20.
Among the neighbouring lakes are Trephea363 and Cephissis. Homer mentions it;
“Who dwelt in Hyla, intent upon amassing wealth, close to the lake Cephissis;”364
for he did not mean to specify the lake Copais, as some suppose, but that called Hylicus,365 from the neighbouring village, which is called Hylæ: nor did he mean Hyda, as some write the passage,
“He lived in Hyda,”
for there is a place of this name in Lydia,
“at the foot of the snowy Tmolus, in the fruitful country of Hyda;”366
and another in Bœotia; he therefore adds to
“behind the lake Cephissis,”
these words,
“near dwelt other Bœotians.”
For the Copais is of great extent, and not situated in the Theban district, but the other is small, and filled from the former by subterraneous channels; it is situated between Thebes367 and Anthedon. Homer however makes use of the word in the singular number, sometimes making the first syllable long by poetical licence, as in the Catalogue, ἠδ’ Ὕλην καὶ Πετεῶνα,368 and sometimes shortening it, as in this instance; Ὅς ῥ’ ἐν Ὗλῃ ναίεσκε; and again, Tychius Σκυτοτόμων ὄχ’ ἄριστος Ὕλῃ ἔνι οἰκία ναίων.369 Nor do some persons correctly write in this passage, Ὗδῃ ἔνι,
“In Hyda,”
for Ajax was not to send for his shield from Lydia.
