-- 135 --
der the command of Protesilaus as belonging to Phthia, from
Dolopia and Pindus to the sea of Magnesia; but as far as the
city Antron, (now written in the plural number,) which was
subject to Protesilaus, beginning from Trachinia and Oeta, is
the width of the territory belonging to Peleus and Achilles.
But this is nearly the whole length of the Maliac Gulf.
8
They entertain doubts respecting Halus and Alope,
whether Homer means the places which are now comprised
in the Phthiotic government, or those among the Locri, since
the dominion of Achilles extended hither as well as to Trachin and the Oetaean territory. For Halus and Halius, as
well as Alope, are on the coast of the Locri. But some substitute Halius for Alope, and write the verse in this manner;
they who inhabited Halus, and Halius, and Trachin. note
Il. ii. 682.
But the Phthiotic Halus lies under the extremity of the mountain Othrys, which lies to the north of Phthiotis, and borders
upon the mountain Typhrestus and the Dolopians, and
thence stretches along to the country near the Maliae Gulf.
Halus, note either masculine or feminine, for it is used in both
genders, is distant from Itonus note about 60 stadia. Athamas
founded Halus; it was destroyed, but subsequently [restored by
the Pharsalii]. It is situated above the Crocian plain, and the
river Amphrysus note flows by its walls. Below the Crocian plain
lies Thebae Phthiotides; Halus likewise, which is in Achaia,
is called Phthiotis; this, as well as the foot of Mount Othrys,
approaches close to the Malienses. As Phylace too, which was
under the command of Protesilaus, so Halus also belongs to
Phthiotis, which adjoins to the Malienses. Halus is distant from
Thebes about 100 stadia, and lies in the middle between Pharsalus and Thebae Phthiotides. Philip, however, took it from
the latter, and assigned it to the Pharsalii. Thus it happens,
as we have said before, that boundaries and the distribution of
nations and places are in a state of continual change. Thus
Sophocles also called Phthiotis, Trachinia, Artemidorus places
Halus on the coast beyond the Maliac Gulf, but as belonging
to Phthiotis. For proceeding thence in the direction of the
Peneius, he places Pteleum after Antron, then Halus at the
distance of 110 stadia from Pteleum.
