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τὰ Οἰταίων ... τὰ Τρηχινίων. These geographical terms, as well as the phrase περίοδός τε καὶ ἀνάβασις (ch. 223. 1), are more natural if Hydarnes made the détour described by Pausanias (cf. ch. 216 n.). If he went right up the Asopus ravine, the heights held by the Oetaeans must be those above the left bank, and the Trachinian mountains must belong to the range of Mount Callidromus (Leake, N. Greece, ii. 55).

ἀκρωτηρίῳ τοῦ ὄρεος. Grundy (p. 303) confidently places the Phocians ‘at an old φρούριον which evidently guarded the pass in former days. . . . It is at the true summit of the pass . . . and accords with the little H. tells us of the scene, save that the trees hereabout are not oaks but firs.’ ‘When the Persians reached that point . . . they would have traversed two-thirds of the whole distance’ (p. 311 n.). He would thus explain H.'s statement (ch. 223. 1) that the descent is much shorter than the way round and the ascent (but cf. sup.). Munro (J. H. S. xxii. 314), however, argues forcibly that this and similar expressions (ῥάχιν τοῦ ὄρεος, ch. 216; τὸν κόρυμβον, ch. 218) cannot be pressed, since H., though he had doubtless travelled along the coast road, only refers vaguely to the Anopaea path. He thinks the Phocians (ῥυόμενοι τὴν σφετέρην) must have defended Pausanias' ‘steep path’ (ch. 216 n.) as well as the Anopaea. He would therefore post them near the intersection of these paths, not far from the monastery Panagia. He holds that this is confirmed by the large number of oaks (ch. 218) in the forest just above it (Grundy, p. 302).

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