[476] Πόλεις μικραὶ καὶ λυπρόχωροι, Strabo, ix. p. 427.
[477] Herod, vii. 126; Thucyd. ii. 102.
[478] See the difficult journey of Fiedler from Wrachori northward by Karpenitz, and then across the north-western portion of the mountains of the ancient Eurytanes (the southern continuation of Mount Tymphrêstus and Œta), into the upper valley of the Spercheius (Fiedler’s Reise in Griechenland, vol. i. pp. 177-191), a part of the longer journey from Missolonghi to Zeitun.
Skylax (c. 35) reckons Ætolia as extending inland as far as the boundaries of the Ænianes on the Spercheius—which is quite correct—Ætolia Epiktêtus—μέχρι τῆς Οἰταίας, Strabo, x. p. 450.
[479] Strabo, x. pp. 459-460. There is, however, great uncertainty about the position of these ancient towns: compare Kruse, Hellas, vol. iii. ch. xi. pp. 233-255, and Brandstäter, Geschichte des Ætolischen Landes, pp. 121-134.
[480] Ephorus, Fragm. 29, Marx. ap. Strabo, p. 463. The situation of Thermus, “the acropolis as it were of all Ætolia,” and placed on a spot almost unapproachable by an army, is to a certain extent, though not wholly, capable of being determined by the description which Polybius gives of the rapid march of Philip and the Macedonian army to surprise it. The maps, both of Kruse and Kiepert, place it too much on the north of the lake Trichônis: the map of Fiedler notes it, more correctly, to the east of that lake (Polyb. v. 7-8; compare Brandstäter, Geschichte des Ætol. Landes, p. 133).
[481] Thucyd. iii. 102.—ἀγνωστότατοι δὲ γλῶσσάν εἰσι, καὶ ὠμόφαγοι ὡς λέγονται. It seems that Thucydidês had not himself seen or conversed with them, but he does not call them βάρβαροι.
[482] Ephorus, Fragment. 29, ed. Marx.; Skymn. Chius, v. 471; Strabo, x. p. 450.
[483] Thucyd. i. 6; iii. 94. Aristotle, however, included, in his large collection of Πολιτείαι, an Ἀκαρνάνων Πολιτεία as well as an Αἰτωλῶν Πολιτεία (Aristotelis Rerum Publicarum Reliquiæ, ed. Neumann, p. 102; Strabo, vii. p. 321).
[484] Timæus, Fragm. xvii. ed. Göller; Polyb. xii. 6-7; Athenæus, vi. p. 264.