Greek Texts & Translations

AT present the whole sea-coast lying between the Achaei and Messenii is called Eleia, it stretches into the inland parts towards Arcadia at Pholoe, and the Azanes, and Parrhasii. Anciently it was divided into several states; afterwards into two, Elis of the Epeii, and Elis under Nestor, the son of Neleus. As Homer says, who mentions Elis of the Epeii by name, Sacred Elis, where the Epeii rule.
The other he calls Pylus subject to Nestor, through which, he says, the Alpheius flows: Alpheius, that flows in a straight line through the land of the Pylians. ^note
Il. v. 545. The poet was also acquainted with a city Pylus; They arrived at Pylus, the well-built city of Neleus. ^note
Od. iii. 4. The Alpheius however does not flow through nor beside the city, but another river flows beside it, which some call Pamisus, others Amathus, from which Pylus seems to be termed Emathöeis, but the Alpheius flows through the Eleian territory. 2

Elis, the present city, was not yet founded in the time of Homer, but the inhabitants of the country lived in villages. It was called Coele [or Hollow] Elis, from the accident of its locality, for the largest and best part of it is situated in a hollow. It was at a late period, and after the Persian war, that the people collected together out of many demi, or ^note