TPAIANIPARTHICIFIL DIVINERVAENEPOTI HADRIANOAVC POT XVI COS III PP IVLIA AVGVSTA PERLEGTVM OLYMPICVM AIECTON.' Not far south of the bridge, and at the entrance of the olive grove, are two rocky insulated hills, about two hundred yards apart, rising gently from the plain to a moderate height. On the summit of the largest is a small church, and the traces of a circular building, not apparently of ancient date. The summit of the other hill is cut and flattened for the foundation of some ancient edifice; perhaps the temple of Neptune Hippios, or of the Eumenides. This hill formed the Colonos, which according to Thucydides was an elevated place ten stadia from Athens, and sacred to Neptune. Apollodorus affirms, that the temple or sacred inclosure of the Eumenides was at Colonos. Julius Pollux mentions two Colonoi; one called ITTIOs, and the other, o Ayopa. Colonos Hippios was the birth-place of Sophocles, and the retreat of the astronomer Meton, and of Plato, and the supposed scene of the tragedy of Edipus,5 who, on his arrival there, and his inquiring what place it is, is answered by Antigone: "This place it appears is sacred, for it is thickly planted with ཀ 1 At the church of St. Johr. the Divine. 4 * B. 7. c. 29. and Corsini Fast. Attic. part 1. dis. 5. He cites the etymologist, who says, Αθενησι δυο Κολωνοι, ιππιος και αγοραιος. 5 Sophocles, v. 15, &c. laurels, olives, and vines; and the nightingales sing beautifully within it." To the further inquiries of Edipus, the stranger answers, speaking of the Furies, "For all this place is sacred. The revered Neptune possesses it, and the God of Fire, Titan Prometheus: and the place you stand upon is called the brazen way, the defence of Athens ; and the neighbouring lands pray that this hill, crowned by the equestrian deity, may be their tutelary chief, whence they all bear the common name of Colonite." Pausanias1 relates, that the temple of Neptune was burnt by Antigonos, but that in his time there were two altars; one of Neptune, named Hippios, the other of Minerva, Hippia. He also mentions the Hpwov, of Perithoos, Theseus, Edipus, and Adrastos. The village called Padischah is situated at the entrance of the olive grove, to the north-east of Colonos. This beautiful spot is 1 B. 1. c. 30. 2 A Persian word, signifying King or Emperor. adorned with luxuriant gardens, amongst which are some cypresses, the largest of which is seen from Athens, and from several parts of the plain. A little to the east of the village we ascend a ridge of barren hills, from which the spectator is gratified with a comprehensive and interesting view of Athens, the Saronic Gulph, with its islands, and the Peloponnesian mountains. At the bottom of one of the glens of this hill are four large blocks of hewn stone, which seem to have been left there accidentally; near them, some wheel marks, which are observed in the rock, indicate the ancient road; the space between the wheels measures four feet, and the track of the wheel is six inches wide. The ancient roads in Greece are generally about thirteen feet in breadth, so that they afford room for two carriages to pass with ease. Approaching the gate Dipulon, the traces of sepulchres are seen, many of which have been lately opened: the five following inscriptions were found there by Dr. Macmichael, to whose friendship I am indebted for their insertion in this place : ΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΗ ΜΟΛΟΣΙΣ ΑΡΜΟΔΙΑ ΚΥΝΙΑ ΟΜΟΛΩΙΧΟΥ ΓΥΝΗ ΑΡΧΕΣΙΣ ΘΡΑΙΤΤΑ ΝΙΚΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΑΔΟΥ ΚΤΑΕΝΙΤΤΗΣ. CHAPTER XIII. Way to the Piraeus. Tumuli. The long walls. Port Piræus. Single Ionic column, and sarcophagus. Supposed tomb of Themistocles. Port Mounychia. Doric temple. Subterraneous chambers. Other remains. Port Phaleron. Cape Kolias. Ancient Piræan quarries. General view from the Piræus. Piræan necropolis. The opening of several tombs, and description of their contents. Bronze inscriptions of the magistrates Diodorus and Deinias. Imprecatory inscription on a lamina of lead. Description of some Ceramic vases found at Athens. Duplicate vases. Modern burials. Return to Athens. A LARGE tumulus of earth occurs on the left of the road, on the way to the Piræus, and at the entrance of the olive grove. When this tumulus was excavated, it was found to contain several broken vases and plates of terra cotta, with bones of animals, birds, and fish, the remains of the Nekrodeipnon, or funereal feast. It is generally supposed to be the sepulchre of the Amazon Antiope; but without recurring to fabulous ages, it is far more likely to be the μvnμa xevov,1 or cenotaph of Euripides; and the absence of human bones is a further corroboration of that opinion. Tumuli are common in Greece, and indeed in most parts of the world; and are probably not peculiar to any one nation. They are extremely numerous in Thessaly, Macedonia, and Thrace; and in travelling through the latter country from Gallipoli to Constantinople, I saw near a hundred. Those of the Trojan plain are too well known to require notice. They abound in Italy, France, 1 Pausan. b. 1. c. 2. 2 See Dr. Chandler's Travels in Greece, c. 6. p. 24. |