TOPOGRAPHY OF ATHENS. 19

protection to the Athenians against incursions from
the west. This physical separation of the two great
plains of Attica accounts for the old traditions of hos-
tilities between the Eleusinians and Athens, at a
period when they appear to have formed separate
communities. The western boundary of the plain of
Eleusis is a bold offset from Parnes, almost impassable
in its northern part; it runs down to the western side
of the bay of Eleusis, formerly separating the Rha-
rian* and Thriasian plains from the little state of
Megaris. This range had the name of Kerata, or the
Horns, which is still preserved in that of Keratia.
On the coast of the bay of Eleusis, and principally
on a small elevation, stood the antient city of Eleusis,
and its far-famed temples. The island of Salamis,
with its irregular zigzag coast, fills up the entrance
of the bay, leaving only a narrow channel at the
eastern and western extremity, while the alternate
projections and recedings of the main land and the
island, give to the whole expanse of water as seen
from Eleusis exactly the appearance of a lake. . In no
one direction can the eye follow the waters of the little
gulf to their junction with the sea. The great temple
of Demeter (Ceres) stood on the eastern slope of the
eminence, and was once numbered among the four
noblest edifices that the Greeks had ever erected in
honour of their deities. It is now a heap of ruins, and
its site is in great measure covered with modern con-
structions. Still its general plan can be pretty well
made out. In an inner court or chamber of this
temple is an insulated mass of stone, with rounded
depressions, which some suppose to have been the
pedestal of the mutilated colossal statue which was
found near it. This fragment was removed to England
and is now.in the vestibule of the public library of

* The Rharian is a small plain, forming the western part of the
larger Thriasian plain.