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



CHAP. 8. — LACONIA. 



At TsBnanim 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, TaBnarum\ 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 ^gi- 

 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 Teenarus, afterwards called Ceenopolis. The present town of 

 Kisternes, or Kiinaros, occupies its site. 



* Its site is generally placed at Sklavokhori, six nailes from Sparta ; 

 but Leake supposes it to have been situate on the hill called Aghia 

 Kyriaki, between that place and Sparta. 



* Or Pharis. The present Cliitries 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 Lacedsemon. Its site is occupied by the modem villages of 

 Magula and Psykhiko. The principal modem town in the vicinity 

 is Mistra. 



s Or Therapnse, on the left bank of the Eurotas. Some ruins of it 

 are stiU to be seen. 



7 Considerable ruins of it are still to be seen to the N.E. of the modem 

 town of Skarhamula. 



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

 Anthea or Anthene. 



^ Memorable for the pitched battle between 300 Argives and 300 

 Spartans, — Othryades being the sole svurivor of the Spartans, and 

 Aicenor 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 smnmits are now St. 

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

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

 to the sea. 



^' ^gila, according to Leake, occupied thesiteof the present Scutari; 

 if so, tHs gulf was probably the Gulf of Scutari. Psamathus was near 

 the point of Tsenarum. 



^3 Or Gythium, near the mouth of the Evu-otas. It was famous for its 

 cheeses. The nuns are called PaleopoU, a httle to the north of Mara- 

 thonisi. ^* Now Capo Santo Angelo. 



