Mt. Parnassus 



281 



cultivated by the inhabitants of the village of Arachova, 

 we reached the foot of a steep hill covered with mastich 

 bushes and prickly oaks. It was a matter of some twenty 

 minutes to climb this for a visit to the famous Korykian 

 Grotto. The Grotto lies very near the top of the hill and 

 could hardly be discovered by one unfamiliar with the place, 

 for its entrance is small and hidden behind bushes. As we 

 entered we found ourselves in a dark cavity, the floor of 

 which seemed to sink beneath us. We struck matches 

 and presently were able to make our way down into the 

 innermost recesses. Above us the roof dripped from mas- 

 sive stalactites. It was in this cave that the Sun-god loved 

 the beautiful nymph Korykia, and here the chosen nymph 

 was worshiped in later generations with her companions and 

 Pan, the shepherd god. In times of distress it was a refuge 

 for the people of the vicinity. Hither the Phocians fled 

 when their land was invaded by the Thessalians a few years 

 before the coming of Xerxes. Here the Delphians hid their 

 treasures when the Persian armies swept over the country. 

 In the days of the Turkish oppression it was the hiding 

 place of many Klephtes, men who preferred to live on the 

 mountains whence they could swoop down upon the op- 

 pressors and wreak vengeance for wrongs. During the War 

 of Independence it was the stronghold of one of the great- 

 est chiefs of the war, the unfortunate Odysseus Androutsos ; 

 and under the reign of Otto, it afforded shelter to many a 

 roving bandit. Now it is left in solitude, a shrine to the an- 

 cient divinities, exposed only to the gaze of the peaceful 

 traveler. 



We returned to the high-lying fields and presently reached 

 the forest of fir that covers the slopes of the main mountain. 

 We wondered whether it was in these ravines that Ulysses 

 of old, when still a lad visiting the home of King Autolycus, 

 had come out to chase the wild boar, whose sharp tusk was 

 destined to play such a great role in his life. But we saw 

 no boars in the windy hollows through which we passed 

 and we had no spears to strike with. We simply climbed 

 steadily up the forested buttresses of the mountain until 

 we passed the timber line. At the neck of the summit ridge 



