Neriton
I am Odysseus, Laertes' son, world-famed,
For stratagems: my name has reached the heavens.
Bright Ithaca is my home: it has a mountain,
Leaf-quivering Neriton, far visible.
For stratagems: my name has reached the heavens.
Bright Ithaca is my home: it has a mountain,
Leaf-quivering Neriton, far visible.
Neriton isn't hard to find, there's one big mountain range on Lefkada (Elati Oros) that covers half the island. Above is a picture of its highest peak, Mount Stavrota, which measures 1,182 metres high. The mountain is a prominent feature on the island and can be seen from a considerable distance. This is what Odysseus says about it:
Both Mount Stavrota on modern Lefkada and Mount Neriton on ancient Ithaca are eye-catching and far visible, it's not hard to imagine they're the same mountain. The steepest, most recognisable side of mount Neriton rises up from the north of Vasiliki plain. To its east lies another mountain range.
Mega Lakkos
Stavrota
Vasiliki plain
Odussey Book 9 line 19-29 Samuel Butler
The photo was taken from a mountain west of Neriton, which stretches all the way into the bay of Vasiliki and ends at Capo Ducato. Its other side plunges down into the Ionean Sea, forming steep, bright cliffs and beaches (bright Ithaca is my home). There's one other mountain on the flanks of Vasiliki plain, called Neion, which featured in Mentes' story. From these four mountains water flows into the plain of Vasiliki.