546 PELOPONNESUS. 
CHAP, way ; and saw upon our right, close to the road, 
TV 
L ' . that the rock had been evidently hewn into a 
Pavedway square pedestal, for the base of some colossal 
statue, or public monument. Thence we con- 
tinued our route across the wide and beautiful 
plain which extends between Sicyon and Corinth, 
bounded by the sea towards the north; a 
journey of three hours and a half, over the 
finest corn land in Greece, and through olive- 
plantations producing the sweetest oil in the 
Fertility of world. This district has been justly extolled 
the Land. J 
by antient 1 and by modern authors 2 . The well- 
known answer of an antient Oracle to a person 
who inquired the way to become wealthy, will 
prove how famous the soil has ever been for 
its fertility : he was told to " get possession of 
all the land between Corinth and Sicyon" 
Indeed, a knowledge of the country is all that 
is necessary to explain the early importance of 
the cities for which it was renowned. Both 
Sicyon and Corinth owed their origin to this 
natural garden : and such is even now its value 
under all the disadvantageous circumstances, of 
Turkish government and neglected cultivation, 
that the failure of its annual produce would 
(1) See the authors cited by Barthclemy ; Athen* lib. v. cap. 19. 
p. 219. Liu. lib. xxvii. cap. 31. Schol. Aristnph. in Av. v. 969. 
(2) Wheler's Journey into Greece, Coo VI. p. 443. Lond. 1682. 
