AT present the whole sea-coast lying between the Achæi and Messenii is called Eleia, it stretches into the inland parts towards Arcadia at Pholoe, and the Azanes, and Parrhasii. Anciently it was divided into several states; afterwards into two, Elis of the Epeii, and Elis under Nestor, the son of Neleus. As Homer says, who mentions Elis of the Epeii by name, “ Sacred Elis, where the Epeii rule.
” The other he calls Pylus subject to Nestor, through which, he says, the Alpheius flows:
The poet was also acquainted with a city Pylus;“ Alpheius, that flows in a straight line through the land of the Pylians.1
”Il. v. 545.
The Alpheius however does not flow through nor beside the city, but another river flows beside it, which some call Pamisus, others Amathus, from which Pylus seems to be termed Emathöeis, but the Alpheius flows through the Eleian territory.“ They arrived at Pylus, the well-built city of Neleus.2
”Od. iii. 4.
