DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9841#0291
XXXIX.]
SACKED CYPBESS ES.
269
liis local information entitled him to pronounce with
authority.
The Rumelidte, who, as well as Manias, accompa-
nied me from Haghia Rumeli, has served as a sailor
on board several vessels, and has thus sadly corrupted
the purity of his Sfakian Greek. Some of his expres-
sions were hardly intelligible to the Samaridte7.
I descended into the valley at a distance of about
three quarters of a mile from Samaria, on the way to
the Xyldskalo, and did not arrive at the village till nearly
three o'clock.
Towards the foot of the mountains, to the north-
west, in the direction of the Xyldskalo, and about three
miles from Samaria, is the monastery of Haghios Nikdlaos.
It is surrounded by the largest cypresses in the island,
as all my three Sfakian companions agree in assuring
me. They tell me many stories of these trees, which
they would regard it sacrilege to cut; and the events
which they believe to have happened, when one of them
was felled by an impious hand many years ago, shew
that the credulity of these brave and simple mountaineers
is full as great as it, was when the wonder-working Saint
came from the Holy Mountain to visit them, awhile
before the out-breaking of the Greek revolution.
The account given, by my guide, of the venerable
cypresses, which surround the church of Haghios Ni-
kdlaos, reminded me of the Roman poet's description :
Est urbe egressis tumulus templumque vetustum
Antiquae Cereris; juxtaque antiqua cypressus,
Religione patrum multos servata per annos.
The Graces, who were peculiarly an object of reli-
gious worship in ancient Crete8, were identified, as we
have already seen, with these beautiful trees9.
' He said " aTt]v TroprcAAa," whereon the Samariote asked him "uto
7rnpadvpL i'jtoi/i;"
8 Apot.lodorus, m. 15. 7- and Heyne, p. 881. Compare Pausa-
jjias, IX. p. 780. and SlEBELIS, U p. 17-
9 Vol. r. p. 2;V2. It would be easy to give additional instances of the
s 2 comparison
SACKED CYPBESS ES.
269
liis local information entitled him to pronounce with
authority.
The Rumelidte, who, as well as Manias, accompa-
nied me from Haghia Rumeli, has served as a sailor
on board several vessels, and has thus sadly corrupted
the purity of his Sfakian Greek. Some of his expres-
sions were hardly intelligible to the Samaridte7.
I descended into the valley at a distance of about
three quarters of a mile from Samaria, on the way to
the Xyldskalo, and did not arrive at the village till nearly
three o'clock.
Towards the foot of the mountains, to the north-
west, in the direction of the Xyldskalo, and about three
miles from Samaria, is the monastery of Haghios Nikdlaos.
It is surrounded by the largest cypresses in the island,
as all my three Sfakian companions agree in assuring
me. They tell me many stories of these trees, which
they would regard it sacrilege to cut; and the events
which they believe to have happened, when one of them
was felled by an impious hand many years ago, shew
that the credulity of these brave and simple mountaineers
is full as great as it, was when the wonder-working Saint
came from the Holy Mountain to visit them, awhile
before the out-breaking of the Greek revolution.
The account given, by my guide, of the venerable
cypresses, which surround the church of Haghios Ni-
kdlaos, reminded me of the Roman poet's description :
Est urbe egressis tumulus templumque vetustum
Antiquae Cereris; juxtaque antiqua cypressus,
Religione patrum multos servata per annos.
The Graces, who were peculiarly an object of reli-
gious worship in ancient Crete8, were identified, as we
have already seen, with these beautiful trees9.
' He said " aTt]v TroprcAAa," whereon the Samariote asked him "uto
7rnpadvpL i'jtoi/i;"
8 Apot.lodorus, m. 15. 7- and Heyne, p. 881. Compare Pausa-
jjias, IX. p. 780. and SlEBELIS, U p. 17-
9 Vol. r. p. 2;V2. It would be easy to give additional instances of the
s 2 comparison