TO PHARSALIA. 327 
lo our view one of the most extensive prospects ^^j^|'' 
in all Greece. To the north-east we surveyed * — -n ' 
the immense Plain , of Crocius ; and, looking crocms. 
down, beheld summits of many mountains far 
below us. The antient paved-way, by which we 
descended, bore off in that direction. We asked 
the guides whither the other road conducted ; 
and they said, to Valos\ shewing that the 
antient name of Alos is still preserved ; — for Aios. 
throughout Thessaly they have a practice of 
prefixing a ^ before the original name, which 
is pronounced V^', diS (3 Othry, for Othrys ; and 
(3' Alos, for Alos '. Our descent hence continued 
along the old road, which was much broken up, 
and in some parts entire ; but whether entire or 
broken, we were compelled to ride upon it, as 
there was no other. Another immense prospect 
(l) The people of Thessah/ entertain a tradition that the first ship 
(alluding to the Argo) sailed from this place ; by which it is evident 
they mean ^/o, the antient Pagas«;, situate at the mouth of the river 
OncJtestuf, in the Sinus Pela.igiais. The Argo, however, was launched 
at Aphetce. Alos was upon the river Amphrysvs, in Phthiotis, at the 
northern termination of Mount Othrys, distant si.rtystadia from Itone. 
See Stephaiius de Urbib. Sfc. p.6G. Ed. Gronnvii, Amst. 1678. Its 
situation is mure fully pointed out by Sii-abo, as cited by Gronovms in 
Note (26) of the same edition. 'O oi ^hariKos "AXeg i'^ri ru fri^art xtTrai rtis 
OSeuoi e^ov; ir^o; uQxrev xiiftiyeu t? 't'^iariSi, x. <r. X, {Strahon. Geog. lib. ix, 
p. 627. Ed. Oxnn.) But Strnhn afterwards adds, that Alos was placed 
by Arlemidorus upon the sea-shore : ' AgTip.'tou^a; Ss rhv "AXev i» Tn 
trapaXla rUtitriv, x< r. X. The geography of Thessalt rcm.iins now, as it 
ever was, in a state of great uncertainty. 
