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DOVER, K.J., A Journey on the Mainland of Greece. Private presses, 1938. Typoscript. 68(x2)p. ills. Burgundy cloth bound. Frontispiece: B&W photograph; folding map, 7 hand-drawn maps, 3 pages with drawings (Horses, People (a.o.: drawing of Dörpfeld), and Greeks (vs.) Italians). 'This is a collection of letters written home a six weeks' journey in Greece last spring.' (K.J. DOVER, Foreword, p.1). of K.J. Dover and his school friend Alistair Matthews on their horses accompanied by their Greek guide, near Khasia, Attica, 24.March 1938 on a trip via the so-called Cave of the Nymphs' to Phyle (p.8).12.4.38: 'Well, we have had a day of good surprises; the weather has cleared, and we have had a talk with Dörpfeld. 'We found him old and half blind, but looking extremely well and full of beans. Speaking quite passable English, he showed us round his private museum, and gave us a vigorous exposition of his theory about the Asiatic origin of the ruling dynasty of Mycenae.(..) To the majority of English scholars he is a kind of dragon breathing half-baked heresies; to us, one of the nicest characters one could meet.' (pp.37-38). We (...) 'went by car to the ruins of Nicopolis. It was here that Augustus won the battle of Actium, and to commemorate his victory founded the city, which Justinian afterwards enlarged. (...) Massive ruins stand up along every horizon; instead of stones, the fields are full of bits of Roman brick. (...) We scrambled through masses of brambles and devilish thorns to look of Augustus's temple in order to piece together his inscription, and all but lost our way in pitch-dark passages beneath the Odeon. (...) As Alistair said, if only some rich American would 'donate' a million pounds for its clearing and excavation, it might be a second Pompeii, almost a second Rome.' (pp.38-39). From the library of the late Sir Kenneth James Dover. € 1250.00 (Antiquarian)