More mountain-like, through those clear skies, by fire, many of its works of art being

trusted that should any of them be lost he would be required to replace them! Corinth remained desolate for about a century, when a Roman colony was planted there, and the city was par-gaged the attention of the regency. tially rebuilt by Julius Cæsar. Finally it shared the fate of the other towns of Greece, in the tremendous devastation wrought by Alaric the Goth. It is scarcely necessary to add that Corinth possesses for the Christian the additional interest of having been the residence of St. Paul, and to the church There are but few remains of antiof which he addressed two of his quity at Corinth. The ruins of two epistles. Here the apostle abode for buildings of the Roman town still exist, 18 months, supporting himself by the viz., 1st, a large mass of brickwork on work of his own hands; here he was the northern side of the bazaar of brought into contact with the hard and Modern Corinth, probably a part of one unsympathising dominion of Rome in of the baths built by Hadrian. 2ndly, the person of Gallio. To Corinth too an amphitheatre, excavated in the rock, were addressed those warnings of a on the eastern side of the modern town, world to come, and those praises of not far from the left bank of the torrent Charity, so much needed among the which separates the Acro-Corinthus proud and luxurious burghers of the from the heights to the eastward. It is rich commercial city; and those similes probable that this amphitheatre was a drawn from the national games of work posterior to the time of Pausanias, Greece, so forcible here from the neigh-as it is not noticed by him. The area bourhood of the Isthmian and Nemean below is 290 ft. by 190, the thickness festivals. of the remaining part of the cavea 100 In modern times, after many vicissi-ft. It is probable that it had a supertudes, Corinth was besieged and taken structure of masonry, supported by in 1459 by Mahomet II. It was trans- arcades, but no remains of it exist. At ferred by the Turks to the Venetians one end of the amphitheatre was a subin 1698 and restored by them to the terraneous entrance for the wild beasts Turks in 1715. Under the Turkish rule or gladiators. it was a town of considerable extent, though thinly peopled. The houses The seven Doric columns, noticed by were intermingled with mosques, gar-travellers in all ages, are still erect in dens and fountains.

as to the choice of a future capital and royal residence. Nauplia, Argos, Patras, Corinth, and Athens were the towns whose claims alternately en

But notwithstanding the apparent admirable commercial and military position of Corinth, the unhealthiness of the surrounding plain, and the impracticability of ever forming a large and safe port in either of the gulfs, turned the scale in favour of Athens.

During the revolutionary war Corinth was reduced to ashes, not a building having escaped. A few streets had been rebuilt, and lines marked out for the formation of new quarters, in which, however, but little progress had been made when the growth of the modern town was arrested by the great earthquake of February, 1858, which destroyed almost every house. The town is now being rebuilt in a more convenient position, near to the shore of the Gulf of Corinth, about 2 m. to the eastward of the ancient Lechæum.

On the establishment of the kingdom of Greece, the question naturally arose

the midst of modern desolation. When Wheler visited Greece in 1676, there were 12 columns standing; and the ruin was in the same state when described by Stuart 90 years afterwards. It was in its present condition when visited by Mr. Hawkins in 1795. The temple appears to have had originally 6 columns in front; and it is conjectured by Leako to have been that dedicated to Athena Chalinitis. The great antiquity of the statue of the goddess, as described by Pausanias, and her epithet and worship connected with the favourite fable of Bellerophon and Pegasus, one of the earliest events of Corinthian mythology, accord perfectly with the appearance of great antiquity in the existing columns.

On a comparison of these columns with | from which it can be annoyed with the other most ancient temples, it would artillery. This is a pointed rock a few seem that the latest date that can be hundred yards to the S.W. of it, from ascribed to this temple is the middle of which it was battered by Mahommed II. the 7th centy. before the Christian era. Before the introduction of artillery it Of the seven columns, five belonged to was deemed almost impregnable, and one of the fronts, and three, counting had never been taken, except by treathe angular column twice, to one of chery or surprise. It shoots up mathe sides of the Peristyle. The three jestically from the plain, and forms a columns of the side and the two ad- conspicuous object at a great distance: joining ones in front have their enta- it is clearly seen from Athens, from blature still resting upon them, but one which it is not less than 44 m. in a of them has lost its capital. Of the two direct line. A steep ascent winding remaining columns, the capital of one through rocks on the W. side leads to and the architraves of both are gone. the first gate. Permission to view the They are 5 ft. 10 inches in diameter at Acro-Corinthus was, during the time the base, and the shafts are formed of a of the Turks, rarely granted, but, is single piece of limestone, covered with now never refused. Within the fortress fine stucco. The temple must have are but few objects of interest. The been about 65 ft. in breadth, but the ruins of mosques, houses, and Turkish original length cannot be ascertained. and Venetian fortifications, are mingled The columns are of heavy and archaic together in one confused mass. Upon proportion; but constitute the only im- a platform in the upper part is an exportant relic of ancient Corinth. The tensive building, now used as a barrack. fountain of Pirene is frequently men- The garrison usually consists of only tioned by the ancient writers. There 20 or 30 soldiers. Cisterns have been appear to have been 3 springs of that hewn in the solid rock to receive the name the well in the Acro-Corinth, rain-water; and in the hill are two the rivulets which issue at the foot of natural springs, one of which, the the hill as described by Strabo, and the famous Pirene, rises from a fountain source below the brow of the table-land of ancient construction, and has been on which the present town is situated. celebrated for the salubrity of its waters. Modern Corinth occupies the site of the After gushing from the rock, it branches ancient city, which is a table-land at into several limpid streams, which the foot of the Acro-Corinth, overlook-descend into the town and afford a ing a lower level extending along the sea-shore on one side to the isthmus, and on the other to Sikyon. This lower level was traversed by two parallel walls, which connected Corinth with Lechæum. Their length was 12 stadia. But scanty remains of the harbour of Lechæum are still visible, as has been said above.

The Acro-Corinthus.-To ascend to the highest point of the Acro-Corinthus is a laborious walk of one hour. This fortress stands at an elevation of 1886 ft., and is considered as the strongest fortification in Greece, next to that of Nauplia in Argolis. It would, if properly garrisoned, be a place of great strength and importance. It abounds with excellent water, is in most parts precipitous, and there is only one spot

constant supply of water; whence its ancient appellation of the "wellwatered city"—etüdpov boru. Corinth is called by Pindar the "city of Pirene;" and the Corinthians are described in one of the Delphian oracles as "those dwelling around the beautiful Pirene." (Herod., v. 92.)

The magnificent panoramic view from the summit of the Acro-Corinth-certainly one of the grandest as well as one of the most varied in Europe *- -embraces the most interesting portion of Greece, and the scenes of many glorious actions. The most striking points in the landscape are:-The Sikyonian

N.B.-The traveller in Greece should on no

account omit to ascend the Acrocorinthus, even day. The view is equally splendid in winter or at the expense of waiting some time for a clear in summer.

From Corinth the traveller will pro

promontory, where the gulf of Corinth

turns N.W. by N.: The foot of the pro-ceed to Kalamáki (2 hrs.) along the montory Kyrrha, N.N.W.: The promontory Antikyrrha (now Aspraspitia), with its bay, and, beyond it, the highest point of Parnassus, N.

"Soaring snow-clad through its native sky, In the wild pomp of mountain-majesty." N.N.E., is Mount Helicon, "with a high hunch on its back like a camel." The highest point of Mount Geranea, between Megara and Corinth, lies N.E. by N. The Isthmus itself runs E.N.E., towards the highest ridge of Mount Kitharon. Beyond Kitharon, eastward, follow Mounts Parnes and Hymettus, and between them appears the Parthenon upon the Acropolis of Athens. Then the island of Salamis, E. (or E. by S.), and Ægina, S.E. Strabo has accurately characterised the prominent features of this view, which comprehends eight of the most celebrated states of ancient Grecce-Achaia, Lokris, Phokis, Boeotia, Attica, Argolis, Corinthia, and Sikyonia. Leake says this "view comprehends perhaps a greater number of celebrated objects than any other in Greece. Hymettus bounds the horizon to the eastward, and the Parthenon is distinctly visible at a direct distance of not much less than 50 English miles. Beyond the isthmus and bay of Lechæum are seen all the great summits of Locris, Phocis, Boeotia, and Attica; and the two Gulfs, from the hill of Koryfe (Gonoessa) on the Corinthiac, to Sunium at the entrance of the Saronic Gulf. To the westward, the view is impeded by a great hill, which may be called the eye-sore of the Acro-Corinthus, especially with regard to modern war. Its summit is a truncated peak."

During the two first years of the revolutionary war, the Acro-Corinthus was lost and regained three different times, without a shot being fired. The Turks surrendered it twice by capitulation, and once it was abandoned by the Greeks, betrayed by a base and cowardly priest left in command, who deserted it on the approach of Mohammed Dramali Pasha, before his army had appeared in sight.

Isthmus of Corinth.

The celebrated tract of limestone rock which connects the Peloponnesus with Northern Greece, and unites two chains of lofty mountains, is about 10 m. in length. Its width at Corinth is nearly as much, but at its northern extremity does not exceed 4 m. At this point the small bay of Lutráki on the W.

joined with the little, secure, harbour of Kalamáki on the E. by an excellent road, the highest elevation of which is probably not 100 ft. above the sea. Kalamáki consists of store-houses, wineshops, stables, and a small khan, where provisions may always be found. At these harbours the steamboats, from Corfu and Athens, meet once a week, going either way, and regular stations have been built, as was already observed. On the above-named days plenty of carriages and horses are in attendance, and there is a good road from Corinth to each of these little ports. The rough chasms, ravines, dells, cliffs, and ridges of the Isthmus, covered with the Isthmian pine (Pinus maritima), and interspersed with occasional corn-fields, make the whole tract exceedingly interesting. The combination of sea and mountain on every side is also unusually beautiful. Six miles to the E. of Corinth, on the Saronic gulf, is Kenkres or Cenchrea, where St. Paul made his vow (Acts xviii. 18). The remains on this little cove are chiefly of Roman brickwork. The so-called Bath of Helen is a stream of tepid, saline, and clear water gushing from a rock a few feet above the sea. But it is hardly worth the traveller's while to diverge from the direct road between Corinth and Kalamáki. Leaving then Cenchres on the rt., and passing through the village of Hexamili, which gave its Byzantine name to the Isthmus, we reach, of a m. S.E. of Kalamaki, the site of the famous Isthmian Sanctuary. It is a level spot, of an irregular quadrangular form, containing the temple of Posidon,

a Stadium, and other buildings con- actually commenced the work. He nected with the great Panhellenic continued it for a length of 4 stadia, festival celebrated here. The Sanc- when he was obliged to give it up tuary was surrounded on all sides by a in consequence of the insurrection strong wall, which can still be clearly of Vindex in Gaul. The canal was traced; there are many ancient débris commenced upon the western shore, within the enclosure, which is about close to the Diolkos; and traces of it 640 ft. in length; but its breadth varies may still be seen. It has now little from 600 to 300 ft. Pausanias's ac- depth; but it is 200 ft. wide, and may count of the Isthmian Sanctuary is be traced for about 1200 yds. brief and unsatisfactory.

Kalamáki.-Some slight remains, near the modern village, indicate the site of the ancient Schoenus, which gave its former name to this port. Here will be found another steamer, which will transport the traveller in 4 hrs. to the Piræus.

For an account of the

Piraeus is very pleasant and interesting.
The voyage from the Isthmus to the
Megara and Salamis are on the left,

gina is on the right, and an amphitheatre of mountains extends all around. The battle of Salamis was fought in the narrow strait between the island of that name and the mainland of Attica. After a passage of about 3 hours, we enter the

The northern portion of the walls which surrounded the Isthmian Sanctuary belonged to a line of fortification, which extended at one period across the Isthmus. This wall may still be traced in its whole extent, from the Bay of Lechæum to the Bay of Schoenus (Kalamáki). At what period it was routes by land from Corinth to Athens, erected is uncertain. The first Isth-consult Map and Index. mian wall mentioned in history, was that thrown up by the Peloponnesians, when Xerxes was invading Greece. But this was a work of haste, and could not be the same as the massive wall with towers, of which remains are still extant. Moreover, it is evident from the military operations in the Corinthia, recorded by Thucydides and Xenophon, that in their time the Isthmus was not defended by a line of fortifications. It is not till we come to the period of the decline of the Roman Empire that we find mention of the regular Isthmian wall, which was then considered to be an important defence against the invasion of the barbarians. On this account it was restored by Valerian, and by Justinian, and by the Greeks against the Turks in 1415; and after it had been destroyed by the Turks, it was rebuilt by the Venetians in 1463. It was a second time destroyed by the Turks; and by the treaty of Car-kinds will be found at the landinglowitz, in 1699, the remains of the old walls were made the boundary line between the territories of the Ottomans and those of the Venetians.

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PIREUS, described in Rte. 2. The traveller will most likely proceed at once to Athens, and visit this locality later. He had better entrust the care of his luggage, &c., to the representative of the Hôtel at Athens, at which he may have determined to stop, and who will be found on board the steamer. Passports are very rarely demanded, nor are the Custom-house regulations strict. An abundance of vehicles of all

place, to convey the traveller over the 5 miles' distance to Athens, and a train from the Piræus railway station starts, as a general rule, in summer at every hour, reaching Athens in 20 minutes. (Fare 1 drachm, 1st class). The railway was opened in March, 1869. The Acropolis, with its glorious group of ancient buildings, is before the eyes during this drive, recalling the opening lines of the 2nd Canto of Childe

At a short distance N. of the Isthmian wall, was the Diolkos, a level road, upon which small vessels were drawn by moving rollers from one sea to the other. The idea of cutting a canal across the Isthmus was frequently entertained in antiquity, from the time of Periander to that of Nero; but Nero alone | Harold' :

: