DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9697#0197
CHARACTER OK THE GREEK PEASANT.
133
well as all Thrace) Romania ; and from that word (by an
Apliaercsis) these wicked people are called Maniotes (as the
inhabitants of Smyrna, Scio, Cyprus, Candia, are called
Smymiotcs, Sciotcs, Cypriotes, Candiotes, and the like else-
where). These who live upon the Rocks and mountaines
by the Sea are a sort of lawlesse people, and the Turkes
themselves cannot govern them or reduce them into any
good order. These miscreant wretches lye constantly
watching upon the Rocks and Mountaines, not so much to
secure themselves from the injuryes of Pirates as them-
selves to Thieve and rob whome they can catch, and all
the Christian Passengers which they can seise on the shore
they sell to the Turkes to serve in their Galleys or other-
wise as slaves ; and I have been assured that if they can
conveniently spirit away Turkes themselves they will serve
even them in like manner, and sell them for slaves to any
Christian who will be their chapman.1 There was a fawning
cunning varlet came to those Gentlemen then, and pre-
tended to procure them all manner of provisions which
they could desire, but betray'd them then, as this vile
wretch did us now. I could not but call to mind old
Sinon in Virgil,2 for our Cheat seem'd to pretend to the
very same motto: Poor, but very honest. Believe me,
Greeks are Greeks still ; for falsenesse and treachery they
still deserve Iphigenids character of them in Euripides,3
Trust them and hang them, or rather hang them first
for surcness. We kept in little bodys near the shore,
where there were small thickits of Juniper and mirtles
with their berrys then ripe, and we had excellent
sport in killing Fieldfares and Thrushes, and such
other birds, which were there at feed in great abund-
ance. Some went towards the Sandhills, where was
1 I.e., buyer.
3 Iphigen. in Taur., Act v, p. 1205.
2 /En., 2, 1. 79.
133
well as all Thrace) Romania ; and from that word (by an
Apliaercsis) these wicked people are called Maniotes (as the
inhabitants of Smyrna, Scio, Cyprus, Candia, are called
Smymiotcs, Sciotcs, Cypriotes, Candiotes, and the like else-
where). These who live upon the Rocks and mountaines
by the Sea are a sort of lawlesse people, and the Turkes
themselves cannot govern them or reduce them into any
good order. These miscreant wretches lye constantly
watching upon the Rocks and Mountaines, not so much to
secure themselves from the injuryes of Pirates as them-
selves to Thieve and rob whome they can catch, and all
the Christian Passengers which they can seise on the shore
they sell to the Turkes to serve in their Galleys or other-
wise as slaves ; and I have been assured that if they can
conveniently spirit away Turkes themselves they will serve
even them in like manner, and sell them for slaves to any
Christian who will be their chapman.1 There was a fawning
cunning varlet came to those Gentlemen then, and pre-
tended to procure them all manner of provisions which
they could desire, but betray'd them then, as this vile
wretch did us now. I could not but call to mind old
Sinon in Virgil,2 for our Cheat seem'd to pretend to the
very same motto: Poor, but very honest. Believe me,
Greeks are Greeks still ; for falsenesse and treachery they
still deserve Iphigenids character of them in Euripides,3
Trust them and hang them, or rather hang them first
for surcness. We kept in little bodys near the shore,
where there were small thickits of Juniper and mirtles
with their berrys then ripe, and we had excellent
sport in killing Fieldfares and Thrushes, and such
other birds, which were there at feed in great abund-
ance. Some went towards the Sandhills, where was
1 I.e., buyer.
3 Iphigen. in Taur., Act v, p. 1205.
2 /En., 2, 1. 79.