Chap. 8.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTEIES, ETC. 283 



CHAP. 8. — LACONIA. 



At Taenarum begins the territory of Laconia, inhabited by 

 a free nation, and situate on a gulf 106 miles in circuit, and 

 38 across. The towns are, Taenarum \ Amyclae^', Pherae'\ 

 and Leuctra'* ; and, in the interior, Sparta^, Theramne^, and 

 the spots where Cardamyle', Pitane*, and Anthea formerly 

 stood ; the former site of Thyrea^, and Gerania^*^. Here is 

 also Mount Taygetus^\ the river Eurotas, the Gulf of JEgi- 

 lodes^^, the town of Psamathus, the Gulf of Gytheum^^, so 

 called from the town of that name, from which place the 

 passage is the safest across to the island of Crete. All these 

 places are bounded by the Promontory of Malea". 



* Or Tsenarus, afterwards called Csenopolis. The present town of 

 Kisternes, or Kimaros, occupies its site. 



2 Its site is generally placed at Sklavokhori, six miles from Sparta ; 

 but Leake supposes it to liave been situate on the liill called Agliia 

 Kyriaki, between that place and Sparta. 



^ Or Pharis. The present Chitries occupies its site. 



* Or Leuctrum, on the river Pamisus, now called Levtros. It must 

 not be confounded with the town in Boeotia where the Thebans defeated 

 the Spartans, B.C. 371. 



^ Or Lacedaemon. Its site is occupied by the modern villages of 

 Magula and Psykhiko. The principal modern town in the vicinity 

 is Mistra. 



^ Or Therapnae, on the left bank of the Eurotas. Some ruins of it 

 are stiU to be seen. 



' Considerable ruins of it are stUl to be seen to the N.E. of the modern 

 towTi of Skarhamula. 



^ Authors are not agreed as to the site of this town and that of 

 Anthea or Anthene. 



9 Memorable for the pitched battle between 300 Argives and 300 

 Spartans, — Otlnrades being the sole survivor of the Spartans, and 

 AJcenor and Chromius of the Argives. ^^ By Homer called Enope. 



" Pente Dactylon, or Pente Dactyh, the "Five Fingers," is the pre- 

 sent name of the range of Taygetus, Its principal summits are now St. 

 Elias and Paixamadlii. The river Eurotas is now called Iris and Niris in 

 its upper and middle course, and Basih-potamo from tlie Spartan plain 

 to the sea. 



^'- ^gila, according to Leake, occupied the site of the present Scutari; 

 if 80, this gulf was probably the Gulf of Scutari. Psamathus was near 

 the point of Tsenarum. 



13 Or Gythium, near the mouth of the Eurotas. It was famous for its 

 cheeses. The rums are called PaleopoH, a little to the north of Mara- 

 thonisL ^^ Now Capo Santo Angelo. 



