Greece is a small peninsula in southeastern Europe cut up by many deep gulfs and bays and crossed by rugged mountains. The colors of its landscape have been thus described: "Against a deep blue sky, its bold hills and mountains, often powdered with snow, stand out in clear outline, and its fertile valleys please the eye with their green vineyards and groves of silver-gray olive trees."
MOUNT OLYMPUS, IN GREEK MYTH THE HOME OF THE GODS
Greece is kissed by gentle winds of the Mediterranean Sea and has the warm, balmy climate that all the shores of this inland ocean have.
Greek colonies
261. The Greeks of the Olden Times. The Greeks were bold people and many of them went on long voyages in their small vessels. These voyages were not for plunder, but for trade and for planting colonies. Under the lead of some brave Greek they made their way to France, to Italy, to Africa, to Asia Minor, and to the shores of the Black Sea. Some of these colonies became rich and prospered greatly. There were so many Greeks living in southern Italy that it was called "Greater Greece." In the island of Sicily stood the largest and most splendidly built city in Greater Greece, called Syracuse.
PART OF THE FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON, THE GREAT ATHENIAN TEMPLE
An old Greek myth
262. The Brave Deeds of Ancient Greek Heroes. The story of the Greek heroes was the invention of her early poets. The most famous of these heroes was Hercules, the most powerful man that ever lived, according to story. He performed twelve mighty labors, among them killing with his hands a big lion, and a terrible water serpent or snake which bore many heads.