Listed 100 (total found 142) sub titles with search on: Monuments reported by ancient authors for wider area of: "WEST GREECE Region GREECE" .
ILIS (Ancient city) ILIA
The market-place of Elis is not after the fashion of the cities of Ionia and of the Greek cities near Ionia; it is built in the older manner, with porticoes separated from each other and with streets through them. The modern name of the market-place is Hippodromus, and the natives train their horses there.
ALIFIRA (Ancient city) ILIA
They also set up an altar of Zeus Lecheates (In child-bed), because here he gave birth to Athena.
ILIS (Ancient city) ILIA
Cylon it was who with his own hand killed the despot when he had sought sanctuary at the altar of Zeus the Saviour.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
Hermes, from his close connexion with Apollo, was a god that might be expected to give oracles: this power, however, in the Homeric hymn to Hermes, 552 sqq., is only accorded to him in a limited degree by the more exalted deity. He had an oracle at Pharae in Achaia, where his altar stood in the middle of the market-place. Incense was offered there, oil lamps were lighted before it, a copper coin was placed upon the altar, and after this the question was put to the god by a whisper in his ear. The person who consulted him immediately left the market-place. The first remark that he heard made by any one after leaving the marketplace was believed to imply the answer of Hermes (Pausan. vii. 22, § 2). This mode of oracular disclosure was so much associated with Hermes that he received the name of Kleedonios from it; as we learn from an inscription found at Pitane, near Smyrna (Le Bas et Waddington, Voyage archeol. v. 1724a). Hence it is probable that the Kledonon hieron at Smyrna, mentioned by Pausanias (ix. 11, § 7), was an oracle of Hermes.
This text is from: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890) (eds. William Smith, LLD, William Wayte, G. E. Marindin). Cited July 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The Earth, as has appeared already, was to the primitive populations almost the chief discloser of the future (thus, originally, at Delphi). The oracle of Earth (gaia) at Aegira in Achaia, mentioned by Pliny (xxviii. § 147), may be a mistake of that writer (cf. Pausan. vii. 25, § 13); but at Patrae, not far from Aegira, Earth, associated with Demeter (i. e. Ge meter) and Persephone, gave oracles respecting the sick. A mirror was let down by a rope into a sacred well, so as to float upon the surface. Prayers were then performed and incense offered, whereupon the image of the sick person was seen in the mirror either as a corpse or in a state of recovery. (Pausan. ii. 24, § 1.)
VOURA (Ancient city) DIAKOPTO
On descending from Bura towards the sea you come to a river
called Buraicus, and to a small Heracles in a cave. He too is surnamed Buraicus,
and here one can divine by means of a tablet and dice. He who inquires of the
god offers up a prayer in front of the image, and after the prayer he takes four
dice, a plentiful supply of which are placed by Heracles, and throws them upon
the table. For every figure made by the dice there is an explanation expressly
written on the tablet.
SAMIKON (Ancient city) ILIA
There is in Samicum a cave not far from the river, and called the Cave of the Anigrid Nymphs. Whoever enters it suffering from alphos or leuke first has to pray to the nymphs and to promise some sacrifice or other, after which he wipes the unhealthy parts of his body. Then, swimming through the river, he leaves his old uncleanness in its water, coming up sound and of one color.
At the base of these mountains, on the seaboard, are two caves. One is the cave of the nymphs called Anigriades; the other is the scene of the stories of the daughters of Atlas and of the birth of Dardanus. And here, too, are the sacred precincts called the Ionaeum and the Eurycydeium.
STOMIO (Village) FIGALIA
Mount Elaius has a cave sacred to Demeter surnamed Black. The Phigalians accept the account of the people of Thelpusa about the mating of Poseidon and Demeter. Afterwards, they say, angry with Poseidon and grieved at the rape of Persephone, she put on black apparel and shut herself up in this cavern for a long time. But when all the fruits of the earth were perishing, and the human race dying yet more through famine, no god, it seemed, knew where Demeter was in hiding, until Pan, they say, visited Arcadia. Roaming from mountain to mountain as he hunted, he came at last to Mount Elaius and spied Demeter, the state she was in and the clothes she wore. So Zeus learnt this from Pan, and sent the Fates to Demeter, who listened to the Fates and laid aside her wrath, moderating her grief as well. For these reasons, the Phigalians say, they concluded that this cavern was sacred to Demeter and set up in it a wooden image.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
At Pharae there is also a water sacred to Hermes. The name of the spring is Hermes' stream, and the fish in it are not caught, being considered sacred to the god.
ALFIOS (River) ILIA
Near the outlet of the river is the sacred precinct of Artemis Alpheionia or Alpheiusa (for the epithet is spelled both ways), which is about eighty stadia distant from Olympia. An annual festival is also celebrated at Olympia in honor of this goddess as well as in honor of Artemis Elaphia and Artemis Daphnia. The whole country is full of temples of Artemis, Aphrodite, and the Nymphs, being situated in sacred precincts that are generally full of flowers because of the abundance of water. And there are also numerous shrines of Hermes on the roadsides, and temples of Poseidon on the capes. In the temple of Artemis Alpheionia are very famous paintings by two Corinthians, Cleanthes and Aregon: by Cleanthes the "Capture of Troy" and the "Birth of Athene," and by Aregon the "Artemis Borne Aloft on a Griffin."
ALIFIRA (Ancient city) ILIA
The city of Aliphera has received its name from Alipherus, the son of Lycaon, and there are sanctuaries here of Asclepius and Athena.
DYMI (Ancient city) PATRA
The people of Dyme have a temple of Athena with an extremely ancient image; they have as well a sanctuary built for the Dindymenian mother and Attis.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
At Aegium is an ancient sanctuary of Eileithyia, and her image
is covered from head to foot with finely-woven drapery; it is of wood except the
face, hands and feet, which are made of Pentelic marble. One hand is stretched
out straight; the other holds up a torch. One might conjecture that torches are
an attribute of Eileithyia because the pangs of women are just like fire. The
torches might also be explained by the fact that it is Eileithyia who brings children
to the light. The image is a work of Damophon the Messenian.
Near the theater they have a sanctuary of Dionysus with an image of the god as a beardless youth.
In the market-place there is a sanctuary of Artemis, who is represented in the act of shooting an arrow.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after it one of Poseidon.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after it one of Poseidon; there is also one of the Maiden, daughter of Demeter.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after
it one of Poseidon; there is also one of the Maiden, daughter of Demeter, and
one to Zeus Homagyrius ( Assembler). Here are images of Zeus, of Aphrodite and
of Athena. The surname Assembler was given to Zeus because in this place Agamemnon
assembled the most eminent men in Greece, in order that they might consult together
how to make war on the empire of Priam.
Adjoining Zeus the Assembler is a sanctuary of Demeter Panachaean.
They have also a sanctuary of Safety. Her image may be seen by none but the priests, and the following ritual is performed. They take cakes of the district from the goddess and throw them into the sea, saying that they send them to Arethusa at Syracuse.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The Hyperesians gave their city its present name of Aegeira from the goats ( aiges), and where the most beautiful goat, which led the others, crouched, they built a sanctuary of Artemis the Huntress, believing that the trick against the Sicyonians was an inspiration of Artemis.
The sights of Aegeira worth recording include a sanctuary of Zeus with a sitting image of Pentelic marble, the work of Eucleides the Athenian. In this sanctuary there also stands an image of Athena. The face, hands and feet are of ivory, the rest is of wood, with ornamentation of gilt work and of colors
There is also a sanctuary of Apollo; the sanctuary itself, with
the sculptures on the pediments, are very old; the wooden image of the god also
is old, the figure being nude and of colossal size. None of the inhabitants could
give the name of the artist, but anyone who has already seen the Heracles at Sicyon
would be led to conjecture that the Apollo in Aegeira was also a work of the same
artist, Laphaes the Phliasian.
From the grave it is a journey of about thirty stades to what
is called the Gaeus, a sanctuary of Earth surnamed Broad-bosomed, whose wooden
image is one of the very oldest. The woman who from time to time is priestess
henceforth remains chaste, and before her election must not have had intercourse
with more than one man. The test applied is drinking bull's blood. Any woman who
may chance not to speak the truth is immediately punished as a result of this
test. If several women compete for the priesthood, lots are cast for the honor.
They worship most devoutly the Heavenly Goddess, but human beings must not enter her sanctuary.
But into the sanctuary of the goddess they surname Syrian they enter on stated days, but they must submit beforehand to certain customary purifications, especially in the matter of diet.
ELIKI (Ancient city) EGIALIA
Here used to be situated a city Helice, where the Ionians had
a very holy sanctuary of Heliconian Poseidon. Their worship of Heliconian Poseidon
has remained, even after their expulsion by the Achaeans to Athens, and subsequently
from Athens to the coasts of Asia. There are also passages in Homer referring
to Helice and the Heliconian Poseidon. But later on the Achaeans of the place
removed some suppliants from the sanctuary and killed them.
EPITALION (Ancient city) ILIA
The Alpheius, after receiving the waters of the Ladon, the Erymanthus,
and other rivers of less significance, flows through Phrixa, Pisatis, and Triphylia
past Olympia itself to the Sicilian Sea, into which it empties between Pheia and
Epitalium. Near the outlet of the river is the sacred precinct of Artemis Alpheionia
or Alpheiusa (for the epithet is spelled both ways), which is about eighty stadia
distant from Olympia (Strab. 8.3.12).
FIGALIA (Ancient city) ILIA
Here there is a sanctuary of Artemis Saviour with a standing image of stone. From this sanctuary it is their custom to start their processions.
Where the Lymax falls into the Neda is the sanctuary of Eurynome,
a holy spot from of old and difficult of approach because of the roughness of
the ground. Eurynome is believed by the people of Phigalia to be a surname of
Artemis. Those of them, however, to whom have descended ancient traditions, declare
that Eurynome was a daughter of Ocean. On the same day in each year they open
the sanctuary of Eurynome, but at any other time it is a transgression for them
to open it.On this occasion sacrifices also are offered by the state and by individuals.
I did not arrive at the season of the festival, and I did not see the image of
Eurynome; but the Phigalians told me that golden chains bind the wooden image,
which represents a woman as far as the hips, but below this a fish. If she is
a daughter of Ocean, and lives with Thetis in the depth of the sea, the fish may
be regarded as a kind of emblem of her. But there could be no probable connection
between such a shape and Artemis.
ILIA (Ancient country) GREECE
The women of Elis, it is said, seeing that their land had been deprived of its vigorous manhood, prayed to Athena that they might conceive at their first union with their husbands. Their prayer was answered, and they set up a sanctuary of Athena surnamed Mother.
ILIS (Ancient city) ILIA
The way from the gymnasium to the baths passes through the Street of Silence and beside the sanctuary of Artemis Philomeirax. The goddess is so surnamed because she is neighbor to the gymnasium; the street received, they say, the name of Silence for the following reason. Men of the army of Oxylus were sent to spy out what was happening in Elis. On the way they exhorted each other, when they should be near the wall, themselves to keep a strict silence, but to listen attentively if perchance they might learn aught from the people in the town. These men by this street reached the town unobserved, and after hearing all they wished they went back again to the Aetolians. So the street received its name from the silence of the spies
The Eleans have also a sanctuary of Fortune. In a portico of the sanctuary has been dedicated a colossal image, made of gilded wood except the face, hands and feet, which are of white marble.
Between the market-place and the Menius is an old theater and a shrine of Dionysus. The image is the work of Praxiteles.
On the Acropolis of the Eleans is a sanctuary of Athena. The image is of ivory and gold. They say that the goddess is the work of Pheidias. On her helmet is an image of a cock, this bird being very ready to fight. The bird might also be considered as sacred to Athena the worker.
There is also a sanctuary to the Graces; the images are of wood, with their clothes gilded, while their faces, hands and feet are of white marble. One of them holds a rose, the middle one a die, and the third a small branch of myrtle. The reason for their holding these things may be guessed to be this. The rose and the myrtle are sacred to Aphrodite and connected with the story of Adonis, while the Graces are of all deities the nearest related to Aphrodite. As for the die, it is the plaything of youths and maidens, who have nothing of the ugliness of old age. On the right of the Graces is an image of Love, standing on the same pedestal.
KERYNIA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In Ceryneia is a sanctuary of the Eumenides, which they say
was established by Orestes. Whosoever enters with the desire to see the sights,
if he be guilty of bloodshed, defilement or impiety, is said at once to become
insane with fright, and for this reason the right to enter is not given to all
and sundry. The images made of wood . . . they are not very large in size, and
at the entrance to the sanctuary are statues of women, made of stone and of artistic
workmanship. The natives said that the women are portraits of the former priestesses
of the Eumenides.
KLITOR (Ancient city) KALAVRYTA
The most celebrated sanctuaries of the Cleitorians are those of Demeter, Asclepius and, thirdly, Eileithyia . . . to be, and gave no number for them.
Cleitor has also, at a distance of about four stades from the city, a sanctuary of the Dioscuri, under the name of the Great Gods. There are also images of them in bronze.
KYLLINI (Ancient city) ILIA
In Cyllene is a sanctuary of Asclepius, and one of Aphrodite.
KYNETHA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The most notable things here include a sanctuary of Dionysus, to whom they hold a feast in the winter, at which men smeared with grease take up from a herd of cattle a bull, whichever one the god suggest to them, and carry it to the sanctuary. This is the manner of their sacrifice.
LEPREON (Ancient city) ILIA
But as far as I could see they had no tomb of distinction, and no sanctuary of any deity save one of Demeter. Even this was built of unburnt brick, and contained no image.
LOUSSES (Ancient city) KALAVRYTA
Well, the daughters of Proetus were brought down by Melampus to Lusi, and healed of their madness in a sanctuary of Artemis. Wherefore this Artemis is called Hemerasia (She who soothes) by the Cleitorians.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the acropolis of Patrae is a sanctuary of Artemis Laphria. The surname of the goddess is a foreign one, and her image too was brought in from elsewhere.
The Ionians who lived in Aroe, Antheia and Mesatis had in common a precinct and a temple of Artemis surnamed Triclaria.
The surname of the god inside the chest is Aesymnetes ( Dictator),
and his chief attendants are nine men, elected by the people from all the citizens
for their reputation, and women equal in number to the men. On one night of the
festival the priest carries the chest outside. Now this is a privilege that this
night has received, and there go down to the river Meilichus a certain number
of the native children, wearing on their heads garlands of corn-ears. It was in
this way that they used to array of old those whom they led to be sacrificed to
Artemis.
On the way to the lower city there is a sanctuary of the Dindymenian Mother, and in it Attis too is worshipped. Of him they have no image to show; that of the Mother is of stone.
Beyond the Olympian is an image of Hera and a sanctuary of Apollo. The god is of bronze, and naked. On his feet are sandals, and one foot stands upon the skull of an ox. That Apollo takes great pleasure in oxen is shown by Alcaeus in his hymn to Hermes.
Near this precinct the people of Patrae have other sanctuaries. These are not in the open, but there is an entrance to them through the porticoes. The image of Asclepius, save for the drapery, is of stone.
Near this precinct the people of Patrae have other sanctuaries. These are not in the open, but there is an entrance to them through the porticoes. Athena is made of ivory and gold.
In this part of the city is also a sanctuary of Dionysus surnamed Calydonian, for the image of Dionysus too was brought from Calydon.
As you go lower down from the Dictator there is another sanctuary with an image of stone. It is called the sanctuary of Recovery, and the story is that it was originally founded by Eurypylus on being cured of his madness.
In Patrae, not far from that of Poseidon, are sanctuaries of Aphrodite. One of the two images was drawn up by fishermen in a net a generation before my time.
Next to the grove is a sanctuary of Demeter; she and her daughter
are standing, but the image of Earth is seated. Before the sanctuary of Demeter
is a spring. On the side of this towards the temple stands a wall of stones, while
on the outer side has been made a descent to the spring. Here there is an infallible
oracle, not indeed for everything, but only in the case of sick folk. They tie
a mirror to a fine cord and let it down, judging the distance so that it does
not sink deep into the spring, but just far enough to touch the water with its
rim. Then they pray to the goddess and burn incense, after which they look into
the mirror, which shows them the patient either alive or dead.
There is also at Patrae a sanctuary of Asclepius. This sanctuary is beyond the acropolis near the gate leading to Mesatis
PSOFIS (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In Psophis there is a sanctuary of Aphrodite surnamed Erycine; I found only ruins of it remaining, but the people said that it was established by the sons of Psophis.
SAMIKON (Ancient city) ILIA
Then comes the mountain of Triphylia that separates Macistia
from Pisatis; then another river called Chalcis, and a spring called Cruni, and
a settlement called Chalcis, and, after these, Samicum, where is the most highly
revered temple of the Samian Poseidon. About the temple is a sacred precinct full
of wild olive trees. The people of Macistum used to have charge over it; and it
was they, too, who used to proclaim the armistice day called "Samian." But all
the Triphylians contribute to the maintenance of the temple.
THERMON (Ancient city) ETOLOAKARNANIA
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
In Triteia is a sanctuary of the gods called Almighty, and their images are made of clay. In honor of these every year they celebrate a festival, exactly the same sort of festival as the Greeks hold in honor of Dionysus.
TYPANEES (Ancient city) ILIA
The Acheron has been so named by virtue of its close relation
to Hades; for, as we know, not only the temples of Demeter and Core have been
held in very high honor there, but also those of Hades, perhaps because of "the
contrariness of the soil," to use the phrase of Demetrius of Scepsis. For while
Triphylia brings forth good fruit, it breeds red-rust and produces rush; and therefore
in this region it is often the case that instead of a large crop there is no crop
at all.
VOURA (Ancient city) DIAKOPTO
Isis too has a sanctuary.
ZAROUCHLA (Village) KALAVRYTA
On Mount Crathis is a sanctuary of Artemis Pyronia (Fire-goddess), and in more ancient days the Argives used to bring from this goddess fire for their Lernaean ceremonies.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In a building right in front of the entrance are images, of
bronze like the others, representing Poseidon, Heracles, Zeus and Athena. They
are called gods from Argos. The Argives say it is because they were made in Argos;
the people of Aegium themselves say that the images were deposited by the Argives
with them on trust. They say further that they were ordered to sacrifice each
day to the images. But bethinking themselves of a trick they sacrificed a vast
number of animals, but the victims they ate up at public feasts, so that they
were not put to any expense. At last the Argives asked for the images to be returned,
whereupon the people of Aegium asked for the cost of the sacrifices. As the Argives
had not the means to pay, they left the images at Aegium.
There are at Aegium other images made of bronze, Zeus as a boy
and Heracles as a beardless youth, the work of Ageladas of Argos. Priests are
elected for them every year, and each of the two images remains at the house of
the priest. In a more remote age there was chosen to be priest for Zeus from the
boys he who won the prize for beauty. When his beard began to grow the honor for
beauty passed to another boy. Such were the customs.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
There are in a temple standing images of Asclepius, and elsewhere images of Serapis and of Isis, these too being of Pentelic marble.
I remember observing at Aegeira a building in which was an image of Fortune carrying the horn of Amaltheia. By her side is a winged Love, the moral of which is that even success in love depends for mankind on fortune rather than on beauty.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
The market-place of Pharae is of wide extent after the ancient fashion, and in the middle of it is an image of Hermes, made of stone and bearded. Standing right on the earth, it is of square shape, and of no great size. On it is an inscription, saying that it was dedicated by Simylus the Messenian. It is called Hermes of the Market, and by it is established an oracle. In front of the image is placed a hearth, which also is of stone, and to the hearth bronze lamps are fastened with lead. Coming at eventide, the inquirer of the god, having burnt incense upon the hearth, filled the lamps with oil and lighted them, puts on the altar on the right of the image a local coin, called a "copper", and asks in the ear of the god the particular question he wishes to put to him. After that he stops his ears and leaves the marketplace. On coming outside he takes his hands from his ears, and whatever utterance he hears he considers oracular. There is
a similar method of divination practised at the sanctuary of Apis in Egypt.
FIGALIA (Ancient city) ILIA
The image of Hermes in the gymnasium is like to one dressed in a cloak; but the statue does not end in feet, but in the square shape.
ILIS (Ancient city) ILIA
In the most thickly-populated part of Elis is a statue of bronze no taller than a tall man; it represents a beardless youth with his legs crossed, leaning with both hands upon a spear. They cast about it a garment of wool, one of flax and one of fine linen. [6] This image was said to be of Poseidon, and to have been worshipped in ancient times at Samicum in Triphylia. Transferred to Elis it received still greater honor, but the Eleans call it Satrap and not Poseidon, having learned the name Satrap, which is a surname of Corybas, after the enlargement of Patrae.
In another part are the stone images of the sun and of the moon; from the head of the moon project horns, from the head of the sun, his rays.
KYLLINI (Ancient city) ILIA
In Cyllene is a sanctuary of Asclepius, and one of Aphrodite. But the image of Hermes, most devoutly worshipped by the inhabitants, is merely the male member upright on the pedestal.
KYNETHA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
These Cynaetheans live more than forty stades from . . . and in their marketplace have been made altars of the gods and a statue of the Emperor Hadrian.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the market-place, in the open, is an image of Athena.
Next to the market-place is the Music Hall, where has been dedicated an Apollo well worth seeing. It was made from the spoils taken when alone of the Achaeans the people of Patrae helped the Aetolians against the army of the Gauls.
As you leave the market-place of Patrae, where the sanctuary of Apollo is, at this exit is a gate, upon which stand gilt statues, Patreus, Preugenes, and Atherion; the two latter are represented as boys, because Patreus is a boy in age.
Near to the theater there is a precinct sacred to a native lady. Here are images of Dionysus, equal in number to the ancient cities, and named after them Mesateus, Antheus and Aroeus. These images at the festival of Dionysus they bring into the sanctuary of the Dictator.
There are also quite near to the harbor two images of bronze, one of Ares and the other of Apollo.
STOMIO (Village) FIGALIA
The image was seated on a rock, like to a woman in all respects save the head. She had the head and hair of a horse, and there grew out of it images of serpents and other beasts. Her tunic reached right to her feet; on one of her hands was a dolphin, on the other a dove. This old image was destroyed, and the Phigalians neglected for the most part Demeter’s festivals and sacrifices, until barrenness fell on the land. Then they went as suppliants to the Pythian priestess. When they heard the oracle that was brought back, they held Demeter in greater honor than before, and persuaded Onatas of Aegina to make them an image of Demeter at a price. That image no longer existed in my time. The oldest of the inhabitants I met said that three generations before his time some stones had fallen on the image out of the roof; these crushed the image, destroying it utterly.
ALYZIA (Ancient city) ETOLOAKARNANIA
BASSAE (Ancient sanctuary) ILIA
On the mountain is a place called Bassae, and the temple of
Apollo the Helper, which, including the roof, is of stone. Of the temples in the
Peloponnesus, this might be placed first after the one at Tegea for the beauty
of its stone and for its symmetry. Apollo received his name from the help he gave
in time of plague, just as the Athenians gave him the name of Averter of Evil
for turning the plague away from them.
DYMI (Ancient city) PATRA
The people of Dyme have a temple of Athena with an extremely ancient image.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
At Aegium you find a temple of Athena and a grove of Hera. Of Athena there are two images of white marble.
At Aegium you find a temple of Athena and a grove of Hera. The image of Hera may be seen by nobody except the woman who happens to hold the office of priestess to the goddess.
By the market-place at Aegium is a temple shared by Apollo and Artemis in common.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
There is also a temple of Artemis, with an image of the modern style of workmanship. The priestess is a maiden, who holds office until she reaches the age to marry. There stands here too an ancient image, which the folk of Aegeira say is Iphigeneia, the daughter of Agamemnon. If they are correct, it is plain that the temple must have been built originally for Iphigeneia.
FIGALIA (Ancient city) ILIA
A temple also of Dionysus is here, who by the inhabitants is surnamed Acratophorus, but the lower part of the image cannot be seen for laurel-leaves and ivy. As much of it as can be seen is painted . . . with cinnabar to shine. It is said to be found by the Iberians along with the gold.
FRIZA (Ancient city) SKILOUNTA
In this district is a hill rising to a sharp peak, on which are the ruins of the city of Phrixa, as well as a temple of Athena surnamed Cydonian. This temple is not entire, but the altar is still there. The sanctuary was founded for the goddess, they say, by Clymenus.
ILIS (Ancient city) ILIA
Adjoining the market-place is an old temple surrounded by pillars; the roof has fallen down, and I found no image in the temple. It is dedicated to the Roman emperors.
Behind the portico built from the spoils of Corcyra is a temple of Aphrodite. The goddess in the temple they call Heavenly; she is of ivory and gold, the work of Pheidias, and she stands with one foot upon a tortoise.
The sacred enclosure of Hades and its temple (for the Eleans have these among their possessions) are opened once every year, but not even on this occasion is anybody permitted to enter except the priest. The following is the reason why the Eleans worship Hades; they are the only men we know of so to do. It is said that, when Heracles was leading an expedition against Pylus in Elis, Athena was one of his allies. Now among those who came to fight on the side of the Pylians was Hades, who was the foe of Heracles but was worshipped at Pylus.
The most notable things that the Eleans have in the open part of the market-place are a temple and image of Apollo Healer. The meaning of the name would appear to be exactly the same as that of Averter of Evil, the name current among the Athenians.
Here there is also a temple of Silenus, which is sacred to Silenus alone, and not to him in common with Dionysus. Drunkenness is offering him wine in a cup. That the Silenuses are a mortal race you may infer especially from their graves, for there is a tomb of a Silenus in the land of the Hebrews, and of another at Pergamus.
KALYDON (Ancient city) IERA POLIS MESSOLONGIOU
Near Calydon is the temple of the Laphrian Apollo.
KLITOR (Ancient city) KALAVRYTA
There is also built upon a mountain-top, thirty stades away from the city, a temple of Athena Coria will, an image of the goddess (Paus. 8,21,4). According to some inscriptions found the feast Corasia or Coriasia took place at that temple (Ekd. Athinon, Pausaniou Periegissis, vol. 4, p. 258, note of the left column).
LEPREON (Ancient city) ILIA
The Lepreans told me that in their city once was a temple of Zeus Leucaeus (Of the White Poplar), the grave of Lycurgus, son of Aleus, and the grave of Caucon, over which was the figure of a man holding a lyre. But as far as I could see they had no tomb of distinction, and no sanctuary of any deity save one of Demeter.
LETRINI (Ancient city) PYRGOS
In my time were left a few buildings, with an image of Artemis
Alpheiaea in a temple. Legend has it that the goddess received the surname for
the following reason. Alpheius fell in love with Artemis, and then, realizing
that persuasive entreaties would not win the goddess as his bride, he dared to
plot violence against her. Artemis was holding at Letrini an all-night revel with
the nymphs who were her playmates, and to it came Alpheius. But Artemis had a
suspicion of the plot of Alpheius, and smeared with mud her own face and the faces
of the nymphs with her. So Alpheius, when he joined the throng, could not distinguish
Artemis from the others, and, not being able to pick her out, went away without
bringing off his attempt. The people of Letrini called the goddess Alpheian because
of the love of Alpheius for her.
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