The goddess is generally represented in a sitting posture, with her son Oros in her arms, whom she is nurturing at her breast. She was the divinity of the Nile: and as she presided over the liquid element, her statue is appropriately situated in the Nymphæum.

The statue in this cave is so much damaged, that it is difficult to ascertain whether Oros formed a part of it. It is not improbable that this figure of Isis was sculptured in the early period of her worship in Attica; and that the other parts of the cave were long after decorated by Archedamos. Small statues of the Ægyptian goddess are frequently found in Attica, and particularly in sepulchres. She is also often represented on bas-reliefs of a style not denoting high antiquity; and although she was venerated under the name of Demeter, she was, at the same time, honoured under her own appellation.1 The two names, however, came at last to be considered as two distinct divinities, although Herodotus* clearly affirms that the Ægyptian Isis was the same as the Attic Demeter.

Near the statue some indefinite object is seen sculptured on the rock; which, from its bad state of preservation, is incomprehensible to common observers; but Dr. Chandler imagines it to be an Ithyphallus,3 the symbol of Bacchus. This, however, I can scarcely conceive, on account of its magnitude, which is but little inferior to Isis herself, who is represented about the natural proportion.

Melampus, according to Herodotus,* introduced the Phallic worship into Greece from Ægypt. The only monument however of this kind, which I have seen in Greece, is an Ithyphallic terminal figure at Libadea. They are much more common in Italy. Near the Ithyphallus of Dr. Chandler is a niche, which once no doubt contained the statue of Pan. Under it is inscribed, ПANOE. Above

1 Pausan. b. 10. c. 32.

* See Harpocration, Lex. p. 196.

2 B. 2. c. 39.

• B. 2 c. 49.

this are some steps leading to another niche. Towards the mouth of this cave, a square cavity, about three inches deep, is cut in the perpendicular surface of the rock; in which a bas-relief, or an inscription, upon some other material, appears to have been anciently inserted.

The cavity is surrounded by an inscription cut in the rock; not a single word of it is legible. Another inscription is also seen upon a loose block; to decipher which all my efforts were vain. Dr. Chandler has published two others, which escaped my notice.

There is no echo in the cave; and, although it was not particularly damp, the air was extremely heavy and disagreeable. We remained seven hours in this subterraneous abode, and made several drawings of its mysterious singularities; after which we found it an unusual relief and gratification to revisit the day, to inhale the aromatic perfume that was wafted from the surrounding pine trees, and to enjoy the beautiful prospect which this spot commands over the Saronic Gulph. The sea is about a mile from Bari. Some projecting capes are seen, with some insular rocks near the shore; the largest of which is named Phleba.

TO ATHENS.

We quitted the cave in the afternoon, and descending by the worst of roads through the pine forest, as soon as we reached the foot of the hill observed several vestiges of antiquity. Having

proceeded an hour we saw some small insular rocks near the shore, and two capes, the most considerable of which was Zoster;1 and which Pausanias pretends took its name from the Belt of Latona, which she untied at this place. According to the same author, Minerva, Apollo, Diana, and Latona, had their altars at Zoster. The view of the gulph is particularly beautiful from this spot.

Herodotus informs us, that the residue of the Persian navy, when approaching this cape, after the battle of Salamis, were terrified by the appearance of some small rocks, which they mistook for Athenian vessels, and accordingly fled.

We here entered upon the Athenian plain, which is considerably elevated above the sea, and covered with bushes. We passed several tumuli of small stones, and some imperfect traces of antiquity; and in an hour and ten minutes from Bari, came to the remains of an extensive city, perhaps the Halai Aixonides, which Strabo calls Αλιεις οι Αιξωνικοι, and which was in the tribe Cecropis.

A quarter of an hour beyond this place we passed near an aperture in the horizontal surface of the rock, similar to that of the cave of Pan at Bari. It appeared deep; but we were precluded from examining it, by the want of ropes and ladders. As its contents may be interesting, I have ever since regretted that I did not return thither from Athens, equipped with proper implements for penetrating its recesses and exploring its curiosities. Near its mouth are some large blocks of stone. Having proceeded a short distance from this place we observed an ancient wall, regularly constructed with large stones. To our left was the village of Tragones; and to the right the rocks of Hymettos.

Three quarters of an hour more brought us to the remains of a

city of considerable dimensions, probably Aixone, which was of the tribe Cecropis.1 Large blocks of stone, and foundations of many buildings, are scattered round in all directions, and part of the cella of a temple is well preserved.

Between this place and Phaleron, on the left of the road, was the demos of Alimous, in the tribe of Leontis, which we did not see. We arrived at Athens after dark.

1 Stephan. de Urbib. p. 67. Harpocrat. Lexic. p. 18.

2 Strabo, b. 9. p. 398. Pausan. b. 1. c. 31. Stephen. de Urbib. p. 100. Harpocrat. Lexic. p. 22. Suidas, Lexic. vol. 1. p. 113.

CHAPTER XVI.

The island of Ægina. Land at the old port. Ruins of the ancient city. Remains of a Doric temple. Compendium of the history of the island. Soil and produce. Visit to the temple of Jupiter Panhellenios. The temple and statues. Return to the port, and departure for the island of Salamis. Land at a deserted port. Proceed and land at a monastery. Description of it. Panoramic view from a mountain in Salamis. Voyage to Eleusis-compendium of its history. Return by sea to Athens. Small islands in the gulph. Ancient castle in Salamis. Islands of Psyttalia and Atalanta, Port Phoron. Piræus.

TO EGINA.

THE recollections of antiquity would not suffer us to quit the neighbourhood of Ægina and Salamis, without visiting those two principal islands of the Saronic Gulph. We accordingly sent to the Piræus a few days before our departure, that a boat might be in readiness to convey us to those places. Having arranged every thing for our voyage, we set sail from the Piræus on the 21st of September, in a small boat with three sailors. We left the islands of Psyttalia, Atalanta, and Salamis, to our right; and further in the gulph sailed near the two desert rocks called Diapōri and Elaōsa. When we contemplated the scene around us, and beheld the sites of ruined states, and kingdoms, and cities, which were once elevated to a high pitch of prosperity and renown, but which have now vanished like a dream; when we saw their once busy shores left without an inhabitant, and their once crowded ports without a ship, we could not but forcibly feel that nations perish as well as individuals.1 A similar

1 Αποθηνσκουσι γαρ αι πόλεις ωσπερ ανθρωποι. Lucian's Contemplantes.