330 THE PLAIN OF MARATHON. 



which enclose it at either extremity ; though to the south west, the 

 mountains, which are a branch of PenteHcus, and are higher than in 

 any other part, have a more gradual slope towards the sea, and are 

 covered with low pine-trees and brush-wood. About the centre of 

 the bay a small stream, which flows from the upper part of the 

 valley of Marathon, discharges itself into the sea by three shallow 

 channels. A narrow rocky point, projecting from the shore, forms 

 the north east part of the bay, close to which is a salt stream 

 connected with a shallow lake, and a great extent of marsh land. 

 About one mile and a half south of the river of Marathon is another 

 mconsiderable rivulet of fresh water, flowing also from a marsh by 

 no means so extensive as the other. From the north east point of 

 the bay, on a low narrow sandy ridge extends a wood of the Pinus 

 Pinea for a space of two miles along the shore ; in the rear of this, 

 the plain is a continued marsh, reaching as far as the modern village 

 Souli ; probably the ancient Tricorythus, which formed with (Enoe, 

 Probalinthus, and INIarathon, the Tetrapolis of Attica.* 



The other part of the plain, except the small marsh to the south- 

 ward, consists of uninclosed and level corn land, with a few olive 

 and wild pear-trees. The village, called Marathona, which is situated 

 in a narrow valley of nearly uniform breadth opening into the plain, 

 is rather more than three miles from the sea. This valley is in 

 general three quarters of a mile in breadth, and is bounded on either 

 side by difficult heights ; on the south side it is separated from 

 another small valley, which however is itself enclosed with rocky 

 eminences; and appears as a bay connected with the plain; while 

 the valley of Marathon may be compared to a creek or inlet into the 

 interior. At the foot of the mountain, on the south side of the 

 plain, is a small hamlet called Vrana, supposed by some to be on the 



* Another tovpn named Qi^noe was near Eleiilheraj; see Harpocrat. and Wcsselingin 

 D. Sic. torn. i. 305. Colonel Leake mentions the vestieres which mark the site of an 



o 



ancient Demos in the valley above the village of Marathona. They are called Ninoe. — 

 Researches, p. 420. 



