Reginald Walter Macan, Herodotus, The Seventh, Eighth, & Ninth Books with Introduction and Commentary

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Φοῖνιξ. This stream is still to he identified by the red, or rusty, colour of its waters (due to the presence of iron) which issue from two warm springs at the point of the ὑπωρέη (c. 199) furthest advanced towards the north (Bursian, i. 92) and now fall (not into the Asopos hut) into the Spercheios. Hdt.'s statement respecting its embouchure is probahly correct for his date: on the other hand, the orientation is less correct; the Phoinix would, indeed, he south of the Asopos, but would be even more specifically east thereof. Hdt.'s orientations, both in this passage and in c. 176 supra, are governed not by accurate local observation, or autopsy, but by the general sense of the direction in which the Persians were moving.

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κατὰ δὲ τὸν Φοίνικα: this can hardly mean along between the Phoinix and the ὑπωρέη (c. 199), nor yet the crossing or culvert over the Phoinix, hut rather where the Phoinix joined the Asopos (Bursian, i. 92).

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στεινότατον ἐστί: ἁμαξιτὸς γὰρ μούνη δέδμηται: this deserihes the Western Gate of the pass, which we may perhaps eall πυλαί, cp. c. 176 supra. But the very narrowest part of all was the Eastern Gate (τὸ στενόν), ep. c. 216 infra. δέδμηται here imphes that the passage, or roadway, was artificially constructed, or laid: the less remarkable in this district associated with Herakles (a great road-maker), and dedicated to the Amphiktyonic celehrations. (This passage is not, however, noted in E. Curtius' hrilliant paper, ‘Zur Geschichte der Wegebaus,’ Gesam. Abh. i. 3 ff.)

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ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Φοίνικος ... ἐς Θερμοπύλας, from the Western to the Middle Gate, as explained ahove, notes to c. 176, the distance, 15 stades (about 3030 yards), would be suhstantially eorreet.

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ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξύ: this phrase had heen frequently understood to mean, ‘in the interval hetween the river and the Western Gate of the pass’; thus placing Anthela outside, and in front, of the Western Gate. It seems hetter to find the site of Anthela upon the higher ground, the spur of the hill, now marked hy the old Turkish harracks, or guardhouse, a position which would not he deserihed incorrectly as ‘hetwecn the Phoinix and Thermopylai’; for it lies above the Western Gate, with the Phoinix to the west and ‘Thermopylai’ to the east of it. Cauer ap. Pauly-Wissowa i. 1911 makes the Amphiktyons meet on ‘the small plain, to whieh the narrow pass of Thermopylai widens by Anthela’; this is prohahly identical with Leake's site, which Dr. Grundy's survey has entirely superseded. Cp. Great Persian War, p. 284 (where, however, Anthela is left upon the lower ground).

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κώμη ... Ἀνθήλη: cp. e. 176 supra. It is there a πόλις, a striking confirmation of the hypothesis of a different provenience for the two descriptions of Thermopylai, and of different dates for the eomposition of the two passages.

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Δήμητρός τε ἱρὸν Ἀμφικτυονίδος: these erections, (i.) the shrine of Demeter, (ii.) the Chairs, or Seats, of the Hieromnemones and Pylagoroi, (iii.) the shrine of Amphiktyon, are surely much better placed on the higher ground than on the low level. Hdt. throws no light on the date of their erection. The Amphiktyons met twiee a year at Thermopylai, as at Delphi (cp. Cauer, l.c. 1921 f.). The ‘seats’ were doubtless sub Jove. For a list of the twelve Amphiktyonic folks ep. c. 132 supra. These saered buildings would at least have required repair after 480 B.C., though there was no reason why the Persians should injure them any more than Delphi itself. They were perhaps restored at the time of the attempted revival of the Amphiktyony; cp. c. 214 infra.