A companion to Greek studies / edited for the syndics of the University Press, by Leonard Whibley.

  • Whibley, Leonard, 1862 or 1863-1941.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A companion to Greek studies / edited for the syndics of the University Press, by Leonard Whibley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    and a half in length, flanked on either side by precipices of grey limestone, which rise in places to a height of from 500 to 1000 feet; but the features of the scene are everywhere softened by the copious stream of the Peneius which winds between, and by the luxuriant vegetation which accompanies it, and the glades that at intervals open out at the foot of the cliffs. The pass of Tempe, however, was of less importance than at first sight it appears to be, because it could be turned by another pass on the western side of Olympus from Petra in Pieria, which entered the Thessalian plain to the northward of Larissa; it was by this that Xerxes approached, and when the Greeks discovered the existence of this passage, they gave up all thoughts of defending Tempe. Again, towards the north-west, a pass led over Mount Lacmon from Epeirus, and followed the upper valley of the Peneius to Aeginium; by this route Caesar entered Thessaly before the battle of Pharsalia. Another, by means of which there was communication with the Ambracian gulf, passed over the Pindus chain to the southward of this, and descended into the plain at Gomphi. Finally, the great southern pass was that of Coela, which crosses Mount Othrys from the Maliac gulf nearly opposite Thermopylae; the importance of the town of Pharsalus arose from its guarding the approaches to it on the northern side. The whole of the wide area of Thessaly was drained by the Peneius. This river, after it has entered the plain at its north-west angle, describes an arc towards the south, and in this part receives the waters of a number of tributaries—the Enipeus, the Apidanus, the Onochonus and the Pamisus: the country which was drained by these was called Upper Thessaly, as being farther removed from the sea, while Lower Thessaly was the region between this and the slopes of Ossa and Pelion; they were separated from one another by a range of hills, which runs northward from Othrys in the direction of Tarissa. After passing that city, and before reaching Tempe, the river at certain seasons of the year overflows the lower lands towards the south, and its inundations form the lake Nessonis; and, when that is full, they again escape, and pour themselves into the lake of Boebe. That lake has no outlet for its waters, for a watershed interposes between it and the Pagasaean gulf Pohtically, Thessaly was divided into four districts, Hestiaeotis, Thessa- liotis, Pelasgiotis, and Phthiotis. Of these, Hestiaeotis occupied the north-western portion, with Tricca for its chief city, while Thessaliotis lay to the south-west. In the eastern portion of the latter of these, where the level ground runs up into an angle of the mountains, and is intersected by the stream of the Enipeus, was the plain of PharsaHa. Pelasgiotis was the eastern section, and contained the powerful cities of Larissa, Crannon and Pherae. Phthiotis, which occupied a position apart from the rest, in the south-eastern corner of the country, was a region of great importance in the heroic age, for Thucydides tells us that it was the original home of the Hellenic race, and from it the great Achilles was sprung. The Pagasaean gulf, also, on which it bordered, was celebrated in early story in