Practice of this here in England is that perhaps they gather a less quantity of Honey and that should they take the like quantity of Honey from the Bees here in England they would not leave enough to preserve them in Winter But this hinders nor much For by being less covetous and not taking so much Honey from the poor Bees the great enerease and multiplying of them would soon equalize and far exceed the little Profit we make by destroying of them This is done without Smoak wherefore the Antients call this Honey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnsmoaeken Honey And I believe the Smoak of Sulphur which we use takes away very much of the Fragrancy of the Wax and sure I am the Honey can receive neither good Taste nor good Smell from it This Convent payeth but one Chequin for all its Duties to the Veivode It is a piece of Gold of the Venetian Coyn worth two Dollers and an half and about twelve Shillings English The reason of which small Tribute is that when Athens was taken by Mahomet the Second the Hegoumeno or Abbot of this Convent was sent by the Town to deliver him up the Keyes of the Gates which Mahomet was so glad of that to testifie his Joy and Content and to recompense the Messenger he exempted this Convent from all manner of Taxes and Customs reserving only one Chequin to be paid as a Quit-Rent for an Acknowledgment The present Abbot is called Ezekiel Stephaki who lives at Athens and is a learned Man for that Country understanding the Antient Greek very well and Latine indifferently with a little Italian He understands Philosophy too so far as to be esteemed a Platonist and notwithstanding that he is an Abbot yet he professes not to be a Divine but a Physician In my Return to Athens I was daily with him and of him I learned to read Greek according to the Modern Pronunciation I found him to be really a good discreet and understanding Man and what Piques soever have been between the Beninzueloe's and him peradventure have proceeded rather from the Emulation of the first than from any just or real Cause given by him I easily perceiv'd he was not over-fond of some of the Greekish Superstitions But for all that he seems to be both a good Man and a good Christian and that whatever they talk of him otherwise are but Trifles and perhaps undeâ—erv'd He hath some Manuscripts especially St John Damasoen which he offer'd to exchange with me for an Atlâ—s if I sent it him But I have not yet had an Opportunity to send it The rest of the Convents about this Mountain are called Asteri Hagios Ioannes Kynigos and Hagios Ioannes o Theologos There is another Convent near Mount St George called Asωmatos Mount Hymettus is now called Telovouni towards the North-East end and Lambravouni towards the south-South-West end by the Greeks as my Comrade observes This last they call Lambravouni from a ruined Town called Lambra or Lambrica situated under Mount Hymettus South and is a Corruption of the ancient Lampra which they pronounce Lambra But this is only a Point of the Mountain that lieth behind the other and is scarce seem from Athens being also separated from the rest of Hymettus by a narrow Valley through which lieth the way from Athens to Capo Colonni But I remember not that I heard it called by the Athenians otherwise than Imet or T is Imettes Vouni that is Hymettus Mountain But the Francks call it Monte-Matto which is but another manifest Corruption of Mount Hymettus Lib VI Aristolochia Longê° ibd clematitis Lib. VI. Scoizanera bulbosa II. At another time we went to see the Sea-Coasts of Athens II. To the SEA-COASTS of ATHENS towards the Saronick Gulph and to survey the antient Harbours along that Shore So taking Horses we directed our Course to the Eastern Point of the Bay Phalara In our way about a couple of miles out of Town we passed through the Athenian Vineyards and came to the Eastern end of a Marshy Lake called by Xenophon Phalaraea Palus but now Tripyrga because there were as they say three Towers by it which probably were the ruines of the Town of Limne This Lake stretcheth it self in length at least three miles along the Shore and from the Eastern end of it runneth a little Rivulet into the Sea not far from the Eastern Point of the Bay of Phalara where stands a little ruined Church called St. Nicholo The place I believe was antiently called Colias Promontorium From this to the Western Point is about three miles to which we went continuing along the shore making a great circumference till we came where the Portus Phalareus was situate at the North-West corner of the bottom of the Bay and is called now only Porto There remains yet the little Harbour to be seen with part of the Walls that secured it But it is now chok'd up with the Sand and so shallow that only small Boats lye there Neither doth the Bay afford any secure Harbour as lying open to the South Easterly and Westerly Winds and Ships that drop Anchor there are forced to keep aâ— large for want of sufficient depth So that the Antients had very good reason to change their station for Ships from hence to Piraea Hard by are the ruines of the Town and Castle belonging to it being 〈◊〉 four miles from Athens Still coasting Westwards a mile or two we came to another Harbour called in times past Munichia which was then though but small yet a very good and secure Harbour but is now quite chok'd up and useless A little from the shore there are seen ruines of Vaults pieces of Pillars and hewn Stones under water and on the shore hard by are many more besides Caves digg'd in the Rocks Vaults Walls broken Pillars and the foundations of a Temple which we guessed to be that of Diana of Munichia Thence to the raines of Pitaea is but a little way I do not believe much above a quarter of a Mile going in a streight Line But going by the Sea-Coasts by reason of the crookedness of the Shore it may be neâ—â— two miles Which shews the errour of Ptolomy and our modern Geographers that follow him who make them at least ten miles distant from each other whereas indeed Phalara which is furthest off from Pâ—â—aea is not at most above four miles distant But the Shore indeed is almost formed into a Peninsula in the Neck of which Phalard lyeth to the East and Piraea to the West Portus Piraeus is called at present by the Greeks Porte-Dracone and by the Franks Porto-Lione PORTOLIONE by reason of a Lion of Marble of admirable work placed at the bottom of the Bay in a posture of sitting but erected upon his fore-feet It is ten foot high and by a hole pierced through it answering to its mouth appears to have been a Fountain There is such another in the way from Athens to Eleusis in a couchant
the more particular in my Observations of it and shall give the best account of it I can Which that I may do to be the better understood I shall first give an account of the situation of the Lake and the Plain in which it is stagnated and then of the several Passages out of the Water of the Lake into the Euboean Sea This Lake is now called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lake of Livadia but by Strabo Copais and by Pausanias Cephissis It is situate on the North-side of that large Plain which is call'd by the same name of Livadia which is stretched out between the Plain of Thebes and the Town Livadia the whole Perimeter of which Country and Lake is so encompassed with high Hills and Mountains so joined one to another that there is not so much as space for the many streams and torrents that arise under and fall from them to pass out above ground into the Sea So that had not the Wisdom of the Creator provided at several places certain subterraneous Passages as Chanels to receive and suck in the Waters which in so great abundance at times do flow and pour down these Mountains and were not those Chanels either by nature or art and industry of men kept open and cleansed all Boeotia must necessarily in a short space of time be drowned and made nothing but a great Lake or standing Water For beginning first at Parnes that Mountain is join'd to Cithaeron Cithaeron is join'd to Helicon Helicon to Parnassus Parnassus to Mount Oeta that to Cnemis Cnemis to the Cyrtonum Mons That to Ptoos Ptoos to Messapius Messapius to Cerycius and that again to Parnes Which Mountains although all or most of them be well enough distinguished from each other by certain Chasms or Openings between them yet are they all so tacked and link'd together by High-Grounds that before the Waters could find Passage any way into the Sea above ground the whole Country below them must unavoidably be drowned which perhaps was one great reason of Deucalions Flood in which these parts seem chiefly concerned But beside this Circle of Mountains that encompass all Boeotia Phocis and great part of Locris there are other Mediterranean Mountains also which are tacked to one another in such sort that they divide the whole Country into several particular Vallies which from a high prospect look as if they were those places in the Earth the Gyants laid open when in their War with the Gods they plucked up Mountains by the Roots and set them upon one another intending to scale Heaven thereby For so is this Plain of Livadia divided from that of Thebes Eastward by the Mountain Phoenicius or Sphingis which joins Northwards to the Mountain Ptoos Southwards to certain Ridges which descend from Helicon From those high Mountains Helicon South-West Parnassus and Oeta North-West are poured down those quantities of Waters into this Plain which stagnating make the great Lake of Livadia by falling towards the Ridge of the Rocky Hills of Thalanda or Cyrtonum Mons against which the whole stress and fall of the Waters seems to lean but are by them as by a mighty Mound or Bank kept in from discharging themselves into the Euboean Sea Strabo counts this Lake no less than three hundred seventy one Stadia in Circumference which amounts to about forty seven Miles and a half But I believe it covers not so much ground at present For then in his time it had one passage out above ground into Hylica palus now called the Theban Lake But now the Waters are far lower than that Passage and therefore are to be thought very much abated The form of this Lake is long being stretched out under the Mountains of Thalanda or Cyrtonum Mons North-West and South-East as far as the Mountain Ptoos In the middle it is narrow but then enlarging it self again until it comes to be divided at the South-East end into three several Bayes At the two Northmost of these Bays are the principal Chanels in a wonderful manner pierced through the Mountains The whole mass whereof consists of a very hard stone considerably high and of a great extent in thickness though in some places it be greater and in others less the shortest Passage to the Sea being towards Thalanda and the North-West end of the Lake is at least four Miles through the Mountain Where this enters in under the Mountain is a Town called Palea situate towards the north-North-West end of the Lake where it riseth again on the other side near the Sea are those Mills I but now spake of about two hours riding from Thalanda This seems to be the place which Strabo calls Anchoe where the Town of Copais was also situated that gave the old name to this Lake and by the same rule on the Sea side where the Waters come out of the Lake should lye Larimna Superior or that of Locris where Strabo makes the Chanels to pass thirty Stadia or about four Miles under ground from Copais to Larimna The other Chanels I saw on the North-West end of the Lake are all a much greater distance from the Sea many of them passing at least half a days Journey under the Mountain Ptoos The Northmost of the two Bayes last mentioned divides it self again into three Bayes the first of which entreth under the Mountain by two Chanels the second and third by three Chanels apiece Another Bay also there is that divideth it self into many other little Bays and those again into Chanels Insomuch that I easily believe what an Albanese I met there told me to wit that there were at least fifty of these under-ground Chanels whereby the Lake emptieth it self into the Sea For I saw above half the number of them my self From Proscina hither a considerable part of our way lay along one of those Chanels in several places of which we saw holes down to it but could neither see nor hear the Water as it passed by reason the Chanel was every where close covered and much deeper When we came to ascend the steeper part of the Mountain we passed by ten or a dozen square Stone-Pits about a Furlong distant one from another which I found still deeper and deeper according to the rising of the Mountain until by the sound of the Stones I cast in I could not judge them less than fifty Fathom deep but I heard no sound of Water at the bottom The reason whereof I found because the Chanel which carries the Water lyeth covered deeper under them They are about four foot square a piece at the Mouth and cut out of the hard Rock of the Mountain From all which I began to be sensible of the vast labour cost and indefatigable industry that brought the whole work to such perfection For by such Pits as these the rest of the fifty Chanels were first made if made at all and are now upon occasion cleansed when ever they happen to be obstructed Pausanias saith that
above four or five times bigger than Nature and no less than a Colossus for the shoulders are six foot broad and the remaining parts of the body proportionable The beauty of it is such that I am apt to believe if Michael Angelo had seen it he would have admired it as much as he did that Trunk in the Vatican at Rome It stood upon his Pedestal upright until about three years ago as Signior Georgio our Landlord at Micone informed me an English-man who was there call'd as he said Signior Simon Captain of the Saint Barbara endeavoured to carry it away but finding it impossible he brake off its head arms and feet and carried them with him But here I must observe that my Note differs from Monsieur Spon's Tom. 1. p. 180. who saith it was a Venetian A little further among these Ruins we found the half body of a Woman the Drapery about which was carved so well that it seemed to be the work of no less a Master than the former Just by this was the body and forepart of a Centaure so admirably well cut also that life and vigour appear'd in every Vein and Muscle Upon his back appear'd a place cut as we suppose to set a sedent Figure in whence we judged that it might have been the Centaure Nessus who would have committed a Rape on Deianira which was no improper Ornament to this Temple Centaurs being consecrated to Apollo as is to be seen in many Medals especially of Gallienus one of which I found at Smyrna of a mixed Metal whose reverse hath a Centaure holding a Globe in its right hand pierced behind with a Dart and these Letters about it APOLLINI CONS AUG Not far from these we found other Fragments one piece was the head and neck of an Horse another which seemed to belong to the same part of the Bodie of a Horse with a Fragment of a sedent Figure of a Woman from the feet almost to the wast upon it the hinder part of the Figure ending like a Fish with scales I cannot well determin whether the upper part of the Woman I before mentioned belongeth to the Centaure or this These all seem to have been the Ornaments of the walls of the Temple and of the same manner of work in entire Relievo Here are seen also four other pieces which we guessed to have been of the Lyons that the Neighbouring Islanders remember to have seen formerly here On the South corner at the West end of these ruins where perhaps was the entrance of the Temple is a great piece of Marble hollow in the middle and almost buried in the ground which perhaps was part of the pedestal of the Gigantique Statue of Apollo because on the one side are these Letters ÎΑΞΙΟΙ ΑΠΟΛΛ which denote that it had been dedicated by those of the Island Naxos to Apollo The Letters on the other side we could not well tell what to make of but-upon consideration they seem to me to be Vulgar Greek From the Temple of Apollo directing our steps Southward and near the Western shore of the Island we came to the Ruins of a wonderful Portico of Marble whose vast Architraves Pillars and other the beautiful parts Bury each other in as great confusion as time and bad Fortune could reduce them to Upon one of the Architraves broken in two pieces we sound these Letters of a span deep ΒΑΖΙΛΕΩΣ ΦΙΛΛΙΠΠSignior Crescentio remembers he saw on a Fragment of the same Architrave ΜΑΚΕΔ which sheweth that Philip of Macedon was its Founder Further upon a little eminence among other Marbles we found these Letters also upon an Architrave ΔΙΟÎΥΣΙΟΥ ΕΥΤΥΧΟΥ Dionysius the Son of Eutyches another Grecian King The Pillars were Angular towards the Base and channel'd upwards being of several pieces and of the Corinthian order as appeared by their chapetes of which we found only three or four Not far from the South end of this Portique and on the West side of a little rocky Mountain which undoubtedly was the Mount Cynthus is a Theater It is something more than a Semicircle whose Diameter comprehending the seats and utmost wall is about two hundred Foot on each side without its Circumference are the Foundations of a Tower Thirty Foot long and Eighteen broad Before the Scene are eight or nine Vaults in a row answering Parallel to the Diameter of the Theater separated from each other by a wall in which is a little Arch serving for a passage from one to another These some of us took for Cisterns to hold water and others for Caves to keep wild Beasts in used to be baited in the Theaters of the Ancients somewhat resembling our Bear-gardens The whole Fabrick is of white Marble and each Stone on the outside cut in the form of a Diamond In the place of the Spectators there are some seats still remaining The whole Theater leaneth on a hill part of which seemeth to be dug away to make room for it Lab. j Fig XIII Mount Synthus the Caste of Delos From the Theater Eastwards passing over a world of Ruins we began to ascend the high Rock called anciently Mount Cynthus Which can be called high only in respect of the other hills in this Island and not in respect of the circumjacent Isles which are beyond proportion higher It is very craggy and steep and consists of a Granate Marble of several colours some reddish mixed with black others lighter other some yellowish with black spots and some a light grey It is very hard but I doubt endureth not the weather so well as that of Egypt For the Pillars at the Schools I but now mentioned seem to be of the same stone and are very much scaled by the weather This makes me doubt whether all the Pillars that are seen in so many places be of the Granate of Egypt For although Monsieur Spon took no notice where any stone hath been dug out of it yet I believe the way up the Mountain which is deep broad and winding was the quarry where much of that Marble had been taken for it resembles many quarries I saw afterwards in the Mountain Pentelicus in Attica Besides they would not have bestowed the pains to have dug so deep only for a way nor is it apparent that it was the way For on the Right hand as we ascended up a little distance from it is a Port or Gate made of such vast stones as I believe were dug not far from the place which was the entrance to go up to the Castle on the top of the hill where yet remain Foundations of White Marble Another quarry of such stone is on the Alpes near Lago-Maiore with Pillars of which the Frontispieces of most of the Churches in Millain are Beautified And I believe those of Spalato may come from some quarrie in the Mountains of Croatia as I before hinted This side of the hill hath ascents one above another distinguished by Walls on each side of the place supposed to have
old is almost demolished and only serves to cleanse Corn and to make fine Flour for the Seraglio The other was built in two Months time about seventeen Years ago for the Grand Signior's coming thither It is but a small Building but well contrived with Baths and Stoves and adorned with Roofs and Walls gilded and painted in pretty Knots and Flowers with Presses on one side of each Room for Bedding and Furniture according to the manner of the Turks who have not their Houses incumbred with great Bed-steads Tables Chairs and Stools but only a part of the Room raised higher than the rest and covered with a Carpet where all get up and sit cross-legg'd sometimes with Cushions to sit or lean upon and this serves for Parlour Dining-Room and Bed-Chamber When they sit to eat one bringeth a little round Table sometimes of one piece of Wood and sometimes doubled together with a low Foot whereon the Meat is set in little Dishes One Napkin is long enough for the whole Company and goeth round the Table which is seldom cover'd with a Cloth because it serveth instead of Trenchers When they go to bed a Servant cometh and taketh the Quilts Sheets and Coverings and prepareth for as many as lie there each one one It would make but a poor Palace for any of our Christian Princes But the Prospect from the Castle is more pleasant being situate upon the Brow of the Hill overlooking the Town and Country which was no more than necessary for it hath no other Garden now We expected a better Shew for our Doller a Head which the Keeper exacted of us But it is good to be undeceived of the high Opinions we have of Things which deserve them not especially when our Experience costs not too dear There is no considerable River near this Town But the Mountain doth furnish them with so many Springs that I never saw more Fountains nor with greater Sources of Water in any place where-ever I have been but they are not esteemed very wholsome I believe because the Snow-Water continually melting from the Mountain mixeth with them These with what falls from the Mountain make two little Streams one whereof we passed coming into the Town and the other I passed over by a Bridge on the North-East-side of the Town to go up the Mountain which hath another Bridge not far from this both well-built and large joyning the Suburbs to the Town The Metropolitan Church is well worth seeing having been a fair Building cased within with curious and well-wrought Marble built in the form of a Greek Cross that is square with a Cuppalo in the Middle held up by four Pillars which being beat down in the time of the Siege was repaired by the Turks and the fair Capitals of the Pillars set where the Basis should be and the Basis where the Capitals An Emblem of their Tyranny over Christendom turning all things upside down So have they made this Holy Place the Sepulcher of Orchanes the Conquerour of it and the Second King of the Turks But there yet remains the Place of the Altar which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Holy Ascent being according to their Custom a place containing three Seats one above another in form of a Semi-circle On the first the Patriarch and Metropolitans use to sit on the next the Bishops and on the other the Presbyters when the Sacrament was celebrated Adjoyning to this is the Sepulcher of Bajazet's Children Beyond the Stream on the North-East-side of the Town is a Royal Mosque and a Colledge by it with twelve Apartments for twelve â—â—â—ers who are obliged to teach to Write Read and the Understanding of the Law Thither any poor Man may come and eat at any time and on Fridays be feasted with Rice Hard by is the Founder's Sepulcher which looketh very prettily being a large Cuppalo covered with Lead on the top and the Walls cased with Porcelane Tiles Here are three or four very good Kans KANS. built two Stories high covered with Lead each Room a Cuppalo over it For this Town is a great Thorow-fare and of much Traffick all the Caravans coming from Smyrna Aleppo and most part of those from Persia to Constantinople passing by this Place The Basars are well built and furnished with Merchants and all sorts of Merchandizes A great deal of English Cloth is brought hither and no small quantity of Silk made here the Plains being covered with Mulberry-Trees to feed the Silk-Worms Here many of the Turks seem to live more gentilely than ordinary and have their Houses of Pleasure without the Town One I saw belonging to a Haga well contrived with shady Walks Chiosques Fountains and Artificial Fish-Ponds Here Dr. Covel made me take notice of a Willow-Tree whose large Branches were so limber that they bend down to the Ground from a good high-pollard Trunk and naturally make a curious shady Bower about it The Leaf is like our Osiers There is plenty of all sorts of Provisions here and most delicious Fruits especially Pomegranates which are esteemed so good that they are sent from thence to Adrianople for the Grand Signior's eating Great plenty of excellent Fresh-Water-Fish which the Lake on the Mountain and others not far off with the River Ascanius not a days Journey thence furnisheth them with Especially Carps Trouts and Eeles Of the first I saw many and eat of some three Foot in length with their large Bellies filled with fat Of the last we were made a Present of one by an Armenian that had been in England above an Ell long large and white as Silver This Armenian informed us That the Mountain was almost covered with curious Plants which made Dr. Covel who is a great Lover of them as well as my self long to go and ransack it which the stay we made being longer than we thought by reason that Mr. Cary fell sick here gave us opportunity to do So that Monday the Eleventh of October about five a Clock in the Morning having hired Horses for two Dollars five Timins to our Janizary and as much to our Guide setting out and beginning to mount Olympus we came up to the highest part we could for the Snow about Eleven a Clock Whence from a pointed Hill on the North-side we had a most Charming Prospect the height making it from North to South unbounded the Western half of the Compass from Constantinople all the Propontis the Plains of Mysia to Mount Ida with the Lake and River Ascanius lay plain before us as in a Map But more particularly thus The two Bays we passed by over the Propontis lay parallel to each other North that of Ishmit stretching it self farthest East this of Mountania having one Lake on the East end which I suppose emptieth it self into the Propontis by it and another in a Valley near to the Foot of this Mountain north-North-West by North the Island Chalcis c. and a little more West-ward Constantinople as they say an hundred
ΑΡΙΣΤΩΠΦΙΛΟΚΡΑΣΙΟΣ This Town was celebrated in old times for the Oracle of Trophonius which was in a Cavern in a Hill I rather believe it was in that above the Town than that Monsieur Spon mentions and we saw in a Rock a Mile distant North of it when we parted thence to Thebes But Pausanias indeed is not so clear as might be wished by reason of his long Digression Nevertheless one may collect it being he saith That the Trophonian Grove was by the Fountain of this River Hercyna And I observ'd where the Water issueth out in greatest abundance it was made up with Boards just in the Corner under the Castle without doubt to cover some dangerous Cavern And Pausanias saith This Oracle was in the Mountain above the Grove so that it must be that above the Town if that were the Fountain Hercyna of which there is no doubt By Pausanias his Description one would believe that the Hole on the Top of the Hill reached to this at the Bottom For those that entred it to consult the Oracle were to put their Head and Knees in such a certain place and posture and were suddenly carried down as by a Vortex or Whirlepool of a most swift River This might easily be so done by stopping the Water at the Bottom until it rose very high and then letting it go of a sudden But he that went to steal the Treasure there had not so good a Preparation for it prov'd a Trap to him by which he broke himself to pieces and was taken up another way as Pausanias informs you All these things want good Search and Examination and are not easily to be found out by Travellers that stay but a little while in a Place unless we should suppose them to have so many of the antient Greek Authors almost by heart There were publick Games instituted in honour of this God Trophonius of which notwithstanding none of the â—â—tients speak unless Julius Pollux who mentions only that these Games took their Name from Trophonius Yet that they were celebrated in this Place viz. at Livadia we found by a Stone at Megara erected in honour to one who amongst the Prizes he had gain'd in other Places had won these also at Livadia We found an Inscription wherein there seems to be a Town of this Name ΤΟΙ ΙΠΠΟΤΗ ΛΕΒΑΔΕΙΕΩΠΑÎΕΘΙΑΠΤΡΕΦΩÎΙΟΙ .. ÎΠΑΞΑÎΤΕΣ ΙΠΠΑΣΙÎΠΑΜΒΟΙΩΤΙΑ ΙΠΠΑΡΧΟÎΤΟΣ ΔΕΞΙΠΠΟΣ ΑΥΚΡΑΤΕΙΩ ΕΙΛΑΡΧΙΟÎΤΩΠΑΡΙΣΤΩÎΟΣ ΘΡΑΣΩÎΙΩ ΕΠΙΤΙΜΟΣ ΑΥΚΡΑΤΕΙΩ But therein they are written ΤΡΕΦΩÎΙΟΙ if I have copied it right of which I am not so well assured as to be positive The Game Pamboiotia is here mentioned which Strabo and Pausanias say was celebrated in the Plain of Coronaea by or in the Temple of Minerva Itonia where all the Boeotians assembled for that purpose January the Twenty fifth we parted from Livadia about eleven in the Morning and about half a Mile out of Town being come to the top of a little Hill being a small Ridge of Laphystius we had the Prospect of a spacious and fertil Plain encompassed with Mountains but not very high if compared with those of Parnassus and Helicon It is stretched in length from Livadia South-East near twenty Miles and in breadth is as much comprehending the Lake and Marshes which take up near half of the North-East side of it This Lake was formerly called The Lake of Copais but now Livadias Limne or The Lake of Livadia and not Stivo-lago meaning I suppose Thiva Limne as our Modern Maps make it For that is another Lake that was formerly called Hylica palus Of all which I shall have more to say in the Last Book We left the Lake Copais at a good distance on the left hand and kept still streight forwards under the Mountains on the right hand South-Eastwards which I suppose were the Mountains Tilphusium and Laphystius I observ'd six good large Streams crossing our way and running Northwards towards the Lake which may be Ocaled Tilphusa Lophis Olmens Coralius and Permessus mentioned by Pausanias and Strabo There are many little Villages up and down in this Plain some Vineyards a great deal of Corn-ground and Pasturage well stock'd also with Sheep and other Cattle But it is very much subject to Inundations upon great Rains or melting of the Snow from the Mountains which is no wonder having no Passage above ground for the Water out of the Lake but only that into Hylica palus which also lieth so high that the greatest â—art of the Plain must needs be drowned before the overflowing Water would find a Passage that way the ordinary Passages out of the Lake being under ground About fourteen Miles from Livadia we past by a Village on our left hand called Charamenitis and about an hour before night another which they call Diminia that is to say Two Months because the Corn there is sowed ripe and reaped within the space of two Months the Floods of the Lake not permitting them to sow before April and it being Harvest-time with them by the beginning of June By this Town is a Rock on the Top of which appear the antient Walls of a Town My Companion thinketh it may be Onchestus but I think it rather Coronaea for Reasons I have elsewhere given Here is a Fountain that riseth at the Foot of the Rock which makes the Stream Coralius In half an hour thence we came to Megalo-molci where we lodged in an indifferent good Kan Molci signifies properly Farms belonging to the Grand Signior where those that inhabit are no other than his Servants and Workmen This is a large square Court composed of little Houses for those that either labour till the Ground or attend the Cattle where at night they retire to lodge These seem badly to imitate the Roman Colonies with this great difference That those had still some great Priviledges granted them but these are all Slaves The next day we parted thence by Sun-rising and within half an hour came to the South-East end of the Plain bounded by a little Ridge of a Mountain that runneth out from Mount Phoenix on the left hand and another on the right I believe was Libethrius As soon as we got on the Top of this Hill we began to see Thebes at the further end of another Plain East North-East of us and behind us we had the Hill by Livadia West North-West This Plain is now called Thivas Cambos and in old time to the same effect the Theban Plain It is bounded with Hills and Mountains and is much less than that of Livadia The Northern Bounds of this I take to be the Mountain Phoenicius from Strabo which Pausanias seems to call Sphinx or Sphingius mons That on the right hand or the Southern Bounds of this Plain I know not how it was antiently called but is a Ridge of the Mountain Libethrius which is the same of the Mountain Helicon and is the same that separates the Plain of Thespia from the Plain of Thebes I observed a Torrent run
Sepulchral Monuments The next Morning early we parted thence and after about three hours riding came to a desolate Church but kept in repair by the Villages about it every one of which have an Olive Tree planted by it I suppose to serve for Oyl for the Lamps in the Church Before the Church at the West end of it is the Tomb of the Founder of the Church upon which among the Stones is an ancient Basso-relievo of a Woman in a sedent posture Here groweth the biggest Lentiscus Tree I ever saw Out of several places of the Body of it Tears of Mastick Issued Which convinced me that not only at Scio but in all these parts they would yield Mastick if they were cultivated I guess also that hereabouts the Town Anaphylista was situated if not at the Town following to which after an hour and a halfs riding thence Southward we came being called Kerateia from the Karobs of which I saw several Trees growing wild This hath been an ancient and great City and did preserve it self considerable until destroyed by the Corsairs about fifty or threescore years ago They had their Epitropi or Archontes until then who did wear High-crown'd Hats like those of Athens I could discern here where an Amphitheater had been by the Foundations and some other remains of it In the Church I found an Inscription which I believe would have given me some light concerning the Antiquity of the place had it been better preserv'd From this place we were three long hours before we arriv'd at Promontorium Sunium the way being very rocky and bad up-hill and down-hill all along About midway we past over a little Mountain where in times past they digged much Silver and now some Copper out of which they say the Goldsmiths of Athens at present separate a considerable quantity of Silver LAURIUM But they let not the Turks know so much lest the Grand Signior should impose the Slavery of digging in the Mines upon them I saw abundance of Cinders lying up and down in the wayes which assured me that in times past they had digg'd great quantities of Metals there Xenophon calls this Mountain Laurium Pausanias and many other Authors mention it But whether there was a Town called by the same name I know not But if so it was done by Xenophons Counsel who advised them to build a Castle there lest the Mines should be neglected in time of War But if before I believe it was nearer the Sea-side where there is a kind of Harbour for Boats to pass over to Macronisa Promontorium Sunium is now called by the Francks Capo Colonni from the White Pillars of the Temple of Minerva PROM SUNIUM or CAPO COLONNI that yet remain on the point of it being seen a great way from Sea The Temple is situated on the top of an high Rock running far into the Sea Nine Dorick Pillars are standing on the South-West side of it and five on the opposite side At the South end remain two Pilasters and part of the Pronaos upon which are Engraven many names ancient and modern The Temple seems to have been inclosed in a Castle by the Foundations of the Walls below which are other Foundations of Walls which were undoubtedly the Town Sunium which was reckoned one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Burgess-Towns of the Athenians On the right hand it hath a little Bay which was its ancient Port But it is now quite deserted as well as the little Island Patroclea lying about a quarter of a Mile South-West off it They say here grows some Ebany yet but much destroyed by the Corsairs Whence it is that some call this place Ebanonisi or the Isle of Ebany Others call it still Patroclea but most call it Guidronisa The bad weather this day was a great prejudice to the good Prospect I otherwise should have had from hence of most of the Islands of the Archipelago notwithstanding which I observed with my Compass as followeth 1. The further end of Macronisa anciently called Helena North-East the hither end East 2. Zea one end East the other South-East 3. Thermia beginneth South-East endeth South-South-East 4. Seriphanto or Seripho a little more South-South-East 5. Antimilo South by East 6. Sant Georgio de Albero south-South-West 7. Capo Schillo or Promontorium Schillaeum West-South-West 8. The highest point of Aegina West North-West 9. I found a shrub growing hereabouts which hath Leaves and smell something like Stoechas Arabica But not so strong The Flowers then blowen were like Rosemary I keep it dried but I have not yet found what to call it We were forced to return on our way back again from the Promontory that Evening because we could have neither Meat Drink nor Lodging near that place We directed our course therefore more towards the Shore of the Saronick Gulph than we did at our coming and that Evening came to some Shepherds belonging to the Convent of Pendely where with all the Covert they had we could scarce sit dry it was such bad weather and our Inn being only a Tent made of a Hedge o◠Faggots covered with some Blankets over them Not far from thence toward the Sea is a Town situated upon a Hill METROPIS called Metropis which were probably the Azenenses Strabo placeth next before the Promontory Sunium The next Morning we parted early and after ten or a dozen Miles riding we came to the Ruins of a Town built on a Rock called Enneapyrgae or Nine Towers from so many Towers formerly standing on the Rock This is near a Bay of the Gulph which I believe was anciently called Hyphormus Portus and the Town it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lampra Maritima or Inferior For there was another Lampra called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Superior which without doubt was the ruin'd Town about three or four Miles more towards the Midland called yet Lambra for so the Greeks pronounce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is LAMER π after μ as we do b. At this last we sate down and dined and after Dinner we kept on something North-Westwards thorough a good and well cultivated Plain to two or three Houses in the Fields they call Fillia The distance from Athens and resemblance of the name makes me believe it was hereabouts the ancient Phlya stood which in times past was a place adorn'd with many Temples especially of Diana Lucifera if Pausanias does not confound it with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phyla on Mount Parnes where also was an Altar to Diana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dedicated by Thrasibulus when in a dark Night he was conducted to Munichia by a light he attributed to Diana at that time when he went to deliver the City from the thirty Tyrants the Spartans had then imposed upon the Athenians Thence we turned yet a little further North-Westwards and came into the way to Athens passing between two Ridges of the Mountain Hymettus that on the left hand being
Miles distant but I cannot judge it quite so much Just against the Mouth of the Bay of Mountania the Pope's Island as some of the Country now call it and in old time Besbicus West we had the Plain of Prousa strewed with Villages and here and there a considerable Town South-West the River Ascanius with the Lake full of little Islands There is a Plain on the top of the Monntain surrounded with little Hills pointed with Rocks from whence many Springs arise and collect themselves into a pretty Stream full of little Trouts some of which our Guide caught with his hands But the greatest part of the Stream cometh from a large Lake East-ward which we could not come to because the way was covered with Snow From whence the large Carps and Eeles I before mentioned are caught and Trouts of such Fame that they have gotten the good Name of all other Fish in the Turkish Language who call them Alagballuck the Good Fish And therefore the best of them used to be carried to the Grand Signior as a most delicate dish It is now time to tell you what luck we had a simpling the chief end of our mounting so high For after we had taken this Prospect and baited our selves I left Dr. Covel designing the Trout So ranging from top to top of the Mountain I gathered all the new things I met with and in two hours time returned with more curious Plants than I could ever since find Names for But such as I have found are as followeth 1. Towards the Foot of the Mountain ascending the first Mile or two are abundance of Chesnut-Trees that bear the largest and best Nuts I ever saw or tasted with other sorts of ordinary Trees 2. Something higher I observed many Lime-Trees and towards the top and on the top Groves of a sort of Firr-Trees which Dr. Covel and I took for Cedar-Trees because they bear the Cones upwards not hanging downwards as the other Firr-Trees do and the same shape with the Cedar viz. thick and short like an Egg and of a brown reddish colour and the Smell of the Cones and Gum very Odoriferous The Leaves also are not shaped like others but thicker duller pointed and have two Stripes of white on the back-side like Oxyjuniper It beareth the Branches round the Body orderly from the bottom to the top at several distances less and less unto the top where the Cones grow upon the young Branches upright I cannot tell whether it be not the Male-Pine for this Caspar Banhinus in his Pinax calleth the Male also Abies conis sursum spectantibus sive mas It agreeth also with Gerard's Description of the same excepting that the Body is smooth without Knots at the bottom For the Branches of this begin very near the Ground and spread abroad very large and that he saith The Cones are longer than any of the Coniferous Plants whereas this as I before said hath the Cone thick and shorter than any other in proportion It agreeth very well with the Description he giveth of the Cedar of Mount Libanus but I doubt it wanteth the hardness for I saw many rotten Trees of this but if I remember right of somewhat a reddish colour And also Mr. Gerard faileth in that he saith The Leaves of that of Libanus are shorter and not so sharp pointed whereas many of those Branches that I have seen have the Leaves much shorter indeed but more sharp pointed than this To conclude This Tree groweth in great plenty upon the Mountains of Greece also as Citheron and Helicon and Parnassus which Monsieur Nanteul observing who had been upon Mount Libanus and these also affirmed That they were the very same But although he is a very curious and ingenious Man yet I doubt his Curiosity doth not consist in narrowly distinguishing Plants Therefore this must be either another kind of Firr or Gerard hath failed in his Description of it I am rather induced to think it is a kind Firr because the Greeks yet call this Tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth no other than a Firr-Tree and that it was never heard of that Cedars of the same kind with those of Mount Libanus grew in Greece 3. A kind of Cystus which groweth to a good large Shrub of a hard woody Substance covered with a Bark consisting of several thin Skins which easily separate one from another The first is of a brown Ash-colour the next reddish out of which come Branches dividing themselves by pairs each Twig ending in a bunch of Leaves which stand in pairs each pair crossing each other and at the Stem of the old Leafs issue new Buds very much like Sage but the Leaves are in shape ribbed with three Ribs like Alexandrian Laurel of a dark green colour and of a sweet smell thick and gummy On the top are Knots of Seeds divided into Three The Flowers I saw not It agreeth much with the Description and Design Mr. Johnson hath given to Gerard's History of Plants viz. page 1289. in the Cistus Ledum Matheoli Mr. Merchant of Paris called it when I shewed it him Cistus Laurinis folijs but had never before seen it 4. After montanus Linariae folio flore flavo as Mr. Merchant called it and I believe the same that C. Bauhinus calleth the Yellow Starwoort with stiff smooth Flaxweed Leaves and may be the Tenth described in Gerard but by me thus From a long black creeping and stringy Roor ariseth one two or more round and downy Stalks of a hard and shrubby Substance about two or three handfuls high sometimes branching it self out carelesly into other little Branches covered round about without order with long sharp leaves with streight Nerves in shape like Sneezing Woort but without snips at the Edges and dry and harsh to the Touch. The Back-sides of them are a little downy and the other side smooth At the top is a Yellow Flower guarded with the Leaves until it bloweth and is then succeeded with a Button full of downy Seeds which it holds fast Coris folys Crispatis Lib III. Fig II. 5. Another I found that I cannot tell what species I should reduce it to unless Coris It hath the Root Stalk and Seed and Smell resembling Coris or Hypericon the Leaves also somewhat like them but less and grow together in Tusts crisped and curled The Seeds grow in heads on the Top without order divided into three parts The Flower I saw not but it is a shrubby perennial Plant but not of quite so woody a Substance as Coris legitima Châ—sti which I shall have occasion to speak of when I come to Atheus This I shall call Coris Foliis Crâ—spis M. Olympii Lib III. Fig III Hypericon montis Olypij folijs hursulis 6. Another Plant I found here which must be numbred among the Hypericons although I find it no where described or so that I knew it by their Description and is a Plant I never saw any where but upon this Mountain From