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therefore immediately marched with an army against them, together with Sous his colleague. Having subdued the rebels, he resolved to make an example of them, not by putting them to death, but by reducing them to a state of slavery, and from henceforth all the slaves of Greece were called from them Elotæ, or Helots."

SECTION V.

MISITRA-ARGOS-CORINTH.

As they advanced, their road became craggy and dangerous, not only from the natural causes, but from the roving parties of Bedouiniots, and the Turkish and Albanese bordereis, who infest these mountains: their Albanian guides too, appeared as if they were almost inclined to betray their trust, and Dr. Walker was urder some apprehensions lest their adventure should not terminate so happily as it had begun. One man alone of their company kept a watchful eye upon the surrounding country, and he, fortunately for our travellers, retained an air of confident superiority, to which his companions sullenly bowed. Upon their arrival at Misitra, (the ancient Sparta) he prevented his Albanese companions from retaining the letters to the Aga and the Greek primate, who inhabited the city; and although Dr. Walker expressed no suspicions of the fidelity of his guards, he could not help entreating this friendly Albanian to accept a valuable ring as a token of their gratitude for the important services he had rendered them.

The appearance of Misitra is picturesque; it is divided into four parts-the castle, which stands on a rock, the town, and two suburbs. Our travellers were much delighted with the Christian church Perelipitos, which appeared to them one of the most beautiful of its size they had yet seen, even at Rome. The Turks have many mosques, and the Jews three synagogues in this ancient town. At Misitra they were introduced to one of the superior Greek families, and received a polite invitation to be present at a Greek wedding. Dr. Walker and his young friends, thought this a most fortunate circumstance; and on the day appointed, they eagerly repaired to the house of the hospitable Greek, the father of the bride. The beautiful Sappho was most splendidly attired in the Grecian costume, and profusely adorned with jewels. Over her head she wore a red veil, which partially concealed her fine dark hair, which hung in tresses down her back. An immense number of attendants, a band of musicians, the blazing torch of hymen, and a host of female friends clad in

splendid attire, accompanied the youthful bride, who had but just attained the age of fifteen. Before the bridgroom and the bride were presented at the altar, they were each crowned with a chaplet, which, during the ceremony were changed from the one to the other by the priest. After the nuptial benediction a cup of wine was presented to the new married couple, and subsequently to the sponsors, and then to the remainder of the company. After the ceremony was concluded, the bride was conducted to her new home; her female friends taking particular care she should not touch the threshold of the door. The blazing torch was now consigned to the chamber of the new married pair, where it was to burn out. Its extinction before it is quite exhausted would be looked upon as a very bad omen.

The Grecian wedding furnished our travellers with ample scope for conversation the next day.

Having witnessed this festival, they staid but to procure proper guides and instructions respecting their route to Argos, and then proceeded to Tripolezza, a town of no importance, from whence they continued their route to Argos. "Do you recollect," said Dr. Walker, addressing Edward, "the celebrated contest between the Argives and the Lacedemonians, which took place near this spot, respecting the town of Thyrea, to which they both laid claim." No," replied Edward, “I do not, Sir." "The two armies met," resumed his friend,

66 in order to settle

the important question by force of arms; but in order to spare the effusion of blood, it was agreed that three hundred men from each army should decide the contest. Accordingly six hundred of the bravest soldiers were selected, who fought till three only remained, two of the Argives and one Lacedemonian, when night parted these combatants. The Argives returned to Argos to announce their victory; the Spartan remained on the field, and stripping the bodies of his former antagonists, conveyed the spoil to the Lacedemonian camp, and then returned to retain possession of the hard fought field. On the following day, both parties claimed the victory; the Argives from having had two combatants left, the Lacedemonians from their champion remaining on the field, while they declared his two opponents to have ignobly fled.

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There was now an end of all pacification, the combat became general; and fortune deciding in favour of the Lacedemonians, Thyrea was united to the Spartan dominions."

"It reminds one of the combat between the Horatii and Curiatii," observed Antonio, who had entirely ceased to be considered as a servant.

From Argos they made an excursion to all that remains of Corinth. Corinth, or Coranto, is now an inconsiderable place; the houses stand in a solitary manner in the midst of gardens and orange-groves, forming the appearance of a pretty village.— The castle, which is placed on an almost inaccessible rock,

commands a most extensive view. They returned to Argos deeply impressed with the passing greatness of all sublunary honours.

"I think," said Dr. Walker, "we should take a more regular survey of this classic country, if we were to embark for Athens; we might then visit some of the islands." His proposal was warmly seconded, and having hired a vessel to convey them down the gulf of Argos; the first island they touched at was Milo, the most fertile spot that can be imagined; heated by subterraneous fires, it almost exhibits an eternal spring and summer; wheat, barley, grapes, and delicious melons, appear in blossom and fruit at the same time, and nearly without any intermission throughout the whole year. It also produces a sort of alum in large lumps, composed of threads as fine as the softest silk, silvered over and shining very beautifully. It has the same taste as rock alum. Notwithstanding its fertility, it is thinly inhabited, for pestilence and oppression have united their equally baneful effects to depopulate a spot, which might serve as a model for the Elysian fields.

From Milo they proceeded to Naxis, where they landed in the midst of mulberry, orange, lemon, cedar, citron, pomegranate, and fig trees. The wine of Naxis is still famous. Scarcely could our two young travellers remember upon landing, that they were citizens of the world, and that consequently nought was to astonish, incommode, or molest them. The extraordinary appearance of the women was to them so novel and so astonishing, that they could hardly command their risible muscles, so far as to smile only. In the first place the Naxian ladies adorn their faces with innumerable black patches. "How ridiculous," said Edward to Antonio, "I should like to tell them that in our country a patch implies a pimple." "And observe," replied Antonio, "those heavy black velvet wings at their shoulders, and that huge circular shell which supports the ends of their lappets. Their stomacher too so heavily embroidered with pearls.” "Now, I pray you, cease Antonio,” interrupted the doctor, "you are upon ticklish ground, for in the picture at Elmwood, the English seat of your young friend, his grandmother wears just such a stomacher, as that which adorns the fair bosoms of the Naxian women."

At night they were amused with another fishing excursion. The air was still, the sea calm, and the night rather dark. Having proceeded to some distance from the land, in company with several other boats, their fisherman kindled the branch of a pine, and hanging it over one end of the boat, the fish began to assemble round them.

The strong reflection of this blazing fir upon the human countenances, upon the dark and gloomy deep, on the surface of which the finny tribe floated in great numbers, produced the most singular and pleasing picture. Many of the boats had lanterns fixed to a long pole; the effect of these scattered about in various parts was most amusing, and our travellers returned

home delighted with their nocturnal excursion. Upon entering the cottage where they had taken up their quarters they were lighted to bed by Grecian lamps fed with oil of mastic. This island produces great quantity of emery. They next touched at Paros, which produces excellent wine and the fiue white marble called Parian marble. It gave birth to Phidias and Praxiteles, the renowned statuaries. The Arundelian marbles

at Oxford were brought from this island.

The present inhabitants of this once celebrated island, have, however, no taste for sculpture, and their utmost production does not exceed a mortar or a salt-cellar. Even the fields bear testimony to the ancient genius of this island, to which its inhabitants are so insensible. Friezes, altars, and bas relievos, supply the place of hedges in this marble isle, and on every side, whether you thread the groves or pace the plains; whether you seek the populous city, or the lowly cot, columns and fragments of ancient sculpture greet your eye.

The inhabitants rear many sheep; and formerly their olive vineyards were very celebrated, but in the war of Candy the Venetians barbarously burnt them all.

"This island was anciently dedicated to Bacchus," said Dr. Walker, 66 on account of its highly flavoured wines. And now let us make enquiry for a boat to convey us to Antiparos. We must see the celebrated grotto."

"What a number of partridges and pigeons this island produces," observed Edward.

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Yes," replied his friend, "but they are not in such repute here as they were formerly."

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No," said Antonio, "nor as they now are at Modena." Formerly," resumed the Doctor, "the dove was sacred to Venus only, but mankind have pressed this peaceful bird into the service of Bellona, they have employed pigeons to carry messages of every kind, converting them into state couriers in the regular transmission of dispatches, but it is chiefly in besieged towns, that they have been employed to reveal the distress of the inhabitants, and to convey to them the tidings of comfort. It was thus that the consul Hirtius apprized Decimus Brutus, when besieged in Modena, of the succours which he was bringing to him. And this, I suppose, is the reason why the pigeon is in such estimation in Modena."

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Yes," replied Antonio, "for as a token of their gratitude the Modonese have perpetuated the practice of rearing carrier pigeons."

Can you not recollect, Edward," rejoined Dr. Walker, Anacreon's beautiful ode to his dove? Try what you can do." "Tell me why my sweetest dove, Thus your humid pinions move, Shedding through the air in showers Essence of the balmiest flowers,

Tell me whither, whence you rovc,
Tell me all, my sweetest dove.

'Curious stranger! I belong
To the bard of Teian song;
With his mandate now I fly
To the nymph of azure eye;
Ah! that eye has madden'd many,
But the poet more than any.
See me now his faithful minion
Thus with softly gliding pinion
To his lovely girl 1 bear
Songs of passion through the air.
Oft he blandly whispers me,
Soon, my bird, I'll set you free,
But in vain he'll bid me fly,
I shall serve him till I die-
From Anacreon's hand I eat
Food delicious viands sweet;
Flutter o'er his goblet's brim,
Sip the foamy wine with him ;
Then I dance and wanton round
To the lyre's beguiling sound;
Or with gently fanning wings
Shade the minstrel while he sings,
On his harp then sink in slumbers
Dreaming still of dulcet numbers."

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Having landed on the small island of Antiparos, the ancient Olearis, they eagerly advanced to the rock through which they were to descend to the celebrated grotto, the only attraction Antiparos possesses in the eye of a traveller. A lofty arch formed of craggy stones mixed with brambles and bushes forms the portal through which our travellers passed into a narrow passage glittering on each side as if it were set with diamonds. After they had advanced for some time, a cord was fastened round their waists, and they were then, one after the other, lowered down a frightful precipice; the torches carried by their guides threw an imperfect gleam around, and the awful scene cannot better be described than by applying to it Milton's expressive epithet of darkness visible.

After proceeding about fifty paces, a more terrific precipice presented itself, which they descended much in the same way as the former, but with more difficulty from the projections of the rock. They had now left the Stygian shades and entered upon Elysium. An arched passage about one hundred and twenty feet long, nine high, and seven broad, burst upon them with inconceivable splendour. The arched roof and the walls are composed of red and white glittering granite, polished as if

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