CHAPTER XI. Passage over the Parnes-Phyle-Approach to Thebes-Its SiteIsmenus-Arx Cadméa-Excursion round the City-Theban Damsel at a Fountain-Sites of various ancient Monuments-Purchase of Antiquities-Author attacked by Ague-Departure from Thebes to Livadia Expected Attack from Robbers-Arrival at Livadia-Author confined by Ague-Cephalonian Doctor-Plain of Topolias-Inconveniences of travelling in Greece-Departure of General DaviesAuthor's Recovery-Pays a Visit to the Archon Logotheti—An Albanian Soldier undergoes the Punishment of Bastinado—Account of the Cave of Trophonius-Lake Copais-Excursion to Charonéa-Reflections on its Plain Description of its Site and Antiquities-Rustic Inscription near the Theatre-Curious Inscription in a Greek ChurchRemarks on the same—Albanian Cottagers—Return to Livadia—Produce of its Soil. NEXT morning the rain continued, and the heights of Parnes were enveloped in masses of dark clouds which came rolling obliquely down its huge sides, in the manner described by the Attic poet*: we were thus disappointed in viewing the beautiful rural scenery contained in the recesses of this mountain, which afford pasture to numerous flocks of sheep or goats, and the most picturesque sites to several convents of Caloyers: we lost also that superb prospect of Athens and its plain which is displayed from the summit, though the clouds kindly cleared away, as if to afford us one transient view of the * Χωρίσ ̓ ἄνται πάνυ πολλὰι διὰ τῶν κόιλων και τῶν δασέων ἆνται πλάγιαι. Aristoph. Nub. 323. APPROACH TO THEBES. 319 massive ruins of Phyle, upon whose brow the spirit of Desolation seems now to sit instead of Freedom. Having spent about five hours in passing this northern barrier of Attica, we found ourselves upon the Boeotian plains. The sky resumed its wonted brilliancy as the evening approached, and just before sunset a narrow pass between some low eminences gave us the first view of Thebes, a city, which, though noted for the general stupidity of its inhabitants, produced the most complete hero and the most sublime poet of ancient Greece in an Epaminondas and a Pindar. For beauty of situation it yields to very few cities, standing upon a fine hill, in a rich and fertile plain, watered by an abundance of rivulets and fountains, and surrounded by stately mountains which feed those immense flocks of sheep for which Boeotia is still celebrated. The aspect of the country, the nature of its soil, and the quality of its productions, differ totally from those of Attica, but that distinction which once existed between the genius and character of the nations, exists no more. We entered the city by a road which passes near a deep transparent fountain, probably the source of Ismenus, which flows directly into a picturesque ravine on the right, and turns a succession of overshot mills. This fountain is near the enclosure of the ancient walls, and in its vicinity the rivals Eteocles and Polynices fell by each other's fratricidal hands in that celebrated battle which the Epic Muse of Statius has so charmingly illustrated. The unfavourable state of the weather during our journey, having added to the fatigues of it, made me apprehend a renewal of the fever which I had experienced in Athens: I therefore retired soon to rest, and not feeling sufficiently strong to proceed next morning, the party halted for the day. Messrs. Parker and Cockerell made an excursion to the ruins of Platea, whilst the General and myself procured horses and a suradgee, to survey the environs of Thebes. The modern * Pausan. Bœot. c. ix. 1. 1 320 THEBAN DAMSEL AT A FOUNTAIN. city scarcely contains a vestige of its pristine state: it occupies only a part of the ancient Cadméan acropolis, as it did even in the time of Pausanias (Boot. c. vii. 4.). If therefore the Thebans restored a greater part of their city under Cassander, it must have suffered this diminution by the ferocity of its Roman conquerors. A minute portion of Cyclopéan masonry on the N. side of the citadel, and a few marble fragments in some churches, were the only faint traces we could discover of Theban grandeur: some travellers mention the remains of the famous seven gates as still existing; the locality of these however must be very apocryphal since they are placed in the circuit of the modern town, whilst the ancient boundaries are so utterly destroyed and overgrown, as to throw insuperable difficulties in the way of the topographer. The gardens around Thebes are very luxuriant and productive, the soil being rich and deep with every facility of irrigation afforded by the abundance of its fountains: in one of these, near the road leading to Livadia, we recognised, or thought we recognised the celebrated Dirce: at almost all of them we observed groups of women and girls, employed as in ancient times, in washing the linen of the family. Amongst them we remarked several examples of Theban beauty which most travellers have noticed. In a party thus occupied at Dodecacrunos, a fountain of twelve pipes by which the stream is conducted into a large stone reservoir on the NW. side of the city, we saw a damsel of extraordinary beauty, who appeared by her dress to be superior in rank to her companions. Her figure and countenance reminded us of the finest specimens of antique sculpture, nor could sculpture portray a form more beautiful: the contour of her face coincided accurately with that peculiarly termed Grecian, and exhibited a much higher degree of expression, than it is usually allowed to possess: the elegance of her person was wonderfully set off by the grace and antique simplicity of her Albanian costume, which consisted in a flowing vest of white stuff, fringed with a purple border, tied round the waist with a silken sash, and a light open jacket of the same materials adorned with tassels, and embroidered with worsted of various colours: her dark tresses were partly braided over a forehead of polished ivory, and part hung down her back in long plaits. Her person, occupation and attire brought strongly to mind, and illustrated that fine Homeric description of Nausicaa, though some circumstances in her history corresponded better with the Spartan Helen ; for our guide informed us that the alliance of this virgin was sought by at least twenty suitors, every one of whom was ready to take her without a portion: the father was in great perplexity, for in making one son-in-law he was about to create an host of enemies, and it was supposed that he would have recourse to some expedient like that of Tyndarus. The fountain where this fair nymph appeared, seems to flow froth that anciently called Edipodia, at which Edipus was purified after the murder of his father. It was near the gate called Protides, through which a road led towards Chalcis. In its vicinity was the theatre adjoining to the temple of Bacchus, the house of Lycus and the sepulchre of Semele, the temple of Diana surnamed Euclea, with a tumulus which covered the bones of Zethus and Amphion, near a heap of stones which had once been animated by the sound of Amphion's Lyre! Outside this gate was the tomb of Menelippus and of Tydeus; (Τυδέος ὃν Θήβησι χυτὴ κατὰ γῆια καλύπτει. Π. Ξ. 114.) near also were the sepulchres of Eteocles and Polynices, at which, when the Thebans offered expiatory sacrifices, the flame of the incense was seen to divide itself into two parts, in token of fraternal hatred unappeased by death. Above the fountain itself was the tomb of the Trojan, Hector, whose bones were transported hither from Asia at the instigation of an oracle which Pausanias has preserved. The sites of these and many other interesting monuments may be traced, though not * Such as the stadium, the gymnasium of Iolaus, and the hippodrome in which was the tomb of Pindar. 322 PURCHASE OF ANTIQUITIES. identified, amongst the tumuli or knolls which abound in this quarter, and which are either covered with a veil of green turf or subjected to the art of cultivation. In returning through the Bazar I purchased the finest fleece I ever saw, as a cover to my saddle: the price demanded was a dollar, but a native would have procured it for half that sum. The wool of Boeotia is still amongst its principal articles of exportation. In the evening we purchased several curiosities: one of these was an antique bronze image of Juno, said to have been discovered near Delphi ; another was a very extraordinary emblem of virility; and a third represented a bull's head, which had served as the handle of some instrument: we procured also a few silver medals of Thebes, bearing on the obverse a shield, and on the reverse an ivy-leaf, with the effigy of those celebrated Boeotian cups to which Bacchylides so beautifully alludes in his address to the Dioscuri. Οὐ βοῶν πάρεσι σώματ ̓, ἔτε χρυσὸς, ̓Αλλὰ θυμὸς ἐνμενής, Μισά τε γλυκεια Και Βοιωτίοισιν ἐν σκύφοισιν This evening I felt very unwell, and arose next morning with all the tormenting symptoms of a tertian ague: no medical advice could be procured at Thebes, but a physician of great eminence was said to reside at Livadia, which is distant about nine hours. I determined therefore to pursue my journey, and to fortify myself, very imprudently took a strong dose of bark. We had less trouble in procuring horses than we had at Athens; for Mahomet commenced here the exercise of his authority, since the eagle of Epirus has stretched his wings from the mountains of Illyricum to the very confines of Attica. Ali Pasha, the great Albanian chieftain, in quality of Derven-Pasha, commands all the roads and posts and fortresses in the north of |