the ancient Naupactus, called by the Greek peasants *Epakto*, a town of Northern Greece, province of Etolia, situate on the River Mornoe, about 4 miles E.N.E. from the Castle of Roumelia, in N. Lat. 38° 21'. 50", and E. Long. 21° 46". It stands in the midst of a fertile territory, covered with olives, vineyards, and corn fields. Viewed from the sea, it is of a triangular form, receding up the slope of a hill, crowned by a fortress, from which a wall, diverging on either side, runs down to the shore, and shuts it in. Several walls run across the inclosure, with gates for intercommunication. The modern town is confined to the lowest inclosure, in which is also the harbour, which, although once available for ships of great size, is now navigable only by small craft.

The name Naupactus is said to have originated with the Heraclidae, who are reported to have built there the fleet with which they invaded the Peloponnese. After the Persian war it fell into the possession of the Athenians, who settled in it the expatriated Messenians. The Athenians made it their chief military station in Western Greece during the Peloponnesian war. At its close, Lepanto was taken by the Locrans, and afterwards passed in succession through the hands of the Eolians, Macedonians, Achaeans, and Romans. In 1475 it was invested by the Turks, who, after the loss of 30,000 men in four months, were forced to raise the siege. Within the Gulf of Lepanto, in 1571, was fought the great naval engagement between the Ottomans and the Christian powers of the Mediterranean, under Don Juan of Austria, in which the former lost about 200 galleys, and 20,000 men. Cervantes, the author of *Don Quixote*, distinguished himself in this conflict.