BOOK IV. VIII. 29-31 



Larisa, Gomphi, Thessalian Thebcs, Ekn Wood, the 

 Gulf of \'oIo, the town of Pagasa subsequently 

 called Demctrias, Tricca, the Pharsahan Plains with 

 their free city, Crannon, Iletia. The mountains of 

 Phthiotis are Nymphaeus, once so beautiful for its 

 natural landscape gardening, Buzygaeus, Donacoessa, 

 Bromiacus, Daphusa, Chimarone, Athamas, Ste- 

 phane. In Thessaly there are 34, of which the most 

 famous are Cercetii, Pierian Olympus and Ossa, facing 

 which are Pindus and Othrvs the abode of the Lapi- 

 thae — these looking to the west ; and looking east is 

 Pelion ; all form a curve Hke a theatre, and in the 

 hollow in front of them lie 75 cities. Thessaly 

 contains the rivers Apidanus, Phoenix, Enipeus, 

 Onochonus and Pamisus ; the spring Messeis ; Lake 

 Boebeis ; and before all ahke in celebrity the river 

 Peneus, rising close to Gomphi and flowing down a 

 wooded glen betwecn Ossa and Olympus for 62J 

 miles, for half of which distance it is navigable. Part 

 of this course is called the Vale of Tempe, 5 miles 

 long and ncarly an acrc and a half " in breadth,with 

 gently sloping hills rising beyond human sight on 

 either hand, while the valley between is verdant with 

 a grove of trees. Along it ghdes the Peneus, ghttering 

 with pebbles and adorncd with grassy banks, melodi- 

 ous with the choral song of birds. Into it flows the 

 river Orcus, to wliich it gives no intimate welcome, 

 but merely carries it for a brief space floating on its 

 surface Hke a skin of oil, in Homer's phrase,* and then 



ouS' o y€ Ylrjveio) avn^uayiTai dpYVpoSivjj 

 aAAa Te /uv Ka9vTrep9ev imppeei tjJt' eXaiov 

 opKOv yap heLvov ^Tvyos vSaTos eariv a-noppoi^. 



Homer'8 opKov, ' a thing to 6wcar by,' is read by Pliiiy aa a 

 proper name. 



141 



