colour　to　please　the　eye；　and　to　be　a　natural　source　of　delight。　　The
  entire　circuit　of　the　wall；　which　went　round　the　outermost　zone；　they
  covered　with　a　coating　of　brass；　and　the　circuit　of　the　next　wall　they
  coated　with　tin；　and　the　third；　which　encompassed　the　citadel；　flashed　with
  the　red　light　of　orichalcum。　　The　palaces　in　the　interior　of　the　citadel
  were　constructed　on　this　wise：In　the　centre　was　a　holy　temple　dedicated
  to　Cleito　and　Poseidon；　which　remained　inaccessible；　and　was　surrounded　by
  an　enclosure　of　gold；　this　was　the　spot　where　the　family　of　the　ten　princes
  first　saw　the　light；　and　thither　the　people　annually　brought　the　fruits　of
  the　earth　in　their　season　from　all　the　ten　portions；　to　be　an　offering　to
  each　of　the　ten。　　Here　was　Poseidon's　own　temple　which　was　a　stadium　in
  length；　and　half　a　stadium　in　width；　and　of　a　proportionate　height；　having
  a　strange　barbaric　appearance。　　All　the　outside　of　the　temple；　with　the
  exception　of　the　pinnacles；　they　covered　with　silver；　and　the　pinnacles
  with　gold。　　In　the　interior　of　the　temple　the　roof　was　of　ivory；　curiously
  wrought　everywhere　with　gold　and　silver　and　orichalcum；　and　all　the　other
  parts；　the　walls　and　pillars　and　floor；　they　coated　with　orichalcum。　　In
  the　temple　they　placed　statues　of　gold：　　there　was　the　god　himself　standing
  in　a　chariotthe　charioteer　of　six　winged　horsesand　of　such　a　size　that
  he　touched　the　roof　of　the　building　with　his　head；　around　him　there　were　a
  hundred　Nereids　riding　on　dolphins；　for　such　was　thought　to　be　the　number
  of　them　by　the　men　of　those　days。　　There　were　also　in　the　interior　of　the
  temple　other　images　which　had　been　dedicated　by　private　persons。　　And
  around　the　temple　on　the　outside　were　placed　statues　of　gold　of　all　the
  descendants　of　the　ten　kings　and　of　their　wives；　and　there　were　many　other
  great　offerings　of　kings　and　of　private　persons；　coming　both　from　the　city
  itself　and　from　the　foreign　cities　over　which　they　held　sway。　　There　was　an
  altar　too；　which　in　size　and　workmanship　corresponded　to　this　magnificence；
  and　the　palaces；　in　like　manner；　answered　to　the　greatness　of　the　kingdom
  and　the　glory　of　the　temple。
  In　the　next　place；　they　had　fountains；　one　of　cold　and　another　of　hot
  water；　in　gracious　plenty　flowing；　and　they　were　wonderfully　adapted　for
  use　by　reason　of　the　pleasantness　and　excellence　of　their　waters。　　They
  constructed　buildings　about　them　and　planted　suitable　trees；　also　they　made
  cisterns；　some　open　to　the　heaven；　others　roofed　over；　to　be　used　in　winter
  as　warm　baths；　there　were　the　kings'　baths；　and　the　baths　of　private
  persons；　which　were　kept　apart；　and　there　were　separate　baths　for　women；
  and　for　horses　and　cattle；　and　to　each　of　them　they　gave　as　much　adornment
  as　was　suitable。　　Of　the　water　which　ran　off　they　carried　some　to　the　grove
  of　Poseidon；　where　were　growing　all　manner　of　trees　of　wonderful　height　and
  beauty；　owing　to　the　excellence　of　the　soil；　while　the　remainder　was
  conveyed　by　aqueducts　along　the　bridges　to　the　outer　circles；　and　there
  were　many　temples　built　and　dedicated　to　many　gods；　also　gardens　and　places
  of　exercise；　some　for　men；　and　others　for　horses　in　both　of　the　two　islands
  formed　by　the　zones；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　larger　of　the　two　there　was
  set　apart　a　race…course　of　a　stadium　in　width；　and　in　length　allowed　to
  extend　all　round　the　island；　for　horses　to　race　in。　　Also　there　were　guard…
  houses　at　intervals　for　the　guards；　the　more　trusted　of　whom　were　appointed
  to　keep　watch　in　the　lesser　zone；　which　was　nearer　the　Acropolis；　while　the
  most　trusted　of　all　had　houses　given　them　within　the　citadel；　near　the
  persons　of　the　kings。　　The　docks　were　full　of　triremes　and　naval　stores；
  and　all　things　were　quite　ready　for　use。　　Enough　of　the　plan　of　the　royal
  palace。
  Leaving　the　palace　and　passing　out　across　the　three　harbours；　you　came　to　a
  wall　which　began　at　the　sea　and　went　all　round：　　this　was　everywhere
  distant　fifty　stadia　from　the　largest　zone　or　harbour；　and　enclosed　the
  whole；　the　ends　meeting　at　the　mouth　of　the　channel　which　led　to　the　sea。
  The　entire　area　was　densely　crowded　with　habitations；　and　the　canal　and　the
  largest　of　the　harbours　were　full　of　vessels　and　merchants　coming　from　all
  parts；　who；　from　their　numbers；　kept　up　a　multitudinous　sound　of　human
  voices；　and　din　and　clatter　of　all　sorts　night　and　day。
  I　have　described　the　city　and　the　environs　of　the　ancient　palace　nearly　in
  the　words　of　Solon；　and　now　I　must　endeavour　to　represent　to　you　the　nature
  and　arrangement　of　the　rest　of　the　land。　　The　whole　country　was　said　by　him
  to　be　very　lofty　and　precipitous　on　the　side　of　the　sea；　but　the　country
  immediately　about　and　surrounding　the　city　was　a　level　plain；　itself
  surrounded　by　mountains　which　descended　towards　the　sea；　it　was　smooth　and
  even；　and　of　an　oblong　shape；　extending　in　one　direction　three　thousand
  stadia；　but　across　the　centre　inland　it　was　two　thousand　stadia。　　This　part
  of　the　island　looked　towards　the　south；　and　was　sheltered　from　the　north。
  The　surrounding　mountains　were　celebrated　for　their　number　and　size　and
  beauty；　far　beyond　any　which　still　exist；　having　in　them　also　many　wealthy
  villages　of　country　folk；　and　rivers；　and　lakes；　and　meadows　supplying　food
  enough　for　every　animal；　wild　or　tame；　and　much　wood　of　various　sorts；
  abundant　for　each　and　every　kind　of　work。
  I　will　now　describe　the　plain；　as　it　was　fashioned　by　nature　and　by　the
  labours　of　many　generations　of　kings　through　long　ages。　　It　was　for　the
  most　part　rectangular　and　oblong；　and　where　falling　out　of　the　straight
  line　followed　the　circular　ditch。　　The　depth；　and　width；　and　length　of　this
  ditch　were　incredible；　and　gave　the　impression　that　a　work　of　such　extent；
  in　addition　to　so　many　others；　could　never　have　been　artificial。
  Nevertheless　I　must　say　what　I　was　told。　　It　was　excavated　to　the　depth　of
  a　hundred　feet；　and　its　breadth　was　a　stadium　everywhere；　it　was　carried
  round　the　whole　of　the　plain；　and　was　ten　thousand　stadia　in　length。　　It
  received　the　streams　which　came　down　from　the　mountains；　and　winding　round
  the　plain　and　meeting　at　the　city；　was　there　let　off　into　the　sea。　　Further
  inland；　likewise；　straight　canals　of　a　hundred　feet　in　width　were　cut　from
  it　through　the　plain；　and　again　let　off　into　the　ditch　leading　to　the　sea：
  these　canals　were　at　intervals　of　a　hundred　stadia；　and　by　them　they
  brought　down　the　wood　from　the　mountains　to　the　city；　and　conveyed　the
  fruits　of　the　earth　in　ships；　cutting　transverse　passages　from　one　canal
  into　another；　and　to　the　city。　　Twice　in　the　year　they　gathered　the　fruits
  of　the　earthin　winter　having　the　benefit　of　the　rains　of　heaven；　and　in
  summer　the　water　which　the　land　supplied　by　introducing　streams　from　the
  canals。
  As　to　the　population；　each　of　the　lots　in　the　plain　had　to　find　a　leader
  for　the　men　who　were　fit　for　military　service；　and　the　size　of　a　lot　was　a
  square　of　ten　stadia　each　way；　and　the　total　number　of　all　the　lots　was
  sixty　thousand。　　And　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　mountains　and　of　the　rest　of
  the　country　there　was　also　a　vast　multitude；　which　was　distributed　among
  the　lots　and　had　leaders　assigned　to　them　according　to　their　districts　and
  villages。　　The　leader　was　required　to　furnish　for　the　war　the　sixth　portion
  of　a　war…chariot；　so　as　to　make　up　a　total　of　ten　thousand　chariots；　also
  two　horses　and　riders　for　them；　and　a　pair　of　chariot…horses　without　a
  seat；　accompanied　by　a　horseman　who　could　fight　on　foot　carrying　a　small
  shield；　and　having　a　charioteer　who　stood　behind　the　man…at…arms　to　guide
  the　two　horses；　also；　he　was　bound　to　furnish　two　heavy…armed　soldiers；　two
  archers；　two　slingers；　three　stone…shooters　and　three　javelin…men；　who　were
  light…armed；　and　four　sailors　to　make　up　the　complement　of　twelve　hundred
  ships。　　Such　was　the　military　order　of　the　royal　citythe　order　of　the
  other　nine　governments　varied；　and　it　would　be　wearisome　to　recount　their
  several　differences。
  As　to　offices　and　honours；　the　following　was　the　arrangement　from　the
  first。　　Each　of　the　ten　kings　in　his　own　division　and　in　his　own　city　had
  the　absolute　control　of　the　citizens；　and；　in　most　cases；　of　the　laws；
  punishing　and　slaying　whomsoever　he　would。　　Now　the　order　of　precedence
  among　them　and　their　mutual　relations　were　regulated　by　the　commands　of
  Poseidon　which　the　law　had　handed　down。　　These　were　inscribed　by　the　first
  kings　on　a　pillar　of　orichalcum；　which