vol. 3, p. 135-170. In 1829, the first complete edition of all the fragments appeared from the Leyden press, with notes, a life of Theopompus, &c., by Wichers, 8vo. (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 2, p. 179. -Hoffmann, Lex. Bibliograph., vol. 3, p. 743.)

THERASIA, a small rocky island in the Ægean, sep arated from the northwest coast of Thera by a narrow channel. According to Pliny (4, 12), it was detached from Thera by a convulsion of nature. Therasia still retains its name. (Bondelmont, Ins. Archipel., p. 78, ed. De Sinner.)

THERMA, a town of Macedonia, afterward called Thessalonica, in honour of the wife of Cassander, and now Saloniki. (Vid. Thessalonica.)

THERMAICUS SINUS, a large bay setting up between the coast of Pieria and that of Chalcidice, and deriving its name from the city of Therma at its northeastern extremity. It was also called Macedonicus Sinus, from its advancing so far into the country of Macedonia. The modern name is the Gulf of Saloniki. (Vid. Thessalonica.) THERMA (warm baths). This term is frequently used connexion with an adjective: thus, Therma Selinuntiæ are the warm baths adjacent to the ancient Selinus, now Sciacca; Therma Himerenses, those adjacent to Himera on the northern coast of Sicily, now Termini, which has also become the modern name for the remains of the ancient city. So, also, in speaking of the warm baths constructed at Rome by various emperors, we read of the Therma of Dioclesian, &c.

THERA, the most celebrated of the Sporades, situate, according to Strabo, about seven hundred stadia from the Cretan coast, in a northeast direction, and nearly two hundred stadia in circumference. (Strab., 484.) The modern name is Santorin. This island was said by mythologists to have been formed in the sea by a clod of earth thrown from the ship Argo, and on its first appearance obtained the name of Calliste. (Plin., 4, 12.) It was first occupied by some Phoenicians, but subsequently colonized by the Lacedæmonians, who settled there the descendants of the Minya, after they had been expelled from Lemnos by the Pelasgi. The colony was headed by Theras, a descend-in ant of Cadmus, and maternal uncle of Eurysthenes and Proclus; he gave his name to the island. (Herod., 4, 147.-Pausan., 3, 1.— Callim., ap. Strab., 347.) Several generations after this event, a colony was led into Africa by Battus, a descendant of the Minya, who there founded the city of Cyrene. (Herod., 4, 150.-Pind., Pyth., 4, 10.) Thera appears to have been produced by the action of submarine THERMODON, a river of Pontus, rising in the mountfires. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 412, seqq.) ains on the confines of Armenia Minor, and pursuing "Abundant proofs are not wanting," observes Malte- a course nearly due west until it reaches the plain of Brun, "as to the existence of an ancient volcano, the Themiscyra, when it turns to the north and empties crater of which occupied all the basin between Santo- into the Sinus Amisenus. According to Strabo (548), rin and the smaller islands of the group: the mouth it was formed by the junction of several minor streams. of the crater has been partly overthrown, and the aper- Apollonius Rhodius makes these rivulets not less than ture enclosed by the accumulation of dust and ashes. ninety-six in number. (Arg., 2, 972.) Xenophon The lava, the ashes, and pumice-stone discharged also describes the Thermodon as a considerable river, from that volcano have covered part of Thera (Mem. not less than three plethra in width, and not easy for de Trevoux, 1715), but the greater portion, which con- an enemy to cross. (Anab., 5, 6, 3.) Dionysius sists of a large bed of fine marble, has never been in Periegetes affirms that crystal and jasper were found any way changed by the action of volcanic fire. (Tour-on its banks (v. 773-182). This river, which retains nefort, vol. 1, p. 321.) Thera is not now, however, covered with ashes and pumice-stones; it is fertile in corn, and produces strong wine and cotton, the latter of which is not, as in the other islands, planted every year. The population amounts to about 10,000, and all the inhabitants are Greeks." (Malle-Brun, Geogr., vol. 6, p. 169.)

THERAMENES, a pupil of Socrates, and afterward one of the Athenian generals along with Alcibiades and Thrasybulus. He was appointed by the Lacedæmonians one of the thirty tyrants; but the moderation of his views giving offence to his colleagues, he was condemned to drink hemlock. From the readiness with which Theramenes attached himself to whatever party chanced to be uppermost, he was nicknamed Kólopvos, this being an appellation for a sort of sandal, not made right and left, as sandals usually were, but being equally adapted to both feet. (Suid., s. v. Kólopvos-Blomf. in Mus. Crit., vol. 2, p. 212.)

THERAPNE, I. a town of Laconia, southeast of Sparta, and near the Eurotas. It received its name from Therapnæ, daughter of Lelex. Here were to be seen the temple of Menelaus, and his tomb, as well as that of Helen. Here also was the temple of Pollux, and both this deity and his brother were said to have been born here. Pindar has often connected Therapnæ with the mention of the Tyndarida. (Pind., Isth., 1, 42.-Id., Pyth., 11, 95.-Id., Nem., 10, 106.) Therapne probably corresponds with the village of Chrysapha, about two miles to the southeast of the ruins of Sparta. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 212.)-II. A town of Baotia, between Thebes and the river Asopus, and in a line nearly with Potnie. (Strabo, 409.)

THERAS, a son of Autesion of Lacedæmon, who conducted a colony to Calliste, to which he gave the name of Thera. (Vid. Thera.) He received divine honours after death. (Pausan., 3, 1, 15.)

the name of Thermeh, is frequently mentioned in the poets, from the circumstance of the Amazons having been fabled to have dwelt at one time on its banks. (Cramer's Asia Minor, vol. 1, p. 269, seqq.—Herod., 9, 27.—Virg., Æn., 11, 659.-Propert., 3, 14. -Plin., 6, 3.)

THERMOPYLE, a celebrated pass leading from Thessaly into Locris and southern Greece. The word Thermopyla (Oɛpμaì Пúλaι, “Warm Gates or Pass") denotes both the narrowness of the defile, which is formed by the sea on one side and the cliffs of Mount Eta on the other, and also the vicinity of certain warm springs, still called Therma, and which are seen to issue principally from two mouths at the foot of the precipices of Eta. The following description of Thermopyla is given by Herodotus : “On the western side of the pass is a lofty mountain, so steep as to be inaccessible; on the eastern side are the sea and some marshes. In this defile is a warm spring called Chytri (Xúrpot) by the inhabitants, where stands an altar dedicated to Hercules. A wall has been constructed by the Phocians to defend the pass against the Thessalians, who came from Thesprotia to take possession of Thessaly, then named Eolis. Near Trachis the defile is not broader than half a plethrum (50 feet); but it is narrower still both before and after Thermopyla, at the river Phoenix, near Anthele, and at the village of Alpeni." (Herod., 7, 176.) It was here that Leonidas and his band of heroes withstood the attack of the immense Persian host, and nobly died in defending the pass. Here, too, was fought, at a later day, a battle between the Roman army under Acilius Glabrio and the forces of Antiochus, in which the latter were entirely routed. (Vid. Callidromus.-Liv., 36, 15.-Plin, 4, 7.)-The history of the affair at Thermopyla is as follows: At the time when the congress at the Isthmus resolved on defend. ing the pass in question, the Olympic festival was

near at hand, and also one little less respected among the sea it was once guarded no less securely than by the many of the Dorian states, especially at Sparta, that cliffs; for it runs along the edge of a deep moras, of the Carnean Apollo, which lasted nine days. The which the mud, brought down by the rivers from the danger of Greece did not seem so pressing as to re- vale of the Sperchius, is now continually carrying fo quire that these sacred games, so intimately connect-ward into the gulf, while the part next the road grad ed with so many purposes of pleasure, business, and ually hardens into firm ground, and widens the pass religion, should be suspended. And it was thought In very early times the Phocians were in possession of sufficient to send forward a small force, to bar the Thermopyla, and, to protect themselves from the nprogress of the enemy until they should leave the Gre-roads of the Thessalians, had, as already stated, but cian world at leisure for action. That the northern a wall across the northern entrance, and had d Greeks might be assured that, notwithstanding this charged the water of the springs to hollow out a st delay, Sparta did not mean to abandon them, the little ural trench in the road. They were in safety bein band that was to precede the whole force of the con- this bulwark till the Thessalians discovered a path federates was placed under the command of her king which, beginning in a chasm through which a torrent, Leonidas. It was composed of only 300 Spartans, at- called the Asopus, descends on the north side of the tended by a body of Helots whose numbers are not mountain, winds up a laborious ascent to the summi recorded, 500 men from Tegea, and as many from of Callidromus, and then, by a shorter and stee Mantinea, 120 from the Arcadian Orchomenus, and track, comes down near the southern end of the pan 1000 from the rest of Arcadia. Corinth armed 400, where the village of Alpenus once stood. After t Phlius 200, and Mycena 80. Messengers were sent discovery the fortification became comparatively useto summon Phocis and the Locrians, whose territory less, and was suffered to go to ruin. It seems ilay nearest to the post which was to be maintained, derful, and would be scarcely credible, if it was to raise their whole force. "They were reminded positively asserted by Herodotus, that when the rethat the invader was not a god, but a mortal, liable, as gress at the Isthmus determined to defend Thermey all human greatness, to a fall: and they were bidden læ, there was not a man among them who knew of de to take courage, for the sea was guarded by Athens circuitous track. They ordered the old wall t and Egina, and the other maritime states, and the repaired; but, when Leonidas arrived, he was informed troops now sent were only the forerunners of the of the danger which threatened him from the An Peloponnesian army, which would speedily follow." so the mountain pass was named, if it should come Hearing this, the Phocians marched to Thermopylae the knowledge of the barbarians; and, on the ann with 1000 men, and the Locrians of Opus with all the of the enemy, he posted the Phocians, by their o force they could muster. On his arrival in Boeotia desire, on the summit of the ridge to guard agains Leonidas was joined by 700 Thespians, who were surprise.-The first sight of the Persian host, cover zealous in the cause; but the disposition of Thebes ing the Trachinian plains, is said to have struck se was strongly suspected; her leading men were known of the followers of Leonidas with no less terror that to be friendly to the Persians; and Leonidas probably their brethren of Artemisium felt at the approach f believed that he should be counteracting their in- the hostile armada: the Peloponnesians would ha trigues if he engaged the Thebans to take part in the retreated, and reserved their strength for the defence contest. He therefore called upon them for assist- of their own isthmus. But the Phocians and Loc ance, and they sent 400 men with him; but, in the ans, who were most interested in checking the p opinion of Herodotus, this was a forced compliance, ress of the invader, were indignant at the propos which, if they had dared, they would willingly have and Leonidas prevailed on the other allies to stay. refused. With this army Leonidas marched to defend soothed them by despatching messengers to the confed Thermopyla against two millions of men. It was a erate cities to call for speedy re-enforcement. Xerzes prevailing belief in later ages-one, perhaps, that be- had heard that a handful of men, under the command of came current immediately after the death of Leonidas a Spartan king, were stationed at this part of the road; -that when he sat out on his expedition he distinctly but he imagined, it is said, that his presence would have foresaw its fatal issue. And Herodotus gives some scared them away. He was surprised by the report colour to the opinion by recording that he selected of a horseman whom he had sent forward to observe his Spartan followers from among those who had sons their motions, and who, on riding up, perceived the to leave behind them. But Plutarch imagined the Spartans before the wall, some quietly seated comb before his departure, he and his little band solem ding their flowing hair, others at exercise. He co their own obsequies by funeral games in the presence not believe Demaratus, who assured him that the S of their parents, and that it was on this occasion he tans, at least, were come to dispute the pass with spoke of them as a small number to fight, but enough and that it was their custom to trim their hair on the to die. One fact destroys this fiction. Before his eve of a combat. Four days passed before he could arrival at Thermopyla he did not know of the path be convinced that his army must do more than stew over the mountain by which he might be attacked in itself to clear a way for him. On the fifth day be or the rear: the only danger he had before his eyes was dered a body of Median and Cissian troops to fall one which could not have shaken the courage of any upon the rash and insolent enemy, and to lead them brave warrior, that of making a stand for a few days captive into his presence. He was seated on a lofty against incessant attacks, but from small bodies, in a throne, from which he could survey the narrow narrow space, where he would be favoured by the trance of the pass, which, in obedience to his coground. The whole pass shut in between the east-mands, his warriors endeavoured to force. But they ern promontory of Eta, called Callidromus, which towers above it in rugged precipices, and the shore of the Malian Gulf, is four or five miles in length; it is narrowest at either end, where the mountain is said once to have left room only for a single carriage. But between these points the pass first widens and then is again contracted, though not into quite so narrow a space, by the cliffs of Callidromus. At the foot of these rocks, as has already been remarked, a hot sulphureous spring gushes up in a copious stream, and other slenderer veins trickle across the road. This is the pass properly called Thermopyle. On the side of

fought on ground where their numbers were ofte avail, except to increase their confusion when ther attack was repulsed: their short spears could st reach the foe: the foremost fell, the hinder advanced over their bodies to the charge: their repeated onsets broke upon the Greeks idly, as waves upon the rock. At length, as the day wore on, the Medians and Cissians, spent with their efforts, and greatly thaned in their ranks, were recalled from the contest, which the king now thought worthy of the superior prowess of his own guards, the ten thousand Immortals. The were led as to a certain and easy victory; the Greeks,

however, stood their ground as before, or, if ever they | and that of Leonidas as an inscrutable mystery.-Megave way and turned their backs, it was only to face gistias, an Acarnanian soothsayer, who traced his linsuddenly about and deal tenfold destruction on their eage to the ancient seer Melampus, is said to have pursuers. Thrice during these fruitless assaults the read the approaching fate of his companions in the enking was seen to start up from his throne in a trans- trails of the victims before any tidings had arrived port of fear or rage. The combat lasted the whole of their danger. When the presage was confirmed, day the slaughter of the barbarians was great; on Leonidas pressed him to retire: a proof, Herodotus the side of the Greeks, a few Spartan lives were lost; thinks, that the Spartan king did not wish to keep any as to the rest, nothing is said. The next day the one who desired to go. Megistias, imitating the exattack was renewed with no better success: the bands ample of the heroic prophet Theoclus, who, after preof the several cities that made up the Grecian army, dicting the fall of Ira to Aristomenes, refused to surexcept the Phocians, who were employed as we have vive the ruin of his country, would not quit the side seen, relieved each other at the post of honour; all of Leonidas; but he sent away his son, an only one, stood equally firm, and repelled the charge not less who had accompanied him, that the line of Melampus vigorously than before. The confidence of Xerxes might not end with him. Leonidas would also, it is was now changed to despondence and perplexity.— said, have saved two of his kinsmen, by sending them The secret of the Anopea could not long remain con- with letters and messages to Sparta; but the one said cealed after it had become valuable. Many tongues, he had come to bear arms, not to carry letters; and the perhaps, would have revealed it: two Greeks, a Ca- other, that his deeds would tell all that Sparta wished rystian, and Corydallus of Anticyra, shared the re- to know.-Before Hydarnes began his march, Ephiproach of this foul treachery; but, by the general opin- altes had reckoned the time he would take to reach ion, confirmed by the solemn sentence of the Am- the southern foot of the mountain, and Xerxes had, phictyonic council, which set a price upon his head, accordingly, fixed the hour when he would attack Ephialtes, a Malian, was branded with the infamy of the Greeks in front. It was early in the forenoon having guided the barbarians round the fatal path. when the Ten Thousand had near finished their round, Xerxes, overjoyed at the discovery, ordered Hydarnes, and the preconcerted onset began. Leonidas, now the commander of the Ten Thousand, with his troops, less careful to husband the lives of his men than to to follow the traitor. They set out at nightfall: as make havoc among the barbarians, no longer confined day was beginning to break, they gained the brow of himself, as before, within the pass, but, leaving a guard Callidromus, were the Phocians were posted: the at the wall, sallied forth and charged the advancing night was still, and the universal silence was first enemy. His little band, reckless of everything but broken by the trampling of the invaders on the leaves honour and vengeance, made deep and bloody breaches with which the face of the woody mountain was in the ranks of the Persians, who, according to an thickly strewed. The Phocians started from their Oriental custom, were driven into the conflict by the couches and ran to their arms. The Persians, who lash of their commanders. Many perished in the sea, had not expected to find an enemy on their way, many were trampled under foot by the throng that were equally surprised at the sight of an armed band, pressed on them from behind: yet the Spartans too and feared lest they might be Spartans; but when were thinned, and Leonidas himself died early. The Ephialtes had informed them of the truth, they pre- fight was hottest over his body, which was rescued pared to force a passage. Their arrows showered after a hard struggle, and the Greeks four times turned upon the Phocians, who, believing themselves the sole the enemy. At length, when most of their spears object of attack, retreated to the highest peak of the were broken, and their swords blunted with slaughter, ridge, to sell their lives as dearly as they could. The word came that the band of Hydarnes was about to Persians, without turning aside to pursue them, kept enter the pass. Then they retreated to the wall, and on their way, and descended towards Alpenus. Mean- pressed on to a knoll on the other side, where they while, deserters had brought intelligence of the ene- took up their last stand. The Thebans, however, did my's motions to the Grecian camp during the night, not return with them, but threw down their arms and and their report was confirmed at daybreak by the begged for quarter. This, it is said, the greater part sentinels who had been stationed on the heights, and obtained: Herodotus heard a story, about which Plunow came down with the news that the barbarians tarch is, with good reason, incredulous, that they were were crossing the ridge. Little time was left for de- afterward all branded like runaway slaves; but it is liberation: opinions were divided as to the course that not denied that they placed themselves at the mercy prudence prescribed or honour permitted. Leonidas of the barbarians. The Persians rushed forward undid not restrain, perhaps encouraged, those of the al- resisted, broke down the wall, and surrounded the hillies who wished to save themselves from the impend-lock where the little remnant of the Greeks, armed ing fate; but for himself and his Spartans he declared his resolution of maintaining the post which Sparta had assigned them to the last. All withdrew except the Thespians and the Thebans. The Thespians remained from choice, bent on sharing his glory and his death. We should willingly believe the same of the Thebans, if the event did not seem to prove that their stay was the effect of compulsion. Herodotus says that Leonidas, though he dismissed the rest because their spirit shrank from danger, detained the Thebans as hostages, because he knew them to be disaffected to the cause of freedom; yet, as he was himself certain of perishing, it is equally difficult to understand why and how he put this violence on them; and Plutarch, who observes the inconsistency of the reason assigned by Herodotus, would have triumphantly vindicated the honour of the Thebans, if he could have denied that they alone survived the day. Unless we suppose that their first choice was on the side of honour, their last, when death stared them in the face, on the side of prudence, we must give up their conduct

only with a few swords, stood a butt for the arrows, the javelins, and the stones of the enemy, which at length overwhelmed them. Where they fell they were afterward buried; their tomb, as Simonides sang, was an altar; a sanctuary, in which Greece revered the memory of her second founders. (Diod. Sic., 11, 11.) The inscription of the monument raised over the slain, who died from first to last in defence of the pass, recorded that four thousand men from Pelopon nesus had fought at Thermopyla with three hundred myriads. We ought not to expect accuracy in these numbers: the list in Herodotus, if the Locrian force is only supposed equal to the Phocian, exceeds six thousand men: the Phocians, it must be remembered, were not engaged. But it is not easy to reconcile either account with the historian's statement, that the Grecian dead amounted to four thousand, unless we suppose that the Helots, though not numbered, formed a large part of the army of Leonidas. The lustre of his achievement is not diminished by their presence. He himself and his Spartans no doubt considered their

66

persevering stand in the post intrusted to them, not | apparently not of high antiquity. The foot of the as an act of high and heroic devotion, but of simple mountain, however, Mr. Dodwell says, is so cover and indispensable duty. Their spirit spoke in the lines ed with trees and impenetrable bushes as to hide am inscribed upon their monument, which bade the passing vestiges which may exist of early fortifications. The traveller tell their countrymen that they had fallen in wall, of which mention has more than once been made obedience to their laws. How their action was view-by us, was, at a later day, renewed and fortified by ed at Sparta may be collected from a story which can- Antiochus when defending himself against the not be separated from the recollection of this memora- mans; and was afterward restored by Justinian, when ble day. When the band of Leonidas was nearly en- that monarch thought to secure the tottering empre closed, two Spartans, Eurytus and Aristodemus, were by fortresses and walls: he is stated also to have co staying at Alpenus, having been forced to quit their structed cisterns here for the reception of rain-water. post by a disorder which nearly deprived them of sight. The question is, whether this be the site of the anceIT When they heard the tidings, the one called for his wall, as Dr. Holland and Mr. Dodwell suppose, i arms, and made his helot guide him to the place of whether the spring referred to by Herodotus be nit combat, where he was left, and fell. But the other's the fountain mentioned by Dr. Clarke, who describe heart failed him, and he saved his life. When he re- the wall, not as traversing the marsh, but as extending turned to Sparta he was shunned like a pestilence: no along the mountainous chain of Eta from sea to sea man would share the fire of his hearth with him, or The cisterns built by Justinian would hardly be in tis speak to him; and he was branded with the name of marshy plain, but must be looked for within the far "the trembler Aristodemus" (ó тpéσas 'Apiσtódnuos). fied pass. Formidable, however, as the defile of Ther According to another account, both these Spartans had mopyla may seem, it has never opposed an effectual been despatched from the camp as messengers, and barrier to an invading army; the strength of these there being sufficient time for both to return, Eurytus gates of Greece being rendered vain by the other did so, but Aristodemus lingered on the way.-The mountain routes which avoid them. The Persians" Persians are said to have lost at Thermopyla 20,000 says Procopius, "found only one path over the mom men among them were several of royal blood. To ains; now there are many, and large enough to act console himself for this loss, and to reap the utmost a cart or chariot." A path was pointed out to It advantage from his victory, Xerxes sent over to the Clarke to the north of the hot springs, which is sil fleet, which, having heard of the departure of the used by the inhabitants in journeying to Salona. Aft Greeks, was now stationed on the northern coast of following this path to a certain distance, another road Euboea, and by public notice invited all who were branches from it towards the southeast, according curious to see the chastisement he had inflicted on the route pursued by the Persians. Dr. Holland the men who had dared to defy his power. That he cended Mount Eta by "a route equally singular and had previously buried the greater part of his own interesting, but difficult, and not free from danger dead seems natural enough; and such an artifice, so When the Gauls under Brennus invaded Greece, the slightly differing from the universal practice of both treacherous discovery made to him of a path through ancient and modern belligerents, scarcely deserved the mountains compelled the Greeks to retreat the name of a stratagem. He is said also to have prevent their being taken in rear. Antiochus was mutilated the body of Leonidas; and, as this was one like manner forced to retreat with precipitation, of the foremost which he found on a field that had seeing the heights above the pass occupied by Roma cost him so dear, we are not at liberty to reject the soldiers, who, under the command of M. Porcius Ca tradition, because such ferocity was not consistent had been sent round to seize these positions. In the with the respect usually paid by the Persians to a gal- reign of Justinian the army of the Huns advanced lant enemy. To cut off the head and right arm of Thermopyla, and discovered the path over the mountslain rebels was a Persian usage. (Plut., Vit. Artax., ains. When Bajazet entered Greece towards the c. 13. Strab., 733.-Herod., 7, 206, seqq.-Thirl-close of the fourteenth century, there appears to have wall's Hist. of Gr., vol. 2, p. 282, seqq.)-According to modern travellers, the warm springs at Thermopyla are about half way between Bodonitza and Zeitoun. They issue principally from two mouths at the foot of the limestone precipices of Eta. The temperature, in the month of December, was found to be 111° of Fahrenheit. Dr. Holland found it to be 103° or 104° at the mouth of the fissures. The water is very transparent, but deposites a calcareous concretion (carbonate of lime), which adheres to reeds and sticks, like the waters of the Anio at Tivoli, and the sulphureous lake THERMUS OF THERMUM, an unwalled city of £it between that place and Rome. A large extent of sur-lia, northeast of Stratos, regarded as the capital of the face is covered with this deposite. It is impregnated country. It is supposed by Mannert to have derived with carbonic acid, lime, muriate of soda, and sulphur. its name from some warm springs in the neighbour The ground about the springs yields a hollow sound hood, and Polybius (5, 7) speaks of it as romov a like that within the crater of the Solfaterra near Na-epuois. Its situation among the mountains rendered ples. In some places Dr. Clarke observed cracks and fissures filled with stagnant water, through which a gaseous fluid was rising in large bubbles to the surface, its fœtid smell bespeaking it to be sulphureted hydrogen. The springs are very copious, and immediately form several rapid streams running into the sea, which is apparently about a mile from the pass. Baths were built here by Herodes Atticus. The defile or strait continues for some distance beyond the hot springs, and then the road, which is still paved in many places, bears off all at once across the plain to Zeitoun, distant three hours from Thermopyla. Near the springs there are faint traces of a wall and circular tower, composed of a thick mass of small stones, and

been little need of these artifices: a Greek bishop is
stated to have conducted the Mohammedan conquer
through the pass to enslave his country. During the
late revolution, Thermopyla never opposed any serious
barrier against the Turkish forces. The passes of Cal
lidromus and Cnemis were disputed on one occasion
with success by a body of Armatoles under
eus; but the foe were afterward repeatedly suffered to
cross the ridges of Othrys and Eta without eposs
tion.

it, notwithstanding the want of walls, a place very ficult of access, and hence it was regarded as a kind of citadel for all Etolia. It was here that the asse blies for deciding the elections of magistrates were held, as well as the most splendid festival and co mercial meetings. Hence the place was stored, only with abundance of provisions and the necessnes of life, but with the most costly furniture, and with utensils of every kind adapted for entertainments. Philip III. of Macedon surprised the place by a rapid march, and obtained great booty, although many of the more valuable articles were either carried off er de stroyed by the inhabitants. (Polyb., 5, 9.) In the pillage of the town, the Macedonians did not späät

even the temples; but, in revenge for the excesses | ceeded that Ægeus was on the point of sacrificing his committed by the Etolians at Dium and Dodona, defaced the statues, which amounted to more than two thousand, set fire to the porches, and finally razed the buildings themselves to the ground. They found also in Thermus a quantity of arms, of which they selected the most costly to carry away, but the greater part they destroyed, to the number of 15,000 complete suits of armour. In like manner, whatever was not worthy of removal, was consumed in heaps before the camp. All these facts attest the size and opulence of the place; of which, however, so little is known, that, with the exception of Strabo and Polybius, its name occurs in no ancient author. Philip subsequently made another attack upon the town, and destroyed all that had been spared before. (Polyb., de virt. et vit., c. 11.)-Under the Roman sway, when the national assemblies of the Etolians had ceased to be held, Thermus became speedily forgotten in history. (Mannert, Geogr., vol. 8, p. 111-Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 2, p. 87.)