DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.793#0026
KATABATHRON OF LAKE KOPAIS.
LAKE Kopais, which is situated nearly in the centre of Hceotia, is surrounded by
lofty mountains, of which the most conspicuous arc Pnrnassos, Helicon, Libethrion,
Tilphousion, and Phoinikios, which throw out the subordinate eminences of Kdylion,
Akontios, Lnphystios, Kyrtonon, and Ptoon. The streams which are accumulated on
these heights, descending into the intermediate plain, form the lake which was known to
the ancients by the name of Kojiais, or Ceplnssis. The two principal rivers wlu'ch supply
the lake arc the Cephissos, and the Mclas, of which the former rises at Lila-a in Phocis,
and the latter a short distance from the ruins of Orchomcnos. The lake is deep only in
a few places, and in summer it is nearly dry. It is, however, sometimes subject to
inundations after heavy rains or when the snow is dissolved upon the surrounding
mountains.
According to Pliny' the lake generally rose above its usual level once even' ninth
year. After the deluge of Deucalion nature and art appear to have combined the means
of obviating the calamities occasioned by the inundation of the lake. I allude to the
subterraneous passages in mount Ptoon, through which the superfluous waters of Kopais
arc discharged into the lake of Hyla, and thence into the Eubccan sea. They are at
present denominated katabathra, and are noticed by ancient authors, particularly Strabo
and Pausanias. They pervade a calcareous rock, which is full of natural caverns and
fissures. Strabo conceives that they were produced by earthquakes. He says that an
inundation, which nearly demolished the city of Kopais, occasioned an aperture, through
which the waters moved underground for thirty stadia, when they entered the sea near
Larymna. The Katabathron, to which the geographer alludes, is probably the same that
is represented in the present plate. There arc several others in the vicinity, but this is
one of the largest size. It is situated between the ruins of Akraiphnion and the modern
town of Talanda, at about nine miles from the former. A large perpendicular chasm of
an irregular form is seen in the rock; it is probably the work of spontaneous nature, and
apparently about one hundred feet in depth. The descent is easily effected by a winding
path, which is used by the shepherds when they seek in that cool recess a shelter from
the sun's scorching rays. The bottom contains a deep pool of clear water, which oozes
from the lake, and then entering a small chasm or passage in the rock finds its way to
the Opuntian gulf, after a subterraneous course of about four miles. I proceeded from
hence to the side of the lake in order to inspect the mouth of the katabathron, where the
water forms n gulf, and is seen flowing into the rock by three natural apertures.
LAKE Kopais, which is situated nearly in the centre of Hceotia, is surrounded by
lofty mountains, of which the most conspicuous arc Pnrnassos, Helicon, Libethrion,
Tilphousion, and Phoinikios, which throw out the subordinate eminences of Kdylion,
Akontios, Lnphystios, Kyrtonon, and Ptoon. The streams which are accumulated on
these heights, descending into the intermediate plain, form the lake which was known to
the ancients by the name of Kojiais, or Ceplnssis. The two principal rivers wlu'ch supply
the lake arc the Cephissos, and the Mclas, of which the former rises at Lila-a in Phocis,
and the latter a short distance from the ruins of Orchomcnos. The lake is deep only in
a few places, and in summer it is nearly dry. It is, however, sometimes subject to
inundations after heavy rains or when the snow is dissolved upon the surrounding
mountains.
According to Pliny' the lake generally rose above its usual level once even' ninth
year. After the deluge of Deucalion nature and art appear to have combined the means
of obviating the calamities occasioned by the inundation of the lake. I allude to the
subterraneous passages in mount Ptoon, through which the superfluous waters of Kopais
arc discharged into the lake of Hyla, and thence into the Eubccan sea. They are at
present denominated katabathra, and are noticed by ancient authors, particularly Strabo
and Pausanias. They pervade a calcareous rock, which is full of natural caverns and
fissures. Strabo conceives that they were produced by earthquakes. He says that an
inundation, which nearly demolished the city of Kopais, occasioned an aperture, through
which the waters moved underground for thirty stadia, when they entered the sea near
Larymna. The Katabathron, to which the geographer alludes, is probably the same that
is represented in the present plate. There arc several others in the vicinity, but this is
one of the largest size. It is situated between the ruins of Akraiphnion and the modern
town of Talanda, at about nine miles from the former. A large perpendicular chasm of
an irregular form is seen in the rock; it is probably the work of spontaneous nature, and
apparently about one hundred feet in depth. The descent is easily effected by a winding
path, which is used by the shepherds when they seek in that cool recess a shelter from
the sun's scorching rays. The bottom contains a deep pool of clear water, which oozes
from the lake, and then entering a small chasm or passage in the rock finds its way to
the Opuntian gulf, after a subterraneous course of about four miles. I proceeded from
hence to the side of the lake in order to inspect the mouth of the katabathron, where the
water forms n gulf, and is seen flowing into the rock by three natural apertures.