9. At certain intersections, the path distends and expands to
create a wider open space designed to slow pedestrians down
so that they might admire the view while at others a cypress
tree or large rock frames a view of the Parthenon.
At other points, the path seems to swell purposefully to
incorporate features of the landscape, so that they become an
essential part of its composition. The play between the
apparently accidental and more purposeful integration of the
landscape creates an ambiguous condition. This ambiguity
leads many visitors to assume that the path dates to antiquity
and that its current meandering form is a result of distortions
due to the landscape changing over time.