A EIDE ACROSS THE PELOPONNESE. 203 



feet. On our right, a green slope led away to the 

 pass through which lies the road to Nemea and 

 Corinth. Beyond this in the far background Kyllene 

 lifted its snow-crowned head. On our left a bare 

 limestone ridge, glittering in the radiant air, led the 

 eye to where the sea sparkled, a pale blue overhung 

 with a soft haze. Beyond this again the mountain- 

 masses which divide Argolis from Laconia swept 

 round till they joined Parthenium, in unbroken line 

 save where the citadel of Argos stood boldly out into 

 the plain. 



On the hill of Mycenae can still be traced three 

 lines of wall. In the lower one, on the north side, is 

 a remarkable postern-gate, made of three huge blocks 

 of stone two serving for posts, while the third lies 

 across them. The masonry is all on a large scale, 

 partly polygonal, and partly of square-cut blocks. 



As we drove back across the plain to Argos a rich 

 evening glow came over the Avhole scene, gradually 

 fading into dusk as we re-entered the town. "We did 

 not stay longer than to pick up our baggage and say 

 farewell to our kind host, for Nauplia was to be our 

 resting-place that night. 



VI. 



TIRYNS AND NAUPLIA. 



We left Argos at half-past six, and about seven we 

 passed Tiryiis, Avhich lies only fifty yards from the 



