μετὰ δὲ τὸν Χελωνάταν ὁ τῶν Πισατῶν ἐστιν αἰγιαλὸς πολύς, εἶτʼ ἄκρα Φειά· ἦν δὲ καὶ πολίχνη Φειᾶς πὰρ τείχεσσιν, Ἰαρδάνου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα· / ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ποτάμιον πλησίον. ἔνιοι δʼ ἀρχὴν τῆς Πισάτιδος τὴν Φειάν φασι· πρόκειται δὲ καὶ ταύτης νησίον καὶ λιμήν, ἔνθεν εἰς Ὀλυμπίαν τὸ ἐγγυτάτω ἐκ θαλάττης εἰσὶ στάδιοι ἑκατὸν εἴκοσιν. εἶτʼ ἄλλη ἄκρα εὐθὺς ἐπὶ πολὺ προὔχουσα ἐπὶ τὴν δύσιν, καθάπερ ὁ Χελωνάτας, ἀφʼ ἧς πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν Κεφαλληνίαν στάδιοι ἑκατὸν εἴκοσιν. εἶθʼ ὁ Ἀλφειὸς ἐκδίδωσι, διέχων τοῦ Χελωνάτα σταδίους διακοσίους ὀγδοήκοντα, Ἀράξου δὲ πεντακοσίους τετταράκοντα πέντε. ῥεῖ δʼ ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν τόπων ἐξ ὧν καὶ ὁ Εὐρώτας· καλεῖται δὲ Ἀσέα, κώμη τῆς Μεγαλοπολίτιδος, πλησίον ἀλλήλων ἔχουσα δύο πηγάς, ἐξ ὧν ῥέουσιν οἱ λεχθέντες ποταμοί· δύντες δʼ ὑπὸ γῆς ἐπὶ συχνοὺς σταδίους ἀνατέλλουσι πάλιν, εἶθʼ ὁ μὲν εἰς τὴν Λακωνικὴν ὁ δʼ εἰς τὴν Πισᾶτιν κατάγεται. ὁ μὲν οὖν Εὐρώτας κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς Βλεμινάτιδος ἀναδείξας τὸ ῥεῖθρον, παρʼ αὐτὴν τὴν Σπάρτην ῥυεὶς καὶ διεξιὼν αὐλῶνά τινα μακρὸν κατὰ τὸ Ἕλος, οὗ μέμνηται καὶ ὁ ποιητής, ἐκδίδωσι μεταξὺ Γυθείου τοῦ τῆς Σπάρτης ἐπινείου καὶ Ἀκραίων. ὁ δʼ Ἀλφειὸς παραλαβὼν τόν τε Λάδωνα καὶ τὸν Ἐρύμανθον καὶ ἄλλους ἀσημοτέρους διὰ τῆς Φρίξης καὶ τῆς Πισάτιδος καὶ Τριφυλίας ἐνεχθεὶς παρʼ αὐτὴν τὴν Ὀλυμπίαν ἐπὶ θάλατταν τὴν Σικελικὴν ἐκπίπτει μεταξὺ Φειᾶς τε καὶ Ἐπιταλίου. πρὸς δὲ τῇ ἐκβολῇ τὸ τῆς Ἀλφειωνίας Ἀρτέμιδος ἢ Ἀλφειούσης ἄλσος ἐστὶ (λέγεται γὰρ ἀμφοτέρως), ἀπέχον τῆς Ὀλυμπίας εἰς ὀγδοήκοντα σταδίους. ταύτῃ δὲ τῇ θεῷ καὶ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ κατʼ ἔτος συντελεῖται πανήγυρις, καθάπερ καὶ τῇ Ἐλαφίᾳ καὶ τῇ Δαφνίᾳ. μεστὴ δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ γῆ πᾶσα ἀρτεμισίων τε καὶ ἀφροδισίων καὶ νυμφαίων ἐν ἄλσεσιν ἀνθέων ῳς τὸ πολὺ διὰ τὴν εὐυδρίαν, συχνὰ δὲ καὶ ἑρμεῖα ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, ποσείδια δʼ ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀκταῖς. ἐν δὲ τῷ τῆς Ἀλφειωνίας ἱερῷ γραφαὶ Κλεάνθους τε καὶ Ἀρήγοντος, ἀνδρῶν Κορινθίων, τοῦ μὲν Τροίας ἅλωσις καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς γοναί, τοῦ δʼ Ἄρτεμις ἀναφερομένη ἐπὶ γρυπός, σφόδρα εὐδόκιμοι.
Next to the Chelonatas is the long tract of coast of the Pisatae; then follows a promontory, Pheia; there was also a small town of this name; by the walls of Pheia about the stream of the Jardanes, / for there is a small river near it.
Some writers say, that Pheia is the commencement of the Pisatis. In front of Pheia is a small island and a harbour; thence to Olympia by sea, which is the shortest way, is 120 stadia. Then immediately follows another promontory, [Icthys,] projecting very far towards the west, like the Chelonatas; from this promontory to Cephallenia are 120 stadia. Next the Alpheius discharges itself, at the distance from the Chelonatas of 280, and from the Araxus of 545, stadia. It flows from the same places as the Eurotas. There is a village of the name of Asea in the Megalopolitis, where the two sources, whence the above-mentioned rivers issue, are near to one another. After running under the earth the distance of many stadia, they then rise to the surface, when one takes its course to Laconia, the other to the Pisatis. The Eurotas reappears at the commencement of the district Bleminates, flowing close beside Sparta, and passing through a long valley near Helos, which the poet mentions, empties itself between Gythium, the naval arsenal of Sparta, and Acraea. But the Alpheius, after receiving the Celadon, (Ladon?) and Erymanthus, and other obscure streams, pursues its course through Phrixa, and the Pisatis, and Triphylia, close to Olympia, and discharges itself into the Sicilian Sea between Pheia and Epitalium. At its mouth, and at the distance of 80 stadia from Olympia, is situated the grove of Artemis Alpheionia, or Alpheiusa, for both words are in use. At Olympia an annual festival, to which multitudes resort, is celebrated in honour of this goddess, as well as of Diana Elaplia and Diana Daphnia. The whole country is full of temples dedicated to Diana, and Aphrodite, and the Nymphs, which are situated amidst flowery groves, and generally where there is abundance of water. Hermeia, or images of Mercury, are frequently met with on the road, and on the sea-shore, temples dedicated to Neptune. In the temple of Diana Alpheionia are pictures by Cleanthes and Aregon, Corinthian painters; the former has depicted the taking of Troy, and the birth of Minerva; the latter, Diana borne upon a griffin; which are highly esteemed.
εἶτα τὸ διεῖργον ὄρος τῆς Τριφυλίας τὴν Μακιστίαν ἀπὸ τῆς Πισάτιδος· εἶτʼ ἄλλος ποταμὸς Χαλκὶς καὶ κρήνη Κρουνοὶ καὶ κατοικία Χαλκίς, καὶ τὸ Σαμικὸν μετὰ ταῦτα, ὅπου τὸ μάλιστα τιμώμενον τοῦ Σαμίου Ποσειδῶνος ἱερόν· ἔστι δʼ ἄλσος ἀγριελαιῶν πλέων· ἐπεμελοῦντο δʼ αὐτοῦ Μακίστιοι· οὗτοι δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκεχειρίαν ἐπήγγελλον, ἣν καλοῦσι Σάμιον· συντελοῦσι δʼ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν πάντες Τριφύλιοι.
Next is the mountain, which separates Macistia in Triphylia from the Pisatis; then follows another river Chalcis, and a spring called Cruni, and Chalcis a village, and next to these the Samicum, where is the temple of the Samian Neptune, which is held in the highest honour. There is also a grove full of wild olive trees. It was intrusted to the care of the Macistii, whose business it was to announce the Samian truce as it is called. All the Triphylii contribute to the temple.
[The temple of the Scilluntian Minerva at Scillus in the neighbourhood of Olympia, opposite the Phellon, is among the celebrated temples.]
κατὰ ταῦτα δέ πως τὰ ἱερὰ ὑπέρκειται τῆς θαλάττης ἐν τριάκοντα ἢ μικρῷ πλείοσι σταδίοις ὁ Τριφυλιακὸς Πύλος καὶ Λεπρεατικός, ὃν καλεῖ ὁ ποιητὴς ἠμαθόεντα καὶ παραδίδωσι τοῦ Νέστορος πατρίδα, ὡς ἄν τις ἐκ τῶν ἐπῶν τεκμαίροιτο· εἴτε τοῦ παραρρέοντος ποταμοῦ πρὸς ἄρκτον Ἀμάθου καλουμένου πρότερον, ὃς νῦν Μάμαος καὶ Ἀρκαδικὸς καλεῖται, ὥστʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἠμαθόεντα κεκλῆσθαι· εἴτε τούτου μὲν Παμισοῦ καλουμένου ὁμωνύμως τοῖς ἐν τῇ Μεσσηνίᾳ δυσί, τῆς δὲ πόλεως ἄδηλον ἐχούσης τὴν ἐτυμολογίαν τοῦ ἐπιθέτου· καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἀμαθώδη τὸν ποταμὸν ἢ τὴν χώραν εἶναι ψεῦδός φασι. πρὸς ἕω δʼ ἐστὶν ὄρος τοῦ Πύλου πλησίον ἐπώνυμον Μίνθης, ἣν μυθεύουσι παλλακὴν τοῦ Ἅιδου γενομένην πατηθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῆς κόρης εἰς τὴν κηπαίαν μίνθην μεταβαλεῖν, ἥν τινες ἡδύοσμον καλοῦσι. καὶ δὴ καὶ τέμενός ἐστιν Ἅιδου πρὸς τῷ ὄρει τιμώμενον καὶ ὑπὸ Μακιστίων, καὶ Δήμητρος ἄλσος ὑπερκείμενον τοῦ Πυλιακοῦ πεδίου. τὸ δὲ πεδίον εὔγεών ἐστι τοῦτο, τῇ θαλάττῃ δὲ συνάψαν παρατείνει παρʼ ἅπαν τὸ μεταξὺ τοῦ τε Σαμικοῦ καὶ ποταμοῦ Νέδας διάστημα. θινώδης δὲ καὶ στενός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς θαλάττης αἰγιαλός, ὥστʼ οὐκ ἂν ἀπογνοίη τις ἐντεῦθεν ἠμαθόεντα ὠνομάσθαι τὸν Πύλον.
Near these temples, at the distance of 30 stadia, or a little more, above the sea-coast, is situated the Triphyliac, or Lepreatic, Pylus, which the poet calls Emathoeis, or Sandy, and transmits to us as the native country of Nestor, as may be collected from his poetry. It had the epithet Emathoeis either from the river, which flows by the city towards the north, and was formerly called Amathus, but now Mamaus, or Arcadicus; or because this river was called Pamisus, the same name as that of two rivers in Messenia, while with respect to the city, the epithet Emathoeis, or sandy, is of uncertain origin, since it is not the fact, it is said, that either the river or the country abounds with sand. 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 enclosure, 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.
πρὸς ἄρκτον δʼ ὅμορα ἦν τῷ Πύλῳ δύο πολείδια Τριφυλιακὰ Ὕπανα καὶ Τυμπανέαι, ὧν τὸ μὲν εἰς Ἦλιν συνῳκίσθη τὸ δʼ ἔμεινε. καὶ ποταμοὶ δὲ δύο ἐγγὺς ῥέουσιν ὅ τε Δαλίων καὶ ὁ Ἀχέρων, ἐμβάλλοντες εἰς τὸν Ἀλφειόν. ὁ δὲ Ἀχέρων κατὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Ἅιδην οἰκειότητα ὠνόμασται· ἐκτετίμηται γὰρ δὴ σφόδρα τά τε τῆς Δήμητρος καὶ τῆς κόρης ἱερὰ ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὰ τοῦ Ἅιδου, τάχα διὰ τὰς ὑπεναντιότητας, ὥς φησιν ὁ Σκήψιος Δημήτριος. καὶ γὰρ εὔκαρπός ἐστι καὶ ἐρυσίβην γεννᾷ καὶ θρύον ἡ Τριφυλία· διόπερ ἀντὶ μεγάλης φορᾶς πυκνὰς ἀφορίας γίνεσθαι συμβαίνει κατὰ τοὺς τόπους.
Towards the north there were two small Triphyliac towns, Hypana and Typaneae, bordering upon Pylus; the former of which was incorporated with Elis, the other remained 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 contrariety 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, whence in these places, instead of the product being large, there is frequently no crop whatever.
τοῦ δὲ Πύλου πρὸς νότον ἐστὶ τὸ Λέπρειον. ἦν δὲ καὶ αὕτη ἡ πόλις ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάττης ἐν τετταράκοντα σταδίοις· μεταξὺ δὲ τοῦ Λεπρείου καὶ τοῦ Ἀννίου τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Σαμίου Ποσειδῶνος ἔστιν, ἑκατὸν σταδίους ἑκατέρου διέχον. τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐν ᾧ καταληφθῆναί φησιν ὁ ποιητὴς ὑπὸ Τηλεμάχου τὴν θυσίαν συντελοῦντας τοὺς Πυλίους οἱ δὲ Πύλον, Νηλῆος ἐυκτίμενον πτολίεθρον, / ἷξον· τοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης ἱερὰ ῥέζον, / ταύρους παμμέλανας, Ἐνοσίχθονι κυανοχαίτῃ. / πάρεστι μὲν γὰρ τῷ ποιητῇ καὶ πλάττειν τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ὅταν δʼ ᾖ δυνατόν, ἐφαρμόττειν τοῖς οὖσι τὰ ἔπη καὶ σώζειν τὴν διήγησιν. τὸ δʼ ἀπέχεσθαι προσῆκε μᾶλλον. χώραν δʼ εἶχον εὐδαίμονα οἱ Λεπρεᾶται· τούτοις δʼ ὅμοροι Κυπαρισσιεῖς. ἄμφω δὲ τὰ χωρία ταῦτα Καύκωνες κατεῖχον, καὶ τὸν Μάκιστον δέ, ὅν τινες Πλατανιστοῦντα καλοῦσιν. ὁμώνυμον τῇ χώρᾳ ἐστὶ τὸ πόλισμα. φασὶ δʼ ἐν τῇ Λεπρεάτιδι καὶ Καύκωνος εἶναι μνῆμα, εἴτʼ ἀρχηγέτου τινὸς εἴτʼ ἄλλως ὁμωνύμου τῷ ἔθνει.
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? Alphaeus?) 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. For the poet was at liberty to feign things which did not exist, but when it is possible to adapt poetry to reality, and preserve the narrative . . . . it is better to abstain from fiction.
The Lepreatae possessed a fertile country, on the confines of which were situated the Cyparissenses. But Caucones were masters of both these tracts, and even of the Macistus, which some call Platanistus. The town has the same name as the territory. It is said, that in the Lepreatis there is even a monument of a Caucon, who had the name of the nation, either because he was a chief, or for some other reason.
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