B. ix. c. v. 6. THESSALY. 133 " Who led a brave band of Dolopian slingers, Who were to aid the javelins of the Danai, tamers of horses." The words of the poet are to be understood according to the figure of the grammarians, by which something is suppressed, for it would be ridiculous for the king to engage in the expe- dition, ( I live at the extremity of Phthia, chief of the Dolopians," *) and his subjects not to accompany him. For [thus] he would not appear to be a comrade of Achilles in the expedition, but only as the commander of a small body of men, and a speaker, and if so, a counsellor. The verses seem to imply this mean- ing, for they are to this effect, "To be an eloquent speaker, and to achieve great deeds." 2 From this it appears that Homer considered the forces under Achilles and Phrenix as constituting one body ; but the places mentioned as being under the authority of Achilles, are subjects of controversy. Some have understood Pelasgic Argos to be a Thessalian city, formerly situated near Larisa, but now no longer in ex- istence. Others do not understand a city to be meant by this name, but the Thessalian plain, and to have been so called by Abas, who established a colony there from Argos. 6. With respect to Phthia, some suppose it to be the same as Hellas and Achaia, and that these countries form the south- ern portion in the division of Thessaly into two parts. But others distinguish Phthia and Hellas. The poet seems to dis- tinguish them in these verses ; " they who occupied Phthia and Hellas," 3 as if they were two countries. And, again, " Then far away through wide Greece I fled and came to Phthia," 4 and, " There are many Achaean women in Hellas and Phthia." 5 The poet then makes these places to be two, but whether cities or countries he does not expressly say. Some of the later writers, who affirm that it is a country, suppose it to have extended from Palsepharsalus to Thebse Phthiotides. In this country also is Theti<Jium, near both the ancient and the modern Pharsalus; and it is conjectured from Theti- 1 II. ix. 480. 2 II. ix. 443. 3 II. ii. 683. II. ix. 498. II. ix. 395.
