Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/25

 B. vin. c. in. 15, 16. ELIS. 17 Towards the east is a mountain near Pylus, named after Minthe, who, according to the fable, was the mistress of Hades, and being deluded by Proserpine, was transformed into the garden mint, which some call hedyosmus, or the sweet-smelling mint. There is also near the mountain an en- closure, sacred to Hades, held in great veneration by the Macistii ; and a grove dedicated to Ceres, situated above the Pyliac plain. This plain is fertile, and situated close to the sea-coast ; it extends along the interval between the Samicum and the river Neda. The sea-shore is sandy and narrow, so that no one could be censured for asserting that Pylus was called " sandy " from this tract. 15. Towards the north there were two small Triphyliac towns, Hypana and Typaneos, bordering upon Pylus ; the former of which was incorporated with Elis, the other re- mained separate. Two rivers flow near, the Dalion and the Acheron, and empty themselves into the Alpheius. The Acheron has its name from its relation to Hades. For at that place were held in extraordinary reverence the temples of Ceres, Proserpine, and Hades, perhaps on account of the con- trariety of the properties of the country, which Demetrius of Scepsis mentions. For Triphylia is fertile, but the soil is subject to mildew, and produces rushes, 1 whence in these places, instead of the product being large, there is frequently no crop whatever. 16. Towards the south of Pylus is Lepreum. This also was a city, situated 40 stadia above the sea-coast. Between the Lepreum and the Annius (Anigrus ? Alphajus ?) is the temple of the Samian Neptune. These places are distant 100 stadia from each other. This is the temple in which the poet says that the Pylii were found by Telemachus engaged in offering sacrifice : " They came to Pylus, the well-built city of Neleus ; the people were sacrificing on the sea-shore bulls, entirely black, to Neptune, the god of the dark locks, who shakes the earth." 2 For the poet was at liberty to feign things which did not exist, but when it is possible to adapt poetry to reality, and 1 Opvov, the meaning of this word is uncertain ; Meyer in his "Bo- tanische erklarung " of Strabo does not attempt to explain it. 2 Od. iii. 4.