Chap. III.

GRECIAN.

45

half a mile. Pausanias tells us, that all who have endeavoured to form the Peloponnesus into an island have failed; that none ever cut away the native rock, which still remains un-touched ; so difficult was it in those days for man to force nature.

The Corinthians were either put to the sword or sold as captives by the Roman armyunder the command of Lucius Mummius ; and the historian Polybius , present at thesiege, relates that he saw splendid pictures and exquisite works of art destroyed, andthose that were conveyed to Rome became its greatest ornament. The city remained deserteduntil Julius Csesar converted it into a Roman colony, when the sepulchres were ransacked,and their contents sent to the imperial city, which was said to be filled with the decorationsof the tombs. Strabo , who was at Corinth after this time, describes it thus : “ A loftymountain, stadia in perpendicular height, ending in a pointed summit, was theAcrocorinthus , which was approached by a winding path 30 stadia in length. At the foot ofthis citadel, on a level area, was the city, the circuit of which was 40 stadia, and all thatwas not sheltered by the lofty mountain, was walled in; the whole circumference was about85 stadia or 10^ miles: the view from the summit is magnificent. To the northlies Parnassus and Helicon, covered with snow; and below these, to the west, is the Cris-sa?an Gulf, bounded by Phocis, by Bceotia, and the Megaris, and opposite to Phocis, byCorinthia and Sicyonia. Beyond are the mountains called the Oneian. Pausanias visitedNew Corinth after it had flourished 217 years, and he notices several temples, statues, andthe agora or market-place; there was an odeum, a theatre, and gymnasium, all of whichhave disappeared.”

The Port of JEgina wasonce so celebrated, that,according to Strabo , itenjoyed naval dominion, ianddisputedwith Athens /the prize of superior )L/c.$kenoinot*>V£'glory in the battle of Sa-lamis, when the Persian ('* ^ \fleet was defeated. The V. ) \

Island of iEgina is sur-rounded by Attica, Me-gara, and the Pelopon­ nesus , each distant alittle more than 12 milesor 100 stadia. Its entirecircumference was 180stadia or 22£ miles.

The port is now diffi-cult of access, and onlyfit for the entry of verysmall vessels ; a part ofthe ancient mole is stillto be seen, constructedof large stones piled oneon the other, near which,when the writer visitedit some years ago, werestanding two Doric co-lumns, which formed partof the temple of Venus.

A modern lighthouseand lazaretto occupy thesites of more ancientstructures, and amongthe ruins of the townmay still be traced themuseum and school oracademy. In the interiorof the island are re-mains of the splendidtemple of Jupiter Panhellenius, with its numerous columns erect, standing above the north-eastern coast of the island ; it was reckoned among the finest of the Greek places of worship,and considered famous for its sculpture. Vases of terracotta of great antiquity are found onthe island.

Island of Rhodes, in the Mediterranean Sea , lies nearly opposite the coast of Lycia andCaria, from which it is distant about twenty miles. It is in circumference about 120 miles,

ICNTMOLC

C .MYLOS

SCALE OF./t.MILE

Fig. 54.