Reascend the Heights of Parnassus-Church of St. Elias-View from thence-Fine semicircular Seat-Reflections on the Ruins of DelphiAncient Sepulchre-Shed supposed to be a remnant of the Pythian Temple-One of its Walls covered with Inscriptions-Copy of one in which mention is made of the Pythian Apollo-Historical Account of the successive Pythian Temples-Description of the last which remained entire in the Days of Pausanias-Contractors and Architect-Materials of the Building-Form and Species-Sculpture on the Pediments-Statuaries-Armour suspended on the Architrave-Sculpture of the Metopes and of the Frieze-Inscription over the PronaosOrnaments of it--Cella, with its Ornaments--Adytum--Statue of the God-Its Deportation to Byzantium-Oracular Chasm-TripodPriestess-Tapestry, Subjects of its Embroidery, and Uses-Edituus or Superintendant-Temenos-Delphic Treasuries-Plunderers of Delphi Sacred Feasts--Decline and Extinction of the Oracle- -Delphic Laurel--Departure to Salona--Albanian Vaivode--Description of Salona-Acropolis of Amphissa--Inhabitants--Set sail on the Gulf of Crissa-Dangerous Voyage-Land at Galaxithi-Its Navy and increasing Commerce--Reflections thereon--Policy of Ali Pasha Sailors--Description of the Town, ancient Site, Walls, Inscriptions, &c.-Religious Rites of the Greeks-Set Sail-Unable to land at Patras-Greek Music-Storm-Shelter behind Curzolari Islands -Achelous-Fisheries-Set Sail-Strike on a Rock-Anchor in the Dioryctos, opposite Santa Maura-Description of the Island-New Works at the Port-Lover's Leap-Horrid Stories of Ali PashaSet Sail-Beautiful Prospect, and Arrival at Prevesa. NEXT morning we started at an early hour to reascend the heights of Parnassus, having sent forward our baggage with Demetrio to Salona. We had now an opportunity of viewing that gigantic mountain under a different aspect. The frost, which in this climate is very variable, had disappeared, and was succeeded by deep grey mists, which spread an almost impenetrable veil over its heights: as we advanced, the gloomy appearance of the day increased, and heavy clouds settling upon the summit seemed, as it were, to connect this ancient abode of deities with the celestial regions. Having toiled with difficulty up the rugged paths, we dismounted, and sent forward our horses to the village: we then proceeded towards the western point of the great semicircular coilon, to examine a small Greek chapel, which is dedicated to St. Elias, and stands within the peribolus of an ancient temple. The walls of this enclosure are of the Pseudo-Cyclopéan kind, but we could discover nothing which might lead us to a conjecture concerning the temple itself. Wheeler made an egregious blunder in mistaking it for that of the Pythian Apollo, in defiance of all historical induction*. Whichever may have been its presiding deity, the coup d'œil, from its portico, must have been one of the finest in the world, when it commanded all the splendid edifices and magnificence of Delphi. Mr. Cockerell, whose mind is ever alive to * See Dr. Butler's Dissertation in the Appendix. VIEW FROM THENCE. 373 what may be termed the poetry of art, was so impressed with the idea of this imaginary grandeur, that he remained upon the spot, spot, in spite of the unpromising appearance of the sky, to attempt with his pencil a restoration of the oracular city. The practicability of such a design struck forcibly the mind of that most interesting of modern travellers Dr. Clarke, when he stood in the vicinity of this spot, and expressed his sentiments in language, the glowing style of which defies every attempt at competition. "There is enough," says he, "remaining to enable a skilful architect to form an accurate plan of Delphi: but it should be fitted to a model of Parnassus; for in the harmonious adjustment which was here conspicuous, of the works of God and man, every stately edifice and majestic pile constructed by human labour, were made to form a part of the awful features of the mountain; and from whatever quarter Delphi was approached, a certain solemn impression of supernatural agency must have been excited, diffusing its influence over every object; so that the sanctity of the whole district became a saying throughout Greece, and ALL PARNASSUS WAS ACCOUNTED HOLY"." Leaving our friend to the prosecution of this interesting task, Mr. Parker and myself proceeded towards the village. The first object that occurred to our notice was a fine semi-circular seat cut in the rock by the road side, where the ancient Delphians might enjoy the superb spectacle presented to their eyes, either at morning sacrifice, when "down the eastern cliffs afar Hyperion's march they spied and glittering shafts of war," or indulge in pleasing meditation over the scene, softened by the shadows of evening, when the Delphian god came, after his diurnal race of splendour, to repose in his own laurel-groves of Parnassus. Αέλιος δ' Ὑπεριονίδας δέπας ἐσκατέβαινε 374 REFLECTIONS ON THE RUINS OF DELPHI. Αφίκη! ἱερᾶς ποτὶ βένθεα νυκτὸς ἐρεμνᾶς, Ποτι ματέρα κεριδίαν τ' ἄλοχον, Δάφναισι κατάσκιον Frag. Stesich, ap. Athen. 1. xi. Here also the modern pilgrim as he sits to view the desolation of this once noble city, may people the awful solitude with the illusions of imagination, and as he reflects upon the past and conjectures the future, may console himself for his own misfortunes, by considering the transient splendour of all human grandeur. Muojono le città, muojono i regni, Copre i fasti e le pompe arena ed erba ; E l'uom d'esser mortal par che si sdegni. From this seat we diverged a little to the left, amongst the rocks, and entered a fine sepulchral cavern, very neatly excavated, and commonly, though erroneously called the sepulchre of Pyrrhus *. The dimensions of this crypt are very considerable; its roof is cut into the form of an alcove, as also are the three deep sarcophagi which it contains: over that facing the entrance, are two niches for cinerary urns, between which appears the head of an ox carved in high relief, and similar to that which adorns the ancient medals of Phocis †. These tombs are very common by the road side near the ancient cities of Greece; in this manner the tomb of Alcestis is described by Euripides: They now afford refuge to mountaineers and shepherds, and some *This was close to the Pythian temple. Strabo even places it within the sacred enclosure— δείκνυται δ' ἐν τῷ τεμένει τάφος Νεοπτολέμω vol. i. p. 610. + See the Vignette to this chapter. REMNANT OF THE PYTHIAN TEMPLE. 375 times to banditti: out of similar receptacles the dæmoniacs in Scripture are represented as emerging. From hence we passed through the wretched lanes of Castri to the palace of Apollo. Having gained admittance into the shed, we found it so dark and filthy, so full of a corrupted atmosphere from old olive husks and the lees of wine, that we made a hasty retreat until a light could be procured and the place ventilated by admission of the external air after a considerable lapse of time our messenger returned with a small wax taper, which he had probably abstracted from some picture of the Panagia, for the only lights burned by the poor inhabitants are the dades*, or slips of dry wood from the fir called pinus picea. By the faint glimmering of this taper we began to explore the recesses of a building which appears actually to have been part of the great Pythian temple, though it be now degraded to so mean an appropriation †. The wall which forms the northern side of the present shed, composed of large blocks of hewn stone, is nearly covered with antique inscriptions, those charms which our clerical guide attributed to the work of Genii. These, from the porous nature of the stone, the corrosion of time, and accidental defacement, appear to defy the ingenuity of man to decypher: at least he who attempts the work ought to have a better day, better health, and longer time than fell to my lot at this period. After much consideration I at length fixed upon one block which seemed to offer the best chance of success, after which I was obliged to sit upon a heap of filth in a very painful posture to copy it, whilst Mr. Parker with great goodnature and patience held the wax taper close to the stone. The characters were so uncouth, so many were effaced, and the stone *They pronounce the word Thathes, the & being in Romaic very much assimilated in sound to 9: the word is only a slight alteration of the Hellenic datdes. + See the drawing in Dr. Butler's dissertation: its site very accurately corresponds with that attributed there to the Pythian shrine. |