Greek Texts & Translations

THE sea-coast, extending from Thermopylae to the mouths of the Peneius, ^note and the extremities of Pelion, looking towards the east, and the northern extremities of Euboea, is that of Thessaly. The parts opposite Euboea and Thermopylae are occupied by Malienses, and by Achaean Phthiotae; those towards Pelion by the Magnetes. This may be called the eastern and maritime side of Thessaly. From either side from Pelion, and the Peneius, towards the inland parts are Macedonians, who extend as far as Paeonia, (Pindus?) and the Epeirotic nations. From Thermopylae, the Aetaean and Aetolian mountains, which approach close to the Dorians, and Parnassus, are parallel to the Macedonians. The side towards the Macedonians may be called the northern side; the other, the southern. There remains the western side, enclosed by Aetolians and Acarnanians, by Amphilochians and Athamanes, who are Epirotae; by the territory of the Molotti, formerly said to be that of the Aethices, and, in short, by the country about Pindus. Thessaly, ^note in the interior, is a plain country for the most part, and has no mountains, except Pelion and Ossa. These mountains rise to a considerable height, but do not encompass a large tract of country, but terminate in the plains. 2

These are the middle parts of Thessaly, a district of very fertile country, except that part of it which is overflowed by rivers. The Peneius flows through the middle of the country, and receiving many rivers, frequently overflows. Formerly, according to report, the plain was a lake; it is enclosed on all sides inland by mountains, and the sea-coast is more elevated than the plains. When a chasm was formed, at the place now called Tempe, by shocks of an earthquake, and Ossa was riven from Olympus, the Peneius flowed out through it to the sea, and drained this tract of country. Still there remained the large lake Nessonis, and the lake Boebeis; which is of less extent than the Nessonis, and nearer to the sea-coast.