102 JOURNEY TO PLAT.EA. 
CHAP. The next morning, Tuesday, December the 
V i.y- I eighth, we were surprised to find the ground 
covered with snow, it being the first time we had 
seen snow in Greece. The inhabitants of Platana 
told us so great a quantity fell in the preceding 
winter, that they were confined to their cottages 
during several weeks; — a remarkable circum- 
stance in so low a situation, and in such a lati- 
tude'. It affords a striking confirmation of the 
accuracy of Thucydides, who says that a great 
deal of snow fell during the night when the 
Platceans fled to Athens, ^^ndi left their city; taking 
the road towards Thebes, in order to deceive their 
enemies who were there stationed ^. We set out 
with our host, to visit the place still pointed out, 
by the tradition of his countrymen, as the field of 
THE BATTLE OF Platjea. Iu our way thither, 
we passed a very small stream, called, by the 
people of this village, Platana river: it falls into 
the Asopus. And near to it there is an antient 
well, distinguished as such by being covered 
with a massive marble cylinder, whose interior 
is worn into deep furrows by the ropes formerly 
used in drawing water. To mark the situation 
(l) About 38". 20' of North latitude. 
(-) K«/ h yy| Touvrta avifiu u'^ovi(po/iiii>} «oXu to hdaif iv ahrn i^lfoinKlt, S 
fi'oXti u*igi^ov7i; Wi^auuitivaV' Thucydid. lib. ill. cap. 23. p. 160. edit. 
Hudsoni. Oxon. 1696. 
