scribes it as opposite to Long Island, six miles north-west of Sunium, and near a large plain surrounded with hills, which on the south are overtopped by a mountain stretching toward the entrance of the gulf. This, he supposes, was Laurium. Among the thickets he discovered some ruins of a very ancient temple. Helene, or Long Island, extended along the coast from Thoricus as far as Sunium.

At Potamus was the monument of Ion, from whom the Ionians were named. The Athenians, when they provided a husband for a grand-daughter of Aristogiton, who had lived in poverty and obscurity at Lemnos, gave a farm there as her dowry.

At Prasia was a temple of Apollo. The ship named Theoris sailed from thence annually to Delos with an unknown offering packed in wheat straw, and transmitted from the Hyperboreans, a remote people. The monument of Erysichthon, who died on that voyage, was shewn there. Some ruins of the town were seen by sir George Wheler, upon the shore near the haven, now called port Raphti.

The port of Prasiæ, or port Raphti, is described as a most safe, commodious, and delightful harbour, almost encompassed with charming vales, rising gradually, and terminating in lofty mountains; the slopes covered with pine-trees and verdure. A sharp point of land, running out into the middle, divides the bay; and toward the mouth are two little islands or rocks. One of these, on the right hand sailing in, is high and steep, the shape exactly conical, the base about a mile in circumference. On the summit is a white marble colossal statue, the posture sedent, statue,] The statue is destroyed or carried away. R.

a

the head and arms broken off. It is supposed to have been twelve feet high, when unmutilated; and is placed on a pedestal near eight feet high. On the other island, which is farther in, is seen a maimed marble statue of a female b. These images perhaps represented Apollo and Diana, and were placed as sea-marks, or, holding lights, served each as a pharos, to assist vessels in finding the port in the night-time.

Wheler visited port Raphti from Athens. The road lay directly eastward. He passed by the mountain called St. George about a mile, and made toward the end of Hymettus, which he left on the right hand, about four miles from Athens. In about two miles more he saw on his left a village called Agopi, where the plain, which is between Hymettus and the Sunian promontory, begins. He dined at a metochi, or farm, belonging to the convent of St. Cyriani, and continuing his journey arrived at the port, which is reckoned eighteen miles from the city. A beautiful image of a marble lion, the body and neck and head entire, and three yards long, was seen not many years ago at the door of a church standing about midway, a mile on the left of the road from the port. The distant view of Athens on this side must prevent the most insensible traveller from approaching with indifference.

Turning from port Raphti a little to the right, and riding about six miles, Wheler arrived at Marcopolid,

b See Perry's View of the Levant, p. 487. and Wheler's Travels, p. 447.

c Sunian promontory,] Sea or port Raphti. R.

d Marcopoli,] About three miles southward from Marcopoli are the ruins of Myrrinous. We found there among the rubbish, be

a small village by ruins of an ancient town, it seems, of Potamus. In three hours more he came to a solitary church, by which were olive-trees and the biggest lentiscus he ever saw, with tears of mastic issuing from several places of the body. He went on an hour and a half, southward, to Kerateia, probably Thoricus, which he describes as an ancient place, with some remains. It had been destroyed by corsairs. In three long hours he reached Sunium, the track very rocky and bad. About midway he passed over a little mountain, where cinders in abundance lay scattered up and down. It then afforded some copper, and he was told that silver was secretly extracted from the ore. the seaside was that in first arrival in Attica. region called Paralos.

The harbour for boats by which we moored on our This coast was part of the

CHAP. XXXIV.

ROAD TO MARATHON-OF CEPHISIA-AN INSCRIPTION AT OXFORD BROUGHT FROM THENCE-ANOTHER INSCRIPTION -JOURNEY CONTINUED OF BRAURON-OF MARATHONFUNERAL OF ATTICUS HERODES-PASS THE NIGHT ON PENTELE.

MARATHON was distant only eighty stadia, or ten miles, from Athens. I was desirous of seeing the plain, and on the fifth of May, after the heat of noon was over, set out, attended by a couple of Greeks. The elder brother was acquainted with the road,

sides some fragments of excellent sculpture, an inscription with the name of the place, and carried it to Marcopoli, but it being much defaced left it there, in our first visit to Athens. R.

possessing a share in a stand of goats and sheep in that neighbourhood. We left the two Ionic columns of the reservoir of New Athens on our right; passing by a huge single rock, which is split; and by one, on which are inscriptions mostly illegible. The mountain of St. George, called anciently, it is supposed, Anchesmus, was on our right hand. It is a naked range, reaching from near Pentele, with a church of the sainte standing on the lofty summit above the columns, and visible afar.

We soon arrived at Cephisia, a village situated on an eminence by a stream near the western extremity of mount Pentele. It was once noted for plenty of clear water and for pleasant shade, suited to mitigate the heat of summer. It has a mosque, and is still frequented, chiefly by Turks of Athens, who retire at that season to their houses in the country. The famous comic poet Menander was of this place. Atticus Herodes, after his enemies accused him to the emperor Marcus Aurelius as guilty of oppression, resided here and at Marathon; the youth in general following him for the benefit of his instruction. Among his pupils was Pausanias of Cæsarea, the author, it has been affirmed, of the description of Greece.

Atticus Herodes had three favourites, whose loss he lamented, as if they had been his children. He placed statues of them in the dress of hunters, in the fields and woods, by the fountains, and beneath the plane-trees; adding execrations, if any person should ever presume to mutilate or remove them. One of the Hermæ, or Mercuries, was found in a ruinous e See the view. Ruins of Athens, p. 37.

church at Cephisia, and is among the marbles given by Mr. Dawkins to the university of Oxford. This represented Pollux, but the head is wanting. It is inscribed with an affectionate address to him; after which the possessor of the spot is required, as he respects the gods and heroes, to protect from violation, and to preserve clean and entire, the images and their bases; and if he failed, severe vengeance is imprecated on him, that the earth might prove barren to him, the sea not navigable, and that perdition might overtake both him and his offspring; but if he complied, that every blessing might await him and his posterity. Another stone, with a like formulary, was seen there by Mr. Wood; and a third near Marathon.

We dismounted about sunset at a place almost deserted, called Stamati; and after supper lay down to sleep beneath a spreading vine before the cottage of an Albanian. Early in the morning I proceeded, with a guide, to examine an inscription of which a peasant had given me information; quitting the straight road to Marathon, between which place and Athens was once a town named Pallene. We soon entered between two mountains, Pentele ranging on our right; and on the left, one of Diacria, the region extending across from mount Parnes to Brauron. Tarrying to water our horses near some houses, I was presented by an Albanian with a handful of white roses fresh gathered. We penetrated into a lonely recess, and came to a small ruined church of St. Dionysius standing on the marble heap of a trophy, or monument, erected for some victory obtained by three persons named Enias, Xanthippus, and