DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4099#0374
340 PASSAGE OF THE ALPHEIOS.
as breadth of the current after rains, and the melting of the snow
on the Arcadian mountains. Pindar' tells us, that the tomb of
Oenomaos was near the passage of the Alpheios, A~h<psov ito^a; and
Pausanias" affirms, that it was near the Kladeos; so that it appears
the passage was in the vicinity of the temple of Jupiter, at the
western extremity of the plain. But Pausanias seems to have
crossed over where we did, opposite the town of Phrixa.' There
were accordingly two passages. The word vogog may, however, be
used by Pindar merely to signify the stream; as it appears to have
been employed by Homer4 in a similar sense.
The monoxylon is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out, flat at
one extremity and pointed at the other. It is whirled about by the
violence of the stream, and carried down a considerable way before
it reaches the opposite shore. It is directed by two oars, which also
serve as rudders, and are shaped nearly like an English spade.
This kind of boat was used by the ancients; they are the povolv\u,
vkoia. of Polybius,5 and are alluded to by Virgil.6
" Tunc alnos fluvii primum seusere cavatas."
The passage of the horses was the most difficult part of the under-
taking. Sticks and stones were employed to drive them into the
water, when they swam to the other side, after having been impelled
for a considerable distance down the stream, not without some
danger of being drowned. We landed at the wooded foot of a steep
and picturesque hill, whose pointed7 summit is descried from the
ruins of Olympia. We ascended by a narrow and dangerous path,
bordered by the precipitous banks of the Alpheios on our left, and
by projecting rocks on our right, against which we bruised our knees
1 AXfeou vopuj xXtfei;
Tvpfiov appmoXov.------Olymp. 1 v. 148.
Aia/3ay7a;y Ss lav KAaJeov 1a<po; le Otvopaou, yrjS %w^a ieepMKoSo[/.rl^ayosi b. G. c. 21.
3 Loc. at * Iliad, 2. v. 592. 5 B. 3. 8 Georg. 1. v. 136.
7 Ao<po; ttrliv arf,Kuv £<r o£u, Pausan. b. 6. c. 2].
as breadth of the current after rains, and the melting of the snow
on the Arcadian mountains. Pindar' tells us, that the tomb of
Oenomaos was near the passage of the Alpheios, A~h<psov ito^a; and
Pausanias" affirms, that it was near the Kladeos; so that it appears
the passage was in the vicinity of the temple of Jupiter, at the
western extremity of the plain. But Pausanias seems to have
crossed over where we did, opposite the town of Phrixa.' There
were accordingly two passages. The word vogog may, however, be
used by Pindar merely to signify the stream; as it appears to have
been employed by Homer4 in a similar sense.
The monoxylon is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out, flat at
one extremity and pointed at the other. It is whirled about by the
violence of the stream, and carried down a considerable way before
it reaches the opposite shore. It is directed by two oars, which also
serve as rudders, and are shaped nearly like an English spade.
This kind of boat was used by the ancients; they are the povolv\u,
vkoia. of Polybius,5 and are alluded to by Virgil.6
" Tunc alnos fluvii primum seusere cavatas."
The passage of the horses was the most difficult part of the under-
taking. Sticks and stones were employed to drive them into the
water, when they swam to the other side, after having been impelled
for a considerable distance down the stream, not without some
danger of being drowned. We landed at the wooded foot of a steep
and picturesque hill, whose pointed7 summit is descried from the
ruins of Olympia. We ascended by a narrow and dangerous path,
bordered by the precipitous banks of the Alpheios on our left, and
by projecting rocks on our right, against which we bruised our knees
1 AXfeou vopuj xXtfei;
Tvpfiov appmoXov.------Olymp. 1 v. 148.
Aia/3ay7a;y Ss lav KAaJeov 1a<po; le Otvopaou, yrjS %w^a ieepMKoSo[/.rl^ayosi b. G. c. 21.
3 Loc. at * Iliad, 2. v. 592. 5 B. 3. 8 Georg. 1. v. 136.
7 Ao<po; ttrliv arf,Kuv £<r o£u, Pausan. b. 6. c. 2].