presents one continued range of sublimity for an extent of about six miles, 'where it terminates in a plain. The cliffs, precipitous and rugged, alter'nately approach and recede from each other, sometimes leaving only a narrow passage for the Peneus, sometimes retiring into deep glens, which penetrate far into the mountains. Amidst the crags, shrubs and trees grow ' luxuriantly, affording just sufficient vegetation to obviate the appearance ' of barrenness, without diminishing the general effect of grandeur. The 'cliffs which rise on each side for the most part descend boldly into the stream, and close to the edge are frequently to be seen large natural caves, 'the haunts of the God of the river, in the language of the poet; Hæc domus, hæ sedes, hæc sunt penetralia magni Amnis, in hoc residens facto de cautibus antro Undis jura dabat Nymphisque colentibus umbras. The river Peneus winds along in a gently serpentine course, beneath impending rocks. Its banks are covered with trees of uncommon beauty, planes, poplars, and oaks, that dip their branches in his waves, and bow 'their heads to taste his waters. Their forms, unchecked by the hand of art, ' and wantoning in all the luxuriance of native wildness, present a variety of 'fantastic appearances; some half-torn up by the roots; some covered with vines, which spread to their summits; some withered, and stretching round 'their bare arms stripped of their foliage. Intermixed with the trees, and ascending the sides of the mountains, are thick copses of bay, wild fig, and pomegranate. The river Peneus rolls on his waters below, in general silently, but sometimes gurgling over a bed of pebbles, or dashing down a gentle declivity. The foliage of the trees on his banks was adorned with a variety of colours; the dark green of the elm, the vivid verdure of the plane, and the red tints of decaying leaves, were all blended together in 'the most grateful harmony. Close to the brink of the stream are frequently seen small trees, covered with wild creepers, which form an impenetrable 'bower. About half way through the valley we passed a rocky glen, formed by steep impending cliffs, piercing far into the recesses of Ossa. After ८ • Daphne was changed into a bay tree in Tempe (Ov. Met.) and the vale was ever after celebrated for producing that tree in abundance. Pausanias says that the first temple of Apollo at Delphi was built of bay, from Tempe. Lib. x. c. 5. The tale of Daphne was transferred from the banks of the Peneus to the Orontes. Gibbon, V. iv. p. 118. 8vo. edit. "riding about two hours we reached the termination of the vale; the rocks gradually diminished in size, and by degrees were lost in a range of low hills which rose on each side of a rich and extensive plain reaching to the 'sea.' Journal, I shall transcribe the description which Ælian has given us of this valley, as it is equally beautiful and accurate. - Εσι δη χωρος μεταξύ κείμενος τε τε Ολυμπς και της Οσσης" ορη δε ταυτ' εσιν ὑπερυψηλα, και διον ύπο τινος θειας φροντίδος διεσχισμένα, και μεσον δέχεται χωριον, ε το μεν μηκος επι τεσσαρα κοντα διήκει σαδίες, το δε μην πλάζος, τη μεν εςι πλέθρα, τη δε και πλειον ολιῳ. Διαῤῥει δε μεσα αύτε ὁ καλεμενος Πηνειος" εις τέλον δε και δι λοιποι ποταμοι συῤῥέεσι και ανακοινείται το ύδωρ αύλῳ, και εργαζονται τον Πηνειον εκείνοι μεταν. Διατριβας δε εχει ποικίλας, και πανοδαπας ὁ τοπος εἿος εκ ανθρωπινης χειρος ερία, αλλά φύσεως αυτοματα, εις κάλλος τότε φιλοτιμησαμένης, ότε ελάμβανε Γενεσιν ὁ χώρος. Κιτλος μεν Γαρ πολυς, και εν μαλα λασιος ενακμάζει και τέθηλε, και δίκην των ευδενων αμπελών, καλα των ύψηλων δένδρων ανέρπει και συμπεφυκεν αύτοις· πολλη δε σμιλαξ ή μεν προς αυτον τον παίον αναβρεχει, και επισκιάζει την πέτραν και εκείνη μεν υπολανθάνει, ὁραζαι δε το χλοαζον παν, και εςιν οφθαλμων πανηΓυρις. Εν αύτοις δε τοις λείοις και καθημένοις άλση τε εσιν ποικιλα και ὑποδρομαι συνέχεις εν ώρᾳ θερες καταφύδειν ὁδοιποροις ήδιςα κατα[ωγια, ο και διδωσιν ασμένως ψυχασθαι. Διαῤῥευσι δε και κρηναι συχναι, και επιῤῥει να μαία υδαίων ψυχρών ήδιςων. Λείεται δε τα ύδαζα ταύζα και τοις λεσαμένοις αγαθον ειναι, και εις ύδιειαν αύτοις συμβαλλεσθαι. Καλάδεσι δε και ορνιθες άλλος άλλη διεσπαρμένοι, και μάλιςα δι μεσικοι, και έσιωσιν εν μαλα τας ακοάς, και παραπεμπεσιν απόνως και συν ήδονη δια το μέλες τον καμάλον των παριονίων αφανισανίες παρ' ἑκάτερα δε τε πόζαμε αι διατριβαί εἰσιν αἱ προειρημεναι, και αἱ αναπαύλαι δια μεσων δε των Τεμπών ὁ Πηνειος πόλαμος ερχεται, σχολη και πράως προίων ελαια δίκην. Πολλη δε κατ' αυτε ἡ σκια εκ των παραπεφυκό]ων δενδρων και των εξηρτημένων κλάδων τικ]εται ώς επι πλείςον της ημερας αυτην προήκεσαν αποςείειν την ακλινα και παρέχειν τοις πλεύσι πλειν καλα ψυχος. και πιειν 'The Thessalian Tempe is a place situate between Olympus and Ossa, 'which are mountains of an exceeding great height, and look as if they once ' had been joined, but were afterwards separated from each other by some 'God, for the sake of opening in the midst that large plain which stretches in ' length to about five miles, and in breadth a hundred paces or in some parts more. Through the middle of this plain runs the Peneus, into which several 'lesser currents empty themselves, and by the confluence of their waters swell it into a river of great size. This place is abundantly furnished with all manner of arbours and resting places; not such as the arts of human industry • contrived, but which the bounty of spontaneous nature, ambitious, as it were, Elian, Var. Hist. ' to make a shew of all her beauties, provided for the supply of this fair resi dence, in the very original structure and formation of the place. For there ' is plenty of ivy shooting forth in it, which flourishes and grows so thick that 'like the generous and leafy vine, it crawls up the trunks of tall trees, and 'twining its foliage round their arms and branches, becomes almost incorpo'rated with them. The flowering smilax' also is there in great abundance, 'which running up the acclivities of the hills, and spreading the close texture ' of its leaves and tendrils on all sides, perfectly covers and shades them; so 'that no part of the bare rock is seen, but the whole is hung with the verdure ' of a thick interwoven herbage presenting the most agreeable spectacle to the eye. Along the level of the plain there are frequent tufts of trees and long 'continued ranges of arching bowers, affording the most grateful shelter from 'the heats of the summer; which are further relieved by the frequent streams ' of clear and fresh water continually winding through it. The tradition goes 'that these waters are peculiarly good for bathing, and have many other medi'cinal virtues. In the thickets and bushes of this dale are numberless singing 'birds every where fluttering about, whose warblings take the ear of passengers, and cheat the labours of their way through it. On the banks of the 'Peneus, on either side, are dispersed irregularly those resting places before spoken of; while the river itself glides through the middle of the lawn with 'a soft and quiet lapse; overhung with the shades of trees planted on its "borders, whose intermingled branches keep off the rays of the sun, and fur'nish an opportunity of a cool and temperate navigation upon it,' Hurd's Translation.2 To this accurate description of Ælian, I shall add another, which, though more concise, is equally characteristic. Præter angustias per quinque millia, quà exiguum jumento onusto iter est, rupes utrinque ita abscissæ sunt, ut despici vix sine vertigine quâdam simul oculorum animique possit. Terret et sonitus et altitudo per mediam vallem fluentis Penei amnis.3 I do not know whence the common idea originated that the vale of Tempe is of a tame and mild character. It is described by the ancient writer just quoted, as a deep gorge or defile of a sublime and terrific appearance. From not attending to these and other classical descriptions, most modern travellers have 'Oriental bind-weed. 2 Hurd's Discourse on Poetical Imitation. Livii Hist. L. xliv. c. 6. See also Plin. Hist. Nat. L. iv. c. 15. been unable to decide to their own satisfaction, where the valley of Tempe was situated; and hence has arisen much unnecessary doubt and disquisition. The part of Thessaly in which Tempe is situated is often mentioned by the ancient poets. Euripides thus characterises it: 4 Ταν Πηνεις σεμναν χώραν, σ' ευθαλει τ' ευκαρπια. I've heard that at Olympus' base the vale Most beauteous, water'd by Peneus' tide, Wafts sweetest odours unto every gale, And bows beneath the golden harvest's pride. Apollonius Rhodius' notices the well watered vallies of Ossa and Olympus. Theocritus' speaks of the beauty of Tempe. Ovid has painted from his imagination and not from a knowledge of the place. Est nemus Æmoniæ prærupta quod undique claudit Sylva; vocant Tempe, per quæ Penëus ab imo Effusus Pindo, spumosis volvitur undis: Nubila conducit, summasque aspergine sylvas Impluit, et sonitu plus quam vicina fatigat. Though the romantic wildness of the vale of Tempe has caused it to be principally known as the subject of poetical praise, yet the mention of it occurs sometimes in history. The strength of the pass between Olympus and Ossa, more than once pointed it out as a place well calculated for military operations. 'Xerxes (says Herodotus') seeing from Thermé the mountains of Thessaly, ' and particularly Olympus and Ossa towering above the rest, and hearing 'that there was a narrow defile between them through which the Peneus 'flowed; and being at the same time informed that there was a passage by this way into Thessaly, was desirous of sailing to see the mouth of the 'Peneus.' 4 Eurip. Troades, 1. 214. 7 Ov. Met. i, 1. 568. 5 Apoll. Rhod. L. i. l. 597. Theoc. Eid. i. 1. 67. The Thessalians' proposed to the Greeks assembled on the Isthmus of Corinth, to defend the passes of Olympus against Xerxes and his army; and a force of 10,000 men was actually sent to Tempe for that purpose. It retired, however, before the approach of the Persians.' Philip of Macedonia was cited by the Romans to appear at Tempe, to answer for his conduct. At a subsequent period it was fortified by L. Cassius Longinus, as appears from an inscription still legible on the rocks of the valley. 1. 345. Olympus.] M. Boivin' has written a dissertation to prove that the Olympus of Thessaly is not the one mentioned by Homer; but that the habitation of the Gods was an inverted mountain, whose base was fixed in the heavens and whose summit pointed to the earth. The quotations which he brings from Homer to prove his point, may with equal plausibility be adduced to refute his proposition, and I shall therefore be satisfied to abide by the commonly received opinion, that the Thessalian and Homeric Olympus is one and the same. Olympus (now Mount Elymbo) is one of the highest mountains in Greece. M. Bernouilli,' by his measurement, found it to be 1017 toises (2167 yards), and from an ancient inscription given by Plutarch, it appears that Xenagoras had determined it to be 10 stadia and one plethrum wanting 6 feet, equal to 960 toises or 2045 yards. The first view I had of Olympus was from Tournovo, the ancient Atrax, situated on the Peneus, about ten hours ride or 35 miles from Tempe. I could not then apply Homer's beautiful lines, for its summit was veiled in clouds: εξ' ανέμοισι τινάσσεται, ετε ποτ' ομβρῳ Δευεται, ετε χιων επιπιλναται, αλλα μαλ' αιθρη Olympus, by repute th' eternal seat Of the ethereal Pow'rs, which never storms Disturb, rains drench, or snow invades, but calm Th' expanse and cloudless shines with purest day.-Cowper. Herod. Lib. vii. c. 172. 2 Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscrip. T. vii. p. 411. 4 Homer, Odyss. vi. 1. 43. 'Herod. Lib. vii. c. 173. 3 Voyage d'Anacharsis, T. ii. p. 90. |