ELEUSIS. 599 
maritime establishment between the two cities of 
Megara zudEleusis. Hence we descended into the 
Efeusinian Plain ; spreading out with indescribable 
r . Plain. 
beauty, as m the instances so often noticed ; 
the surrounding mountains seeming to rise out 
of it : this was that fertile land which is said to 
have invited the first labours of the plough ; 
and where the first wheat was sown by the 
instructions of the Goddess of Agriculture. We 
had no sooner descended into it, than, turning 
round the mountain towards the left, we found 
the distinct traces of a Temple, and, farther on, 
of another similar structure. We observed a 
tower upon a hill towards our right ; and, soon JcnpoK* 
after, we saw lying in the plain the marble 
Torso of a colossal statue, which, with some dif- Marble 
Torto. 
ficulty, we divested of the soil that had accumu- 
lated around it. This torso seemed to be that of 
a Sphinx, or of a. Lion: the latter animal is some- 
times represented as drawing the Car of Ceres. 
It consisted of the white marble of Mount Pen- 
telicus. Still advancing, we perceived upon the 
left the vestiges of a Temple, and a Well, at which 
women were washing linen. This Well appeared 
to us, in all respects, to correspond with the 
situation of that famous WELL, called "Avfavov, or, The 
thejlowery, where Ceres is fabled to have rested 
