THE PLAIN OF MARATHON. 



331 



site of the ancient Brauron * ; at the entrance of the valley of 

 Marathon from the plain are two small villages called Bey and Sifeeri. 

 The modern Marathon contains a few Zevgaria, and is peopled by 

 about 200 inhabitants ; the houses of the peasants are in the midst 

 of gardens, planted with apricot trees, vines, and olives. They are 

 watered from a copious fountain about a mile above the village, 

 surrounded by a circular foundation of ancient masonry ; the only 

 remains f of antiquity which we could discover near a place once 

 distinguished as Ivxti^ev^v MHpd$m& The stream derived from the 

 fountain, the Macaria of Pausanias, passes down the valley parallel 

 to the river, to the distance of three quarters of a mile ; and is then 

 conducted across the river in a wooden trough, and continues its 

 course to the village, where it is employed in the gardens. Above 

 the fountain is a small detached rocky height, at the summit of 

 which is a cavern with a low entrance, and naturally divided into 

 several compartments ; this, according to Pausanias, may be the 

 mountain and grotto of Pan, though it would be difficult to conceive 

 the slightest resemblance in the rocks to goats or sheep, mentioned 

 by that author in his Grecian tour. From Marathona to Athens is a 

 march of about seven hours, in a S. W. direction, and the first part 

 of the road is through an unequal, rocky, and rather a difficult 

 country ; over a ridge, which connects Pentelicus with the eastern 

 extremity of Parnes, and therefore corresponds with the situation of 



* At the western extremity of the valley, where Brauron is placed, Col. Squire has 

 noticed in his plan the ruins of a marble monument. The Editor supposes that in this 

 portion of the plain part of a Greek inscription was found by M. Fauvel. The words he 

 had copied were the following : 



OMONOIAS A0ANAT . . 



nTAH 

 HPi2AOYOXi2P03 

 EI20NEISEPXE . . 

 There appears to be some reference to Herodes Atticus who died at Marathon. 



f The columns in the marsh observed by Dr. Clarke are probably part of the temple of 

 the Hellotian Minerva, so called from the marsh on the plain ; the temple of the Delian 

 Apollo, and one of Hercules, are mentioned by the ancient writers. — Schol. Pind. 

 Olymp. xiii. Herod, vi. 



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