Nemea, in Argolis, was famous for the Nemean games Sparta, or Lacedæmon, the capital of Laconia, one of the most powerful cities of Greece, was celebrated for the institutions of Lycurgus. The inhabitants were temper. Some ruins of Sparta are to be

ate, hardy, and warlike.

seen at Paleo Chori, near the town of Misitra.

Argos, now Argo, the chief city of Argolis, still exists, though greatly reduced.

Mycenae, the residence of king Agamemnon, was laid in ruins B. C. 568

Lakes. Lerna, a small lake not far from Argos, was famous for the hydra slain by Hercules. Stymphalus, a small lake and fountain of Arcadia, was infested by vora cious birds.

ISLANDS OF GREECE.

In the Ionian sea were the islands of Corcyra, Paxus, Leucas, or Leucadia, Ithaca, Cephalenia, and Zacynthus. Corcyra is famous for the shipwreck of Ulysses, and the gardens of Alcinous.

On the SW. part of Leucas was the celebrated promontory, called the Lovers' Leap, where disappointed lovers threw themselves into the sea. Among these adventurers was the poetess Sappho

Ithaca is famons for being the residence of Ulysses. Cythera, an island south of Laconia, was sacred to Venus.

Salamis, an island in the Saronic gulf, on the coast of Attica, is famous for the defeat of the Persian fleet by the Athenians.

The islands in the Egean sea, between Crete and Tenedos, were mostly comprehended under two divisions, Cyclades and Sporades.

The Cyclades were the islands around Delos; the porades were those more distant, toward the eastern side of the sea, and annexed to Asia.

Cyclades. The principal of these were Delos, Ceos,

Cinthus, Seriphis, Melos, Paros, Naxos, Myconus, Zenos, and Andros.

Deto is famous as the birth place of Apollo and Diana, and also for an altar to the former, reckoned one of the wonders of the world.

Puros is celebrated for its beautiful white marble.

The other most noted islands were Crete, Eubœa, and Styros, belonging to Europe; Lemnos, Tenedos, Lesbos, Chios, Patmos, Cos, and Rhodes, belonging to Asia.

Crete, the largest of the Grecian islands, is famous for the laws of Minos, its labyrinth, and for its hundred cities; the chief of which were Gnossus, Gortyna, and Cydonia. In the middle of the island is Mount Ida.

The principal town of Euboea, the island next in size to Crete, was Chaicis.

Rhodes was anciently famous for its power by sea, and for its brazen colossus, 70 cubits high, dedicated to the sun, and accounted one of the seven wonders of the world.

Samos was the favourite island of Juno, who had here a magnificent temple.

Patmos, a small island, is memorable for being the place to which St. John was banished, and where he wrote the Revelation.

Lesbos was celebrated among the ancients for its beauty, for the excellence of its wine, and for the dissolute manners of its inhabitants.

Lemnos had a celebrated labyrinth, and was sacred to Vulcan.

Pontus

Towns.

{Cyzicus, Pergamus, Lampsa

Troy, Adramittium.
Elea, Cumæ.

Ephesus, Smyrna, Phocæa, Mi

letus.

Sardis, Philadelphia, Thyatira,
Magnesia.

Halicarnassus, Cnidus.
Patara, Xanthus.

Perga, Selga, Attalia.

Iconium,Derbe, Lystra.
Tarsus, Issus.

Mazaca, Melitene.

Laodicea, Colossæ, Apamea.

Ancyra, Tavium.

SNicomedia, Prusa, Heraclea,

Nice.

Amastris, Sinope.

Amasia, Trapezus, Amisus. Pergamus, now Pergamo, was once the capital of a kingdom, and contained a celebrated library of 200,000 volumes. It is now a small town.

Troy, the capital of Troas, was situated on the Xanthus, 4 miles from the sea, and near Mount Ida. It is famous for a memorable seige of 10 years, which it sustained against the Greeks, who at last took the city B. C. 1184. No vestiges of this city are now to be seen.

Ephesus was one of the most splendid cities of Asia Minor, and had a celebrated temple of Diana, which was accounted one of the seven wonders of the world. It was 425 feet in length, and 200 in breadth, supported by 127 marble pillars 70 feet high, and is said to have been 220 years in building. Ephesus is now uninhabited, but exhibits various ruins.

Smyrna was anciently a rich and powerful city, and is now the most populous and commercial town in Natolia. Halicarnassus, now Bodrum, the capital of Caria, is famous for its Mausoleum, the tomb of king Mausolus, which was reckoned one of the seven wonders of the world. Here is now a scattered village, with many ruins.

Nicomedia, now Is Nickmid, situated on the eastern arm of the Propontis, the capital of Bithynia, was a large and beautiful city, and the residence of Constantine.-It now contains about 30,000 inhabitants.

Sardis, now Sart, was a rich and splendid city, the capital of Lydia, and the residence of king Croesus.-It now contains only a few mean houses.

Miletus was a large, wealthy, and commercial city, and had a celebrated temple and oracle of Apollo.

Tarsus, now Tarso, the capital of Cilicia, was once the rival of Athens and Alexandria in arts and sciences; and is famous as the birth-place of St. Paul.—It is now a mean ly built town.

Mycale was a promontory opposite to the island of Samos, where the Persian fleet was destroyed by the Greeks. Nice, now Isnik, is memorable for the celebrated council, which was held here in 325, and which framed the Nicene creed.

Some of the other towns of note were Cyzicus, Prusa, Ancyra; Gordium, where Alexander cut the Gordian knot; Sinope, now Sinob, the capital of Pontus in the reign of Mithradates; Amasia, the birthplace of Strabo; Zela, SE of Amasia, where Cæsar defeated Pharnaces, and wrote the account of his victory to the senate in the three words, "veni, vidi, vici," I came, I saw, I conquered; Issus, on the gulf of Issus, where Alexander defeated Darius.

1

The seven churches of Asia, mentioned by St. John in the Revelation, viz. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos. Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, were all in the western part of Asia Minor.

Rivers. The principal rivers were the Halys, Lycus, Sangarius, Granicus, Hermus, Pactolus, and Meander.

On the banks of the Granicus Alexander obtained his first victory over the Persians, B. C. 334. The Meander is famous for its windings

The Pactolus and Hermus, according to the ancients, flowed over golden sand.

Mountains. Taurus is the principal chain of mountains in Asia Minor. Olympus, Tmolus, and Ida are celebrated mountains. The highest summit of Mount Ida, was called Gargarus.

Islands. The Greek islands in the Egæan sea have been already mentioned.

Cyprus, a large island, was celebrated for its fertility, its ample population, and especially for the gaiety of its inhabitants. It was consecrated to Venus, and represented by the poets as the birthplace of that goddess, and the abode of the Graces. Paphos and Salamis were the chief

towns.

COLCHIS, IBERIA, AND ALBANIA.

These countries were situated between the Euxine and Capian seas. Phasis, in Colchis, is famous for the expedition of the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece,

ARMENIA.

Chief cities. The chief cities were Artaxata, and Tigranocerta.

Mountains. The principal mountains were Taurus, Anti-Taurus, and Ararat.-Ararat is the mountain upon which the ark has been supposed to have rested after the flood.