ON THE VALE OF TEMPE 



533 



generally conceived of it ; and that the eloquence of iElian has 

 given rise to expectations which the traveller will not find realised. 

 In the fine description, which that writer has given us of Tempe, he 

 seems to have misconceived the general character of its scenery, 

 which is distinguished by an air of savage grandeur rather than by 

 its beauty and amenity ; the aspect of the whole defile impressing 

 the spectator with a sense of danger and difficulty, not of security 

 and indulgence. In short, it is mortifying to be obliged to confess, 

 that the highly-finished picture which iElian has left us of Tempe, 

 is almost wholly an imaginary one ; and that even those which are 

 sketched with so much force by Livy and Pliny bear no very marked 

 resemblance.* Were it possible to set aside the impression made by 

 these writers, and to divest this celebrated spot of all the historical 

 importance which is attached to it, I even doubt, whether it would 

 attract that notice, which has been bestowed on many vales of the 

 same wild character in the west of Europe. 



But Tempe, had it even fewer pretensions to grandeur or beauty 

 than it in reality possesses, would still be viewed with interest ; for it 

 has been in all ages the theme of poetic encomium, and it is more- 

 over connected with some of the greatest events in ancient history. 



We are told by Herodotus, that Xerxes advanced some way before 

 his army, on purpose to survey this remarkable spot. Having 

 enquired of his guides, how far it were practicable to turn the course 

 of the Peneus ; and being assured there was no other passage by 

 which that river could find an issue towards the sea, Thessaly being 

 surrounded by mountains — " The Thessalians," said he, " act with 



* " Sunt Tempe saltus, etiamsi non bello fiat infestus, transitu difficilis, nam prseter 

 angustias per quinque millia, qua exiguum jumento onusto iter est, rupes utrimque ita 

 abscissae sunt, ut despici vix sine vertigine quadam simul oculorum animique possit ; 

 terret et sonitus et altitudo per mediam vallem fluentis Penei amnis." JLvcii His. — " In eo 

 cursu Tempe vocantur quinque mill, passuum longitudine, et ferme sesquijugeri latitudine, 

 ultra visum hominis attollentibus se dextera laevaque leniter convexis jugis. Intus sua 

 luce viridante adlabitur Peneus, viridis calculo, amcenus circa ripas gramine, canorus 

 avium concentu." Plin. lib. iv. c. 8. 



