GREECE THE most celebrated country of antiquity, was of very inconsiderable extent, and scarcely equalled in size the half of England. It is comprehended between 36° and 41° of North Latitude; and is bounded on all sides by the sea, except on the north, where it borders upon Epirus and Macedonia. Thessaly, its most northern province, is an extensive and fertile vale, completely surrounded by lofty mountains ; by Olympus on the north ; by Ossa on the east ; by Pindus on the west ; and on the south by Oeta, at the foot of which lies the famous pass of Ther anopylx. The tract extending from the borders of Thes saly and Epirus, to the Corinthian isthmus, contains the provinces of Acarnania, on the east frontier of which runs the river Acheloos ; lFrOlta, .bounded on the south by the sea, but defended on every other side by mountains almost impassable; Doris, wholly a mountainous country ; Locris and Phocis, both of small extent, but full of fer tile plains ; Bceotia, a well watered vale, bounded, except on the north-east, by the mountains Parnassus, Helicon, Cithmron, and Parnes ; and Attica, a rocky and barren country, producing little grain or pasture, but yielding a variety of fruits, particularly figs and olives. The isth mus of Corinth, a mountainous ridge, at one place only five miles in breadth, leads farther south to the peninsula of Peloponnesus, which contains Achaia, a narrow strip of country on the northern coast, bounded on its inland frontier by a ridge of mountains, running along its whole extent from Corinth to Dyme; Argolis, a remarkably fruitful valley, included between two mountainous branch es, stretching from Cyllene, the most northern of the Arcadian summits, and terminating, the one in the gulf of Argos, and the other at the promontory of Scylla ; Elis, or Eleia, watered by the rivers Peneus and Alpheus, and less mountainous than the other provinces in Pelo ponnesus; Arcadia, the central state, consisting of a clus ter of lofty mountains, the principal of which are Taygo tus and Zarex ; Messenia, the most level district in the peninsula, the best adapted for tillage, and most fruitful in general produce ; and Laconia, traversed by two branch es of the Taygetus and Zarex, between which runs the river Eurotas, watering several very fertile but not exten sive vales.
The general aspect of Greece is rugged, but its cli mate is highly propitious ; and both the summer heat and winter cold are preserved by the surrounding seas in an equable state of temperature. Some of its mountains
contain valuable metals ; others are composed of the finest mat ble ; and many are covered to a great extent with a va riety of useful timber. Its central plains produce corn, oil, and wine ; its valleys afford the richest pasturage ; and Its long winding coast abounds with excellent harbours. The great variety in its surface gives occasion to consider able diversity both of produce and of climate in every season of the year. It has been remarked, as a peculiar feature in the topography of the most ancient cities of Greece, that every metropolis possessed its citadel and its plain ; the former as a place of refuge in war, and the latter as a source of agriculture in peace. The most re markable of its towns were,—in TnrissALv, Gomphi, Me tropolis, and Scotussa, north of the river Peneus; Atrax, Larissa, the city of Achilles ; Magnesia, and Aphetx the port of the Argonauts; Heraclea, named from IIer cubes, who is said to have thrown himself into the pile ou the summit of Oeta, in its vicinity ; Lamea and Hypata, on the banks of the Sperchens ; Thaumaci, Halos, and Pthia, the country of the Myrmidones, Demetrias, Pherx, Pharsalia, on the banks of the river Enipeus.—ln ARNA NIA, Amphilochicum, Stratus, and Actium, at the bottom of the Ambraeian Gulf—In EA oLiA, Chalydon, Chalcis, on the river Evenus; Thermx, Lysmachia, Canape, Naupac tus, Erythrx, and Antirrhium.—In DORIS, Cytinium, and three smaller towns of little note.—In Locals, Amphissa, Opus, Cnemis, Narix, the native country of Ajax, Thro nium, Pirocis, Delphi, accounted the centre of Greece ; Elatea, on the river Cephissus ; CrisSa, and Anticyra.—In Bccom, Thebes, near the river Asopus; Pla txa, Leuctra, Orchomenos, Haliartus, Coronea, Cheronea, Lebadia, Thespix ; Ascra, the birth-place of Hesiod ; Aulis, Delium, and Tanagra.—In Arnica, Athens, with its har bour Piraeus; Phalercus and Munichia, Marathon, Phyla;, and Decelia.—In MEGARIS, Megara, Eleusis, andNycxa. —In ACIIA IA, Corinth, Sicyon, Patrm, .iEgium, Dyme, and Pallene.—In ARGOLIS, Argos, on the river Inachus ; Mycenx, the city of Agamemnon ; Epidaurus, Nemea, and Tiryns.—In ELLS, Elis, on•the river Peneus ; Olympia, and Pisa.—In ARCADIA, Alegolopolis, Tegea, Mantinea, and Pallantium.—In MESSENIA, Messene, Stenyclarus, and Pylos, the city of Nestor.—In LACOxt.t, Sparta, on the river Eurotas Gythium, Selasia, Hclos, Amyclx.