DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9841#0065
XXIV.] AND DESCRIPTION OF ITS REMAINS.
47
Besides, the drought of March is a thing sufficiently
rare here, since I believe that month to be ordinarily
one of the most rainy in the year. At all events the
Cretans are anxious that it should be so, and shew, by
a common proverb1, their opinion, that the more rain
they have in March the better, while with us in England
dry weather is so much desired at the same season, that,
according to our proverb, " A peck of March dust is
worth a king's ransom." Not only in England, but even
in Spain, April, and not March, is the month when the
influence of genial and abundant showers is most felt2.
In spite of the showers I examined the remains.
From the summit of the acropolis Kisamo-Kaste'li is
south-south-west, and is about two miles distant in a
right line. The river of Palaedkastro, which is also the
river of Kamara, passes close to the east of the acropolis.
From the western corner of the citadel, the walls run
in a westerly direction for about three hundred paces,
and their height varies from ten to eighteen feet. The
stones, which are generally between two and three feet
long, and from ten to twenty inches high, are disposed
in horizontal layers. I should think there can be no
doubt that these are remains of the walls built by the
Achaeans and Laconians, when they came and settled
with the Polyrrhenians and fortified this strong place:
and I have thought it worth while to give a sketch of
them. Somewhat to the south of this wall, and about
half way between the acropolis and its western extremity,
are remains of what I suppose to have been a temple.
The modern Greek chapel which has been erected on its
site is now also in ruins. On the acropolis itself but
1 The proverb, which 1 heard every rainy day through the Greek month
°f March, is Mdprios no-re /uiipid&i, where the livQiilei must be
a corruption of /uuom'Jei, as 6, instead of 6, is sometimes changed into <p,
>n the continent of Greece, and as conversely the Cretan village Viano (Bidvo)
is sometimes called Dhiano, (Aidi>o.) Muoidju I suppose to be derived from
the ancient ixuoiav, which is well explained by Ruiinken, on Timaeus. See
also Photius, Lex. p. 278. MvSiav, voriav, Sivypov eivai, Kai criiireuBat.
2 "April showers, May flowers:" "April, aguas mil."
vol.. 11. n
47
Besides, the drought of March is a thing sufficiently
rare here, since I believe that month to be ordinarily
one of the most rainy in the year. At all events the
Cretans are anxious that it should be so, and shew, by
a common proverb1, their opinion, that the more rain
they have in March the better, while with us in England
dry weather is so much desired at the same season, that,
according to our proverb, " A peck of March dust is
worth a king's ransom." Not only in England, but even
in Spain, April, and not March, is the month when the
influence of genial and abundant showers is most felt2.
In spite of the showers I examined the remains.
From the summit of the acropolis Kisamo-Kaste'li is
south-south-west, and is about two miles distant in a
right line. The river of Palaedkastro, which is also the
river of Kamara, passes close to the east of the acropolis.
From the western corner of the citadel, the walls run
in a westerly direction for about three hundred paces,
and their height varies from ten to eighteen feet. The
stones, which are generally between two and three feet
long, and from ten to twenty inches high, are disposed
in horizontal layers. I should think there can be no
doubt that these are remains of the walls built by the
Achaeans and Laconians, when they came and settled
with the Polyrrhenians and fortified this strong place:
and I have thought it worth while to give a sketch of
them. Somewhat to the south of this wall, and about
half way between the acropolis and its western extremity,
are remains of what I suppose to have been a temple.
The modern Greek chapel which has been erected on its
site is now also in ruins. On the acropolis itself but
1 The proverb, which 1 heard every rainy day through the Greek month
°f March, is Mdprios no-re /uiipid&i, where the livQiilei must be
a corruption of /uuom'Jei, as 6, instead of 6, is sometimes changed into <p,
>n the continent of Greece, and as conversely the Cretan village Viano (Bidvo)
is sometimes called Dhiano, (Aidi>o.) Muoidju I suppose to be derived from
the ancient ixuoiav, which is well explained by Ruiinken, on Timaeus. See
also Photius, Lex. p. 278. MvSiav, voriav, Sivypov eivai, Kai criiireuBat.
2 "April showers, May flowers:" "April, aguas mil."
vol.. 11. n