P. 182, 26. Sidus Arcadium] L. Arcadum sidus. P. 198, 23. manu moestus] hoc est, mostitiam manu indicans. Talem enim gestum manu fingebant veteres, ut eo viso omnes scirent, eos animo anxio esse. Cebes eum indicat expresse in tabula. P. 203, 23. Te fatidice, te] L. Fatidice te, te. Troas. P. 206, 1. ult. Hecuba] glossema. Lege, prior ipsa vidi, vel aliud quid. P. 207, 5. rumas] L. ruinas, Ibid. eversa] L. eversas. Medea. Init. Puto hanc tragoediam Lucani esse. Vide vitam. P. 271, 15. violente] L. violáve. P. 272, 18. innumeras] L. immensas. Nam talis versus hic alius nusquam. P. 273, 11-17. Hi versus spurii sunt, aut aliorsum pertinent. Nam hæc omnia acciderunt post tempus Medeæ, cujus ista est fabula. Vidit et Heinsius: sed perperam sex sequentes versus damnavit, qui continuant historiam Argonautarum. P. 286, 15. Tam] Lege Ita. Ut scilicet te simul perimas. Ibid. 27. Per alta, etc.] Hic versus melius Medeæ datur. Hercules Etaus. P. 340, 2. 3. quo nimis--ullos] Verba spuria. P. 353, 9. quem gemis] L. quo gemis. Octavia. P. 399, 22. facili] L. fragili. P. 400, 3. jugo omnes Mss. at Ald. Ibid. 4. Ignota tantis] Sic Mss. Lips. conjicit ignota et auli. Sed leg. Latiis, vel Et Italis. Sed potius omnibus dixerit. Pag. 424, 12. pari] L. patris. Heinsii notis ad Herculem Etæum. P. 551, 15. nos confligere certamen sine] L. nos confligere ardemus; sine. P. 560, 11. sera] L. foeta. Jena, mense April., 1823. F. O. NOTICE OF OLYMPIA; or Topography illustrative of the actual State of the Plain of Olympia, and of the Ruins of the City of Elis. By JOHN SPENCER STANHope, F. R. S. and Correspondent of the Royal Institute of France. Folio. London. 1824. Rodwell and Martin. SOME ingenious antiquaries and geographers having expressed their doubts respecting the existence of an ancient city at Olympia, that place where, during the course of eleven or twelve hundred years, were celebrated, at regular intervals, the most memorable games of Greece (whilst it was adorned with a magnificent temple and stupendous image of Jupiter), the French Institute (or Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres) made those doubts the subject of discussion, in 1815, and commissioned Mr. Stanhope (a corresponding member of that learned body, and then proceeding on his travels) to "examine the spot, with a view of ascertaining how far its actual state might warrant the conjecture, that an ancient city had formerly existed there."-" Other instructions," says our author, "I had received from individual members; but this coming from the Academy itself, necessarily became the first object of my researches." (P. 2.) We find him, accordingly, soon after, passing over from the island of Zante to Chiarenza, anciently Cyllene, on the coast of Peloponnesus, and not far from Elis, in company with his brother, Mr. Collingwood, and Mr. Allason, a young architect, so favorably known in consequence of his work on the Antiquities of Pola. Assisted by these gentlemen, and an English servant, Mr. Stanhope completed, within a fortnight, his researches on the plain of Olympia, having taken up his quarters in a pyrgo or tower at Miraka, a village situated immediately above that plain. To the researches made here, and subsequently at Elis, we are indebted for the very splendid and interesting work before us; a volume of large folio size, containing 67 pages of letter press, and seventeen plates. We do not hesitate to declare our opinion, that this magnificent publication reflects honor on the English press, from its typographical execution; and delights us by the beauty and excellence of its engravings, which have been, for the greater number, made from drawings by Dewint, after the original sketches taken by Mr. Allason. To the lovers of picturesque scenery we particularly recommend the "Valley of Antilalo," the "Two Views on the Plains of Olympia," a "View embracing the supposed position of the Hippodrome," and a view showing" The Course of the Alpheus, as seen from the ruins of Palaio-Ecclesia." Besides these and other large engravings, are three most highly-finished and beautiful smaller views-one (of Chiarenza) prefixed as a frontispiece; another representing the Pyrgo or Tower at Miraka, before mentioned; and a third, the Mosque at Gastouni. There is also a plate exhibiting eighteen unpublished silver coins of Elis, preserved in the British Museum and in the late Mr. Payne Knight's collection; with a map of Elis (including Olympia), constructed by that accurate and classical geographer, Colone! Leake; and plans of different ruins, of the Olympian plain, and the site of Elis, from surveys made by Mr. Allason. According to our ingenious author (p. 8), the plain, above which stands the village of Miraka, overlooking a small vale "beautifully ornamented by a variety of shrubs, and by a stream which flows through a steep and rocky bed to join the Alpheus," is indisputably the plain of Olympia: this identity has never been questioned: but, except some foundations and fragments of the Temple of Jupiter, the ruins found at this place are inconsiderable, and of brick, in that style generally ascribed to the Romans. Examining, however, the descriptions given by Strabo and Pausanias, Mr. Stanhope thinks that we may regard "the plain below Miraka as that in which were celebrated the Olympic games." (P. 10.) Splendid as were all the public buildings at Olympia, the most interesting undoubtedly are those that were immediately connected with the Olympic games; and as such, the Hippodrome and Stadium naturally become the first object of the traveller's research. Accordingly we find that the Count de Choiseul Gouffier addressed some years ago to the Third Class of the Institute of France a memoir, in which he declared, that the "Hippodrome, where such brilliant horse and chariot races were exhibited, had been discovered." An assertion so positive, by one who was then looked up to as an oracle on every point regarding Greece, was considered as decisive. Did I not, therefore, at once protest against that being admitted as a fact, which is in reality a mere hypothesis, I should appear too inattentive to the subject under discussion. (P. 11.) He then lays before the reader M. Fauvel's account of Olympia, on which Count de Choiseul Gouffier founded his assertion: he also examines M. Pouqueville's description of the Olympian plain, and asserts his reasons for differing from those three accomplished antiquaries in their opinions respecting the Hippodrome, the Temple of Jupiter, of Juno, and other monuments. VOL. XXX. Cl. Jl. NO. LIX. M Although considerable remains may still be traced at Elis, they are in such a state of ruin as to excite but little interest: two modern villages, Palaiopoli and Calivia (or Kalybia), now cover the site of that ancient city, once so distinguished in Greece, from the singular privilege which rendered it the guardian of Olympia; but those who wish to know what Elis was in her days of splendor, Mr. Stanhope refers to the pages of Pausanias, giving, however, sketches and plans of the most remarkable fragments still remaining. The labors of our accomplished author have considerably extended our knowlege of the Olympian plain; yet we cannot affirm that the question respecting the existence of an ancient city on that spot, is thereby decided. Indeed he candidly admits this uncertainty in p. 3, where he says that his examination of the country -far from enabling me to establish new facts, only led me to entertain doubts with respect to those which I had previously considered as determined. I felt that to give an unbiassed account of the actual state of the plain, it was absolutely necessary to avoid forming any theories of my own, and to content myself with laying before the Academy correct plans of Olympia, of the site of the city of Elis, and of all the ruins existing in both places; I should thus enable that learned body to form their own conclusions on the subject under discussion; a course I was the more willing to pursue, as I had understood from M. Barbié du Bocage that it was one as yet unattempted. The season of the year (April) was particularly favorable for such an undertaking at a later period it would, from the mal-aria that infests this beautiful valley, have been entered upon at the risk of our lives. : Here closing Mr. Stanhope's splendid work, which has afforded us considerable information and entertainment, we shall remark, that although D'Anville, in the last century, noticed the uncertain position of Olympia, yet M. Gail is probably the first who has positively denied the existence of an ancient city at that celebrated place. This appears from the "Rapport de l'Institut," July 1813, and from his letter to the Editor of the Classical Journal, No. xxxI. p. 201, wherein he says, that five years before that time (1813) he had taught in his school that Olympia had never been a city. Such also is the opinion of Professor Ciampi, of Pisa, and of M. de Hause of Palermo. That excellent antiquary also, Mr. Dodwell, says, " Olympia never was a town, and it is not called so by any ancient author. Ortelius is wrong in calling it urbs." (Travels, 11. p. 326.) Yet many others have regarded it as a city. Thus Thomas de Pinedo, in his notes to Stephanus Byzantius ('Oλчμñíα)—our learned Potter (Antiq. of Greece, Religion, chap. xxii.)-the celebrated Barthelemy (Voyage du Jeune Anacharsis, ch. xxxviii.), although " he confounds it with Pisa, " cette ville (Olympia) également connue sous le nom de Pise," as indeed Pindar has done (Olymp. vi. 7. viii. 12). A Ms. of Lucian, preserved in the Bibliothèque du Roi, at Paris, exhibits a scholium on the 'Pητópwv Aidάoxaλos (c. 9), which describes Olympia as a city of Elis — Πόλις ἦν ἐν ̓́Ηλιδι Ολυμπία καλουμένη,” &c. (See the passage quoted in Classical Journal, No. xx. p. 210.) But M. Gail, in his valuable "Recherches Historiques," &c. (Tome 1. p. 152. et seq.) declares that the Greek writers, when they mention the city next to the Hieron of Olympia, always mean either Elis or Pisa. Pausanias in twenty places names the inhabitants of Pisa, but never the Olympians; and M. Gail is of opinion, that although Pisa and Olympia were distinct, yet that the river Alpheus alone divided them. This proximity, says M. Gail (Rech. 1. 164), explains at once why there was not any city on the territory of Olympia, wholly occupied by the Hieron; and why Olympia and Pisa have been so frequently confounded. Adopting the notion of this learned critic, we are therefore to suppose, that the multitudes who assembled at the end of every fourth year to behold the games, resided in temporary structures during the time of their celebration, and abandoned the sacred territory when they were concluded; as those who attend our horse-races forsake the course. Yet we can scarcely imagine that so many splendid edifices and such a multiplicity of statues would be left unguarded during four years; or that the offerings and treasures deposited in the temples would be wholly confided to the sanctity of the place. Pausanias enumerates a surprising number of altars and statues, particularly four hundred and thirty-five representing gods and heroes, besides figures of horses, lions, &c. "Nero," says Mr. Dodwell, (Trav. J. p. 329.) "threw many of the finest statues into the latrina, or common sewers, which conducted to the Alpheios:" and on this subject he quotes Suetonius (Nero, c. 24), "Ac ne cujus alterius hieronicarum memoria, aut vestigium extaret usquam, subverti et unco abjicique in latrinas omnium statuas et imagines imperavit." Now such latrine as could convey bronze or marble statues to the river, would indicate a populous city on the Olympian side; for it cannot be imagined that Nero removed those statues across the Alpheus to Pisa, that they might be there thrown into the sewers which were to convey them back to the river. Mr. Dodwell's local knowlege, as well as his general erudition and information, give great weight to his assertion, that those latrinæ communicated with the stream; and it is |