an inland district in the heart of Peloponnesus (Trabo). It is mountainous, and fitted for pasture than corn; and therefore chiefly celebrated by bucolic or pastoral poets, who feign Pan, the god of shepherds, to be the guardian of it (Virgil). It has to the north Achaia, to the east Argos and Laconia, Messenia to the south, and Elis to the west. According to Pliny, the wine of this country cured barrenness in women, and inspired the men with rage; and the berries of the yew gathered there were so strong a poison, that whoever slept or took refreshment under that tree were sure to die. In Strabo's time there were few cities remaining in it, most of them being destroyed in the Grecian wars. Eustathius says, that the country was anciently called Pelaigia, from Pelaigos, who brought the people, from roots, herbs, and leaves of trees, to feed on acorns, especially beech-mast; as Artemidorus observes, that the Arcadians usually lived on acorns. It was also called Lycaonia, Gigantia, and Parrhasia (Stephanus). The Arcadians are greatly commended for their love of, and skill in, music (Virgil, Polybius).

To imitate the Arcadians, is to labour and toil for the benefit of others, never conquering their own, but the enemies of others (Hesychius). This probably took its rise from the ancient Arcadians being accustomed to hire themselves out as mercenaries to foreign nations. Homer commends their martial prowess, their pastures, their sheep, and their country well-watered. The gentilitious name is Arcades, who boasted of their great antiquity, and that they were older than the sun and moon (Apollonius, Rhodius, Nonnus, Plutarch, Ovid, Statius). They were the first who had a year of three months, and therefore called Proceleni, because their year was prior to that adjusted in Greece to the course of the moon (Censorinus).