town of Spain, in Old Castile, seated on the river Arlanza, with the title of a duchy. W. Lon. 3° 5'. N. Lat. 42° 2'.

Lerna, (anc. geog.), not far from Argos, on the confines of Laconica; supposed to be a town of Laconica, but on the borders of Argolis; the position which Paulanias allots to it, near Temenium, on the sea; without adding whether it is town, river, or lake. According to Strabo, it is a lake, situated between the territories of Argos and Mycene, in contradiction to Paulanias. If there was a town of this name, it seems Lerna seems to have flood towards the sea, but the lake to have been more inland. Mela calls it a well-known town on the Sinus Argolicus; and Statius by Lerna seems to mean something more than a lake. This, however, is the lake in which, as Strabo says, was the fabled Hydra of Hercules: therefore called Lerna Anguifera (Statius). The lake runs in a river or stream to the sea, and perhaps arises from a river, (Virgil.) From the lake the proverb, Lerna Malorum, took its rise; because, according to Strabo, religious purifications were performed in it; or, according to Hesychius, because the Argives threw all their filth into it.