Chap. 5.] ACCOUNT OP COUNTEIES, ETC. 279 



Demetrius', Caesar the Dictator, the prince Caius', and Do- 

 mitius Nero', have at different times made the attempt to 

 cut through this neck by forming a navigable canal ; a pro- 

 fane design, as may be clearly seen by the result^ in every 

 one of these instances. 



Upon the middle of this intervening neck which we have 

 called the Isthmus, stands the colony of Corinth, formerly 

 known by the name of Ephyre', situate upon the brow of a 

 hill, at a dista,nce of sixty stadia from the shore of either 

 sea. From the heights of its citadel, which is called Acro- 

 corinthos, or the " Heights of Corinth," and in which is the 

 Fountain of Pirene, it looks down upon the two seas which 

 lie in the opposite directions. From Leucas to Patrae upon 

 the Corinthian gulf is a distance of eighty-eight miles. The 

 colony of Patrae" is founded upon the most extensive pro- 

 montory of the Peloponnesus, facing .^tolia and the river 

 Evenus, the Corinthian Gulf being, as we have previously^ 

 stated, less than a mile in width at the entrance there, 

 though extending in length as far aa the isthmus, a distance 

 of eighty-five miles. 



^ Demetrius Poliorcetes, king of Macedonia, son of Antigonus, king of 

 Asia. 



' Caius Caligula, the Emperor. 



■ The Emperor Nero actually commenced the work, having opened 

 the xmdertaking with great pomp, and cut away a portion of the earth 

 with his own hands. He had advanced four stadia, when the work was 

 interrupted by the insurrection of Julius Vindex in Gaul. 



* We cannot agree with Hardouin that " exitus" here means " death," 

 in allusion to the imfortunate end of all those who had made the attempt. 

 The opinion of Spanheim seems rather deserving of support (though 

 censured by Hardouin), that it merely means " the residt" in each case ; 

 it being the fact, that in all the instances the contemplated undertaking 

 was interrupted by some unforeseen event. Periander and Herodes Atti- 

 cus also contemplated the formation of this channel. 



* It is not known when it exchanged this name for that of Corinth; being 

 called by both names in Homer. Scarcely any remains of it are now 

 to be seen. The small town on its site is called Gortho, a corruption of 

 its ancient name. The water of the famed spring of Pirene is now only 

 used for washing clothes. 



' Now Patras. There are few remains of the ancient city, which was 

 one of the twelve cities of Achaia. It was made a Roman colony by 

 Augustas. 



y See C. 3 of the present Book, p. 275. 



