Gerace sprung up from the ruins, close | still to be traced, show that a Roman to which the rly. passes, of city subsequently occupied the site. Locri Epizephyrii, one of the most ancient cities of Magna Græcia, celebrated in the verses of Pindar, and for its association with its great legislator Zaleukus (B.c. 664). It was founded by a colony of the Locri Ozolæ, according to the Greek tradition, about 683 years B.C. Pindar, in the Second Pythian Ode, commemorates the services rendered to the city by Hiero King of Syracuse, in having deterred Anaxilaus King of Rhegium from the war with which he had threatened it, and in having thereby enabled the Locrian maiden to sing her melodies in happy security before her door. Both Pindar, in the 11th Olympic Ode, and Demosthenes, praise the hospitality of the citizens to strangers, their skill in all the arts of civilized life, their wisdom, their love of justice, and their prowess in war: tant. Κόσμον ἐπὶ στεφάνῳ χρυσέας ἐλαίας ζεφυρίων Λοκρῶν γενεὰν ἀλέγων· ̓Ακρόσοφον δὲ καὶ αἰχματὰν, ἀφίξεσθαι. The existing ruins are not impor- [A bridle-road leads from Gerace over the Aspromonte by the Passo del Mercante to Casalnuovo, whence Gioja (Rte. 155) may be reached in 5 hrs. The scenery of the pass is very grand, combining the richest forest scenery with the wild glens of the rocky mountains through which the road is carried. The highest part of the ascent from Gerace is particularly remarkable for its extensive and magnificent views. Both seas are visible from this summit, and the road descends on the western side through very imposing scenery, overlooking the gulf of Gioia, and commanding a view which extends in fine weather to the Lipari islands, to 18 m. Cittanuovo (1117 Inhab.), finely situated at the foot of the mountains, and sufficiently high above the plain to be free from malaria. It was totally destroyed by the earthquake of 1783, and was almost entirely rebuilt of wood. From Cittanuovo the distance to Gioia is 18 m.; the traveller may join the high road to Reggio at Gioia, Rte. 155, and there is now a new road from Gerace to Gioja, passing over the low part between the Rutulo and Jejunio mountains.] From Gerace to Capo Spartivento, and thence to Reggio the rail. follows the sea-shore. The country and the villages we pass present little classical interest, but are highly picturesque, having the bold ridges of the Aspromonte on the rt. all the way. On leaving Gerace the line crosses the Merico, leaving on the 1. the ruins of Locri, and on the hills on the rt. the villages of Postiglione, St. Ilaria, Condovianni and Bombili, and, after crossing the Petito, brings us to 8 kil. Ardore Stat. 2 m. from the town (5141 Inhab.), on a hill amidst vineyards and orchards. Crossing the broad valley that intervenes, the line reaches 4 kil. Bovalino Stat. (2644 Inhab.), the village picturesquely situated on a high hill. [A path of 5 m. ascends from Bovalino to S. Luca (1605 Inhab., a village where guides can be hired to visit S. Maria de' Polsi. This monastery is placed below Montalto, the highest peak of the Aspromonte. and is only remarkable for the striking character of the scenery round it. The path to it from S. Luca, owing to the numerous windings in crossing the ridge of La Serra, is about 8 m. The monastery, a substantial square building, said to have been founded by the Normans, is completely surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains, which rise perpendicularly on the W. side in a succession of enormous buttresses, from which a small torrent tumbles foaming on the rt. of the building. These mountains are clothed with fine ancient forests of chesnut, ilex, oak, and a particular variety of pine of great beauty, the Pinus Laricio Calabra. For several months of the year the monks are snowed up and shut out from the rest of the world.] Crossing several streams we come to 7 kil. Bianconuovo Stat. 2 m. from Bianco (1931 Inhab.) on a narrow ridge of white chalk. The line goes through olive plantations, leaving on the 1. Capo Bruzzano, the Zephyrian promontory from which Locri derived the appellation of Epizephyrii. Farther on we pass on the rt. Bruzzano (1407 Inhab.) on the edge of a great rock rising out of the plain. It was the head-quarters of the Saracens in the 11th cent. Crossing a stream, we see 1 m. off Stati (1378 Inhab.) in a picturesque situation, with its houses and churches growing, as it were, out of solitary rocks. The line skirts a marshy low ground before reaching 15 kil. Brancaleone Stat., a village (1323 Inhab.) on a hill 1 m. from the sea, where Greek was still spoken at the beginning of this cent. Following the shore, we leave on the 1. from the shore, situated on offshoots of the Aspromonte, and of difficult access, are several villages in which the Greek language is still spoken. They can be visited without much difficulty from Reggio in 3 or 4 days, and the extraordinary beauty of the scenery, combined with the interest that attaches to these last remnants of Hellenism in this extreme and remote corner of Italy, will compensate for the discomforts which may be experienced on the expedition. 7 kil. Palizzi Stat. 2 m. from the village (2087 Inhab.), prettily situated at the base of two perpendicular barren rocks, perched on the summit of the highest of which stand the ruins of its former castle. 1 m. E. is the insignificant village of Pietrapennata, on a hill surrounded by the most beautiful forests, with the finest view conceivable of sea and mountains, and made familiar by the drawings of Mr. Lear. From Pietrapennata a path of 6 m. descends to the sea-shore at Capo Spartivento. Crossing the stream Daria, the line runs W. to 5 kil. Bova Stat., near the Marina di Bova, a rising village at the seaside, 5 m. from Bova (3438 Inhab.), the see of a bishop, picturesquely placed on a high mountain on the rt. At Bova as well as at Condofuri, and other villages near it, Greek is still spoken by the people, but is gradually disappearing. The local antiquaries maintain that Bova is an ancient settlement, and that its inhabitants may be regarded as the lineal descendants of the Locrians or Rhegians. Of late years Bova has been losing its importance by the removal of the bishop's residence and several of the public offices and principal inhabitants to the Marina di Bova. 4 kil. Amendolea Stat. 6 m., from the castellated but nearly deserted village on a high hill, on the rt. On leaving the station, we cross the 6 kil. Capo Spartivento Stat., the Piscopio, or Amendolea, the ancient Promontorium Herculis. Between this Cacinus, on whose banks Laches deand Capo dell' Armi, at a short distance | feated a body of Locrians. Euthymus, the celebrated Locrian wrestler, disap-| castle. Following the ravine, 2 m. Following the shore, and enjoying a fine view of the distant Etna, after 4 m. we cross the Alice, the ancient Halex, the boundary between the Rhegians and the Locrians, at the mouth of which the latter had a small fort taken by the Athenians under Laches, B.C. 426; and reach 9 kil. Melito Stat. (3853 Inhab.), on the rt. bank of the Alice, the southernmost town in Italy. It was here that Garibaldi landed in Sept. 1860, after having overrun Sicily, to drive the last Bourbon King, Francis II., out of his continental dominions; and again in Aug. 1862, when less fortunate, he was obliged to surrender to a Royal Italian force, after having been severely wounded, in his first encounter, on the neighbouring heights of Aspromonte. 8 kil. Saline Stat. [From Saline we may ascend a steep path along the narrow bed of the Torrente della Monaca to Pentedattilo, the strangest of human abodes, perched like a pyramid among the spires of gigantic barren rocks which shoot up in the form of a hand, and are only accessible by a long flight of steps cut in the rock. The village, which is in a state of dilapidation, is surmounted by the remains of a baronial Montebello, on a square rock, perpen dicular on three sides, and surrounded by crags covered with the cactus in great luxuriance. Hence we may either follow a wild and difficult path through S. Lorenzo (4122 Inhab.) and Condofuri (2406 Inhab.) to Bova, or retrace our steps to the shore, and join the railway at Saline.] 6 kil. Lazzaro Stat., from which we have a grand view of Etna and the coast of Sicily. Soon after leaving it, we pass by Capo dell' Armi, the Promontory The line now turns N.W. and finally 6 kil. Pellaro Stat. (4618 Inhab.), 6 kil. S. Gregorio Stat., and through a highly-cultivated district reaches 4 kil. REGGIO Terminus Stat., described in Rte. 155, p. 417. INDEX. ABBEYS. A. ABBEYS:-Monte Casino, 18. SS. Acerra stat., 24; town of, near Acherontia, now Acerenza, 397 AMOROSI. Airola, village of, 309 Alaric plunders Puteoli, 313. 12 Alba Fucensis, now Albe, 72 Albero, village of, 262, 267 -, Mons, now Monte Albur- Alento, river (Heles), 59, 299 Alfedena, village of (Aufidena), Enaria, one of the names of, Punta dell', 423 Isernia, 52 Agata, S., village, and convent -, post station, 37 de' Goti, town of, 310 Agrifoglio, Crocelle di, 409 Bacoli, 329 Alife, village of (Allifæ), 358 Modes of approach, from Sor- from Castellammare, 260 28 Amatrice, town of, 40 Amiternum, Sabine city of, ANNUNZIATA. Annunziata, Torre dell', 209 Antonio, S., Festa di, 108 Appia, via, 4 Apulian system of agriculture, Aqueducts, ancient :- Julian, 90, 303, 312, 331; Naples, 90 Taranto, 387 - modern:- Caroline, 356 Caserta, 306 Of the Sarno under Pompeii, 210, 221, 302 AQUILA, 42 to Solmona, 46 Aragon, house of, tombs of the Arce, and Rocca d', or fortress Argyripa or Arpi, its site near Arintha (?), now Rende, 407 Arocho fluv., now the Crocchio, BABBAGE. Arpaia, village of (Caudium), Arpinas, Insula, 64 Arsoli, frontier station, 73 Arx Volsarum, site of, 63 Asculum Picenum, now Ascoli, Asinello, rivulet, 60 Aspromonte, 419, 428 BATTLES. Bacoli, village (Bauli), 329 Submerged ruins, 328 Villa of Piso, 328 Bandusia, fountain of, 397 Assi, river, the ancient Ele- Barano, village, 351 porus, 426 Astroni, crater and royal chace Atella, now S. Elpidio, birth- Aternum, ancient, 57 Atrani, town of, 283 Augustus, place of his death, Auletta, town of, 402 Avella, town of (Abella), 304 Barbaro, Monte (Mons Gaurus), Barbarossa, castle of, 274 BARI, city and port of (Bari- Bari to Taranto, 385. Baronisi, village of, 32, 302 Barra, village of, 192 tus), river, 300, 398, 421 Pompeii, 223, 249 modern:-S. Biagio, 410 Paterno, 41 Stufe di San Germano, 186 |