278 
pliny's natural history. 
[Book lY. 
vicinity of Helicon^ The tliird town of Boeotia on this 
sea is that of Pagae^, from which point the Isthmus of the 
Peloponnesus projects in the form of a neck. 
CHAP. 5. (4.) — THE PELOPONNESrS. 
The Peloponnesus, which was formerly called Apia^ and 
Pelasgia, is a peninsula, inferior in fame to no land upon the 
face of the earth. Situate between the two seas, the ^gsean 
and the Ionian, it is in shape like the leaf of a plane-tree, in 
consequence of the angular indentations made in its shores. 
According to Isidorus, it is 563 miles in circumference ; and 
nearly as much again, allowing for the sea-line on the 
margin of its gulfs. The narrow pass at which it commences 
is know by the name of the Isthmus. At this spot the two 
seas, which we have previously mentioned, running from the 
north and the east, invade the land from opposite sides ^, 
and swallow up its entire breadth, the result being that 
through these inroads in opposite directions of such vast 
bodies of water, the sides of the land are eaten away to such 
an extent, that Hellas^ only holds on to the Peloponnesus 
by the narrow neck, five miles in width, which intervenes. 
The Grulfs thus formed, the one on this side, the other on 
that, are known as the Corinthian^ and the Saronic Grulfs. 
The ports of Lechese^, on the one side, and of Cenchrese on 
the other, form the frontiers of this narrow passage, which 
thus compels to a tedious and periloas circumnavigation 
such vessels as from their magnitude cannot be carried across 
by land on vehicles. Por this reason it is that both King 
^ Helicon is a range of mountains with several summits, the loftiest of 
which is now called Paleovuni. HeHcon was a grove of the Muses, and 
the fountain of Aganippe was supposed to unpart poetic inspkation to 
those who drank of it. 2 g^e p. 288. 
3 From Apis, the son of Phoroneus, or Telchmes, according to Pau- 
sanias. After the arrival of Pelops, it took from him its name of Pelo- 
ponnesus, or the " Island of Pelops." 
4 The Ionian from the north, and the ^gean, or rather, Myrtoan, Sea 
from the east. 
^ That part of Glreece proper which lies to the north of the Isthmus. 
^ IS'ow the Gulfs of Lepanto and Egina. 
7 Lechese was the harhour of Corinth on the Corinthian, and Cenchrese 
on the Saronic Grulf. The name of the latter is still preserved in tJ le 
modern appellation Kechries, which is given to its ruins. 
