but thefe corroborations I defer for the prefent, my object being merely to fhew that Homer's descriptions, as far as they go, agree accurately with the Plain. Taking for granted, therefore, (what I have already fhewn to be probable), that the naval station of the Greeks was at the mouth of the Scamander; we know that Achilles's* ftation was nearest the Sigeum; for that is to be inferred from Homer's † placing him on the right wing of the army; and also that it was both near the shore of the Thracian fea, and the mouth or outlet of the Hellefpont. When Achilles calls the winds to light Patroclus's pile, the two called are the north and west, and both return over the Thracian fea; that fea therefore, was to the north and west of the tomb, which was on the fhore. This muft and could only happen at the promontory, where the fea really does flow on the north and weft. It is here we must look for the tomb of Patroclus, and that of Achilles which was close to it. The adjoined drawing is taken immediately off the Sigean promontory. At the foot of it the reader will obferve two unequal tumuli at no great distance from the fhore. From this point of view the Hellefpont ran up on our left; the Thracian Cherfonefus, and the north part of the Agean were behind us, and the expanfe of the fea opened out on our right. Here then are two NOTES. Hom. II. viii. ver. 224. xi. ver. 7. and in 1. xvii. 1. 116. Ajax is reprefented as on the left of the army, therefore Achilles, who was at the other extremity, was on the right. This appears from the funeral of Patroclus, Il. xxiii. v. 255. and paffim. ↑ Hom, Il. xxiii. ver. 194. tumuli, tumuli,* agreeing in fhape, in number, in nature and fituation with the two which Homer allots to Achilles, and Patroclus; and this agreement is found in circumstances of fo detailed an accuracy, that it is impoffible in defcribing thefe tumuli, to add, or take away any thing from his description of the tombs. Either these tombs, and this plain were the objects of that defcription, or their coincidence is a miracle far beyond what we can account for. The station of Ajax † was on the left wing, and opposite that of Achilles; that is to fay, it was nearest to what was afterwards called the Rhetean promontory. Where his tomb was, Homer does not tell us; but we find that he was one of the heroes who were buried in the plain; for Neftor mentions him as buried there along with Achilles, Patroclus, and Antilochus. His tomb was afterwards worshipped by the § Rheteans, and was fhewn near their town. A circular chapel was built upon it, and it long continued the object of veneration. About three miles and a half from Sigæum, on a low hill, there now exifts a tumulus of the fame nature as those of Achilles and Patroclus; fuch as are in every instance described by Homer. Antony, or Pompey, it is thought, plundered the tomb of Ajax of its ashes, and carried them to Egypt. That it was opened, however, we find inPaufanias.** His words are thefe; "a certain NOTES. * Chevalier afferts that the tumulus of Achilles is at this day called A105-Taяn Dios-tapé, the <divine tomb," but befides that Dios is not a word used by the modern Greeks, it appears to be a mistake. The two tumuli are called Auw-rann, which is of nearly the fame pronunciation now, and means no more than the two hills. + Hom. II. loc. fupracit. See note on page 23. 1. xi.- Hom. Odyff. iii. ver. 109. § Paufan. Attic. p. 33, 34. Strabo, 1. xiii. p. 595.- See Chevalier on the Plain, &c. p. 108. ** Paufan. 1. i. p. 34, 36. (Edit. Francof. A. D. 1583.) Myfian Myfian told me that the fea had washed open that part which was next the fhore, and that the entrance into the tomb was now not difficult." On the tumulus which I have just described, we first obferved remains of circular walls near the top; and on the west fide, which is now over a large marsh, (where the sea probably was, in the time of Paufanias,) the fide of the barrow has fallen away, and the mouth of a vault is discovered; it is of the rudest and earliest masonry; a crofs vault is at the end of this, and in the center of the tumulus, but the earth had nearly choaked it up. This form of the infide is a fure proof that it was a fepulchre, for fuch is the ftructure of almost all the ancient tombs ftill feen near their cities in Greece and Asia. Whether this fepulchre was that of Ajax, Mr. Bryant may doubt, but we are fure that it was the fame which Paufanias and the Rheteans believed to be fuch; and against the evidence of all antiquity we have nothing that tends to a negative. Other tombs are viewed along the coast of the Hellefpont, but we have not data fufficient to ascertain the owners of each. That Patroclus though buried with Achilles, had a cenotaph we have already feen; but whether Antilochus had one or not we do not know; there is nothing abfurd however in fuppofing it, and yet I own I think those who affix the names of Antilochus and Peneleus to the other barrows,* are rather to be respected for an ingenious conjecture than abfolutely relied on for facts. They all are fituated on the fhore, and appear far out at fea, thus uniting every characteristic of the tombs of Grecian heroes. Returning to the hills behind Bounarbachi, we find, on the fummit of the highest, three tombs exactly fimilar to those on the i fhore; a fourth is fimilar in shape, but compofed in a great meafure of heaped ftones. One fide of it is injured, and appears to have been opened: In this fhort defcription do we not recognize the characteristics of the fepulchre of Hector, as defcribed by Homer? and the more fince we are told that this tomb was opened by the Thebans,* who in obedience to the Oracle carried off his ashes to their own city. These tombs are near the Acropolis, they are as visible as thofe on the fhore, and are feen from moft parts of the plain below. Another proof that the Trojan warriors were fo buried, appears from the epitaph on Paris preferved by Aristotle, who mentions his tomb as fituated on the fummit of the hills.† What conjectural proofs can overturn a demonstration strong as. that which arifes from thefe coincidences? I have hitherto purpofely avoided mentioning the antiquities found by the Duc de Choiseul in the tomb of Achilles; they were much mutilated, and in confequence, fo many vague conjectures were made, that fince I had not an opportunity of feeing them, I dare not hazard an account, which I have heard contradicted. Every one agrees, however, that charcoal and bones were found there; an ample proof that it was a place of burial. When in the country, I attempted repeatedly to obtain permiffion of digging in different parts of the plain; but as I was not authorised by the Porte itself, the Agas, who always suspected that we wished to look for treasure, were too ignorant. and too fearful to permit us. NOTES. * Paufanias Bæotica. p. 567. Edit. Hanov.-+ Ariftotelis Pepli Fragmentum; Epitaph 54+ See Chevalier, Dallaway's Ancient and Modern Conftantinople, &c. However |