egripon from which sound they might accommodate Negripon or Negroponte or the like to their own Language as is ordinary for both Francks and Turks to do of the Greek names as I have often noted The City Egripus then is upon or hard by the place where Chalcis stood formerly that is on a Peninsula of the Island anciently called Euboea and is there separated from Boeotia by a narrow streight which is passed over first by a small Stone-Bridge of four or five Arches to a little Tower built by the Venetians in the middle of the Chanel from whence to the Town is a Draw-Bridge no larger than to let a Gally pass thorough The Walls of the Town are not above two Miles about But there are more Buildings and People in the Suburbs of the Christians beyond than in the City where only Turks and Jews inhabit The Turks have two Mosques within and two without where the Christians have also their Churches The City is separated from the Suburbs by a deep Ditch and the Inhabitants of both may amount probably to fourteen or fifteen thousand people There are six or seven Families of the Francks among them and a Seminary of Jesuits who pretend to be there only to teach their Children but withal to do as much service to the Romanists as they can This is the chief residence of the Captain Basha or General of the Turkish Fleet who is Governour both of this City and Island and the Adjacent parts of Greece having a Keiah or Deputy under him A Fleet of Gallies still lie here to be ready upon all occasions to go out against the Pyrates and those of Malta His Palace is without the Town upon the Shore North-East off the Bridge Fortified only by the Gallies fastned to the shore above it His Brother Achmet Basha lives in the Town at the Palace which was the residence of the Proveditore of the Venetians before this Island was taken from them by Mahomet the Second This is situate on the shore on the Eastern-side of the Bridge and therein we were shewed some Vaults with secret Passages to go out with Boats to the Euripus where the Proveditore of that unhappy time of the Family Erizzo endeavoured to escape but was discovered by Spies taken and most barbarously put to death by that Cruel Tyrant and Enemy to Christendom His fair Daughter Signora Anna though she had an equal share of her Fathers unhappy Fate yet thereby purchased to her self such Glory as is worth many times the dying for For she being courted to his Bed by the offers of the Empire of the World by the lure of Crowns and Scepters to tread on to be made shine with all the glittering Jewels of the East scorned and contemned them chusing rather the bloody Ponyard than all that dazling Grandeur with the impious and foul Embraces of that Incarnate Devil her Fathers Murderer Insomuch that Mahomet being enraged to see his Lust his Glory and his Power so mightily opposed and defeated by the Virtue of a tender and weak Virgin drew out his Cimiter and in his Fury hewed her all to pieces Her Memory is Sacred among the Venetians and highly deserves to be Enroll'd among Glorious Martyrs On the Walls of this Palace we found an Inscription bearing date MCCLXXIII which speaks of a work then begun in the Month of May 409. Years ago and Dedicated to the Honour of God and St Mark the Evangelist by the Illustrious Nicolas Miliani Baiul of Negropont and his Counsellers Michael of Andros and Peter Navaiarius My Comrade thinks this was some Chappel but I rather believe it was this Palace it self †ANNO AB INCARNATIONE DNI NRI IHV XPI MILLE CCLXXIII MES MAIO HOC OPVS FEC INCHOARI NOBIL VIR DNVS NICOLAVS MLLIANI BAIVL NIGROPONTIS ET EIVS CONSI LARIIDNI MAHEL DE ANDRO ET PETRVSNAVAI ARIO IN HONORE DEI ET BEATI MARCI EVAG By the Water on the same side of the City is an old Castle where we were shewed among other great Guns several Mortar-pieces of such a prodigious Bore as are capable to fling Stones of two Foot and three Inches Diameter Egripo is a place very well serv'd with all manner of Provisions at very low rates Mutton is scarce worth a penny a pound Kids and Goats flesh not above an half-penny Fish will not sell for more than a Farthing the pound Wine is about two pence the Crondriry that is about our Wine-Gallon Here also they make Sweetmeals of all sorts of Fruits Quinces Pears Plums Nuts Wallnuts and Almonds for Sugar they use Wine boil'd to a Syrup and make them grateful enough to the tast yet I believe they would hardly please some of our nice Ladies unless perhaps because they were far fetch'd We should be extreamly to blame Of the
passage yet somewhat lower we came to the Ruins of a Town hear unto which on the side of the Hill we observed a curious Fountain running down thence into the Thebane Lake This Town might be the ancient Hyla which gave name to the Lake HYLA Here also I found some fragments of Inscriptions but such as gave me no hint of the ancient name of it Descending yet lower down the Mountain towards the Lake leaving the way to Thebes on the left hand and turning under the Mountain Cocino which we kept at our right we came in less than an hour to a small Village called Hungaro just by the old Passage of Cephisus HUNGARO into the Hylica palus according to Strabo When I had made all my Observations of it according to what I have before said by a very ill way Southwards we mounted up the Hill now called Mazaraci MAZARACI from a Monastery that is on it of like name This is that Hill or Mountain which Strabo describes by the name Phoenicius and Pausanias by the name of Sphingis mons On the top of it is a good large Plain which lyeth desart rather as I judge for want of Cultivation than of fertility Thence after Dinner and an hours further riding we descended by the Covent Mazaraci into the Plain of Thebes leaving a ruined Village about a Mile Eastward of Mazaraci We might soon have crossed over this end of the Plain it being narrow had not the Water after the Rains setled there and made the ground so false and rotten that we feared almost every step to be swallowed up both Horse and Man together to prevent which we went afoot our selves But having by Gods help escaped that danger and crossed the way from Thebes to Livadia we ascended again another Hill bounding the Plain of Thebes from the Plain of Rimocastri Southwards and came to Rimocastri on the other side of it an hour before Night I made a stop on the top of this Hill RIMOCASTRI and surveighed the Country about me For thence I had the sight of a great part of Boeotia that I had not before seen especially the Plain of Rimocastri But those parts I left behind I observed to lie thus The Mountain by Thalanda North North-West The Passage between the Mountains from Cocino and the rest of Ptoos North-East by North. A Mountain towards Egripo I think Typo-Vouni East-North-East Chasha or Parnes East-South-East Elatea or Cithaeron beginneth South-East and descendeth somewhat upon the Corinthian Gulph to wit on the Bay of that Gulph called now Livadostro South South-West Whence ariseth a high Rock off from it and Helicon West South-West The top of the Helicon appears hence West by North being the nearest Rimocastri is situated upon the Brow of this Hill over-looking a large Plain South and hath an unlimited prospect towards the Morea between Helicon and Cithaeron It is divided into three little knots of Houses two upon the Hill and one below which may in all consist of about a hundred Cottages of Greeks and Albaneses all Christians except a Sub-Basha that governs them who is a Turk That part of the Town which stands upon the point of the Brow seemeth to have been in former times fortified with a Ditch on the North-side on the other the Precipice of the Hill is its defence though at present needless their Poverty being security enough for them Here it is that I drank the best Wine the most generous and well tasted that I had done in all Greece In this Plain are many ancient Ruins of Towns and about this place and just under the Mountain are so many and great Ruins that it hath made some to suppose this place to have been the ancient Thespia But I am not of their opinion I think rather it was the ancient Thisba as I shall have occasion by and by again more expresly to conclude shewing by most probable Testimony where the old Thespia was Here I met with Morat our Druggerman who brought me news that he had seen my Companion safely Embarked Whereupon taking Horse the next day I made a Circuit about the Plain bending my course Westwards under the Hill and after about a Mile we came to some Ruins and old decayed Churches PHRIA called Phria where we also found some Inscriptions especially one which was a Pedestal dedicated by the Town to one Titus Flavius Aristus About a Mile further riding we came to another ruinated Town called Spatharia the Church whereof ruinated in like manner with the Town seem'd to have been built at first of ancient ill carved Marbles with Basso-relievoes of the same of men on Horse-back with their names and ΗΡΩΗ for title to each one of them Thence turning more South-Westwards we passed over by a Stone-Bridge a River coming from the Helicon and running Eastwards in this Plain and about two Miles further came to a Village called Neocoria or New-town just at the foot of the Mountain Zagara or Helicon hard by which are the Ruins of an ancient City upon a Hill with a steep descent from it every way except on that side where it is joined to the high Mountain above it In the way going up to it is a ruined Church which hath for the Altar a Cornish of a Pedestal of a Statue about four foot long and three foot large and a foot thick on the edge of which is an ancient Inscription wherein the Town Thespia is twice mentioned ΘΕΣΠΙΩΠΟΙ ΠΑΙΔΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΡΟΙΚΟΠ... ΠΡΜΑ ...... ΟΜΕÎΩΠΕΠΩΕΣΠΙΑΙΣ ΠΡΩΤΟΓΕÎΩΠΑΡΩΤΑΧΟΥ ΤΟΠΚΡΙΣ .. ΠΑΤΕΡΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΗΠΕΑΥΤΩ Î. Whence because it likewise agrees with the Description Pausanias gives of it I doubt not but this was the Seat of the ancient Thespia THESPIA It is about four Miles distant from Rimocastri Westwards and five or six from Cacos a Town seated in one of the Bayes of the Corinthian Gulph called now Livadostro Thence we turned South-East-wards and after two or three Miles riding over a little Hill we came to other Ruins of a Town called Palaeo-corio or Old Town where we likewise found some Inscriptions but less considerable Thence returning Eastwards we passed by another little Village called Tadza where are some marks of Antiquity and by it a curious Fountain which I guess to be that which was so celebrated in old times for the Fable of Narcissus and if so the Town should have been called Donacon Paus Lib. 3. p. 589. or Hedonacon as some read it I saw no Narcissus then growing it being yet too early in the Year But another time I saw abundance in the next Plain and several other places adjacent Yet what Pausanias saith of this Fountain agreeth with several other places in this Plain especially Rimocastri where there are many Springs up and down the Plain which collecting themselves into streams some run towards the Theban Lake and others to the Corinthian Gulph That which runs towards Thebes
lodged in the Castle no Christians whatsoever being permitted to enter into it But we were forced to make a vertue of Necessity and content our selves to take up our habitation in a place not much bigger or better than a Tomb like the Mad-man mentioned in the Gospel Which was a Brick Building arched over of six foot broad and fifteen foot long and the Floor digg'd two foot deep below ground It had two such holes one a top and another below as would neither let out the Smoak nor let in the Light But cold enough This Room served us for all the Offices of a spacious House the worst was when it came to its turn to be made a Kitchin not but that we might well enough have endured the Fire if our Eyes could have agreed as well with the Smoak Our Patron of the Barque lent us his Sail to spread on the Floor on which laying our Quilts we made but a bad shift the Place being very damp But the Wetness producing good store of Rushes thereabouts I taught them at last to be Matt-makers by tying handfuls of long Rushes together with Pack-thred we had by us These we laid under our Quilts and to stop out the Cold. The Fountain Argyra of good fresh Water at our Door was our best Accommodation For as to our Wine we sent for it two or three Miles off our Bread we had from Patras and our Meat from the Mountains at about a Mile or two's distance One day to take the Air I went to the Mountains with our Greek and a Guide to get Provisions and having passed by some Flocks not above two Miles from us not finding the Shepherds with them we began to ascend the foot of the Mountain and being gat up upon a Hill at a good distance we saw thirty or forty sitting in a round heap together This made me presently to call to mind the pleasant Stories I had heard of the Arcadian Shepherds from whose Country we were now not far distant I thought of nothing but being diverted by some Festival some Sport or other among them or at least that there had been the Nuptials of some fair Shepherdess then celebrated At which the Shepherds being weary of dancing were now set down to entertain themselves with the noble Wine of the Country a fat Lamb of their Flocks or with some Rustick Sonnets and old Wives Tales But approaching nearer I was soon undeceiv'd finding an old Grey-bearded Turk sitting in the middle of the Circle like a Conjurer with his Lap full of Pebles Pen Ink and Paper by him and giving each of them their Task which was to turn five of those Stones into so many Dollers by the next day at that time upon pain of being made Slaves and sent chained to the Gallies if they failed This was for their Caratch or Poll-money There were other Accounts also to be made up among them For their Flocks are not their own but the Grand Signiors of which they have the tenth Part of the Profit and Fruit for their Labour paying the other Duties that are imposed upon them The number of Pebles that were then to be made Dollers was Four hundred and thirteen by a People that I dare engage knew nothing of the Philosopher's Stone Their manner of living there is in little Hutts made of long Sedge which they joyn together with Sticks and Wit hs in such sort that a Covering of these keeps off the Rain from the top and as for the Wind as that changeth so they turn their Doors to the Lee of it making a Fire before it These are their Winter Houses when they are forced from the tops of the Mountains covered with Snow into the Valleys For in the Summer they have Villages they live in upon the Mountains and there with greater security feed their Sheep and witner in these little Hutts therein crowding themselves and Wives and Children together Their Habit is ordinarily made of White Cloth of the courser Wool of their Flocks being a large Cloak with a Hood of the same joyned to it and hanging down behind or to cover their Heads with when they have occasion For ordinarily on their Heads they wear a kind of Hat made of Wool in which their Hoods enter not but is flat and sits close to their Heads having a good big Knob on the top and tied under their Chin with long strings like a Cardinal's Cap by which when they please they can let it hang on their Shoulders and put on their Hood Their Under-garment is commonly a Fustian Shirt made so wide that they let it hang sometimes quite on the outside their Breeches The Women have a very odd kind of dress for their Heads being a half Circle or Crescent of Tin or Brass set an end upon their Heads with a Girdle about their Middle of the same Metal composed of many Scales of Brass which is girded about such a Linnen Garment as the Men wear but longer and embroidered with red Yarn about the Neck Sleeves and Bottom Their Shooes are only dried Skins laced together with Leather or Strings about their Feet Having made our Market we returned with more Melancholy than Satisfaction to see these poor Christians in so miserable a Condition bringing with us a very good fat Sheep for five Timins that is about two Shillings which was a Groat more than is usual to pay there for them A prospect of the Corintian gulfe from the City of Lepanto Lib IIII. Fig. II a Tubano or Pelican Patras After a very stormy Night twelfth day in the Morning so soon as we opened the Door of our House we found one of these sorts of Fowls PELICANS we call Pelicans the Modern Greeks Toubana Monsieur Spon thinks the same that Pliny calls Onocrotalus Whether benummed with cold or that it had been shot I know not but we easily caught it with Stones It hath a Body as big as a Swan but the Neck not so long the Feet webbed and is of a grey colour like a common Goose We measured the Beak of this to be seventeen Inches long broad in the largest part an Inch and half from the Beak to the Crown of the Head five Inches The end of the Beak turneth into a sharp Hook which perhaps helps it to catch Fish The under part of the Beak is proportionable to the upper in length and breadth also when it is shut together but when it openeth it enlargeth it so that it becometh as I guess half a foot wide it being of a bending substance much like a Whale's Bone and the two Jaws of it joyned together at the end as if it was but one piece bent together To this near to the entrance of the Throat is joyned a bag of a skinny substance like a Bladder before it is blown which shrinketh it self so much together that it is not seen when the Mouth is shut or the Bag empty but when filled it will stretch to an incredible