574 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



/-\Cerigo(Cythera) - 



Drawn by A. II. Bumstead 



A MAP OF" SOUTHERN GREECE) — THE ATTIC PLAIN AND THE PELOPONNESUS 



The area of Attica (the ancient division of Greece comprising the territory of Athens), 

 together with the island of Salamis, which belonged to it, was hardly more than 700 square 

 miles. Its population in its flourishing time was probably about 500,000, of which nearly four- 

 fifths were slaves. 



Thackeray, a tourist of the 40's, calls 

 the hills around Athens "aristocratic" and 

 defends the use of the term ; it seems the 

 one word capable of descrihing the grace 

 and nohle reserve of these heights. 



Few people have said such charming 

 things of hills as the satirist in speaking 

 of these ; amid much that displeased him, 

 their appeal was irresistible. "Round this 

 wide, yellow, barren plain," he says, "there 

 rises, as it were, a sort of chorus of the 

 most beautiful mountains — the most ele- 

 gant, gracious, and noble the eye ever 



looked upon. These hills did not appear 

 at all lofty or terrible, but superbly rich 

 and aristocratic." 



Later he tells us how "the hills rise in 

 perfect harmony, and fall in the most ex- 

 quisite cadences." This was the panorama 

 unfolded to my eyes. 



Often, in later days, on these encircling 

 hillsides I have sensed the deep violet 

 which they wear at eventide as something 

 so close and so palpable that it seemed it 

 could be felt on hand and cheek like 

 moisture borne by a southern breeze. 



