DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4099#0232
NEMEAN LION. 207
Near Kleonai, Hercules waylaid, and destroyed, the sons of
Actor,1 when on their way to the Isthmian games. A temple was
erected to Hercules1 in the vicinity; the only temple which Pausanias
mentions at this place was that of Minerva.
The Nemean games were sometimes celebrated at Kleonai.5 The
great road from the southern parts of the Peloponnesos to Corinth
passed by this city, and was much more frequented than that which
led through Epidauros, and along the Saronic gulf.
Not far from the ruins of Kleonai is a ridge of hills, one of which
is called aytov Ogo?, " the holy mountain," on which are the remains of
a small town, or castle, situated above the extensive village of Agios
Basili, probably Tenea,4 which was sixty stadia from Corinth, on
the way to Mycenae.
As we proceeded, we passed by several imperfect traces of an-
tiquity. Some of the country was rich and cultivated, but it was,
in general, sterile and neglected. In several places the horizontal
surface of the rocks over which we passed is cut into channels;
probably for the draining of the rain water. A few paces to the
right of the road are three natural caverns in the rock; they are of
small dimensions, and certainly not large enough for the Nemean
lion, Avhich some5 imagined had its den near Kleonai; but, accord-
ing to Hesiod,6 it ravaged the country about Tret'os, Nemea, and
Apesos: Diodorus7 and Pausanias8 say it lived at Mount Tretos,
between Nemea and Mycenae; Apollodorus9 affirms that the cave
had two entrances. Pausanias says there were two roads from
Kleonai to Argos, one for pedestrians, the other, which passes by
1 Pausan. b. 5. c. 2.
' Diodor. Sic. b. 4. c. 33. Small copper coins of Kleonai have been found, with the head
of Hercules on one side, and on the reverse KAEi2 within a wreath. There are imperial
coins of the same city.
3 Pindar, Nem. Od. 4. v. 2?.—Plutarch's life of Aratus.
Strabo, b. 8. p. 380. Pausan. b. 2. c. 5.
5 Clconteo jam tempora clusus hiatu
Alcides. Valer. Flaccus, Argonaut, b. 1.
Deor. Generat. v. 331. ^ 13. 4. c. 11. e 13. 2. c. 15. 9 ]J# 2.
Near Kleonai, Hercules waylaid, and destroyed, the sons of
Actor,1 when on their way to the Isthmian games. A temple was
erected to Hercules1 in the vicinity; the only temple which Pausanias
mentions at this place was that of Minerva.
The Nemean games were sometimes celebrated at Kleonai.5 The
great road from the southern parts of the Peloponnesos to Corinth
passed by this city, and was much more frequented than that which
led through Epidauros, and along the Saronic gulf.
Not far from the ruins of Kleonai is a ridge of hills, one of which
is called aytov Ogo?, " the holy mountain," on which are the remains of
a small town, or castle, situated above the extensive village of Agios
Basili, probably Tenea,4 which was sixty stadia from Corinth, on
the way to Mycenae.
As we proceeded, we passed by several imperfect traces of an-
tiquity. Some of the country was rich and cultivated, but it was,
in general, sterile and neglected. In several places the horizontal
surface of the rocks over which we passed is cut into channels;
probably for the draining of the rain water. A few paces to the
right of the road are three natural caverns in the rock; they are of
small dimensions, and certainly not large enough for the Nemean
lion, Avhich some5 imagined had its den near Kleonai; but, accord-
ing to Hesiod,6 it ravaged the country about Tret'os, Nemea, and
Apesos: Diodorus7 and Pausanias8 say it lived at Mount Tretos,
between Nemea and Mycenae; Apollodorus9 affirms that the cave
had two entrances. Pausanias says there were two roads from
Kleonai to Argos, one for pedestrians, the other, which passes by
1 Pausan. b. 5. c. 2.
' Diodor. Sic. b. 4. c. 33. Small copper coins of Kleonai have been found, with the head
of Hercules on one side, and on the reverse KAEi2 within a wreath. There are imperial
coins of the same city.
3 Pindar, Nem. Od. 4. v. 2?.—Plutarch's life of Aratus.
Strabo, b. 8. p. 380. Pausan. b. 2. c. 5.
5 Clconteo jam tempora clusus hiatu
Alcides. Valer. Flaccus, Argonaut, b. 1.
Deor. Generat. v. 331. ^ 13. 4. c. 11. e 13. 2. c. 15. 9 ]J# 2.