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HARVARD
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τ Η S
HISTORY
ο F
HERODOTUS,
TRANSLATED
PROM
^ Η Ε GREEK.
W.ITH NOTES.
Β Υ
Τηβ Reteremd WILLIAM BELOE.
IN FOUR VOLUMES.
VOL. m.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR LIIGH AND SOTHEBYj
YORK-STREET, C Ο VE Ν T-G A R D Ε N.
Μ DCC XCI.
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/^arvardN
(universityi
LIBRARY
I OCT 1 1940 /
i^i/f ^y /f<*cw^ /¥'. J.A.uL•.
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Ν
HERODOTUS.
4 Φ »» » »»»»»» »»»» Φ 1 >»»»»
BOOK VI.
ERATO•
Chap. I.
U C Η was the fate of Ariftago-
ras, the inftigator of the Ionian
revolt. — Hiftiaeus of Miletus, as
foon as Darius had acquiefced in
his departure from Suia, pro-
ceeded to Sardis• On his arri-
val, Artaphernes the governor sliced him what he
thought could poffibly have induced the lonians to
revolt ? He expreffed himfelf ignorant of the caufc,
and aftoniihed at the event. Artapherjics, how-
ever, who had been informed of his preceding arti-
fice, and was fenfible of his prefent diflimulationj
obferved to him that the matter mSght be thus ex-
|dained : " You," fays he, " made the Ihbe ' which
Ariftagoras has worn.'
IL HiiHfleus
' Modi thiJbo^.]^l Uvf giren a Utmd tra&flatioii from the
Vol• III. . Β Ortck
f
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a ERATO.
II. Hiftiasus perceiving himfelf fulpcfted, fled
the very firft night towards the fea : and inftead of
fulfilling his engagements with Darius, to whofe
power he had promifed to reduce the great ifland
of Sardinia, aflumed the command of the Io-
nian forces againft him. Pafling over into Chios,
he was fei^ed aqd thrown into chains by the inha*
bitants, who accufed him of coming from the king
with fome defign againft their ftate. When they
had heard the truth, and were convinced that he was
really an enemy to Darius, they releafcd him.
III. Hiftiaeus was afterwards interrogated by the
lonians, why he had fo precipitately impelled Arif-
Grcek J but M. Larcher, thinking perhaps the expreflion fome-
what mclining to vulgarity, has rendered it thus, " You con-
trived the pk)t which he has executed.** Not very unlike this
pkrafe ttfed by the Perfian to Ariftagoras> is our Engliih one of
fiaiiding in another perfon's (hoes; which perhaps may be traced
to times more remote than may at firft be imagined. . Arifto-
phanes in his Equites has this ex|freflion :
OvKf Αλλ" ο9ηζ tUuv Λψνΐξ TivorO^oraf X^ff^^^
Τ•»σι ΤξοίΓοις τοκ σο* σι» ωσιτϊξ βλ»υr^o^σ'^ xj^n^ut•
When the Greeks reclined upon theif couches at meals and en-
ftrtainments, they pulled oiF their fandals; if any one on any
ecca£on wanted to leave the apartment, he put them on again*
Therefore, fays the poot, I do that with refpeft to your man-
ners, as a man doe^ at an entertainment, who, wanting to go
out ofrthe rqpm, ufes another perfon's fandals. It would by no
means be an m:iinterefting work, to trace the meaning of out
proverbial expreflions to their remoteft application: for mf
own part I api well convinced, that more of them might be dif^
covered in the cuftoms and languages of Greece and Rome,
than an Engliih ^tiquary would at firft perhaps be willing^ to
|diow.*-r.
tagora^
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ERATO., 5
tagoras to revolt, a circumftance which had occa-
fionod the lofs of fo many of their countrymen. His
anfwer was infidious, and calculated to imprefs the
lonians with alarm ; ν he told them what really was
not the fa6t, that his conduft had been prompted
by the avowed intentions of Darius to remove the
Phoenicians * to Ionia, the lonians to Phoenicia.
IV. His next meafure was to fcnd letters to cer-
tain Pcrfians at Sardis, with whom he had pre-
vioufly commuuicated on the iubjeit of a revolt ;
thefc he entruftcdto Hcrmippus, a native of Atar-
nis, who abufcd the confidence repofed in 'him>
by ddivering the Ictteni into the l^nds of Arta*-
phernes. The governor, after acquainting himfelf
with their contents, defired Hermippus to deliver
.(hem according to their firft ctfcilions, and then to
give to him the.anfwers mtended for Hiftiasus• In
confcquencc of thfe intelligence which, he by thefe
means obtained,; Artaphernes put a great number
of Perfians to death.
V* A tumult was thus excited at Sardis ; byt
Hiftiasrus failing in this projeft, prevailed on the
* Ψ• remove the Pbanicians, ^γ.]— It was the ealier to make
the lonians credit this affcrtion, becaafe fuch'kind of tranfmigra*
ti«iis were frequent amongft the A/Tyrians and Perfians. It if
weUimowii.tiiat the Jews were removed to Babylon and Media»
4χΛ Hyrcanians were to be found in Afia Minor : it would in-
deed be endlefs to enumerate all the tranfmigrations whidb
were made by the command of thofe people.— i^rc^r. We
have already (cm a^reat part of the Pseoniao^of Thrfice re•
inoTcd into Afia by ord^r of Darius. See bo9Jty. ch. 15.— fl
,- .. 4 Β α Chian9
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4 ERATO•
Chians to carry him Uck to Miletus. The MUc-
fians, delighted with the removal of Ariftageras, had
ah^ady tailed the fweets of liberty, and were litdc .
incliiied to give admiflion to a fecond maftcr. Hif-
tisus attempting to efie£k a landing at Mile-
tus in the night, was by fome unknown hand
wounded in the thigh : rejcfted by his country, he
again fet fail for Chios, whence, as the inhabitants
rcfufed to entruft him with their fleet, he paflTed
Λ / over to Mitylene*. Having from the LeA>ians ob•
tained the command of eight triremes properly
f^/^ ryUVp pcdj^ he prQce^ ^ ff4 ^Q Byzantium* Here he
took his ftation, and intercepted all the veflels com-
ing from the £uxine, except thofe which confented
to obey him.
VL Whilft HiftiKus, with the aid of the people
•f Mitylene, was afting thus, Miletus itfelf was
threatened with a moil formidable attack, bodi by
lea and land. The Periian generals had collefted
all dieir forces into one body, and making but litde
account of the other cities, advanced towards Mi-
letus. Of thofc who aflifted them byfea^ the Phce-
" ''nicians were the moft ^"crtj with xthdc ferved die
Cyprians, who had been recently fubdued, as well
-».the.-Cilicians and ^gyptisms•
VII. When the lonians received intelligence of
thii armament, which not only menaced Miletus, but
the reft of Ionia, theyfent delegates to the Panio-
• Jlf/Vy/wff.J— In the firft book, chap. i6o. it ii written My*
Jilene: the difference u in the originaL ^
< • . oiunj•
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fi R A τ ο: 5
nium Κ The rcfult of their deliberations was, that
' th^ Should by no means meet the Perfians by
land ; that the people of Miletus iHould vigbrouily
defend their city ; and that the allies ihould provide
/ C ^^^ equip every veflH in their power 5 that as ibon
Ij as their fleet Ihould be in readinefs they fliould
^ meet at Lade*, and rifque a battle in favour of
-^i^— MUfitUS• Lade is a fmall ifland immediately oppo-
lite to Miletus.
VIIL The lonians completed their fleet, and
aflfembled at the place appointed ; they were rein-
forced by the colleitive power of the -ffiolians of
Le/bos, and prepared for an engagement in the
following' onler. Tj^e Milcfians fumilhed eighty
veflcls, which occupied the eaft wingj next to
thefe were the Prienians, with twelve, and the
Myufians with three fhips ; contiguous were the
Chians in one hundred veflels, and the Teians in
' P/w/Wiflw.]— See chap. 148. of book the firft.— In my
note upon this word, I omitted to mention, that the Pamoninm
probably fuggefted to Milton the idea of his Pandemonium.—*
'Meanwhile the winged heralds by command
Of fovran power, witli a\^ful ceremony
And trumpet's ibund, throughout the hoil proclaim
A folemn council forthwith to be held
At pANDiMONiuM, the high capital
Of Sitan and his peers. T.
♦ Ldi/e.] — Pau^ias informs us that this ifland was dirided
into two, one of which parts was called Allerius, from Afterius
the ion of i\na6les.— 'See book i. chap. 25,— ST.
Β 5 feventecn ;
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\
€ Ε R A Τ O^
fcVcntccn : beyond thefe were the Eiythrcans and
Fhocasans^ the former with eight, the latter with
three fhips. The Lcihiiuis in feyenty fliips were
next to the Phocseans j in the extremity of the line,
.to the weft, the Samian^ wene pofted in fixty fliips :
the whole fleiet was compofed of three hundred and
fifty-three triremes.
IX. The Barbarians were poffefled of fix hun-
dred veflels : as foon as they came before Miletus,
and their land forces alfo were arrived, the Pcrfian
commanders were grcady alajrmed by the intelli-
gence they received of their adverfaries force j they
began to apprehend that dieir inferiority by fea
might at the fame time prevent their capture of
Miletus, and expoie them to the refpntment of
Darius. With thefe fentiments, they called toge^
ther. thofe Ionian princes who, being depofed by
Ariftagoras, had taken refuge amongft the Medes,
and were prefcnt on this expedition. — They addrelT-
,, cdthem to jhb effeft : " Men of Ionia, let each of
** you now Ihew his ^eal in the royal caufe, by
*' endeavouring to detach from this confederacy his
" own countrymen: allure ^ them by the promife
'^ that no puniihment' ihall be the confequence of
** their revolt; that neither their temples nor other
'* edifices fliall be burned -, that their treatment Ihall
'* not in any refpeft be more violent than before.
*' If they perfevere in trufting to the event of a
'* battle, tell them that the contrary of all thefe
^ will affuredly h^pen 3 — themfclves Ihall be hur-
;\ *^ ried
^- ■ '■ ■ , ' . .
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Ε R ΑΤΟ. 7
** ried into fervkudc, their youtli caftrated *, dicil•
" daughters carrwiltoBadlra *, and thcir^covmtry
' TcMti^j cafirateJ,'] — ^We learn that caftration was in a very
early period of fociety inflided as apuniihment for various
crimes. Diodoras Siculus, book i. chap. 78» fpeaking of the
Egyptians, has this paflage:
** The laws with refped to women were remarkably fevere •
if a man committed a rape upon a free woman, he had his pri-
vate parts cut off*; they were of opinion, that this one crime in-
cluded three others of a heinous nature— injuitice, defilement
(1^ τοη rtxfut σνγχοσίψ) and confuiion with refpef^ to children*''
Caftration in many coontries was the poniihment of adultery ;
and^y an edid of juiHnian it was infUfted alio on (bdomitef.
Hum e, in bisHiilory of England, gives the following extraordi-
nary* a^ of cruelty from Fitzftephen, which was perpetrated on
the clergy by Geoffrey, the father of Henry the Second.
** When he was mailer of Normandy, the chapter of Scei
prefumed, without his confent, to proceed to the election of a
biihop ; upon which he ordered all of them, with the biihop
eleft, to be caftrated, and made all their tefticles be brought him
in a platter." '^ ^ — '—
Mr. Gibbon, relating this anecdote, fubjoins, in his u&al far-
caftlc ftyle, *' Of the pain arid danger they might juftly com-
plain ; yet, fince they had vowed chaftity, he deprived them of
a faperfluous treafure."— 7*. , /
* J?g^tf. 1— This place, though mentioned by Strabo and <C
-< ^>
y / A other ancient writers, as of great importance, and the capital of
^ a province remarkable for its fertility, is now either entirel y un-
# 2^U k nown, or a very infignific^ pt p ^ce. Some are of opinion that
its modem name is Termend ; d'Anville thinks it is the city
■ '^ . ]y*;^ Balck.— Bafltra ^ i s thus mentioned by Virgil :
2 1 Sed neque Medorum fylvae ditiffima 'terra.
Nee pulcher Ganges, atque auro turbid us Hermus
Laudibus Italiae certent ; non Badra, neque Indi
Totaque thoriferis Panchai'a pingnis arena• T•
Β 4 . X. Under
,/'
$^a^ ni.
/ ■ ^ ■ , 'Digitized by LjOOQIC
* ERATO.
Χ. Under cover of tlie night the Ionian princes
were difpatched with die above refolutions to their
rcipeilivc coyntrymen. The lonians^ who were
thus addrefled, refiifcd to betrajr the common cauie,
believing thefe propofitions made to themfelvcs
^one. — Such were the incidents which happened on
(he arrival of the Pprftans before Miletus,
XL The lonians affemblcd at Lade, as had beeq
appointed^ and amongft the various opinions which
were delivered in council, Pionyfius the Phocacan
leader exprcflcd himfelf as follows : — " Our afiairs
'• are come fo that delicate point % Ο lonians, that
'' we
? Dili(at$ /e/»/.]--Literally, ^ are upon the pplnt of a ra*
sor." This paidge is quoted by Longinus, fed. 2^. as ^ happy
aii>ple of the hyperbaton, which he explains to be 9 tranfpofi•
tion of words or fentiments oat of the natural order of diicQurf<;,
and implying extreme violence of paffion.
Ttie wofd byperbat§n 19 deriyisd from ν%ΐξ beyond, and
tm,\%v to gp ; an4 Pearce, in his notes upon Lon^inus, gives two
examples of the ufe of this figure frona Virgil :
Mori^mur-ret in media arma ruamus. jEn. ii. 3^.8.
Me, me, adfu|n qui feci in me convert!^ fdrum.
jEp. ix. 437,
Livy alfo has an exprefiion fimilar to this of Herodotus :?--
«* Jam enim fub idu teli erant et undique inftabant hoiles.''
Erafmus» in his Adagia, gives us three examples of this pror
verl)ial expreffiop, from Homer, Sopl^ocles, and Theocritus.
That of Hpmcr is in the tenth book of tl^e Iliad, where Neilor
(ays:
' '^ WicJl
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ERATO. 9
^ we muft either be free men or flaves, and evea
^ fugitive flaves. If you willingly fubmic to the
*■ trouble, your fituation will at firft be painful, but
** having vanquilhed your enemies, you will then
** enjoy your liberties ; if you fuffer your vigour to
** relax, or diforder to take place amongft you, I
** fee no means of your evading the indignation
*^ with which the Perfian king will puniih your
** revolt. Submit yourfelves to my direftion, and
^ I will engage, if the gods be but impartial, that
*' either the enemy Ihall not attack you at all, or,
'* if they do, it Ihall be greatly to their own detri-
" ment•'•
XII. In confequence of this (peech, the Ionian!
reCgned themfelves to the will of Dionyfius. Every
day he drew out the whole fleet in order of battle
leaving a proper interval for the ufe of the oars : he
then taught them to manoeuvre* their (hips, keep*
Which Pope has rendered thus, diflTufely indeed, but with peco•
Ikr force and beauty, except in the fecond line, which is rather
flat;
But now the laft defpair furrounds our hoft.
No hour muft pais, no moment muft be loft ;
£ach fmgle Greek in this conclufive ftrife
Sunds on the Jbarpefl tdg€ Kii death or life. T.
• To /»7wrdf«vrf.]— AiUMrXp*» τοιιν^ιικς.— This paflkge Larcher
renders thus : <' He made them pais betwixt the ranks, and
quickly retreat.'' £mellus underftands the expreffion difier•
oitly; it is certainly a nautical term, I have therefore pre-
ferred the interpretation which I think the words will admilf
and which will certainly be more intelligible and iatis^^ftory $e
|l»p Engliih xfader.—r•
Ing
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ΙΟ ERATO.*
ing,the men at their arins : the reft of the day the
Ihips lay on their anchors ^ Without being fuf-
fered to receive any relaxation from this difd^)line^
the loiiians till the feventh day punotually obeyed
his commands i on the eighth, unuled to fuch fa-
tigue, impatient of its continuance, and opprefled
by tlae heat, they began to murmur : — «' We muft
• Ott thtir Λ^ί-/&^ν.]— The Greeks ufed to <lraw up their
VeiTels along (hore whilft they themfelyes were on land. When
the centinels perceived the enemy's fleet, they made i3gnals#
and their troop* immediately came on board. The Ionian s,
wKopi their leader would not iufFer to come on (hore, found the
fervice very laborious ; and as they were not accuilomed to mi-
litary difcipline, it is not furprifing that they confidered this as
a fpccies of fervitude which they were impatient to break
Larcher,
The firft anchors were probably nothing more than large
ftones, and we know that they fomctimes ufed for this purpofe
bags of fand, which might anfwer well enough for veflcls of
lmalΓbμrdcn in a light and fandy bottom. Travellers to the
Eaft make mention of wooden anchors ; and tliere belonged to
the large (hip made for king Hiero eight anchors of iron and
four of wood. The Phoenicians ufed lead for ibme part of
their anchors ; for in a voyage which they made to Sicily, Dio-
dorus Siculus fays, they found filver in fuch great abundance,
that they took the lead out of their anchors, and put iUver in its
place.
More anciently, the anchor had only q^e uuke or arm ;
the addition of a fecond has been afcribcd to Anacharfis th«
Scythian.
Our veiTels carry their anchors at the prow ; but it ihould
feem, from A6b xxvii. verfe 29. that the ancients carried their*
at the item.
^' Then fearing left they fliould have fallen upon rocks,
tRey caft four anchors out of the ftcrn, and wiflicd for the day."
—7;
. , • '' furely/'
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ERATO. tt
•^ furdy," they exclaimed one to another *^.havc
^ offended fome deity, to be expofed to thefe hard-
** ihf^; or we^muft be both abfurd and pufillani-
*' nious, to fuffer this infolent Phoc^ean, mafter of
•* but three veflels, to treat us as he pleafes> Hay*
'Mng us in binpS^STTinwrafHioled us with va-
^* rious evils. Many of us are abeady weakened
^ by fick^efi, and more of us likely to becOTic ΰχ,
" Better were it for us to endure any calamitiei
*^ dxan thefe, and fubmit to fervitude, if it muft be
^ fo, than be?u: our prefent oppreffions. Let us
^ obey him no longer." The difcontjent Ipread,
and all fubordination ceafed; they difembarkcd,
fixed their tents m Lade, and keepii^ thcmfcives
under the ihade '% would neither go on board, nor
«peat their military exercifes.
ΧΙΠ•
«• Under ^ fi^kff.l^-^This expreffion may feem to border a
Ihlie on tl^ adicolcuSj^tiU it is remembered tha^ in all oriental
climates both travellers and natives place thsir greateft deli^l^t
in flecping and taking their repafts under Ihade.
Ffom this circumftance the author of Obfcrvations on Paf•
/ages of Scripture has t^en occafion to ej{pl«^ ^n expreffion
4ii Homer, wWch i^as greatly perplexed the cpnwnentators. It
is in the (bliloquy of Hedtor, who deliberating whether he fliall
meet his adveffary unarmed, fays amongit other things :
Ty βά^ι^ι/ΑΟΛ•. //. xxii. 126.
iPope omits the word ιτιτρις altogether, and renders it thus :
We greet not here, as man cpnverimg man
'Ma at an ^ai, or journeying o*er 41 plain•
That
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ta Ε ft A Τ Λ*
XIII. The Samian leaders, obferving what pafled
amongft the lonians, were more inclined to liftcn
to the folicitations of the Perfiansto withdraw from
the confederacy: thefe folicitations were commu-
nicated to them by Places, the fan of Sylofon ; and
the increafing diforder which prevailed ίο obvioufly
amongft the lonians added to their weight• They
moreover refleftcd that there was littie probability
of finally defeating the power of the Perfian mo-
narch, fenfible that if the prefcnt naval armament
of Darius were difperfed, a fecond, five times as
formidable, would foon be at hand. Availing
riiemfelves therefore of the firft refufal of the lo-
Eian3 to perform their cuftomary duty, they thought
this no improper opportunity of fccuring their pri-
vate and facred buildings. ^Eaces, to whdc re-
jfnonftrance the Samians liftened, was fon of Sylo-
fon, and grandfon of iEaces : he had formerly en•^
joyed the fupreme authority of Samos, but widi the
other Ionian princes, had been driven from hi5
itation by Ariftagoras.
XIV. Not long afterwards the Phoenicians ad^
vanced, and were met by the lonians, with their
fleet drawn up with a contracted front, A battle
cnfued, but who amongft the lonians on this oc-
cafion difgraced themfelvcs by their ςowirdice, or
Thst IS, if the above interpretation be admlflltile, *' We do not
meet here like men» who to take their repail, pr ihun the heat,
accidentally and peaceably meet under the ihade of an oak.'* To
many this may appear far-fetched and forced j but -the expia-
rnttion of Euflathius is perhaps not lefs fo.«*-7'•
fignalized
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ERATO, I*
fignalized themielves by their yalour^ I am unable
to afccrtaini for they reciprocally cenfiirc each
either• It is faid that the Samians^ as diey had jtfe^
vioufly concerted with -flEaces> left their place ia
the line, and fet fail for Samoa. We muft except
eleven veiTels, whofe officers, refufing to obey their
fuperiors in command, remained and fought• To
commemorate this aft of valour, the general coun«-
cil of the Samians ordained that the names of theib
men, and of their anceftors, ihould be infcribedon a
public column ", which is ftill to be feen in their
forum. T he Le fbianS;i, ί^Ρ^$ wlwtt waj^^QOfLhy--
the Samians, next whom they were ftationcd, fol-
lowed their example, as did the greater number oi
the lonians•
XV. Of thofe who remained, the Chians. luf^
fered the moft, as well from' the efforts which they
made, as from their wiih not to aft difhonourably•
They had ftrengthcned the confederacy, as I have
before obferved, by a fleet of an hundred veflfek,
each manned witl> four hundred chofen warriors•
*' Puhlic f<7/«»f».]— Various were the ufcs for which pillars or
«olqADs were ere^d in the earlier ages of antiquity. In the
ieci|||0 book of Herodotus, we read that Sefoilris ereoted pillart
ts smlitary Of^hies in the countries which he conquered.
In the book ofPaufanias at Eliacis we find them infcribed
with the particulars of the public treaties and alliances. There
were fome placed round the teniple of ^fculapius at Corinth»
upon which the names of various diie^^ wei^ written» with
^tir ieveral remedies. They were alib t^^vently nfed aa
Bomuneats for the dead.— Γ.
Thejr
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14 ί: R A Τ Οί
They obferved the treachjerjr of marty of the allies»
but diiHaincd to imitate their example• With the
few of their fi-iehds which remiirifed, they repeated^
ly broke the enemy's line ; till> afoer taking a great
number of veflels, and lofing many of their own,
Aey retired fo their own ifland.
XVL Their difebled ihips being purfoed, they
letreated to-Mytale. The crewsi here ran dieif
veflfels on ihore> and leaving them, marched pn foot
ever die continent. Entering the Ephefian terri-
tories, they approached the city in the evening,
when die women were celebrating the myfteries oC
■V J C eres "i ' The Ephefians had heard nodiing con-
'"'^' iS^ing diem, and feeing a number of armed men
in their territories, they fufpeOted them to be rob-•
bers, whoJiad violent defigns upon their women.
They afiembied therefore to repel the fuppofed in-
ί •** Myfi^i^r tf Cfrw.]— The fame j^aloufy which prevailed
ia Greece with refpedi to the intrufion of men at the celebra-
l tlon of the Thefmophor ia, was afterwards imitated at Rome in
, ^^ . the rites of the Sona Dea. Witnefs the abhorrence in wluch
^i - 'the criminality of Clodius in this inftance was held by the more
j-efjpedable part of his CQuntrymen^ and the very ftrong kn-
-gnage applied againft him by Cicero. This peculiarity is in-
^troduced with n^ock humour and effed by Lucian» where fpeak;-
.ing of two mQx^i one remarkable for his attachment to boy$>
jand ai^otber to women ; *' the hovife of the oae^" fays he» ** was
.^owded with betrdJefs youths, of the och^r with dancing an^d
,ipging women; ^* indeed (*r( i» θκτ^οφο^»^) a^ in the Theiino-
.phor^i there W4$ noX a male to be if q^> qxcept perhaps an infant»
^oraii old cook tqo far advar^ced in yeare to^xcice jeajoufy.-r
See the edition of Hemilerhufiusj^ yoL uL 4Ρ7•<«-•7'•
vaders.
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ERATO. ts
vaders, and killed them all on the ipot• Such^as
the end of thefe Chians.
XVII. Dionyfius the Phocaean, •perceiring the
Ionian power efFcohially broken, retreated, After
taking three of the enemy's fliips. He did not
however go to Phocaea, as he well knew that mull:
(hare the common fate o^ Ionia, but he diredled
his courfe immediately to Phoenicia. He here
made himfelf mailer of many veflels richly laden»
and a confiderable quantity of filvcr, with which he
failed to Sicily : here he exercifed a piratical lifc^
committing many depredations on the Cartha-
ginians and Tyrrhenians, byt not moleiting :tbc
Greeks•
XVIII. The Perfians having thus routed the
lonia ns, laid clofe fiege to Miletus, both by fea
and land. They not only undermined the walli»
I) t) but applied every fpecies of nulitary machine»
againft it. In the fixth year after the revolt of
Ariftagoras, they took and plundered the placed
By this calamity the former prediition of the
orade was finally accompliihed.
XC< ii __ XIX* The^Algiygg^,h^v^"g confulted the oracte
^ 'of Delphi relative to the future fate of their city,
γ . received an anfwer which referred to themfelves ii^
' partj^ but which alfo involved the fortune of the
Milefians. Of what concerned the Argives, I > r '
fhall make mention when I come to IpealTorBiat
people 5 what related to the abfent Milefians, wa$ • ^
conceived in thefc terms :—
a Thou
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i6 ERATO.
V Thou then> Muetus, vcrs'd in ill too long,
Shalt be the prey and plunder of the llroi^;
I Your wives Ih^l ftopp to walH a long-hair'd '^
\ train, // V/V /*- r /t</ '''
And others guard our Didymasan fene.
Thus, as we have defcribed, was the prediftion
accomplilhed. The greater part of the Mijefians _
urere flain by the Perfians, who wear their hair
long; their wives and children were carried into
_- --fl»<^ty-».thfiiempJs,a t_Didyrnus ' % and the ihrine
near the oracle, was confumed by fire. Of the
riches
«• L•ng''ha^r*J.]'^FromJ^tnce we nuiy infer that it was not
peculiar to the Greeks to ufe female attendants for tbe offices
of the bath. The pafTages m Homer which defcribe the par-
ticulars of a cuftom fo contradif^ory to modem delicacy and '
lefinement, are too numerous to be fpecified, and indeed too
femiliar to be repeated here. I find the following paiTage in
Athenxasy which being lefs notorious» I infert for the gratifica-
tion of the Etigliih reader• ^
^ Homer alfo makes viVgins and women wa(h ilrangers>
which they did without exciting defire, or being expofed to in-
temperate paflion, being well regulated themfelves, and touch-
ing thoie who were virtuous alfo : fuch was the cuftom of anti-
/ quity« according to which the daughters of Cocalus waihed
Minos, who had paffed over into Sicily." — See Atbemeus, L 8.
^\. S4 /);^/β«/.]— This place was in the territories of Miletus,
and celebrated for the tensple of the Didymean Apc^o. Why
Αρ•11ο was fo named, is thus explained by Macrobius.
** ΑτολλΑτίΑ Δι^/«β»•ρ vocant quod geminam fpeciem fui ηα•
siinis praefert ipfe illuminando, formandoque lunam. Etenim
ex uno fonte lucis gemino iidere fpatia die! et noAis iDofirat»
unde et Romani folem fub nomine et Q>ecie Jani« Didyn^ei Apol*
Snis appeUatione venerantur/'
Thh
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•
ERATO." 17 />/ *
richer of this temple 1 have elfcwhere and frequently y
apoicen. y-
XX. The MUcfiaAs \iho furvivcd the flaughier
were carri€4 to Sufa, iDarius treated them with
great humanity, and db farther punilhed them than
'C^^j by removing them ^o Am^LlIx-a-iiiy n(:ar.that .
^^ 4 ^ ^^ part of the Erythrfen fea where it receives the ν -
2, waters of the Tigi;?s. The low country furround- * y _
M• ing the town of Alilctus the Perfians referved for ^
themlclvesj bur they gave the mountainous parts
[Ή totheCana^ •
h'.^yi^hf$i:^4^^tor. offering theTS cala^ '
. ^'^mities from the Perfians, did not meet with the re*
turn from the people of Sybaris who had been
Thu temple was more anciently denominated the temple of
Branchidx, the oracle of which I have before defcribed* '
As this title was given ^x)l]o from the drcumibnce of the ^
fun and moon enlighteoiog the world alternately by day and
night» it may not be improper to infert in this place an senigma
on the day and night :
E«#t umo'tynrat hrrdu St «i /χι« rutrtt
Ti}f ΛηξΛ9 avrn λ τ•χ«^« «r«Xif y'vwo rmorvi
Τικ•«τ«ι.
Thefe Unes are preferved in Athenxus> from a tragedy of
jEdipus , their literal interpretation Is this :«^
"There are two (ifters, one of which produces the other, and
that which produces is in its turn produced by the other."-*-?'• '
^ Jiw/r.]— See what Bryant fays on the terms Ampelui or
Ampe, YsiXzjs-e.^T, / ; -
p^//^j^-,,TM< was alfo the name of one of the hories of / / c /
y3
/ Achilles. — See lluntr, ll, xvi.—'T.
Vol. III. C driven
■' Γ'
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/ ',-
^-i^
/
//λ'
td Ε n A If α
φ -ivca from Laon and Scidron/>«ihich they might
juftly have expeftcd* When Sybafi»-4Ka s^ tokci^
by tW Cmt9"'^<^j the Milcfians had Ihaved dieir
heads '^, and difcovercd every teftimony of forrpw ^
for betwixt thefe two cities a aioft ftriit and un*
common hofpitality *• prevailed. The Athenians
d&ed
'^ Sbawd their ^λΛ.]— Confult Deuteronomy^ cHap. xxi,
verfe 13, from whence it feems that to ihave the head was one
inftance of exhibkkig forrow aaiongft the ancknt Jews.— 7*.
, *e Ho/pitaiiij,]'^As there ts nothing in the manners of mo-
dem times which at all refembles the ancient cuiloms refpec-
ting hofpitality, it may be pleaiing to many readers 10 find the
moil remarkable particulars of them colleded in this place*
" The barbarous di^ofitioff, ta confider all ibangers as ene-
«lies, gave way to the very firil efforts towards civilizationt;
and, as early as the time of Homer» provifion was made for the
reception of travellers into thofe fkmilles with which they
.were connected by the ties of hofpitality. This conne^on
was eileemed facred^ and was under the pamcular fanAion of
the hofpitable Jupiter» Zeus Xeniuu The fame word Xtnos,
which had originally denoted a barbarian and an enemy {Hero'»
Woius, ix. ch. II.) then became the term to exprefs either an
holhorhis gueft. When perfons were united by the tie of
hoipitality» each was Xenos to the other, though, when they
were together, he who received the other was properly diilin-
guiflied a& the Xenodocus (Sn^^oxo^.) In the Alceilis of Euri-
pides, 1. 546, and in Plato, we find mention of a Xenon {Snuif
or an apartment appropriated to the reception of fuch vifitors.
The bond of hofpitality might fubfift, 1. between private indi-
viduals ; 2. between private pcrions and ftates ; 3. between dif-
Terent dates. Private hofpitality was called Xenia; public,
Proxenia, Peifons who, like Glaucus and Diomede, ratified-
their holpitality in war, were called Doryxeni (Δο^ι;|ι>β».) See
Horn. IL vi. 215. &c. — This connection was in all cafes heredi-
tary, and was confirmed by gifts mutually interchanged»
which at firft were called fy mbols^ C^urip. Medea, 613) ; after >
wardis>
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Ε R A τ 0• 19
uftcd very dificrendy. The deftruition of Miktus
affefted diem widi die livelieft urieafincfs, which
was apparent from variom circumftanceSj and fi-om
the following in particular :— On feeing die capture
bf Miletus reprefented in a dramatic piece by Phry-
nichus '9> thie whole audience burift into tears; ^he
poet^
^^mras, ivHen reduced to a Idhd of tickets, inftead of prerentSj
ΛΤζΛγάλ6^ or teflerae. PJaut. Pent. aft. v. fc. ii.-^Every thing
gave wwf to this conne£tion: Admetus could not bear the
thought of turning away his Xenot, Hercules» even when his
wife was jud dead; and is highly praifed for it• Eurif. Akefl.^^
Hofpitality might however be reiio'unced by a folemn form of
abjurationy and yet after that might be renewed by a defcendant•
Thus> between the laty of Sparta and the family of Alcibiades»
It public hofpitality had fubfifted; his grandfather had folemnly
renounced it« but he by ads of kihdnefs revived it again. See
Tbticyd. V. 43 ; vL 89.— -This circumftance of renunciation has
not been noticed, fo iar as I have feen, by any modem writers.
See FHthius Antiq. Hbmerica» uL t2, 1 3; Potter, iv. li.—
Some of thfe ancient tejffera have been dug up at Rome and
eUewhere. See Tbomapnus ibt TeJJtrii Ho/^alitatis.^T\it right*
of fuppliantis were fimUar tu, and near counted with, thofe of
hDQ>ita]i^.
So Homer>
Oti μοι fiijCAic ir*§ ei* fff Kanwf stOir ιλθοι#
Sm»m arifiJi^*»• ητζος γοξ άίος 9t^f awcttltς
^iiwl Ti «rlw^oi Tf. 0<ή^ 3dv. 56.
The fwain reply M, It never was our gnife
To flight the poor, or aught humane defpife ;
For Jove unfolds our hofpitable door,
'Tie Jove that fends the ftrangerand the poor. Fofe.
r.
'* P/&rjriwVi&«/.]— There were three dramatic authors of thb
name, not far diibnt from each other in time. The Urii, a
tn^ic poet, the fon of Polyphradmon ; the fecond, a. writer of
C 2 comedy;
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y
fto Ε R A τ Ο.
poet, for thue remiftding them of a domdHc cala^
mity, was fined a thoufand drachmae, and the piece
tf as forWdden to be repeated.
XXII. Thus was Miletns ftripped of its ancient
/ inhabitants. The Samians, to whom any part of
their property remained, were far from fatisfied with
the conduit of their leaders in the conteft with the
Medes• After the event of the above naval fight,
and previous to tfie return of ^aces, they detrrmined
to remove, and found a colony, not choofing to
expofe themfelves to the complicated tyranny of
the Medes an^i of iEaces. About this period die
Zancleans of Sicily fent a deputation to invite die
lonians to Calafte*•, wiftiing to found there an
Ionian
comedy; the third, a tragic poet, the Ton of Melinuiae. Suidas,
Ivho mendons all thefe particuUrs, yet afcribes the tragedy of
the taking of Miletas neither to the firft nor to the third. But
in all probability it was the firft and not the third M4om Hero-
dotus, and the numerous hiftorians who copy him, mean to point
out. The lime in which he fiouriihed (for Suidas informs us
that he gained his fird vidory in the fixty-feventh Olympiad)
makes this fuppofitaon the nearer to truth. Among the dif-
ferent plays attributed to onrasthor, is one called either Πλι»•
f*;r, or ΠλινρΑ;»Μ»> Or HKw^intii, Fabricius and D'Orville are in
great perplexity upon this weighty point, which might eafily
have been decided, if they had feen (as they ought to have
feen) that inilead of iv ^p/Aol» «λ»|ι UU^i^Stn. £'ς «^^ov, &c.
it ought to be read, Πλιν^ϋ^ίβις• K^i^o», &c• which emenda•
tion every reader who confults the paifage will find to be nc-
ceiTary both for the fenfe and fyntax.— 7*.
**> Calaae^Y^Y^-Kn βχτη, the beautiful coall.— See Z)Orv//&V
^icula^ xxii. 3.
8 «» Pofiero
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ERATO. αι
Ionian city• This coaft belongs to the Sicilians,
but b in that part of Sicily ly^icb inclines towards
Tyiyhenia. The Samian^ were die qply lonians
who accepted the invitation, accompanied by thofe
^dilefians who had efcaped.
XXIII. When they were on their way to Sicily,
and had arrived off the Epizephyrian Locri", the
Zancleans,
'' Poilero die am^ifimttm littui, et DuHis fcopulis impedi-
Uun e Qupi ριχφίηςμο legimus, ^ laptdis j»6bi id attingefe ροΓ-
feitt«i» Hinc ^ra h»Q a Qx^m fiut Καλ« «xm di^ e£ in his
parcibiM urbs exciuua fuic at> Ducetis Siculorum duce, ?£ ab
pukhro boc lUore ΚβΛβχηι coalko vocabQio nominata."
The learaed author proc€«d3 to prove» which he does incon-
teftibly» that they who would read Calau» are certainly mif-
tajcen, iiaaa oppida quibus Calata nomen Saracenae ec proinde
xecentaofpij ongisis, &c. Silius Jtalicus calls this place Pifcofa
Calade, which term is applied by Homer to the Heilefpont»
" Efi^phjrian Zr^rri.]-— The Epizephyrian Locri were a co-
lony from the Locri of Proper Greece, who migrating to
Magna Grzecia, took their diilin^ive name from the Zephy-
nan promontory, near which they fettled. In Proper Greece
there were the Locri Ozolae, fituated betwixt the i^lians and
Phocxans, and fo called, as Hoffman fays, a gravitate odoris ;
the Locri Epi-Cnemidii, who re£ded in the vicinity of mount
Cnemis ; and the Locri Opuntii, who took their name from the
city Opus.
In Plutarch's Greek QueHions, I End this account of the Locri
Ozoke. .
<' Some affirm that thefe Locrians were called the Locri ΟζοΙφ,
firom Neifus ; others fay they were ia named from the ferpent
Python» which being caft on ihore by the foam of the fea there
putrified. Others aflert, that theie Locri wore for garments
tke ikini of he-goats» and lived conilantly amongft the herds of
C 3 goats.
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Zanclcans", under the condua of Scythes ύιάχ^
king, laid clofc ficgc to a Sicilian city. Intelligence
of this was conMniinicated to Anaxilaus **, prince of
Rhegium:
goati» and from this became ft^Ong fcented ; whilft there are
others who repprt of this country, that it brought forth many,
flowers, and that the people were ca^ed Oasolae, from th^
grateful perfume which they diffufed. Ardutas is one of thofe
who aiFerts this laft opinion» Atheoxus in his firft book, chap,
xix» reckons the Epizephyrisms amongft thofe who had a par-
ticul^MT kind of dance appropriate to their nation.
«< There were certain nations,*' (aye he, « who had dancei^
peculiar to themfelves, as the Lacedemonians, the Trezerians»
the EpizefhyrianSi the Cretans^ the lonians, and the Mantineans,
Arilloxenus preferred the dances of the Mantineans to all the
reft, on account of the quicknefs with which they moved their
hands."
*^ ZanckaHsJ\'^Oi aU the cities of Sicily, this was the moil:
ancient ; it was afterwards named Meifana, and now Meffina.•—•
See what Peter Burman fays on this qity, in his Commentaries
on the " Urbium Sicula; numifmata."— Z)Ora;///p, 290. The
reader may there find a very ancient coin in which Zande it
reprefented by a dolphin in a femicircular pofition.
Confult alfo Bentley's Diflcriation upon Phalaris, page IC7.
The Greeks called it Zancle,or the Sickle, from the fuppo•
iition that the fickle of Saturn fell here, and occafioned its (e-
mlcircular form• The Latins called it Meffana or Meffina,
from MelHs a barveft. Modem travellers defcribe the ap-
proach to this place from the fea as remarkably beautiful, and
the harbour, which the promontory forms in the (hape of χ
reaping-hook, as one of the fineft ih the world• Near the en-
trance of this harbour is the famous gulph of Charybdis, de-
fcribed by fo many ancient writers ; Compare Homer, Od) C
xii. with Virgil, iEn. iii.— 7^.
♦* JnaxiloMs.] — This pecfonage conftituted one of the fub-
je^ls of controverfy betwixt Boyle and Bcntley, who difputqd
whether the ^[laxilai^s mentioned by Pauianvis is the Anaxi-
laus
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ERATO. 23
Rhcgium**: he being hoftile to the Zanclcans, went
to the 3amians» perfuading them diat it would be
better for them to turn afide fit>m Calade, where
they were bound, and pofleis themfclves of Zan-
cle» now deierted by its inhabitants. The Sa-
mians followed his advice; upon which, anxious to
recorcr their city, the Zanelcans called to their
hoc Of Herodotus and Thncydides. Bendey, I think, proves
beyond the poflibilicy of difpute, that the three writers above-
mentioned fpoke of the fame perfon» and that the only difference
was with refpeft to the tim^in which he was fuppofed to live.
^ Rhegium,] now caHed Reggio. Its particular fituation is
thns defcribed by Ovid :
Oppofitttnaqae potens contra Zandeia faxa
Ingreditur Rhegium.
Its name was taken mw w fvyvrm, becaufe in this place, by
fome convulfive operaaon of nature» Sicily was anciently fup?-
pofed to have been torn from Italy. This incident is mentioned
by almoil all the Latin poets and philofophers. The bed de-
fcription in verfe of this phenomenon, is that of Virgil :
^aec loca vi quondam vafta convulfa ruina
(Tantum aevi longinqua valet matare vetuHas)
PiffilQUfe ferunt, &c. uEn. id. 414•
PKny^ $tr|bo> and o^ers affirm, that the flpata in the corre-
sponding and oppofite fides of th(C iir;ut are minutely nmilar.
•Ί he iame thing, it is almoft unnece/Tary to add, 29 reported of
England and France, and tb^ opppfite rocks of Dover and
^ulogne. The curious reader will find fome intere^ng par-
lic^lai-^ relating to Rhegium in D'Orville's Sicula, page 560,
where is alfo engraved an ancient marble found at Rhegium.
We learn from Scrabo, that the deities principally worihippcd
here, were Aj^ollo and Diana, and that the inhabitants were
eminent for works in marye.— 7*.
C 4 afliftanc^
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14 ERATO•
Alfiftance Hippocrates their allf, prince of Ge•*
la*^ He came widi an army as defired, but he
put in irons Scythes the Zandean prince, already
deprived of his city, together with his brother Py-
chogenis, and lent them to Inyciis **. The reft of
the Zancieanshe betrayed to die Samians, upon
tjcrms agreed upon between «hem at a previous in-
terview. Thefe terms were, that Hippocrates
ftoidd have half of the booty, and Ae flaves found
in the place, with every thing which was without
the city. The greater part of the Zancleans he
put in chains, and treated as flaves, feledting three
*« G^ /λ]— Τ inform the reader once for all, that «y intdli-
gence concerning the Sicilian cities is derived principally from
the intereffing work of DOrville.
Gela was anciently a confiderable city, and fituated near the
river of the fame name; of the qaatitiee of which Ovid thus
fpeaks: ^
PrsBterit' ct Cyanen et fortem lenis Ana|^
£t te vorticibus Don adeunde^Gela.
Virgil calls it immanis :
Immamfqoe Gela flovii cognomine dida.
t
It was built by the inhabitants of Rhodes and Crete in con-
junction ; but whether the epithet immanis is applied by Virgil
«s dcfcriptive of its greatnefs, may fairly be difputcd ; D'Of-
ville confiders it as fynonymous with crudelis, efferay Sec. or
elfe, A&>e afterwards adds, from^ its fitoation ad amnem vor-
ticofum et immanem. The fymbol of tUs city on the Sid*
lian coins was a minotaur. Its modem name b Terra Nova.
— r.
*• Inycus,'] — I find no Qiention of Inycus in D'Oryftfe, bat
Hefychtus has the expreffion ivvxi»•? όι»ο( ; who adds that Inycus
was anciently famous for its wine.—*?'•
hundred
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ERATO. 25
foificlr6d of die more cU^nguiihecl to be put to
death by Ae Samiaas^ who nererthekis Ipared their
Kves.
XXIV. Scythes, the ZMickan piiace, eiiraped
from Infcws to Himera *^, firom thence he croffed
owr to Afia^ and {n-efented himfelf belbre DaHus.
Of aU who had yet come to him irom Greece^
Danms thou^ this man the moil juilj ibr having
obtained the king's permifljon to go to Sicily, he
agam recurned to the Periian court, where he hap•
pily paSed the rcraainder of a very long life.
XXV. The Samiane, delivered from the power
of the Modes, thus poflfeflcd themlelves without
any trotibk of the beautiful city of Zande. After
the fea-fight of which Miletus was the objeft, the
Phoenicians «were ordered by the Peiiians to replace
^aces in Sgyaaps, as a mark of dieir regard, and
as a reward of his fervices. Of this city alon^
of all thofe which had revolted from the Perfians,
the temples and pubKc buildings were not burned,
as a compenfation for its defertion of the a\)k^
*' Himera.] — Himera was a Grecian city, boilt, according to
Strabo^ by the Zandeans. It was anciently famous for its batlis.
It flouriihed for a long time» tUl it was taken and plundered by
the Carthaginians. There are two rivers of urn Jiame, which
has occauoned fome perplexity to the goographerff m afcertaia-
iag the predfe iituation of the city here mentioned. It cqt»
tainly emptied itfelf into the Tyrrhene fea. Its modem name
is Termini I (hould not omit mentioning that it was the birth*,
place of the lyric poet Stefichorus.— Γ.
After
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r .J'
5i6 ERATO.
After the capture of Miletus, the Perfians made
thcmfelves mafters of Caria, Ibme of its cities being
(aken by force, whilft others furrendered•
XXVI. Hiffiaeus the Milefian, from his ftation
was intercepting the Ionian vei&Is
of burden in their way from the Euxine, when word
was brought him of the fate of Miletus ; he imme-
diately confided to Bifaltes, fon of Apolophanes of
bydos, the affairs of the HcU/sfppnt, and departed
witn fome Lefboans fo^^ Th( detachment to
whom the defence of Chios was afligncd refufed to
admit him j in confequence of which he gave diem
batde, at a place in the territories of Chio3, called
CocJoB ♦, and killed a great number• The refidue of
the Chians, npt yet recovered from the flipck they
had fuftained in the former nayal cqpnbat, h^ eafily
fubdued, advancmg for this purpofe with. Ju^ Lef-
bians fi;om Polichna **, pf yrhjch h^ hac} ob^ainc^
poflcfliont
XXVII. It generally happens that when cala-r
mity is impending over any city or nation, it is prcr
ceded by fomc prodigies*'. Before this misfor-
tune
• *• PolichMa.]-~'Tht Latin verfions render the Greek wori
ίτολιχηκ» a fm&ll town ; bat WeiTeling and Larcher are both of
of^nion^ that it is the proper name of a town in the iiland of
Chios.
^ *• /Vm^^//.]— See Virgil's beautiful epilbde, where he
introduces the prodigies preceding the aiTailination of Csefar :
Solem
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^nc of the Chians, fome extraordinary inci-
ficnts had occurred :— Of a band of one hundred
youths
Solem qais dicere falfam
Audeat ? lUe etiam c£cos inftare tumultos
Saepc monct, fraudemque et opcrta tumeicere bella
Illc ctiam cxtinfto miferatus Caefare Romam
Qaum caput obfcura nitidum ierrugine texit
{mpiaque aet^rpam timuerunt faecula oo^lem» 8cc
George L 464•
ConfulCalTo the whole hl(bry of ancient faperiHtion, as It
appeared in the belief of prodigies» admirably difcuiTed by
Warborton, in his Critical and Philofophical £nqairy into the
Caufcs of Prodigies and Miracles.
Julius Obiequens colleAed the prodigies fiippofed to have ap*
peared witlfin the Roman empirei from its fir ft foundation to the
year 742.
Our Shakefpear has made an admirable ufe of human fuper-
fiition, with regard to prodigies, in many of his plays, but parti-
fularly in Macbeth :
Thou feeft the heavens» as troubled with man^s zSt^
Threaten his bloody ftage : by the clock 'tis day.
And yet dark night ftrangles the travelling lamp :
Is it night's predominance, or the day's ihame.
That darknefs does the face of earth intomb.
When living light ihould kifs it ?— —
Howevf^i: 2^ moraliU and divine may be inclined to reprobate
the fpirit of Mr. Gibbon, with which he generally feems influ-
enced when fpeaking of religion, and of chrillianity in particu-
lar, what he fays on the fubjed of prodigies, from its great good
fenfe, and application to the fubjed in queilion, I may introduce
without apology.
•♦ The philofopher, who with calm fufpicion examines the
dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies of profane and
even ofecclefiaftical hillory, will probably conclude, that if the
eyes of the fpedlators hav^ fometimcs been deceived by fraud,
the underilanding of the readers has much more frequently
been
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>ί ^ R A τ ο,
youriis'° whom tliey fent to Delphi, ninety-eight
periibed by fome infeftious difbrderj two alone
icturned. Not long alfo before the great fca-fight the
roof of a building fell in upon fome boys at Ichool,
lb that of one hundred and twenty children, one
only efcaped : thefe warnings were fent them by
the deity, for foon after happened the fight at fea>
^hich brought their city to ib low a condition.
, At this period Hiftiieus appeared with the Lef-
bians, and eafily vanquiihed a people alreadfeJ^^
hauiled. '
XXVIIL Hiftiseus proceeded from hence on an
expedition againfi: Thafus ^% followed by a nume-
rous body .qf lonians and Cohans. Whilft he was
before this place he learned that the Phoenicians,
been infultcd by fi^ion• Every event, or appeiu-ance, or acci-
dent, which icems to deviate from the ordinary courfe of nature,
has been ralhly afcribed to the impKdiale adion of the dciiy,
and the afloniihed fancy of the miikitude has fomctlmes given
ijiape, colour, language, and motion lo the fleeting but uncom-
mon meteors of the air.'*
The quicquid Graccia mendax, audet in hiiloria, applied by
• the Roman fatirift to the Greek hiftorians, partakes more of
infoleiKC than juftice ; perhaps it is not very extravagant to af-
firm, that there are more prodigies in Livy, than in all the
Greek hillorians together.— T*.
^ One hundred youths,'] — See Voyage da Jeune Anacharfis,
vol. ii. 44.3. ^
3* 71φι,] — This was a little ifland in the JEgczn, on the '
Thracian coaft, fo called from Thafos, fon of Agenor ; it was
anciently famous for its wine. — See Virgil Georg. ii. 91.
Sunt Thafise vitcs• &c• T.
leavins;
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leaving Miletus, were advancing againft^he reft of
Ionia• He without delay raifed the fiege of Thin
fus, and with his whole armf pafled over to Le f•
bos 3 from hence, alarmed by the want of nec^i&^
ries, he crofied to tte oppofite continent, intending
to poflefs himfelf of the com which grew in AtAr*
neum ^*, and in the province of Caicus, belonging
to the Myfians. Harpagus, a Perfian, was accidcn*
tally on this ft;ationy at the head of a powerful army :
a battle eniued by land, in which Hiftiasus himfelf
was taken prifoner, and the greater parr o( hi*
imtcs flain.
XXIX. The capture of Hiftia?us was thus ef-
fefted : the engagement took place at Malena, in
the diftrift of Atarnis, and the Greeks made an ob-
ftinate ftand againft the Perfians, till the cavalry
pouring in amongft them, they were unable to refift
the iinprelfion. Hiftia^us had conceived the idea
that the king would pardon his revolt ; and the de-
fire of life fo far prevailed, that during the purfuit,
when a Perfian foldier overtook and had raifed hia
fword to kill him, he exclaimed aloud in the Per-
fian tongue, that he was Hiftisus the Milefian.
XXX. I am inclined to bejiieve " that if he had
been
^* Ata9-neu}n\ was very fertile in corn, anj peopled from
the ifle of Chios, near which it was.
i' I am inclined to belie've.'] — Yalcnaer remarks on this paf-
fage, that humanity was one of the mod confpicuous qualities of
Dirios. The bilances of his forgiving various individuals and
nations.
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been carried alive to the prefcncc of Dariiis, his liK
""^wmnd 4ia.ve been fpared, and his fault forgiven;
To prevent tKis,->fta^eU as all poffibility of his ob-
taining a fecond time"^y influence over the king^
Artaphernes the governor d£^Sardis, and Hafpagus^"
^ho had taken hinn, crucified,'* their prifoncr on
their return to Sardis» ThcTiead they put in falt^
and fent to Darius at Sufa : Dariiis on hearing this
rebuked them for what they had done, and for not
condufting their prifoner alive to his prefence. He
directed the head to be walhed, and honourably in-
tered, as belonging to a man who had dcferved wett
of him and of Perfia• — Such was the fate of Hif-
oa^us.
imdone, againft whom he had the jafteil f eafon to be incenfed, ar^
«Imoft without niunber. In the cafe of HiiHxas> it ihould how-
ever be remembered, that his interpofition in preferving the
bridge of boats over the Danube, preferved the perfon and
arniy of Darius. But, perhaps, a perfefUy abfolute monarch,
is uever implicitly to be trufted, but, like a wild beaft, is Hablci
however tamed and tridlablc in general, tofudden fits ofdeftruc-
rive fury. Of tlus nature is the deteftable fad related of Da-
rius himfelf, in the 84th chap, of book the 4th; a piece of cru-
elty aggravated by a cool and deep diflimulation beforehand»-
wMch raifed faHc hopes, and renders the compaxifon itill mor«
dofcly applicable.— T*.
u Cr/^r//i></*]— The modems are by no means agreed about
the particdar manner in which the puniftiment of the crois was
infliAed. With refpeft to our Saviour the Gofpels inform us, that
"^"■•"lirwaroailed to the crofs through the hands and feet. — This
mode of puniftiment was certainly aboliffied by Conftantine, but
prcvwled to his time amongft the Aflyrians, i£gyptiaiii. Per-
fians, and Greeks.— Γ.
XXXI•
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Ε R A Τ α 31
'XXXl. llie Pcrfian forces wintered near Mile-
ί, with the WW of renewing hoftilities early in the
they/ accordingly, and without difficulty, ^ '^ /
Chios^X^fbos, and Tcnedos, contiguous to the
continent» At each of thefe iflanjis^ as djjgj^^r "^,'ί >
into their hands, they in this manner encloi^ the "/
Γ/ i^ inhabitants, js it were in a ne^y — taking each other
η by the hand, they advanced from the fea on' diQ
north, and thus chafing the inhabitants, fwepc the
/ u whole ifland to the fouth. They alfo made them•
felves mailers of the Ionian cities on the continent
but they did not fweep them in the fame manner^
which indeed was not pradticablc• ^ r^
Ο . XXXII. The threats of the Perfian generals» -
^ '!)ii when firft oppofed to di g Ionian s,^wiE[g^fuliy put ia \
\^ execution: as foon as they poffeflcd their cities,
they ni ade eunuchs of dieir moft beautiful yputhsy
who were fdefted for this purpofe. The lovelieft
of their maidens diey fent to the king, and they
burned the cities with their temples. The lonians
were thuy a^ thu-d time^ reduced, to fervitude, once by
the Lydians, and twice by the Perfians.
XXXIIL From Ionia die fleet advanced, and
regularly lubdued all the places to the left of the
Hellefpont; thofe on the right had already been
reduc^ by the Perfian forces on the coniincnt.
^ ^ The European fide of the Hellefpont contains the
Cherfone fe, irt^ which are a number of cities, Perin-
dius, many Thracian forts, Selybria, and Byzan•^
tjum* The Byzantians and the Chalcedomans, on
9 the
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3α ERATO.
the remote parts of the coaft, did not wait fi)r the
coming of the Phoenician fleet, but fcrfaking dieir
country, rdired to die interior parts of the £uxiilc>
where they built the city Mefambria, The cities
thus forfaken were burnt by the Phcsnicians, who
afterwards advanced againil PrfiECfiimcfo^ ani^^
tace; to thefe alfo they let fire, and returned to
the Chcrlbnefe, to deftmy thofe places from which
in their "ibrmei; progrefs they had turned afide*
Cy^dcufi^they left unmolefted, the inhabitants of
previous to the arrival of the Phoenician
fleet, had fuhlRitted to thejcing^ through the medi•
ation of CEbarus, governor of Dafcylium, and Ion
of Megabyzus^ut, except Cardia, the Phoenician»
reduced all the other parts ofthe Cherfonefe.
XXXIV. Before this period all thefe places
were in futgeftion to Miitiades,' fon of Cimon, and
grand- Ion of Stefagoras. This fovereignty had
prigiogted with Miltiadcs the fon of Cypfclus, in
this manner :~ This^* pa!j^ of the Cherfonefe was
poiieiTed by the Thracian Dolonci ", who being
involved in a troublefome conteft with the Ab&v•
z. —
/
ιμ
thians, fent their leaders to Delphi, to enquire con-
ceiving the event ofthe war. The Pydsian in her
anfwer reconrmiended them to encourage that man
to found a colony amongft them, who on their
leaving the temple ihould firft of all offer them
the rites of hoipitality. The Dolonci returning by
:* *
^^ Z>^(7^a.]—-^o called from Doloncus, a Ibn of Saturn;
the
^• ; '^'
. Digiti?e(
pUbyG^JoMe
:/-'
t
k R A τ O. 53
( \)λ Sacrcd^^Wa^'", palled through Phocis and
BoegaTi "not being invited by either of thele people.
μ
ley turned a fide to Athens;
J/:,'^ .^(r:.
XXXV. ^'this pe riod the fiiprerhe aiitliority of X
Athens was in the hulRfls of .Pififtratus^*^ ^ but an _ \ '
important influence Was jdlb ^i&fiU by Miltia
^Λ^•ΐ— There \^ a /cry
5^ Sacred IfW•!— There v^ a Aenr celebrated ** Sacred
(^
. . ** J
Way," which led from AthenstoE]leufis2_^but this could not he
the one intended in this place \ it was probably that by which
the Athenians accompanied the facred pomp to Delphi•—
The deputatidns iVhich were »peatedly fent from the dif-
ferent fiates and cities of Greece to the oracle at JUelphi, bore
in many initanCes a (bong reiemblante to thb modem pilgri-
mages of the Mahometiuis» to t&e tbttib of their prophet at
^ecta«
Thd-e wu & «< via Sacra*' kading from Rome» which took
its name from the folemh Qhion which with the attendant cere-
monies of iacrifices here took place betwixt Rdnolus and
Tatiosy prince of the Sabines.— 7*.
" Pi^atui.]-^! hive made feveral remarks oh Piilftrains,
in the firil volume ofuns work ; but I negleded to mention that
Athenxus ranks him amongft thofe ancients who were famous
fnr f#fHgflinj^ ϊΐΐΙηιιΜ• Hlinnn '* Lareniius/' fays Athenieus,
** had more books than any of thofe ancients who were cele-
brated for their libririei ; futh as Polycrates of Samoi , Pifif-
tratus the tyrant of AthensrEucfid the Atheniaq» Necocrates
cf CypriuSi^the kings of Pergamus, Euripides the poet, Arif-
totle the philofopher, The(^hra&as> Neleus» who poiTefled the
iibraries of the two laft-namedi and whofc defcendants fold them
*^ Piolcr y Philaddph us.'^
The curious intelligence which this citation commamcttes»
\itords an excellent fpecimen of the amufement and infornutioa
to be guned by the penifal of Atheosus.^^^T'•
yoL. Iti. , U des.
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/'; ί jt- w-if- rt 1-•* ^(y >
<t^^
ί
f •>
34 Ε R A Τ Ο. /^ ^«-^ ^ •' ^
des. He was of a family which maintained four
i^. Jiorfc s ^' for the Olympic games, and was defcended
^ from ^acus and JEgina• In more recent times it
* became Athenian, bemg firft eftablifhed at Athens
by Philaeus the fon of Ajax. This Miltiades, as he
fate before the door of his houfe '^ perceived the
Dolonc i pafling ^ bjT; and as by their drefs and
.. ■> Ipcl rs they appear ed to be foreigners, he called to
'^"■^""^fhern : on their approach he offered them the ufe
of his houfe, and the rites of hoipitality. They ac-
3« Four borfesJ] — ^The firft perfon, according to Virgil, who
drove with four borfes, was Erif^honias :
- ; Ρηιημ^ F- ridhoneu s currus et quatuor aufus
Jungcrc equosi ra]»dirque rotis infiftere vidor.
Georg. iii.
Of the pafTagc «' He maintained four horfes,'* *M. Larcher re-
marks, " that it is as much as to fay he was very rich, for Attica
being a barren foil, and little adapted to pafturagc, the kecpins^
of horfes was ncccfl'arily expenfive."
» In this kind of chariot race the four horfes were ranged a-
breaft ; the two in the middle were hameifed to the yoke, the
two fide horfes were faftened by their traces to the yoke, or to
fome other part of the chariot.— .S^^ Wefi^ Dijfertation on the
Olympic Games^^^T*
'» Before the do9r of his i6w//&.]— Abraham and Lot were fit-
ting before the doors of their houfes, when they were accofted
by the angels of God• Modem travellers to the Eaft remark,
Aat all the better houfes have porches or gateways, where the
mafter of the family receives vifits, and fits to tranfad bufmefs.
There is a paifage more to the prefent purpofe in Chandler's
Travels in Afia Minor :— ." At ten minutes after ten in the
morning we had in view feveral fine bays and a plain full of
booths, with the Turcomans yi>i/>j• by the doors ^ under flicda re-
fcmbling porticoes, or by Ihady trees, &c.'*— 7".
cepted
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ERATO. 35
tepted his kindnefs, and being hofpitably treated by
him, they revealed to him all the will of the oracle,
with whioh they entreated.hi;5 compliance. Mutia-
des was much dilpofed to liften to them, being
weary of the tyranny i^fJPjfiflTnnirii nnd d^fivQWi to
change his fituation : he immediately, went to Del-
phi, to confult the oracle whether he fliould do
what the Dolonci required^
I XXX VI. Thus^ having received the fanftipn
^C-Shs-^fif^ii^j Mil^ades> f ^'] ^f r.ypff lilfi, ^^^— —
had formerly at the Olympic games been vie- ^ j ?
torious in the conteft of the chariots drawn by ^'^
four horfesi accompanied th e Polonci ;. hevtook
fuch of the Athenians as were willing to go with
him, and arriving on the fpot, was by thofe
who had invited him elcfted their prince. His -^
firft care was to fortify the ifthmus of the Cherfo-
aI ngfe^ from the city Cardia ♦** as far as Paftya, to ^r
prevent any hoftile incurfions on the part of the / ;
Abfinth ians. At this point the length of the ' .
ifthmus is thirty-fix furlongs ; the extreme length of
the Cheribnefe, including the ifthmus, is four hun-
dred and twenty furlongs»
XXXVII. Miltiadcs blockading the entrance of
the Cheribnefe, and thus keeping out the Abfinthi-
ans, commenced hoftilities with the people of
Lapgpfacuni ; but they by an ambufcade made him
their prifoner• Intelligence of this event being
*^ Cer<//Vi.]— This place was Co named from its refemblance
to a heart. — T,
D 2 communicated
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36 ERATO•
communicated to Croefiis die Lydian, who held
Mildades in great efteem> he fent to the Lampiace-
ncs, requiring them ΐσ kt him at liberty ; thr^ten-
ing on their refuial to deitroy them like pines*'..
They deliberated amongft themfelves concerning
the meaning of this menace from Croefus, which
gready perplexed them: at length one of their
elders explained it, by informing them that of all
the trees the pine was the only one which, once
being cut down, fliot out no more ofF-fets, but to-
tally perilhed. Intimidated by this threat of Croe-
. ...fiis»JiieJLa mpfac cncs difmiflcd Miltiades. .
XXXVIII. Miltiades dius efcaped dirough die
intfrpofiogn of Croefusj but dying afterwards with-
out iflue, he left his authority and wealth to Stefa-
goras, fon of Cimon, his uterine brother. Upon
his death he was honoured by the inhabitants of
_ j^ he Chc rfoncfe with the marks of efteem ufually
*' L/ie fUtfs,]^^Ftom the tinte df Herodotus tins cxpfeffion
paiTed into λ proverb» denoting a final defthidion, mdiOQt any
poiTibUtty of floorifiiing again*
In nothing was the acutenefs and learning of ottr Bentley
more apparent» than in his argtnnent againft the genuinenefs of
the epiUJes afcribed to Phalaris» drawn from this expreffion of
Herodotus.-^»^ee his Diifertation» laft edit. 122. «* A ftrange
piece of llupidity in our lettd'-monger (I cite Bentley's words)
or clfe contempt of his readers> to pretend to aflame die gtrb
and pcribn of Phalaris^ and yet knowingly to put words ixt his
snouthi not heard of till a whole century ai^er him• What it
^ hefe individually aftribcd to the phie-tree, b a^i^licabk' to
other trees ; fuch as the nt, the palm, the cedar, the cyprcfs,
* Arc, which an pcrifli by lopping.*'— 7*.
paid
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17/
^ Έ: -R A Τ Oi 37
the foug^'of a place; cqueiWan and
/ gynfria{fic"exercifes t^ere periodicaDy obferved in
\ΐί^^^&\^^ψ^ in which none of the Lampfacencs are
pemutted to contend. It aftcrwarfjs /lappencd,
tj^t during a war witli the proj^ of Laoipfacum»
Stefagoras al^ dkd^ aod widiout^:hildren: he was
wounds in the head, whilft in the Prytancum,
with % blow from an aXf The perfon wh,o inflifted
^ wound preten4cd p? be a defertcr, but proved
in effect a mod djefemiincd enemy ^.
X5f3^X. After thcdeathofStclagoras, as above
dcfcribed, the Pifiibatickc ^Ijpatchcd in. a trireme
JVIilriadw, another fiiin of Cimon, and brother of
^ DettrmitteJ enemy.']'^! ouuiot beftef introduce than in the
midft of a digreffion Uke the prefentj» the opmion which Swift
entertained of Herodotus, It «ay Juffily be regaeded as a great
cttrioficy, it proves tha( ^ψ&, had perufed the Greek hiftorian
with particular attentjpfii it exhibit no mean example of his
critical iagacity, and is p^haps the only fpecimen in 1>eing of
his ikin in Latinity.— It is preferred in Winchefler coUege» in
the firft leaf of Stevens^s edition of Herodotas| and to add to its
value» is in Swift's own hand-writing•
yudicita^ de Hir§doto fofi longum tewtpm rdeSlo.
«' Ctefias mendaciflimusHerodotun} mendaciorttm arguit; ex-
cepds paudffimis (ut mea fert fententia) Οφηι ino4o excnfim-
dam; caterum diverticulis abandans hie pater huloricorum
filum narrationis ad taedium abrom^ wide oritur, ut par eft
kgentib«Sf confitiioet exinde obliyio.<^?rQ2in et forfan ipfie nar•
ratkmei ctrcumftanttis nimium pro r^ icatent-^^od ad cxte^
hunt ^criptorem inter apprime lauda^dos cenfeo neque Gr^i^
neque Barbaris plus aequo faventem aut iniquum— »in oratioi\i•
bus fere brevem', fimplicem n«c nimis fireqaentem.*^Neque. ab-
fuf^t dogmata e quibus eruditus le^lor prudcntiam taoi mp^a-
1cm quam civilem haurixe pptgerit•"•^?'•
D 3 Ae
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1 '
V.
^^ 35 ERATO,
the dece afcd Stcfagora^ . to take the government* of
the Che"rIoneie, Whilft he was at Athens they
had treated him with much kindneft, as if ignorant
of the death of his father Cimon ; the particulars of
*" . which I Ihall relate in another place. Miltiades,
1 i as foon*as he landed in the Cherfonefe, kept him-
• ' felf at home, as if In forrow *^ for* his brother :
which being known, all the principal perlbns of the
Cherfonefe aflemblcd from the different cities, and
coming in one* common public procelTion^ ^s if to
condole with him, he put them in chains j after
^ which he fecu red die^p gffrf^^'^ QJ*^*^ Cherfonefe,
rnaTntairithg' a^ody of five hundreJguards.-^=4ie
then married Hcgefipy la, daughter of Olorus kipg
of Thrace,
XL, The Ibn of Cimon had not been long in
the Cherfonefe, before he was involved ip difficul-
ties far heavier than he had yet experienced ; for in
the third year of his authority he was fompelled tq
fly from the power of ibc Scythians, Thi^ Scy-
*^ Js ^/Vfy&rr^v.]--This paiTage has greatly perplexed all
the cpmmentators. It is certain that the word ιν<τι^ι j:», a» it
iio^v (lands in the text, is wrong, but it is by no means clear
what it ought to b^ ; Valcnaer wiihes to rea4 in vt^^nvf, which
feems very fatisfadory in itfclf, and bcft agrees with, the con-
text| where it is faid the gre^t men went to condole with him
{σνλλννν^ιισομίΡοί). WeiTclingis inclined to read ι?Γ*τν/χΰ•β», as
if to bury him : Larcher, differing from all thefe readings» ren-
ders it *« under pretence of doing honoar to his memory ;" which
feems of all others the moil difficult to jullify, an4 tQ reft only
pn the far-fetched idea, that during the time of mourning peo-
ple confined theipfelves to their apartmcnts,-r-7'•
^ian
Digitized by VjOOQIC
ERATO. 39
thian Nomades being incenfed againft Darius, af- ^""^, y
Icmbled their forces, and advanced to the Cherfo- ^ '' ^
nefe. Miltiades, not venturing to make a Hand 5 / '^
againft them, fled at their approach; when they
7 retired, the Dolonci,*after an int erval of three y earSj
"'^""rdllored him.
XLI. The fame Miltiades, on being informed '
that the Phoenicians were arrived oflF Tenedos,•
•1^^<κ1 fiv^ triremes with his property, and failed
for Athens. He went on board at Cardia, croffed'
the gulph of Melas, and pafling the Cherfonefe, he
himfelf, with four of his veflels, eluded the Phoeni-
cian fleet, and efcaped to Imbros ^ ; the fifth was
^^ purfiied and taken by the enemy, it was com-
__imndedjb[yj^letii^^ the eld^ft fon. of Miltiades, ' ' ^
not by the daughter of Olorus, but by fome otlier
female. The Phoenicians, on learning that he was
lie fon of Miltiades, conduced him to the king, \ / ^
expefting fome confiderable mark of favour ; for
his father Miltiades had formerly endeavoured to
prevail on thelonians to accede to the advice of «^
T^me Scythians, who wlflied them to break down
their bridge of boats, and return home. Darius,
however, fo far from treating Metiochus with feve-
rity, ihewed him the greateft kindnefs ; he gave
him a houfe, with fome property, and married him
♦♦ //«^w.]— This vVasJan ifland of the iEgcan, betwixt Lem-
nos and the Thracian Cherfonefe ; it was anciently fampus for
prodadnga prodigious namb^r of hare^.-<— Its modern name is
Imbrov— Γ.
D 4 to
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AP ERATO.
to a woman of Pcrfia : their offspring arc confitjcr^
ed as Pcrfians.
XLII. Miltiadcs leaving Imbros, proceeded tq
Athens : the Ferfians executed this year n9 farther
hoitilitks againft the lonians^ but contrived for
them many u(e64 rςgυlatiQ^s. Artaphernes^ go*
vemor of Sardis^ aflemblcd the deputies of the difΛ
ferent Qtijis, requiring them tQ epter into treaty for
tilt mgtpa| pbi'ervancc of juftice with relpd^ to
wch otl^er, and for die prevention of reciprocal de-
preciation and violence. Hisi next ftep was to divide
all the Ionian diftri^ into paralangs (the Periian
name for a meafure of t|jirty ^rlpng^) by which he
^ccrtaiped tjje tributes they were feyera|ly to pay,
Thi$ 4iftribution of ^rt^ph^n^s has cootinufdj
yrith very little variation, to the prefei)t period, anci
yras certainly an ordinance which tended to ci^a-
Ipljih the general tranquillity^
XLIIL At the corpmencement of tbii fpring,
the king fent NJardoni^s to fuperfede the pt{ier
poni)n)andcrs : he was the fon of Gobrjras, a very-
young man, and had recendy nnarried Artozoftra^ a
daughter of Darius• He accordingly appeared oi\
the cc^ T^y to embark^ with a confiderable
body of land and fi»-forces ; arriving at Cilicia, he
yffcriK ^imielf 0{i}x)ard> taking under his comn^nd
fhc reft'of the fleet ; the land army he lent forward
to the Hpllefpont, under the di{«£tion of their dif-
ferent officers. Mardonius pafied by Afia, and
9ame tQ lonia^ wher^ aa incident happened which
■ ' • ' '- ^i,|
Digitized by LjOOQ IC ,
ρ R A τ 0• ^ι
mu ^dly obtain credit with thofe Greeks i^ho
are unwilling to believe that Otane§;, in the affem- '
bly of the feven coiiipirators, gave it as his opinion
that a popular government would bg moft for the
advantage of Perfia: — jfor Mardonius, ff moving the
Ionian princes froip thejr ftatio|i> every where efta-
bliihed a democracy• Hp then proceeded towards
the Hellelpont, whifre coUefting a numerous fleet
and a powerful aripy, h(? pafled them over the
- J ^ilkfp ft"^ ^T Ρ ?Φ^' ^Π4 P'^ceoded through Europe,
fowards Erctria and Aifiens.
XLIV. Thefe two cities were the ayo\»:ed objqft
of his expedition, but he really intended to r^uce
as many of the Greek cities as poflSibly he could.
By fea he fubdped the Thafians, who attempted
μο refiitance ; by land his arn?y reduced al ^jj^ofe
Nlaccdonians who we y; ^,p ^9fe remote: the Ma-
cedonfans on this fide had h^a reduced before.
Leaving Thafos^ he coafted by the oppofite conti-
nent as far as Acanthus j from Acanthus, pafling
onwards, he endeavoured to dpubjp ipount Athos ;
but at this junfture a tempefhious wind arpfe from
the north, which prefling hard upon the fleet, drove
a great number of Ihips againfl: mount Athos. He
is faid on this occafion to have lofl: three hundred
veflfels, and more than twenty thouiand mpn : of
thefe, numbers were deftroycd by the fea-moniters,
which abound off the coaft near Athos, others were
daihed on the rocks, fome loft their lives from
their inability to fwim, and many pcriihed by the
pold.
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4? Ε R ΑΤΟ.
XLV• Whilit Mardcjnius with his land forces
was encamped in Macedonia, he was attacked in
the night by the Brygi** of Thrace, who killed,
many of his men, and wounded Mardonius him-
fclf. They did not, however, finally elude the power
of the Pcrfians, for. Mardonius would not leave
that region rill he/ bad effeohially reduced them,
under his power. After this event he led bacl^ his
army, which had fufFered much fi-om the Brygi^but
ftiU more by the tempeft off Athos *^ j his return,
therefore, to Afia, was far from bemg glorious.
XLVL•
** ^rjr?/.]— See book vli. chap. 73, by whick it appeaf$,that
tbefeBrygi were the* Phrygians.— iSee ίΙΓρΎ^ΙςωϋΓ'δ note oa
this word.— 7^
** jiihoj,]'^** We embarked at Lemnos, and landed at
Monte Santo, as it is called by the Europeans; it is the an-
cient mount Athos in Macedonia, now called both by Greeks
and Torks Haion Horos,' the Holy Mountain, by reafon that
there are ib many convents oa it, to whi^h the whole mountain
belongs. It is a promontory which extends almott direftly from
north to fouth, being joined to the continent by a neck of land
about a mile wide, through which fome hiftorians fay that
Xerxes cut a channel, in order to carry his army & ihorter way
by water from one bay to the other, which feems very impro-
bable, nor did I fee any ftgn of fuch a work. The bay of
Contefla, to the north of this neck of land, was called by the
ancients Strymonicus, to the fouth of the bay of Monte Santo,
anciently called Singiticus, and by the Greeks at this day
Amooliane, from an ifland of that natne at the bottom of it, be-
tween which and the golph of Salonica is the bay of Haia
Mamma» called by the ancients Toronxus. Tlie northern cape
€}f this promontory is called cape Laura, and is the promon-
tory Nymphseum of the ancients ; and the cape of Monte Santo
fcems to be the promontory Acrathos: over the former is the
high^il fumn-.it of Mount Athos, all the other parts of it,
though
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ERATO. 43
XLVI. In the following year Darius having re-
ceived imel^gence from their neighbours that the
^^— Jhafia ps meditated a revolt, fent the m orders j o
pull down tjieir walls, and remove their fhips to
Abdera. The Thafians had formerly been befieged
by Hiftiaeus of Miletus 5 as therefore they were pof•
feffed of confiderable wealth, they applied it to the
p\irpole of building veflels of war, and of conftruft-
ing ^ ftronger w;dl: their weklth was coUeded
partly from the continent, and partly from their
mines. From their gold mines at Scaptefyla *^ they,
obtained upon an average eighty talents; Thafus
itfelf did not produce {o much, but they were on
the whole fo affluent, that being generally exempt
from taxes, the whole of their annual revenue was
two hundred, and in die times of greatcft abundance
three hundred talents. ^ .
XLVII. Thefc mines I have myfelf feen ; the
moft valuable are thofe difcovered by the Phoeni-
thoQgh hilly, being low in comparifon of it : it i» a very fteep
rocky height, covered with pine-trees. — If we fuppofe the per-
pendicular height of it to be four miles from the fea, though I
think it caonpt be fo much, it may be eafily computed if its ,
ihadow could reach to Lemnoe, which they Qiy is eighty miles
diftant, though I believe it is not above twenty leagues•"—. '
Pococke, vol. ii: 145.
♦' ScapteJ^^aJ] — In the Greek it is in two words, Xiearr? 5λ>,,
the wood of Scapte. Thus in a former chapter, the beautiful
ςοαβ Kah^ axTij, or Cala^c.— See alfo Virgil, iSneid vit. 208 :
Threiciamque Samon quse nunc Samothracia fertur. 7*•
cians•
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44 Ε R A Τ Ο.
clans, who, under the oonduft of Thafus, firft mado
a fettlement in this ifland, and named it from their
leader, The mines fo difcovcrcd arc betwixt a
place called iEnyra and Cowiyra. Oppofitc to
Samothracia is a large mountain^ which, fey the
fearch afier mines, has be^ efi^ftuaily over-
i4rned. .
XLVIII. The Thafians, in obedience to tte
will of Parius, deftroyed then- walls, and fent their
ihips to Abdera. To -make experiment of the
real intentions of the Greeks, and to afeertain
whether they were inclined to fubmit to or refift
his power, Darius fent emiflaries to different parts
<^ Greece to demand eardi and water ^. The
cities on the coaft who paid him tribute, he ordered
to conftrudt veflels of .war^ and tranfports for c^
XLIX. At the time thefe latter were preparing
the king's envoys arrived in Greece : moft of thu
people on the continent complied with what was
required of them, as did all the illanders whom the
meffengers vififed, and amongft others jthe JEgj^
netae. This condudl gave great offence to the
AtKenians, who concluded that the .flEgineta had
hoftile intentions towards them, which in conjunc-
^• Earth αη/ί 'waier,]'^See in what planner the people of
Athens and Lacedaemon treated thefe meifengers, in book the
feventh.
tioi)
Digitized by VjOOQIC
ERATO. 45
tion with the Ferfians they were refolvcd to exe-
cute. They eagerly therefore embraced this pre-
text, and accufed them at Sparta of betraying the
liberties of Greece.
L. Inftigated by their report, Cleomenes Ion of
Anaxandrides, and prince of Sparta, went over to
""'"'-•v^^^JEgina, detenfnining folly to inveftigate the matter•
Hc'endeavourcd to feize the perfons of the acculed>
but was oppofed by many of the ^ginetae, and /, .
in particular by fjjiTa ^^ of F^ly^rmiQ^ whr.
threatened to make him ttpent any violent attempts Ύ <P
upon his countryfiien. He told him that his con-
duct was the cohfequence, not of the joint delibe-
rations of the Spartans, but of hift being corrupted
by the Athenians, otherwife the other king alfo
would have accompthied and afiifted him. He faid
this in confequence of a letter received from Der
maratus* Cleomenes, thus repulfed from^^^gjuai^^
^ ^%^ί ^"^l^ his name; upon being told, " Well
" then," returned Cleomenes, *^ you had better tip
^^^ ^il your hnims wirh^4wafe^^ and prepafe to rdift
^ * fome great calamity.^
LI. Demaratus, who circulated this report at ^/ / c
L Sparta to the prejudice of Cleomenes^ was the fon / j ■■"
Z/v
♦• Your horns tuith hrafs,\^^vi allufion to hla^JUne R^, whkh
JBsQififiUUSUa»^-^^ a remarkable v«r& ui the £fft book of / ,
jCjngs, chap. xxiL vcr. 1 1 . '
Zedekiah> the Ton of Chcoaaiiah, macle him horns (/
y^'^'^'^iron : and he faid* Thus iaich the Lord, With thefe ftalt thou
J (J tf pufli the Syriaas, untii thou have confumed them•"— Γ•
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4^ ERATO.
of Ariiiofti and himfclf alio a prince of Sparta^
though of an inferior branch ; both had the fame
origin, but the family of Euryfthcnes, as bebg the
cldeft, was moft cftecmed*
LII. The Lacedscmonians, in oppofition to what
is aflcrted by all the poets, afHrm that they were
firft introduced into the region which they now in-
habit, not by the fons of Ariftodemus, but by Arif-
todemus himfelf. He at diat time reigned, and
was fon of Ariftomachus, grandfon of Cleodacus,
and great-grandfon of Hyllus. His wife Argia
was daughter of Autefion, grand-daughter of Tifa-
menus, great-grand-daughter of Therfander, and
in the fourth defcent from Polynices. She brought
her huiband twins, whQm when he had feen he died
by fome difeafe. The Lacedaemonians of that day,
after C9nfulting together, elefted for their prince
the eldeft of diefe children, as their law required*
They were ftill at a lofs, as the infants ίο much re-
fembled each other ^\ In this perplexity, they ap-
plied
5® RefimbUd each ^f/&fr.]— Upon the perplexities arifhig from
this refemblance of twins to each other, the whole plot of the
Menaechmi of Plautas, and the Comedy of Errors of Shake«
fpeare, are made to depend :
Mercator quidam fuit Syracufis fenex,
£i funt nati filii gemini dao,
Ita fprma ijmili pueri, uti mater fua
Non intemofle poiTct quae mammam dabat, fie.
Prologus ad Mitntch.
There
S
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Ε R A τ Ο. 47
plied to the mother, ihe ^fo profeffed herfelf unable
CO decide : her ignorance howercr Was only ipne-
tended, and arofe'frt)nfi her wilh to make both her
children kings. The difiicultf thtjs rcnrjaining,
they fent to Delphi for advice. The Pythian com-
manded them to acknowledge both the children as
their kings, but to honour the firft-bom the moft.
Receiving this anfwer from the Pythian, the Lace-
daemonians were ftill unable to difcovcr thef firft-
— — boni child, till a Meifeni an^ who fe name was ]p a-
nites, ^dyiied them to tsJce notice which child the
mother wafhed and &d iiril: if ihe was conftant
in making a diftinflion, they might realbn^ly con-
clude they had difcovered what they wifhed y if
ihe made no regular preference in this rcipca of
one child to the other, her ignorance of the matter
in queftion was probably unafftfted, and they mull
have recourfe to other meafures. The Spartans
^^^Joflsay^ the a^vicfi .of thr Nffiflfepian, and ^siSSz,,
fully watched the mother of the children of Arif.
todemus. Perceiving her, who was totally uncon-
fcious of their defign, regularly preferring her firft-
bom, both in walhing and feeding it, they reipefted
this filent teflimony of the mother. The child
There flie had not been long, but (he became
A joyful mother of two goodly ions ;
And, which was (Irange, the one Co like the other
As could not be diilinguiih'd« Sec• Comedy of Errors.
It feems unneccflary to add, that this latter play is a very
minute copy of the former, of which in Shakefpeare's time
tranflations in the different languages of £urope y^'^t eaiily to
be obtained. — T,
thus
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/
48 Ε R A Τ Ot
thus pitfeited by its patent they treated as th^
cMcft, and educated at the public cxpcncc^ calling
Jiim Euryfthcncs,' and hia brother Procles. The
hroui^-y^cn they grew upy were through life at
Vaoance with each other» and their ennaity was pcr-
|)etuated by dieir pofterity^
UIL• The abore is related oft the auAority of
ihe IiattifaKmonians( adone^ but I ihall Aow give
the matter as it is generally receircd in Greecc.r-
'rhe Greeks enumerate chefc Dorian princes in.re-
gular fucceffion to Perleus» the ion of Danae, paf-
fing over the ftory of the deity ; fix)m Which ac-
eouiit it plainly appears that they were Greeks^ and
were always fo cfteemcd. Thefe Dorian princes, asr
I have; obfervcdy go no h^er than Perfeus, fi)r
F^rfeus had no mortal father from whom his fur--
name could be dOivedy bekig ckcumftanced as
Hercules ^s^ wkh rc(pc6t to Amphitryon• I am
diereforc jufldfied in flopping at Perfeus. If wc
afccnd from Danae, the daughter of Acrifius, we
ihall find that the ancefters of^tKc UonarTprinces
were of Egyptian origin **.' — Such is the Greciair
account of their defcent^
Λ -^ ^ *■ -'filf^/z/jir ef/^ /Λ.]— Accb/din^ to Hefodbtift^
^ ^ U cipal perfoiu df thie Dorian family upwards» were in a dire^
line fi^ih i^Egypt. The fame author fays» that Perfeus was
originally from Affyria• according to the traditions of the Per^
fians. The Hke is (aid, and with great truth» of the Heraclidx»
who are reprefcated by Pkto as of tHie fame race as the Achx-
menidse of PerTia. The Perfians therefore, and the Grecians,-
were
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fe' ft A f 6. 4>
/ LlV. TKe iei^anS aflinn that PerTeus was aft
Aflyriaiy by birth^ bctommg afterwards ia Greeks
^ Λ i although none of his ahcdSrors were of that nation.
The anccftors of Acrifius qlaim no confanguinity•
with Perfcus ^S being Egyptians; which accoUiit vi
confirmed by the Greeks. '
LV. in ^hat manner, being- ifigyptians, they
became, thi princes of the Dorians, having been
mentioned by others j I need not relate i but I ihall
explain what they have omitted^
in
LVL The Spartans diftinguiflied their princei
by many honourable privileges. The priefthooda
_Of the Laccdflcmoqian " and of the celeftial Ju-
were in* gfcit iftealCFe oi^ the fanie iamily, feeiivg equally
Cathites from Cluliiira; but the lattei* came lad from i^gypt.
Bryattiy vol. iiii 388;
** No con/angutnit^ *wUb //ζ/^«/. J— Herodotus more truly re*
prtfente' Ferfcus as an Aflyrian, by which is riieant a Babjf-
Iomaii> and agreeably to thb he is faid to h£ve mariied Allerie,
tie daughter of Belus•, the Ikthe as Aftaroth and Alkfte df
Canaaxkf by wholh he had a daughter, Hecate• This, though
taken from an idle f^rftem of theology, fet plaihly fhews thslt
fat hiiory of Ptrfeus had b^n greatly mirapplied and lo^^ei'ed
by being itifert!^ among the faWes of Greece, &c.
Bryttnty vol. iL 64•
^' LactdamoniaH\^\M^tx iremirics on this bxpreflion^
that Hei^odotas is the only writer who diMnguiihes Jupiter by
tfiis appeilatiidn; I have before obferved, that the office of
priefthood and king were anciently united in the fame perfon•—
Vol. III. Ε piicr
/
$0 Ει % A Τ α
j pit^i ^^ were appropriated. to them :. they had the
power ^fo of making, h^ftjle expediiiom wherever
they pleafedj nor might any Sp^^rtan. obftriia; them
withput incurring the curfe&,</ thpir ^eUg^*, In
the field of battle their poll is in the, fronts^ wh^n
they retire, in the rear. They havcj a hyipdred
chofen men" as a guard for tlieir perfon : when up-
on, their march> they may take for their ufe as many
Ihecp as fhey tliink proper, and they have the baςk^^
»♦ Cel^ial yttfiier.]^*ThL• epithet was, I fappofe, given to
Jupiter, becaafe the iky was confidered as his particular ckispiut-
ment. — See the anfwer of Neptune to Iris, in the fifteenth book
of the Iliad:
Three brother deities from Satuiji came.
And ancient Rhea, Earth's immorial danio :
AiBgn'd by lot, our triple ruk we know a -' "
Infernal Pluto fways the ihades below;
O'er the wide clouds, and o'er .the ίίλτητ. plain» • ,, .
Ethereal Jove extends his wide domain ; ,
My court beneath the hoary waves I keep.
And huih the roarings of the facred detjpf , T^
55 Hundred chofen λι^λ.]— f-In times of peace« thf Liiced•^
monian princes were not attended by guards ; Thu^ydide» {χ^ΰ
that in war they had three Jiundred.— 7*.
«* The hacL] — By the back we muft underftuid the chine; and
we learn as well from Homer, as other ancient writerd» tkat it
was always confidered as the honourable portion, ^ee Odyifey^
book iv. where Telemachus vifits Menelao^at SptiAa:
Ceaiing benevolent, he ilrait afiigns
The royal portion of the ckcrfceil chims
To each accepted friend.
See alfo the Iliad, book vii• »
The Idng himfelf, an honorary ilgn.
Before great Ajax plac'd the mighty chine. T.
and
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ERATO. $t
end the ikin ^^ of all diat are facrificed* Such arc
their privileges in ^Var.
LVII. In peace alfo they have many difdnftions•
ϊη the Iblemnity of any public facrifice, the firft
place is always rcferved for the kings, to whom not
only the choiceft things are prefented, but twice as
much as to any other perfon ^'• They have morc-
~~ " over
5' The //Vf.J^^Thefe iklns we find were alloited to Λς
princes daring the time of a6hiai fervice, when, as their reii-
dence was in tents, they m\i& have been of the greaceft fervice
^th as feats and as beds.^-See Leviticus, viL 8. where it ap-
pears that the pneil had the ikin.
^ And the prieil that offereth any aiin*s burnt-offeriag, even
the prieil (hall hsve to himfelf the ikin of the burnt-o Bering
which he haith offered."
They were ferviceable akb in another refpeft, as they were
made into bottles to preferve wine, and to carry liquids of dif-
ferent lands. Of ikins alfo the firft cloaths were made.— 7*.
^• Twice as much as to any other /i?;/^^.]— Inftances of this
mode of (Hewing reverence and diftinfHon occur repeatedly iii
Homer. Diomed, as a mark of honour, had more meat and
wine than any other perfon. Agamemnon alfo, and Idomeneus,
have more wine than the reft. Benjamin's mefs was H^q times as
large as that of Ifis brethren. Xenophon obferves, that Lycurgus
did not affign a double portion to the kings, bccaufe they were
to eat twice as much as any body elfe, but that they might give
it to whom they pleafed. We find from Homer, that this alfo
was a common praftice during the repaft, to give of their
own portion to fomc friend or favourite. Accordingly in tht
OdyiTey, we find in fome very beautiful lines, that Ulyifes gave
a portion of the chine rcferved for himfelf to Demodocus,
« The Bard of Fame.'*
Ε A The
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J2 ERATO.
over the firft of every libation *^ and the ikins of
the facrificed viftims. On the firft and fevcnth
of every month, they give to each of them a per-
feft animal, which is facrificed in the temple of
Apollo• To this is added a medimnus of meal,
and a Lacedaemonian quart of wine ^\ In the
public games, they fit in the moft diftinguiihed
place *' J they appoint whomfoever they pleafe to the
dignity
The bard an herald guides : the gazing throng
Fay lowr obeifance as he moves along
Beneath a fculptor'd arch he fits enthron'd»
The peers encirclbg, form an awful round :
Then from the chine UlyiTes carves with art,
Delicidus food, an honorary part•
«* This let the mafterOf the lyre receive,
*• A pledge of love, *ds all a wretch can give :
<< Lives there a man beneath the (padous fldes
« Who facred honours to the bard denies ?" &c. 7*.
5• iiAe/w«.]— The ceremony of offering a libation was this :
When» previous to facrifice, the facred meal mixed with fait was
placed upon the head of the vidim, the prieft took the veifel
which held the wine> and juil tailing it himfelf, gave it to thofe
near him to tafte alfo : it was then poured upon the head of the
bead betwixt the horns* The burnt• offerings enjoined by the
Mofaic law were in like manner accompanied by libations.— See
Exodus, xxix. 40.— 7*. ^
' *^ Medimnus of mtctl'^ucart of «wim^"^
« Then ihall he that offereth an offering unto the Lord
bring a meat offering of a tenth«deal of flour, mingled with
the fourth part of an hin of oil.
" And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink-offer-
ing Ihalt thou prepare, with the burnt-offering, or facrifice.'*— .
Numbers, xv. 4, 5•
•■ Μοβ difliKguifoed fUccl^Yft learn from Xenophon, that
' wherever
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ERATO• is
fifJBiOXsni^S and each of them choofes two
Pythii. The Pythli are thofe who arc jent to con*
fult the oracle at Delphi, and are maintained at the ^
public cxpence as well as the kings. If the kings
do not think proper to take their repaft in public,
two choenices of meal with acotyla of wineareient
to their reipeAive houfcs 5 but Jf they are prefent,
they receive a double portion. If any private
perfon invite them to an entertainment, a fimilar
rcfpcdt is ihewn them. The oracular declarations
are prcfcrved by them, though the Pythii alfo muft
know them. The kings alone have the power of
deciding in the following matters, and they decide
thefc only : They choofe an huiband for an heire6>
if her father had not previouQy betrothed her:
they have the care of the pubUc ways ; whoever
chooie3 to adopt a child ^% muil do it ifi the pre«-
^cfcver the kings appeared every body rofe, out of reverence
φ their per(bnsj except the Uphqn, Of thele magiflratee
Larcher remarks» that they were in fome refpe£l fuperior in
dignity to (he kings» to limit whofe authority they were firft in«
^iluted.-^y.
*• Proxem.^T^lt was the bniinefs of the Proxeni to entertain
the ambai&dors from forei^ Q^tes» an4 introduce them at the
• public alTembliesr
•' Ji/oft a r^y.]— The ςηίΙοΐΛ of adoption amongft the
Romans was much more frequent th^n amongil the Greeks,
though borrowed of the latter by the former, in Greece, ail
eμnuch could ηot ^dopt a child ; and it was neceifary that the
perfon adopted ihould be eigllteen years younger than the
perfiy^ who s^iopfed him. In Rome» the ceremony of adoption
was jierformed before the pnetor» or before an aHTembly of the
people. In the tinges of the emperorS;( the permiOion of the
fn^c was fufficient.^7'•
Ε 3 fence
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$4 ERATO.
fence of the kings. They aflift at the ddiberaUons
of the fcnate, which is compoied of twentjr-^ight
perfons. In cafj of their not appearing, thofe fe-
nators who are . the neareft relations to the kinga
take their places and privilege, having two voices
independent of their own•
LVIII. Such are the honours p^id by the Spar-
tans to their princes whilft aliVe j they have others
after their decealc. Meflcngers are fent to every
part of Sparta to relate the event, whilft through the
city the women beat on a caldron \ At this fignal^
one feee-born perfon of each fex is compdled under
very heavy penalties to disfigure thenifelves. - -The
fame ceremonies which the Lacedaemonians oblerYc
on the de^th of their kings, are praftifed alfo by the
Barbarians of Afia j the greater part of whom on a
fimilar occafion ufe thefe rites. When a king of
Lacedasmon dies^ a certain number of Lacedaemo-
nians, independent of the Spartans, are oblige(i
*♦ TJhe twomen heat a ^/λλι.]— A very curious incident relative
to this circumftance is given us by iElian, in his Various Hiftory,
The Lacedaemonians having fiibdued the MeiTenians, took to.
themfelves the half of all their property, and compelled their,
irce-born women, «κ τ» ιτιιΌη /5ή^λ{Ί»ι», to walk in the funeral
proceiEons> and to lament at the deaths of thofe with whom the/
were not at all connefted.
Women who were free bom never appeared at funerals, ex-
cept at thofe of their relation;, much lefs did they lament hkit
the women hired for this purpofe, which we find from the above
pailage the Lacedaemonians compelled the MeiTenian women
to do. It is to be obferved, that the women were much more
rigoroufly fecluded m Greece than in Rome.— 7*.
from
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ΒΓ> Rj A Jt 0• 55
from. aH |*uts «f /I^cfatenook to attend his funeral. ^ ^
When thefc, together with th^Jfclots^ jatfd.5j^^^ .^i
tans, to the amount of feveral thoufands, are aflem-
bkd in one place, thfey begm, naen.and women, to
t)eat th^ir !}>reajfts„ tQt make l oud and difmal lamen>_
. ^ taoonf^ ^ jajlw^ys exclaiming of their laft prince
(hdf^rbe was of all preceding ^w% the beiL If pnc
^ their kingS; die in ύ^^> they auke % r«prefen«
tationofhis perfon, and carry it to the place of
interment upon a bier richly adorned. When it
jsburied, there is aB interval of tpn days^fronvall
•» ,jFWl9//Jj^Tije Melot3 were a kin J of public ftaves £0 £he
|3ioir>^MJDe froM Hdo$, ^ Lii^ejfemoman towh; their (larery
«r^ Hscvptff in tbe cxtreih^«..bqt^tbfl;ymg)it oq o^rtim termk
obtaui. ^e|f ffeedprnv I/^oii c^etajhje bailnds of a^culture
and cdlnm^ce entirely depended, whilil their haughty mafters
were employed in gymn^itiq exercifes or in feaftin£[. Foi* '\
inore particular account of them» confult Cragius de Repoblica
Lace4??ipon^and Archbiih^ Pottf^v**^. • ^
^ Lamentations. \'^'\\A!i cj^ftpr^ ftiUpre vails in, .^^gypt» and
"in vinous parfe of fh^'Eaft. * V Wfieii the corpC/'jlays Xiu
' ftiie; ^' is^ drfrted bifc i ntiniftr'oFitteiks with drtir laWetrf
tfllniMnI μ^:%ί|. nil9t tdKliSe diermate ifHetids» amd ilfter tihem
^ ββ^Β<ίί <?*rfi^)wk^{<he|^f^ forβmφp opdn meii's ftoul•
ders.^,. The lupre^.nnJerj'qlauon^f immediately follQw«,and the
woiAen <ioic .the pVoceliion mtn dreadf^
^e tdfb *^Niaiferter tefti tiV'from M. M^iU Aat riot
4«lyi' Mi^'reiai^ioh^ mA f^iAOSi^inttiS/i in ^gypt drxomid ^ / <
^•i^f ^W}e-.i| >emLi9t μη^^ιίΐΜ, witb. the iwH bi^tirf «riej, ^
bloody/ a^d. blade and blfie^ . T^ofe of the lower, kind alfo
^ifr*"il5f to tall ul iittaih Vvtom^ Who /% on tahfkt, Zcz. The
Tfder'w^ imd^tiahy fiiifflur ektcmpl^ coQefted in'^ Ob(ma•
Ε 4 bufinefi
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|δ Ε It A τ 0•
btifineis and amufemcnt, vnuk cy^ty puUfc tsefti^
monyofforrow,
LIX. Thqr have alfd another cuftem in com-
mon with the Pcriians. When a jwince dies, his.
fucceflbr remits every debt due either to die prince
ίπ the public. In Ptrilk klib, . he who is diefen
king^ reimi^ to every city whatev^t• tributes happenr
to he due, •
LX. In one inftance, the Laoediemonians ob-i
fcrvc the yfage of Mgypt. Their heralds, mi|iici?ps,
^d CQoks;, follow die profefllpn of tlicir fathers.
The fon of a herald is of coqrfc a h^raWi and the
fame of the other two profcffions. If any nwin has
a louder voice than the ion of a herald, it fignifie^
jipthing, r
LXI. Whilft Ckomenes was at ^Igina, confult^
jng for ^e common intereft of Greece, he was perr
fecuted.by Demarat^Sj/vyho was μιfluenccd not by
any defire of ferving the.pec^le of Μφη^ but by
jealoufy and malice. Cleomines on his return en-
deavoured to deg|rade h;s rival' from hi^ ftajc ion, for
yrhicl^ he had the fpllowing pretence;— Ariftpn fuc-
cecding to the throne of Sparta, nurriod twi^ wivc%
but had children by neiuier ; not willing to believe
^hat any defeft exifted on h;s part, he married a
third time. He had a fripnd a native of Sparta, to
lyhom on all occaiions he ihewed a paracular pre-
ference• This friend had a wife, who from being
femarkat)!^
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ERATO. 57
liemaricaUe for her ugUnefs % became cxceeedingly
beaudfuL When ta infant her features Were very
plain and difagreeable^ which was a fourcc >of much
>ffidion to her parents, who were people of great
i^uence ^\ Her nurfe feeing this, recommended
diet ihe ihould every day be carried to the temple
of Hel», fituatc in a place called Therapne, near
die tewiple of Apollo. Here the nurfe regularly
prefentcd herfelf with the child, and finding near
the ihrine implored the goddefs to remove the
g^l's deformity. As Ihe was one day departing
6xxax the temple, a woman is faid to have appeared
to her^ enquiring what ihe carried in her arms t
die nurfe replied, it was a child. Slofp defired to
fee it ; this the nurfe, having had orders to that
cfFeft from the parents, at firft refufed,• but feeing
riiat the woman perfevered iirher wilh, Ihe at length
complied. The ilranger, taking the infant in her
arms, ftro^ed it on the face, faying, diat here-
after ihe ihould become the lovelieft woman of
3partaj and from that hour her features began
to improve. On her arriving at a proper age,
Agetus fon of Alcides, and d^e friend of Arifton,
made her hiia wife,
•^ JtemarkahU for her «jA*»^.]— Paufani^ piys^ that from
JKing remarkable for her uglinefs^ ihe became the mi^ beauti-
ful woman ω (Greece, viro £λι ηκ> next to HeleB#-*7l '
•• ^reat afluence.\'^]i!OW was it poiliblei aiks M. L^her
in this place, to have great riches in Sparta ? All the lands pf
Lai^xmon wer^ divided in equal portions amongil the cl^
tizenSf and gold and filver were prohibited \mder penalty pf
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^8 B^ R A' T^ O4
LXII. Ar^n J inflamed -with a paflion for this
Wirni^kfiy -took the foHowing meitns ter obtain his
wiihes : he engaged to make her huiband α .pre-
fcnt of whatever he would feleft from his ciffefts^
on condition of receiving a fimilar favour in re-
turn. Agetus having no foipicion ij^ithrefpeft co
his wife, as Arifton ii& was. natricd, agrAd to
die propo&l, and it was confirmed by an oath;
Arifton accordingly gave his friaid whatevCT it wa*
that he chofe, whilft he in return, having previa
ouily determined the nrjatter, deftnandcd the wife of
Agetus. Agetus.faid, that he certainly did not maok
to comprehend her in the agrcemcrtt; but, iiiflu•.
cnced by hi? oath, the arrifioe of the other finallf
prevailed, and he refigned her to-hinfW
LXIII. In Ais manner Arift<>n, having Hptt^
diatcd his fecond vife, 'married, a third, who irt 4
very ihort time, and within *» lefs period than ten
months % brought him this Demarktus; Whilft
- ' the
^ *9 JJTuhma Ufs pmodthanun »ii«/i&j.].*-Tlu5, it fccms, wTas
thought fufiicient caufe to fufpeftthe legitimacy ofachikL It»
remarkable, that ten months is the period pf geila,tix>n generally
fpoken of by the ancients. — See Plut• in the Lifp of AJcibiadesi^
■ and Virftil, Ec!. iv.
» MatrilongaynY»tiJerantifUUdia«il^Wi
A. Gellius, who gives a curious differiation on the fubjcft,,
l.iii. cap. 16, feems to pronounce very pdfitivcly, that it was ten
- mottths fully completed; decern menfes non inceptos fed ex-
aftos ; but we fhduld take the whole fentence together— eiimque
cue hominem gignendi /ummam fnem, decern menfes non in-
ceptos.
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ϊ R A τ ex 59
thcfethcrw^ fitting at his 'tribunal, attended by
the Ephori, he was informed by one af his do-
nieftics of the delivery of his wife ι refleding on
the interval of time whieh had ciapfed fince his
marriage, he reckoned the number bfjOonths upon
his fingers, and faid with an oath, " This child is
'* not mine/' The Ephori, who heard him, did
not at the moment efteem what he faid oF any im-
j)ortance ^^^ : afterwards, when the child grew up,
^rifton charfged his fentiments concerning the le-
gitimacy of his fon, and repented of the words
ceptos fed exa&os. This I underiland as if he had wmtea^
<* but that the utmofi period (not the ufual) is wheo.the tenth
month is not only begun, but completed ;" namely, when the
child is bom io the beginning of the eleventh njotith• - -To-this
efFed he mentions afterwards a decifion of the decemviri under
Hadrian, that infants were bom regularly in ten months^ not ii
the' eleventh ; this however the emperor ie^/lde^ as not being
an infallible rule. It appears then, that the ancients, when they
fpeke of ten months, meant that the tenth mionth w^ the tim^
for the birth ; and if they exprefs themfelves fo as to make it
appear that they meant ten months complete-, it is becaufe they
ufually reckoned inclufively. The difference between folar and
lunar months, to which fome have had recourfe, does not jsmovc
any of the difficulty. Hippocrates fpeaks variouily of the period
of geftatipui but feems to reckon the longeil 280 days, or nine
raontHs and ten days. We are toM that the ancient Ferfians,
in th^ time of Zoroafter, counted into the aige of a man the
ir/We months of his concepcion.^-^o^^^, cited by M. de Pa£-
toret, in a Treatife on Zoroafter, Confucius, and MahomeU
r-r.
V^ Of any importan€eJ\'^T\it inattention or indiiFerence of
the £phon in this inftance muft appear not a fittle remarkable,
when it is confidered that it was one part of their appropriate
duty to watch over the condu^ of their queens, in order to
•prevent the poffibifity of any children fucceeding to the throne
fho were not of the family of Hercules. — T.
which
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6ο fi R A Τ Ο;
which had efcaped him. Dcmaratus owed hi*
name ♦ to the flowing circumftance : Before he
was bom the people had qnanimoufly made a public
fupplication that Arifton, the beft of their kings,
might have a ίοη.
LXIV. Arifton died, and Demaratus fuccecded
to his authority. But it feemed deftined that the
above expreffion Ihould lofe him his crown. He
was in a particular manner odious to Cleomencs»
both when he withdrew hi3 army from Eleufis, and
ipyhen Cleomcnes pafled over to iEgina, on account
cf the favour which the people of that place ihowed
to the Mede*.
LXV. Cleomenes being determined to execute
^vengeance on his rival, formed a conneobion with
Lcotyohides, ipho was of the family of Demaratus,
being the fon of Menaris, and grandfon of Agis:
Ae conditions were, that Leotychides ihould fucceed
to the dignity of Denriaratus» and ihould in return
affift Cleomenes in his deiigns upon ^gina. Leo-
tychides entertained an implacable animofity againft
Demaratus. He had been engaged tq marry Per-
calos, the daughter of Chilon, grand-daughter of
Demarm^nes, bpt Demaratus infidioufly prevented
him, and by a mixture of violence and artifice
married Percalos himfelf, H^ was therefore not at
all relufltant to accede to the propofals of Cleo-
menes, and Λ «JTift hiin iigaipft Demaratus. He
• Owed bis name;] — wjiich means prayed for by the people,
being coinpoun4cd pf Perns tl^c people, ^ areios prayed for,
ftflerted^
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ERATO• 6t
aflfertcd, therefore, that Dcmamtus did not lawfully
pofleis the throne of Sparu, not being the Ton of
Ariftoo. Hc,wa% confequently, careful to remem-
ber and repeat the QxpreiTion which had fallen from
Arifton, when his fervant firft brought him intelli-
gence of the birth of a fon ; for, after computing the
tune, he had pofitively denied that he was his. Upon
this incident Leotychides ftrongly i*fifted> and made
no Icniple of declaring openly, that Demaratuar
was not the Ion of Arifton, and that his authority-
was illegal ^' ; to confirm this he adduced the tef-
rimony of thofe Ephori who were prefent whea
Arifton fo exprefled Iiimfelf•
LXVI. As the matter began to be a fubjeft of
general difpute, the Spartans thought proper to
corifalt the oracle of Delphi, whether Dcmaratus
was ^e fon of Arifton or not. Cleomenes was not
at all fuipefted of taking any care to influence the
J^ythian; but it is certain that he induced Cobon,
Ion of Ariftophantes, a man of very great authority
at Delphi, to prevail on the prieftefs to fay what
Cleomenes defircd ^. The name of this woman
was
'■ ff'as i//f^«/.]-^This ftory is rdated with equal iniiiatencfs
by Paufanias, book iii. c 4^ from wheirce we may conclude»
that when there was e^en a&y fufpicion of the infidelity of the
queens, their children were incapaciwtcd from fucceeding to
the throne.k»See Pauianias alfo od a fiinilar fubjedt> book iii.
chap. 8.— r.
'* To fay what CUemtnet difireJ^l^^x is impoflible fuflicicntly
to lament the ignorance and deluiion of thofe times, when an
infidiotts expr^fiion^ corruptly obtained from the Pythian, wa»
fufficient
Digitized by VjOOQIC
62 Ε R A Τ O^
was Pcrialla,.who, to thofe lent pn this occafion^
denied that Dcmaratus was the fon of Arifton*;
This collufion being afterward^ difcovered, Co-
bon was compelled to fly fronn Delphi, and Pc-»
rialla was degraded frcxn her office.
LXVII. Such were the meafures taken to de^
I
m
fttfficient m involve a whole kingdom in mifery and blood : of
ttus the fat6 of Croefus, as recorded in the firil book of Herodo«
tiis, is a memorable in fiance ; but I have before me an example^
in the Stratagemata of Polyaenus, where this artifice and fedufUon
of the Pythian had a contrary effeft; It was by bribing the prief-
' tefs of Delphfthat Lycurgus obtained from the Lacedxmontaas•
an obedience, which rendered their nation^ great and powcrfid,
«nd their legiflator immortal. Demofthenes alfo» in one of his
orations againil Philip, accufes that monarch of feducing by
bribes the t)racle to his purpofe. However the truth of thi»
may be eftabliihed from many well- authenticated fads, thiffol-
lowing pi£lare from Lucan, of the prieflefs of Delphi under the
fuppofed influence of the god, can never fail of claiming our
applaufe and admiration, though we pity the credulity which
regarded, and the fpirimwliich prompted fuch impoftures ;
Tandem conterrite virgo
Confugit ad tripodas, vailifque addufta cavernis'
Haefit, et infueto concepit pedore numen.
Quod non exhauila; per tot jam faecula rupis;
Spiritus ingeflit vati : tardemque potitus
Teftore Cirrhaeo, non unquam plenior artus
• Phoebados irrupit Pxan, mentemque priorem
Expulit, atqoe hominem toto fibi cedcre jullit
Pedore. Bacchatur demens aHena pe antrum
Colla fcrens, vittafque dei, Phcebfcaque ferta*
Kreclis difcufia comis, per inania templi
Ancipiti cervire rotat, fpargitque vaganti
Obllantes tripodas, magnoque exxftuat igne. T.
privc
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Ε It Α. τ ά ^5
priye Denwatiis gf his. dignity 5 aa iffvmt which
was afterwaixb fliown him,, induced him to cake
refgg^ amongft the Mcdcs.' After the lofs of his
ihrone he way elofted to prefide in fonie inferior
ofiSce, and; happened to be prcfent at the Gymno-•
p0edift/^ Leotychidfcs, who had been elefted king
in tie roorh of Demiratus, n^aning to ridicule and
infylf him, fent a fcrvant to alk him what he
thought of . his prefent> compai^ed with his former
plSce. DemarRtu$,.incehfcd by the queftion, re-»^
pKied, that he hiaafelf had experienced both, which
the. perfon who- &iked him hatd not;,ht added*,
that 1 this qucftiim ihoukl prove the commencement
of much' calamity or happinefs to Sparta• Saying
this, with his head veiled, he retired from the
theatit tahis own houfej where> ha,ving/acriflt:ed
dn:OBi eoj^iteir) he fent for his rtipifeen
. IJCVirL On her• appearance» he pladed in her
hapds the entraiki of the viiStim, and fokmnly ad•
dreflfed litr in thefe words : " I call upon you,
" mother, in the name of all the gods, and in par-
^* ticular by Jupiter Hercaeus ^*, in whole imme-
" diate
^^ G^OT»f/ir///Vi,]— This word is derived from τϋ/Αΐ^ί, naked,
and 'τταις, a child ; at this feail naked children fung hymns in
honour of Apollo, and of the three hundred who died at Ther-
mopylae. Athenaeus dcfcribes it as a kind of Pyrrhic dance, in
%vhich the young men accompanied the motion of their feet
with certain correfponding and graceful ones of their arms ; the
whole reprefented the real exercife of wrellling.— -T".
'* J»pifer Herc^tus,] — Jupiter was worihippcd under this
iiile, as the Deus Penetralis, th« protedor of the innermoft re-
ceffes
Digitized by VjOOQIC
64 Ε R A Τ σ.
*^ diate prefencc we are, to tcU me, without di^oifii
" who my father was. Leotychidesj in the Ipiritoi*
** hatred and jealoufy, has objefted to m^ that
^^ when you married Arifton you were with άύίά
*' by your former huiband: others more infolentlj
^^ have afferted, that one -of your flaves^ an als-•
^* driver, ciyoyed your familiarity, and that I am
** his fon J I entreat you, therefore, by every thing
** facred, to difclofe the truth. If you have really
'* done what is related of you, your conduit is not
" without example, and there arc many in Spartf
** who believe that Arifton had not the power of
*^ becoming a father ; otherwife, they lay, he muft
*^ have had children by his former wives."
LXIX. His nwther thus replied : *^ My Ιση, as
*^ you have thus implored me to declare the truths
*« I will not deceive you. When Arifton had con-
** duoled me to his houfe, on the third night of our
^' marriage, a perfonage appeared ^^ to meperfeftly
*^ refemblkig
cefles of the houfc : he was fo called from E^c» ^^ch figmfies
the interior part of a houfe. Larcher quotes at this paflagc
the following words, from Servius on Virgil.
** Diftus autem Jupiter Here» us quia ana ejus crat intra au-
1am, et feptum parietem cdificata quod Graece 'ΈξΜς dicitur."
— r".
»5 A perfonagi appeared.^ — ^This ilory in manyrefpefts fceari
a refemblance to what is related in Grecian hiftory of the birtE
of Alexander the Great. The chaftity of his mother Olympia
being m a fimilar manner queilioned, the fidlion of his being
the fon of Jupiter, who converfed familiarly with his mother ία
the form of a ferpent, at firft found advocates with the ignorant
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Ε R A τ Ο, 6s
^ refembling Arifton> who after enjoying my per-
*^ Ion, crowned me with a garland ^* he had in his
^ haod^ and retired. Soon ^terwards Arifton came
** to me^ and feeing me with a garland, enquired
•* who gare it me ; I faid that he had, but this he
•* ferioufly denied : I protefted^ however, that he
** had^ and> I added, it was not kind in him to
*' deny it, who, after enjoying my perfon, placed
'' the garland on my head. Arifton, feeing that
and faperilitioas» and was afterwards confirmed and eihbliihed
oy his career of conqueft and glory. Of this fable no happier
ufe has ^ver been made, than by Dryden, in his Ode on St. Ce-
cilia's Day :
The fong began from Jove,
Who left his blifsfkl feats above ;
Such is the power of mighty Love :
A dragon's fiery form belied the god ;
Sublime on radiant fpires he trod.
When he to fair Olympia prefs'd ;
And while he fought her fnowy breaft.
Then round her (lender waift he curPd,
And ftamp'd an image of himfelf, a fovereign of the world.
Plutarch, in his Life of Alexander, inkrms us that a dragon
was once feen to lie clofe to Olympa whilil (he (lept, after
which her hufband Philip, either fufpe&mg her to be an en-
chantre(s, or imagimng (bme god to be his rival, could never be
induced to regard her with afifedion.— 7*.
»• Cr9W9ud mi with a garUmd,'\ — We learn from a paiTage in
Ovid, not only that it was cuftomary to wear garlands in con-
vivial meetmgs, which other authors tell us in a thoufand places,
but that in the feftive gaiety of the moment, it was not unufual
for one friend to give them to another :
Hue fi forte Inbes, fortem concede priorem
Hnic detur capiti dempta corona tuo. T.
' Vol. IIL F « I per-
Digitized by VjOOQIC
66 Ε k A r 0•
*' 1 perfevcrcd in my ftorjr, was ftti^fed diot^diert
*' had been fome divine mtcrpofitioa " i -and this
^' opinion was afterwards confirmed, 6om its ap•
<' pearing that this garland had been taken £tom
" the Ihrine of the hero Aftrobacus, whkh ftands
^ 4iear the entrance of our houie j and indeed a
*^ foothfayer declared, that xht peribnage I fpeadc
*' of was that hero kimielf. — ^I -have now, my fon^
" told you all that you wifbed to know ; you arc
** either. the fon of Aftrobacus, or of Arifton, for
** that very nigbt I conceived. Your enemies parti••
*' cularly objeft to you, that Arifton, when he firft
. *^ heard of your biith, declared in the prefencc of
" many that you could not poffibly be his fon, as
" the time of ten months was not yet compleated }
' ** but he faid this ftom his ignorance of fuch mat-
" ters. Some women are delivered at nine, others
" at feven months ; all do not go ten. I was de-t
^^ Di'vine //r/rr;^//>«.]— Innumerable inftanccs occur in an•
clent htilory» from which we may conclude, that the paifions of
intemperate hut artful men did not fail to avail themfelves of
the ignorance and fuperltitious credulity, with which the liea-
tlien world was ovcrfpread, to accompliih their diihoncft pur-
pofes. It were cndlefs to fpccify examples in all rcfpefb
Tefembling this before i^s; but it may feem wonderful» that
their occurring fo very often did not tend to awaken fuf-
picion» and interrupt their faccefs. Some licentious minifter of
the divine perfonage in queftion might eafily crown himfelf
with a confecrated garland, avidl himfelf of an imputed refem-
blance to the huiband of the woman who had excited his paflion»
and with no greater difficulty prevail on a brother prieft to
make a declaration» which at the fame uv^t (bften^ the crime
•f the woman, and gratified her vanity •<—Γ.
" Uveitd
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Ε R A τ α δ; ^
^ ^livefed of ^ou •acfercn ^aiid Arifton HiralelPiifter-
" yntrds codfeflkdltkot he had Dtcered th^fe words
" iiioliihl5r.-r-With regard tto all other fcStlurtjnios, |
'* .you'ifaey Ikfely defpifc di^n, and rely tipoti what
^ il hsxdfdvL As to' the ftory of the afe^river,
f' may the wives of X.eutychideft, and of thofe who
" &y fuchiihings, produce their huibands children
-^ £xun afe-drivers.**
V ■
LXX. Oemamm haviag »heard all that he
wiflMd^itook ibnie provifions, and departed for
Elis 5 he pretended, however, that he was gone to
confult the oracle at DelphL The Lacedaemonians
&fpe£led^ and puribed him. Demaratus had aU
it»iy crafled from Elis to Zacynthus, where the
tLaceflbimontans ftill following him^ feizedhis pei^
ion and his fervams ; tktk they carried away^ but
4bt Zacynthians reiufing to let them take Demara^
tust he pailed over to Afia, where he was honou-
jably received 1^ Darius, and prefented with many
Jands and cities. -^uch was the fortune of Demara-
tus, a man diftinguiihe4 amongft his countrymen
by many memorable deeds and fayings ; and who
alone, of all the kings of Sparta ^*, obtained the
prize in. the Olympic games> in the gh?riot-race of
.four hories.
'■ Jlone, tf idlthe Itngs of tparta^^^kX this paiTagc» Valc-
jiaer'remarks, that thefe Spartan princes were probably of tbt
opinion of ^efilaus, who> as is recorded in Plutarch» faid, that
■ the yiifloriesr at thefe games were carried rather by riches than
byjnerit.-P-T; * \.
F 2 s LXXI.
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68 Ε R A t 0•
LXXL Leutjrchidcs thr ion of Menaris, who
fucceeded Demaratus after he had been depofed,
had a ion named Zcuxidamus, called by ibme of
the Spartans Cynifcus, or the whelp. He ne^er
enjoyed the throne of Sparta, but dying beitx^e his
father, left a fon named Archidamus^ Leutychkies,
on the lofs of his fon, took for hb fecond wife Eu-
rydanic, iiiter cif Menius, and daughter of Diafto*
ris ; by her he had a daughter called Lampito, but
no male offspring : flie, by the confent of Leutychi-
des, was married to Archidamus, ion of Zeuxida»
mus.
LXXII. The latter days of Letitychidcs were
nDt fpent in Sparta j but the caufe of Demaratus was
in this manner avenged :— Leutychides commanded
an army of hi^ countrymen, in an expedition againft
Theilaly, and might have reduced the whole couo^
try ; but fufiering himfclf to be bribed by a lai^
ibm of money, he was detefted in his own camp»
fitting on ^ fack of money ^. Being brought to a
public
•^ SmcJ^ o/monejf,]'^' In the more ancient manufcripts»'' iayd
Weflcling, <* thefc two words were probably joined together, in
this manlier, ;^«>^^ιιτλιΐ} } whence the copyifts n^ade thefe two
χ%^ξί hvhmp or ^ινλίι, when it ought to have been pe'*^^*
Various errors of a fimilar kind have crept iiito modem edi<*
tions o( antient books• I give one remarkable inftance from
iBuchanan»
in the laft chonis of the Alcelles, it was formedy i«ad>
Km to» f » ;^vCoi0v
Which
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Ε R A το. ^9
pOblie trial, he was driven from Sparta, and his
houfe razed ^\ He fled to T^a, where he died ;
but the above events happened fonne tinie after-
wards»
LXXIIL Cleomenes having iucceeded in his
defigns npon Demaratus, took with him Leutychi-
des, and proceeded againft JEf ^^^^ ^ith ^Ki^^x^Jia^ — ^-^^
was exceedingly exalperated, on account of the in-
fijlt he had received. The people of -fflgina, on
feeing themfelves aflailed by the two kings, dkl not
meditate a long refiftance j ten of the moft illuftri-
ous and afliuent were feleited as hoftages : amongft ^
thefe were Crios. fon of Polycritus^ and Cafambrfs, ^ ^
Ibn of Ariftocrates, rpea of confiderable authority.
Being caried to Attica, they tl>erp r^n^ained amongft
their moft inveterate encniics•
Which Bnchaimi accordingly rendcredi
To ferrom fine vi domas
Montes quod Chalylmin creaat
yn^exeSL^ the reading ought to be»
Ferrnm \\s tua perdomat
Monte^ qood, &c.— >See Bttmes. T.
•^ His boufi raxed-l-^TYus fUfl confUtutcs pa^t of U^e puniih-
ment annexed to the crime of high treafon in Fquaca, and
^ great ftate crimes in many places. In the moment of po-
pular fury, when violent refentment will not wsdt the ilow de•
terminations of the law to be appeafed, it may adnut of fome ex-
tenuadqi^; but that in a civilized people it ihould be a^ part of
V»y lcg4 dccifion, fecms prepofterous and unmeaning.--^ .
f 3 LXXJV,
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7Λ ί/ R:• ΑαΤ: α
. XiXXiy. Oeofnche» afterwards fled to Theft
f^iy ί ,foy/hi^ treachery» igainft Demararus becoming
miyitfcft>r)^ feared the refeiitmcot of the Spartaw :i
from thence he went to Arcadia, where he cndtft^
voured to raife a commotion, by ftirring iip the
AtCadians a^hA Sparta. AnK>ngfl: other oathsj,
hilf^^fyci^of them; an engagement^ (x^ follow
hijpfi Vili^tcvfir he ftfeuW think proper to (onduft
them» ' He p^c.iikrly^..wi(hed to carry the princi-^
• <^^|μ1, wf namongft ihg^ tq th^, osyjy j N<)mcris >
thci^ to piaJqe them/treii* by. fclie waters of Styx:".
-:-.••. .. ' Thcfe
, V'^ ^f<W £/^ Sfjix.]'^t appea» by thi• paibge tfcat thei
Greeks ftflcmblcd at Nonagri» to fwear by the waters of Styx ;,
\χ]ίβή tiicir ioaths were to ^e confi^ered as inviolable : the gods
aiio iworie by Styx, 'and it was the ^eatcft oath Aey could ufe.
"This water," obfcrves Paafaniae, «* i» moltal : tiK ' mdn and
animals :** it was, doubtlefs, for this reafon that it was faid to
be a fountain of the infernal pegiDAsL This water could not be
preferved, but in a vefiieL node of the horn of a mule's hoof.
See Pliny, N• H• 1. jftcf. ς. .i6f.-r*f Ungulas tantum mularum
repertas neque aliam ullam materiam qux non pernoderetur a
veneno Stygis aquae." Paufaftias gives the fame efficacy to the
horn of a horfe's hoof; and ^hitarch to that of an afs.—
Larchirm
A few particulars on thje fubjed, omitted by Larcher, and
lefs familiar perhaps to^^n_£ng]iih reader, I (hall add to the
above. Pliny fays, it was remarkable for producing a fiih, the
taftc of which was fatal. The fo?emmty with which the gods
regarded the iWedrin^ by Styx, is mentioned by Virgil :
Stygiamque p^ifdem
DH cujus jume tiaieiit et fallere num^.
The lacred dreams Wliich heaven's imperial ftate
AttcAs in oaths, and fears to violate•
• - * :, ^ The
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ERATO• 71
Thde waters are laid to be found in this part
of Arcadia : there is but little water, and it falls
drop by drop from a rock into a valley, which Is
cnclofed by a circular wall. — Nonacris is an Area-
dian city> near Phereos•
LXXV. When the Lacedaemonians heard what
Cleomenes was doing, through fear of the confe-
quences they invited him back to Sparta, offering
him his former dignity and ftation. Immediately
on his return he was fcizcd with madnels, of which
he had before difcovered very ftrong fymptoms:
for whatever citizen he happened to meet, he
fcrupled not to ftrike him on the face with his
fceptre**. This extravagant behaviour induced
his
The circomftince o^ this oath being regarded by att the gods
as inviolable, is mentioned by Homer, Heiiod, and all the more
ancient writers : Homer calls it ^ooreror ^xo^^cri. The pu-
niihment fuppofed to be annexed to the perjury of gods in this
inilance, was that of being tortured 9,000 years in Taurus.—
See Servins on the 6th book of the iEneid.— 7*.
•* With his /ceftre.]^Th9it princes and individuaJs of high
rank carried their fceptres, or infignia of their dignity, frequent-
ly in their hands, may be concluded from varions parages of
andent writers : many examples of this occur in Homer. When
Therfttes damoronfly endeavoui^d to excite the Greeks to mur-
murs and fedition, UlyiTes is defcrtbed as llriking hirti with the
fceptre he had in his hand :
He fald, and cowering as the dailard bends.
The weighty fceptre on his back defcends :
On the round bunch the bloody tumours rife ;
The tears fpring ftarting from his haggard eyes.
F 4 The
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71 ERATO.
his friends to confine him in a pair of ftocks ; fec^
ing himfelfi on fome occafion, left with only one
perfon to guard him, he demanded a fword 5 the
man at firft refufed to obey him, but finding him
perfift in his requeft, he at length, being an Hclo^
and afraid of what he threatened» gave him one,
Cleomenes, as ibon as he received the iword, began
to cut the fleih off his legs ^* j from his legs he af-'
tended to his thighs, from his thighs to his loins, dU
at length, making gafhes in his belly, he fo died.
The Greeks in general confider his death as occa-
fioned by his having bribed the Pythian ** to give
an anfwer againft Demaratus. The Athenians
alone aflfert, that he was thus punilhcd for hav^
The moft ancient fceptre was probably a ftafF to rei^ upon,
for Ovid dcfcribes Jupiter as reiHng upon his ; it was a more
ancient emblem of royalty than the crown : the firft Roxnan
who aiTumed the iceptre vf&s Tarqubi the Proud.— 7*.
'^ Cut theflefi} off Ms /^i.]— Longinus inftancee this and a
fimilar paiTage in Herodotus, to (hew how a mean adion may b<»
cxprefled in bold and lofty words ; fee feiHon xxxL — the word
here ufed by Herodotus is χατ4»;^(^ι&•>». The other pailage of
Herodotus, alluded to by Longinns, is in book vii. c 181.
where three Grecian (hips are defcribed as refiiling ten Per(iaa
veiTels : (jpieaking of Pytlies, vdio commanded one of the former,
he fays, « that after Ids (hip was taken, he perfevered in fight-»
ing» %% x^TiM^f t^^yndi mm%ti% Or, as we (hould fay in Engliih, ^ till
be was quite ciit in pieces^"— y,
•♦ Halving brihtd the Pjthian.] — The difeafe of madnefs wa$
frequently confid^red by thq ancients as annexed by the gods to
more atrocious adls of impiety and wickednefs. — Oreftes was
ftruck with madnefs for killing his mother; CEdipus, for a fimi-
lar crime j Αμχ Qileus for violating the fan^ity of ^ teipplc»
ing
Digitized by VjOOQIC
ERATO. 7jj
iiig plundered the temple of the goddefles at
Eleufis ^K The Argives fay, that it was becaufe
he had forced many of their countrymen from the
refuge they had taken in a temple of Argos *^ and
Had not only put them to the fword, but had Impi- .
eufly fet fire to the facred wood.
LXXVI. Cleomenes, upon confulting the Del-
phic oracle, had been told that he ihould certainly
.?? Goddijes at £i^/.]— Ceres and Profcrpinc.
«' We turned to the fouth, into. the. plain Eleufis, which ex-«
tends ^bout a league every way; it is probably the plain
called R^rion, where they iay the firft corn was fowed ; there is
a long hill> wluch divides the plain, extending to the eail within
a mile of the fea, and on the fouth fide is not half a mile from
it : at the eail end of this hill the ancient £leuiis was fituated«
About a mile before we came to it, I faw the ruins of a fmall
temple to thp pail, which might be that which was built at the
threihing-floor of Triptolemas•
** In the phiin, near the north foot of the hill, are many pieces
of ilones and pillars, which probably are the remains of the tem-
ple of Diana Propylaea, which was before the gates of the city ;
and at the north foot of the hill, on an advanced ground, there
are many imperfect ruins^ pieces of pillars, and entablatures,
and doabtlefs it is the fpot of the temple of Ceres and Profcr-
pine, Scz.^*~Pocockt, 5i. 17a '
•^ Temple ^^r^e/.]— This Argos was the fon of Jupiter and
^nobe daughter of Pboronea; he had given his name to Argos,
and the territory he poflciTed. He had no temple, and perhaps
not even a chapel; Paufanias fpeaks only of his niK)niiment«
which doubtlefs ftood in the wood confecrated to him.
This Argos was very different from him furnamcd Panoptes,
who had ty^s in every part of his body : this was the fon of
Agenor, and great-grandibn of him of whom we fpeak.— •
turcher,
become
Digitized by VjOOQIC
74 Ε R A Τ Ο.
become mailer of Argos : he accordingly led a
body of Spartans to the river Erafiaus '^, which is
iaid to flow from the Stymph»lian lake. Thi^
iiake is believed to ihew itic^f ^ fecond time in the
territories of Argos^ after difappearing for ibmc
time in an immenfe giulph \ it is then called by the
Argives, Erafinus. Arriving at this river, Cleome-
ncs^offered iacrifice to it : the entrails of the vic-
tim gave him no encouragement to pals the
ftream ", from which incident he affeAed to praifc
the river god for his attachment to his countrymen ;
but, nevertbclefs, vowed that the Argives Ihould
have no occafion to rejoice. From hence he ad-
vanced to Thyrea, where he (acrificed a bull to the
Ocean *' ; and embarking his forces, proceeded ta
Tirymhis^ and Nauplia»
*^ jSr^iii.]— According to Sirzho there was atmdrer rivef
of this name ; the one here me n tto n e d b now called Rafibo, ,
una was called by Ovid *« ingena Eralmas.*'
Redditur Argolicis ingens £raiinus in «gris. T.
^ No encouragement to fafs the ^r^«w.]— Tn Lucan, when
tsefar arrived on the banks of the Rubicon, the genius cf his
country is reprefent^d as appeari|ig to him, in order to dififaade
him from his pDrpofe•— The whole defcnption is admirably
beautiful.
•• A bull to the OceanJ\ — A bull was the ufual viflim to the
Dii Magni, Horace reprefents one as facrificed to Pluto;
Virgit; to Neptune and Apollo ; Homer, to the fea, and to
rivers. It was not frequently, if it was#evcr facrificed to Jupi-
ter, Bacchus was fometimes worfliipped with the head of a
bull; and I have before obferved, that the bull facrificed to the
Egyptian Typhon gave occafion to the goHen calf of the
Jfiraelhes•— 71
% LXXVIL
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Ε; R. Α. Τ.• α γς^
, KXXyit Tte Argivcs^ hearing of this, adVanc-
i^!to dfruatoirdpel him: as icon as. diey caifne
to Tirynthus % at a place called Sipia, they en-
camped in the Lacedsemonian territory, at no great
diftancc from the enemy• They were not fo much
afraid of meeting their adverfarics openly in the
field, as of falling into an ambiifcade : of this in^
deed they had been forewarned by the Pythian^ rti
the declaration made jointly to the Milefians and
fhemfelvest
When^' female Hands the ftrength of man ihall
tame,
And among Argives gain a glorious name.
Women of Argos Ihall much grief difplay.
An d f hys ihall pne in future ages fay :
^ 7Vryj»//&i^.]--Fpom dWs place Herculet - was ^ femetimee
^called Tuymhias• •
»^ fnen.]^Thc firfl: part of this oracle b Oφkifted by what
Paufanias and Plutarch, with little variation from each other,
relate. The Argive women, taking arms under the condad οΓ
Tetcrilla, repelled the attempts of Cleomenes on their city,
widi tke lofs of numbcrj of his men.— Plutarch, after renting
the above, adds fome circum dances {q very whim fical, that I
may well be excufed inferting diem. " Some affert," fays Plu-
tarch, " that the above feat of the women was performed on
the fourth of the month called Hermaeus, when to fhis day they
celebrate the feafl' cafled HybrifHca, when the women- are
doathed in the coats and breeches of men, and the men in the
veils and petticoats of women." He proceeds to fay, that th«
women, to repair the want of men, having many of them loft
their huibands, did not marry their fervants, but firft admitted
the'b^ft ©f theifneighbours to the rights of citizens, and afcer-
wtrde married ihem• Butoa their reproacEing and infulting ^
thefe huibands, a kw pafled that newnwrried womepi when
they lay for the firft time with their huibands, fhonld wear
beards.— Γ.
^^ A ferpent
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76 Χ R A Τ Ο.
^' Α i^rpcnt huge, which wreath'd its body round^
** From a keen fword rccciv'd a mortal wound•^^
Thefe incidents filled the Argivcs with the greateft
terror j they accordingly rcfolved to regulate th?ir
piotions by the herald of the adverfc army : a? often,
therefore^ as. this offiςer communicated ^y public
order to th? l-acpdajnionians, they did the fame.
LX3f7III• CJepmenps taking noricp that the
^rgivcs ohfervpd what the herald of his army an-
pounced, direftcd that when the fignal ihould be
given for his foldiers to dine, they ihould immedi-
ately take their arms and attack the Argives. ']^he
Lacedaemonians upoq this gave the fignal fbr din-
ner, the Argives did the fame ; but whilft they were
engaged ia eating» the enemy ruflied upon them,
(lew a prodigious number, and furroimdcd many
others, who efcaping from the field, took refiigc in
φέ grove of Argos.
LXXIX^ Whilft they remained here, Clcome^
ncs determined on the following meafure; — By
means of fome deferters, he learned the names of
all thofc Argives who had efcape^ to this grove ^
thefe he called out one by one, telling them that he
had received their ranfom : this in the Pelopon-
nefc,' is a fixed fum, and is fettled at two minae for
each captive. The number of the Argiy^ wa^
fifty, who as they reipedtively came out, when
called, Cleomenes put to death. This incident
was unknown to thofe who remained in the afy-
lum, the thicknefs of the wood not allowing thein
to
Digitized by VjOOQIC
ERATO• y^
to fee* what paffixL Till at tengtk one getting Mp
a tree, £iw the trmiaotiont after which no one ap-
peared when called»
LXXIL Cleomencs then ordered his Hebts to-
encompafs the wood with materials for the purpofe;
and they obeymg hini, it was fet on fire ^*. Whilil
it was burning C}eomenes defired to know of one
of the fugitives to what divinity that grove was
iacred» He replied, to Argos» At this the La-
cedaemonian in great agitation cxcjamied — ^ Ο
** ApoHo, thy prcdiition has miiled me, promiiing
^ that I ihould become matter of Argos• Thy
" orade has I fear no other termination."
LXXXI. CIcomenes afterwards permitted the
greater part of bis forces to return to Sparta; and
rcfcrving only a feleit body of a thoufimd men, he
wenLto offer facrifice at the temple of Juno. Wiih-
Φ* Sgt on /r/.]— >Mr. Mafon, m his admirable tragedy of
Cara£tacus« has made an excellent ufe of the fuppofed fandity
of the grores at Mona. The circomftance of Cleomenes fet-
^g fire to the facred grove of Argos, bears in many inilances
a refemblanee to the burning of the groves of the Druids, by
Anlos Didius» the Roman leader.
Cttfaaacus.^^SmVLt, my lovM childt and iadtate the Ten,
That rifes ruddy from behind yon oaks»
To hatl your brother vidon
Chorus. That the ftm !
Oh horrpur, horrour I Sacrilegious fires
Devour our groves : they blaze, they blaze— Ofa,Jband
The trump agaio^ &c, . T.
in^
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7« JB R A τ Q.
ing to pecfonn the cxiemcmis hithftlf on itiiejalttfi^
the pridl forbade him» iaying» k nras a privil^ie
granted to no foreigner. Upon this» he rorder*-
cd ^thc Helots to drag the prieft from the akar '^
nsrid beat him. He then '^crificed^ and a&erwirda
returned to Spartla.
LXXXII. On his return, he was accufed before
•the Ephori ** of bribery, and of neglefting die op-
portunity he had of taking Argos. Whether the
irepTy^^Fhich Cleomencs made was true or felfc, I
am not able to determine t he t>bfervcd, diat hav-
ing taking poflfeffion oF the temple of Argos, the
prediitionof the Oracle Itemed to^iim finaBy com-
pleted. He concluded therefore, that he ought not
'to make any farther attempts upon the'cky, till he
fhould firft be fatisfied H^wn his lacrifices whether
^e deity would aflift or oppofe him• When he
was performing the facred rites aulpicioufly m the
•' Drag tie prltfi from the akar.\^k fimilar ail of violcnc•
ift recorded by Plutarch of Alexander the Great. WifluAg to
confolt the Delphic oracle concerning the fuccefs of hb defigns
againft Perfia, he happened to go there at a time which was
deemed inaufpicious, and the Pythiafv refufed to do her office.
Alexander on this went to her himfelf, and by perfonal violence
.dragged her to the temple ; fatigued with 4ier cJcertiQas againft
him, ihe at length exclaimed» " My fon, you are invintible.**
The Macedonian prince exprelTed himfelf perfedUy (atisfied
with her anfwer, and aiTured his foldiers that it was unneceflary
to confult the deity any more.— 9".
0* EphorL^ — The reader will remember Aet k was the par•
titular offiitc of the Ephori to watch Ac coniuftof the Spartan
kings. -p-f.
temple
Digitized by VjOOQIC
S. η A τ q, 7,
jjenftplc of Juno, a flpove of fire '^ ΒλιγΛ from the• bp-
iom of tb« fqqred iqwg^, which ^fitiueljr convinced
Jiim that he.ihouW aot take Argos. If this fl^fw
had iflued from the head, he Ihould have taken thp
place by ftomi, but its coming from the breaii de-.
qfively declared urn all the purpofes of the deity
were accomplilhed• His defence appeared j)laufible
aod fatisfedory to his qountr^yri^en, and he was,
ajcqukted by a great majoritjr.
LXXXIIL Argos however, was deprived qf, fa
/isany of ks citizens, tb^ die. fl^es ufuFped the
management of affairs, and executed the offices of
government : but when the fbns of thoie who had
been flain grew up, they obtained poflfeffion of the
city, and after fome conteft expelled the flavesj^
who retired to Tyrindies, which they feized• They
for a time forebore to molcft each other^ till Cle-
aijder, a foothfayer and an Arcadian, of the diftriot
♦» /Aifflue^/r^]— The appearance of fire felf- kindled ww
generally deemed amongH the ancients an aufpicious omen ;
buty like all ether ptodi^s and iQodes of divination^ they
varied their coDcluit<»is concerning it according to the di^ent
circumdanoes and places in which it appeared. According to
Pliny, Amphiarauf was the firll inventor of divination by
ire.
Arufpicium Pelphus invenit, tgnifpkia Anxphiaraus, aufpicia
avium Tireiias Thebanus» interpretiitionem oftentorum et fom-
niorum AmphrClyon.
Delphus was the bveator of divination by the entrails o^
bcafls, Amphiaraus of that by fire, Tirefias the Thcban of that
of bifds, and Amphj^yon of the interpretation of prodigies and
dfcamswv»»7'.
of
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Id Ε R A τ d.
of Phigilis, coming amongft them, he perfuaded
the flaves to attack their maftcrs• A tedious war
followed, id which the Ai^gives were finally, though
with difficulty, ^dftorious.
luXXXIV. The Argives affirm, that on account
of the things before mentioned Cleomenes loft his
realbn, and came to a mifcrable end. The Spjar-
tans, on the contrary,' will not allow his madneis to
have been occailoned by any divine intcrpoiition j
they fay, that by communicating with the Scy-
thians ^ he became a drinker of wme, and that
this
•• Commumcating ivitb ibi Scytbuim.\^S^ this ftory referred
to in Athenxus, book χ< c. 7 ; from whence we learn that isn.
wKvbtatth or to imitate the Scythians, became proverbial for in-
temperate drinking. A curioat fragment is there alfo pre•'
fcrved from Achaeus i
Καλϋς μ.19 ϋψ ayttf σχνθ«π irii»».
See alfo the Adagia of Ett(mus, upon the word £pifcythf^
zare. Hard drinking was in like manner chara^eriftic of the
Thracians.-— See Horace :
Natis in ufum Ixtitiae; Scyphis
Pugnare Thracum eft: tollite barbarum
Morem, verccundumque Bacchum
Sangumeis prohibete rixis• L. i. 27*
Again, the fame author»
. Non ego fanios.
Bacchabor Edonis. £. il. 7.
Upon
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ERATO; it
this made, him mad. TheScjrthianNomades, after
the invafion of their country by Darius» determined
on revenge: with this view they ient ambafiadors
to form an alliance with the Spartans. It was ac«
cordingly agreed» that the Scythians (hould invade
the country of the Medes» by the fide of the Phafis:
the Spartans, advancing^ from £pheius> were to
do die fame» till the two armies formed a jun£tion«
With the Scythians fent on this bufinds Cleo^•
menes is faid to have formed too great an intimacy »
and thence to have contrafted a habit of drink*
ing» which injured the faculties of his mind From
Upon the word Scyphis, in the firil quotation» it may not be
improper to remark» that Athenanis doubts whether the word
9Μρφ9ς, fcypht», a bowl» qoafi σηυ^ος, icythas^be not derived i
Scjtbis• The eff^ of intemperate dqnkbg is well dc(cribe4
in the Solomon of Prior :
I drank, I lik'd it no&«»'twas rage« 'twas noife.
An airy fcene of traniitory joys :
In vain I trufled that the flowmg bowl
Would baniih forrow» atid enlarge the foaL
To the late revel and protraded feaft
Wild dreams fucceeded> and diibrder'd reft•
• • • • •
Add yet unnnmber'd ills, that lie unfeen
In the pemicioos draught; the word obfcene
Or haHh, which» once danc'd» mnft ever fly
Irrevocable j the too prompt reply.
Seed of fevere diftruft» and fierce debate»
What we ihould fhun» and what we ought to hate.— Γ.
^ ^ίΛτΛΛα»^.]— The word in Greek is uteJiawtr; and
Larcher remarks» that this %vord is «ied in almoft all the hifto-
Hans» for to advance firom the fea» and that therefore the re•
treat of the ten thouiand was called by Xenophon the Α*βιί«^κ•
The illuibration is, however, rather unfortunate, as the return
of Xenophon was not from the fea» but from Conaxa» an
laland place on the Euphrates» to the 6a at Trapezos, &ρ.— »7\
Vol. Ill• G which
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89 ERATO.
which ihcident, Whoerer. are defiious to drink Irt^
temperately, are fatd to exclaim £piicythifon>
f^ Let us drink like Sqrtfifans.' ~Such is the Spar-
tan account of Cleomenes. To me, however, he
feenns to haVe been an objed of the divine ven-,
geance, on account of Demaratus.
LXXXV. Τίιβ people of iEgina no fijoner re-
ceived intelligence of his death, than they dif-
patched emif&ries to Sparta, to complain of Leu*
tychides, for deuining dicir hoftages ar Athens•
The Lacedaemonians, after a public confultation,
were of opinion that Leutychides had greatly in-
jured the ii^bitants of £gina; and they deter-
mined that he fhould be given up to them, and be ,
carried to -flEgina, inftead of fuch of their country-
men as were detained at Athens. They were about
to lead him away, when Theafides, fon of Leo-
propis, a Spartan of approved worth, thus addrefled
them : " Men of <£ginaj what would you do ?
** would you take away a Spartan prince, whom
** his countrymen have given up ? Although the
*' Spartans have in anger come to this refolution,
** do ye not fear that they will one day, if you per-
** fift in your purpofe, utterly deftroy your coun-
«^ try ?" This expoftulation induced the iEginctse
to change their firft intentions : they neverthclcfs
infifted that Leutychides fhould accompany them
to Athens^ and fct their countrymen at liberty.
LXXXVI. When Leutychides arrived at A-
thens, and claimed the hoftages, the Athenians,
who were ufiwilling to give thejn up, demurred. — .
. ; ^ They
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^ IL A τ ο. 93
^hcY &id, that as the two kings h^d jomtty con*
6ded thefe men to their c$tre^ it wouM be unfair
to give tlttm up to one of them. Upon their
fimtl rduial to iurrender them/ Leutychides thus
addrei&d them t ^^ In this buiineisi Athenians»
*^ you will do what you pleafe ι if you give up
" thcfc mcn> you will a£l juftly, if you do not, you
'^ wul be difhooeft. I am deiirous however to relate
'\ " to you what once happened in Spana upon a fimi*
^^ *^ far occafion: We have a tradition amopgft us, that
,^.,^ ^" abou t three ages ago there lived in Lacedarmon a
^ ' ^' man named Glaucus> the ion of Epicydes ; he
^' was fkmous amongft,his countrymen for many
i?^*^" excellent qualities, and in particular for his inte^
;y\ " grity* We are told, that in proccfs of time a
^ ^' Mileiian came to Sparta, purppfciyp folicit this
^^ man's advice. ^ I am come/ ^idli^r^drefling
^' him, * from Miletus, to be beneficed by your jut
^ tice, the reputation of which, circulating through
*' Greece, has arrived at Ionia» I have companed
^< the i&ie€ure condition of Ionia with the undif-
^* turbed tnmquillity of the Peloponnele 5 and ob-
*' ferving that the wealth of my countrymen is con-
'^ ftantly Huftuadqg, I have been mduced to adopt
'^^ this meafure : 1 have converted half of my pro-
** perty into money, which, from the Confidence of
^ its being pcrfedtly fecUre, 1 propofe to depofit in
" your hands j take it therefore, and with it thefe
** private marks j to the perfon who Ihall convince
^ you that he knows them you will return it.' The
'* Milefian here finiihed, and Glauctis accepted his
*' money upon thefe conditions• After a long inter-
*' val of time the fons of the above Milefian came
G a "CO
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^4 ERATO.
^ to S|)arti^ and preieiidngthemielVes befot^e Gku--
^' ass prodticed the teft agreed upon» and claimed
'* the money•• Hehowcrerrgcdcd tbcappKcatian
^^ with anger, and affiired them that he remembered
" nothing of the matter. ^ If/ fays he, * I ihould
*' hereafter be able to recottedk the drcumftancc
^ yoti mcntiod, ί wrD Certainly do you jofticc, and
^ reftore that which you fay•! have received. If,
'* on the contrary» your dpim has no foundation, I
*' ihall arail myfelf ^flfee laWs of. Greece againft
^* yoik I therefore invite you to return to me agahl^
^ after a period of four months/ The Miiefians
'^ accordifigTy departed in forrow, confideringthem-
^' felves cheated of their money : Glaucus, on tht
*^ other hand, went to confoh the orack at Delphi.
** On Ws enquiring wKetlier be might abfcilyt.him-
** iclf frbm• returning the money by an oath, the
*' pricften^made him riiis reply :>
*** Glaucii^''^ thus much by iwiearing you may gain,
^ Thro'' life the gdld you fafely may retain : •
^ Swear then — rememb'rihg liiic die awnH' grave
** Confounds alike theiidndl man and'khave j
" But ftiil an oath ^ namelefs offering Bears,
*^ Which tho' no feet it his* no arm uprears,
• ** Swiftly
, *• Glaucus f fin of Epicydes,'\~~^\it words of this oracle, as
has been obferved by mactiy writers, anil in particnlar by Gro-
tius, may Well be comparw lo a paffage in Zcchariah, V: λ.
** f looked, and behold, α flying;. rolL— Then ikid hevntc^me.
This is thcjcnife.tiiat.goeth forth ^v^ thii face ©f;ihp^ whole
^ealrtk I— -and it Hull enter into the ^Qpie of the ; thief, and^-int^ •
the tioufe of him that fwearcth falfely by my name : " and it
ihall remain in the midil of his houfe, and Ihifll cotifttrntiin'ivith
the limber thereof, and the ftenca thereof.'* ' ....
C - The
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J^.^ <f;.-w-^^-^ ^^-^L
ι
ERATO. 85
** Swifdy the perjur'd villain will overtake, , φ ^ / s
" And of his race entire deftrudion make; / / ' *^ ^ ^
'' Whilft their defoendan^ s. who tl ^eir oath rcs;ard , / '^ ψ *^ (>
" Fortune ne'er fails to favour and reward• ^"^ ^^ '
« On y
The ftory of Glaocas b alfo well iritroduced by Juvenal,
SatxiiL ' ' ^
Spaitano cuidam rdpondk Py thia vates^ ' a/
Haad impunhum quondam fore, quod dubitarft f'l ^ ^ ^
Depofitum retincre et fraudcm jure tuere
Jurando. Quxrebat enim qua; numinis elTet
Mens et an hoc illi facinus fuaderet Apollo.
Reddidit ergo rneta» aon moribas et tamen omnem
Vocem adyti dignam templo, veramque probavit
Exftinftus tota paricer Cum prole domoque
£t quamvis longa deduQis gente propinqui;
Has petitur pqpna» peccandi ibla voluntas.
See alfo Joriin's'piicourires on the Chriftian Religion.
«* Jofephus^fays, that Aatiochus Bpijphanes, a» he was dying,
cottfelTcd that he fuffered fbr the injuries which he had done to
the Jews. Then he add% I wonder how Pplybius could fay that
Antiochus periihed becaufe ]\e had purpofed to plunder the
Umplc of Diana in Periia ; /or to intend the thing onfy, and not
perform it, is not vporthj of fyuniflmenU—Ji^ yeg'^trxiT» To»Uire* τβ
ifyo» βνΜνσβψ,ΐΗ,φ tin, m ημ»^ιας afwy."
How contrary to this fentiment of Jofephus is the pofitive
declaration of Jefus Chriil ! %
*' fiut I iay unto you, that whofoever looketh ομ a woman to
kft after her, hath cpniinitted adultery wit|i her ^^eady in bis
heart,"
f cannot properly omit relating in this place a ftory from
Stobseos, fomewhat.of a fimilar n^tur^ with this before us,--,
Larcher has done the fame.
Archetimue of Eryihrxa, in loni^ dcpofited at Tcnedos, in.
the hands of his friend Qyam» ^ confidcrable fum of money.
Having demanded it to be rctupped, the other denied that h^
had it; and as the difpute grew warm, it was agreed that ία
three days he ihould purge himfelf by an path. Thij? time was
^ 3 employed
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86 . ERATO.
** On this reply, Glaucus entreated the deity to forrr
" give him -, but he was told by the pricftcfs, that the
*^ intention and the aftion were alike crinninaL Glau-
" cus then fent for the Milefians, and reftored th?
*• nioney. — My motive, Oh Athenians, for majcing
" you this relation, remains to \>c told. At the prefcnt
** day no defcendant of Glaucus, nor any traces of
** his family, are to be found i they arc utterly extir-
•*' pated from Sparta. Wherever therefore a truft
*' has been repofed, it is an aft of wifdom to reftorc
^ it when denianded."—— Leutychides, finding
that what he faid made no imprefTion vipon the
Athenians, left the place.
LXXXVII. Before the -SEginctae had fuffered
for the infults formerly offered to^ the Athcniansj^ .
with the intention of gratifying the-Thcbans, Acy
had done the following aft of violence:— Exalpe-
rated againil dif Athenians for fonie imagined in-
jury, they prepared %o revenge themfclyes. The
Athenians had a quinqupre^nc ftationed at Sunium i
pf this veffel, which was th^ Theoris% and fuH-
of
employed by Cydias in making hollow a cane> in which he
placed the gold of Archetimus ; and the better to ponceal his
fraud> he covered the handle of it with a thick bandage of*
linen. On the appointed day he left his hoxik, reding on this
cane,' as if indifpofed ; and arriving at the temple, he placed the
cane in the hands of Archetimus, whilll he elevated his own^
and fwore that he had returned to him tKe depofit confided to
him. Archetimus in anger daftied the cane on the ground : it
broke in pieces, the gold fell out, and expofed to the eyes of
|he fpeiUtors the perfidy of Cydias, who died prematurely. — T,
99 The T'^m/.J-rrThis w^s a veffel which was every yea»
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ERATO. ' «7
of the moft iUuftrious Athenians) they by ibme ar«
tifice obtained poflcffion, and put all whom they
found in^ her in irons. The Athenians inftantly
rwlitated the fevereft vengeance.
LXXXVIII. There was at iEgina a man
gready efteemed, the Ion of CnoBthus> his name
Nicodromus. From fome diiguft againft his coun*
trymen he had fome time before left the ifland,:
hearing that the Athenians were determined on the
ruin of ^ p;^"r*i ^^ ^g»•^^ ^'^^h thciT ^" rf^rti^in
conditions to deliver it into their hands. He ap- ^
pointed a particular day for the execution of his
n)ealijre3| when they alfo W(?rc to be ready to aflSft
fent to Delos to offer Γαςήήςβ to Λρο11θ| in ςonfeqαenc^ of a
vow which Thefeus had made at his departure for Crete. As
foon as the feftival celebrated on this occafion was begun, they
purified the place» and it was an inviolable law to put no perfon
to death till this veifel fhould be returned ; and it was fome-
times a great while on its paifage, particularly when the win4
was contrary. The feitival called Theoria commences when the
prieft of Apollo has crowned the prow of the veffel. Theoros
was the name of the perfon fent to offer iacriiice to fome god,
or confult an oracle ; it was given to diftinguiih fuch perfons
from thofe charged with commiflions on civil affsdrsj who wςre
called UξiσC»^ς.'^L•arcJlfcr,
See a very poetical defcription of the arrival of a Theoris at
Ddos, in thr Voyage du Jeune Anacharfis, vL 417, 418.
f< On appercevpit dans Teloignement la Theorie des Athe-
n)eps. Telles que les filles de Neree, lorfqu'elles fuivent fur
les flots le char de la fouveraine des mers, une foule de bati-
mens legers fe jouoient autour de la galere facree. Leurs voiles»
pl^s edatantes que la neige, brilloient comme les cygnes qui
agitenc leors ^les fi^r |es eaux da Caiftre et du M^ndre,
&c.'W
G 4 hitn•
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«ί ERATO-
hhn. He proceeded in his purpoie, and made
himfetf mafter of what is called the old citjr•.
LXXXIX. The Athenians were not punihia!
to their engagement; they were not prepared with
a fleet able to contend with that of iEgina; and in
the interval of their applying to the Corinthians for
a reinforcement of fhips, the favourable opportu-
nity was loft. The Corinthians, being at that tim^
on very friendly terms with the Athenians, fumifli-
ed them, at their requeft, with twenty Ihips ""* : as
their* laws forbade them to give thefe Ihips, they
fold them their allies for five drachmas each. With
thefe, which in addition to their own made a fleet
of feventy Ihips, the Athenians failed to -ffigina,
where howeyer they did not arriye till a day after
the time appointed^
XC. The Athenians not appearing as had been
-^ipulafprl^ T^jrQfirpm^vQj accompanied by many of
the ^gjnetae, fled in a veflel from iEgina. ' The
Athenians afliigned Sunium for dieir refidence, fron^
whence they occafionally iflued to h&rrafs and plun-
der the people of -Eginaj but thefe things hap^
pen€4 afterwards. ' "
XCI. The principal citizens of ^gina having
overpowered fucl^ of the common people as had
'**> With tnuentjf fiips^Yr^ht Corinthiaps reproached the
Athenians with this ail of kindnefs, when they afterwards difj
covered an inclination to aflift the Corcyfcans.rrSec Thucydides^
I. i. c• j^l^-^Larcber,
■ taken
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/
Go0^(^
Β R' A Τ; Ο; *9
taken the part of Nicodromtrs i^ainft them, they
proceeded to put their priftmers to death. On this
occafion riiey committed an iift of impkty, to aton^
for which all Aeircameff dndeavours were trna-^
railing; and before they could conciliate the god-
defs, they were driven from the ifliand. Μ they
^ wrrt rnndnffing m, mfftitJOn feTtO humJlTlC^C^.^ .-.
common people, whom they had taken alive, one
of them, cfcaping from his chains, fled to the vcfti-
bule of the *^^^\τ^ nf Cf Γ^ Th^fmrtpjinmo^ ^^^^j^ y y ^
feizing the hinges of the door, held them faft : un- j y ^.
aWe to make him quit his hold, they cut off his ^ /
hands "', and dragged him away. His hands re*
Tnained adhering to the valve$ of the door,
XCII. After the -ffiginetas had thus puniihed
their domeftic enemies, the feventy veflcls of the
Athenians appeared, whom they engaged, and were
conquered. In confequence of their defeat they»
applied a fecond time to the Argives for afliftance,
which was refufed, and for this reafon : they com-
plained that the ihips of the ^ginetae which Cleo-
mcncs had violendy fei?ed, had, in conjuniHon with,
the Lacedaemonians, made a defcent upon theijr
coaft ; to which aft of violence fome Sicyonian-
Ycficls had alfo contributed. For this the Argives
had demanded, by way of compenfation, a thoufand
f alents, of which each nation was to pay five hun-
dred. The Sicyonians apologized for their mif•
conduft, and paying one hundred talents wete ex-
f ufcd the reft. The JEgincxx were too proud to
?«" Cut όξΙ?Ί$ hands.l^^tt Humeri Efays, vol. ii. 462.
9 make
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90 ERATO•
make any concdSons. The Argives therefore ta
their applicadon fi)r afliftance refuied any public
countenance^ but a body of about a thoufand vo-
lunteers went over to them, under the cpnduf^ of
turybates, a man very flcilful in the contefts of the
Pentathlon. The greater part of thefe returned
no morc> but were (lain by the Athenians at
JEgina• Eurybiites their leader, vi<3:orious in three
differei^t fiiigle combats^ was fulled in a fourth, by
$pphanes^ a Decplian•
XCIILThc -^ginet», taking advantagp of feme
confuAon on the part of the Athenians, attacked
their fleet, and obtained a viftory, taking four of
their fliips, with all their crews•
XCIV. Whilft thefe two nations were thus en•
gaged in hoftilities, the domeftic of the Perfian
monarch continued regularly to bid him ** Remem-
" bcr the Athenians '"*,*' which incident was farther
enforced by the unremitting endeavours of the Pi•
*®* Remember tbt ><f^^w<wf/.]-^This incident will peccflarily
bring to the mind of the reader what is related of the Mace*
donian Philip ; who to prevent pride and infdence taking top
entire a po^Teflion of his heart, from his vidories and great
prosperity» enjcnjied a domeftic erery morsing to exclaim to
him, «' Remember, Philip, thou art a man.'* The word «* Re-
memlier'' is memorable in Engliih hiftory. Ic was the laft
word pronounced by Charles the itrft to Dr. Juxon on the fcaf.
Ibid. Dr. Juxon gare a plauiible anfwer to the roinifters of
Cromwell, who interrogated him on the fubjedl; bot many are
flill of opinion, that it involved Tome my fiery never known bu^
by the individuals to whom it immediately related•— 7*.
fiftradd»
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£ R A τ ο. ^i
fiftraridae to criminate that people. The kbg
himfclf was very glad of this pretext effcftually to
reduce fuch of the Grecian ftates as had refufcd
hinfi *' earth and water/' He accordingly removed
from his command Mardonlus, who had been tin-
fuccefsful in his naval undertakings ; he appointed *
two other officers to commence an expedition a-
gainft Eretria and Athens; thi^fe were Datis'^%
a native of Media, and Artaphernes his nephew,
wtjo were coipmanded totally to ' fubdue both the
above places, and to bring the inhabitants captive
before him.
XCV. Thefe commanders, as foon as they had
received their appointment, advanced to Aleium in
Cilicia, with a large and well-provided body of in-
fantry. Here, as ibon ?is they encamped, they were
joined by a numerous relijforcempnt of marines,,
agreeably to the orders which h^d been given. Νοζ
long afterwards thpfe veflels arrived to take the
cavalry on board^ which in the preceding year^
Darius had^ commanded his tributaries to fupply.
The horfe and foot immediately embarked, and
proceeded to Ionia, in a fleet of fix hundred tri-
remes. They did not, keeping ^ong the cqaft, ad-
vance in a right line to Thrjtce and the Hellefpont,
•^/>e///.]--This officer, in the exultadon which attended his
(rft fuCceiTes» exclumed νς r^h^atf xen η^κομα*, χβι χα^^μα*•
Χοίξομα^ is a barbarifm, for the Greeks always fay χ^ιΐξ»/. This
kind of barbarifms were afterwards called Datifms• See the
Peace of Ariftophanes, verfe 290 ; and die obfervadon of th•
^choliaft on zZ^r^Larcber^
but
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5ί»2 Ε. R A Τ Ο.
but loofing from Samos, they palfcd through the
midft of the iflands, and the Icarian fea '**♦, fearing,
as I ihould fuppofe, to double the promontory of
Athos, by which they had in the former year fevere-
ly fuffered. They were ^rthcr induced to this
. courfe by the ifland of Naxos, which before they
had omitted to take•
' XCVI. Proceeding therefore from the Icarian
lea to this ifland> which was the firft objeft of their
cpterprize, they met with no refiftance. The
Naxi^ns, remembering their former calamities, fled
in alarm to the mountains. Thofe taken captive
were made flaves, the facred buildings and the
city were burned. This done, the Perfians failed
to the other iflands. /
XCVII. At this jundhire ilie inhabitants of De-
los deferted their ifland, anci fled to Tenos^»^ To
Uelos the Perfian fleet was dlri&ftTTig Its'* courfe,
when Datis, haftening to the van, obliged them to
(', -^ ilation themfelves at Rhenea, which lies beyond it.
/ < As foon as he learned to what place the Delians
^ had retired, he fent a herald to them with this mef-
: '' ^' fage : — " Why, oh tacred people J do you fly, think- v^.^^
[^ ** ing fo injurToufly of me^ if 1 had not received
*' particular direftions from the king my mailer to
sy .' ** this eflfeft, I, of my own accord, would never
'^ \ \
" 1 ! C **^ Icarian y^e.]— The ftory of Daedalus and Icarus, and
that the Icarian fea was fo named from its being the fuppofed
(rave of Icarus, mu5 be fufficiently notorious :
Icarus Icariis nomina fecit aqub.— 0<z/iV/• 7",
>** have ,
L
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.i
/
'^ ' ' ■ '^ ^ ^
E. R A τ 0• '' ?93
■ ^ have mokftcd Jrou, nor offixed vbfence '*^ to a
^ ^ place in which \^Λγο ^itics/"^ Mrerc iXem. Rc-
^ nirn therefore, Md inhabit yoiir jflandasbcforeJ'
Having fent this mcfl^, he offered upon, one t>£
their altars incenfe to the amoiint of diree hundred
talents•
XCVIII. After this meafure, Datis led his whote
army againft Eretria, taking with him the lonians
and ^olians. The Delians iay, that at the mo-
ment of his departure the ifland o f Delos wa s af-
feftedJ^tL j^ tremutous mo tion '°% a circumibnce
"Ifmch, as the Delians affirm, neverTiappened before
or fince. The deity, as it Ihould feem by this pro-
digy, for ewarned mankind '*' of the evils which
were
•** Offtred vw/f»rr.]— On this fubjed, from the j<Mnt autho-
rities of Herodotus^ Paofanias^ and Callimachus, .thf Abbe Bar»
thelemy expreffcs himfelf t}ms :—
«* hts furcurs dcs barbares» Ics haines des nations, Ics ihimi-
ties paniculieres tombenit a Γλφββ de tette terre facile. — LtM
Gourfiers de Mars ne la foolent jamais de leurs pieds enfan.
glantes.— Tout ce que prefcnte I'iawge de la guerre en ell fe-.^
vereinent banni : on n*y fouiFre pas me me I'animal le plus fii-
dele a Thomme» parce qu*i1 y detruiroit des animaux plus foibles
et plus dmides; enfin la paix a choifi Delos pour fon iejour,
ice.'*— Voyage du Jeune Anachariis. According to Strabo^ic
was not permitted to have dogs at Delos, becaufe tjiey deHroyed
hares and rabbits.
»^ Two iieiiJes.]^Ap6Eio and Diana•
**^ TremuUur matim^]^^Thucyaioes relates that thb Hlani
^iTltflilded by an eaf^quake at the commencement elf the
Peloponne^an war, but that in the memory of man «his had
never happened before. Larcher is of' opkikki that Herodete
andThucydidesmayfpeakofthefaBMefa^ Weficling thinlu
the nme.— r.
*^ Forewarned mmkinii.]'^Stc the beautiful ufe which Vir-
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■' - ■ '' - ^■
r
.. f '//.*- •' ^'- ' ^ - ' *
■»^
94 ERATO.
were about to happeji. Greece certainly iu^erid
'more and' greateFTialamities during die reigns df*
Darius ion of Hyftaipesj Xerxes Ton of Darius^ and
_ ^2i^ r. Amxerxw fon of XcjH?i than in all the preceding
twenty generations ^ diefe calamities arofe partly
fit>m the Periians, and pardy from the contentione
for power amongft its own great men. It was not
jthercfore without realbn that Delo S;^^ immoveable
^<-'^^ bdforc, fiiouid then be lEalEcnrwhich event indeed
, had been prcdifted by the oracle :
ί *^ Although Dclos be immoveable, I will Ihakc
^^ - - - It- —
It ίδ^ο worth obiervati6nj that, franflated into the
Greek'iongue *, Darius fignifies one who compels,
Xerxes^ warrior, Artaxerxes a great warrior j and
y-
' . gil in his firft Georgic has made of the credulity of itiatikiikd
with reiped to prognoflics ; and in particular his. epifode oa
thofc fuppofed to precede the death of Julius Cxfar :
Sol tiU iignt dabitj Soleai ^i dicere falfuni
Audeat, &c. 464, &c•
^/ See alfo the prodigies deferibed by Lucin, ^s preceding the
battle of Pharfalia:
y . Turn ne qua futuri
/ i .^.. Spes faltem trepidas mentes levet, addita feti
Pcjoris manifefta fides, fuperique minaces
-7 Prodlgiis terras implcrunt, xthera, pontum, &c. T^
• Into the Greek tongue,'] — The original lays, « thefe names
in the Greek tongue mean," &c• which fcems to imply that the
' words are them&lves ugnificant in Greek, which is not the cafe;
it ihoujd furely be « in the Pcrfian tongue," m«]« Ut^mim.
yXtfff^e», oiherwifc the expreffion is incorred, and the remaindet
of the fentence taiitoiog^, and indeed nonienucal.'^Hyde»
Boch^rt, and others^ have treated of thefe terms of the old
Perfic.
thus
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£ R Α Τ Ο. ;jf5
thus diey would call them if they ufed the cont-
^onding temis. . _ — ,,.-*^'- ■■ i m .
XCIX. The barbarians^ failing from Dclo^ to
the other ifland$> took on Baaatf^reintorccmcMs
from them all, together with the children of the J *^
inhabitants as hoftages- Cruizing round the dif- ν J
ferent iflands, they arrived off Caryftos '*"' \ but the
people of this place pofiti^;«!f^refuiedncither to give /
hoftages, or to ferve/againft their neighbours, ^ .>
Athens and Eretria• ^Γ hey were confequently be- ^
fieged, and their lands/wafted j and they were finally J. i.
compelled to furrenner themfelves to the Per-
fians• \ f^i\ i
C> The Ere trians, on the approach of the Per- /
lian army, applied to the Athenians for afiiftance ; ^/
this the Athenians did not think proper to withhold, ; ,
they accordingly fent them the four thoufand men
to whom thofe lands had been ailigned w^iciy^r-* ^
merly belonged to the Chalcidian cavalry j but the -^ *
Erctrians, notwithftanding their application to the
Athenians, were fer from being firm and deter- ^ /
mined• They were fo divided in their refolutions,
that whilft fome of them advifed the city to be de-_
ferted, and a retrearmade to the rocks of Euboea '***^
others,
*^ Ciir)^0/•]-— This place is now called Cariilo, and is one
of the Cydades. It was anciently famous for its variegated
snarUe.— 'T*.
"® ^eAti^£«^«ii.]—Thefe arc what Virgil calls
Ettbokas caotes ultorque Caphareas•
Heync's obTervation on this paflage of Virgil is fufiiciently ex-
plicit and fadsfa^ory.*^'* Pr^montorinm £ubcMe verA^$ orien*
«em, -
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^ Ε IL Α τ ο.
-.,)θώ6Ι?ί itpcftn^^ from, the Pc rfians. pre*
pared to betray their country "'. ^ffchines, the
Ion
tern ο ΚΛψηξ^ς froptser laten^a fab undi fasca^t voitioee ma-
itefque xAom, imprimis naiifiragia Graecortim a Trqi• ledcmi^
ώηιη infaroc."
IBs explanation of the word ultor is not fo. Ultcr, lays
hts is only added as an ornament» id dtnote that the rock
was ^deftr^x^e» unqoam calamitofcim faxam• Servios ez^
phiBs it by the dory of Nauplias» who> iocenfed at the
Greeks for the lofs of his fon Palamedes (who was put to
death by the ftratagems of UlyiTes) made this rock the in-
fiirument of his vengeance. He placed a light upon it, which
in the evening deluding their fleet, caofed the ihipwreck of
lumibersjof thetr veeels.*«*See Propertiii»:
Nauplius ttkons fub nodem porrigit ignes
£t natat exuviis Grsecia preiTa fuis.
This however, is not quite right» for the context plainly ibews
ύ^ ^e revenge of Minerva againft Ajax Oileus was prefent
to the poet's mind when he wrote the epithet ultor,; the remark
of Heyne is therefore abfurd. The following . pafTage from
Ovid is as complete a comment on this of Virgil» as if it had
bteii written on purpoie :
— — poftqqam alu creraata eft
llion; et Danaas paverunt Pergama flammas ;
Naryciu/que Hiros, a <uirgine, wrgine rafta,
^am meruit filus fanam digtffit in omnes ;
Spargimur» et ventis inimica per xquora rapti
Folmina» noolem» imbres» iram ccelique miaiirque
Perpetimur Danai, Cupmlum ^ui Cafharea cladii.
Met» xiv. 46ε*
If the inhabitants of Cariftus had retired, fays Larcher, to
this place, they would have had litde to apprehend fi-om the
Perfians, whofe fleet durft not have attacked them «mongfi
rocks ίο very dangerous.— 7*.
' ^B M^mj thir rflwifiy ]— finrgxlus, die only Eretrian who
had taken part with the Perfiaas, as Xeiiophon affirms^ had for
his regard the -cities of Gambrium, Pahigambrium» Myrifia,
UMl Grynia. Gorgion and G(»'gylu6» his deftendaots» wer•
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t τι A τ όΐ $7
ibo ο( Nothon> an Eretrian of the higheft: rank, ob-
fcrving thcfe different fentimcnts, informed the Athe^
nians of the ftate of affairs, advifing them to retiinl
h<Miie, left they Ihould be involrcd in the eommort
ruin. The Athenians attended to this advice ot
. ffchines, and by pafling ovtr to Oropus, efcaped
the impending danger*
J/
CI. The Periians arrivin g at Erctria, car He neal*
to Tenicnos "S ChacrcaS, dnd JEgilia; mal^^ing
theniiclvcs mailers of thefe places, they difonbarked
thchorfc, and prepared to attack the enemy.• The
Erfeoians did not think proper to advance and en•^
gage tliem -, the opinion £ot defending the city had
prevailed^ «id Atit whole attention was occupied
in prepari^for a (lege• The Perfians endeavoured
to ftorno the place, kid a conteft of fix day was
attended with very confiderable lofs on both fides*
On the fevemh, the city was betrayed to the enemy
by two of the more eminent citizens, Euphorbus
fon of Alcimachus, and Philagrus fon of Cyn eas^
As ibon as the Perfians got poileflion ot the p^ace^
they pillaged and burned the temples to avenge the
burning of their temples at Sardis. The people, ac-
cording to the orders of Darius, were made flaves "^ '
• 7/ 6 cii.
^^Sa^fTefllon of them in the 95th Olympiad, when J^Jjj^ig^rqp^
1 Lace3Ge}honian general, paiTed into Afia Minor to make war
on Pcrfia.— -iwirr^rr•
"* Near io TV/»i'/;w.]— The Greek is κλύλ xifAiro^ ; if this had
ugnified a temple, it would have been κΑτλ to rfftiro^. See the
notes of Weifeling and Valcnaer.— T*.
'*' Were made /ew/.]— The firft flaves were doubtlefs ϋιοΓβ
Vol. IIL H ^««^
' A'
•i•'
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$» ERATO•
CII. After this viStory at Eretria, the Perfians
ibid a few days, and then failed to Attica, driving^
ftll before them, and thinking to treat die Athenians
as they had done the Eretrians. There was a place
in Attica called Marathon, not far from.Eretria, well
y^*' ^^ adapted for the motbns of cavalry: to this place
^'k ^ therefore they were conduced byHippias, fon of
6
/
' ' cm. As foon as the AtRftHlans heard this, they
it^ advanced to the fame fpot, under the condtift of
^ ten leaders, with the view *of repelBng force by
'* ^ 'force. The laft of thefe was Miltiades. llis fethcr
Cimon, fon of Stefagbras, had been fcMroeriy diivea
■ '- Kk. fro"i Athens bv the influe nce of P ifjIVritpj^f^^fon ?^
7 -^ of Hippocrates. During his cxile^ he had obtained / a ^
L•.^-^ the prize at the Olympic gannes^ in the chariot racc^
made capnv^ in war. By the snjun6Bon of Darius» fo often tt^
peated in H^odotus, and| as wc perceive» ifo ftii^y enforced,
,. ■ , X .. ^e may underhand that the Greeks here taken captive were
oUiged* in meni\i occupations, to wut on the perfons of their
conqnerors• Dajius in general treated his captives mck extra- .
ordinary lenity; iti was only againft the Greeks» who had in a
χ ^ particular manner t>rovoked his indignation, that we find him
/ ^ ^ ChttS particular in iis feverity to thofe t^Ucen prifoners•— T*.
* '\ 1 . V't J2i$iM£!i;•/— I have in different places velated many
anecdotes of this Piiiftratus ; I have one now before me in
/ i/ ^tan, which ought not to be omitted• Jf hc^ met any perfim
^ who feemed to be idle» he aiked him why he was unemployed ί
1ί, he would fay» your oxen are dead» take mine» and go to your
afual buunefs in the field ; if you ψζηΐ feed» take ibme of
nunc. This he did, fays JElian» ieil the idlenefs of thefe pea*
pie ihould prompt them to raife fediuous plots againfl him•
-/.•-.... of
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Ε lEt A τ 0« 99
«f fourhorles. Thishonour,howcver,he transferred"*
to Miki adcs his ug cpofi brother• At the Olympic
^ames wmcITnext followed, he was again viitorious,
an d wtdi the fame mares* This honour he (ufiered to
ailigned to Pififtratus, on condition of his bdng
itcaUed ; a rcconciliadon eniued, and he was per^
mttted to return* Being viAorious a third time,
on the iame occa(ion> and with the iame mares» ^ ^
was put to death t^y the ions of fififtra fiiSi Pi^ yj^
Mratus himfelf being dien dead. He was afla(Ii«
nated in the night, near Prytaneum, by fbme i^laina
^ for the purpofe : he was buried in the appn)ach
to the city, near the hdloW way ι and in the fame
Ipotwcrc interred the mares "^ which had three
times obtained the priae at die Olympic games• If ^
we cxcq)t the mares of Evagoras of Sparta, none
other ever obtained a fimilar honour• At this pe«
riocif Stefagoras, the eldeft fon of Cimon, refided
■^« Hi fransftmd.'i^TYaB thing we find it was a frequent
]»adice to do. From Paniknbis we learn a fingolar faA ; that,
they who obtained the prize at wreflling> being unable to Tub*
iUtute any peribn in their room» were accuftomed to take bribes
to dedare themfelves nauret of places to which they did not
belong. The fame author informs us» that Dionyfius the tyrant
frequently fent agents to Olympia^.to bribe the c<Miiquerors to
declare themielves natives of Syracufe. It is proper to add,
tha^ they who were mean enough thus to lacrifice the glory of
their country to their avarice, or perhaps, as it nrfght occafion-
ally happen, their pride, were fubjed to the punifhment of
exile from thofe cities to which they did reaUy belong.— 7".
"^ Interred the m^ir//•]— See this faft mentioned by .£lian in
hb Hiftory of Anumals, L xii. c. 40. : Where we are- alio told,
that Evagoras, mentioned in the fnbfeqnent paragraph, in like
jnanner buried his yiftorious horfes.— -7*• ,
Ha in
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Λ^
too Ε R A τ Ο.
in the CherfoiKfe with his upcle M^^t^^^^i dm
youngeft was brought up at Athens under Cimoq
himfelf, and named MUtia^ij5gm th^ foijgdcr oi
the Cherfonefe, '
CIV• This Mildadesj the Athenian ki^er, in ^
Vancing from the Chcifgnefe cfcaped fix>m two in^
cidcnts which alike threatened his life; as j&r as
Imbros he was purfqed by thePhceniwns, who wewr
exceedingly defirqui to ukt him alife, and pre&ot
him to the king s on hi^ return home» where ht
tfiought himfelf fec^re» hi^ enemies accufed, anj)
brought him to ^ public iroi, under pretence of
his aiminjg at the £»rer^ignty of the Cherfonefei
from this alio he efcaff^djcami was afterw;^ chojei^
a general of thfi AthotWU^ Is^ ths fudV^gea «C tht
people•
CV. The Athenian leaders^ before they left the
city, dilpatched Phidippid^ *'^ to Sparta: he was an
Athenian by birch, and his daily employment wa$
to deliver meflages. To this Phidippides, as he
himfelf aiRrmcd, and related to the Athenians, the
,_jg>Q Pa n app eared on mount Parthenius "*, which
'*^ Phidippit^esJ] — ^Thts name is differently written, Phidyj-
pidcs and Philippidcs.
**• MoKTjt Parthcn'ius.'[ — TIh& place was h named, qoafi Vir-
gineas, from the virgins who there offered facrifice to Venus,
or enjoyed the cxcrcife of hunting. Paufanias, in his eighth
book, fpeaks of a temple here eredled to Pan, « in the Very
place," fays he, ** where the god appeared to Phidippides, and
gave him fomc impoitant advice.'*— T",
is
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η
Ε R ir Τ Ο. ΙΟΙ ' '
u beyond Teg«ii. .The\^tt)r called him by his '-'' ^^-
nannt, and commanded him to aik die Athenians
•why dicy fo entirely negleited him "^ who not
only wilhed them well, but who had frequendy
rendered them fervice, and would do ίο again.
Alf this the Athenians 'belieVed, and as':loonr as the ^
ftate of their affairs permitted, they ereiled a temple
to Pto"^ ncatr the citadel: ever finc c the. above
J^eriod, they venerate the god by annual iacnficesj ^ ;
and the race of torches "' , ' /' c ^' ^^ •
lFu77rrTr~ ■ «^v^'/i- (--^
.'/.•■ ■ ^- .;,
"• '^igUQid UAA.]-*The note of Larchcr /m tW» paifege / ,
/? . feeins a fi&ie remarkable : I thcrelbre give it at tengh. ^ •'
Z4i^€^ *' Clemens of Alexandria fays, that the Athenians did not
/ / even know Panibeforc Phldipptdy ^s told them of his exigence.
" ^ With the retpeia au«"to a father of the church, this reafoning
/ Ο does not to me feem juft ; becaofe the Athenians had not yec
^ ^ inftituted feMvaU in honour of Pan, it by no means follows
that they knew nothing of him• The majority of fealls inlH•
tuted in catholic coancries» in honour of faints, are greatly
pofterior to the period of their deaxhs, and take their date, like
thofe of Pan amongib the AthoBians, from the time when their
protection and its e^Feds were for the firil time experience
ed."
If this be not a fneer at the Romiih faints, it is certainly /
wcry like one.-•?'. • ^ " ^
«io ΓοΡ^,Ί— Thi s facggd boilding to Pan is mentioned by
Paufanias, 1. i. c. 28. ""ΠΪ^γ the battle of Marathon, they fung , p* ,
in honour of this deity a hymn ^ j vhjch is given by Athenaeus, .
Dulpiiufofh. 1- XV. C.T4. but mpre corredWy by Brunok, in fiiJ
Anale^hu Brunck, however, ^n^ Wyttenbach, are both of opi-
nion that φΐ5 hymn aHudcd to a vi£lory' obtained by ibmu poet
at the ^naihfinxa. — See the. remainder of Larchd-^i note on
Si— w i n I,, «u ^ ... , .
wpaffage. • , ., ,.^,ν^/ •:.,•-•
•*' Xf* «^<iri>^«..J— The nkanner of this race was as. fo!- , , \
H3 * , lows: I
^i
Ϊ04 ERATO.
CVl. Phidippidcs, who was ifent by the Athenian
generals, and who related his having met with Fan^
airiyed at Sparta on the fecond day "• of his depar^
.^ '^^ ..-^---^ ^^
lovrs :— *A man wkh a torch m hit hand ran £^ni the altar of
[ '^' the god» in whoie honour the race was celebrated, to fome cer«
tain fpot, without extinguifting his torch ; if the torch went
'; -' ^ oat ht gave it to a fecond» and he to a third, if he met with the
. ' rtf ( iame accident; if the th^d watfil(o nnfortiuuiie, the νίβοτ/
^t ^ was adjudged to no one. jT I ]
This feaft was celebrated l/hononr of various deities, as of
Minerva, Vulcan, Prometheu^KP^» .^Bfeolapius, 8cc. In the
Panathasna^, or feafts of Minerva, the Lampadophon ran fiOm
, the Pirseum ; Gnm the Ce;famicus or academyj, in thofe of Volcan
Q ^ * or Promedieiu. Thera was in the academy a ftatue of Cupid, *
,^ confecrated by Pi fi^gtus» where they lighted th^ iacred torches
in the courfcs inHituted in honour of thefe gods• The fame ho-,
noor was rende^d to Pan, as we learn from this pa£^ge in He-
rodotus, 4nd in the mapufcript lexicon of Photius.
' To this cuftom various authors allude, and amoi^ft other^
Lucretius :
Augeicunt alias gentes, alias minuuntor»
Inque brevi fpaoo nmuntur (jcda aniroantomj
Et quad corfores vitai lampada tradunt.
I am of opinion that there is an allufion to this cuftom alio it^
an epigi^u^ of Alcaeus of Meffina, preferved in Bruuck :
Beamy having a torch in his hand ruQs fwiftly.
■** On tbefieond Λ^.]— Larcher, in hb obfervation on this
palTage, corrects a miilake of Pliny the natiralift. «* It was
thought,•• fays Pliny, « a great thing that Phidippides ran ixi
two days 1140 ftadia, that is to fay, the dillance betwixt
Athens and Lacedasmon, till Lanifis (lurcher fays, I know not
on what authority, AnifKs) and Philonides, who was a courier
qf Alexander the Great, ran in one day 1200 ftadia, or the difi
tancc betwixt Sicyon and EKs.'ll ^ ADeiving,** ikys Larcher»
— '^ " «foir
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ERATO. 103
tare from Athens. He went immediately to the
mag^ilnites^ and thus addrefled them : " Men of
Lacedag mon. the Adieniaus fupplicate yoiir af-
•4^ ** iiftancc, and entreat yoy not to llifFcr the moft
** ancient city of Greece to fell into^he hands of
^ the Barbarians : £retria is already fubdued^ and
^ Greece weakened by the lofs of that illuftrious
** place." After the above fpeech of Phidippides> / ^ ,
the Lacedaemonians refolved to aflift the Atheni- /
ails ; but they were prevented from doing this im- ^^- -
mediately by the prejudice of an inveterate cuftom• ^
This w^ jbe^oijatb dajLfif φ€ _month> and it was a / ^ .
praftice with them to \indertake no enterprize bfc/f / ^ ^ Jt--
fore the moon was at the full "* ι for this, there-
fore, they waited.
CVII.
** for the windings of the load betwixt Sicyon and Elis» th^
diftance is no more than 600 ftadia of thofe which are eight to
t aile, of which ftadia there are 1 140 betwixt Athens and
Sparta. If Pliny in this place meant to fpeak of the imaller
Vadium, he ought to have faid fo» becanfe juft above he ipoke
of the greater ftadium» as the paflkge itfeif proves."
I may be allowed in this place to corred an error of
Larcher, who mifqootes the above parage horn Pliny j he
calls Aniftis and Philomdes cmriers d^AUxandn^ whereas the
wcnxis of Pliny are» «^ donee Aniftis corfor Lacedaemonius, U
Philonides Alexandri Magni," that is, till Aniftis aLacedsemo-
sian coorier, and Phikmides % courier of Alexander, 2cc. Pliny,
it may be addded, in the frme chapter (book yii. α 20.) fpeaks
of people who in the orcus coold run 160 miles a day, and of
9 boy who betwixt n<xp »nd evening ran 75 miles*
**• Moon was at ihe/ull.}^l will firft give the reader what
Plutarch, in his EiTay pn the Malignity of Herodotos^ remarks
im ftis paflagei and afterwards the obferv^tion of Larcher, which
Η 4 feems
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ί04 ERATO.
evil. In the night before Hippias conduced
the Barbarians to the plains of Marathon^ he faw
feenu to me at le^flr a fafiicie^t ;m4 f^tisfa^ory ^w^r to the
cenfiire of Plutarch*
** Herodotus is alfo evidently conviiled of reportin g ^f^jf^ ,^^
ef the Laced:?]^omans, fa,4ng that waiting for the foil xnOoii
they did not affiil the Atheniaiis at Marathon ; hut rhty not
only made numberlefs nulitaFy cxcurupns at the begianing !
of the month» and withpμt waiting for the full moon, but th^
wanted fp very little of being prefent at this battle, which took
place on the iixth day of the month Boedromion, that on their
arrival they found the dead iHU lying in the leld. Yet Hero-
^tus hai thus written concerning the full moon.'* Plutarch
then adds the paflage before ιμ, after which he fays» '' Thou^
oh Herodotus, transferreft the full moon to the beginning of the
inbnth, when ihc is but yet in her firft quarter, and at the fame
time confounded the heavens, days, and all things.**
«' The LacedaBmonians," fays Larcher, ** c^id not commence
a march before the full moon. This is confirmed by the evi-
dence of Paufanias, b. i. c. 28. of Lucian, in his Trad on Af-
trology, c. 25. who imputes this regulation to Lycurgus, and pf
the author of the Trail on Rivers, printed amongft the works
of Plutarch ; of Hermogenes alfo, and others. In defiande of
thefe authorities, Plutarch, not fatislied with dcnymg the faft,
aflerts, that the battle of Marathon took place on the fixth of the
month BoedromioD, and that the Lacedaemonians, having ar-
rived a ftiprt timeafter the batde^ muft coniequemly have begun
their march before the foil moon. But is it polTible'to bcKei-e
that Plutarch, who lived &x ages after that battle, fhoald be
better informed concei-ning its date than Herodotus, who often
commutiicatcd with thole who were there in perfon ? Rutarcb,
who always reprefents Herodotus -as a malignant wretch, ftill
allows him the praife 6ί ingenuity ; but if he had been dul!
as any Bceotran, I much doubt whether he could have dared to
advance a faHehoodiikc this, concerning a matter fo very re-
cent, and of which there were ftill ib many evidences, when he
recited his hiftory at the Olympic games."
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ERATO. 105
sis vifion : he thought that he lay with his mo-
The inference which he drew from this
was, that he. ihould agam return to Athens, be re-
ftortd to his authority, and die in his own houfe of
old ige : he was then executing the office of a ge-
neral. The prifoners taken in Eretria he removed
to .Egilea, aft ifland belonging to the Styrcans ;
jchc veflels which arrived at Marathon, he ftationed
in the port, and drew up the Barbarians in order
as they diiembarked. Whilft he was thus employed,
J^ ^aj; fei7^d Λγ||}| a fit of (η^ηρ «m^ attended
with
■** Laj^ with his rtfciher,'] — This was conddered as a fortunate
dream^ for in a cafe like this a man's mother intimated hil
cOBntry. Csefar had a fimilar dream, at which although, as
Larcher obferves, he aiiitded to diibeUeve the immortaHty of
thie foul, he was rendered uneafy; but the interpreters of
dreams, eafily as we may fuppofe, revived his fpirits, by aflar-
ing him that he flioold one day become the mailer of the
world.
*** SaeezingJ]'^Tht aft of fnccOTig was confidered as an
aufpicious omen, at leail we find Penetope in the OdyiTey weU
combg it as fuch from Telemachus :
_ She fpokg — Telemachus then fneezM aloud;
Conftrain'd, his noftrils echoed tiirough the crowci; ~ ^'^^
The fmiling queen the happy omen blefs'd ;
So may thefc impious fall by fate opprefs'd•
Pliny fays, that fneezing in the morning was unlucky, fneez•
ing at noon fortunate ; to fneeze to the right was lucky, to the
left, and near a place of burial> the reverfe. The Latins,
when any one incezcd, " falvcre juiTerunt," or as we (hould fay,
cried *' fave you ;" which cullom remains to the prefent period^
but for which antiquarians account very differently ; but it is
generally believed to have arifen from fome difeafe, with which
ihofc who were infedled inevitably died• Ariftotlc's account
4i(ema
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ϊο6 Ε R A Τ Ο.
•widi a very xinufual cough• The agitation intiy
which he was thrown, being an old man, was ib
violent, that as his teeth were looie, one of them
dropped out o( his mouth upon the f^nd. Much
pains were taken to find it, but in vain; upon
which Hippias remarked with a figh to thofc
around him : ** This country is not ours, nor fliall
** we ever become mailers of it — my loft tooth
** poflelTcs all that belongs to me."
CVIIL Hippias conceived that he faw ^in the
above incident the accomplifliment of his viiion.
In the mean time the Athenians, drawing them-
felves up in military order near the temple gf Her-
cules, were joined by the whole force of the Pla-
teans• The Athenians had forrfierly fubmitted to
many difficulties on account of the Plateans, who
flow, to return the obligation, gave themfelves up
to their direftion• The occafion was this: ϋκ
Plateans being opprefled by the Thebans, follicited
the proteoUon of Clcomenes the Ion of Anaxandri-
dcs, and of fuch Laccdicmonians as were at hand ;
they difclaimed, however, any interference, for
which they afligned this reafon : " From us, faid
** they, fituated at fo great a diftance, you ca^ c%^
feems as fatisfaflory as any other why it ihould be deemed aa*
fpicious : •* It is," fays he, " a motion of the brain, wh!c!|
through the noftrils expels what is ofFeniive, and in fome degree
dcmonftratcs internal llrength." He adds, «« that medical people^
if they were aUe to proVoke the aft of fneezing from their
patients» who might be thought dangeroufly indifpofed, con*
ceivtd hope^ of their recovery. "-^Γ•
«pea
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Ε R A τ Ot f07
ff peft but little afllftance $ for before we can cvei|
^^ iwciye intelligence of your danger, you may b^
^^ efieftually reduced to fervitude J we would irather
f' reqonunend you tp apply to the Athenians, who
^ are not .only near, but able tp proteft you."
The Lace4asmonians, ip faying this, did not ίο
much confider '** the intereft of the Plateans, as
they were defirous of feeing the Atlicnians harrafled
by a Boeotian war. The advice was ijeverthelels
accepted, and the Plateans going to Athens, firft
offered a folemn facrifice to the twelve divinities,
and thjcn fitting near the altar, in the attitu<|e of
iuppUcants, diey pUced themlelves formally iinder
^lie protedion of the Athenians. Upon this the
Thebans led an army againft Platea, to defend
which the Athenians appeared with a body of
forces. As the two armies were about to engage»
the Cprinthians interfered s their endeavours to re--
omcile them (o ^ prevailed, that it was agreed, on
the part of both nationsi to fufier fuch of the people
f>f Bceotia as did not choofe to b^ ranked as Boeo-
■*• Did tt9t fi piuch €uH/iJcr.'\^^V\}iUsc\if in his tra£l on the
Mtlignitf of Herodotus, fjfeaks thas of this pailkge : ** Hero-
dotus reprefenting this fad adds, not as a matter of fafpicion
or opinion» bat as a certainty well known to him, that the La->
cedaemonians gave this comifd to the Plateans, not from any
regard or good will to them, hot from the wilh to involve the
Athemans in trooUe, by engaging them with the Boeotians• If
then Herodotns be not malignant• die Lacedsemonians maft
hare been both fraudful and malevolent: /the Athenians muft
alio hare been fools, in permitting themfdves thns to be im-
pofed opon• and the Platxans were introdoced not ttovpL uny te«
^efl^ hot merely as an occafion of war.*'•»?'•
tiansj
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Ισ« tf> R^ A' r O.
tieiw to foHcrtr their own iiiclinarions. Httving
cffeflicd thii, the Corinthians retired, And their ex-
tnnple "Was followed by the Aihenians j thefe Itttef
^ere on their return attacked by the BcratianiS,
whom they defeated. Failing Grtr the boundaries;
vhich the Corinthians had marked out, they deter-
mined that Afopus and Hyfias ihould be the future
Kmits between the Thebans and Plateans. The
Plateans having thus given themfeives up'to Ac
Athenians, came to thek alBftance at Marathofu
CIX• The Athenian leaders wiregready divided
in opinion , fome thought that a batde was by no
means to be hazarded, as they were fo inferior to the
Medcs hi point of number j others, annongft whom
was Miltiades, were anxious to engage the enemy.
Of thcfe contradidlory fentiments, the lefs politic
appeared likely to prevail, when Miltiades mUdriflfed
himfelf to the Polemarch '*% whofe name was CaL•
limachus of Aphidnae. This magiftrate, eleiled
into his office by vote, has the privilege of a caitiff
voice; and, according to eftablilhed cuftom, is
**' PdemarchJ] — The polemarch was the third of the nine
archcns ; it. was his bufinefs to offer facri/ice to Diana, fumamed
Agroicra, and to Mars ; he had the care and proteWon of all
Grangers and foreigners who refided at Athens, over whom he
had the fame authority as the archon had over the citizens ;
be regulated the funeral garnet celebrated in honour of thofe
who died in war ; he was atfo to fee that the children of thoie
who loft tlieir lives in the public fervice had a fufficient main*
tenance fron» the public treafury.— Ti
equal
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R R X Τ Οϊ *<?f
4[^1 in ipem of cSgnlty an4 ii>fl\ienqe txx the Hfiife
tary leaders. MUtiadesaddr^d him thus: ^« Upoa
•* yow* Ο CaUinwqhu^» It alone depends whi5«h(W
« Athena ftall bp eefl^ved* or wi^tter, in The pre-
«^ fyrvmm oi '^ ttfeetttes, it ftwdl perpfscuate .ywi:
*« name C5v<n JKjyond th^ glory oC Han-ftodius and
*' Ariftogitus. Our country is now reduced to a.
'^ more delicate and dangerous predicament than
** it has ever before experienced 3 if conquered^^e
" know our fete, and Tm&. prepare for die tyranny of
^• 'Hippias s if we ofrercomr» our city may be rinttds.
^ the firfk in Greece. How this may he accoQ>#
'^ plijbed^ and ia what mannfr it depend^ onyoii, I
^ will explain: the ientinient» of oiir ten leaders
^* are divided^ fome are deJiiK)Us of an engager
•^ incut, others the eontrary. If we da imt «ngagci
^ fctfne feditiovs tunntlt wUl probably arife, which
•• may prompt maay of our cvizens to faTout tl^
^ caufe of the Medes j if we come to a batde he^i.
*^ fore any evil of this kind take piace> we may, if
" the godabe not againft us, reafonahly hope* for
** viftory ; all thefe things are fubnputted to yoHf
" attention, and are fulpended on your wilL-^If
^* you accede to my opinion, our country will be
" free, our city the firft in Greece 5 if you Ihall
" favour the opinions of thofe who are avei fc to an
" engagement, you may expefl the contrary of all
" the good I have enumerated/'
ex. Thefe arguments of Miltiades produced
ihe defired Qffeit upon Callimachus, from whofe
interpofmon
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tid ERATO.
interpoiidon it was determined to fight. 'th&Ri
leaders "% who from the firft had been folicitous tu
engage the enemy, refigned to Miltiades the days of
their refpeftive command. This he actepted, but
Sa not think proper to commence the attack, till
the day of his own paroodar command arrived in
its courfe*
CXL When this aniTed^ the Ariienians were
drawn νψ for battle in the following order: Calli-
machus» as polemarch» commanded the right wing»
in conformity with the eftabliihed cuftom of the
Adienians ^ Mxt foHowed the tribes, ranged in cbfe
order, according to their refpeokive ranks; the
Platotns, placed in die rear, {msitd the left wiiig^
Ever fince this battle, in thofe folennn and public
lacrifices, which arc celebrated every fifth year, the
berakl in^iores happineis for die Plateans jointly
wtdi the i^ienians. Thus the Athenians produced
a front eqtial in exxsnt to diat of the Medes. The
ranks in the centre were not very deep, which of
courfe conikituted dieir weakeft part i but die two
wings were more numerous and ftrong.
CXU. The preparations for the attack being
■^ Th$fi iMders.y^Oi die ten Athenian generals/ it was
cttftomarjr to eled one from each tribe, upon which occafion a
memorable &ying of Pbuip of Macedon is preferred by Plu-
tarch, in Ids apothegms.—^ I envy," iky• Philip, «« the good
fbrtuAc of the Athenians; they every year can find ten men
qnalificd to command their troops, νήιΆα I on my past am only
^le to find Patmemon*^o is capable 6f conducting mine•*^
thus
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ERATO• III
thus made, and the appearance of the viftims fa-
vourable, the Athemans ran towards the Barbari-
ans• There was betwixt the two armies an interval
of about eight furlongs. The Perfians feeing
them approach by running, prepared to receive
them, and as they obferved the Athenians to be
few in number, deftitute both of cavalry and archers,
they confidered them as mad, and rulhing on cer-
tain deftruftion ; but as (bon as the Greeks nnngled
with the enemy, they behaved widi the grcateii:
gallantry '*'• They were the firft Greeks that I
know x)f, who ran to attack an enemy '*• ; they
were the firft alio, who beheld without difmay the
dreis and armour of the Mcdes; for hitherto in
Greece the very name of a Medc excited terror.
CXIIL After a long and obftinate contcft, the
Barbarians in the centre, compofed of the Perfians
*^ Grcaiefi ^it&«//7,]«-^XeBopbcm lays that the AthemanA
made a vow to facrifice to Diana as many goats as they fiioutd
idU enemies» and being unable to procure a fuffident number,
they determined every year to facrifice five hundred, ^ian,
widi ibme flight variation» relates the fame faA. We r^ad in
the Scholiail on Ariilophanes^ that CalUmachus the polemarch
vowed to facrifice as many oxen ^ they ihould flay enemies,
and unable to obtain a fufflcient number, be fubftitnted goats ia
their room.-«»Plutarch reproaches Herodotus fgr faying nothing
of this vaw.m^Larcber.
'^ Ra9 to attack an /nM^«]— According to Paufanias, long
before this period, the Mefienians raa to attack the Lacedaemo-
nians, «* but this author," iays Larcher, " u too modern to op-
pofe to Herodotus.'* JU was certainly the commoq cuilom of
the Greeks thus^e meet the enemy. C«pfar pr^ciifed this mode
of attack againil Pompey,.and wi^ fuccefs.
and
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tiS Ε R A Τ Ο;
and the Sacac, obliged die Greeks to give way, ani
purfoed the flying foe into the*fnid<He of the coon-
try. At the fame time the Athenians and Plateans,
in the two wings, drore the Barbarians before them ;
dicn making an inclination towards each other, by
contrafting themfelres, they formed againfl: that
part of the enemy which had penetrated and de^
felted the Grecian centre, and obtained a complete
yiftory *^*, killing a prodigious number, and purftr-
ing the reft to the fea, where they fet fire to their
▼eficls.
GXiV. Callimachus the Polemarch, after the
moft fignal a6h of valour, loft his Hfc in this battle.
Stefileus alfo, the fon of Thrafylus, and one of the
Grecian leaders, was flain. Cynsegirus "*, fon of
Euphorion,
**' A complete *vi3or)\'\ — *' It is furprifing,** fays Larcher,
* that in hh account of this battle, Herodotus makes no roen-
ύοΛ of Arift ides; his filencc is amply fupplied by Plutarch*
Ariftidcs was one of thofe who advifed an engagement, and
when the day of his particular command arrived, gave np his
right to Miltiadcs, and the other generals followed his ex-
ample. 'Themittocles and Ariftides were the two commanders^
who, at the head of their different tribes, drove the Pcrfians to
their ihips, — Ariftides was left on the field to guard the prifoners
and booty ; the confidence placed in him by his country was
not difappointed; the gold and filver which was fcattered abour^
^e tents and veiTels which were taken full of fplendid and va-
leable effeOs, he neither touched himfcif, nor would permit
Others to do fo,
*** Cyn^girus.'] — He was the brother of iEfchylus the celc-
bratcd tragic poet ; he diftinguiihed himfcif at the battle of
Marathon i but it dpes not appear that he had any feparate
command»
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Ε R A τ α ΧΧ3
Eophoriotii after feizuig, oiie of thtciQ^fcis.i)}r^ie
poop, had his hand cut oflTwidi an ax, and died of ink
wounds : widi die& many other eminent Athenians
periflied. \ ^ . / .
CXV. In addidon to their \n6forjr, die Atheniie
am obtained pofleflion of fevcn of the enemy's τ«Γ-
ί^• The Barbarians retired with their fleet, and
_ ^ jakin g on boar d the Er ctrian plunder, which . they
liad Jett in the ifland,1dSy pafledTthe promontory of
Sunium, thinking to idrcumvent the Athenians^ and
arrive at their city before them. The , Athenians
iπφute the profecution of this meafurc to one of
the Alcmiconidae, who they fay held up a ftieW '^^
as
command. A remarkable incident is related by Lucan of t
man, who, ieizlng the beak of his tnemy^s ihip» had his hand
cut off; ondifmayed by which he feized it with the other» 9£
whkh alfo he was deprived.
He, the bold youth, as board and board they ftand»
Fix'd on a Rom in ihip his daring hand ;
Full on his arm a mighty blow defcends.
And the torn limb from off his fhoulder rends ;
The rigid nerves are cramp'd with ftilTning cold^
Convulfive grafp, and ftUl retain their hold 2
Nor funk his valour, by the pain depreft.
But nobler rage mflara'd his mangPd breaft;
His left remaining hand the combat tries.
And fiercely forth to catcJi the right he flies f
The fame hard deftiny the left demands.
And now a naked helplefs tiunk he ilandj, &c.— 7*•
»" Hefii up afiield.l'^•* For my part," £κγ$ Kalkts •*! by no
means clearly underftand this paffage ; to whom did the AlcaisBQ^
mdae ihew the (hield, to the Pcriians or Atheniani ^ Ccrtamly not
Vol• III• I :; t•
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gt* E> Κ A Τ Ο.
auarigofitoiht'Berimnsf wheh they vere under
CXA^I. While they were doubling the .cape of
Sunium, the Adienians loft no time in haftening to
Ae defibodc of their crtjr/ and effedually prevented
4hcr d^iigns of. the enemy. Retiring fiOm tbe
temple of Hercules» on tlic plains of Maradion, they
^fixbd thdr camp near anoditr tempk of the fame
' deity, in Cynolargis. The Barbarians anchoring off
PhaJerus, the Athenian haAour, femain(ed there
ibme time^ and then retired to Afia•
to the kftv fer the Athpmans were then in thdr camp : to the
Perilans then;— but why to thefe ? To hold up a ihield is, ac-
cording to Diodorus Siculus, ii. 444• a ugnal for battle;
but why ihould the Akmseonida: hold up a ihield to the Per-
fiani,.whp were on bqard their veiTels» as a iignal to engage a
f¥^Y 9f ia^d forces ^'*
The above reafoning of Reidce feems £ir from fatisfaftory.
If any previous agi:eement exilled betwixt the Alcrnxonidic and
the Perfians, Ae holding up of the ihield might indmate what
could only be known to the perfons concerned ; and fo far from
being a fignal of battle, might fuggell entirely the reverfe, and
tell thein that this was no proper time to hazard an atuck.
The art^of Iignal -making is now brought to an extraordinary
degree of perfeilion, and at fea in particular, orders of the mi-
nuted kind are communicated, and diiUnotly underftood, by the
fmiplell procefs imaginable, hoiiUng or lowering colours, fails,
ifc. The xnore common fignaU as being the more obvious in
ancient times, was by Ere. In ^fchylus, Agamemnon tells
Cly temnellra that he wilT inform her of the capture of Troy
by lightilig fires ; this is reprefcnted as being done, and a mef-
i^n^ ttimf» to inform the queen that Troy is taken, for
- Agsmenwnf I fij^als had been ften/— Γ»
9 ι CXVII.
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ERATO• %ίς
CXVII. The Pcrfians loft''* in the battle of
Marathoa fix thoufand four hundred nidn> the
Athenians one hundred and ninety^twp. In tite
heat of the engageinent a n^oft remarkable ind^
dent occurred : an Athenian, the ion of CupKigck
ras, whoie nanne was Epizelus» , whilft valiantly
fighting» was fuddcnly ftruck with blindnefi. He
had received no wound, nor any kind erf" ii^ury,
notwithftanding which he continued Uind for the
remainder of his life. I have been in&moed tliat
Epizelus, in relating this calamity, always deciered,
that during the batde he was oppofed by z, man of
gigantic ftature, completely armed, whbfe beard
covered the whole of liis fliield 2 he added, that the
fpcftre, paffing him, killed the man who ftood next
him. This, as I have heard, was the narrative of
Epizelus *^^
»u 72r Pirfians i^.]— Plutarch remarks 0» this paflige,
that Herodottts derogates from the konoor of the viotory, by
mifrepreienting and dimimihing the number of the ilain« Some
have affirmed (fee Snidas, at the word 9Γοιχιλη) that the Per-
£ans loft two hundred thoufand men % but the account ofΉero-
dotns certainly appears the more probable»
The battle of Marathon» according to Paufanlas» was repre*
fented in the portico at Athens called Pacciie, from the variety
of paintings on its walls. In this pifture the moll celebrated
Athenian and Plataean heroes were drawn from the life : in one
part the Barbarians are ftying into the marfh» and in the other
the Greeks are flaughtering the enemy as they are entering
the Phoenician vefTels.
^^^ Narrative «/'^//Ww/.]— Plutarch, in his Life of Thefeus,
fays, that numbers of thofe who fought at the battle of Ma-
rathon believed that they faw at the head of their ranks The-
feus in arms, atucking the Perfians.— 7*.
I a CXVIIL•
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/ . '7
ii6 ERATO,
CXVIII. Datis, on his return with the fleet to
Afia, being at Mycone, faw in the night a vifion,
the partictikrs of it are not related, but aslbon as
the morning appeared he examined every veflci of
the, fleet; finding on board a Phcenician a golden
image of ApcJlo, he enquired from whence it had
been taken : having leaned to what temple it be-
iooged, he took it himfclf in his ownjhip to Delos. (' -f
The Deiians' being' returned to their iflanaric/
firft dcpofited the image in the temple, and then
enjoined the inhabitants to remove it to the Thcban
Delium, which is on the fea-coaft oppofite toChalcis.
Having done this, Datis returned ; the Delians paid
no attention to his requeft, but in the twentieth
year after the above event the Thebons removed
-^ύχβ image to Delium by the command of an
oracfe j, / , / , -^ / '
CXIX. Datis and Artaphernes, failing to Afia,
carried the captive Eretrians '^* to Sufa• Darius,
beibre' their deTeat, hid exprellcd the fcvereft indig-
nation againft them> as having firft and unjuftly
commenced hoftilities ; but when they were con-
dufted to his prefence, efFeohially humbled and re-
duced to his power, he (hewed no farther relent-
ment, but appointed them a refidence at a place i\
called Ardericca, in the diftri ft of C iflia. one of th e I J
* - • y
■3β Cafii've Eretrians.] — Larcher tells u«, from Philoftratus,
that the Periians took jSoprifoners at Erctria^ bJH^that a great
many cfcaped amongft the rocks of Eubcea, and that only 400
were carried to Sufa, amongft whom were ten women.
_, royal
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<r
5,- -' <-.' t (■■ V. ju- ^ .. Λ r Ζ J u- J ' .'• ' ^ • '■
'-^V, , -Λ ^';,', ' ; />-■•• ^ ■ ... ^ ν c-,
/ ' " Ε R A TO. >ft7
royal ftations. ThUisdiftantfr^winSufatwohtlndred
and ten furlongs, and forty from a well which pro-
duces the three fubftahccs of bitumen, fait, and oil; ν -^
it is. drawn up with an engine, to which a Jund of
bucket is fufpended made of half a ikin;' it is ichen
poured into one cittern, and aftcrwands removed
into a fecond. The fuhftanccs by this proceis fe-
parate ; the bitumen and the fait form themiclves
into diftinot mallcs• The Perfians coUeit the oil,
which they call rhadinace, into veflels ; this lall is
of a dark colour, and has a ftrong fmell. In this
phce Darius placed the Eretrians, and heie to my
memory they have remained, preferving their an-
cient language. ' / ,
CXX. After the moon had paffed the fuH *'%
a body ,
»^ Had paffkd the fulL'l^^yizi^ina m all ages, from obferf• ^
mg the viiible operations of the moon upon the oc^an» have ^ :
fuppofed its influence to extend not only to human affairs, bqt
to the ftate of the human body. The juftly celebrated Dr.
Mea4 wrote a treatife, entitled De imperio Soils et Lunae in
Corporc Humano; but all thofe prejudices and this fuperftiticm '
are now exploded, by the more fatisfadofy dedudlions of a
ΓοοιμΙ philofpphy. It has been re^onably urged, that as the
moft accurate and fubtle barometers are not at* all affe^ed by
the vstrious poihions of the moon, it is very unlikely that the
human body ihould be withii; the fphere of its influence. Some
travellers have rem^rked^ that in the countries of the Eaft it i»
cnftomary to prefer φβ titae of the new moon to begin a journey : '
from this peculiarity Mr. Harmer takes occaiion to co^iment on
Proverbs, V&l 19, 20, and 1 Samuel, xx. 24, 25 ; whiqh paiTages
he explains by referring them to fome fimila^ prejudice amonglt
.the ancient J^s :
I 3 ProverbSf
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ηβ ERATO.
a body ef two dioufaiid Lacedemonians tfriyed at
-Athens ; fuch w^s their expedition, that dicy reached
Attica in three days fixwn Aeir leaving Sparta• They
did not arrive till after the battle, but fo great was
their defire of beholding the Medes, that to gratify
their curiofity they proceeded to Marathon 5 they
then returned, after congratulating the Athenians on
tteir prowcis and viftory.
/ , CXXI. I am equally aftonilhed at having heard,
and.reluibant to believe, that the Aicflnaeonidie held
up a ihield by way of fignal to the Perfians, wiih-
ing to fubjed the Athenians to the power of the
Barbarians and Hippias« No man, in his haired
againft all tyrants, could poflibly exceed, or even
eqoal, Callias the fon of Pha^ppus, and father of
Jlipppnicus, Callias *'' was ever diftinguiihed by
Proverbs, vii. 19, 20. The good man is not at home, he is
gone a long journey : he hath taken a bag of money in his
hand, and will Qome home at the appointed time. " The appointed
time,*' fays Mr• Harmer, •* may properly be rendered the «i*iv
moon,**
I Samuel, xx, ^4. '* So David hid himfelf in the field : and
when the new moon was coqie, the king fat him down to cat
meat"— Γ.
'2' Cal/ias,]^^A whimfical ftory is told of this Callias, in
Plutarch's Life of Ariftides : he was a man of mean rank, but
happening to be at the battle of Marathon, was taken by a Bar-
barian for a king, on account of his long hair, and a bandage
which he wore round his forehead. The Perfian fell at lus fpet,
and difcovered to him a prodigious quantity of gold in a ditcji :
Callus Ucw him, and took the money» But how does this ac-
cord with what is elfewhere written of Ariilides, that he fc-
inained on the field, and prevented the plunder being taken by
ftny private bands ?«-^f. *
his
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Ε R A' Τ^ Gl tt§
Tas implacable animofity*-agaiflft^l*lfifl^tiiei ind
when the tyfaht was expeBiai^iwffJiliaP <i!feite ibfl
by public auffion, he wis^He^jr^iiariWhib da^ed
to become a purch^cr. «^ ' '-' '*^ " '
CXXII. The above perfonage defcrves to be
remembered, not only for what we have already
mentioned, proving him a man extremely zealous
for the liberties of his country, but for the honours
he obtained '^ at the Olympic games. He obtain-
ed the firft prize in the horfe race, the fecondiri
that of thir chariots drawn by^four hbrfes : at the
Pythian games he was' alfo vi<5torious,7upon which
occafion he treated 'the Greeks with great magnifi-
cence '^• His liberalit)^ alfo• to hii thre? diughter^'
was equally confpicuouS^ : as'iboif ,as they Wfj? df
age to marry, he aflignecf theAinoftlepbniBn, and
fuffered each to choofe her h'uibandYront among
all the Athenians•
*'• Honours he ρΙ/α/ηίΐί,'^^Ύΐχβ wKoie of this pafl^ge is wantTng
in many manufcripts: Valcnaer Teems to think u ha» no'bufi-
nefs here; and liarchier thinks it was infertedl)/ fome fophift;
who f(d&ed to pay ϋ5 cotut to Hippocdcus, ibj. of this CauxKfi
—7" ...
^^ With great magnifcence.l — Iprefum&it was cuftomary-tada
this in proportion to the rankf and affluence of tne'.viitor• Ϊ
find in AthenjBUs, boolc ji diap. 5, fWd^f-exkniplf^^otiTii^fcH
fedt— Alcibiades, in confequcnce of bebg viftoiibui'flt.'ibi
Olympic games, offered a facrifice to the Olympian Jupiter,
^d gave an entertainment to all the» giTeniyy θ£ ^pij^moia.
Ion of Cjhios^ having obtained :he prize for his .tragedy,* gave tp
CTcry Athenian a flalk of Chian wine.— ST. ' .: *::^
'/.-•..■... 1 ^ *; ^^t! . Γ ί. : .-' \
. L. \. I 4 CXXIII.
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l%9 ERA Τ ο*
CXXIII. But idl the Alcmaeoniddc, as well as
CaUias^ wcrCr remarkable for their enmity to ty-
rants i I am there£>re the more aftonuhed to hear,
and unwilling to believe, the circumftance im-
puted to them> of holding up a ihield as a fignal
to the Perfians• While ^ fyftem of tyranny pre-
vailed in their country they lived in voluntary exile j
and; it was by their contrivance that the Pififtratidae
rcfigned their power : for thefe reafons they feem
to me to have piore aflifted the caufe of freedom
than either Harmodius or Ariitogiton. Thefe
latter, by deftroying Hipparchus, fo far from rc-
jMreffmg the ambitious dcfigns of the other Pififtra-
tic}ie> only inflamed them the more* The Alcm^-
onidae were avowedly the deliverers of Athens,
if indeed it was at their fug^eftion that the
Pythian, as I have before defcribcd^ enjoined the
Lacedaemonians to reftore it^ freedom.
CXXIV. It may be aiked^ whether they were
induced, to betray their country from any refent-
pient againft the people of j^thens i, but no indiyi-
^lals were more illi;^ious at Athens, or held in
more general eftimation. The ftory, therefore, of
the ihield, imputed to thjs motive, contradifts' pro-
bability: that a ihield was^lield up cannot be difr,
puted, but by whom I c^n by no means ^i:ther
^termine. \
_^ CXXV. The AlcmaconidsB were alwajrs amongft
the moil diftinguilhed'charadkers of Athens ^ but
Alcmacon himfelf, and Megacles, his immediate
defcendantj
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Ε R A Τ- Ο,. lai
«
defcendant^ were more particularly iUuftriops. AJc-
ma?on fon of Mcgacks received with great kind*
nefs, and obliged by naany fcrviqes, thofe Lydians
whom Croeilis fent from Sardis to conftilt the oracle
at Delphi. On their return th^y did not omit to
acquaint Croefus with his benevolence 5 he inftant-
ly fent fpr him tp Sardis, and prefented him with
as much gold as he was able ta carry. To enhance
the value of this ^ft, Alcmseon made ufe of the
following artifice: — Providing himfelf with a large
tunic, in which were many folds, and with the moft
capacious buikins he could procure, he followed
his guide to the royal treafury ; there rolling him-
felf amongft the golden ingots, he firft ftuifed his
buikins as full of gold as poflibly he could, he
then filled all the folds of his robes, his hair,' and
even his mouth, with gold duft. This done, with
extreme difficulty he ftaggcred from th^ place,
from his fwelling mouth, and projeftions all around
him, refembling any thing rather than a man•
When Croefus faw him,, he burft into Jaughter, and
not only fuflfered him to carry all that he had got
away, but added other prefents equally valuable^
The family from this circumftance became ex-
ceedingly affluent, and Alcmaeon was thus enabled
to procure and maintain thofe horles which <Ataincd
him the viftory at the Olympic games.
CXXVI. In the age which next fucceeded, Clif•
thenes, tyrant of Sicyon, raifed this femily eve»
beyond its former importance. This Clifthenes,'
who was the fon of Ariftonymus, grandfon of My-
non.
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tai ERATO.
ribn, and grcai-grandfon of Andros, had a daugh-
icT named Agarifta: his dctcrminatioh was^t*
roariy her ta the moft diihnguiihed man in Greece•
During die celebration of the Olympic games at
which Clifthenes was viftorious m the conteft of
the chariots drawn by four liorfes, "^hc ordered this
proclamation to be made by a herald — that who-
ever thought himfelf worthy of becoming the fon-
in-law of Clifthenes was defired to appear at Si-
cyon widiin fixty days ; for in the courfe of a year,
reckoning from that period, Clifthenes intended to
give his daughter in marriage. All thofe therefore
who were cither proud of their own merit, or of
their country, appeared as candidates j and Clifthe-
nes prepared for the occafion a palaeflra '♦', and
other proper places of exerdfe.
CXXVII. From Italy came Smindyrides'**, fon
of
»«' J fal^/ra.]^l^at unKke to this condeft of Cliflhenes»
were the iblemnhies defcribed in books of ancient romance and
chivalry, as preceding the nuptials of a king's daughter. The
knight who was vidlorious at tilts and tournament» generally
captivated the affeftions of the lady, and obtained the confent
φ£ the father. Bi(hop Hurd, in his Letters on Chivalry and Ro-
Oancca traces the origin of jouils and tournaments no farther
than the feudal coniUtution of the middle ages ; perhaps, with-
out great impropriety^ he might have found the feeds of their
cxiftence in the public games of Greece. To thefe we may
certainly look for the contefts, whether of gladiators or beads,
Qdiibited in the amphitheatres of ancient Rome ; from which
ba£s, through various modiEcations, the ipirit of Gothic chi-
valry might poffibly be derived.— 7*.
***5«/«<^/7/<r/.]-^The effeminate foftneis of this man is twice
mentioned
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% t. A f O. ta^
of Hippocrates, a native df Sybaris, tmd a man
eminent for hb refined luxury : Sybaris lyas at that
timfc an affluent and powerful city. On the fame
cccafion Damas of Siris appeared, he was the fcn
of Samyris, furnamed (he Wife. Amphimneiha
the jtipidamnian. Ιση of lipiftrophus, came from
the Ionian gulph# Amongft others alfo was Males
the ^Itolian, brother of that Titormus***' yrho
fuφa^Γed the reft of his countrymen in bodily prow-
«fs, but who had retired from fociety to die remote
parts of -ffitolia. Leocedes, fon of Phidon, prince
of the Argives, came from the Peleponnefe : this
man firft inftttuted the inftruments of rticafuring '*♦
in
snentioned by JEHbsx In hii Varions Ιΐ^οιγ. See book ix. t*
24. He complained» after fleeping upon roTes, that be bad goc
tiunours in his body from the hardnefs of his bed. Seneca^ in
his Treatife de Ira, had evidently in his eye the above paifage
of .^iafi ; but he fays that Smindyridcs complained of the
rofes being doubled under him— foliis ro& duplicatis. The
words of i£>lian are φλυχτΛΐ9ας ΐλ ηι« ηης •χι»' ; now ^ι/χτ»»μ«
certainly mean tumours occailoned from extreme exercife oc
fatigue.
The other paifage in jEfian, is book xiL c, 24; from which
we learn, that when he paid his addreiTes to the daughter of
CliiUienes, he carried with him a thoofand eooks, a thoufand
fowlers, and a thoufand fiihermctu— 7*•
**^ Tiiormus, ]'^This man, as we learn from Athcnaeus, one
*day difputed with Milo of Crotona, which could iboneil devour
a whole ox. Of this laft, incredible as it may feem, it is re-
hired that he carried a youx>g bull of four years oM upon hb
fhoulders to fome diilance ; after which he killed it, divided it
into portions, and eat the whole of it by himfclf, in the fpacc
of a day.— Ltfrf^^r•
'^ Infirurmnts of meafuTing.\^OTL this fubjeft the following
paflage occiirs b Pliny• Men&nu et pondera Phidon Argivus
invcnit
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.144 Ε R Α Τ. Ο.
^ ' in the Peicponncfc, and was the moft infolent t)^mll •
.» ^> y^ cotcmporarics. He rcnrovcd t!he Agonothetae '♦'
Hi ^ f 'from Elisj, which office he himlelf afterwards txto-
^^ic-J:.4t*'-*^cuttd at Olympia. Amiartiis.thc Arcadian» fon
of liycurgus, came from Trapezus : thert was alio
Laphenes the Azcnian, of the city of Paeos, and
_ . Ion of that ^uphorioi^ who, as is reported in Ar-
cadia, cntcf twined at his houfe Caftor and Ροϊ1 υχ»_
• . ' ^ and was afterwards remarkable tor KT unlvcSflS^
hofpitality. Onomaftus of Elis, the fon of Agaeus,
was alfo of the number. Ajnongfl: the Athenians
were Megaclcs, fon q( £h?t Alcmseon who went
tdCroeius'i and Hippoclides, fon of Tiiander, who
was eminent amon^ his countrymen, both for his
affluence and his perfonal accompliihments. The
only Eubcean wa^ Lyfanias, who came from Erctria,
which was at that time in confiderable repute. Of
' — - the Scopadae of Theflaly, was prefent Diaftorides
die Cranonian^and Alcon from anwngft the Molof-
'fians. — Thefe were the fuitors.
CXXVIII. On their appc^ance at the day ap-
pointed, Clifthenes firft enquired of each his coun«
try and his family. He then detained them all for
the ipace of a year, examining their comparative
inrenit Vel Pahmedes at malluit Gellius. — The firft introduc•
tion of weights and meafures into Greece is imputed by Tome
to Pythagoras• See Diog. Laert. in Pyihag. D'Anville is οί
opinion that the meafures here mentioned were not thofe of
diilancev-i-^L/zrr^^.
*** Jg»notbefa,]'-^^htk were tlie judges and arbiters of the
public games.
ftrength^
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ERATO, taj
ftrength^ fcnfihiliiy, learning, and manners : for thb
purpofe he fometinics convcrfed with them indi^
vidually, fomctimes colledively. The youngcft he
often engaged in public exercifes; but his great trial
of them all was at public entertainments• , As long
as they were with him they were treited with the
utmoll magnificence and liberality; bjut to thi^
Athenians he Ihewed a particular preference. Οξ
thefe Hippoclides, the fon of Tifander, was the firft
in his r^ard,,bojth on account of his ownperfonal
proweis, as well as becaufe his anceftors ; were re-
...-...^ ^latcxl to the Cypfelidae '^ of Corinth.
CXXIX. When the day arrived which was to
decide the choice of Clifthenes, and the iblemniza^
tion of the nuptials, ύη hundred oyen '^"^ were fa-
crificed, and tte fuitors, with ill the Sicyonians, in-
vited to the feaft. After fupper, the fuitors en-
gaged in adifpute about mufic, and in other general
fubjeob. Whilft they were drinking'**. Hippo-
elides,
*^ Cy;}^//VAr.]— See an account of the/ounder of this ft•
m'lly, γ{^0^ fifi^ h^. chapter 92.
**^ Hundred e;r^e.]— The origin of hecatombs, according to
StrabOy was this : there were an hundred cities in Laconl^
each of which every yejir facrificed an ox. The etymology of
hecatomb is from UettoyJin, a folemn facrifice ; or rather from
fxeref, a hundred, and βπς» an ox. By a hecatomb m general,
we Qiiderftand the facrifice of an hundred beaib of the fame
land, upon an hundred altars, by an hundred, different briefts
— r.
"♦« Whilft they 'were drinkhtg.l^ln Greece, fays Larc^er,
diey did not drink till after they had done eating. This is ex.
emplificd from a paffage of Xcnophon, where, ndien foinebody
at
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ΐ2< Ε R A Τ α
didcs, who made Wmfclf remarkably conipicuaus,
£re£ted one of die muficians to play a tune calkd
* Eiranelia "^ :** his rcqucft being obeyed, he be-
gan CO dance with much fatisfadion to himfel^
though, as- it Ihould fcem, to the great dilguft of
CliiBienes, who attentively obibvcd him• After a
fiiort paufej Hippoclides commanded a table to be
IwOUghti upon this he firft of all danced according
to the Laoedsaemonian, and then in the Athenian
manner: at Ici^th he flood upon his head, ufing
his fegs as if they had been his hands. The two
former aftions^ of Hippoclides Clifthenes dbferrcd
widi great command of temper; he determined not
CO choofe him as his fon-in-law, being much of-
at the Mbte of Studies defires Ariftus to* drink ; he re^Hies,
« .that he has not yet done eating» but that he might aik Xenor
phon to drink, who had dined.**
*♦» Emmelia.] — It has^ been generally imderftood of the dance
eaDed EnnneKa, that it was of a peculiar gravity and ibteEnefs,
foited ta the dignity of tragedy: but I think witb Larcher,
from the paffage before us, that there mull have been different
kinds of dances under this name ; for it fcems not at all likely
that Clifthenes ihould quarrel with his fon-in-law eled for ex-
crcifing himfelf in a folemn and dignified dance. Of this
dance alfo we are told that Plato approved, along widi the
Pyrrhic or 'military dances, which he certainly would not have
done, if it "had been of the immodelt kind wliich is here repro-
bated. It may alfo without impropriety be obferved, that the
Athenians deemed thofe impolite who refufed to exercife them-
felves in dancing, when the proper opportunity occurred ; and
what time could be more fuitable than a nuptial feaft ? Thp
aft of dancing Would naturally feem to indicate joy, but it ςοη-
llituted a part of the funeral ceremonies of the ancients. 1
have fomewhere read of a tribe of Indians, amongft whom
dancing was praftifcd as a tellimony of forrow.— 7".
fended
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Ε R A τ <λ j%j
imdcd with his want of ddicacy and deconim $ but
when he faw him daa^cing with hb feet in the air»
he could contain |iimfelf no longer, but exclaimed»
*« Son of Tif^ndier, you have, danced away youc
** wife•"— •^Miippoclides cares not," was the abnqp^
reply• This afterwards^ .became a proverb ' ^\ ι
CXXX• AfcertUisClifthencs,dcmaadingfilenc^
thus addreifed. the aflfenibly : *^ Ye, who- haiie
" come hither as foitiMis to my da^ughter, are aH
*^ entitled to ray praifc, and if it:werfc in my power
" 1 would gratify you. all, not. diftingwihing one
^ in prefi^^encc to the reft; but this is ioipoillhk^
" for as there is only one v^rgm, the wilhes of yon
•^ all cannot be fatisfied : to each of you therefbrci
^ who muft depart hence difappoiftftd of their ob-
" jedb, in ackiwwledgment of your condeibcnfion
** in defiring to marry a daughter of mine, I pre-
^ fent ataknt of fihrcr; but I give' my daughter
*^ Agarifta to Megacles, the fon of Alcmaeon, to
** be his wife according to the AthcniaDL Jawfi«2^ ^
Megacles accepted the honour, and the marriage
was folemnixed.
■5® Became a /rev^ri.]— Ludan ufts this as ψ proverKal ex*
predion, in his Apolog. pro Merced. Ardu^^. » ψξοη* l'«^r«-
κλι«^ HippocUdes cares not. We have one in this countrf»
amongil the common people^ nearly the fame^*' Who cares ?*'
The expreffion oXiyor>M /χιλιι occm-s frequently in the Vcfpis of
AHftophanea» probably in alluHon toiue^plaoe ef Herodotns..
I^lotarch alTo, in his tra£l^againQrHciOdotiaEi^ apijlies of himietf
as Ridiculous the |>hrare.^7'•
CXXXL
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laJ Ε R A Τ Q.
CXXXI. Such was the dccifion made with re-
Ipcit to thcfc fuitors, and in this manner the Ale-
maeonidas became illuftrious in Greece. The firft
offspring of this marriage was called Clifthenes,
•fter his maternal grandfidier, the prince of Sicyori•
He it was who divided the Athenians into tribes,
and introduced a democracy. The name of the
&cond Ion was Hippocrates, to whom afterwards
was born a fon named Megacles, and a daughter
called, Agarifta, after the daughter of Clifthenes :
Ihe was married to Xanthippus, Ae fon of Ari-
phrom She bcii^ pregnant, dreamt that ihe brought
forth a lion, and w^ very foon afterwards delivered
of Pericles.
ι
- CXXXII. Mildades was always very popular at
Athens ; but after the fignal defeat of the Periians
at Marathon, his reputation ftill more increaied.
He demanded of his countrj^ncn a fleet of fcventy
fliips, with a fupply of money and of men : he did
not Ipccify to what place he intended to conduft
them, he only promifed that he woyld lead diem to
affluence, and to a country from whence they ihould
bring abundance of gold. The Athenians believed
and obeyed him.
, CXXXIII. Receiving the reinforcement he had
folicited, MUriades failed to^ Parps. His pretended
objed was to punilh die Parians for taking an
aotive part in fevour of the Perfians, at the batde
of Maradion. This however was afliimed; his re-
fentmcK againft the Parians arofc fiOm Lyfagoras,
the
Digitized by VjOOQIC
Ε R; Αι Τ;τ Ο; ^,
the jlbn,o£Tyfias, a native of Pftros, wJmJiad.pret•
judic-ed JHlydarnes the Periiap againft hin),.., Q^.hk
arrival ^before the place, Miltiades co.n)p}enc€d ^'
vigorous fiege, fending at the fame time an herald
to the Parians,- to demand , a hundred talents; and
declaring, that if they did not grant, it, he. "v^oukl
not Ifiave the place till J^c had deftroycd it. • .,TJ\^
Parian§ neyer thought for a moment of coipplying
With kis demand, but attended vigilantly Co ύψ de+
fence of theircity, ftrcyogthening thojie parts : which
wece weak,.,and renderingj undpr advantage of the
nigiipx their yalltw^ce as flμ•o'ng as^it .was 'before.
CXXXIV. Thus f^,^U, the Greeks ciorrefpond
in their account; what enfued is tlius. related by
the Parians : Miltiaiies, reduced to great per-
plexity '^', confulted with a female captive,' a Pai-
rian by birth, whofe nanie was Timo, a prieftefs of
the infernal deities. O^n her appearing before hini,
flie laid, that if he wiflied to accompiifli ' his dq-
iigns upon Paros, he muft foUpw her advice* -ίη
confequence of what Hie recommended, Kiiltiades
// advanced to an eminence before the.ci€j;,,and,,not
yy . able to open' the' gates of a place confecrated to
^LlCeres TKefmophoros, he leaped over fhe fence:
/ miin hence he proceeded to the temple, either to
remove fomething, which it was deemed impious to
"touch, or with Ibme other intention; on approach-
ing the entrance he was feized with a fudden hor-
•»* Great feffiexity.]'^Thc account given'of Milriadcs, and
of this particahu- expedition, by Cornelius NepOs, is raateriafiy
different.— 71
Vol. 111. Κ ror
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t3<S ERATO•
for of mind j and returning by the fame way, he In
Iea|nng a fecond tinne over the Wall diflocated hi*
thigh, though; as fomc fay, he Wounded his knee.. '
eXXXV. After die above accident Miltiadel
rtturried home, without bringing the Athwiians the
wealth he promifed, or rendtring himftlf nrlafter of
ParOs, bdfbre which, /aftef laying Wafte the jfland,
he rcttiaihed fix^aild-twenty day. When the Pa-
rians know diat Timo the ptieftcfs I^d advifed
Miltiades, they wiihed to punilh her: As ίοοη
therefore as the ficge was raiied, they ftnt to OtipKi
to enquire whether thty nriig^t put the prieftds to
death, as having pointed out to an enemy the means
of poffefling theit country, and had expofed to Mil-
dades Aofc facred ceremonies at which it was not
lawfbl for a man to be prefent. The Pythian would
not fuflffer them to hurt her, faying,, that Tirtio was
not culpable, for that it was decreed that Miltiades
^i^buld .n)iferably perifli, and that ilie. was only the
iftftrun[icnt.(^ conducing him to his deitiny.
CXXXVlJ On his return from Paros, Miltiades
was generally cenfured by his countrymen, and in
particular by Xanthippus, the ion of Ariphron>
who accufed him capitally to the Athenians as a
betrayer of his country. To this Miltiades could
not perfonally reply, for his wound mortifying, he
wais confined to his bed ; but he was very vigo-
roufly defended by his friends, who adduced in his
favouf the vid;ory of Marathon, the taking of Lcm-
nos, which, after chaftifing the Pe lafg^^j ie had rc-
"\ ,y duccd.
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dQ^
ERATO, 131
daced to the power of Athena^ By the interfbence
of the people, his life was faved, but he was cotv-
denined to pay a fine of fifty talents '^\ His wound
growing worfe, Miltiades died^ but the fine wa«
difchargcd by his fon Cimon•
CXXXVII. Miltiades had thus obtained pof-
leffion kA Liemnos• The T^drfyanQ \\9Λ hg^t^ t^AXoA
Attica by the Athenians, whether juftly or other- , / ,-
wile, I am not able to determine : Hccataeus the * /
fon of Hegcfander, in his hiflory, fays unjuftiy. ^ >
The Athenians, according to him, obferving their ,,
territory near Hymettus, which they had given up
to the Pelalgi as a reward iox building them 4
wall, well cultivated, whereas formerly it produced
Uttk, and was of no eftimation, they expelled them
from it, without any other motive than envy, and α
defire of obtaining the place. The Athenian ac-
count lays, that the PeWgi were juftly expelled; ^'
this people, they aflert, made hoftik excurfions from *'
J3janfiffiis^^ and frequently oflfcred violence to
the young women who went from Athene to die
nine fountains, for the purpofe of drawing water;
for at this period the Greeks had no flaves. Not
'** fifty /alirtts.] — ^This, accoMing to Cornelius Nepos, .wa>
the fum which it coil the Athenians to fit out the turmament
which Miltiades led againft Paros.— -Γ.
'5' -^-«^/w.]— This place, now called Hymetto» was .an*
ciently famous for producing fine marble, abundance of bees»
and excellent honey. The hills of Hymettus were the fcene of
the celebrated ilory of Cephalus and Procris. See Ovid dc
Arte Amandi, iii. oSj.
£& prope purpureos collei fiorenos H/metti
Fons facer, te, T.
Κ 2 fatisficd
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■'1
1.32 ERATO.
fatisficd with treating thdc. with great iniblcncc and
brutality, the Pelafgi formed the bolder defign of
rendering themfclves matters of Athens. The
Athenians think their condud on thb occafion en-
titled to the higheft praife; for, having detcfted the
Pelaigi of treachery, they might juftly have exter-
minated them, infteid of which they only expelled
them the country. Thus circumftanced, they dif-
. perfed themfclves, and fome of them fettled at
•Lemnos. — Such are the different accounts of He-
. cataeus and the Athenians.
CXXXV IIL Thofe Pelafgi who fettled at Lcm-
iius were vfry Ipllcitous to ayenge themfelvcs on
the Athenians. Knowing therefore the times of
^ their public feftivals, they prepared two fifty-oared
barks to fuφrize the Athenian females'^* who were
engaged near Brauron in celebrating the feaft of
Diana : many of thefe f?ll into their hands, and
being carried to Lemnos, became their concubines.
Thefe women had a number of children, whom
they educated in the Athenian language and man-
■'♦ Athenian females,'] — In ihe Greek, iheiv/vYj of the Athe-
nians. It is proper to obferve, that the Athenians, who called
themfelves Athenaioi, never caUed cheir women Athenaiai, be-
caufe Minerva is in Homer called xlthenaia : firch was their
fuperilition. They fpoke of their women by a periphrafis, as
here, or by the word ara^^ ailai, female citizens, becaufe Athens,
b/ way of diftiniHon, was called Art;, the city.
The feaft here mentioned was called Brauronia, from the
place at which it was celebrated. A goat was facrificed, and
rliapfodifts fung portions of the Iliad; it was celebrated every
five years. Young girls, facred to Diana, celebrated this feaft
in fafFron-coloured robes; they might not be more than tea
Years old» nor lefs than nrc^Lanher.
ners :
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Ε R A* Τ Ο. ijj
nen : diefe accordingly rcfufcd to aflbciate witti the
odier children of the Pelafgi;: and if one of them
was at an)r time beaten by them, they mutually
ran tb one another's aiBftance. They thought
themfelves worthy of being their mailers, and ulti-
mately became fo. The Pelafgians,obferving this,
were much exafperated, for, faid they, if thefe
children thus unite againft.the offspring of our legi-
timate wives, and ajre continually aiming at iiipc-
riority over them, what wul. they do when they
arrive at manhood. They relblved therefore to put
th^fe children to death, after which thqr determined
alfo to kill their mothers. This jaition, added to
a former one, in which the women of Lemnos de-
ftroyed ail their huibahds, with Thoas^theiijking^
induced the Grecians to call every atrocious crime
J-iCmnian.
CXXXIX. The Pelafgi, after the above murder
of their children and concubihes, found their earth/*"*"""
their cattle, and their wives dike-curfed^ withJQbeii»/ .., .
lity 5 to obtain^ellef from^whicTitlicy fent a depu-
tation to Delphi. The Pythian commanded them
to render fuch fatisfaftion to the Athenians as they
'55 noas their king^'] — Later writers tave made Hypfipyle ^
prcferve the life of her father Thoas. The whole of tliis is /
beaatifully defcrl be d by Valerius Flaccos/in his fecond b ook. \.
The motive whjchwas fuppofed to induce the L•eIblan women "-
to this fanguinary aftion was this :^The Lemnian j
lebrated every year a fellival in honour of Venus ; but having
negleiled this cuftom, the goddefs punilhed their neglefk by
giving them a difagreeable odour> which made their htiibands
avoid them. The women thus» deeming themfelves delpifed,
jjpw all the men.— 7".
Κ 3 fliould
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134 ERATO.
ihotuld require J they accordingly w«t to Adient,
engaging tbemf^vet to fubmic to whateirer fliould
be propofcd• The Adi^ans fct in wder fome
couches in the Prytancunij which they adorned whli
t^ie greaceft magnificence, they prepared alio a table
covered with every delicacy; they then rcqiiircd
the Pelafgi to furrender them Lemnos in a fimil^L-^
ftate of abundance :*— *• Whenever," faid they, in
T ey t f; ' * (B g of your veffels ihall in a finglc day
^ make its paflage to our country with a norther»
* wind, we will comply with what you reqtiirc."
This they conceived to be imprafticable, as Attica
lies coAfidcrably to die fouth of Lemnos•
CXL. After an interval of fome years, when the
C hcrfonefe on the HcUefpont came under thepowcr
of the Athenians, Mildades the fon of Cimon> |
under favour of an eaftern wind, pafled in a fingle
day from Elaeos in the Cherfonefe to Lemnos. He
in&antly commanded them to depart from Lemnos^ ^/ »
reminding them of tlie declaration of the oracle '^V^*/'
the completion of which they litde expefted. With Jj ^;
this ^he Hcphasftians Complied, but tl^ Myrinagt^^^^
not allowing the Cherfonefe to be 'Attica, fuf- ^-^
tained a fiege, but were compelled to furrender• <^^^
f Thus, by means of Mildades *^^ the Athenians l?e-
came mailers of Lemnos.
i' L• ''* Or^wifc.]— A fpecch of the kiod related in the former cliap«
ter> chough delivered by commoa perfons> was conudered as
prophetic and oracular.
*57 Means 0/ MiIfiai/ej,'\^^Comp2iTC the account of Hcrodotu*
with that jiven by Cornelius Nepoe.
: HERODOTUS.
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\
'.: ι
ΧΊ
-►♦--f <•-*■•- «tr-^-t^ ^t
HER Q b Ο Τ υ\^
• ,. » Ο ρ 5έ VII, :
Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Ι Α.
Chap. 1. 7
Η Ε Ν the news of the battk o£
Maf athoA was coftimimicaced to
Darkis,he>wh6wasbirfbrt inccnf-
ed againft the Atlitoians, on ac-
count of their invafion of Sardi^ .
JT!^J becaHi€ftillaM)reexaiperated,and
moire indincd to invade Greece. He inihntly there-
fore fent emararies to the different cities under his
power^ to provide a ftill greater number of trans-
ports, horfes, corn, and provifions. In the in-
terval whidi this bufineis employed, Afia experi-
enced threte years of confufion j her moll able men
being enrolled for the Greek expedition, and mak*
iog preparation for it. In the fourth, the Egyp-
tians, who had been reduced by Cambyfes, revolted
fixMti the Perfians : but this: pnly induced Uarius til
accelerate his preparations againft both nationfi»
Κ 4 H•
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126 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Αν
II, At this junfture there arofe a violent diiputc
a[S!ongft-ihe fens or^pwfim^ concernmg the Jfuccef-.
ίϊοη to Qit throne, flie Periian cuftoms forbidding
the fovereign to undertake any expedition without
nanitQg His heμ•. ^ l^ius^l\ad three fons .b^eibre he
afcenided tile thione;fey the^aughter ofGobryar; ht
had four afterwards by Atofla, daughter of Cyrus ;
Artabazanes ' «wtithefeldiftxif the former, Xerxes
of the latter. Not being of the fame mother, a
dilpute arofe * between thenii Artabazanes aflcrtcd
his
' ^r/tfWaiJrwi.]— CaTchefiiof opinion, thatTrom this per-
fonage th^e celebrated Mithiidates, king of Pontus, who for fo
many years refifted the Roman power, 4vas defcended. Diodo- ,
rus Sicolusi Pdybias, an*d other authors, trace this prince to
one of the Γενςη Perfians ,whp, coufpifed agsdnft Smerdis ^
Magus/ This- Aftafca^ttes'• probably enjoyed the fatrapy of*
Pottos, and his de&e&dantf doul}tk6:"enjiiyed it alfo, till Mi-
thriij^t^s, iM^^Wled ^ti^fes (thfe fwiitlO became fovereign of
the country «f whjch he h^d befote.oi^y been goyemor.
This reafoning will hardly appear fatisftiftory, tinlefelt were
eri^nt that the fatrapics under the ti-owi^ of Perfia wpte Jlc-
rrtitary, whidi wju by no' meane'the cafe^ — 7*.
* J iUffutt wrofi.y^'V\i^ account giyen.pf thi? aiFair by Plu-
tarch, in his Trcaii^ of. Brotherly Love, differs materi^lly^
*< When Dariijs dicd/fome contended that Ariamenes fhould
focceed'him', a'^ being eldefi ; others recommended Xer>tes,bc-
cagft A«cffa,iidaughter of Cyrusi was hi« mother, and he was
born whiJ/l f^ajius was at^ually king. Ariamenes accordingly
went to AJedj^, not w^th ^ny^hoftile views, but peaceably to
hive Ihe matter determined. Xerxes, who was' on the fpot,
exOTeied'tBe- royal funftions; but as foon as his brother arrived,
hc:Wi rfldc.Us crown and kbgly oniamints, and hailened to
^^'i^fll'Sl ,Ji? ^ίΙ^Ά*"* yyiousiprefonts, ^nd words to thi» -
«ffeft : ^' Xexxjes your Vp^er i^& yo.^ thefe prefents» to ftey
h©^ indch'hc honours you^ If the Perfians (hall eleft me king,
yp^ ihilI.TK;Wicttoiilyrelf.''.'The reply ^ of -ArTamenes was
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γ:
Ρ Ο L γ Μ ΝΙΑ.' 137
his pretenfions from being the ddcft of all his fit-
riier's fons, a claim vHiich malnkind in general omi-
fi:nt to acknowledge Κ Xerxes claimed the throne
* - ' becauib
^ I accept your prefents ; Λ^ crown I bclicre to be my right: I
Hiall hooqar all my.brethren» an4 Xerxes in particular•" Whea
tiie day of decilion arrived, the Perfians ele^d as judge Ar-
ta1>anu$, brother ot Darius. Xerxes, whb depended on the mol-
tkode, obje£led to^'him, for which he was cenfured by his mo-
ther Atoi][a : **.Why/' flie obierved, " (hould you refufe to havCw
your uncle as jud^e, one of the worthieft men in Perfia ? and
why dread a conteft, where if inferior you will itiU be next to
the king?" Xeries fuffered himfelf to be perfuaded, and after
hearing the arguments of both, Armbanus adjudged the crowi»
to Xerxe;• Ariamenes on this haftfly rofe, made.obeiiance to
his brother^ and taking him J>y the hand^ conduced him to the^
riirqne.'* \ .- . [
■ Con/ent ίο ^acinowle Jgc^'^Tht frinctpU οΓ hereditary fuc-
ceflion is univerfal, but the order has been varioiiily eftabliihed
by copveitience or caprice, by (the ipirit Ofnadoiud'ioftitiio'r
laasks, or by fome partial example, which was originally dedded
by fraud or violence.— Sec Gibbon^ iv. 587. .
The jurifprudence of the Romans (he continues) appears to-
have deviated from the equality of nature, much leis than the .
|ewi(h> the Athenian, or the Engliih intoiuiona. On the
4eath' of a citizen, all his defendants, unlefs they were ah-ead/
fteed from his paternal power, were called to the inheritance^
of his pc^effions. The infdent prerogative of primogeniture
was unknown ; (he two fexes were placed on a juft level ; all
the foBs and daughters were entitled %o an equal ihare of the
patrimonial edate,
Amongd the patriarchs^ the firft-born enjoyed a myAkal and
fpiritual primogeniture. In the land of Canaan he WM entitled
to a double portion of liobeiita^ce.
At Athens the fons were equal, but the poor daqghtert were*
^owed at the difcretion of their brothers. «
In £nglw4 tbp eldeft Ton alone inherits all the lan4 : a law^
ia/f
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νμ ρ Q L Υ-Μ ^ί ΓΑ.
becaufe he was the graodibn of Cyfus, to whom Φ9
Fcx0ans were indebccd £br tbetr liberties.
IIL Before Darius had made any decifion, aikl
in the very midft of the contention, there arrired
at Stifa, Dcmanttus ^ the fon of Arifl:on> whobt-
ihg deprived of the crown of Sparta, had fled from
l^cedasmon. This man, hearing of the contro^
verfy, went, as is reported, to Xencs^ wd reccam
mended him tp urge fardier, in fupport Of his claim,
tiwrt when he was born Darius was in aftual en-
joyment of the empire of Perfia, but at the birdi οί
A.irt4>UAne^: hi» iiapher was only a private indivi-
dual. The prttenfions of Xerxes diereforc could
not be fer afidc, without the nioft obvious violation
of equity. To ftrengthen this, the example of the
ftys >«dge Blackibm^ onjnft ody m the opinioft of yoimg^r
tih>t&ert4
Upon the above I would rvmark, thftt Blackftofie fyenL•
jodidoafly ; whufi I can confider the ftnaments of Mr. Gibbon
as Ht^ better than declamation. It foemi evident^ that [μό-
petty continnaUy iobdivided muft'be rendered ufeltle to aH ;
€r> if this were not the cafe» to create a numerous dafs toa
prg«d to be isduMdu^> ^oold be to introduce a fwarm of ufe•
IcA and inaftire drones into the political hive. The wealth of
elder brothers muntains the fplendovr and dignity of a fiatei
the a^Tity of the younger branches gives it life and ibrengdu
— r.
^ Dtmm^afus^y^Xerxes gave Demaratoe the cities of Petga•
jftnsj Teuthrania, and Halifamia, becaafe he attended hiip on hi•
expedition to Greece. Thefe pkKee wire enjoyed by Euryf-
ihenes and ProcIes»his deicendantSi at the ^ύά ef ^e lirft ye^
of the 95th OIympiad.->-Z'<in'Air,
iSpartans
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ρ α L Ύ Μ Ν I Α. Τ3ί
Sparttnft^ was adduced, amongft whom ihoSt
children bom after the acceffioa pf the prince t<r
the throne were univeriaDy preferred to thofe bom
before* Xentea availed hiniielf of this counfel
given by Demaratus> which &> efit£tually ioipreiTed
XTarioS) that he dcclattd him his iucceflbr. For
ihy own part> I think that Xerxes would have
reigned without diis advice from Demaratus^ at
Atofla enjoyed an almoitunlimiced authority•
IV. Darius having declared Xenres his heir^ pr5«-
pared to march 2 but in the year which fucceeded
the -Egyptian revolt he died; having reigned
thirty-fix years, without being able to gratify his
refentment againft the Egyptians "^ and Athenian»
who had oppofed his power.
V• On hb death Xerxes immediately fucceeded
to the throne, who from 'the firft feemed wholly
inclined to the Egyptian rather than the Athenian*
war. But Mardgnius, who was his coufin, being
the fon of Gobryas, by a fitter of Darius, thus ad-
^ Example of tbi Spartans.']^-^Cx2ip\3&9 in his ufefal book De
Republica Lacedaemonionmi» fpeaks at ibme length on the
tight of (bcceeding to the throne of Sparta; but I do not find
that he mentions the particularity which is here fan^ned by
the rcfpedable authority of Herodotus.^— 7*•
^ MgyttiansJ]^^ Anient on diis fubjeA is at variance 1^
Herodotus; he fays that Darius having nktn poflcffion of
iEgypt» paflf d over from thence into Greece. The authority
9f Herodotus* iays Larcher, who was almoil a cotemporaryt
feems preferable to that of AriAotle, who lived a long tinu;
, afterwards*
drefled
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I4P Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
dfcflfed him: ^' Ι ihoul4 think. Sir % that die
*5 Athenians, who have fo grievoufly injured the
^ Perfians, ougiit not to efcapc with impunity. I
^ would neverthelcfs have- you execute what you
** immediately propofc ; but when you Ihall have
^ chaftifed the inlblence of -flEgypt, refume the expe-
** ditionagainft Athens. Thus will your reputation,
*/ be cftablilhed, and others in futyre be deterred
" from molefting your dominions/' .What he faid
was farther enforced by reprefenting the beauties
of Europe, that it was exceedingly fertile, abounded
with all kinds of trees % and deferved to be pof•
fcflfed by the king alone.
» I /houUthini, Sir.] — ^The word Δ«<ττ6τλ I have rendered
•' Sir;" Larcher has expreiTed it by the word «* Seigneur.'* as
moil isgniiicant of the reverence with which a flave addreiTed
liis Jord. for my own part, Τ am inclined \o conlider it as a
term of general refpcft, and not as having any appropriate
Sgnification, to intimate the condition of the Perfians with re-
•gard to their fovereigns. Thus, araongft the Jews, the word
Rabbi meant, as it is properly rendered in our verfions,
•* mailer," that is to fay, it did not imply that they to whom it
was applied were the ipafters of thofe who ufed it; but it was
a term which cuftom adopted, and politenefs fanfUfied, as re•
fpedfol from an inferior to a peribn above him. Add to this,
tiiat k was peculiar to the lofty genius of the oriental languages
to adopt phrafes by no means to be interpreted or underftood ii\
their ftri^l and literal (enfe.*— 7*.
• All kinds of trees,] — It fcems a little fingular, that Mardo-r
nius ihould fay this ; for I believe it has always been acknow-
ledged that the luxuriant climates of Afia produced every
thing which relates to fruit and vegetation, in far greater a-
bondaQce and perfedion th^n the lefs genial foils of Europe*
Yh
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 141
VL Mardonim iaid this^ being defirous of novd
undertakings, and anibitious of the government of
- Greece. Xerxes at length acceded to his counfcl,
to which he was alfo urged by other confiderations.
Some meflengers came from Thcflaly on the part
of the jyieua dag> imploring the king to inyade
Greece ; to accomplifli which they ufed the moft
cameft endeavours. Thefe Aieuadas were the
princes of Theffaly: their foHcitations were
flrcngthencd by the Pififtratidse, who had taken re-
flige at Suia, and who to the arguments before adh
duced added others. They had amongft them
Onomacritus, an Athenian, a famous prieft, who
Ibid the oracles of Mufaeus ; with him they had
been reconciled previous to their arrival at Sufa•
This man had been formerly baniflied from Athens
by the fon of Pififtratus j fotXaft» ' of Hermionc
had detefted him in the fait of introducing a pre»•
tended oracle amongft the verfes of Mufaeus, intb-
mating that the iflands contiguous to Lemnos.
ihould be overwhelmed in the ocean. Hippardius
for this expelled him, though he had been very in- ^
timate with him before. He accompanied the Pi-
iiftratidae to Sufa, who always fpoke of him in
• Lajks,] — Lafus was a mofician, ^et, and, according to
fome, one of the feven fages of Greece. He was the inventor
of the dithyrambic verfe, and of the circular dances. ' Arifto-
phanes, in the Aves, calls him χ&;χλ»• ^^ασκα^^ος. He was fond
of gaming ; and, according to Plutarch, when Xenophanes re-
fafed once to play with him, he reproached him with cowardice :
« Yes," anf^tred Xenophanes, « in every thing which is* bafe
and diihoneft, I confefs royfclf a coward."— T".• ^ • • * '
ζ ternas
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141 Ρ σ L Υ Μ Ν ι Α.
terms highljr honourable; upon which account,
whcncvw he appeared in the royal prefence, h*
iwited certain oracular verfes. He onutted 'What-
ever prtdiftcd any thing unfortunitfe to the Bari^-
rians, felcotlaig only what promifed them auipi-
cioufly 5 amongft other things he laid the fates de-
creed that a Perfian fiiould throw a bridge over the
Helteljpont.
VII. Thus was the mind of Xerxes affailed by
ύ» prediAions of the prieft, and the opinions of the
Pififtratidae. In the year'"* which followed the
death of Darius he determined on an expedition
againft Greece, but comn^cnccd hoftilities with
thofe who had revolted from the Perfians. Thefe
being fubdued, and the whole of JEgypt " more
efib^ually reduced than it had been by Darius, the
government of it. he confided to Achaemenes his
43Wft brother, fon of Darius. Acha:menes was after-
?^ Jm fi6f j«zr.]'*-Herodotas was born this year, at HaHcar-
XLaffus in Caria« See Aulus Gellins, book xv. c 23.
<* Hellanicus, Herodotus, and Thucydkles flouriibed in the
fame time, and were nearly'of the fame age; Hellanices, ia
the commencement of the Peloponnelian war, was lixty-fivc
years old, Herodotus fifty-three, and Thucydides forty.*'— 7*.
" WIjoL• tf^sypt'] — Xerxes having afccnded the throne,
employed the firll year of his reign in carrying on the prepa-
. rations for the redudion of iBgypt, which his father had begun.
He confirmed to the Jewi at Jeruialem all the pririlege•
granted them by his father, efpedally that of having the tribute
of Samaria for the furniihing them with (ftCiiScesibr the carry-
ing on of the divine wocfidpia the toei|4e of God at that place•
3 wards
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wzras Qain bf Inanu an Afiican^ uit ibn of Pfam^
.^ VIIL Aftfer the ^iubjeaion of JEgypt, ^Xitxei
{tftpar^ to kao ω amij againft Athetis, but firit
of $31 he called an aflerr^ly o( the principal Per-
fiflns, to hear their fehtimints, and to defiver with-
out referve his owri. He addreflfed tKerti to the
following purport: " You will remenrtber, ό
*^ Perfians, that I am not about to exeaite any new
" projeft of my own ; 1 only purfue the padi
*^ which has been previoufly marked out for me•
*5 I have learned from my anceftors, that ever fmcc
** we fecovefed this empire from the Mcdes, after
^ the depreflion of Aftyages by Cyrus, we have
^ never beeil ill a Hate of inaftivity. A deity is
'5 our guide, and aufpicioufly conducts us to pro-
": fperity. It muft.bc unneceflary for me to rekie
^ ^ eSfploits of Cyrus, Cambyfes, and Darius, and
*' the nations they added to our empire• For my
"* own part, ever fince npiy acceilion to the throne,
" it has been my careful endeavour not to refleft
" any dilgrace upon my forefathers, by fufiering
" the Perfian power to diminifh. My c^libera-
" tions on this. mAttcr have prefentrd mc with a
** profpeft ftiH of glory; they have pointed out
" to me a region nor inferior to our own in extent,
*^ and far exceeding it in fertility, which incitements
f^ are farther prom^pted by the expeibatioo of ho-
** nourable revenge i I have -therefore aflembled
*^ you to, explain Wut I intend : I have refolved,
ί *^^ ' « Iby
Wutl
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144 P. Ο L Τ Μ Ν I a:
•* by throwing a bridge. over tfac Hdkipont •, to
" lead my forces through Europe into Greece, and
'^ to inflift vengeance on the Athenians for the in-
*^ juries dSmd to my iadier ami Perfia. You
^ well know that this war wa/s intwded by Darius^
«^ though -deadi deprived Wftv of the . means of
^ vengeance» Cpniidering what i» due to him and
«* to Perfis^it is my determination not to remit my
«^. exertions, till ΑΦ^ηβ be taken and burned'*.
- •* HeUeJ^ontJ] — Bockart th^b i% yery probable, what othtr
learned men have alfo conje^ured, that the Hellefpont was oii-
ginally called EUs-pont, from Eliflia, tke; eldcft of Javan's fons ;
and it may be added» that one of the 1 20 provinces, as they
A)od in the rolk of the Perfiah empire, was named Proving
jUf/hn^Si for fo Herodotus infomrs os ; and it is^ placed h^
tween the provinces of Ionia and Phrygia, comprehendiqg
^ojia. From tlie authority above cited^ upon the change of
language Eli(ha the fon of Javan was Called .£d[u$. The
Jewiih rabbi explain the name £U^, ad infidam; ahd Vant),
as cited by Servius, on the iSt ^neid, gives the fame dde to
i£oIus Hippotades, ilyling him Dominus iniularum (lord of the
iflands.)— 7".
■* Taie» and 6unteii,']'^Mr> Grlovei had probably this ipeech
of Xerxes in his mind, when he wiOte the following lines,
which he makes Mardonius utter on entering Athens :
Is this the city whofe prefnmpdon dai'd
Invade the lord of Aiia ? ftendlyfaid
Mardonius, entering.-^Whither now are fled
Th' audacious train, whofe firebrands Sardis felt ί
Where'er you lurk, Athenians, if in fight.
Soon Ihall you view your citadel in flames ;
Or, if retreated to a diftant land.
No diftant land of refuge ihall yoo find
Againft avenging Xerxes. Jtbrniaid.
^^ The
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ρ ο L τ Μ Ν I Α. 145
^ The Athenians, υίφτονχ^ΰ^Ι, firft iniblted me and
^' my fathers under the conduft of Arilbgoras
^^ of Miletusi our dependant and Have» thejr at-
'^ tacked Sardis, and con^med with fire our groves
>^ and temples• What thejr. perpetrated agunft
^^ you^ when> led by Dads and Artaphemes, you
V ^penetrated their country, you know by &tal ex-*
y^ perieace. >Such are my inducements to pitxreed
V agaittft theme but I hare alTo additional motives•
** If we reduce thcfc and thek neighbours who in-
*' habit the country of Pclops the Phrygian^ to
'* our power, the Pcrfian empirfc will be limited by
}^ the heavens alone; the fun will illuminate no
^^ country coMiguous to ours : 1 ihall over-run all
** Europe, and with your afliftance poifeis unli-
^ mited dominion. For if I am properly infi^rm-
*' ed, there exifts no race of men, nor cart any
*' city or nation be founds which if thefe be re-
** duced can poffibly refift our 'arms: we Ihall
*^ thus fubjcft, as well thofe who hav^ as thofe
^' who have not injured us* I caU therefore for
^^ your afliftance, which I ftiall thankfully accept
^^ and acknowledge ; I truft that with cheerfiilnels
"^^ and aoHvity you will all aflcmble at the place I'
^* fliallappointw To him who fliall appear with the
/^ greateft number of well-provided troops, I will
** prefent thofe gifts which in our country are
^' thought to confer the higheft honour* That I
" may not appear to diftate my own wiihes in an
:*' arbitrary manner, I commit the matter to your
^^ refleftion, permitting every one to deliver his
tJ' ientiments with freedom.*'
Vol. III. L IX.
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U« F ό L t U ^ ι Α.
' IX. When Xente^had fit^ied» Mordonkis hiade
the Mowing reply : ** Sir, you arc*nDtbnly?thc
<' mpft Uhiftaddus of all die Pefiiai» ^ha havu
." hitherto aj^petrcd, Ixit. yoo may fecurcly def^
^* the cbmperitian of poihcrity. Ariaerngft cuher
!' Aiagsw^khyoirhav^advwiced, alike excdi^
^^ arid JTtift, you are entitled tx> oitt pirticuter -ΐΰϋηΐ-
ί^ ration -ibr not foffcring the^ people of feflia, «on-
f^ tctt^taile as they arc, to intfult us with impwiity.
'* It would indeed bcprepofterous, if after itilucirig
to our pdwgr the Sa^3g-^tf)q ||idtois^ the ifethio-
pians, and the Afiyrians, widi many iwiier ^^tfc
^ and iHuffrious nations, not in revenge ύί iigW-ies
** received, but Iblely from the honotii^ble defife
-" of doniinioD, we flwrid «or ittfliit vc^geante
•^ on thofc Greeks who, without piwocsttion, hav'e
^^ molefted tis. There can be nothing to -«cite
^ ouJT alarm J no multitude of troops, ho cxthtor-
** dinary rwealthj we have tried their mode tff
•^ fighting, and know their weakncis. Their de-
" fccndants, who under the names of Ionics,
^^ ^olians and Dorians, rcfide within om• domi-
.•' nions, we firft fiibdued, and now govern. Their
*' prowcfe I Jijyfclf have Icnown, when iat the
•^ command of your fether I ppofecuted a war
•^ againft dicm. I penetrated Macedoiiia, advanc-
*^ ed ahnoft to Athras, and found na enemy to;en-
^ counter• Befides this, I am informed that in ill
^^ their military undertakings the Grctks betrdy
** the extremcft ignoranouujd folly. As foon as
^ they, commence hoftilitic& among themfelves,
6 . «^Aclt
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ρ ο L ri« Ν t A• Hf
^ xbarSaA (Mc is t^ .fiad a.>laYgc and beantiful
^ pbda'^ wheit d^griappear and give battk: fh;
^ Quii6qujntf:e ie^ ΐ^^φτ^η tbe victors fuffer feverp
^' feft $ of the voiiqttithed I iay nothings br thqr ai^
•^ totally . dsfiroye^• As «bey ufe one.copuqfKiii
^ ilit^^e, ih^ ougbt it polky to termiiiacc
^^ aU 4ίφΐΐΜ!β ,fc^ d^ ipediaooa of amba9ador%
^^ apd above all thipgs tp ,avoid a war aax>ng
f^ themiklves : ,,οιν if thisj(hould prove iinuvoiiiable^
5* they fliottld awtu^y cmkavoor to &ul a .pUcc
'^ uf great namml fixeo^^ aod ^len try .the iflue
^^ of a .battle• By ptrfuing as abfurd a.c^nduft
^ as i hate Aftribed, the Gredb fuficrcd xnt
*' to jidvance as fv as 'Macedonia wid^ont re*.
^.filbiice• %it who^ gifj IhaU oppofe you^ at
^ jt^ie head of the forces md the fleet of Afia?
?^ The Greeks, I think, neyer can be fo a«(da-
*^ dous. If Jbowev^r I .ihoyld. be deqeived, and
^ they Aall.be fo mad as to engine us> they wiH
*' foon find to their coft that in the art of war we
•* arc the firft of .nnfankind. Xiet us howarer.adopt
•* viarious modes of proceeding, for perfeiHon and
" fuccefs can only be the rcfult of frequent experi-
^^ ment'' — In this manner Mardogius Iccoodedthe
ipeech of Xerxes•
■♦ P/«Mfc]— The Romans, in attscking an enemy, fo difpofed
their army, as to be able to rajly three different uaits. Thii
has been thought by many as the great fecret of the Roman
difcipHne; becaufe fortune muil have failed their efforts three
different times bef re they could be pofllbly defeated. The
Greeks drew up their forces in one extended line, and therefore
depended upon the cSk£t of the firft charge.— Γ•
La X. A
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ϊ4β Ρ Ο t r u η^ί Α.
χ. Α total Glence prcvailol in the^ aflfembly^ rid
'one Glaring to oppofe ^ what had beenf^ds :till at
length Artabamis, fon of Hyftifpes, ahd unde ttt
Xerxes, deriving confidence from his relationihipr,
thus delivered his fentiments: " Unlcfs, Ο king,
'^ difierent fentiments be fubmittedto the judgment,
'* no ulternative of choice remains, the one intro-
** duccd is of «eccfficy adopted. The purity of
^ gold cannot be afcertained by a fingle fpetimen ;
*^ it is khowrt and approved by comparing it wiA
^* others. It was my advice to Darius, your father
•• and my brother, that he fliould by no means un-
*^ dcrtake an expedition againft the Scythians, a
*' people without towns and cities. Allured by
'** his hopes of fubduing them, he difregarded my
^* admonitions j and proceeding to execute his pur-
^* pofe was obliged to return, having loft numbers
** of his beft troops. The men, Ο king, whom
*' you are preparing to attack, are fitr fuperior to
■** the Scythians, and alike formidable by land and
^' fea. I ^em it therefore my duty to forewarn
•* you of the dangers you will hive to encounter•
•* Darifi^ to ορρφ."] — The following is from iElian's Various
Hiilory, boolc xii. c. 62.
" TUi was one of the Perfian laws ; if any one thought
proper to give advice to the kii\g about any thing which was
forbidden, or ambiguous, he did fo Handing on a golden tUe :
if his advice appeared to be falutary, the gold tile was given
him as a reward; he was ncverthelefs beaten for preiiiming to
coniradid the king. But in my opinion," fays JBlian, " a man
of an ingenuous mind would never have fubmitted to the dif-
giac for the fake of the reward."— Γ.
<« You
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ρ 0#; γ Μ: Ν Ι Ar 149
«5 y^y fay that, throwing a b^ge over ώς HcUef-
'^. ppnt, you will lead your for^s througji Europe*
^^intp Greece; but.it may poliiWy happcn>' that'
** either on land or 1^ fe*or p^rl>ap$ by bpthj you»
'* may fuftain.a defeat, for our enemies are reported»
** to be valiant. Of this. indeed we havejia4 fof-*
*V.ficicnt feftinhony; for if the Athenians by them-^^
*^ ^Ivts routed the numerous irgaies of Datis and»
^^ Artaphemes, it proves that, we are not either . by>
" land or fca perfeftly invincible. If, preparing•
*^ their fleet,. they fhall be viftoriqus by fca, and
i* afterwards failing to ^e HeUf fpopt^-ibaU dcftrof
^* your^ bridge, we OJay drt§«i all il^t }^ bad• L d^
i* not vgHfi in. this .reipeft from mf own private
** conjcftur^i wc; caiv adl oi us reiperobcr, how
^ very narrp^ly ^eefcaped dcftruijiioni >«iie|i your
^^ fether, throwing bridges over theT hf^ito Bof- _
^Oty phoru's apd the Iftejj paiJTed intp.Scytl^a.:,; The
" gyarcT^f Φ^ B^^ was cAtrufted to thelonians,
** wjiom the Scythians XHjgfd to breajc it dpwnj by
". thc^^ni^ft carneft in^wtuqity, }f j^t^rfiis .period
*' Hiftiaeus of Milefus had not oppofed the fenti-
** ments of the reft, there wouy have been ap cjad
** of the Perfian name. It is pain^il to repeat, and
^* affliding to remember, that the Ikfety of our
*^ prince and his dominiohs depended on a fingle
*^ man. Liften therefore to my advice, and where
^* no neceffity demands it, do not involve yourfelf
^^ in danger. For the prefent, difmifs* this mect-
" ing ; revolve the matter more ferioirily ii\ your
^* mind, artd at a future and fcafonabk ^jmc make
L 3 <* known
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r^(y Ρ σ t Ϋ Νί Λ Α.:
" knc^m your determihidori. For my own firt^
/^ 1 have fottnd from ej^perteftce- that dtfiherattoii'
** producfefc the happicft efleofe. Ini&ch a cafe, ίΓ
*♦ the ^vtaf docs not aiifWer ow wilhfes, we itilf
*^ merit th* pratift of difcretion, and fortune is altina^
<^ to be blatmed He ^ho is raih and incohfMb^site»
** akhough fortune may be kind^'itfidf antidpate his
^ defirfesi is not the kfi td be cenftiredfor temerity•
^ Ybu may h^c obferved how the diunder-boh of
^ heatren. chaftifes' the infolcnce of the nftdre enor-.
^ mous animafe, whilft It patteS' over withimt in-
*^ jury the weak and iftlifeiificant a ti^fore thcfc
* weapons of the goids you nAuflr have fecn how
•* the hitightieft palaces *^ and this lofticft fitreS fall
** and pcriih. T!w moft confpkuous things are
* thofe Which are chicny linglcd' out as objc<ib of
^ Ae divine di^leaftire. Erorii the feme prmciplc
•^ it is- tiiat a mi^ty army is fomednics over-
<^ thmwn by one that is contemptible ; for tjifc dfeity
*' in his anger iknds his tehws amongft them^ anit
^^ makes them pcriih in a «ignner unwordiy of dieff
^ Haughtiefi μίβί$.1
AuDeam quifquU m9$<Kiitate9i
Diligit, tutus caret obfoleti
Sbr4ibps tedi, caret invidenda
Sobrius tola.
Aalt»iai Tends agkatur mgens
I^us : et eelfagravicHre ca£i$
Dccid^pt t^irres, feriuntqae fiunmos
Fulgwra n^ontcs. H^r. 1. B. |o»
<f
former
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^ 5?i50pcrr glftfy• P«rfc^ w^iidpin '^ i$ die pro^ga*
** oye oiytea¥w,^oa^ aod every, i»etfiir«:1jaifcr^
« t^kiea wish, tfiweriQr is liaJjJp t» bie: pft^lwied
^ vitb^enar, and puniftect by ipi^fofct^ni^ Difr
^ creet caution o^ the con^iiary I^. mai^, wd^pe^
«* culiar adyantftges, wlwh, ifi not appweot iltjthe
^ Dwrowtj reveal, thcmftliss iri. timc^ iSych, Ο
•^ king, is, my . afiyi^ei ^ Httk cioi^s it become
^ you* Ο fon Qf Gobi5w» to fpesjt gf the Greeks
^ in a, language foolUh as well as falfe. By ca-*
^♦r liimmating Greece, yov excite your fovereign ctj
« war, the great ot^fil. af 4II your zeal: but I
i* ietreat you to. forbear 5 c^mny is a reftkft vice•,
i' where it is indulged there are always two who
«* offer injury. The c^lumoiator hiqifclf i* inju*
^ rious, bccaufe he traduces w abfent perfanj, he
** is alfo injyrioud who fuffecs himfelf tq be per-
*^ fuaded wijthiHrt ioveitigatirig the fruth^ The
^ perfon t^-adjuced is doubly injured, firft by him
** who propagates, and fecondly by him who re*
^* ceives the calumny. If this war be a meafure
*' of oeceflityj fct it be profecutjed ; bujr let -the
^^ king remain at home with his fubje^ls. Su^
me for tajklng tlu9 opportanit/ of relatjing «a aaccdote of ύψ
celebrated BuiTon, not generally known. That perfed wiTdom
is the attribute of Heaven only, no human being, we ihoul^ fup-
pofe, would be incHned to controvert ; yet ^ufion» during hb
ufe-tisie, fuffiaced a ibatuci to be ereded tp fain wvfa t)ii9 reinark•
aWb i^^riptipiv Μ<<νΐΒΑΤΑ,τι katitr^ f ar ing^n^ixm^
Wbicb ^a?) fqrely b« af pl^^le to tlio .Deity alone.— T'•
L 4 ^< the
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tstt ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I α:
^* At chiMicn of us two to remain in his powcr^
*' as the tdlof onr different opinions; and do you^
^ Mardonitis, conduit the war witli whatever fbrcei
^ you (hall think expedient. If, agreeably to your
*' rcprefehtarioAs, the defigns of the king ihdl be
•* fucceisful, le€ me and my children periih ; but if
*' what I predidt ihall be accompliflied, let your
*^ children die> and yoiufelf too, in cafe you fliaH
** return. If you refufe thefe conditions, and arc
*^ ftill refolved to lead an army into GreeGc> I do
** not helitate to declare, that all thofe who IhaU
^ be left behind will bear that Mardonius, after
*^ having involved the Perfians in Ibncie confpr-
** cuotjs calamity, became a prey to dogs and ra-
^* vcnoui birds, in the territories cither of Athens
** or Lacedaemon, or probably during hi* marcl\
*^ thidier. Thus you will know, by fatal expe-.
^' rience, what thofe men are againft whom yox^
'^ endeavour to perfu^de the king to profecut^ ^
« war.*•
XL When Artabanus had finlflied, Xerxes thus
angrily replied ^ *< Artabanus, you are my i^ther^
" brother, which alone prevents your receiving
<f the chaftifemerit due to your fooliih Ipecch,
'" This mark of ignominy ihall however adhere to
« you — as you arc fo daftardly and mean, you ihafl
** not accompany me to Greece, but remain at
-'* home, the companion of our women. Without
•* your afliftance, I Ihall proceed in the accom-
'« pliihment of my defigns s for 1 ihould ill defenre
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν 1 A• 15J
^ to be efteeiwd die fon of Darius 'S who was the
*' ion c^ Hyftalpes, and reckoned amongft his an-
*^ ceibors Arlamis, Arinnis, Τ€ίφ€ΐΐ5, Cyrus, Cam^
^* byfes, Teiipeus^ and Achsemenes, if I did not
*i gratify my revenge upon die Athenians. I am
i* well aliured, that if we on our parts '«rerc tran-
♦* tjuil they would not, but would invade and
^ ravage our country. This we may rcafqnably
^ conclude from their burning of Sardis, and their
'* iricurfions into Afia. Neither party can iherc-
^*• fore recede J we muft advance to the attack of
^ the Greeks, or we muft prepare to fuftain theirs j
^ vre muft either fubmit to them, or they to us ; in
** enmities like thefe there can be no medbnru
•* Injured as we have been, it becomes us to feek
*^ for revenge ; for I am deternnned to know what;
« evil is to be dreaded from thofe whom Pelops the
ί• San of Dariuffy^Th^ foUpwing was the genealogy of this
^mily;
AciliEMBNBl»
rr '
Teispeus•
Cambyses•
Cyrus•
^AMtYSEs, Teispeus*
Pyru5. Ariktiis.
iJAM^rsBS• Arsamis•
HY3TAS^Pfifi.
Darius, ^
« Phiygiih,
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154 ^ ο L γ Hr Ν t At
V Phrj#Hi*tiie iliHWof my wfiiftw*, ft^eiffiiaivilly
*^ , fub4«d| tlwi; even to, thw d^^ tb^,, «s wftH as
•< their countrj^ arc diftbguifl>ftd, by W*,0^^ -
XII. On Acapproa^b ctf ^i^ening tbet f^tuaqnts
of Axtabamis g^^e great diftjofetudc tjo X^cxes^.and
after more fetious>deliberaaQO wkh himielf i^r the
τάφχί^ hr fatmd kimftlf ftitt kilfe inched t^. the
Gnecika i«iar• l^Bxvtng decided, oft thp fuk|jfli3^ he
feUafleep^ ivimn^ as. the Ferfiaes relate» thc) fottlw^
jog vifion appeared; to him.:— Hft di:eapwd: ^β^ he
law before, hi ittr a oom of unuim^Jiz^e aiid beA«tj%
who tfius addreflcd hinai ** Arp\y<>]if tjieiv detei^
^ iXBoed^ Oi Perfian, a»trary %o ywt fomiiaf refo^
5 hitiona^ Mt to Jeadao array againft Gi^eeccj^^ak
'* though you haiw or^eijed FQur fnhjeiks ^ pre^
^* paie their fijrcea? This cb^ng? in ypur fend-
" ments is abiurd in iticlf, and will certainly be
* cenfured by the^ world.' Reftrnie therefore, and
*^ perfift in what you had refolved by day." Ha\r*
ing faid this, the vifion difaf^eared•
XIII. The impreflion made by the vifion va-
niihed with the morning^ Xerxes a fecond time
convoked the former meednrg, and again addrefled
them : *' ΜΛι of Ferfia,*'* Taid he, ^^ you will for-
*^ give me, if rtiy former fentirpfents are changed.
*^ I am not yet ^rived ut the full maturity of my
" judgment j i and they wha wHh me to profecutc
" the mealurcs which I before feemed to approve,
^' do not remit 'their importunities• When I firft
" heard the opinion of Artabanus, I yielded to
, • • *' the
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« the emotdokis ci yscnidi, and e^^refifed^ myfelf
^ more petukndy thao war1>ec<iming to a manr of
^ his ytars. • To prove that I fee my indifcrctibn,
* I am refolved » foHow his aicfc^fct. It is hot
^ niy intcntioiv to undertake an expedition againff
^ Greece ; remain therefore in tranquillity/' — The
Perfian^ hearing thefc fentfftients, prbteated them-
fclves with joy' bcfiwe the king•
XIV• On tibe foUowing ni^t the feme phantom
appeared a fecond time to XttxtB in His fleep> and
fj)ake to him as fcBows: " Son of Darius, difre-
«* garding my admonitions as of no weight oi*
** fignificatioii, you have pubticty renounced aH
** thoughts of war. Hear what I fay 5 imlefe you
^ immcdiacdly undertake that which I recommend,
'^ the fame Ihort period of time which has feen
^ you^reat and powerful, ihall behold you reduced
« and abjeft•"
XV. Terrified al: the •νϋϊοη> the king leaped
fitrni his couch, and fent &>r Artabanus. As ibon
as he approached, *^ Artabanus," excluimcd Xerxes,
^ in return for your falutary counfel, I reproached
** and infulted you 5 but as foon as I became maf-
" ter of myiel£ I endeavoured to prove my r©-
*^ pentance, by adopting what you propofed. This
^ however, whatever may be my wiihes, 1 am υπ•
*' able to do. A3 foon as my former determina-
^' tions wore changed, I beheld in my ileep a vifion,
^ which firft endeavoured to difluade me, and has
*' this moment left me with threats. If what!
" have feen proceed from the interference of fome
" deity>
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xi$ I^,o L Υ Μ Ν I a;
ν deity, who is folicitoiis that I Ihould make war oif
^^ Greece, it will doubtlefs appear ψ you, and give
'^' yoi» a fimilar mandate. This wili I think be thfc
" cafe, if you will aflbme my Tiabit;,and after fitting,
f on my thronq.rettre to reft in my apartment•"
3ζΥΙ, Arfiabanus was at firft imwilUng to com-
ply, alledging that be was not worthy to fit on tba
throne of the king '\ But being urged, he finally
^vqMiefcedv 4ft;er thus exprcflSng his fentfoients:
*^ I am of opiniQn> Ο king, that to think well,, and
^i tq foUow'what is welKadvifed,.b aHkc commends
f^ able"; both thefe qualities arc yours; but thoi
^ artifice o^f evil CoiyifeUors miflcads you. Thus,
y the oc^n is of i^fclf nwft ufeful to mankind, but
V the ftpnpy winds reπdςr it injunous, by difturbing
»i 0/ the {'»ξ*]πτΤ^ ^ ^ *c fcing'« Φ?9Ρθ^, ^i^ u^ ^crfia
Jeemcii λ capital otfence. <
*** J/ike re»/«f«f<//iiZp.]— LarcKer at this paiTage quotes the
two following fentences, from Livy and from Cicero.
$xpe ego audivJ milhes com pitmam cffe virnm qui ipfc con-
fulat quki in ^em fit, Γecund^m eapK qvii bene morentx obedtat.
I have often heard, my fellow -foldiefs, that he was firii to be
eileemed who gave advice fuitable to the occafion ; and that bp
deferved the fecend place who follo\yed it.— Z/i;. xxii. zg.
SapientiiGmum dicunt eum cui qiio4 opus fit veniat in men-
tem, proxime accedere ilium, qui a](!tenu3 bene ir^ventis obtem-
peret• Which paiTiige of Cicerp^^ pro CluendO;, may be ren-
dered nearly the fame as ^at from Livy. The fentiment is
originally Hcfiod's, and is by him tcaudfully exprefled in hjs
Works and Days, ver. 293. It las been Hnkated alfo by Sopho-
cles, in his Antigone. The turn Cicero gives it is curious
enough : *' In folly,*' be ^ye, " it is juft tbe contrary, the
gj-cateft fool is he who thinks of an abfordity ; the Βψχ he wUk
adopts it.'* This is perfe(f\)y true.— ,7*.
* ■ ' " '' ita
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]? ΰ L Ϋ Μ ίί 1 A; fit
** fts hatbr^ furface. Your rcproaehes ^ve me
^ lefs ufteafinefs than to fee th^fwhtn two opinions
•^ W€rc fubmitted to public deliberation, the one
**' aiming to reftraih, the otiier to countenance the
" pride of Perfia> you pneferreii that, which was
'* full of danger to yourfclf and your country, re-
** jeding the wifer counfel, which pointed out the
^ evil tendency of ambition. Now that you have
^* changed your rcfolution with refpeft to Greece,
•' a phantom hais appeared, and, as you fay, by fame
** divine interpofition, forbidding your prefcnt pur-
" pofe of difmifling your forces. But, my fon, I
^ diipute the divinity of this interpofition, for of
^ the fallacy of ilreams I, who am more experienced
** than yourfelf^ can produce fufficrcnt tcftimonics.
*' Dreams in general originate from thofe incident*
** which have moil occupied the thoughts during
" the day*'. Two days fince, you will remember,
^ that this expedition was the objc£t of much
^^ warm difcuffion : but if this vifion be really fent
*' from heaven, your reafoning upon it is juft, and
'*^ it will certainly appear to me as it has done to
** you, «xprefling itfelf to a fimilar efFcit ; but it
*' wul not Ihew itfelf to me dreflcd in your robes,
^^ and reclining on your couch, fooner than if I
*• During the i/ey.]*— After all that has been laid and wiittea
en the fubjeft of dreams, I ihall I hope ba excufed, when I
confcfs that the following words of Mr. Locke are to me quite
fatbfadory on the fubjeiL
" The dreams of fleeping men are all made up of thtf •
waking man's ideas, though for the moft part oddly put to-
gether."— Γ.
'^ were
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tjt ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α.
«5. were in πήτ own habit and -my awti apattiDcbt»
^ No change of Φ^ will induce the phantom, if
« k does app«w, cp rtiiftajce me for you. If k
^ fliaU lu^ me in concen^ptj it wHl lu^ «ppear to
** me, howew I may be cloaihcd• It Unqueftion*
^^ ably howevei^ merits attention $ t^ ^repe^tcd ap^
^ peantnce I tnyfdf muft acknowledge to be a
^ prot^ of its divinity. If you are determined in
** your purpofe, I am ready to gp. to r?ft in your
** apartment: but till I ia? the.^antom myfelf i
*^ ihall retain my former opinions/*
XVII. Artdwnus, expeifting to find the king's
dream of no impoitancci did las be . wa3 ordered.
He accordingiy put on the robe of Xeqces, leatei
iiimfelf on the royal throne, and a&erwards retired
to the king's apartment• The fame phantom which
had difturbed Xerxes ^qi^earcd to . hioi *', and dins
«ddrefied him : " Art thou die man who, , pretend-
^ ing to watch orcr the cop^uit of Xerxes, ait
^ endeavounng to retrain his defigns againft
•* Greece ? Your pcrverfenefs ihall be puniflied
^ both now and in future ; and es for Xerxes him*
** felf, he has been forewaiOcd of the evils he witt
»« fuffer, if diibbedient to my wUl."
XVni. Such were the threats which Artabanus
heard from the fpeftre, which at the fame time made
ah effort to burn out his eyes with a hot iron•
** Jppeartd to /&/λ.]— Larcher reafonably fuppofcs that this
Was a plot of Mardonius to impofe on Xerxes ; and that feme
perfon, drefied and difguifed for (he purpofe^ aded the part ^
^ ghoit
Alarmed
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Afhopfanl attfabtkaoger, Ambztim ieaf>cd £rom his
omioh» atid uttdtmg a loud cry^ :iuen;c idftantfy td
SLeraCB • After cdacmg his τίβση^ die (Uus %ike te
hnn: ^^AesBg a man^ ^Dh kbg^/bf cmiich ;<»c|^
y< rncQcr>'xnd i having Teen ^he und^^rtiUdiigs of >d)fc
^ 'powcrfol-i^ited^Jf tiic effi»ts oftte weak, I irai
^ iitiindUing rh«t^y<al:fll(^ in^lge die fenroar of
<^ ^)ΙΜΤ agc« Of theifieffe^ lof inor^nate ^Mkn^
f^ tim, I had ieen;a ;fatsd proof/ in the ^iitpcdfaoH
" νΛάχήϊ Cyrus iindwrtcok ^^a(iιιft the KfaBagetfci;
♦* I iaiew aJfo wls«: became of the arniy of'Cattv.
'^ byftt in tteir attack of JEthiopia; and laftly, I
" myfelf witnefled the misfortenes of Darius in his
*^ hoftilities with the Scydiians. The remem-
^ btaucc Of riiefc kicidcnts induced mc to beKevc
^ tkatif you cofUatined apeacefbl reign, yon wouH
*^ beyond all men defcive the charaficr of Ji^^y^
" but as your prcfcnt inclination feenis'direilcd by
'^ fome fupcrniatural influence, and as die Greeks
" ifeemnMurked^ut by Heaven fordeftruftion, I ac-
'' knowledge that my ientiments are changed ^ do
" you Jthercsfore Tnake known to the Perfians the
" extraordinary intimations you have received, and
^ dircft-your dependants to haftcn the preparations
" you'had before commanded. Be careful, in what
" relates to yourfclf, to iecond the intentions of the
" gods." — The viflon indeed had fo powerfully
imprefied the minds of both, that as ibon as the
■morning appeared Xerxes communicated his inten^^
tions to the Perfians j which Artabanus, in oppofition
to his former fentimcnts, now openly and warmly
approved.
XIX.
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\6o Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
XIX. Whilft every thing was making ready fei
his departure, Xerxes faw a third vifion. The magi
to whom it was related were of opinion that it
jx>rtended to Xerxes unlimited and univcrial cm^
pire; The king conceived hbnfelf to be crowned
with the wreath of an oUve-treei whofe branches
covered all die earthy but that this wr^^ath fuddaily
and totally diiappfeared• After the above inteφro^
tation of the magi had been made knowil in tbt
national aflembly of the Perfians, the governors de•*
parted to their feveral provinces, eager to execute
the conunands they had received, in expefbition cf
the promifed reward*
XX. Xerxes was ib anxious to Complete his
levies, that no part of the continent was left with-
out being raniacked for this purpofe. After the
redudtion of JEgypt, four entire years were cm-
ployed in affembling the army and coUefting pro-
rifions ; but in the beginning of the fifth *^ he be-
gan his march, with an immenfe body of forced.
Of all the military expeditions the fame of which
*' Beg'iHfthg of tht ^/^;]— *-Daries was three years in
preparing for an expedition againft Greece i in the fourth
^gypt revolted, and in the foilowing year Darius died ; this
therefore was the fifth year after the battle 6f Marathon.
Xerxes employed four yfears in making preparations for the
£ime purpofe ; in the fifth he began his march» he advanced
to Sardis, and there wintered ; in the beginning of the foUow- ~
Ing fpring he entered Greece. This therefore was in the elc•
Vcnth year after the battle of Marathon; which account agrees
with chat given by Tbucydides.-^T*»
has
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ί ο L Ϋ Μ Ν I Α. ι6ι
has conic (down to us, this was far the greateft, much
exceeding that which Darius undertook againii
Scythia> as well as the incurfion made by the Scy-
thians^ who purfuing the Cimmerians^ entered Me-
dia, and made thcmlelves entire mafters of almoft
^1 the higher parts of Afia j an incurfion which
afforded Darius the pretence for his attack on
Scythia. It furpaffes alfo the famous expedition of
the fons of Atreus againft Troy, as well as that of
the Myfiahs and Teucriafts before the Trojan war. /
Theie nations, palling over the Boiphorus into Eu- ^ **
rope, reduced all the inhabitants of Thrac Ct ad-c^ ^^ ^^^ "'
vancing to the Ionian lea, and thence as far as the
fouthem part of the riv er Pene uj,.^^
ΧΧΪ. None of the expeditions already men-
tioned, nor indeed any other, may at all be compared
with this of Xerxes. It would be difficult to fpe-
cify any nation of Afia which did not accom-
pany the Perfian monarch againft Greece, or any
waters, ciccept great rivers, which were not
exhaufted by^ his armies. Some fupplied Ihips,
fome a body of infantry, others of horfe; fome pro-
vided tranfports for the cavalry and the troops;
others brought long ihips to ferve as bridges;
many alfo brought veflTels laden with com, all
which preparations were made for three years, to
guard againft a repetition of the calamities which
the Perfian fleet had formerly fuftained in their
attempts to double the promontory of mount
Athos. The place of rendezvous for* the triremes
was at Elaeos of the Cherfonefe, from whence de-
VoL. IIL Μ tachmems
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l62 Ρ Ο L Ϋ Μ Ν I Α.
tachments from the army were fent, and by force
of blows compelled to dig a paflage through
mount Athos **, with orders to relieve each other
at certain regular intervals. The undertaking was
aflifted by thofe who inhabited the mountain, aiid
the conduft of the work was confided to Bubaris,
the fon of Megabyzus, and Antachaeus, fon of Ar-
tseus, both of whorti were Perfians.
ΧΧΠ. Athos is a large and noble mountain,
jprojeftkig into the fea, and inhabited; where it
terminates on the land fide it has the appearance
of a peninfula, and forms an ifthmus of about
twelve lladia in breadth : tlie furface of this is in-
terfperfed with feveral fmall hills, reaching from the
Acanthian fea to that of Torone *^, which is oppo-
*♦ Through mount Athos,] — This incident Mr. Richardfi^
conceives to be utterly incredible. This promontory v;^ ^^ ^^
julUy remarks, no more than 200 miles from Athens : and yel
Xerxes is faid to have employed a nmr^er of men, three year5
before his croffing the Hellefpop.t, to feparate it from the con-
tinent, and make a canal for his (hipping. Themiiiodes alfcv
who from the time cf the battle of Marathon had been incef.
fantly alarming die Athenians with another Perfian invafion^
never endeavoured to fupport his opmioti by any allufion to
thb canal, the very digging of which muft have filled til
Greece with aftoniihmcnt, and been the fubjea of every public
converfadon.— See Richardfon farthe'ron thw fubjed, Diflcru-
tion, p. 312. Pococke, who vifitcd mount Athos, deems alfo tiie
event highly improbable, and fays that he could not perceive
the finalleil veiUge of any fuch undertaking.— Γ.
*» 9Vi?«f.]— There were two places of this name, one on the
coaft of Epirus, the other this bay in Macedonia, where the roar-
ing of the fea was fo loud, that the cxprcBion /urdicr Toronda
pontoj became proverbial-— 7*•
§ . . fite*
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• ι63
fite. Where mount Athos terminates. Hands a
Tjr ccian ^city, called Sana; in the interior parts,
Tjetwixt Oana and the elevation loT'AlHb'si are
iituated the towns of Dion, Olophyxus, Acrothoon,
Thyffum, and Cleonae, inhabited by Greeks. Thefe
it was the objeft of the Perfians to detach from the
^continent.
ΧΧΙΠ. They proceeded to dig in this manner :
the Barbarians marked out the ground in the vici-
nity of Sana with a rope, afligning to each nation
their particular ftation ; then finking a deep trench,
Whilft they at the bottom continued digging, the
neareft to them handed the earth to others (landing
immediately above them upon ladders j it was thus
progreifively elevated, tUl it came to the liimmiii
where they who ftood received and carried it away.
The brink of the trench giving way, except in that
part where the PhcEnicians were employed, occa-
iioned a double labour; and this, as the trench was
no wider at top than at bottom, was unavoidable.
But in this, *as in other inftances, the Phoenicians
difcovered their fuperior fagacity, for in the pait
allotted to them they commenced by making the
breadth of the trench twice as large as was necef-
fary ; and thus proceeding in an inclined diredion,
they made their work at the bottom of the pre-
fcribed dimenfions. In this part was a meadow,
which was their public place for bufinefs and for
commerce, and where a vaft quantity of corn was
imported from Afia.
Μ 2 XXIV.
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i64 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
ΧΧΙ V. The motive of Xerxes in this work *^
was, as far as 1 am able to conjcfture, the vain dc-
fire of exhibiting his power, and of leaving a monu-
ment to pofterity. When with very little trouble
he might have tranfported his veffels over the
ifthmus, he chofe rather to unite the two feas by
a canal, of fufEcient diameter to admit two triremes
a-breaft. Thofe employed in this bufineis were
alfo ordered to throw bridges over the river Stry-
mon»
XXV. For thefe bridges Xerxes provided cor-
dage made of the bark *^ of the biblos, and of white
flax. The care of tranfporting provifions for the
army was committed jointly to the ^Egyptians and
Phoenicians, that the troops, as well as the beafts of
burden, in this expedition to Greece, might not
fufFer from famine. After examining into the na-
ture of the country, he diredted ftores to be depo-
*• In this «Mi^i.]— Plutarch, in Kis treatife de Ira cohibenda,
has prcfcrved a ridiculous letter, fuppofed to have been written
by Xerxes to mount Athos. It was to this efFed : ^ Oh thou
miferable Athos, whofe top now reaches to the heavens» I give
thcc in charge not to throw any great ilones in my way» which
may impede my work; if thou ihalt do this I will cut thee in
pieces» and cail thee into the fea.'*
This threat to the mountain is however at lead as fenfible
as the chaitiiement inflided upon the Hellefpont; (o that if pne
anecdote be true» the other may alfb obt^ credit•*-^?'•
•^ Of the ^«ri.]— The Indians make very llrong cordage of
the bark of the cocoa-tree. The Englifli word cordage comes
from the Greek word χβ^ι»» chorde, a kind of gut of which
cord was made.*— Γ*
fitcd
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ρ ο L y Μ Ν I Α. ι6ί
fited in every more convenient fituation» which
were fupplicd by tranlports and veflcls of bxjrdin,
from th? different parts of Afia. Of thefe the
greater number were carried to that part of Thrace
which is called the "White Coafti" oth6r^ to
Tyrodiza of the Perinthians j the remainder were
2^Q|^feverally diftributed at DorifcuS| at ΕΪΟΠ on the
I - ^^'^"^ί ^^(.^1^,^'^,? £ϋΡ^> ^^ ^ Macedonia, * ^"^^
XXVL Whilft thefe things were carrying on,
Xerxes, at the head of all his land forces, left Critalis
in Cappadocia^ and marched towards Sardis: it
was at Critalis that all thofe troops were appointed
to aflemble who were to attend die king by land i
who the commander was, that received from the
* king the promifed gifts, on account of the number
y, ^ and goodnefs of his troops, I am unable to decide,
' nor indeed can I fay whether there was any compe-
. \A tidon on the fubjedt. Paffing the riyer Halys *%
^ Λ^ they came to Phrygja^and advanei ng ^ o rward fi j
W arrived at Celaenie, where are the fountains of the ^
Maeander, as well as thofe of another river of equal
fize with the Mseander, called' Catarrafte, which
^ Hfing m the pubhc iquaf e of Celaenae, eipptTeTitielF ^^
into the Mxander. In the fortim of this city is
f.
/
»• Haljs.] — If the reader will be plcafcd to remember^ that
Herodotus makes the nver Halys the boundary of the king*
doms of Cyrus and Croefus» it may lead to fome interefting and
ufefttl refledions on the progrefs of ambition, and the fate of / / •
empires.— 7i
Μ 3 fulpcnded
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i66 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
fulpended the (kin of Marfj^ *^ which the Phry-
gians fay was placed there after he had been flayed
by Apollo.
XXVII. In this city lived a man named Py-
thius. Ion of Atys, a native of Lydia, who enter*
tained Xerxes and all his army with great magnifi-
cence : he farther engaged to fupply the king with
money for the war. Xerxes was on this induced
to enquire of his Perfian . attendants who this Py-
thius Was, and what were the refources which
enabled him to make thefe offers : " It is the
fame/' they replied, *' who prefented your father
** Darius with a plane-tree and a vine of gold,
*^ and who, next to yourfelf, is the richeft of man-
^kind^"
XXVIII.
w.]— This ftory muft be fufficiently fainiliarj fee
Metamorph. 1. vi. 382.
The puniihment of Marfya^^ fays Licetusy was only an
allegory. Before the invention of the lyre» the Jiute was the
firft of all mufical inilruments ; after the inu-odu^ion of the
lyre, the flute came into difrepute, and nothing was to be gained
by excelling on it, Paufanias, defcribing one of the pi£iures of
Polygnotus, in his book of the Territories of Phods, fays,
that in one of the temples of Delphi was a pidure, which
contained, amongd other figures, Marfyas fitting upon a rock,
and the youth Olympus by him, who feems to be learning to
play on the flute.-^-T'.
^ Riebeft 0/ manAittii.'\-m^Many wonderful anecdotes are re-
lated of the riches of individuals in more ancient times ; among
which this does not feem to be the leaft marvellous. The fum
of which Pythius is faid to have been poiTeiTed amounted to
five
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ρ ό L γ Μ Ν I Α. 1^7
XXVIIL Thefe laft words fiUed Xerxes with
aftonilhment ; and he could not refrain from afking
Pythius himfelf what was the amount of his
wealth : *^ Sir/' he replied, " I conceal nothing
1
five millions and a half of our ilerling money : this is according
to the eftimate of Prideaux ; that given ty Montfaucon differs
cffentially, " The denii»" fays this laft writer, " weighed
pight modern louis^d'ors ; therefore Pythius poffeffed thirty-two
millions of louis d'ors." If fo great then was the wealth of a
fingle dependant on the fovereigne)f Perfia, what muftliave
been the riches of all the fatraps, princes, nobility. Sec» collec*•
tively ?
I4<Hitfaacon, relating the ftory of Pythius, adds thefe reflec-
dons:
** A man might in thofe days fafely be rich, provided he obr
tained his riches honeilly ; and how great mud have been the
circulation in commerce, if a private man could amafs fo prodi•
gious a fum !" The wealth which the Roman Craifus poffeffed
was not much inferior ; when he had confecrated a tenth of
his property to Hercules, and at ten thoufand tables feailed all
the people of Rome,,befides giving as much corn to every citi-
zen as was fufficient to lail him three months, [found himfelf
fiOl poffeffed of 7 loo Roman talents, eqmvalent to a million and
a half of our money. The gold which Solomon employed in
overlaying the fan^lum fandorum of the temple, which \vas B9 .
more than thirty feet fquare, and thirty feet high, amounted tp
four millions three hundred and twenty thoufand pounds iler-
ling. The gold which he had in one year from Ophir was
^qual to three millions two hundred and forty thoufand pounds $
his annual tribute in gold, befides iilver, was four millions feven
hundred ninety- five thoufand two hundred pounds. Lucullus
the Roman fenator, whenever he fupped in his room called the
Apollo, expended fifty thoufand Roman denani, nearly equal to
fifteen hundred pounds. See Plutarch, Montfaucon, and Pri-
deaux. This ftory is related differently in Plutarch's treatife dc
Virtatibue Mulieranu^^ST.
Μ 4 ^* from
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3^8 ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α.
^ from you, nor affe<Eb ignorance j but as I am able
** I will fairly tcU you. — As foon as I heard of
^* your approach to the Grecian fea, I was dcfirous
" of giving you money for the war ; on examining
*^ into the ftate of my affkirs, I found that I was
" poiTefled of two thoufand talents of filver, and
** four millions, wanting only fcven thouiand, of
^^ gold ftaters of Darius ; all this I give you — my
^^ flaves and my farms will be fufficient to main-
** tain me,"
XXIX• '' My Lydian friend," returned Xerxe§,
much delighted, " fince I firft left Perfia, you are
** the only perlbn who have treated my army with
«' hofpitality, or who, appearing in my prcfence,
*^ have voluntarily offered me a fupply for the war ;
'^ you have done bothj in acknowledgment fof
^ which 1 offer you my friendfliip ; you ffiall be
** my hoft, and I will give you the feven thoufand
" ftaters, which are wanting to make your fum of
^* four millions compjeat. — Retain» therefore, and
^* enjoy your property j perfevere in your prefent
*' mode of conduft, which will invariably operate
<f to yoiir happiiicfs•"
XXX. Xerxes having performed what he pro-
mifed, proceeded on his march ; pafling by a Phry-
gian city, called Anaua, and a lake from which
^t is nude, l\c can)e to Coloffa^ '\ This alfo is a
city
<* Colo/Zitl'^T Coloffis, a town of Phrygia, near Laodicea«
' ' ■ ■ ■ oa
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 169
city of Phiygia, and of confidcrable eminence ;
here the Lycus difappears, entering abruptly a
chafm in the earth, but at the diftance of feven
ftadia it again emerges, and continues its courfe to
the Maeander. The Perfian army, advancing from
Colofias, came to Cydrara, a place on the confines
of Phrygia and Lyd ia j here a pillar had been
erclEl^ by Croelus, with an inicription delining the
boundaries of the two countries.
XXXI. On entering Lydia fr om Phrygia diey j4 Ζ
came to a place where two roads met, the one on , ^
the left leading to Caria, the other on the right to ^ "^ ^
Sardis : to thofe who go by the latter it is neceC
fary to crofs the Ma^uider, and to pafs Callatebus^
a city where honey is made of the tamariik and
wheaL Xerxes here found a plane-tree, fo very
beautiful, that he adorned it with chains of gold^
and afligned the guard of it ^* to one of the im-
mortal band " ; the next day he came to the prin-
cipal city of the Lydians.
XXXIL When arrived at Sardis, his firft ftep
ot^ φ6 coi&fines of Caria. This place is memorable in fcrip•
ture^ on account of the epiftle addre£ed by St. Paul to its inha-
bitants.-*7'.
^ TbigtuirJofit.yw^TYiii caprice of Xerxes is ridiculed by .
^lian, L ii. c. 14• but with no great point or humour, de re*
marks, that the beauty of a tree confifts in iu firm root» It•
fpreading branches» its thick leaves, but that the bracelet•
of Xerxes, and gold of Barbarians, would certainly be no addi*
tkm to its excellence*— 71
f ImmorfMi ^4»*^.]— See on this fobje£U chapter 83.
was
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170 ί ό L Ϋ Μ Ν I Α.
i?as to fend heralds into Greece, demanding earA
and water, and commanding preparations fhould be
tnade to entertain him. He did not, however, fend
cither to Athens or Lacedasmon : his motive for
Tcpeating the demand to the other cities, was, the
cxpcftatlon that they who had before reftifed earth
and water to Darius would, from their alarm at his
approach, fend it now -, diis he wilhcd pofitivcly to
know.
XXXIII. Whilft he was preparing to go to
Abydos, others were employed in throwing a bridgfc
over the Hellefpont, from Afia to Etiropc : betwixt
Scftos and Madytus, in the Cherfonefe of the Hel-
Icfyont, the coaft towards the fea from Abydos is
rough and woody. After this period, and at not
fcmote interval of time, Xanthippus, fon o( Ari-
phron, and commander of the Athenians, in thii
^ace took Antayftes, a Perfian> and governor of
Stftos, priibner; he was crucified alive: he had
formerly carried fome females to the temple of
Protefilaus in Elaeos, and perpetrated what is de-
ttftable.
XXXIV. They on whom the office was im-
pofed proceeded in the work of the bridge, com-
mencing at the fide next Abydos. The Phoenici-
ans ufed a cordage made of linen, the -flEgyptians
Ac bark of the biblos : from Abydos to the oppo-
fite continent is a ipace of feven fliadia ^\ The
bridge
^ &ν/ιι/Λ</ΐΛ]— The HeBefpont was fo called by the an-
cients
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1* ο L γ Μ Ν I A* i7t
bridge was qo {boner completed, than a great
tempeft arofe, which tore μι pieces and deftroyed
the whole of their labour.
XXXV. When Xences heard of what had hap^
pened^ he was ίό enraged^ that he ordered three
hiindred laflies to be infli£ted^^ on the Helleipon^
and
dents becanle Helle» tttempdng to fivim oyer here, on the ran»
widi the goiden fleece> was drowned. The Europeans call it
the Dardanelles, as well as the caiUes about the middle of it :
the Tnrks give it the name of fiogas (the month or entrance•)
The entrance to the Dardanelles is now to be computed from
the Afia light»hon(e> about a league without Lamiac, and from
the Europe light-houfe, half a league to the north of Gallipoli ;
the whole length is about twenty-£x biiles : the broadeft part
is not computed to be above four miles over» though at Galli•
pdi it was judged by the ancients to be £ve miles» and from
Seftns to Abydus only feven ftadiiu— P«rflfi#.•
On a recomiu dans ces demiers temps que ce trajet» le ^lu•
reffcrre de tout le detroit, n'eft que d'environ 575 toifes L•
les ponts ayant 7 ftades de longuer ; M• d'Anville en a cbncm
ψt ces ftades n*etoient que de 5 1 toifes««-*r90/# du Jiuae Jbm^
tharfiu
'^ TV be in/aaed.]^Oyttisi makes a ha|^ nfe of this hif*
torical anecdote» Sat. x. 179•
Ule tamen (Xerxes) qualis redHt Salamine fdidi
In coram atque Euram folitus faevire flagellis.
Barbarus» iEoKo nunquam hoc in carcere paflbs»
Ipfum compeditus qui vinxerat Ennofigaeum
* Mitius id fane» quod non et ftigmate £gnum
Credidit.
Of which lines this is Dryden's tranflation :
But how did he return this haughty brav^
Wha whipt the winds» and madp the fea his flan ί
Tha•
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174 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
and a pair of fetters to be thrown into the fea• I
have been informed that he even fent fomc execu-
tioners to brand the Hellelpont with marks of igno-
miny j but it is certain, that he ordered them who
inflioted the lafhes to ufe thefe barbarous and. mad
cxpreflions : ** Thou ungracious water, thy maftcr
^* condemns thee to this punilhment, for having
^ injured him without provocation. Xerxes the
** king will pafs over thee, whether thou confentcft
** or not: juft is it^that no man honours thee with
'* facrifice, for thou art infidious, and of an ungrate•
•* fill flavour." After thus treating the fea, the
king commanded thofe who prefided over the
conftruftion of the bridge to be beheaded.
XXXVI. Thefe commands were executed by
thofe on whom that unpleafing diitinftion was con-
ferred. A briflge was then conflrufted by a dif-
ferent fet of architedb, who performed it in the
following manner: they conneiked together ihips
of different kinds, fome long yeflels of fifty-oars^
others three^banked gallies, to the number of three
hundred and fixty on the fide towards the Euxinc
fea, and three hundred and thirteen on that of the
Hellefpont'^ The former of thefe were placed
tranfverfely^
}
Tho* Neptune took, unkindly to be bound*
And Ennis never fuch hard ufage found
In hb .£olian prifon under ground.
The reader wiM obferve that the more pointed part of the
paiTage is totally omitted by Dryden.-^T'.
ί• On that ofth€ Helhffont.y^li feems a matter of certainty
that
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p. ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 173
tranfvcrfcly, but the latter, to diminifli the ftrain
upon the cables, in the diredtion of the current.
When thefe veflels were firmly connefted to each
other, they were fecured on each fide by anchors of
great length ; on the upper fide, becauie of the
winds which fet in from the £uxine ; on the lower^
towards the ^gean fea, on account of the Ibuth
and ibuth-caft winds ". They left, however, open-
that thefe numbers muft be erroneous.— -ΥβίΤεΙβ placed tranf*
terfely muft reach to a much greater extent than the fame
number placed fide by fide ; yet here the greater number of
fldps is ftated to have been on the fide where they were arrang-
cd tranfverfely» that is, acrofs the channel» with their broad-
fides to the ilream. What the true numbers were it is vain to con•
jedure, it is fufficient to have pointed out that the prefent muft
be wrong.— J".
•^ Tlbejouib and fouth-eafl ov/Wx.]— At firil fight it appears
that the weft winds were moft to be dreaded on that fide ; but
the weftem fide of the channel is iheltered by the fhore of the
Cherfonefe, and it turns in fuch a manner, as to bring the fouth-
eaft winds, as well as thefouth^to ad againft that fide. It feems
extraordinary that no mention is here made of the current» as
making anchors necefifary on the upper fide. I am tempted to
think that fome words expreffing that circnmftance have been
loft from the text : we might perhaps read n}( ^onf, n, τατ#
Λίί[ΑΜ9 mnu», inftead of τής ίπξΐις, των αημΜ9 : the firft τικ m^^
being not necefiary to the conftruflion» though very confiftent
with it. I conceive each range of vefibls to have been fecurfed
by anchors above and below, the tranfverfe ihips having them
from each fide, thofe placed with the current, at head and ftem> >
fo that there were in all four fets of anchors : or, perhaps, the
cables extended from ihore to ihore fecured each range of vef-
fels on the inner fide ; if fo, there would be only two fets of
anchors, one from the upper fides of the tranfverfe Ihips, the
other from one end of thofe which lay fide by fide.— 7".
, . jigs
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i74 Ρ Ο t Υ Μ Ν ί Α.
ings in three places, fufficient to afford a paflage
for light veflels, which might have occafion to fail
into the Euxine or from it : having performed this,
^ey extended cables from the ihore ^^ ftretching
them upon large capftans of wood ^ for this 'ptir-
pole they did not employ a number of feparate
cables, but united two of white flax with four of
biblos. Thefe were alike in thicknefs, and appa-
rently fo in goodnefs, but thofe of flax were in pro-
portion much the more folid, weighing not lefs than a
talent to every cubit. When the pafs was thus fe-
OMcd, they fawed out rafters of wood, making their
length equal to the fpate required for the bridge ;
thefe they kid in order acrofs upon the extended
cables, and then bound them fail together. They
next brought unwrought wood, which they placed
very regularly upon the rafters ; over all they threw
earth, which they raifed to a proper height, and
finiihed all by a fence on each fide, that the horfes
and other beafts of burden might not be terrified by
lookbg down upon the fca.
XXXVII. The bridges were at lengdi com-
pleated, and the work at mount Athos finiih-
ed : to prevent the canal at this laft place being
'• Extended cables from the fiore.]'^That is, from (hore Χβ
ihore, and doubdei^ witUn each range of ihips, at fuch a dif-
tance from each other as to be of a convenient breadth for the
bridge ; thus the fliips ferved as piers to fupport the weighty
and the cables refting on the veflels, or fomething proje^ing
from them, formed the foondatioa for the i*oad bj v^hich the
«rm^ wastopafs^
choked
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• 175
choked up by the flow of the ticjes, deep trenches
were funk at its mouth. The army had wintered
At Sardis> but on receiving intelligence of the
above, they marched at the commencement of the
ipring for Abydos. At the moment of their de-
parture, the fun, which before gave his full lights
in a bright unclouded atmofphere, withdrew hi$
beams^ and the darkeft night fucceeded• Xerxes,
alarmed at the incident, confulted the magi upon
what it might portend. They rq)lied, that the pro-
tcdtion of Heaven was withdrawn from the Greeks ι
the fun> they obfcrved, was the tutelar divinity of
Gi«ece, as the moon was of Perfia ^^ The anfwer
was fo fatis&dory to Xerxes, that he proceeded
wi^ ?ncr?afed alacrity•
XXXVtll. During die marcjfi, Pytliius the Ljr^
dian, who was much intimidated by the prodigf
which had appeared, went to the king j deriving
confidence from the liberality he had ftiewn
and received^ he thus addreiTed him ί *' Sir,'' faid
hie^ ^ I entreat a favour no lefs trifling to you thaa
*'' important to myfelE'^ Xerxes, not imagining
what he was abotit to aik, pronriifed to grant it>
and defired to know what he would have Pythius
on this became ftill more bold ; ^< Sir," he returned,.
^ I have five fons, who arc all with you in this
*• The moon was of Per^a,']'^ev€ril of the Oriental nations
wprlhippcd the moon as a divinity, Tte Jews were reproved for
doing this by the prophet Jeremiah; fee chap. xliv. 17.
" Let us facrifice to the queen of Jieaven, and pour out our-
irink«off(frings unto her, Λς/'~Γ.
«« Grecian
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176 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
** Grecian expedition; I would entreat you to
*' pity my age, and dilpenfe with the prefcnce of
*^ the eldeft. Take with you the four others, but
** leave this to manage my afiairs j fo may you re-
^ turn in fafety, after the accomplifliment of your
" wiflies/*
XXXIX. Xerxes, in great indignarioil^, made
this reply : " Infamous man ! you fee me embark
•' my all in this Grecian war; myfelf, my children^
** my brothers, my domeftics, and my fiiends;
" how dare you then prefume to mention your fon,
** you who are my flave, and whofe duty it is to
*^ accompany me on this occafion with all your fa*
" mily, and even your wife*'? — Remember diisj
** the fpirit of a man refides in his ears ; when he
^ Great inJignation.^-^^^o two chariilefs touW well afiord t
more fbriking contrail to each other» thin thoie of I>arius and
Xerxes : that of Darius was on various occafions marked by the
tendered humanity» it is unneceilary to fpecify any, as nume-
rous inftanccs occur in the courfe of this work. Xerxes, on the
contrary, was infolent, imperious, and unfeeling ; and, viewing
the whole of his conduit, we are at a lofs which to reprobate
moft, his want of fagacity, of true courage, or of real fenfibilhy.
The example before us, as we have nothing on record of the
loiter or more amiable kind to contrail it with, as it was not
only unprovoked, but as the unfolicited liberality of Pythias
demanded a very different return, we are compelled to confign
bto everlafting infamy, as an ad of confummate meamiefs and
brutality.— -Τ*.
♦■ E'uenjour ovj/^.]— This expreffion may at firft fight appear
a little fingular; its apparent abfurdity vaniihes, when we take
into confideration the jealous care mth which the Orientals have
in all ages fedoded their women from the public eye•^?**
t " hears
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 177
'^' hears what is agreeable to hitrij the' pleafufc dif-
** fufes itfelf over all his body; but when the con•
*^ trary happens he is anxious and uneafy. If your
. " former €onduib was good, and your pronnifes yet
** better5 you ftill cannot boaft of having furpaffed
" the king in liberality* Although your prefcnt
" behaviour is bafe and infoknt, you ihall be pu-
** niihed lels feverely than you deferve ι your former
" hoipitality prefervee yourfelf and four of your
/' children J the fifth, whom you nfK>ft rggard, ihaU
" pay the penalty of your crime•" As foon as he
had finilhed, the king commanded the proper offi-
cers to find the eldeft fon of Pythi\is, and divide
,his body in two; he then ordered one part of
_ t;!^ bo dy to be thrown on the right fide of ;he rp^j ^
the other on the Icfti whilft the army continued
their march betwixt them*
5cLi ΐ he marcK was conducted in the following
order : firft of all went thofe who had the care of
the bagMge i they were followed by i prorhifcuous
body of ftrangers of all nations, without any regu-
larity, ^ut to the amount of more than half the
army j afiier thefe Vas a Confiderabk interval, for
thefe did not joiii the troops where was the klilg;
next came a thoufand hofft, the flower of the Per*
ilan army, Who were"£iTowed by the fame number
of fpear-men, in like manner ieleded, trailing their
^ pikes Upon the ground; behind thefe were ten '
(Ί^ facred hories called Nifaean^*, with very fuperb^/
/r^ able for their fwiftne6; fee article N»<r*»e».— Γ.
Vol. in. Ν trappings— / . \ -; j
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liC
>>^ 178 ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A•
trappings (they take their m^ne fixnn a certain
'2, _ tJiitrifl; Ja.„M«iia, call^^Njfejijp and rennarkable
for producing HorKs of an extraordinary fizc) j the
lacred car of Jupiter was next in the proceflion, it
was drawn by eight white horfes, behind which^ on
foot, was the charioteer, with the reins in his hands,
* '^^ for no mortal is pttmitted to fit in this car ; then
2,^, 5" CixcYt Xerxes himfel^ in a ch ariot ♦^ drawn by N i^
firan horiesj by his fide fateuis cliarioteer, whole
nanic was Patiramphes, fon of Otanfes the Per•^
fian.
XLL Such was Ac order in which Xerxes de-
parted fi-om Sardisj but as often as occafion inquired
he left his chariot for a common carriage**. A
thoufand of the firft and noUeft Perfians attended
♦• In a tfA^ne/.]— The curious reader will find aU the dift*
rent kinds of ancient chariots» and other carriages» enusierated
and explained in Montfitucon'e Antiquities.— ST.
♦♦ Commrni carriage.]— Of the Harmamaxe Larcher remarks,
that it was a carriage appropriate to females• The Greek car-
riages were diftmguilhed by the different names οίαξμΛ, Λμαξα,
and οχιιμ,Λ.
" The firft heroes," fays Lucretius, ^ were mounted on horfes,
for chariots were a more modem invention•"— Sec book v..
Et prius eft reppertum m equi confcendere coftai,
Et moderanter hunc fraenis dextraquc vigere
Quam bijugo curru belli tcntare pericla.
Mounted on well*rem*d fteeds, in ancient time»
Before the ufe of chariots was brought in»
The firft brave heroes fought•
See alfo Potur's Antiquities of Greece» on the Grecian cha-
rioti.— 7*.
his
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ΡΟηΥΜΝΙΑ. f79
hispeffon, bearing fceir fpears according to the
cuftom of their countffir ; and a thoufand horfe^ le-
leded like the former immediately fucceeded. A
body of ten thoufanc chofen infantry came next ;
a thoufand of thefe F ad at the extremity of their
^yars a pomeyanate/of ggl^, tbip rpmaiping nm^^
thouiand, whom the former enclofed, had in the
PQmCgrana^3j)f J^^
preceded Xerxes, and trailed their Ipears, had their
arms decorated with gold ; they who followed hini
had, as we have defcriMj,_gpIden j>omegran^^
thefe ten thouiand ?oot were followed by an. equal
number of Periian cavalry; at an interval of about
two furlongs followed a numerous, irregular, ani
promj^uous multitude. /.
XLIL From tydia the army/ continued fttr
march along the banks of the Caico^o Myfia, and
lraYing„mom]t Canff^jbcjgft^ piscce^ljHrough
is to the city Carina. .Movipg, hence oyer
ams of Thebe s, and pafling by Adramy-
ji iym\ and A^ntaij^jg^^ a Pelafgian city, they left
/.
^ /-
J4*^ mount Ida to'^TKe left, and entered the diftrift df
/ Ilium> In the very firft night which they pafled
under Ida, a furious ftorm of thunder and light-
ning arofe, which deftroyed numbers of the troops.
If-
I'.
From hence the?
]ced_toi;)i^ §c^n^^der^^^ this
Λ. 5 X river firft of all, after their departure from Sardis,
♦' Scamander.] — Sec Homer : * .> *- " i b
Which the godj ^call Xanth as» mortals Sg
Ν 2
failed
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(V'i
C if Ίί^ ti ^ 'i ^^^ / ' V '^ ' t ο ; ί \^
>
i8o Ρ 0/L Υ M'N I A. ^7/
^ failed in fuppl™g them with a xjuantity of water
^*^^^ fufficient for tfieir xxi^om and bcdlsXof burden.
jp>'4/' VT TTT ir\^ u:« «^:.*^i ^* •■^^ic/nve^
., -^/-'N^;^ XLIII./On his an-ival atjhiym ng^ Xerxes af-
. ^ ^iH^i^ (.'en ded tflc^c Ttadel o^ Priag i^ dcfirous of examining
the place. Having furveyed it attentively, and iktif-
fied himielf concerning it, he ordered a thoufand
. oxen to be facrificed to th eTrojan Minerva^, a t
'ΐ * . the fame time the magi "directed libations to be
• offered to the manes of the heroes; when this was
' ..^ c ^i^ done a panic fpread itfelf in the night through the
army. At the dawn of morning they moved for-y^
wards, leaving to the left the towns of Rhoetion, *j^
/7^
.^ ^'*
Ophrvneon. and Dardanus^ wh ich laft is very ncfar ^
AbydosTtheJ^ergiths^ni^ to their* \^
XLIV. On their^arriviis^Ab^dos^ Xerxes de-
iired to take a furvey of all his army : the inhabi-
*• Trojan Minirjiifi,'] — ^The temple qf the Trojan Minerva
wds in the citadel. The llory of the Palladium, how eflential
J it was deemed to the prerervation of Troy, and how it was
furreptidoufly jemoved by Diomed and UlyiTes, muft be fuffi-
ciently known. See in particular the fpeech of UlyiTes, in the
1 3 th book of the Metamorphofes :
ό
.//•'
-_Qaam rapui Phr)'giaB iignum penetrale Minerv»
Hoilibus e mediis et fc mihi comparat Ajax i
Nempe capi Trojam prohibcbant fata fine illo.
*^ i' ^ ^- Verum etiam fummas arces inirarc, fuaque
• ^ Γ' Eriperc a;de deam, &c.
j,». ^5 Alexander the Great, when he vifitcd Troy, did not omit
. ^') offering facrifict to the Trojan Minerva.— Γ.
^ tants
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. ι8ι
tants had, at his previous deiirc, conftrudted for
him, on an eminence, a leat of white marble j upon
this he fate, and direfting his eyes to the ihore, be-
held at one view his land and fea forces. He next
wiihed to fee a naval combat ^^ ; one was accord-
ingly exhibited before him, in which the Phoeni-
cians of Sidon were viftorious. The view of this
conteft, as well as of the number of his forces, de-
lighted Xerxes exceedingly.
XLV. When the king beheld aU the Hellefpont
crowded with fliips,^*and all the ihore, with the
plains of Abydo s^ covered with his troops, he at
firft congratulated himfelf as happy, but he afbtr-
wards burft into tears ^.
XLVI.
♦^ Naval combat,'] — ^The Naumachw conftituted one of the
grandeil of the Roman (hews, and were firft exhibited at the end
of the ίίτϋί Punic war : they were originally intended to improve
the Romans in naval difcipUne ; but in more luxorioiis times
they were never difplayed from this motive, but to indulge
private oftentation, or the public cariofity.
L^mpridius relates of Heliogab^lus, that the ardficial lake ia
wjiich the veiTels were to appear at a public naumachia was by .
his command filled with winp infte^d of wjiter.?— 7*.
♦• Into tears.'l'^
As down
Th' immeafurable ranks his fight was loft,
A momentary gloom o'ercaft his mind ;
While this refleilion fill'd his eyes with tears-rr
That> foon as time a hundred years had told»
Not oi}e among thofe millions fhould furvive.
Whence, to obfcure thy pride, arofe that ^loud j
Ν 3 ' Wtt
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i82 . ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α.
XLVI. Artabanus, the uncle of Xerxes, who
with ib much freedom had at firft oppofed the ex-
pedition againft Greece, obferved the king's emo-
tion : ** How different, Sir," faid he, addrefEng
him, ^* is your prcfent behaviour, from what it
" was a few minutes fince! you then eibemcd
'• yourfelf happy, you now are diiTolved in tears/'
" My reflexion," anfwered Xerxes, ^^ on the tran-
*^ fitory period of human, life, excited my compaf-
*' fion for this vafl multitude, not one of whom
" will compleat the term of an hundred years."
^' This," returned Artabanus, '* is not to be reckoned
•* the greateil calamity to which human beings are
*^ cxpofed i for, Ihort as life is, there is no one in
Was it that once humanity could touch
A tyrant's bread ? Or rather did thy foul
Repine» oh Xerxes» at the bitter thought
That all thy pow'r was mortal ? Glover* s Leonidas,
Seneca juilly points out the inconfiftency of thefe tears:
« The very man," fays he, ** who ihed them was about to pre^
cijnttte their fttc, lofing fome by land, fome by fea, fome in
battle, fome in ffight, in a woid dcftroying within a very little
fpace of time that multitude, whofe death widiin a hundred
years he now appeared to dread."— i>^ Brev. Vita, c• xviL
~He alio affigns, as the truer caufe of his regret, the idea
which concludes the above citation from Glover. RoUin has
cxpreffed the thought of Seneca with fome improvement : « He
might have found another fubjed of refleaion, which would
have more juilly merited his tears and afflidion, had he turned
his thoughts upon himfclf, and conlidered the reproaches he
deferycd, for being the inftrument of ihortening that fetal term
to millions of people, whom his cruel ambition was going to
lacrifice in an unjuft and unnecei&ry war." The younger
Pliny rather juitifici his tears, Ep. iii 7.~Γ.
X «'this
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. iSj
" this multitude, nor indeed in the univerfe, who
" has been fo truly happy, as not repeatedly to
** have defired death rather than life. The op-
** preflions of misfortune, and the pangs of difeafe,
** render the Ihort hours of life tedious and painful :
** death thus becomes the moft delightful refiigc of
^ the unfortunate; and perhaps the invidioufiieis of
*' the deity is moft apparent, by the very pleafures
** we arc fuffercd to enjoy."
XLVU. *' Artabanus," replied Xerxes, " human
** life is what you reprefent it; but we will omit
*^ reSeding upon what fills us with uneafineis, and
" enjoy the pleafures which are before us : rather
** tell mc^ has the vifion which you faw impreiied
** full ccmviftion on your mind, or do your former
^ fcntimcnts incline you to dilTuade me from this
^ Grecian war? — fpeak without referve." " May
die vifion^ OJ^ bg/' replial Artabanus, ^' which
we have mutually feen, fucceed to both our
** wiihes ! For my own part I am ftill ίο full of ap-
" prehcnfions, as not at all to be mafter of myfelf :
*' after refleoting ferioully on the fubjeft, I difcern
" two important things, exceedingly hoftile to your
^ views.'*
XLVIII. « What, my good friend, can thefc two
'* things poffibly be ?" replied Xerxes j ** do you think
*' un&vourably of our land army, as not being fufr
** ficiendy numerous ? Do you imagine the Greeks
*' will be able to colleft one more powerful ? Can
*^ you conceive our fleet inferior to that of bur
Ν 4 " enemies?
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il4 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A,
•' enemies ?-— ordoboth thefe confiderations together
^* diftrefs you ? If our force does not fecm to you
*^ Efficiently effcdtive^ reinforcpm^nt^ ipay foon be
f' provided/'
XLIX. ^^ No one. Sir," anfwered Artabanus,
i' in his proper fenfes, could objeft either to your
^^ army, or to the multitude pf your fleet: ihould
*' you encreafc their number, the more hoftile
" would the two things be of which I Ipeak ; I
*^ allude to the land and the fea. In cafe of any
^^ fudden tcmpeft, you will find no harbour, as I
^^ Gonjedurc, fufficiently capacious or convenient
*^ for the protedion of your fleet j no one port
•* would anfwer this purpofe, you muft have the
*^ whole extent of the continent ; your being with-
•^ out a refource of thi^ kind ihould induce you
*^ to remember that fortune commands men *^, and
** not men fortune.' This is one of the calamities
*^ which threaten you; I will now explain the
^ other : The land is alfo your enemy ; your meet-
*^ ing with no refiilance will render it more fo, as
V you will be thus feduced imperceptibly to ad-
^ Fortunt commands /9s^/r.]«»This fendment is beaodfully pc-
preiTed in EccleAaftes, ix.ii.
*f I retijumed and faw under the Γαη^ that tl^e race is not to
the fwift, nor the batde to the ftrong, neiUier yet bread to tlic
wife» nor yet riches to men of anderftanding, nor yet favour to
men of (kUl ; but tin^e and chance happeneth to them all.''
A morale may perhaps l^e exci^fed for addingi as a cpmgieat
J9 the aboye^ the fimple but elegant line of Pope :
Chance is diredion which thou canft not fee. ψ.,
f^ yancei
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ρ α L γ Μ Ν Γ Α. ιΐί
^ vance ; it is the nature of man, never to be latis-
•^ fied with fucccis : thus, having no enemy to cn-
'* counter, every moment of time, and addition to
" your progrefs, will be gradually introdudHvc of
^ femine. He, therefore, who is truly wife, will
*• as carefully deliberate about the poQible event of
** things, as he will be bold and intrepid in
^* aftion^''
L. Xerxes nude Ais reply : ^^ What you alledge,
•* Artabanus, is certainly realbnable^ but you ihoiild
^^ not fo much give way to fear, as to fee every
'* thing m the worft point of view : if in confult-
^* ing upon any matter wc were to be influenced
•* by the confideration of every poflible condns-
^ gcncy, we ftiould execute nothing. It is better
" to fubmit to half of the evil which may be the
** refult of any meafure, than to remain in inafti-
** vity from the fear of what may eventually occur^
" If you oppofe fueh fcntiments as have been de-
^ livered, without informing u$ what more proper
'* conduft to purfue, you are not more deferving of
•* praife than they are whom you oppofe. I am
'* of opinion that no man is qualified to Ipeak
'** upon any fubjeft with decifion : they who are
^* bold and enterprifing are mor? frequently fuc-
f^ cefsful than they who are flow in tht\r ipea-
^ Intrtpid in λ^/ο».]— Larcher quotes, as a parallel paflagc
fO this, thefe words from Salluil— Catilin. c. u
Pri«3 qoam ancipias coniulto, et ubi confolieris maturr fado
opas eft.
^ furcs
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t86 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
** ftircs from extreme dcKbcration. You are fcn-
*' liblc to what a height the power of Pcrfia
** has arrived, which would never have been the
** cafe, if my predeceflbrs had cither been biailed
** by fuch fcntiments as yours, or liftened to
^ fuch advifers: it was their contempt of danger
** which promoted their country's glory, for great
^ exploits are always attended with proportion-
** able danger^'. We, therefore, emulous of their
•* reputation, have feleded the beft feafon of the
** year for our enterprizej and having efFeokually
•' conquered Europe, we will return without ex-
•' perience of femine or any other calamity : wc
•* have with us abundance of provifions, and the
** nations amongft which we arrive will fupply
" us with com, for they againft whom we ad-
** vance are not Ihepherds, but hufbandmen."
LI. '* Since, Sir," returned Artabanus, ^^ yoo
*^ will fufFer no mention to be made of fear, at
" leaft liften to my advice : where a number of
5' Proportionallt danger.']^'
The fteep afcent muft be with tdl fubda'd ;
Watchings and cares moll win the lofty prize
ProposM by heaven— -true blifs, and real good.
Honour rewards the brave and bold alone.
She fpams the dmorons» indolent» and bafe ;
Danger and toil ftand ftem before her throne.
And guard» fo Jove commands, the (acred place :
Who feeks her muft the mighty coft fuftain.
And pay the price of fame•— labour, and care, and paiir.
Choice ofHercuUs.
^ things
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. ιβ7
• things arc to be difcu&d, prolixity is tmavoid-
^* aWc. — Cy rus^ fon of Cambyfesj mad e all Ionia
^ tributary^ to Perlia, Athens exceptc
^ therefore, I entreat you, lead thefe nicn agairift
•* thofe from whom they are immediately defcendedt
J* uriflw^nf t;{^i» Tnniang^ we are morc than a fuf-
*< ficient match for our opponents. They muft
^^ eithe r be moft bafe, by aflifting to reduce the
^ principal city^oF their country; or, by contri-
** buting to its freedom, will do what is moflr
*^ juft. If they Ihall prove the former, they can
^* render us no material fervice; if the latten ^ ^^f
^ they may bring deftrudion on your army. Re- '^ / /
^ member, therefore, the truth of the anciepir' ' -- -
" proverb. When we commence a thing we f&xi^ i '^_ /
•* not always tell how it will end ^*." / J J .'
LII. ^ Artabanus,• ' interrupted Xences, " your ^ . ' \
** fulpicions of the fidelity of th e(lonian s muft
^ be falfe and injuriousT ot their «Jhitancy '
** have had fufHcient teftimony, as you yourfelf
^ m u ft be convi nced, as well as all thofe who fervcd
' • ' " '■' ■ ••^■■■^
Prudens futuri temporis exltam
Caliginofa node premit deus
Ridetque fi mortalis oltr^
Fas trepidaty Uc* Hor.
See alfo Pindar> in Olympus;
We may hope indeed, but the event is with God alone• T.
€€
under
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/.
•r
/
P ο L γ Μ Ν I A.
/
^^:-
t.•
)5-
*< under Darius againft the Scythians , It was in their
** power to fave or to deftroy all the forces of
** Perfia, but they preiervcd their faith, their
«^ honour, and their gratitude j add to this, they
*< have l eft in our dominions their wives , their
:n, and their wealth, and therefore" dare
^ not meditate any thing againft us. Indulge,
** therefore no apprehenfions, but chearfiilly watch
*^ over my family, and preferve my authority : to
^ you I commit the cxercife of my power•"
LIIL• Xerxes after this interview difmiiled Ar^
tabanus to Sufa, and a fecond time called an ailem*'
bly of the moft illvftrious Perfians• As foon as
tliey were met he thus addreflcd them : " My mo-
*' tivc, Perfians, for thus convoking you, is to
*^^ entreat you to behave like men, and not diC-
*' honour the many great cxpbits of our anceftors :
•* let us individually and coUeftivcly exert ourfelves,
" We are engaged in a common caufe j and I the
•* rather call upon you to diiplay your valour,
** bccaufe I undcrftand we are advancing againft a
•* warlike peopl^, whom if we overcome no one
" will in future dare oppofe us. Let us, th?r?fore>
" proceed, having firft implored th? aid of ihegod$
«' of Perfia/'
LIV. Oil the fame day they prepared to pafs
the bridge : the next morning, whilft they waited
for the rifing of the ftin, they burned on the bridge
all manner of perfumes, and ftrewed the way with
branches
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f ο L-ZY Μ Ν I Α. 189
^ branches of myrt )(^\ When the fun appeared,
Xerxes poured into the fea a Kbation from a golden
veflcl, and then addrcfling the fun, he implored
him to avert from the Perfians every calamity, titt
they ihould totally have vanquiihed Europe, arriv-
ing at its extremeft limits• Xerxes then threw the
cup mto the Hellefpont, together with a goldea
goblet, and a Perfian fcymetar. I am not able to
determine whether the king, by throwing theft
things into the Helleipont, intended to make an
offering tolthe fun, or whether he wiihed thus to
make compenfation to the fea for having formerly
chaftifed it.
LV. When this was done, all the infantry and
the horfc were made to pafs over that part of the
bridge which was towards the Euxine ; over that
0^ BroHcbii o/myrtle.]'^The myrtle waVwith the ancients a
very favourite plant, find always expreflive of triumph and
Joy : the hero wore it as a mark of viftory ; the bridegroom oa
his bridal -day; and friends prefented each other with myrtle
garlands in the conviviality of the banquet. Venus is faid ώ
hzvt been adorned with it when Paris decided in her favour
the prize of beauty, and that for this reafon it was deemed
odious to Juno and Minerva. It was probably from this reafon,
that when all other flowers and ihrnbs might be ufed in the fef-
uval of the Bona Dea at Rome, myrtle alone was excluded.—
See Rofimie. Harmodius and Arlilogiton before mentioned,
when they fleW the Atht nian tyrant, had their fwords concealed
beneath wreaths of myrtle ; of which incident, as recorded in a
fragment of Alcseas, Sir William Jones has made a happy ufe
in his Poem to Liberty; I have already quoted the parage•
to
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190 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
to the Mg/ULn went the fenrants of the camp, and
the beafts of burden. They were preceded by ten
^ouland Periians, having garlands on their heads ;
and thefe were followed by a promiicuous multi-
tude of all nations ; — thefe pafled on the firft day•
The firft who went over the next day were the
knights» and they who trailed their ipears ; thefe
alfo had garlands on their heads : next came the
iacred horfes, and the facred car ^ afterwards Xerxes
himfelii who was followed by a body of fpear-men»
and a thoufand knights. The remainder of the
army clofed the proceflion> and at the fame time
the fleet moved to the oppofite fliore : I have heard
fiOm fome^ that the king himfelf was the laft who
pafled the bridge.
LVL As foon as Xerxes had fet foot in Europe^
he faw his troops driven over the bridge by the
force of blows ; and feven whole days and as many
nights were confumcd in the pafliage of his army.
When Xerxes had pafled the Hcllelpont, an hihabi-
tant of the country is faid to have exclaimed:
<« Why, Ο Jupiter, under the appearance of a
<« Perfian, and for the name of Jupiter taking that
«' of Xerxes, art thou come to diftraft and perfc-
^ cute Greece ? or why bring fo vaft a multitude^
« when able to accomplifli thy purpdc without
<^ diem ?*'
LVIL When all were gone over, and were pro-
ceeding on their march^ a wonderful prodigy ap*
peared^
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 191
peared^ which, though difr^aided by Xerxes, had
an obvibus meaning — a mare brcmght forth a
lure ^ : from this it might have been inferred, that
Xerxes, who had kd an army iirto Greece with
much oilentation and iniblrace, ihould be involved
in perlbnal danger, and compelled to return widi
diihonour. Whilft yet at Sardis, he had feen ano-
ther prodigy — a mule produced a young on^ Which
had die marks of both fexes^ thofe of the male be«
ing beneath.
LVIII. Neither of thefe incidents made any im-
j»%i&on on his mind, and he C9ntinued to advance
widi his army by land, whilft his fleet, palling be-
yond the Helleipont, coafted alcmg the ihore in aii
oj^ofite direftion. The latter failed towards die
weft to the promontory of Sarpedon, where they
were commanded to remain ; the former proceeded
caftward through the C hCTfonefe, hav ing on .tlieir__
right the tomb of Helle, the daughter of Athainas ; j3 ΰ j
on their left thc ^city of Cardi^ Moving onwari^" ' '"^"^
I η -η dflOugh the midft of a city called Agera, thej^-s. '
/ 2^ J «♦ Brought forth a han.] — In Julius Obfequens de Prodlgue» /
c&ap. xzxiiL p. 2θ« we have an account no lefs remarkable»
L• Poilhomio Albino» Sempronio Graccho Coflf. mare ariit» ad
Sinueflam ios equuUum peptrit.
See alfo the fame book, on the fubjed of a male's produdn^
young.
« Mila pariens» diicordiam dviam» bonorum Interitum, mnta-
ttonem legum, turpes matronarum partus fignificavit.«*Thit
was always deemed an unfortunate omen. See Pliny» book viiL
c. 44. That mules never do produce young I ha?e before ob«
fenred— Γ.
tumed
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- <;-■
Ί i : ^ -<'/'" yi^
i^^ PVi. ir»^
191 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A.
y lumcd afide to the gulph of Mclana, and a river di
I the fame name, the waters of which were not fliffi•
/ i V t' ί »' *^ cient for the troops. Having pafled this river, which
gives its name to the above-mentioned gulph, they
diredled their march weftward, and pafling .^Enos,
^ citjr^of^^alia, and the lake Stertoris, they came
.to Dorifcus.
2 ,5 ^ LIJ^. porifcus is on the coaft, and is a ipacious
jJain ^fjfThrace, through which the great river
^ He hr u sv Qows. Here was a royal fort called Do-
! rifcus, in whi ch Dorius ^ in his expedition againft
Scythia, had placed a Perfian garrifon. This ap.
" ^ L pearing a proper place for the purpofe, Xerxes gave
orders to have his army here marftialled and num-
bered. The fleet being all arrived oflT the fljorc
near Dorifcus, their officers ranged them in order
near where ^ S ^ a Samo^ac ian townJ[f, and
^ ^ ^ Zena
^ Samothractan toivn,^ — See 6ellanger*s remarks <m thb
paflage, in his EiTais de Critique, where with great humour he
compliments our countrynian LiWebury, for kirtdly liisikiug hig
readers a prefcm of two cities which never exifted. Littlebury
lias rendered the paiTage thus•
« Xerxes commanded the feaCaptiilns to bring ail their fliip»
to the ihore that lay neareft to Dorifcus, where the cities of
Sala, Samothracia, and Zona are fituate, with another called
^ Serrium, built upon a famous promontory formerly belonging
^ „^^- ...is ^^^ Ciconians."
Voila, ce me femble (fays Bellanger) deux tilles a puf gain, .
" " Samothracia avec ene autre appellee Serrium. C'eft 4e quOi
enrichir les grands di^lionnaires geographiques.
I have lludioufly avoided pointing out any errors 1 may have
difcovercd m Littlebury, from the fear of being thought mvi-
.^ r <> dioos;
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Ch.
\
ρ ό L Y. Μ N^ I A. 193
2ena are fituated. At /the extremity of this Ihore
is the celebrated promontory of Setrium, which ^^ Η
formerly belonged to tnKsCiconians.f The crews 2^^^
hiving brought their veflels to ihore ^% enjoyed an
interval of repofe, whilft Xerxes was drawing up
his troops o n the plain of DorifcuSi f C IT^, 2 ^ '*
LX• I am not able to Ipecify What number of
men each naaon fupplied, as no one has recorded
it. The whole amount of the land forces was
feventeen hundred thouiand^. Their mode of
« afcertaining
£one ; I ftould not have done it in this inftance, but' that I
wiihed to dired the reader to Hn excellent piece of crlticiim,
which will at the fame time rewatd his attention^ and juiufy me»
— r.
*• Fefftls td fiore.] — As the veffels were not in thofe times
fo confiderable as ours, they drew them on ihore whenever they
wanted to remain any time in one place. This cudom, which
we learn from Home)- was in ufe in the time of the Trojan
war, was alio praftifed in the better ages of Greece. It is
frequently mentioned by Xenophon, Thucydides, and other hif-
torians.— jLtfrn^^.
5^ Seventten hundrid thoufani.'\ — I remam ftill in doubt, fays
Richardfon, whether any fuch expedition was ever underuken
by the paramount fovereign of Perfia. Difguifed in name by
fomc Greek corruption, Xerxes may poffibly have been a feu-
datory prince or viceroy of the weftern diftrifts ; and that an
invafion of Greece may have poffibly taken place under this
prince, I (hall readily believe, but upon a fcale I muft alfo be-
lieve infinitely narrower than the leaft exs^ggerated dcfcription
of the Greek hiftorians.
In Herodotus the reputed followers of Xerxes amount to
5,283,220• Ifocrates, in his Panathenaicos, eftimates the land
army in round numbers at 5»ooo,ooo• And with them Plu-
Vol. III. Ο """^
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194 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν ϊ Α•
afccrtaining the number was this: they drew up
in one place a body of ten thoufand men ; making
thefe ftand togedier as compaftly as poffiblc, they
drew a circle round them. Diihxifling thefe, they
encloled
tarch in general agrees : but Aich myriads appeared to Dido-
ru8, Pliny, i£lian, and other later writers» fo much ibetched
beyond all belief, that they at once cut oiF aboat four -fifths, to
bring them within the line of poffibility. Yet what is this,
but a iingular and very unauthorized liberty in one «f the moft
confequendal points of the exptdition ? What drcumibnce ia
the whole narration is more explicit in Herodotus, or by its
frequent repetitio•, not in figures, but in words at length, feems
lefs liable to the miHake of copiers ? Sec. — See Richard/on•
Upon this fubjed, I archer, who probably had never feen
Richardfon's book, writes as follows :
This immenfe army aHoniihes the imaginatioD, but ftill is not
iscredible. All the people dependant on Periia were flaves;
they were compelled to march, without diftindion of birth or
profeffion. Extreme youth or advanced age were probably the
only reafons which excufed t)iem from bearing arms. The only
reafonable objection to be made to this recital of Herodotus is
that which Voltaire has omitted to make — ^where were pro•
vifions to be had for fo numerous an army ί But Herodotus
has anticipated this objedlon : ** We have with us,"4ays Xerxes,
** abundance of proviiions, and all the nations among wluch
we ihall come, not being (hepherds, but huibandmen, we ihall
find com in their country, which we ihall appropriate to our
own ufe."
Subfcquent writers have, it is true, differed from Herodotus,
and diminilhed the number of the army of Xerxes ; but Hero*
dotus, who was in fome meafure a cotemporary, and who recited
his hiftory to Greeks affembled at Olympia, where were many
who fought at Salamis and Platea, is more deferving of credit
than later hillorians•
The truth perhaps may lie betwixt the twodifierent opinions
of Richardfon and Larcher. It is not likely, as there were
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν 1 Α. 195
cndoied the circle with a wall breaft high 5 into
this they introduced another and another ten thou-
iand) till they thus obtained the precife number of
the whole. They afterwards ranged each nation
apart•
LXL The nations who compofed the army were
theie. To Ipcak of the Perfians firft, who wore
(mail helmets on their heads, which they call tiar^ :
their bodies were covered with tunics of different
colours, having fleeves, and adorned With plates of
ftecl, in imitation of the fcales of filhes j their thighs
were defended, and they carried a kind of fhield
called gerra, beneath which was a quiver**. They
manj exiles from Greece at tlie coart of Perfia» that Xerxei
ihoiiid be ignorant of the numbers and refources of Greece.
To lead there fo many millions feems at firft fight not only
unneceiTary bat prepofterous. Admitting ths^t fo vail an army
had marched againft Greece» no one of common fenfe would
have thoQght of making an attack by the way of Thermo•
pylae> where the paiTage moil have been fo tedious» and any re*
fiifamce» as fo few in proportion could poffibly be brought
to zSt, might be made almoft on equal terms : whilil> on the
contrary» to make a defcent, they had the whole range of coaff
before them. With refped to proviiion8> the difficulty appears
ftill greater, and almoft infurmountable. I recur therefpre to
what I have before intimated ; and believe, in contradidion to
Richardfon» that the expedition adoally cook pkce ; but I can-
not think, with Larcher, that the numbers recorded by Hero•
dotus are confident with probability. — T,
5• J fitfVrfr.]— It is probable from tWs account, ftys
Larcher, that on their march the Perfians did not carry their
Ihieldi in their hands, but fuipended behind from thnr
ihottlders.
Ο α had
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4/^ί
^'
196 ρ ο L γ Μ Ν ί Α•
had Ihort fpears ^^ large bows, and arrows made
of rccds J and on their right fide a dagger iiif•
pended from a belt• They were led by Otanes,
fether of Artieftris, one of the wives of Xerxes.
The Perfians were once called Cephenes by the
d Greeks; by thcmfelves and their neighbo urs A/t^ L
^\ , But when Pcrfeus, the fon of Dana^ ^and Tupiter^
7^ f^'O went to refide with Cepheus*^fon of ^elu§, he mar-
'<' ' - *ricd ,his daughter Andromeda, and had by her a
♦ fon named Perfes, who was left with his grand-
^.j father. Cephcus had no male oiFsprmg, and the
Perfians took their name from his grandfon
^ . Pcrfes. ^: ' .^ ,v' / / JL•^
LXIL The Medc^ had the fame military drefs ;
^^^"'"'^ indeed, properly fpeaking, it is Median and not
^ ^ J Perfian. Their leader was Tigranes, of the family
of Achsemenides• In ancient times the Medes were
univerfally called Ariii but when Medea of Colchis
- - — "^^^^^ <^ycr ΐ9 , Φΐ ^ A rii fi-om A tKens^^tEey changed
their name ; this is what they lay of themfelves.
\ ^ / The armour of the CiiTians generally refembled that
of the Perfians, except that inftead of tiarae they
wore mitres : tliey were commanded by Ana-
phes. Ion of Otanes. The Hyrcani were alfo dreflfe d
like the Perfians, and had for their leader Kiega-
panus, who was afterwards governor of Babylon.
. 59 Short j^//irj.]— The reader will find an excellent defcrip-
tlon of thefe military habits in Montfaucoo, and* by no means an
inelegant or incorre^ one in the Leonidas of oar countrymaa
Glover.— r.
LXIII•
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 197
LXIIL The AjTyrim f<>r^^^ bad br '^en helmets
of a barbarous form, and difficult to dcfcribe. Their
ihields, Ijpears, and dag^rs^ were like thole of the
Egyptians j they had alfo large clubs pointed with
iron, and linen cuirafles. Thefe people the Greeks
\^ (r^ call SyrianSjl the Barbarians Affyriansi mixt with
"^ t\iele were'tbe Chaldaians:_thc whole -wcrcimder
the conduft of Otafpes, fon of Artachaeus•
LXI V. The Badtrians, in what they wore on their
heads, moft refembled the Mecjes, but after the cuf-
tora of their country they ufed bows made of reeds,
and Ihort fpears. The Sacas, who arc a Scythian na-
tion, had helmets terminating in a point, and wore
breeches• They were alfo armed in their country
manner with bows, daggers, and a hatchet called fa-
garis• This people, though really the Amyrgii of
Scythia, were called Saca?, the name given by the
Perfians indifcrimina^ely to all Scythians. Hyftaf-
pes, fon of Darius by Atofla the daughter of Cyrus,
conomanded thp Badrians and the Saca^
. //^
LXV. The dreis of the Indians was cotton:
their bows were made of reeds, as were alfo their
arrows, which were pointed with iron : dieir leader
was Pharnazathres, fon of Artabates. The Aril jiad %
bows like the Medes, but were in other retpedts
equipped like the Baftrians, and were under the
command of Sifamnes fon of Hydarnes.
Ο ^ LXVI,
*-''
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198 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
LXYL-T4^^gaitMansj!,jChQra^^ Sogdi^
__ansr^ardarians, and the Dadicse, had the fame
armour as the Baitrians• The Parthians ind Cho-
rafmians were led by Artabanus, fon of Phamaces j
Azanes fon of Artaeus commanded the j ogdians ; as
did Artyphius fon of Artabanus the Gardarians. , ^
and Dadicse• ^ '
^ LXyil• The Caipiaos wore a veil made of
ikins: they had the armour of their country,
bows made of rc«is, and fcymetars• Ariomardus
the brother of Artj^hius conduced them• The
Sar angflB H ad beautiful habits of different and iplen-
did colours : they had buikins reaching to their
knees, bows and javelins like the Medes, and Phe-
rendatcs the fon of Megabazus commanded them•
The Paftyes aUo had vcfts made of Ikins, bows
and daggers after the manner of their country, and
Artyntcs fon of Ithamatres was their leader•
LXVIII. The Utii, Myci, and Paricanii, were
ymcd like th g Paaycst The Utii and M yci ha d
for thcu• comniander ArfamencsTlonof Darius x^'
Siromppis the fon of CEobazys cpnduiled the Pa•
ricanii• ^ --
L^IXt The Arabians wore large folding vefts^
^ PartitMiSf £if.]— Various and numcFous as thcfc confe-
derates of Xerxes are here defcribed, Lucan, m a poetical hy-
perbole^ affirms, that the ^cs of Pompey w^re iliU mor^ feo-
ffee L. m. ?95.-«τΓ^
whick
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r"
1. /i-•' :'■ .
Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A• 199
which they call zirs^ : their bows were long, flexi-
ble, and crooked, ^he ^thiop ians^ were clad in
Ikins of panthers and "KonsTtESr bows were of
palm, and not lefs than four cubits long. Their
arrows were Ihort, and made of reeds, inftead of,
iron they were pointed with a ftone which they -
uic to cutj heif'^alg/ They TuacTalib fpears armed
with the horns o f goats> ihaped lil^^ tK , ^^^^ ^ ^ -^-«i
lance 5 and befides thefe, knotty clubs. It is the
7^ niftnm nf thjft Ρ^Ρ^^τ when they ad vance to com-
j^ / bat, to daub one half of their body with gypfum,
th e ,o|i fher wit h vermilion. Arfanes fon of Darius
by Artyftone a daughter of Cyrus, commanded the *
Arabians^ and the Ethiopians who came from above
/ ^gypt. Of aii his wives, Darius loved Artyftone
\\i( the moft, and he conftrufted a gddcn ftatue in her
y honour. /'« ^' '- V'' ^^' - '' ^• ' '
f|*^-iU*-^v LXX. Thofc jSEthio^ians who carne. from the ,y^ /
^t*^ *' "/ ynore eaitern parts of their country (for there were 9
i, Vi } tw o diftinft bodies in this expedition) ferved with
j.Vj/TlZ.'^ Ihchans." TKefe^ differed from the former in '
J ^^^liothing but their language and their hair. The
^^.^.^i-jiSSl^'iE their hairftraight, thofe
i4|"have their hair more crilp and curling ,
th an any other Tye n> The armour of the jMHh?
tluopians relembiecl that of the Indians, but on
their heads they wore the Ikins of horfes heads ^'^
*• Horfes /^^λΛ.]— Thefc helmets were, according to the de-
fcription of Cacfar in his Commentaries^ very common amongft
^l^e ancient Geimans.— 7*.
^
on
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t*-<
100 ρ σ L τνΐ Ν 1 Α.
on which the manes, and cars were left. The
manes ferved as the plumes, and die cars remained
ftifF and ereft. Inftdadof Ihields they held out
before them the ikinj^ ciC crapes^
LXXI. The Lybians were dreifTed in ikins, and
had the points of their ipears hardened in the fire•
They were conduced by Maflages, fon of Oari^us•
' / / . LXXII. The Paphlagonians wore helmets made
/ ' ' of net- work i they had fmall Ipears and buck-
befides javelins and daggers. Agreeably to
^ ^ CIV tJliiim of their country, they had buikins which
reached ίοΝΛβ middle of the leg. The Ligyes,
^ MatienH Mary^deni, and Syri^s, were habited like
•^""^the PapMflprnnianS^^prhpfp fsynj^^q are hv the Per- /j j
I ί ^ fians called ^^appadpcian^ The generaT of the ^
/ Paphlagoniias-and, Matiehi was Dotus, fon of Mc-
^(ζ gafidras. pThe Maryandeni, Ligyes, wd Syrians, ,
^ ^ were led bt Bryas, fon of Darius and Artyftone.
"^ X-XXIII. The arfnour of tfc^^ Phrygians diflfered
Λ -^ very littfe from that of the PapKIagonians. Ac-
cording to thc'Macedonians, the Phrygians, as long
^ as they were theί^ neighbours, ajid lived in Europe,
were called BrygeStj on pafling over into Afia they
topk the name of Phrygians \ The Armenians
«* ΡΛτν^/ΛΛ/.]— Arrian tdls as that the Phrygians were re-
f ported to be the oldeft of mankind^ λι^οίΓΜ» Φ^ϋ^ι^ «Άλαλ^τατοι
Μρ&ξύννψ. Cited by £uil• in Com, in Dion, p. 809. The reade^'
will
}
' . ' ' ' . Digitized by Google
ρ ο L γ Μ Ν/Τ Α, 201
arc a colony of the Phryk ians/and were armed like
thcnu Artochmes, wlio had married a daughter of
Darius^ commanded both nations.
LXXIV. The Lydians were equipped very like
the Greeks• They were once called Meonians ^' j^
but they changed their ancient name, and took
that of Lydus, the fon of Atys. The Nyfians
wore the helmets of their country, had fmall ihields,
and javelins hardened' in the fire• They are a co-
_ lony of the Lydians, and named Olympians, from
mount Olympus. Thefe two nations were con-
duced by Artaphernes, fon of that Artaphernes
who in con''" ,ίοη with Datis had invaded Mara-
thon. '^^"^ *
LXXV. The Thracians wore on their heads
Ikins of foxes ; the other part of their drefs con-
fifted of a tunic, below which was a large and fold-
ing robe of various colours : they had alfo buikins
made of the ikins of fawns, and were armed with
win remember that ,thii -v«*s tf^uted with them by the -Egyp-
tians, but given up after taettpedicnt ufed by Pfammatichus.
— r.
*' Meonians.] — Bochart deduces this name from the Greek
Mamirfl*», and their after- name. Lydi from i..c Hebrew. But
k does not feem probable that th^ ddcft name ihould be taken
from the Greek, and the lafer from the Hebrew language.
What is yet farther removed from confiiVcncy, he placwa de-
fcendant of 5hem in the lot of japhet, and iiippOies the Lydiana-
to be the children of Ludim. From him I prefumc they would
have been called Lydimi, not Lydi.-^Sce the invention of games
ieiputed to this people, book i. c. 94-— i-T*.
* javelins.
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'/£-■
4.
< <
202 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Ι Α.
javelins, fmall biKklers, and daggers. They wercj
as themfelves relate, formerly balled Strymonians,
from inhabitiiig the banks of the^-^irymon^; but
ng over into Afia, were nanned Bithynians•
theyiiy they -were expelled their country by the
,Tei)crian^nd the Myfians• ^' "^
/
<>
/-
5" LXXVL Baifaces fon of Artabanus commanded ^rj^
the Thracian| ofAfifj thefe lifed ihort bucklers y
made" of KTHes, 'aiiJ'each of them carried twoJ L^-^ *^
cian fpears : they had alfo helmets of brafs, on the— -^ ^
ibmmit of which were the cars and horns of an . -
ox, made alfo q( brafs, together with a creft. On
their legs they had purple bulkin^^^^his people
have amongft them an oracle of Mars "^^, ^ , :-
LXXVII. The Cabalian Meonlans^^, who a rg ί
alfo called Lafonians, were habited like the Cili- / /^
cians, which I ihall defcribe in their proper order.
The Milyae carried ihort fpears, their vefts confined
with clafps ; fome of them had Lycian bows, and
tliey wore helmets of leathf r• Of all thefe Badres
fon of Hyftartes was comn^^en JHiie Mofchi had
*♦ OracU ^Jlizr/*]— It is thought oy fome, ^there is
fometlung wanting ; for the defcription which by the context
ieems here to be given of the Thracians« with truth will apply
neither to the ^Thracians of Afia nor of £urope. WelTeling
prefumes that they may be the Chalybians, amongft whom was
an oracle of Mar^, and who were neighbours to the nations
here defcribed by Herodotus. Larcher alfo is of this opinion.
•5 Caialian Mconiaus.] — Thefe were probably the ikme peo-
ple who are mentioned book iii. c. 90» the change of the «
for i bein^ agreeab^ to the Ionic dialed.
8 "helmet*
ft
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• 203
helmets of wood, fmall bucklers, and Ihort ipears
with Ιοηξ iron points.
LXXVIII. The Tibareni, Macrones, and Mofy-
noeci, were in all refpeds habited like the Mofchi.
Arioniardus fon of Darius and of Parmys, daughter
of Smerdis, fon of Cyrus, commanded the Mofchi
and the Tibareni. Artayftes fon of Chorafmes,
who jgga a_ governor of Scftos on the HcUclpont,
conducted the Macrones and Moiynoeci."
LXXIX. The Mares, after the feihion of their
country, had net- work cafques, fmall leathern buck-
lers, and ipears. The Colchians had helmets of
wood, fmall bucklers made of the hard hides of
oxen, Ihort fpears, and fwords. Pharandates fon of
Teafpes commanded the Mares and the Colchians•
Tjiejftjl^Odn and Safpines were dreffed like the
"Colchans, and led by Mafiftius fon of Siromi•
tras.
i
LXXX. The people who came from the ifland$ —-
I Λ Cx ^^ ^^^ ^^ S eaVTO'wIuch thofe who labour under / /
y^ the king's difpleafure are exiled, were habited and '] , .
\^ ^ armed like the Medes : they were led by Mardon-
^ tes fon ot B agaeus, who two years afterwards was
^ J ^flain at the battle of Mycale, where he com-
^ ^ manded. ^
LXXXL Thefe were the nations who proceeded
over the continent, and compofed the infantry of
the army. Their leaders who marlhalled and num-
bered
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αο4 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α•
bercd them, I have ateady ipecified : they appoint-
ed alfo the captains of thoufands and ten thqufands,
who again chofe the centurions and leaders of ten.
The different forces and nations had alfo other
officers, but thofe whom I have named. were tlie
principal commanders.
LXXXII. The generals in chief of all the in-
fantry were Mardonius, fon gf Gobryas; Trinta-
taschmes, fon of Artabanus, who had given his
opinion againft the Grecian war ; and Smerdones,
Ion of Otanes, which laft two were fons of two
brothers of Darius, the uncles of Xerxes. To the
above may be added Mafiiles, fon of Darius by
AtoflTa, Gergis fon of Arinus, and Megabyzus fon
ofZopyrus^%
LXXXIII. Thefe were the commanders of all
the infantry, except of the ten tl^oufand chofen Per-
fians, who were led by Hydarnes fo n of Hydarncs^
Thefe were called the immorfarBan9, and for this
realbn, if any of them died in battle, or by ^y
difeaie, his place was immediately fupplied. They
were thus never more nor lefs than ten thoufand.
The Perfians furpafled ^11 the reft of the army, not
only in magainccnce but valour. Their armoyr I
have before defcri bed; d^y werp alfo remarkable
for the quantity of gold which adorned then^ ;
** Zofyrus.] — This was the famous Zopyrus through whofc
means Darius became mailer of Babylon.— See book iii. c i6o.
th^y
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y-?
Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α. 205
they had with them carriages for their women, and
a vaft number of attendants fplendidly provided.
They had alfo camek and beafts of burden to carry
their provifions, befides thofe for the Common occa-
fions of the army.
I.XXXIV. All the above nations are capable of
fervin^ on horfeback ; but on t his expedition tho fe \^_
only conftituted the cavalry which I ihall enumerate.
The Perfian horie, except a fmall number, whofe
cafques were ornamented with brafs and iron, were
habited like the infantry.
LXXXV. ' There appeared of the Saga rtii a. -:;ll__
body of eight thoufand horfc. Thefe people ^i^
a paftoral life, were originally of Perfian li^iccnt,
and ufe the Perfian language : their drdif^s fome-
thing betwixt the Perfian and jJTg lyfl-yanj thgy
have no offenfive weapons, either of iron or brafs,
except their daggers ; their principal dependance in
aotion is upon cords made of twifted leather, which
they ufe in this manner: when they engage an
enemy, they throw out thefe cords, having a noofe
at the extremity ; if they entangle ^ in them either
horfe or man, they without difficulty put them to
^f If thy eftiangIe.]'^A fimilar mode of fighting was pra^lifed
by thofe of the Roman gladiators who were called the Retiarii :
beneath their bucklers they carried a kind of net, which, when
the opportunity prefented itfelf, they threw over the head of
thei^ adverfaries the Secutores; and, thus entangled, put them
to death with a kind of trident which cgniUtuted tlieir ofFenfive
i^capon.— y.
death.
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,^^
αο6 POLYMNIA•
death.— Thefe forces were embodied widi the Per-
fians•
LXXXVL The cavahy of die Medes, and alfo
of the,.CiiIianS# ^re arrnnfTpHl^likp rty^r jpfaflt-ry-
^ , "*rhe Indian horfe likewife were armed like dicir
foot; but befides led horfes,. they had chariots of
war, drawn by horfcs and wild aflcs *'. The armour
/ Λ ^^. of xbfi»Baftriaa aivJ.,£s^iaaJlorfe and foot were
alike. This was alfo the cafe with the Africans»
only it is to be obferved that thefe laft all fought
from chariots. The Paricanian horfe were alfo
equipped like their foot, as were the Arabians, all
of whom had camels, by no means inferior to the
horfe in fwiftneis•
LXXXVII. Thefe were the cavalry, who formed
a body of eighty thoufand, exclufive of camels or
chariots. They were drawn up in regular order,
and the Arabians were diipofed in the rear, that the
horfes might not be terrified, as a horfe cannot bear
a camel ^.
LXXXVIIL Harmamithres and Tithaeus, the
Ibns of Datis, commanded the cavalry ; they bad
*• fTild afes,]^M. Larcher renden ovoi ay^w, xebres, but
I do not fee that this neccfiarily follows. The zebra is certain-
ly a fpecies of wild afs ; but I conceive that every wild afs is
not a zebra. Buffbn makes mention of wild aiTes very diftind
from the zcbrse. The French tranilator fupporu his opioioa
from the defcription of the om^ ay^o^ in Oppian» L. UL v. i8| ;
but this is by no means convincing to me.•—?'•
^ Cannot bear λ oun^/.]— See note 1 16 to book CHo.
ihared
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• ao7
fliarcd this command with Phavnuches, but he had
been left at Sardis indifpofed. As the troops were
marching from Sardis he met with an unfortunate
accident : a dog ran under the feet of his horfc,
which being terrified, rearc;d up, and threw his
rider. Phamuches was in oanfequencc feized with
a vomiting of blood, which finally terminated in a
confumption. His fervanf.s, in compMance with
the orders of their mafter, led the horfe to the
place where the accident happened, and there cut
off his legs at the knees.. Thus was Phamuches
deprived of his command.
LXXXIX. The number of the triremes was
twelve hundred and fev^en^**; of thefe the Phoeni-
cianSy
^• T'wel've hundred and fei^n.\^\ give the account of the
Perilan fleet as ilated by Herodotus, that the reader may com•
pare It with that which follows of Diodorus Siculus :
The Phoenician ve^els were
EgypuSiT
Cyprians
Cilicians
Pamphylians
Lycians
Dorians
Carians
lonians
.Aolians - •
People of the Helldpont
300
200
150
LOO
30
50
30
70
100
'7
100
i.ao7
According
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io8 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
cians, in conjunftian with the Sjrians of Palef-
tine, fiirniihed three hundred. They who ferved
on board them had on their heads helmets nearly
refcmbling thofe of the Greeks ; they had breaft-
plates made oF linen, bucklers without boffes, and
javelins. This people, by their own account, once
inhabited the coafts of the Red Sea ^', but mi-
Accordmg to Diodonis Slculus,
The Greeks had - -» «320
The Dorians - - «40
^olians - - - 40
lonians ... 100
Hellefpondans * « - 80
Wanders • - • 5^
-Egyptians - - - 200
Phoenicians - - - 300
Cilicians - - - 80
Carians - - - 80
Pamphylians - - - 40 •
Lycians - • • - 40
Cyprians ... 150
1,200
^* Coafls of the Red 5^λ.]— There were Phoenicians of dif-
ferent countries : they were to be found upon the Sinus Per-
iicus, upon the Sinus Arabicus, in iEgypt, in Crete, in AfHca«
ia Epirus, and even in Attica.— S-ee Hefychiut. Φοι»μι( yiroc τ»
A9i}F»jcr». There is a race of Phoenicians among the Athenians.
In ihort, it was a title introduced at Sidon and the coaft adjoin•
ing» by people from ^gypt ; and who the people were that
breught it, may be known from feveral paflages in ancient
hiilor/, but particularly from an extrad in Eufebius.— See
Bryant, vol. i. 324, 325.
grated
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/ ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. αο9
ί / grated from thence to the maritime pajgjg^gdaj^^^
all which diftridt, as far as JEgypt, is denominates
j y^ Pakftine. The -^Egyptians forniihed two hundred
"veBcls: they wore on their heads caiques made •
-^ of net-work j their Ihields were of a convex form,
y having large boiles ; their ipears were calculated
' for fea fcrvice, and they had huge batde^axes•
Their forces in general had breaft-plates, and large
fwords*
XC. The people of Cyprus fupplied fifty vcffels:
as to their armour, their princes wore mitres on
their heads j the troops wore tunics, but were in
other refpefts habited like the Greeks. The Cy-
prians> according to their own account, are vari-
oufly compofed of the people of Salamis and
Athens ι fome alfo came from Arcadia, fome from
Cythnus, others from Phoenicia^ and others from
JEthiopia.
XCI. From Ci licia came one hun dredJlMpSr- -*L_
This people had a kind of helmet peculiar to their Δ f 2^
country, and a fmall buckler made of the untanncd
hide of an ox i they had alfo* tunics of wool : each
of them had two fpears, and a fword not unlike
thofe of ^Igypt. Formerly they were called Hy-* ι
pachaeansi they were named Cilicians from .CilcjC ; v. *. /
^__diePhoenician^ the fon of Agenor. The Pamphy- -i ■; ;
Hans brought thirty (hips, and were accoutred like X - ^
the Greeks: they are defcended from thofe who ''
Vol- III. Ρ after
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αιο Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Τ A•
after the deftruftion of Troy were difpcrfcd un^
Amphilochus and Calchas ^*•
XCII. Fifty ihips were fiirnilhed by the Ly*
cians, who were defended with breaft-plates and a
kind of buikin : befides their Ipears, they had bows
made of cornil wood } their arrows were of reeds,
but not feathered. From their ihoulders the Ikin
of a goat was fufpended, and on their heads they
wore a cap with a plume of feathers: they had
alfo axes and daggers. They are defcendcd from
the Cretans, and were once called Termite j after-
wards they took the name of Lycians, fi-om Lycu$
an Athenian, the fon of Pandion.
XCIII. The Dorians of Afia came in thirty
yeflfels : thefe being originally from the Peloponnefe,
were provided with Grecian arms. The Carians
^ hadXcventy ihips^ and were equipped in every re-
^ CaJcbas.]'^Wixh. the name of Calchas every one b ac-
quainted; bat few perhaps know the end he met with. Mop-
fus, fon of Marto and Apollo, had at the death of his mother»
by right of inheritance» the oracle of Apollo at Claros. About
this period Calchas» who after the taking of Troy led a
wandering life, arrived at Colophon• The two feers main-
tained a long and obfiinate difpute, till at length Amphimachus
king of Lycia terminated their difference• Mopfus diifuaded
him from going to war, foretelling that he would be defeated ;
Calchas, on the contrary, advifed him to go, aiTuiing him he
would prove vidorious. Amphimachus having been overcome,
Mopfus received greater honours than ever, and Calchas put
bimfelf to death.— I^ri^rr.
X Ipeft
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 211
fpedk like the Greeks, with the addition of axes and
«lagers. We have in a former place made men-
tion of the name by which they were originally / i^ 7
known. y^j^^s^y /
XCI V, The lonians^/tgme^ r^'^ r;,y;]y.^ ^p, J ^
peared wiSi a fleet of one hundred ihips. Accord- ^
ing to the Grecian account, this people, when they
inhabited that part of the Pcloponnefc called Achaia,
before the 2u*rival of Danaus and Xuthus, were
called the Pelafgian -flEgialians. They were afier•^
wards named lonians, from Ion fon of Xuthus^
f
XCV. The iflanders ^^ in Grecian arms, were in
ferenteen veflels. Thefe, once Pel afgian, were \^
timatcly termed Ionian^ for the fam e j^on,a& the.
"twelve Ionian cities founded by the Athenians. The
J Oj^__jEoli ^ brought fi xty Ihips, and were armed in
^Xifedan nunnCTTthele aHo, according to the
'^ Tht {^^em^i•]— *Thd*e Ionian iflandere coold not be either
tkofe of Chios or of Samos. Thefe afTembled at the Panio*
mum» and were a part of the twelve dties, which thefe iflanders
wtre not. Diodorns Siculas adds alfo the inhabitants of Chios
and of Samos to the lomans, and makes, like Herodotus, a
diftindion betwixt them and the iflanders. But who then were
they? Diodorus Siculus informs us. The king, fays he, was
joined by all thofe iflands betwixt the Cyanex and the pro*
^ftCj montories of Trioirium and Suriom. Thus it appears that
^^^-> Λ ^gy weye the ifles o f Ceos, or Cea^ as the Latins have it^
/ l^axdl, SCpUm, S6fiphos, Andres, and Tenos, which were
Tienian, and founded by the Athenians, as appέars from He•
rodottts, book viiL chap. 46, 48 ; and from Thucydides, book
viL c 57, where it fhoold be read Tiirto* and not Tq^o».*•
Vdcnur.
Ρ % Greeks,
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M2 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 A•
Greeks, were once Pelafgi. The inhabitants of
the Helleipont, thofe of Abydos excepted, in con•
junction with the people of Pontus, fumifhed one
hundred veflels: thoie of Abydos, by the command
of the king, renutined to defend the bridges. The
Hellelpontians, being a mixt colony of lonians and
Dorians, were armed like die Greeks•
XCVI. In each of thefe veflels were detadi*
ments of Medesi Perfians, and Sacs. The beft
nuuiners were the Phoenicians, and of the people (^
Phoenicia the Sidonians. The fea and land forces
of all thefe nations were under the immediate com-
mand of their own officers. The mention of their
particular names, as it is not eflential to our pur-
poie, we ihall omit. It would indeed prove an
unintereiling labour, as every city had its own Com-
mander, who without any great diftin&ion or au*
diority merely helped to fwell the mais of the
army. Thofe who had the principal conduft of
the war I have already enumerated, as well as the
Perfian officers to whom the command of each
nation was affigned.
XCVII. The commanders in chief of the fea
forces were, Ariabignes fon of Darius, Prezaipes
fon of Aipathines, and Megabyzus, fon of Mega-
bates, together with Achaemenes, another fon of
Darius : of thefe, Ariabignes Ion of Darius, by a
dau^ter of Gobryas, had thecondudt of the Ionian
and Carian fleets. The Egyptians were com•
manded by Achasmenes, brother of Xerxes, both
oa
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• ίΐ3
on the father and mother's fide. The two other
generals condufted the reft of the fleet to the amount
of three thoufand yeiiels, which were compofed of
veilels of thirty and fifty oars, of Cercuri ^*, and
of long tranlports for the cavalry.
XCVIII, After die gei>erals> the more diftin-
guilhed officers of the fleet were the Sidonian Te-
tramneftus, fon of Anyftisi Martes of Tyre, fon of
Siromus; Nerbalus the Aradian, fon of Agbalus;
die Cilician Syennefis, ion of Oromedon ; and Cy«
bernifais the fon of Sicas• To theie may be added
Gortes fon of Cherfis, and Timonax fon of Tima•
goras, both of them Cyprians, with the three Carian
kadersj^ Hiftiaeus Ion of Tymnis, Pigres fon of Scl-
doiBus^ and Damafithym\is fon of Candaules.
XCIX• The other leaders 1 forbear to fpecify,
it not appearing neceflary *, but it is impoflible not
to ipeak^i and with admiration^ of Artemifia ^', who,
though
^^ C/»rtiri.]*-»Thefe, according to Plby, were a particular
kind of Tcflel, invented by the Cyprians.
'* JrtimiJia.'l'^Thcre were two of this name, both natives,
wad qneens of Caria, from which circumftance they have by
different writers been freqnently confounded. Pliny, Hardonin»
and Scaliger have been gmlty of this error, and have afcribed
to the firft what is true only of the laft«— See Baj^le, article
Artemifia• Nothing can however be more dear and fatisftc*
tory, than that the Artemifia who accompanied Xtrxe$ was tht
daughter of Lygdamis. The Artemifia whofe mauibleum in ho«
HOOT of h«r hoiband't memory has rendered her to illaftr^n^
Ρ 3 waa
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414 ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A*
though a female, fervcd in this Grecian expedition•
On the death of her huiband fhe had the fupreme
authority, for her fon was not yet grown up, and
her great fpirit and vigour of mind alone induced
her to exert heifelf on this occafion. She was the
dau^ter of Lygdamis, by her father's fide of Hali-
camaflus, by hex mother of Cretan defcent• She
had the condufb of thoie of Halicarnaflus, Co^
Nifyros, and Calydne. She fumilhed five fliips,
which, next to thofe of the Sidonians^ were the beft
in the fleet. She was alio diftinguuhed amongft
all the allies for the falutary counfels which flie garc
the king. The people I have recited as fubjedt to
Artemifia were I believe all of them Dorians. The
HaUcamaiTians were originally of Traezene, the reft
of Epidaunis• — Such were the maritime forces•
was die daoghter pf Hecatemnea» and lived at a much later
period. The daughter of Lygdamis» of whom it is our bufinefs
to fpeak» was certainly a great and ffluibious charader. Her
wifdom is very confpicuous, from the excellent advice which
ihe gave Xerxes ; and her valour was eminently diftinguiihed,
above that of all the men» in the battle of Salamis• See in a
fubfequent paragraph the fpeech of Xerxes concerning her,
wluch ha been imitated by J uitin : '< Artemifia queen of Hali-
caroaiTusy who joined her forces with Xerxes» appeared amongft
the forwarded commanders in the hotteit engagements ; and as
on the man's fide there was. an effeminate cowardice» on the
Roman's was obferved a mafculine courage.'*
She is honourably mentioned by a variety of writers» but at
length fell a vidim to the tender paifion. She was violently in
love with a native of Abydos» named Dardanus; to rid herfelf
of which (he took the celebrated lover's leap from the pro•
jnootory Leocas^ and peruhed,«->r•
C. Xerxes -
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 21$
C. Xerxes having ranged and numbered his ar-
mannent, was defirous to take a furvey of them
alL Mounted in his car^ he examined each nation in
their turn. To all of them he propofed certain
queftions, the replies to which were noted down by
his fecretarics. In this manner he proceeded from
fuit to lait through aU the ranks ^> both of horie
and
^ Through all the γλλΙ/.]— The proceffion of Xerxes in his
car through the ranlcs of his army is well deicribed by Glover
in his Leonidas^ and feems to afford a fine fubje^ for an hiHo•
rical pamBng•
The monarch willM, and fuddenly he heard
His trampling horfes— i£gh on filver wheel•
. The iv'ry car widi azure iapphires flione»
Cxrulean beryb, and the jafper green.
The emerald, the mby's glowing blofh.
The flaming topaas, with its golden beam.
The pearl, th* empurpled amethyft, and all
The varions gems wliich India's mines afford.
To deck the pomp of kings. In bamifli'd gold
A fculptur'd eagle from belund difplay'd
His ilately neck, and o'er the royal head
Oatftretch'd his dazzliog wings. Eight generous deeds.
Which on the fam'd Nifxan plain were nurs'd^
In wintry Media, drew the radiant car•
At the fignal bound
Th' attentive Heeds, the chariot flies ; beUnd
Ten thoufand horfe in thunder fweep the field-
He now draws nigh. Th' innumerable holl
Roll back by nations, and admit their lord
With all hb fatraps. As from cryiUl domes.
Built underneath an arch of pendent feas.
When that ftem power whofe trideat rules the floods.
With each csrulean deity» afcends *
Ρ 4 Thron'd
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and foot. When this was done, die fleet alio was
pulhed oiF from land, whilftthe monarch, exchang-
ing his chariot for a Sidonian veflel, on the deck (^
which he fat, beneath a golden canopy, pafled flowljr
the heads of the ihips, propoiing in like nianner quef-
tions to each, and noting down the anfwers• The
commanders had feverally nK>ored their veflcls at
about foiir plethra from fhore, in one uniform line,
with their Items out to fea, and their crews under
arms, as if prepared for battle. Xerxes viewed
them, pailing betwixt their prows and die ihore•
CI. When he had finiflied his furvey, he went
on ihore ; and fending for Demaratus, the fon of
Arifton, who accompanied him in this expedition
againft Greece, he thus addrcflcd him : " From
** you, Demaratus, who arc a Greek, and as 1 un-
** deriland from yourfclf and others, of no mean or
** contemptible city, I am defirous of obtahiing in-
*• formation : do you think that the Greeks will
*' prefume to make any refiftance againft me ? For
** my own part, not to mention their want of una-
•* nimity, I cannot think that all die Greeks, joined
•* to all the inhabitants of the weft, would be able
** to withftand my power : what is your opinion on
« this fubjeft r "* Sir,'• faid Pemaratus, in reply,
'* fliall 1 fey what is true, or only what is agree•
ThronM in his pearly ch^ot—all the deep
DiTides its bofom to th* emerging god.
So Xerxes rode between tbt Afian world.
On either fidf receding* L$mdat.
^^ abler
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A, αΐ7
•* ablc^^ ?*' Xerxes commanded him to fpeak the
truuiy aflurlng him that he would be as agreeable
to him as ever.
CII. ** Since>" anfweredDemaratiis^ ** you com•
^ mand me to φeak the truth» it ihall be my care
^' to deliver myielf in iuch a manner that no
^' one hereafter, fpeaking as I do, ihall be con«
'^ vided of faUhood. Greece has ever been die
*' child of poverty; for its virtue k is indebted to
** the fevcre wifdom and difcipline, by^which it has
'^ tempered it$ poverty, and repelled its oppre£|brs•
'^ To this praife all the Dorian Greeks are entitled^
^^ Or wly what is 4^freiZf.]— lias nstorali/ hringt to
jnind the oM proverb in the Andcia of Terence :
Obfeqaium tnucos Teritss oduun ptrit
Whkb expreffion Cioero« in his Treadfe de Amicitia» teprobttet
with proper dignity•
See alio the following lines, quoted in Athenaens» fiooi Aga^
Ao: . : /• ' '
That is> in Engfifli, If I fpeak the trnth I ihall not pleafe yon ^
if I pleafe yon I (hall not iftsk the truth.
li as appears from Xenophon in particular» and from various
other writers^ that to fpeak the trnth con&ituted>an indifpenfable
part of Periian education» thefe words of Denaaratus muft have
appeared an infult to Xerxes» not to be juflified by any affe£led
humility» or any real difference of rank. What Homer thought
on this fubje£l may be gathered from the two noble lines which
he pots into the mouth of Achilles :
Who dares think one tUng and another tell.
My ibttl detefts him as the gates of helL T•
6 •ΊηΛ
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ii8 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
** but Ι Ihall now fpcak of the Laced«noniam
" only. You may depend upon it that your propo-
** fitions, which threaten Greece with fervitude, will
*' be rejefted, and if all the other Greeks fide with
♦' you againft them, the Lacedaemonians will en•
" gage you in battle. Make no enquiries as to their
^ number, for if they ihall have but a thouiand
" men, or even fewer, they will fight you^*."
CIII. " What, Demaratus," anfwercd Xerxes,
fmiling, " think you that a thoufand men wul en-
*' gage fo vaft a hoft ? Tell me, you who, as you
** lay, have been their prince, would you now wil-
^ lingly engage with ten opponents ? If your coun-
^* trymen be what you defcribc them, according
" to your own principles you, who are their
*' prince, fliould be equal to two of them. Ifi
^ therefore, one of them be able to contend with
*' ten of my foldiers, you may be reafonably ex-
•* pedted to contend with twenty : fuch ought to be
^• fFill/ghtyoM.] — ^In dofe imitation of the paiTage before
us, the author of Leonidas makes Xerxes thus addrefs Dtma-
rauis:
Now declare
If yonder Grecians will oppofe their march•.
To him the exile, Deem not, mighty lord,
I will deceive thy goodnefs by a tale.
To give them glory who degraded mine ;
Nor be the king offended while I ufe
The voice of truth— the Spartans never fly.
Contemptuous fmil'd the monarch, and refum'd»
Wilt thou, in Lacedaemon once fupremc.
Encounter twenty Peri&ns ?
''the
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POLYMNIA• aij
** the teft of yoiir aflertions. But if your countty-
** men really refemblc in form and fize you, and
«* fuch other Greeks as appear in my prefence, it
" ihould feem that what you lay is diitated by
^* pride and infolence j for how can it be Ihcwn
•^ that a thoufand, or ten thoufand, or even fifty
** thoufand men, all equally free, and not fubjed to
^^ the will of an individual, could oppofe fo great
•* an army ? Granting them to have 'five thoufand
*' men, we have ftill a majority of a thoufand to
** one ; they who like m are under the command
^* of one perfon, ΛόπΛ the, fear of then- leader, and
** under the immediate impredion of the lalh, are .
** animated with a fpirit contrary to their nature,
^' and are made to attack a. number greater than
'' their own; but they who arc ui^cd by no
*' conftramt will not do this. If thcfe Greeks ^
*^ were even equal to us in number, I cannot tliink
" they would dare to encounter Perfians. The
'* virtue to which you allude is to be found amongft
•* ourfdves, though the samples are certainly not
'* numerous : there are amon^ my Perfian guards
•* men who will fingly contend with three Greeks ^^
^ The prcpofterous language which you ufe can
•* only, therefore, proceed fix^m your ignorance."
w ff^ith thra Gr//i/.]-^Thi8 vain boaft of Xerxes was in the
end puniihed by Polydamas. Darius, natural fon of Artaxerxes»
and who by the favour of the Periians fucceeded to the throne»
had heard of his remarkable exploits; having by promifes
allured him to Sufa, Polydamus challenged three of thofe
whom the Perfians call the immortal, encountered them all at
cone, and flew them.«— £erci&/r•
CIV.
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wo ρ ο L ν Μ Ν I Α.
CIV. ** Ι knew, my lord, from the firft,*' re•
turned Demaratus, " that hj peaking truth I
** ftiould offend you. I was induced to give you
«* this reprefentation of the Spartans, from your
«' urging me to fpeak without referve. You fnay
*^ judge, fir, what my attachment mirfl be to thofe
" who, not content with depriving me of my pa-
** temal dignities, drove me ignominioufly into
** exile. Your father received, protefted, and fup^
*' ported me ^"^ : no prudent man will treat with
** ingratitude the kindneis of his benefaftor. I will
." never prefume to engage in fight with ten nnen,
** nor even with two, nor indeed willingly with
♦* one ; but if neceflity demanded, or da^nger pro-
^ yoked me, I would not hefitate to fight with
** any one of thofe who they fay is a match for
^' three Greeks. The Lacedaemonians, when they
•* engage m fingle combat, arc certainly not in•
^ fcrior to other men, but in a body they are not
** to be equalled. Although free, they are not ib
** without fome referve; the law is their fuperior*',
<€of
•• ProtiBti and/upportedm.}^T\M prince gave him the town»
of Pergamos, Teuthrania» and Halifarnia, which Euryfthencf
and Proclesy defcendants of Demaratus, enjoyed in the 95di
Olympiad, who joined themfelves to Thimbron the Lacedaemo-
nian general, when he paiTed into Afia Minor to make war on
Perfia•— Lerfi&^r.
•* 7be law is tbiir /ufirior.]^^Thom{on, in hie Poem to
Liberty, gives this juft and animated defcription of Spina ;
Spread on Earota's bank»
Amid a circle of foft-rifing hills.
The patient SparU ftood, the fober, hard*
And man-fubdiiing dty» which no (hapt
Of
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν 1 Α. ail
^ of which they ftand in g i taiei awe than your
^ fubjefts do of you : they are obedient to what it
^ commands•*, and it commands them always
" not to fly from the field of batdc, whatever nuy
'* be the number of their adverlaries• It is their
Of psdn could conquer» nor of pleafure durm•
Lycurgas there built, on the foUd bafe
Of equal life, fo well a tempered ibte»
Where mixM each government in each juft pciie,
£ach power fo checking and fupporting each.
That firm for ages and unmov'd it ftood.
The fort of Greece» without one giddy hour#
One ihock of fadion> or of party rage:
For> drainM the fprings of weadth, corruption there
Lay wither'd at the root. Thrice happy land.
Had not negleded art withjweedy vice
Confouqded funk : but if Athenian arts
Lov'd not the fou, yet then the calm abode
Of wifdom, virtue, philofophic eafe.
Of manly fenfe, and wit in frugal phrafe,
Confin'd and prefs'd into laconic force ;
There too, by rooting thence ilill treach'rous felf.
The public and the private grew the fame ;
The children of the nurfing public all.
And at its table fed : for that they toil'd.
For that they liv'd entire, and ev'n for that
The tender mother urg'd her fon to die.
Lihriy, part ii. io8, &c
Dr. Johnfon fays truly of this poem, that none of Thomibn't
works have been fo little regarded ; I may, neverthelefs, venture
to promife whoever has not perufed it, that it will very well pay
his attendon.«— T*•
•» What it commOHiis,]'^" With the Lacedaemonians," fayi
Plato, '«the law is the Ung and mailer; and men are not the
tyrants of the laws." *' The Deity,** fays he, in another place,
^ is the law of wife and moderate men ; pleafure that of men
who are ffxiHh and intemperate."-»J^«ro&#r•
w duty
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J41 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A.
" duty to prcferve their ranks, to conquer, or to
^ dk\ If what I fey fecm to you abfurd, I am
^ willing in future to be filenL I have fpoken
^ what I think, becauie the king commanded me>
*' to whom may all he dcfircs be accompliih-
^ ed."
CV. Xerxes fmiled at thefe words of Demara-
tus, whom he difinifled without any anger civilly
from his preience. After the above conferoice he
removed feoro^Uorilhis the governor who had been
.placed there by Darius, and promoted in his room
MafcainET foh of Megadoftb. He then paifed
through Thrace with his army, towards Greece•
CVI. To this Mafcamis, as to the braveft of all
the governors appointed either by himielf or by
Darius, Xerxes lent prefents every year, and Arta-
xerxes, fon of Xerxes, continued to do the fame to
his defcendants. Before this expedition againft
Greece there had conftandy been governors both
. in Thr^e and the Hellefponti all of whom, except
Mafcamis, the Greeks afterwards expelled : he alone
retamed Dorifcua b his fubjeftion, in defiance
Ο concetre not, prince.
That Spartans want an objedl where to £x
Their eye$ in reverence, in obedient dread.
To them more awful than the name of king
To Afia's trembling πύΐΐίοηθ, is the law»
Whofe facred voice enjoins them to confront
Unnumbered foe^ to vanquiih or to die.~Z.«M»^.
of
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• aaj
of the many and repeated exertions made to remove
him. It was in remembrance of thefe fervices, that
he and all his defcendancs received ^prefents &om
the kings of Perfia. \
CVII. The only one of all thofe expelled by the
Greeks, who enjoyed the good opinion of Xerxes^ ι^γ
vaft Boges **, the governor of Eion ; th |i^ ίΤίι^Π hff ^
always ίϊϊ5ΠΓΐδϊ553Γ m terms of dfteem, and all his Γ/>
defcendants were honourably r^arded in Perfia. ^^
Boges was not undeferving his great reputation: i/- ,
when he was befieged by the Athenians, under the ^
conduit of Cimon, Ion of Miltiades, he might, if he
had thought proper, have retired into Afia ; this he .
reiuied, and defended himfelf to the laft extremity^
from apprehenfions that the king might afcribe hi» ^ ^ / ^ ύ
conduft to fear• When no provifions were left,
he caufed a large pile to be raifcd ; he then flew his
children, his wife, his concubines, and all his family,
and threw them into the fire -, he next caft all the
gold and filver of the place from the walls into the
Strymotti laftly, he leaped himfelf into the flames.
^ Ί lus man is, therefore, very defcrvedly extolled by
the Perfians.
CVIII. Xerxes, in his progrefs from Dofifcus to
Greece, compelled all the pe ople amongft whom he
•♦ ^iffw.]— This proper name is by PauCinias writtenBpes. j ^
The expedition of Cimon is mentioned by Thucydides, -^fchi-
nes« and others•— Thk Cimon was the grand -Γοη of the Cimon
Spoken of in Livy, book vi. chap. 34, 39.
came
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Μ4, ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α.
camp to join hi s txxtsf . All this traft of countrjr,
as far as Theflaly^ as I have before remarked^ had
' beeivl made tributary to the king, firft by Megaby-
2\is» and C&nclufively byMardonius• Leaving Do- , . %
rifcus, he firft pafled beyond theSamothracian,fcrtSr-^ "^
the laft of which, towards the weft, is called Vit^i
iambriai contiguous^ dm i s Sayme, a ThafiaaT'''^^'^'
town« The river Liflus waters bodi thefe towns,
the ftreams of which, on the preient occafion, were
infufficient for the army. This diftrid was once
called Galaice, now Bnandca, and properly bebng-
ed to the Ciconians/ . / /
CIX. Xerxes having pafled the exhaufted bed of
the Lifliis, continued his march beyond the Gre-
cian cities of Maronea, Dicaea, and Abdera'^ ; he
pafled alfo the following lakes in the vicinity of
thefe towns: the Ifmaris, betwixt Maronea and
StrycQ^ the Biftonis in the neighbourhood of pj^
*> ^Mre.]— See note to chapter i6S of book die ^9ii
I there obferved tha t Abdera produced many illuftrious cha*
ttu yet It is thus Stigmatized by Juvenal in his tenth*
Satire. Speaking of Democritas» he lays»
cnjus prudentia monftrat
Summoa poiTe viros et magna exempla daturot
Veruecum im pMtria» craflbque fttb aete nafcL
Which lines are thus tranflated by Dryden, rather too dlf-
ioiely:
Learn from fo great a wit» a land of bogs
With ditches fenc'd, a hear'n At with fogs»
May form a fjurit fit to fway the fute.
And make the neighboring monarchs {ear their* £ite»«-r^
oca.
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/^
Λ,.
^ ρ ο L Ϋ Μ Ν I A. ι«τ5
/
'l•
caeaj which is filled by the two dreams of the
^ J j L• Trauus and Compfatus, Near Abdcra is no W^e of
importance; but the kingpafled near thyfjcftuK "^ "
which empties itfelf into the ocean.^ He proceeded
onwards through the more midland cities, n^ one <
whic his a lake almoft of thirty ftadiaJa ,
ference, full of fifli, but remarkably fait : the
of this proved only fufficient for the beafts of bur-
then. The name of the city is Piftirus. Thcfe
Grecian and maritime cities were to the left of
rs as'lie'paifcdvtliem. * f
ex. The nations of Thrace through which he
^^-^ /^arched are thefc ; .the Pgti^ X iconians^ .Biftones^
1 Sapsij Derfasi ^'Xdo nian ^ and the Sa tr^ The in* '
naoitahb of the niiaritime towns followed hy fea 5
thofe inland, which I have ah-eady fpecified, were,
except the Satrae, compelled to accompany ^ the
army by land. . y . ;
CXI. The Satrae, as far as I know, never were
fubduedj they alone, of all the Thracians, have
continued to my memory an independent nation.
They are remarkable for their valour. They inha-
bit loftyi jpauntains covered with fnow, but abound-
ing in all kinds of trees : upon the fummit of one
of their higheft hilU they have an oracle of Bac-
•• Compelled to accompany, y^^haz we find were thefe lUidone
compelled to ferve onder Cyrus> who were betwixt him and
CrafuSy not as aflbdates, but asj>nfoncrs of^vac Many of
them were reduced from being horfemen to ferve on foot> and
in a way, fays Xenophon, which Cyras accounted as in th•
higheft degree fervile, as flingers.— 71
Vol. III. CL chus.
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G 6
/
ο L γ Μ Ν
ααθ Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α•
chus. The interpreters of thefe divine oracles are
dw^cffi '7 : a prieftefs makes the refponfes, as at
Delphi, and with the fame ambiguity.
CXII. Xerxes continued to advance, and ψ^&ά
bjr two Pierian cities, one called Phagra, the other
Pergamos -, to his right he left the mountain Pan-
jgggus, which is of great extent and height, atfohas
mines both of gold and filver; thefe are worjced by
the Pierians and Odomanti, and particularly by
the Satrae. ' > ^
CXIII. Beyon d Pan^agus , tojhe-ii^rth, are the
Paeonians, "the Doberes, and the Pajoples. Xerxes
pailed all thefe, keeping a weftward diredion, till
he came to the river Strymon, and the city of
Eion : Boges, the governor of this laft place, whom
we have before mentioned, was then living. The
country round Pangseus is called Phillis, it extends
to the weft as far as the Angitis, which empties it-
felf i^to the Strymon ; to the fouth it continues till
it meets the Strymon. To this river the magi of-
fered a facrifice of white horfes *'.
' CXIV.
•7 Βεβ,"] — Ovid makes mention of thefe Bcffi in no very
JaUgring terms :
Vivere quam miferum eft inter Beffofque Getafque.— y.
•• Sacrifice of twhite /&<?>;/?/.]— The particular manner in
which they performed thefe facrificcs, Strabo thus defcribes :
■ Whm th» P erfians^ come to a lake, a river^ or a fountain»
they fink a pit» and kill the victim» taking particular care that the
pure
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/ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Ι Α. 227
CXIVi After performing thefe and many other
religious I rites to the Strymon, they proceeded
through ™ Edonian diftrift of the Nine Wavs^tp
"'■'"■ wnere t!iey tounid bridges thrown over thfc jStrymoai / * it Λ ^
when they heard that this place was named the
Niijf Ways, they buried there alive nine youths, and ^
as many virgins, natives of the country. This cuf•
torn of burying alive is common in Perfiaj and I ^
have been informed that Ameftris, the wife of
Xerxes, when Ihe was of an advanced age, com-
manded fourteen Perfian children of illuftrious birth
to be interred alive in honour of that deity whom /t^
they fuppo fe to cxift und^ r the <>fltf h. - -
CXV. Marching ftill forwards, they left on the
pare water in the vicinity is not (lained with bIood> which would
coDtammate it. They then place the fleih of the vidim upon
branches of myrtle or laore]» and bum it with fmall nicks :
during this they chaunt hymns^ and offer Hbations of oil mixed
with milk and honey, which they pour not into the fire, but
upon the ground. Their hymns are very long, and whilft thof
• are iinging them they hold in their hands a bundle of ihoit
pieces of briar.
To which may be added the following particulars•
When the Perfians facrificed they wore garlands, which we
learn from the firfl book of Herodotus, and the third book of th6
Cyropaedia of Xenophon. They fometimes burnt all, and
fometimes only part of the vidiro, feaiUng on the remainder•
In the 1 6th chapter of Leviticus, the Englilh reader may find
a general fimilitude to the Perfian mode of facrifice, and indeed
to that of all the Oriental nations. See alfo on this fubjedl the
fecond DiEerUtion of Hutchinfon, prefixed to his Cyropsdia•
0^2 Ihorc,
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/
αα8 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
Ihore, to the weft, a Grecian city called Argilus ;
this, as well as the country beyond it, is called Bifal-
tia: leaving then to the left the gulph, which is
near the temple of Neptune, they crofled the plam
called Sileum, and palling the Greek city of Stagirus^^
came to Acanthus. The people of all thefe pli^,
6i of mount Pangeus, together with thofc whom we
have enumerated, they carried along with them :
/ they who dwelt on the coaft went by fea j they who
lived diftant from the fea went by land• The line
/ .i* / ^ * of country through which Xerxes led his araiy is
f^ / 3 • to *^ prefent day held in fuch extreme veneration
by the Thracians, that they never difturb or culti-
vate it.
CXVI. On his arrival at Acanthos, the Perfian
monarch interchanged the rites of holpitality with
the people, and prefented each with a Median
veft^^: he was prompted to this conduot by the
particular zeal which they difcovered towards the
war, and from their having compleated the work of
the canal.
CXVII. Whilft Xerxes ftill continued at Acan-
thos, Artachaees, who had fuperintended the works
of the canals, died j he was of the race of the
Achasmenid», in great favour with the king, and
•• Median *i/^.]«— This was invented by Semiramisy the
wifcof Ninus; it was fo very graceful, that the Medes adopted
it, after they had conquered Ma ; the Perfians followed their
txusiflci^Larcbcr*
the
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 129
the talleft of all the Perfians ; he wanted but four
fingers of five royal cubits ^, and was alfo remark-
able for his great ftrength of voice. The king was
much afflifted at his lofs, and buried him with
great magnificence, the whole army being employ-
ed in creating a monument to his memory. The
Acanthians, in compliance with an oracle, invoke
him by name, apd pay him the honours of a hero.
Xerxes always confidered the death of Artachsees
as a great calamity.
CXVIII. Thofe Greeks who entertained the
Perfian army, and provided a banquet for the king,
were reduced to extreme mifery, and compell•
cd to abandon their country. On account of their
cities, diftributed along the continents the Thafians
alfo feafted Xerxes and his forces : Antipater, the
fon of Orgis, a man of great reputation, was fe-
lefted by his countrymen to prefide on the occa-
fion ; by his account it appeared, that four hundred
talents of filver were expended for this purpofe.
CXIX. No Icfs expcnce devolved upon the
other cities, as appeared by the accounts delivered
in by the difierent magiftrates. As a long previous
notice was given, preparations were made with
fuitable induftry and magnificence. As foon as die
royal will was made known by the heralds, the in-
^ Five royal r«i//i.]— Suppofmg oar author to mean here
the Babylonian meafure, this» according to the computation of
d'Anville> would be fcven feet ei^ht inches Ya^^-^Larcber.
0^3 habitant
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ίΐ30 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
habitants of the feveral cities divided the com
Mrhich they pofiefied^ and employed nnany months
in reducing it to meal and flower. Some there
were, who purchaied at a great price the fineft
cattle they could procure, for the purpofe of fet-
tening them : others, with the fame view of enter-
taining the army, provided birds both of the land
and the water, which they preferved in cages and in
ponds• Many employed themfehres in making
cups and goblets of gold and filver, with the
other utenfils of the uble; thefe laft-mentioned
articles were intended only for the king himfelf,
and his more immediate attendants; with reφeέ):
to the army in general, it was thought fufficient to
furniih them with proviiion• On the approach of
the main body, a pavilion was erefted, and pro-
perly prepared for the refidence of the monarch, the
reft of the troops remained in the open air. From
the commencement of the feaft to its conclufioDj
the fatigue of thofe who provided it is hardly to be
cxprefled. The guefts, after latisfying their appe-
tite,, palled the night on the place; the next morn-
ing, after tearing up the pavilion, and plundering
its contents, they departed, without leaving any
thing behind them.
CXX. Upon this occafion the witty remark of
Megacreon of Abdera has been handed down to
pofterity. He advifed the Abderites of both fexes
to go in proceiEon to their temples, and there, in
the attitude of fupplicants, entreat the gods to con-
tinue in future to avert from them the half of their
calamities.
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ρ ο L τ Μ Ν I Α• iji
calamities. With refpeft to the pall, he thought
their gratitude was due to heaven, becaufe Xerxes
did not take two repaib in a day. If the Abde•*
rites, he obferved, had been required to furnifti a
dinner as well as a fupper, they muft either have
prevented by flight the vifit of the king, or have
been the mod miierable of human beings.
CXXI. Thefe people, fevere as was the burden,
ftilfilled what had been enjoined them. From
Acanthus, Xerxes difiniflcd the commanders of his
fleet, requiring them to wait his orders at Thcrma•
Therma is fituated near the Thermean gulph, to
which it gives its name. He had been taught
to fuppofe this the moft convenient road ; by the
command of Xerxes, the army had marched from
Dorifcus . to Acanthus in three feparate bodies :
one went by the fea-coafl:, moving with the fleet,
^d was commanded by Mardonius and Mafiiles $
a fecond proceeded through the midft of the con•
tinent, under the conduft of Tritantaechmes and
Gergis j betwixt thefe went the third detachment,
with whom was Xerxes himfelf, and who were led
by Smerdomenes and Megabyzus,
CXXII. As foon as the royal mandate was
ifliied, the navy entered the canal which had been
funk at nnount Athos, and which was continued to
the gulph, contiguous to which are the cities of
Afla, Pidorus, Singus, and Sarga^ Taking on board
a fupply of troops from thefe places, the fleet ad-
vanced towards the Thermaean gulph, and doubling
0^4 the
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ι
^3^ Ρ Ο L y Μ Ν Ι Α.
the T oyroncan promonfory of Ampclos, pai&d by
the following Grecian towns, from which alfo they
t9ok r cinforc^gn^^ ptff of veflels and of me n — ^To-
rona, Galcpfus, Sermyla^i^l Mecybema, and Olyn•
thus. All the above diftriifls how name d Sitbj>
nia•^.^ /Ϊ ^ * y η / / '
' y " CXXIII. From the promontory of Ampelos,
^ ^ . they pro9ccded by a ihort cut to the Camaftrean
cape, the point, which of all the diftrift of PaUene^
projefts fartheft into the fea ; here they took with , . ^
them other fuftplies of men and Ihips, from foti-^ ^S^
^^^^ APh^^"*^^ Neapoljq. ^ga, Therambus, Scione,
t Menda> and Sjtfig. Thefe cities are fituated in the
^:'^• region now called Pallcnc, known formerly by the
'^ name of Phle^^ Coafting onwards to the fta-
tion appointed, they fupplied themfelvcs with ,
troops from the cities in the vicinity of Pallent^. ^ ^^
and the Thermaean gulph. The names of lliefe,
fituate in what is now called the Cnoflean region,
are Lipaxus, Combrea, LjiTae, Gigonus, Campfa,
Smila and ^nea. From this laft place, beyond
which I lliall forbear to fpecify the names of cities,
the fleet went in a ftraight dircdion to the Thermean
gulph, and the coaft of Mygdonia : it ultimately
arrived at Therma, the place appointed, as alfo at
Sindus and J^haleftra, on the rive r Axius, which
,/: feparates Mygdoni^ from Botti^is. In a narrow ""^^
^ ^ neck of this region, leading to the fea^, a,re found
the cities of Ichnae and Pella•
CXXiy. The naval forces ftationed themfelvcs
near
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Β ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. ^33
near the river s^xiwri, the town of Therma, and the
other neighbouring cities, where they waited for the
king. Direfting his march this way, Xerxes, with
all his forces, left Acanthus, and proceeded over the
continent through Paeonia and Creftonia, near the
river Chidorus, which, taking its rife in Creftonia,
flows through Mygdonia, and empties itfelf into a ^ /
jOOaESuEhich is above the river, A^uni. . ^ J^T? r^- ^^ ^'^'
CXXV. In the courfe of this march the camels,
which carried the provifions, were attacked by
lions : in the darknefs of the night they left their
accuftomed abode, and without molefting man or
beaft, fell upon the camels only ''. That the lions
Ihould
^• ThK cameL• «λ^.]— '« Herodotus," fays Bellanger, in a note
upon this pailage> ** was no great oaturalift. The Arabians»
and all thofe who inhabit the couniries where are lions and
camels, very well knpw that the lion loves the ileih of the
camel.'*— Λί JElian, Htfiory of Animals y book xvii. chap. 36.
Herodotus, it mud be confefled, was not remarkably well
verfed jh natural hift ory ; but if he had, it muft always have
appeared furprifing to him, that lions, who had never before feen
camels, or tailed their fleih, ihould attack them in preference to
other beafts pf burthen. That in Arabia lions ihould prefer a
camrf to a horfe, may feem natural enough ; they know by ex-
perience the fle(h of thefe two animals, and that of the camel
is doubdefs more to their tafte : but what could have given
|h em this knowledge in Macedonia ? I confefg j^hat this would^
have appeared no lefs marvellous to me than to Herodotus•—
Larcher,
^ With refpcft to die lion, many prepofterous errors anciently
prevailed, which modem improvements and refearches in natu-
tural hiftory, have correded and improved ; neverthelefs the
fad here recorded by Herodotus muft ever appear marvellous•
It feems in the firft place, that the region of Europe in which
he has fixed diefe lions b too cold for producing thofe animals»
and
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2J4 "Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
fl\ould attack the camels alone, animals they had
never before devoured, or even feen, is a faft which
I relate with furprife, and am totally uijable to ex-
CXXVI. Thefe places abound with lions and
wild bulls, the large horns of which are carried tot
^ ^^^ ^' Greec e. Pn the, nng fiA> φρ >fpfl:ii!i^ whirh flows
V- -^"^ through Abdera, and on the other die Achelous,
pafling through Acamania, are^ the limits beyond
which no lions are found ^*. In the intermediate
region betwixt thefe two places lions are pro-
^--^'ffuced ', but no one has ever feen them in Europe,
/ -»> mnd according to every teftimony it was then colder than at
^^^ prefent.
\ * It is now well known that the lion, however urged by hunger»
does not attack its prey boldly and in an open manner, but in•*
fidioufly : as the camels therefore were certainly on this occafion
accompanied by a multitude, it is not eafy to conceive how
they could well be expofed to the atucks of the lions. In the
next place it is not likely that the lions (hould be allured to the
Camels by their fmell, for it is now very well afcertained that
the lion has by no means an acute fenfe of fmelling. With re«^
fped to the tafte of the lion, it is faid that having once tailed
human blood it prefers it to all other food. Of the tiger,
which is only a different fpecies of the fame genus with the
lion, both being feles, it is faid, but I know not from what ac-
curacy of experiment or obfervation, that it prefers the flefli of
an African to that of an European, the European to the Ameri«i
can ; but the affertion may be rcafooably difputed.— T*.
•* Lions are found.l — Lions are not at all found in America,
and fewer in Afia than in Africa. The natural hiilory of the lion
maybeperufcd in Buffon with much information and entertain-
^lent; but more real knowledge concerning this noble animal may
perhaps be obtained from Sparman's Voyage to the Cape of
Good Hope, than from any other writer on this fubjedl. — T.
beyond
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• 235
_yond the Neftus to the Eaft, or beyond the
Achelous to the weft.
CXXVII. On his arrival' at Therntia, Xerxes
halted with his army, which occupied the whole of
the coaft from Therma_^Dd My^donia. as far es— ^^^^
the rivers Lydias and Haliacmon, which forming
the limits'of Bottiseis and Macedonia, meet at laft
in the fame channel. Here the Barbarians en•
camped : of all the rivers I have enumerated, the
Chidorus, which flows from Creftonia, was the only
one which did not afford fufficient water for the
troops. / / r
CXXVIII. Xerxes, viewing from Therma,
Olympus and Offa, Theffalian mountains of an ex- * /
traordinary height, betwixt which was a narrow
afiag e where the Peneus poure d its ftream, and
where was an entrance to Theffaly, he was ddifduT
of failing to the mouth of this river. For the way
he had determined to march as the fafeft was through
the high country of Macedonia, by the Perrasbi,
and the, town of Qonnus. He inftantly how-
ever fet about the accompliihment of his wifli.
He accordingly went on board a Sidonian veflel,
for on fuch occafions he always preferred the ihips
of that country ; leaving here his land forces, he
gave the fignal for all the fleet to prepare to fet
fail. Arriving at the mouth of the Peneus, he obr
lerved it with particular admiration, and defired to
|cnow of his guides if it would not be poflible to
turn
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23^ Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α•
turn the ftrcam, and nuke it empty itfclf injp the
fca in fome other place. y/^ ' ♦ 7
CXXIX. Thcflaly is faid to ha^been fonjicrly ^^^
a marfti, on all fides furrounded byniofty mountains;
to the eaft by Pelion and OiTaf whofe bafes meet.
\.^ . _ .. -»- -.-- - ■"**- -
each other ; to the north by CMympus, to the weft
by Pindus ; to the fouth by Dthrys. The Ipace
betwixt thefe is Theflaly, into^which depreflcd re-
gion many rivers pour their waters, but more par-
ticularly thcfe five> the Peneus,t|}e Apidanus^ the
, OnochonuSj t he Enipeu s, and the Pamifijs':''ailthefe,
" '" flowing from the mountains which furround Thcf-
> . V^ ' faly into the plain, are till then diftinguiihed by
, . Ipecific names. They afterwards unite in one nar-
; * / ' ' row channel, and are poured into the fea. After
. / their union they take the name of the Peneus only.
■ ' It is iaid, that formerly, before this aperture to the
/ fea exifted, all thefe rivers, and alfo the lake Babcis,
had not as now any fpecific name, but that their
body of water was as large as at prefent, and thc.^
Λvhole of Theffaly a fea. The Theflalians affirm,
and not improbably, that the valley through which
the.Pen£U&jQW.s. was forme d by Neptun e, Who-
ever fuppofes that Neptune caufes earthquakes, and
that the confequent chafms are the work of that
deity, may on viewing this fpot eafily afcribe it to
his power : to me, the feparation of thefe moun-
tains appears to have been the eiFect of an earth-
quake ''.
cxxx.
^i ^Λ firr/%<tfif.]— The reader may fee in Philoftratus,the^
« defcriptioQ
5 .
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Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Ι Α. 237
CXXX. Xerxes enquiring of his guides whether
.ώίβ Peneus might be conduced to the fea by any
otheF"Ciianncl, received from them, who were well
acquainted with the fituation of the country, this
reply : " As Theflaly, Ο king, is on every fide en-
*^ circled by mountains, the Peneus can have no
" other communication with the fea." " The
*' Theifalians,'' Xerxes is faid to have anfwcrcd,
** are a fagacious people. They have been careful
'* to decline a conteft for many reafons, and
*^ particularly as they muft have difcerned that
** their country would afford an eafy conqueft
** to an invader. All that would be neceflary
*' to deluge the whole of Theffaly, except the
defcripdon of a pidlure in which Neptune is reprefented as ia
the a£t of feparating the moantains. — See alio Strabo. The
tradition that Oifa and Olympus were anciently diiPerent parts
of the iame mountain, exiiled from a very remote period in
Greece ; and according to Mr. Wood, in hb Eflay on Homer»
is not now, obliterated. The vaMey through which the Peneus
flows is the celelfrated vale of Tempe, the fruirful theme of £o
many poetical eftulions In ancient periods» as well as at the pre-
fent. The river Peneus is no where better.defcribed than in the
following lines of Ovid ; ♦
■ ■ Fift llsmW!JJgpop'^g^^^r^pta quod undique claudit
Silva, vocant Tempe per quae Peneus ab imo / • . . ϊ^^
EfFufus Pindo fpumofis volvitur undis
Deje^uque gravis tenues agitantia fnmos - j
NabMa conducit» fummafque afpergine fylvas
Impluit et fonitu plufquam vicina fatigat.
Metamorpb, i. 568•
Very few readers will require to be told that Ovid made the,
Jagksof the Peneus the fcene of his fable of Daphne and
Apollo.— ί
Λ
*' mountainous
•' /'Digitized by LjOOQIC
..*
13S Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
« mountainous parts, would be to ftop up the
^ mouth of the river, and thus throw back its
** waters upon ihe country." This obfervation
referred to the fons of Aleuas, who were Thef-
fa lians^ and the firft Greeks who fub tpjiTr^f^ tn rl^f
"king. He prefumed that their condudt declared
the general fentiments of the nation in his favour.
After furveying the place he returned to Therma.
CXXXI. He remained a few days in the neigh-
bourhood of Pieria, during which interval a de-
tachment of the third of his army was employed
in clearing the Macedonian mountain, to facilitate
the paflage of the troops into the country of the
Peraebi. At the fame time the meflengcrs who had
been fent to require earth and water of the Greeks
returned, fome with and fome jwrithout it. ^ * ji^
CXXXI I. Amongft thofe/who fent it, were the
^^ Theffalians, the Dolopians, the EnianS, t he Peraebi^ . -
"^ the Locri, the Magnetes, the Melians, the Achasans i^i «^ * '^
^ V . of Pthiotis,. the J!hgb»s, and the reft of the people /
-i^
of Boeotia, except the Thelpians and Platieans.
Againft all thefe thofe Greeks who determined to
refift the Barbarians entered into a folemn yg sLlt
7 \ /J* to the following efFed — that wEatever Greeks fub-
r' '* ^ ^; • mitted to the Perfian, without the plea of unavoid-
" •♦ Solemn o'im?.}— The Greek is ira/ixor •^xio», literally, they
cut an oath, becaafe no alliance or agreement was ever made
without facriHcing a vidim. Similar to this, and tobe exphdned
in like manner^ was the ferire foedus of the Romans.
L. ■:-■'■■ -^ . • /
able
<» C L
3i^ti^dby^e2gle^
ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 239
able ncceiTity, ihould on any favourable change of
their afFairs forfeit to the divinity of Delphi a tenth
part of their property.
CXXXIII. Xerxes fent no meflengcrs either to
Athens or to Sparta, for when Darius had before
lent to thefe places, the Athenians threw his people
into their pit of puniihment ^^, the Lacedagmoni ans ^ ^^
into wells, telling them to get the earth and water """^
thence, and carry it to their king. The city and
country of the Athenians was afterwards laid wafte ;
but that they fuffered thus in confequence of their
treatment of the ambafladors, is more than I will
affert, indeed I can no means afcribe it to that
caufe.
CXXXIV. But the vengeance of Talthybius^'^
who had been the herald of Agamemnon, fell upon
the
•* Pit of pMniJbmeniJ]'^Le^rnea men have diiputed whether
tke T• βοξαΒξο* was the place of puuiihment at Athens or at
Sparta. See the EiTais de Critique of Bellanger, page 6^, and
the note of Larcher on this pafTage. It was a deep pic, into
which criminals were precipitated. See, in the Stratagemata of
Polysnus» an entertaining accoantof the ingenious and fuccefsful
contrivance of one Ariftomenes to efcape from this horrid place.
Pofyitft. book £. c. 2. Similar to this was the punifhment of
precipitation from the Tarpeian rock» infli£led on date cri-
minals aroongft the Romans. Perhaps it is not unreafonable to
prefume that a like kind of punifhment prevailed amongil the
Jews, who, we are told in the gofpels, hurried our Saviour to
the brow of the hill on which the city was built, intending to
throw him headlong down.— 7*.
•* Fcngeance of fi/f^foW.]*— The indignation of Talthy-
bius
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040 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
the I-acedaemonians. There is at Sparta a temple
of Talthybiusj his pofterity are called Talthybiadse^
and are employed^ as a mark of honour, on all
foreign embaflies. A long time after the incident we
have related the entrails of the viftims continued at
Sparta to bear an unfavourable appearance, till the
people, reduced to defpondency, called a general
affembly, in which they enquired by their heralds,
if any Lacaedemonian would die for his country '^
Upon
bios fell generally upon the republic of Lacedxmon, but at
Athens upon a particular houfe, namely on the family of Mil•
dadesy Ton of Cimon, becaufe he had advifed the Athenians to
put to death the heralds who came to Axno^.^^Pau/anias, book
iiL chapter 1 2•
I can no where find on what accpunt thefe honours were paid
to Talthybius and his pofterity. The perfons of heralds the
laws of all nations confented to hold facred» but this veneration
was paid not to the individual» but to the office. The name
of Talthybius occurs very feldom in Homer, and is never in-
troduced with any peculiar marks of honour or diftindion•
»' Dii for bis couMtry,'\*^A fuperftiaous idea prevded a-
mongft the ancients, that* the fafety of a whole nation might
be fecured, or the life of an individual be preferved, by the
volunwry devotion of one or more perfons to death. Thus,
amongft the Greeks, in the inftance before us, and in the ex-
axx^l? of Leonidas, who devoted himfelf at Thermopylae. The
Romans were diftinguiihed by the fame abfurd error : the chafjn
of the forum was fuppofed to clofe becaufe a Roman knight
voluntarily leaped into it ; and a fplendid vidory over their
adverfaries was believed to be the confequence of the fdf•
devotion of Dedus. In fucceeding times it became cuftomary
for individuals to devote and confecrate themfelves, their for-
tunes, and their lives, to the fervice of the emperors. The
folly began with Auguftos» to whom one Pacuvius thus devoted
himfelf•
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν Ι Α. £41
Upon this Sperthics '% fon of Aneriihis, and Bulis
ion of Nicolaus> Spartans of great a{:comt>liihm€nCe
and diftinftion, offered themfelves to underge
whatever punifliment Xerxes the fon of Dariu?
Ihould think proper to infli£t on. account of the
murder of his ambaffadors. Thefe men therefore
the Spartans fent to the Medesj as to certain
death•
himfelf. That better devotion» the refult not of iuperftkioA
but of genuine patriotifm, is thus well defcribed by Thom-
bn:
But ah, too little knot^n to modem timesi ■ .
Be not the nobleft paffion paft unfung» *
That ray peculiar, from unbounded lov6
Efftts'd, which Idndles the herdc foul-^
Devotion to the public Glorious flame»
CeleiHal ardour, in what unknown worlds^
PrOfttfely fcatter'd thro' Ihe blue immenfe.
Haft thou been bleffing myriads, fince in Rome^
Old vihuous Rome, fo many deathlefs names
Prom thee their luftre drew ? Since, taught by thee>
Their poverty put fplendour to the bluih^
Pain grew luxurious, and death delight ? Ti
4• Sftrtbiis.]'^The name of this Spartan is very varioufl/
written: he is called Sperris, Sperchis, and Sperches, but it is
of no great importance. Suidas> by an unpardonable ^egU-
gence, changes thefe two Spartans into two Athenians. They
fung, in honour of thefe two exited charaders, a melancholy
dirge called Sperchis, though I doubt not that Bulis was alfo
telebrated in it, as was Ariilogiton in that oFHarmodius.— See
TbeocrituSf IdjL XV. 96, 98. — Larcber.
The Above miftake in Suidas, which Larcher has pointed
imt, Toup, in his Emendations of that sluthor, has omitted to
notice.— 2 •
Voi. lii. R cxxxv.
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t4t Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
CXXXV. The magnaninQity of thcfe two mcfl,
as weU as die words which they ufcd, defcrve admi*
ration. On their way to Sufa they came to Hy-
dtnies^ a native of Perfia, and governor of the van-
quilhed phccs in Afia near the fea : he entertained
dicm with much liberality and kindncfs, and ad-
dreflcd Aem as follows : " Why, Ο Lacedaemt^-
** niansj will you rejeft the friendfliip of the king?
*' From me, and from my condition, you may leam
*' how well he knows to reward merit. He already
*• thinks highly of your virtue, and if you will
*^ but enter into his fervice, he will doubdeis aflign
«' to each of you fome govemment in Greece/'
** Hydames," they replied, ** your advice with
** refpeft to us is inconfiftent : you fpeak from the
*' experience of your own, but with an entire igno-
*' ranee of our fituation• To you fervitude is fa-
** miliar; but how fweet a thing liberty is, you
** have never known, if you had, you yourfclf
^^ would have advifed us to make all pofiible exer-
** tioris to preferve it ^/'
CXXXVL When introduced, on their arrival
it Sufa, to the royal prefence, they were firft ordered
^ Tofrefirvi i/.)— The Greek is trc «» j«^a^i av^JiukiMt^
t^f frc^t ±ijTfi^ /χαχισΟαι άλλα κ; «-ιλιχιοΊ^ which literally means,
Vou would advife as to fight for it not only with fpears, but
with hatchets: which in a manner explains itfelf; for to fight
ttrith a fpear implies fighting at a greater diftance, and confe*
quently with lefs danger, than was poffible with an ax, the
wounds of which mufi be more fevere» and lefs oi^y avoid*
ed•— r•
by
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ρ ο L γ Μ κ 1 Α. δ43
hy the guards to fall proftratCi and adore the
king*••, and fome force was tifed to compel them.
But this they refufed to do> even if they fhould
da/h their heads againft the ground. They were
ftot, they faid, accuftomed to adore a man, nciP
was it for this purpole that they came. After per-
Icvermg in ftich conduft, they addrefled Xerxes
himfelf hi thefe and fimilar expreflions : ^* King of
•* the Mpdes, we are fent by oUr countrymen to
** make atonement for thofe ambaffadors who pe-
** rilhed at Sparta.** Xerxes with great magnani-
mity faid Jie would rtot imitate the example of the
LacedasmonianSi They in killing his ambaiTadors
had violated the laws of nations; he would not be
guilty of that with whiqhhc reproached themj nor,
by deftroying their mcflcngers, indirtftly juftify
their crime.
CXXJtVIl. In fconieqxience ot this conduft of
the Spartans^ the indignation of Talthybius fubfided
for the prefent, notwithftanding the return of Sper-
thies and Bulis to their country. But according
*^ JJore the i/ji^.]^This was the tOmplTmcnt alwiys paid
to the kings of Perfia, when admitted to their prefence ; but
this the Greeks, with the exception of Themiftoeles and one
or two more, uniformly refufed rt) do. We learn from Valerius
Maximus» that one Tithagoras, an Athtnian^ having done this,
was by his countrymen condemned to die : thinking the dignity
of their city injured and degraded by this aft of m^nnefs.
Prideaux remarks, that this complimeut of prollration before
him muft have been paid the* king of Perfia by the prophetV
£zra and Neheitiiah, or they could not have had accefs to him.
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α44 / Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
to thC;flLacedacmonian account, this difpleafufc w^
after ft long interval again cbnfpicuous in the war
betv^xt the people of the Peloponncfe and the
Athenians^ For my own part, I lee no divine in-
tcrpofition *"' in this bufinefs : that the anger of
Talthybius ihould without ceafing continue to
operate till the devoted individuals were fent from
their coimtry, feems juft and reafonable ; but that it
ihould ultimately fall on the children of thefe men,
does not to me look like divine vengeance. Nico-
laus the fon of Bulis, and Aneriftus the fon of Sper-
chies, had taken a fiihing veflel belonging to the
Tirinthians **** full of men : being afterwards fent
'^' Di*uine inttrpo/iiion,']'^-'To impute that to divine interpo^r
fition which human fagacity is unable to account for pr explain,
feems the neceffary refult of ignorance combined with fupcr-
ilition. That in a cafe fo remarkable as this before us, Hero-
dotus ihould difdain to do this, does the higheft credit to his
candour and his wifdom. The paiTage however has greatly
perplexed the moft learned commentators, fome thinking that
the negative particle ought to be rejeded, others the contrary.
I would refer the curious reader to Valcnaer's note on the piif-
fage, which to me feems very fatisfador^, and which I have of
courfe adopted.— y.
«o» To the Tirinthians,^ — Thucydides relates the particulars
of this affair, book ii. chapter Sj, From his account no divine
interpofition feems neceffary to explain what happened to Nico•
laus and Aneriftus : they were two of feveral who fell into the
hands of the Athenians, who were then at variance with Sparta.
In the beginning of thf war, the Lacedaemonians had put to
death fuch as they captured by fea, and the Athenians thought
themfelves at liberty to retaliate. Thucydides fays, that Arif•
teas» one of the captives^ was in a particular manner odious to
the Athenians, as they imputed to him many calamities they
Had recently experienced ; but he fays no fuch thing either of
Nioolaui or Aneriftus.*-?'•
5 on
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. Η5
on ibme public bufinefs into Afla by#the liacedae*
monians, they were betrayed by Sitalces, fon of Tc-
reus, king of Thrace, and by Nymphodorus fon of
Pythus, a man of Abdera• They were according-
ly captured near Bifanthis on the Hellelpont, and
being carried to Attica were put to death by the •
Athenians, as was alfo Arifteus fon of Adimantus,
a Corinthian. — ^Thefe events happened many years
after the expedition of Xerxes '°'.
CXXXVIII. This expedition, to return to my
proper fubjeft, was nominally faid to be direfted
againft Athens ; but its real objeft was the entire
conqueft of Greece. The Greeks were long pre-
pared for this invafion, but they did not all think
of it alike. They who had made their fubmiflion
to the Perfian did not conceive they had any thing
to apprehend from the Barbarian's prefence, whilft
they who had refilled his propofals were over-
whelmed with terror and alarm. The united naval
armament of Greece Was far from able to contend
with his power ; and a great number of them dif»
covered more inclination to go over to the Medes,
than to concur in the general defence,
CXXXIX. I feel myfelf impelled in this place
to deliver an opinion, which, though it may appear
invidious to moft men, as it leems to me the fadt, I
fliall not fupprefs. If the Athenians, through terror
- «P3 ^β(^ the expedition of Xerxes, \^Ύ\ί^^ events here alluded
to happened in the third year of the eighty •fevenih Ulympiadj
its appears from Thucydides.
R 3 01
. _ . Digitized by VjOOQ IC
h6 polymnia,
of the impending dzngpr, had forfaken their couiki
07, or if they had ftayed merely to have furrcn-
dered themfdvcs to Xerxes, he would certainly
have met with no refiftance by fea ; if he had re-i
mained without contcft mafter of the fea^ the fol-
lowing muft have been the event of things on th^
continent:— Although they of the Peloponnefe had
fortified the ifthmus by a number of walk, the
Lacedaemonians muft inevitably have been delerted
by their ^eSj not fo much from inclination as from
their being compelled to fee their cities regularly
taken and pillagwl by the Barbarian fleet. Thus
left alone, after many efforts of valour, they would
Iiave encountered an honourable death. Either this
muft have been their lot, or, feeing the other Greek3
forming alliances with the Medes, they themfelves
vould have done the fame: thus would Greece
cither ^ay have been reduced under the Perfian
yoke. Qf what ad^tage the walls along the
ifthmus could poflibly have been, whilft the king
remained mafter of the fea, I am unable to difcover.
Whoever therefore fliall confider the Athenians as
the deliverers of Greece, will not be fer from the
truth. The fcale to which they inclined would ne-
ceffarily preponderate. In their anxiety jfor pre-
ferving the liberties of then* country, they animated
the ardour of all that part of Greece which was
before inclined to refift the Medes. They, next to
the gods, repelled the invader i nor did the Delphic
oracles, alarming and terrific as they were, induce
them to abandon Greece 5 but they waited to re-•
cciye the invader. ■
CXL•
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POLYMNlA• 147
CXL• The Athenians^ defirous to knoKr die wiU
of the oracle, lent meilengers to Delphi ; who,
after the cuftomary ceremonies entering the temple,
were thus addrefled in a ]Mt>phetic ipirit by un^
prieftefS) whole name was Ariftonice :
** Unhappy men, to earth's laft limits go j
** iForfake your homes, and city's lofty brow,
^* For heither head nor bodies firm remain,
" Nor hands aflift you, nor can feet fuftain :
** All, all is loft, the fires ipread wide around,
'* Mars in his Syrian car and arms is founds
** Not ye alone his furious wrath may fear ι
** Their towers from many ihall his venge^Ke tear•
'^ And now from hallow'd &rines the flames afcend,
^' Black blood and fweat their fearful torrents blend•
** Horror prevails! Ye vi&ims of delpair,
** Depart, and for unheard-of ills prepare 1 '*
CXLL This reply filled the Athenian meflen••
gcrs with the deqpeft afHiotion : whilft they were
reflefting on its melancholy import, Timon, fon of
Androbulis, one of the moft illuftrious citizens of
Delphi, recommended them to affiime the dreis
of fapplicants, and a fecond time to conililt the
oracle. They followed his advice, and exprefTed
their fcntiments to the oraple in thefc terms : *^ Ο
^ king, return us an anfwer more auipicious to our
*^ country j let our llipplicatory dreis and attitude
** incline you to compallion } odierwile we will not
^* leave yotir fanftuary, but here remain till we
IV 4 '^ die.'•
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ί^^
ι — ^-^^
,)y^
1
Μ ρ ο L γ Μ Ν Ι Α.
«* die.*' The fccond anfwcr '•♦ of the pricftds
tothiscffca, // ^
*^ Of Jove, who rules Olympian heights above,
itJfcifiiJP^l*^' felf the fotema will can move.
f^ My awful words attend then once again, ,
" And firm they ihall as adamant remain. Jiyr>^i
*^ When all is loft within Cecropian bounds, /^
*' And wher e Cithaeron' s facre^bo^m fo unds, \^
ii jQve tQ hisTov'd l^ritom anj^^id ihall give >^
^^ A wall of wood, where you^dyours fliall Ιίνβ^^^»*^•'^'
f' Your numerous foes approach forbear to ftay,
f' But fly fi-om horfe, arid foot, and arms away.
^* Thou (halt, immortal Salamis, deftroy
*^ The rifing fource of many a mother's joy:
f^ Thou ihalt— tho' Ceres fcatter o'er the plain,
f^ Or keep within dilpos'd, her golden grain."
CXLII. The meflengers, as reafonably they
might, deeming this reply lefs fevere than the for-
mer, wrote it down, and returning to Athens re-
cited it to the people. Many different, and indeed
entirely oppofite opinions, were delivered concern-
ing the meaning of the oracle : fome of the oldeft
men thought it intended to declare, that the citadel^
which formerly ^ras furrounded by a palliiade, lhoul4
'•♦ The fecond anfwer,'\'^T\us ha3 generally been impqted tp
the interpofition of Themiftocles, who, as Plutarch informs ue,
defpairing to influence his fellow citizens by any human argu-
ments, brought to his aid divine revelations, prodigies, and
oracles^ which he employed like machines in a theatre.
not
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• 14^
not be taken, to which pallifade they referred the
oracular expreflion of the wooden wall. Others
thought, that the deity, by a wooden wall, meant
fliips, which therefore, omitting every thing ellc, it
became them to provide. But they who inclined
to this opinion were perplexed by the concluding
words of the oracle :
*^ Thou (halt, immortal Salamis, deftroy
*^ The rifing fource of many a mother's joy 2
** Thou Ihalt— tho* Ceres fcatter o'er the plain,
** Or keep within dilpos'd, her golden grains"
for the interpreters of the oracle preiumed, that a
^lefeat would be the confequence of a fea engage^
ment near Salaipis.
CXLIII. There was at Athens a man lately ar-
rived at the firft dignities of the date, whofe name
was Themiftocles, the fon of Neocles -, he would
pot allow the interpreters of the oracles to be en-
th-ely right. " If," laid he '^S " that prediOion had
**** ^,/wVM]— The laft-mentioned oracle is thus given bj
plover in his Athenaid, book i. 334.
** Ah, dill my tongue like adamant is hard ;
Minerva's tow'rs muft periih : Jove fevere
So wiUsy yet granting, at his daughter's fuit.
Her people refuge under walls of wood;
But (hun the myriads of terrific horfe.
Which on your fields an eaftem Mars ihall bring/'-«-
She ceas'd» th' Athenian notes her anfwer down ;
To one the moil entrufted of his train
He gives the tablet: " Back to Athens fly,'*
He iaid, ** the fon of Neocles alone.
By his unbounded faculties, can pierce
The hidden fenfc of thefc myfterious itrains."
i^ referred
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t5• Ρ Ο L Τ Μ Ν I Α•
' referred to the Athenians, the deity woold not
^ have ufed terms fi> gende. The e:q)reflk>n woidd
^ ίατύγ hare been» * Ο wretched Salanns,' and Bot
* < Ο imniortal Salamis»' if the inhabitants had
^ bccndoomedtoperiihrn the vicinityof that ifland/'
Every more lagoons per&n, he thou^t, muft
allow that the oracle threatened not the Athenians»
but die enemy; he necommended them, diereibre,
to prepare for an engagement by ica, the only prefer
interpretation of the walls of wood This opinion
of Theoiiftocles appeared to the Athenians nnore
judicious than that of the interpreters, who were
averie to a naval engagement; and who advUed
diek countrymen to attempt no refiftance, but to
abandon Attica, and leek another refidence•
CXLIV. Thcmiilocles had on a former ocqa*
fion given proofs of his fupcrior fagacity : a confi-
deraUe ilim of money had been colleded in the
public trcafury, the produce of the mines of Lat>-
xium* A propofal had been made, and approved,
chat this ihould be equally divided amongft the ci-
tizens of mature age, at the rate often drachmae a
Bead; Thcmiftoclesdiffuaded'•* the Athenians from
diis meaiiire, and prev^cd on them to furnifli out
with it a fleet of two hundred vcflels, for the war
with ^gtna. It was this ir^r, therefore, which
"^ ThmiflocUs dtffiuuled.'] — Plutarch» in his life of Themif-
CDcks» relates the fame fa£t• It was doubtlefs a bold though b•
gadoos meafure» and one of thofe which, as it happens to meet
the temporary emotion of the people, occafions a man either to
be torn in peces as the betrayer» or venerated as the favioor of
kis ooontry.*— 7*.
6 operated
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. %ςι
QfierateeL φ φι^ iafcty of Greece,, by obliging the
^.ϋΐΰμ2μ)$ tp become (ailors. This fleet wa<s not
applied to the purpofe for which it was originally
intended, but jt ppportunely icrved for Jthe general
benefit of Greece. The above ihips being already
pi^jarcd, d>e AtbeniiMis had only ta (?ncrcafe their
nusDber : it w^$ there£>re decernuned^ i^ a general
council, hdd after the declaration of the oracle, that
they could not better tefldfy their obedience to the
divinity, tkzn by meeting at fea the Barbarian in*
vader of their country, in conjunction with thofe
Greeks who chofe tp join their arms.-^^Such were
the oracles delivered to the Athenians•
CXLV, Atthis council all the other Greeks aflSft^.
ed who were animated with an ingenuous ardour
with refpe<9t to their country. After a conference, in
which they pledged themfelves to be faithful to the
common int^eft, it was firft of all determined, that
their private reientments and holtilities ihould
jceafe. At this period great difturbances exifted,
but mo« particularly betwixt the people of
Athens and -ffigina. As foon as they heard that
Xerxes was at Sardis, at the head of his forces,
jjie Athenians refolved to fend fome cmiiTaries into
Alia, to watch the motions of the king. It was
fiKo determined, to fend fome perfons to Argos, to
form with that nation a confederacy againft the
Perlian war : others were fent to Sicily, to Gelon,
|he fon of Dinomenisj fome to Corcyra and
Crete, to follicit afliftance for Greece. It was
ibeir yjpw, if pgffible, to colled Greece into one
iinited
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15ft Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
united body, to countcraft a calamity which me-
naced their common fafety. The power of Gelon
was then deemed of fo much importance, as to be
Ibrpafled by no individual ftatc of Greece.
CXLVI. When all diefc meafures were agreed
fiponj and thdr private animofities had ceafcd, their
firft ftep was to fend three fpies '^^ to Afia. Thefe
men, on their arrival at Sardis, were feized, in the
aft of examining the royal army, and being tor-
tured by the command of the generals of the land
forces, were about to be put to death. When
Xerxes heard of this, he exprefled himfelf dilpleafed
with the proceedings of his officers, and fending
Ibme of his guards, he commanded them to bring
the fpies to his prefence, if they were not already
dead: the guards arrived in time to preferve
diem, and they were condufted to the royal pre-
fence. Xerxes, after enquiring their bufinefs, di-
rcfted his guards to lead the men round his army "**,
■«' Three _/^/>ϊ.]— The treatment of fpies is one of thofc
things about which nations the ηκ)ίΙ poliihed and the moft
barbarous have always thought and afled alike. To hang a
fpy the moment he is difcovered, without any forms of judicial
procefs, is warranted by univerfal confent, and feems juitifi^bl^
on the common maxims of policy.
The refinement of modem times annexes a conilderable de-
gree of infamy to the employment and charader of a fpy, but
the enterprize of Diomed and Ulyfles, as recorded by Homer»
feems to prove that this was not always the cafe.— T*.
'^ Round his army,\^k fimilar conduct was purfued by
Qaius Fabiicius, with regard to the fpies of Pyrrhus.
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν 1 Α. ass
and ihew them all his forces, both horfe and foot ;
when they had fully fatisfied their curiolity, he fuf-
fered them to depart without moleftation, wherever
they thought proper. Xerxes was prompted to this
conduft, by the idea that if the φies were put to
death, the Greeks would be able to form no
conception of his power exceeding even the voice
of fame j he imagined alfo, that the lols of three
individuals could prove of no ferious detriment to
the enemy. But he concluded, that by the return
of thefe men to Greece, the Greeks, hearing of the
preparations made againft them, would not wait
his arrival to make their fubmiffions; and that con^
fequently he ihould be fpared the trouble of
marching againft them.
CXLVII. Upon another ocAfion Xerxes ap-
peared to reafon in the fame manner : when he was
at Abydos he faw fome veflels failing over tlic
Helkfpont, which carried com from the Pontus to
JEgina and the Peloponncfc, When his atten-
dants difcovered them to be enemies they prepared
to purfue them, and looked earneftly on the king,
as expedting his orders to do fo. Xerxes enquired
where thefe veffels were going; on being tcdd to
the enemy, and that they were laden with com,
*' Well," he replied, *' and are not we going to the
*' fame place, carrying with us corn amongft other
'' nccellaries ? How, therefore, can thefe injure us,
^' who are carrymg provifions for our ufe." The
fpies, after furveying all that they defired, returned
p Europe•
CXLVIII.
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454 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν f Α.
CXLVIIL After their return, thofc Greeks wlia
had aflbciated to rcfift the Perfian fent mcflengers
a.fecpnd rime to Argos. The Ar^ves give diis ac-
count of their own conduit : — They were acquaint-
ed, they fay, at a very early period, with the Barba^
nan's views upon Greece j and being aware, and in-
deed afiiired, that they would be called upon by the
Greeks for their afliftance to op^ofe him, they fcnt
to enquire of the oracle at Delphi what line of con-
du6t diey might moft advantageouflypurfue. They
had recendy loft fix thoufand of their countryitioti,
who were (lain by the Lacedaemonians, under the
conduft of Cleomenes, the fon of Anaxandrides. The
Pythian made them this reply :
^* You, whom your neighbours hate, whilft gods
** above,
^ Immortal gods, with trueft kindnefs love,
^ Keep clofc within, and well your head de^d,
•* Which to the limbs Ihall fure proteftion lend."
This was the anfwer given them by the Pythian, be-
fore the arrival of the Grecian envoys. Wheil thefe
had delivered their commiffion to the fcnate of Argos,
die Argivcs exprefled themfelves difpofed to enter
into a pacific treaty widi the Lacedemonians, for
a term of thirty years, upon condition of having
*^ Th command p/&alf.]^Oiodoms Siculus fays, that the
Afgiret fent deputies to the general affembly, who, on afking
for a Qiut of the command, received an anfwer to this eflfed :
Thatif they thought it harder to fubmit to the command of a
Grecian, than to have a Barbarian mafter, they might as well
e%y, as they were, in quiet: if they were ambitious to have the
command of Greece, they miift defcnrc it by their noble
the
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POLYMNIA. 455
the command of half '•^ of die troops ; thcf
thought that in jufticc they might claim die wfaofci
but agreed to be fadsfied with ha]£
CXLIX• This^ according to their 019m accooalV
was the anfwer of the Argivc fenate, in contradic-*
tion to the advice of the oracle, not to joia the
Grecian confederacy. Their awe of due diiwitf
did not prevent their urging widi eagemcis a treaqr
for thirty years, in which period their children, thejr
prefumed, would arrive at manhood; and uef
&ared, if they refliied to make a treaty, and thcdr
former misfortunes ihould be aggravaDed by any
new calamity in the Perfian War» dicy mi^Be
uldmately reduced uncfcr the Lacedaemonian yokd
Tq diefe propofals of the Aiigive fenate the Spar-
tan envoys replied, that with refpeft to the treaty,
diey would relate their determinadon to their coun-
trymen; but as to the military command, tfaq^
were authorized to make this dccifive anfwer: That
as they had two kmgs, and the Argives but onc'*%
the Spartans could not deprive either of their two "*
fov»eigns of his privileges ; but there was no ira-
fon why the Argive prince fhould not be v^ed
with a joint and equal authority. Thus the Argives
relate that they found themfelves unable to fubmit
"•* The Arghjts but cne.] — Larcher remarks on thU fz&g^
that it is the only one he has been able to difcover» which aieii•»
tioas there being a king of Argos.
"• Eiti^ of thiir /«Μ/ΰ.] — ^In book v. chap• 75, we are toU
txprefsly that the Spartans paiTed a law, forbidding both their
kings to be at the fame time prefent with the army* vtiih
which aflertion the paifage before ue evidently militates•
to
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«5^ Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A•
to the Lacedaemonian infolence, chooiing rather Μ
be iubjeft to the Barbarians^ than to the tyranny of
Sparta "*. They therefore informed the ambafla-
dors, that if they did not quit their territories before
• j^ jfun-iety they Ihould be regarded as enemies.
'J Cj (/ C L•. The above is^r^^ ^ rpve account j anothef
, ^ t^)ort, however, is prevalent in Greece : — ^Xerxes, it
is iaid, before he commenced hofldlities with Greece,
fcnt a herald to Argos, who was inftrudted thus to
addrefs the people : *^ Men of Argos, attend to the
^ words of Xerxes : we are of opinion that Pcrfcs,
, ,/ ' ** whomweacknowleagfefobeouranceftorVwaTSie
^ ^^ ^ {on of Perfes, whole mother was Danae, and of
.' . .." /f Andromeda, the daughter of Cephcus j thus it
•* appears that we derive j)ur origin from you "^ It
/ / / , ^ / ' *^ would
J a- if "* Tyranny rf 5>λγ/λ.]— The Laccdaeraomans, fays Vale-
naer» and Cleomenes in particular^ had on various occaiioos
treated the Argivcs ill, thefc, therefore, with the Achaans,
were the only people of the Piloponnefe Who refufefl to aflift
them in the Peloponnefian war. ^' / /;' μ f Λ ^ » % ]
"' Our origin /rem you.'l'^lf the fab)es of Greece *inay οβ
credited, the royal families of Perfeus and. Argos came from
^he fam e fo urce> Frog L Danae, the daa ghter of Ac rifius and
Jupiter, came Perfes, kingof ArgosT Ferfes had by Androme-
da, the daughter of Cepheus, Perfes, who gave his name to the
Perfians, before called Cepheri.— L/irr^r.
It is truly faid by Plato (in Alcibiad. vol. u. p. ito.) that
the Heraclidx in Greece, and the AchxmeTiidx among the
Perfians, were of the fame (lock. On this account Herodotus
make» Xerxes claim kindred with the Argives of Greece, as
_J|^i;ing^ equally of the po^firi^Lof, Perfe s, the fame as Per feu^
tkf fdn« under wliich character the Perfians defcribed the patH-
arc£i
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^ would,thereforc,be unnatural cither for us to carry
^ on war with thofe from whom we are defcended, or
** for you to make us your adveriaries, by giving
** your afliftance to others. Remain, therefore, in
^ tranquillity at home; if what I nieditate prove
** fuccefsful, no nation ihall receive from me greater
^* honours than yours•'* This propofition appeared
to the Argives of fuch ferious importance, that they
of themfelves made no application to the Greeks ;
and when they were called upon for their afliftance,
they claimed an equal command, merely with the
view of remainmg quiet, for they knew th^ Lacc«
dsemonians would refufe it "♦.
CLI. The above receives confirmation from a
circumftance rq)relcnted in Greece to have happen•
cd m any y^^ty ^fr^nrard.^- ^^^ Athenians, ΐφοη
fome OCCaiioA or nthpr^Jgny i^mhaiTa^nrcj fQ gnl^f^ _ - "
arch from whom they were defcended. Perfens was the fame u
Mithras^ whofc (acred cavern was fl^d Per feum,
Phaehe parens— Tea te roTeum Titana vocari
Genus Achaemenue ntu, feu praeihit Ofirin
Frogiferum : feo Perfei fub ruinbas antri
Indignata feqoi torqaentem comaa Mithram.
The above is from Bryant» vol. ii. 67» 68.— See aUb» of the
fame work, vol L 466, and voL ilL 388•
"« fTouU rtfufe f/•]— Plutarch, in his Eflfay on the Malignity
of Herodotus, wMch I have fo frequently had occafion to men•
tk», fays, that this paflage is a remarkable inftance of our aa«
thor's maEce. <* Every body knows," fays Plutarch, <' that the
Argives were not unwilling to enter bto the Gredan confede•
racy, although they did not choofe to fubmit to the tyranny of
the Lacedaemoiiians/'— Γ•
Vol. III. S the
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the city of Memnon "^ amongft whom was Callias^ .^
/ 5^ ^"^--^lip fftii gf Ηιρρηηίηις : at the fame place, and time,
'3 L•^ were pre/ent fome Arjgiyes, to enqiiitg pf ^Itaxgrxes,
/ the fon of Xerxes, whether the friendihip they had
formed with his fatherXerxes continued ftill in force,
or whether he regarded them as enemies. Artaxerxes
replied, that it certainly did continue, and that no
city had a greater ihare of his regard tha nArgos, /Δ
CLJI. In relating the above, I neither fpeak
from my own knowledge nor give any opinion,
having no other authority but that of the Argives
ithemfelves for faying that Xerxes lent a herald to
Argos, or that the Argive ambafladors at Sufa in-
terrogated Artaxerxes concerning his friendihip for
their country. This, However, I loiow, that if all
men were to produce in one place "^ their faults,
in order to exchange them for thofe of their neigh-
bours,
«"« City of Memnon.'] — Built by Tithonos, the father of Mem-
non, and called both by Herodotus and Strabo the Memnonian
city.
"• Product in onr flace.]'^'Tlas paiTage is obfcure. The
meaning of Herodotus feems to be, that if we take the repre•
fentation of the Argives> their guilt wa^ not confiderable» ac-
cording to the favourable eye with which all men view their
own faults. « I know," fays he, « that all men would rather
keep their own faults, than take thofe of others."
A iimilar fentiment to this is well expreiTed by lord Chefier •
field, in a paper of the World.
'' If, fometimes, our common parent has been a litde partial,
and not kept the fcales quite even, if one preponderates too much,
we throw into the lighter a due counterpoife of vanity, which
never fails to fet all right. Hence it happens, that hardly any
man would without referve, and in every particular, change with
any other.'*
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• 259
bowsi the refult would be^ that after due examina-
tion each would willingly return with what he
brought. — The conduft of the Argives, according
to this reprefentation, was not the bafcft poffiblc.
But it is incumbent upon me to record the dif-
ferent opmions of men, though I am not obliged
indifcriminately to credit them 5 and let this my
opinion be applied to the whole of my hiftory. It is
then alfp aflerted, th ^t the Afg / ves firftinvite d^the.^ - //^
PefTian to invade Greece, imagining, after the loffes
they had fuftained from the Lacedaemonians, that
they could experience no change for the worfe.
CLIII. With the view of forming a treaty with
Gelon, there arrived in Sicily different ambafladors
from the feveral allies, and Syagrus on the part of the
Lacedaemonians• An anccftor of this Gelort was a
Solob» accordmj^ to Valerius Maximus, book viL c. 2. aiTerted
the fame thing concerning human miferies• " Solon aiebat ii in
nnom locum cundi mala fua contuMentj futurum ut propria de-
|>ortare domum quam ex communi miferiarum acervo portionem
{nam ferre mallent." This topic is treated with great humour
m the Spefbtor, N** 557 and 558. Should there be any doubt
about the meaning ofxoita, in this paflage, it may be obferved
that Plutarch fubititutes ίγκληματ».
Plutarch» after reprobating the manner in which Herodotua
Ijpeakd of die Argives> adds this comment :
** What he therefore reports the i£thiopian to have exclaimed
tonceming the ointment and the purple^ ' Deceitful are the beau•
ties» decehful the garments of the PerfiaHs»' may be applied to
himfelf; for deceitful are the phrafes» deceitful the figures, which
Herodotus employs^ being perplexed» fallacious» and unfound. For
as psdnters iet off and render more ccmfpicuous the luminous
parts of their piflures by the aid of ihades» fo he by his de-
nials extends his calumnies» and by his ambiguous fp^^ches
makes Us fofpicions take the deeper imprefiion•^^— 7*.
S 2 cidzen
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αβο Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
_citizenQfGjcla"% of the ifland of Telo, oppofite
Triopium ; when the Lindians of Rhodes "% and
Antiphemus, built Gcla, he accompanied them.
His
•«^ G^-]-*The curious reader will find every diing rdat-
ing to Gcla, amply difcoffed by the learned dOrville, in his
Sicula, page iii to page 131. It feemt probable that it was
huUt 713 years before Cbrift. According to Diodorus Siculas,
Phintias, tyrant of Agrigentum, dcftroyed Gela about the 1 24th
Olympiad, and 572 years after its firil fbondation : the inhabi-
tante^e remov^ to the town of Phintias» which he biult. A
medal has been found in Sicily» on one fide of which was a
minotaur» the well known type of the people of Gela ; on the
reverfe a wild boar» which is always found on the medals of
Phintias. See Larcher's Table Geographique, vol. viL p.
157.--7'.
"* Rhodes.'l'^The Rhodians fucceeded the Cretans in ^e
dominion of the fea; they ilyled themfelves fons of the fea.^-»
So Simias, their own hiHorian» fays of them» as cited by Ck•
mens Alexand. and explained by fiochart» νιοι ^m>Λffσ^ς,^^Set
Diodorus Sic. 1. v. Florus calls them Nauticus popnlus. See
Meurfius» where we find that Rhodes was fbyted Mari enata»
becaufe it emerged by the decreafe of die fea. They apfdied
themfelves with great fuccefs to maritime affidrs» and became
nunous for building (hips ; they took fo much care to keep the
art to themfelves» that it was criminal not only to enter» but even
look at their docks.-*See in Euftathius in Dion, the expreffion
*ra fufiu «λοΜί. The high efteem and credit which Rhodes ob•
tamed» is apparent from the fuccours which the nei^ibouring
fUtes fent her» when almoft dedroyed by an earthquake. See
Polybins. In Polybius the reader may find an account of the
wiiHora of her polidcs : one part I cannot omit» namely the juft
value they iet on their poor, and their importance to the ftate»
and of the care they took of them, liiey eftaWifhcd many
rules for their maintenance» and made ample provifion for them
aU» wifely concluding» that the better they were ufed» the more
obedient and peaceable they would be» and always ready to at•
tend the fummons of the public» in recruiting and manning their
fleeti« With th• terror of thefe they long maintained the
fbverdgnty
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• ι6ι
' His pofterity, in procels of time, became the minify
ters of the infcrnsiLdcidc&J ^ which honour Tdincs,
^onc of their anceftors, thus obtained : Some men of
Gela who, in a public tumult, had been worfted,
took refuge at Madorium, a city beyond Gela.
Thefe Telines brought back to their allegiance,
without any other aid than die things fact cd to the
. above deities, but where or in what manner he ob-
tained them I am unable to explain. It was by
their aid that he efiedted the return of the citizens
of Gela, having previouOy ilipulated that his def>
cendants ihould be the minifters of the above*
mentioned deities. That Telines Ihould undertake
and accompliih fo difficult an enterprize, feems
to me particularly furprifing j it was certainly bc-
Ibvereignty of the feas, extending their dominion eVen tq Pha«
ros» near Mgyptt till Cleopatra* by fabdety» (hook off their
yoke. The inhabitants of Pharos complaining of the heavy
tribute they annually paid, as many other iflands did, to the
Rhodians, ihe ordered a mole to be thrown up to join Pharos to
the continent, which was forpiifingly executed within feven
days, and thence called Eptaftadium. Soon after this the Rho-
dian officers being arrived at Pharos for the payment of the
tribute, the queen, riding on horfeback over the new caufeway to
Pharos, told the Rhodians they did not know their own buiineis;
that the tribute was not to be paid by the people of the conti-
nent, and Pharos was no longer an ifland. Let me add, that
the inhabitants of Rhodes long maintained their credit in mari-
time affairs, gave their affiftance to the unfortunate, curbed
and reitrained the oppreiTor, and by the inilitution of the
knights of Jeruialem, in 1308, enliiled themfelves in defence of
Chriftianity againit the encroachments of the infidels, and gal•
|antly defended their ifland agdnft the Ottoman forces for the
fpace of 200 years. — T.
••• I$fim^l diitia.'y^Qtttt and Proferpine.
S 3 yond
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a62 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
yond the abilities of any ordinary individual, and
could only have been executed by a man of very fu-
perior qualities. He is, neverthelefs, reported by
the people of Sicily to have been a perfon of dif-
ferent charafter j that is to fay^j of a delicate and
ciFeminate nature. — So, however, he attained Ιώζ
dignities•
CLIV. Cleander, the fon of Pantareus, after poP-
fefling for feven years the fovereignty of Gela, was
affaffinated by Sabyllus, a citizen of the place, and
fucceeded in his authority by his brother Hippocra-
tes. During his reign Gelon "% one of the pofte-
rity of Telines, of whom indeed there were many
others, and particularly -Slnefidemus, fon of Patai-
cus, of the body-guard of Hippocrates, was foon^
on account of his military virtue, promoted to the
rank of general of the cavalry• He had eminendy
dlftinguiihcd himfelf in the feveral different wars
which Hippocrates had profecuted againft the Calli-
politae, the Naxians, the people of Zancle and Le-
ontium, not to mention thofe of Syracufe, and
many barbarous nations. Of all thefe cities, which
I have enumerated, that of Syracuie alone efcaped
the yoke of Hippocrates. The Syracyfans, indeed,
"° Gz/wi.]— He was not, as Dionyfius Halicamaflus afferts,
the brother of Hippocrates. From belonging to the body
guard of Hippocrates, he elevated hirafelf to the government of
Gela, and from thence to that of Syracufe : this laft he rendered
a flouriihmg town, and fo attached it to him by his liberality,
that when they broke is pieces the llatues of the tyrants; to coin
them into money, when Timoleon reilored its liberty to Syra-
cufe, thofe of Gelon alone were exempted.— Z^rc^^fr.
9 had
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• 263
had fuft^ncd a fignal defeat near the river Elorus,
but the Corinthians and Corcyneans had fupported
and delivered them, on the cxpreis condition that
they ihould give up to Hippocrates the city of
Camarina, which they polTelfed from the rcmoteft
antiquity•
CLV. Hippocrates, after reigning the fame pe-
riod as his brother Cleander, loft his life before the
town of Hybla "', in a war againft the Sicilians•
Gelon, after having conquered his fellow-citizens
in a fixed battle, under pretence of defending the
rights of Euclid and Cleander, fons of Hippocrates,
whofe acceflion to their father's dignity was refifted,
obtained the fupreme audiority of Gela, to the ex-
clufion of the lawful heirs. He afterwards obtained
pofleflion of Syracufe, taking the opportunity of
reftoring to their country, from Cfamene, thofe of
the Syracufans called Gamori "% who had beea
■*' /(y^/a,]— -There were in Sicily three cities of thb name^
the greater, the middle, and the little Hybla. The, firll of
thefe is now called Paterno, and is at the foot of iEtna ; the fe-»
cond is the modern Ragufa ; the third is Megara. — It was be-
fore the fecond Hybla that Hippocrates died• • Hybla was alio
the name of a mountain in Sicily, which abounded in thymct
and was celebrated for its bees j k has been fuficienUy noto*
lions in poetic defcription,
I am confcious that, with refpeft to geographical defcriptions,
I have on all occaiions been concife, and fome of my reader^
may, perhaps, think to- a 'fault. In anfwer to this 1 can only
obferve, that the geography of Herodotus might be reafonably
cxpeded to employ a feparate volume.-^-f•
■** Gamori.] — The Gamori or Geomori, were properly thofii
whoi font out iu a colony, divided the lands ^mongft thenu
S ^ cxpcUeti
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α64 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
expelled by tlie common people» in cot^unftion
with their own flaves the Cillyrians"'. The Syracu-
ULnSy on his approach, made their fubmiilions» and
delivered up their city•
CLVI. When Gclon became mafter of Syracuie
fie made light of Gela, his former poileflion» and
configned it to the care of his brother Hiero. Syracuie^
which now was every thing to him, became ibon a
great and powerful city. Gclon removed from Ca-
marine all its inhabitants, whom he made citizens
of Syracuie, after overturning their city• He did
the ikme with reipeft to more than half of the people
ofGela• He befieged alfo the people of Sicilian
Megara; on their furrender the moft wealthy
amongft them, who, on account of their adivity
againft him, cxpefted no mercy, were removed to
Syracuie, and permitted to enjoy the privileges of
citizens• The common people of Megara, who
not having been inftruments of the war, thought
they had nothing to apprehend, after being con-
duited to Syracufe, were fold as flaves,^ to be carried
out of Sicily. The people of Euboea in Sicily were
in like manner fcparated, and experienced the fame
treatment. His motive, m both diefe inftanccs, was
his fear and diflike of the common people : thus
he rendered himfclf a moft powcrfiil prince,
. CLVII. When the Grecian ambafladors arrived
■*« Ci/^nVw/.]— This name is written differently. Larcker
caUs them CilUcyrians.
at
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. a65
It Syracufe, and obtained an audience of the king>
they addreffed him to this effeft : " The Laceda^•
^ monians, Athenians, and their common allies,have
«^ deputed us to folicit your afliftance againft the
•' Barbarian- You muft have heard of his intend-
^ cd invafion of our country, that he has thrown
'* bridges over the Hellefpont, and, bringmg with
*' hhn all the powers of Afia, is about to burft upon
*' Greece. He pretends, that his hoftilities are di-
'* reoted againft Athens alone; but his real objeft
** is the entire fubjedtion of Greece. We call on
*• you, therefore, whofe power is fo great, and whole
•* Sicilian dominions conftitute fo material a por•
^* tion of Greece, to aflilt us in the vindication of
'* our common liberty. Greece united will form a
** power formidable enough to refift our invaders 5
^ but if fome of our countrjmfien betray us, and
" others withold their afliftance, the defenders of
" Greece will be reduced to an infignificant num-
1* ber, and our univerfal ruin may be expedked to
i^ cnfue. Do not imagine that the Perfian, after
« vanquilhingus,willnotcometoyou: it becomes
^ you, therefore, to take every neceflary preoai^on^
^* by aflifting us you render your own fituation fc•
« cure.— An enterprize concerted with wifdom fcl•
♦' dom fails of fuccefe."
CLVIII. The reply of Gelon was thus vehc^
ment : ** Your addrrfs to me, Ο men of Greece,**
faid he, *' is infolent in the extreme• How can you
^ prcfumeto folicitmy aid againft theBarbarian,who,
" when I formerly alked you for afliftance againft
« die
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t66 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
*« the Carthaginians, and to revenge on the people
«< of iEgefta the death of Dorieus, the fon of
*' Anaxandrides, offering in return to make thofe
•' commercial places free, from whence great ad-
*' vantages would have been derived to you, on
*« both occafions refufed to fuccour me ? That all
•* this region, therefore, is not in fubjeotion to the
^* Barbarians has not depended upon you; the
^ event, however, has been fortunate to me. But
^ on the approach of war, and your own immedi-
•^ ate danger, you have recourfe to Gelon. I ihall
*' not imitate your contemptuous conduft j I am
•' ready to fend to your aid two hundred triremes,
** twenty thoufand heavy-armed troops, two thou-
** fand horfe, and as many archers, two thouland
*^ (lingers, and an equal number of light-armed ca-
** valry. It fliall be my care alfo to provide corn ***
^ for all the forces of Greece, during the continuance
'*♦ PrcnnJe corn.] — The fertility of Sicily, with refpcft to iCl
com, has from the moil remote dmes been memorable* In the
moft flouriihing times of Rome it was called the granary of the
republic• See Cicero in Verrem, ii. — << Ille M. Cato fapicns
xellaxi perariam reipublicae, nutricem plebis Romans Sidliam
nominavit•" Modern travellers agree in reprefenting Sicily
as eminently abundant in its crops of com.
There is a fragment of Antiphanes preferved in Athenau?,
which may thus be tranflated.
*' A cook from Elis, a caldron from Argos, wine of Phlius*
tapeilry of Corinth, fiih from Sicyon, pipers {ανλτ^τξ^^ίς) from
^gium, chetft from Sicily, the perfumes of Athens, and eels of
Boeotia."
So that cheefe alfo was amongft the numerous delicacies
which Sicily fupplied*— Γ.
« of
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F ο L τ Μ Ν I Α• t6j
ff of the war. But I make thefe offers on the con-
f* dition of being appointed to the fupreme com^
f' mand, otherwife I wilj neither gome myfelf, nor
i^ furniih fupplies•"
CLIX. Syagrus, unable to contain himfellj ex-
claimed aloud : " How would Agamemnon, the
^* defcendant of Pelops, lament, if he could know
f^ that the Spartans fufFered themfelves to be com-
f * mauded by Gelon, and the people of Syracufe !
f^ Upon this fubjeft I will hear you no farther : if
^' you have aqy intention of aflifting Greece, you
t* muft fqbmit to be fubordinate to the Laccdaemo-
^^ niansi if you refufe this, we decline your aid."
CLX• When ^elon perceived the particular
averfion of Syagrys to his propofals, he delivered
himfelf a fecond time as follows : ^' Stranger of
^' Sparta, when injuries are offered to an exalted
i' charafter, they feldom fail of exciting his refent-
i' ment: yet your condu6t, infulting as it is, ihall
^* not induce me to tranfgrefs againft decency. If
^^ you are tenacious of the fupreme authority, I may
*- be reafonably more fo, who am mailer of more
'^ forces, and a greater number of ihips : but as you
V find a difficulty in acceding to my terms, I will
^* remit fomewhat of my claims. If you com-
^^ mand the land forces, I will have the condud of
^' the fleet ; or, if you will direft the latter, I will
** command the former. You muft be fatisfied
^* with the one of thefe conditions, or be content
'' to
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ι68 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
« to depart without my powerful afliftancc "*.''
—Such were the propofitions of Gelon.
CLXI. The Athenian envoy, anticipating the
l^cedaemonian, anfwcred him thus : ** Kbg of
<^ Syracufe, Greece has fcnt us to you, not wanting
" a leader, but a fupply of forces. Such is your
«^ ambition, that unlefs you are fuffered to com•
<* mand, you will not aflSft us. When you firft
*' intimated your wiih to have the fupreme com-
^* mand of our united forces, we Athenians liftened
** in filence, well knowing that our Lacedaemonian
*' ally would return you an anfwer applicable to us
^' both.* As foon as you gave up this claim, and
•* were fatisfied with requiring the command of the
** fleet alone, I then diought it became me to
<« anfwer you. Know then, that if the Spartan am-
«^ baflador would grant you this, we would not:
«' if the Lacedaemonians refufc the condudtof the
** fleet, it devolves of courfe to us ; we would not
" difpute .it with them, but we would yield it to
«' nobody elfe. It would litde avail us to poflcls
*' the greater part of the maritime forces of Greece,
*« if we could fufFer the Syracufans to command
<« them. The Athenians are the mofl: ancient pco-
" pie
•*» Mj pnkMrfd αββαηα.'Ι'^ΜΙίζχί, in Us Various Hi^ry»
book ix. chap. 5. relates this anecdote of Hiero and Themifto-
cles:
VHien^Hiero appeared at the Olympic games, and would have
engaged with his horfes in the race, ThemiHoclcs prevented
him» faying, that he wh^ would not engage in the common
d^ger ought not have a ihare in the common feitival.
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν 1 Α• ^6^
** pic of Greece "% and we alone have never
** changed our country: from us was defcended
'' that
The chronology of this fad is adduced by Bentley» as λ
convincing argument againil the genuinenefs of the epiiUcs im-
puted to Themiitocl^s. See Bentley on Phalaris^ p. 395•
— r.
**• Thi mofi aneient ptopU ofGniciJ]'^The Athenians» in fop*
port of their antiquity» aiTumed many romantic appelladons»
calling themfelvts the ions of the earth» χθο»ιοι» αντοχ^ορίζψ
TDyiyiK» fniXoTovois children of clay. See Hefychias at the word
ynytfuf. Oppofing alio thefe appellations to the fi^n of the
i£gyptians> concerning the generation of man from the ilime and
mud of the river Nile> they afterwards» as an emblem of their
own fortuitous generation» wore the cicada, or harveft flies»
. commo nly tranflated y rraflioppers» in their hair. Their comic
"poet» who on no occafion fpared his countrymen» makes of
this their emblem a happy but farcaftic ufe» telling them that
the cicada, which they pretended to be a fymbol of them-
felves» did really exhibit their faithful pidure, they were «»θ(«•
«01 ισιπζ wa^fQWH» with tins only difference» that whereas the
dcada only fung upon the boughs for a month or two» they
fang away their whole lives in hearing caufes; that in ihort they
were <nri^jt*oAeye» (See Athenseu8,p. 540.) fauntering through the
ftreeu to pick up the loofe grain which fell from the induilrious
£uOier»to find out a place» ««τ^βγ^ο^α» where they had nothing
to do. This claim» however» of the Athenians to antiquity was
oppofed by the Arcadians» who boafted that they exiftcd before
the moon» and to keep up this pretence they wore lunulas or
moons in their ihoes» as the Athenians wore the cicada in
thor hairt they therefore called themfelves ν^ο^Ίλιινοι; and
Strabo» in his eighth book» owns their plea» afTerting that the
Arcadians were the oldeft of all the Grecians.*-! cannot help
thinking that the Arcadians were called Silen» before they dif-
puted with the Athenians on the fubjeft of antiquity. A prin-
apal part of their poiTeffions in Afia were called Salonum» and
the cheefe there made cafens Salonites» words not unlike to
SScnus and Sdenitse• The name alfo is prefcrved in Suenus»
the
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tjo ρ ό L Ϋ Nt *ί 1 Ai
♦* that hero, who, according to Homer, of all thofe
*^ who marched againftTjOy, was the moft expert
** in the arrangement and difcipline of an army :
** we relate thefe things with a becoming fenfe of
** our own importance/*
CLXIL " Man of Athens,'* aniwered Gelon^
^ it does not appear that you want commanders^
♦* but troops. Since^ therefore, you would obtain
** every thing, and concede nothing, haftcn your
i« departure, and inform Greece that their year will
*^ be without its ipring.'* The meaning of his ex-
preflion was, that as the ipring was the moft de-
iirable feafon of the year, fo were his forces with
relpeit to thofe of Greece ; Greece, therefore, defti-
tute of his alliance, would be as a year without its
Ipring.
CLXIII. The Grecian ambafladors, after re-
ceiving this anfwer from Gelon^ failed back again<
Gelon afterwards^ apprehending that the Greeks
muft fall before the Barbarian power, and ftill dif-
daining, as monarch of Sicily, to be fubordinate to
the Spartans in the Peloponnefe, adopted the follow-
ing mealure : — As foon as he heard that the Perfian
had pafled the Helleipont, he fent three fifty-oared
veflels to Delphi, under the conduft of Cadmus, the
the ufual companion of Pan, the Arcadian ddty. Silenusi
«a the Greek language prevailed^ might afterwards be changed
into Selenus or Sehnita, from the word Selene, then better under-
fiood, or on purpofe to msdntainthe conteil of antiquity^ and to
account for calling themfelves Pro/eUnU^^^n
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ϊ> Ό L γ Μ Ν I Α. ' ayi
J^tt of Scythes ^ nf thg ^ of Cos: he had with him
a large lum of money^ and a commiffion of a paci-
fic tendency "^ They were to obferve the iffue of
die conteft: if the Barbarian proved vidorious,
they were to gire him earth and water, in token ^
the fubmiffion of thofe places of which Gelon was
prince 5 if vidory fell to the Greeks, diey were to
return home•
CLXIV. This Cadmus had received from his
father t;be fovereip pity of Cos 5 and though his fitua-
Ition was free from every ipecies of difquietude, he
refigned his authority' from the mere love ofjufticc,
and retired to Sicily• Here, in conjunftion with
the Samians, he inhabited Zancle, the name of
which place was afterwards ghang€<^jQ M^^ ^'J^•
This man Gelon felefted,'' being convinced from his
previous conduft of his inviolable attachment to
juftice. Amongft the other inftances of reftitude
which he exhibited, the following is not the leafl:
worthy of admiration : If he had thought proper he
might have converted to his own ufe the wealth
with which Gelon entrufted him; but after the
vidlory pf the Greeks, and the confequent departure
■*^ Pacific tendency. '\ — Φ»λ»«ί Xoyeo literally «.friendly words.*•
■** ilf^«e.]— It is by no means certaia when this happen-
ed : the authorities of Herodotus and Thucydides are contra-
dicted by that of Paufanias. The reader who may wilh mi-
nutely to inveftigate this fa£l ; I refer to Larcher's long note to
Bentley on Phalarisj page 104, who avails himfelf of it to detect
the forgery of the epiiUes afcribed to Phalaris ; and lailly to
d'OrviUe'g Sicula.•-?;
of
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of Xerxes> he earned all thefe riches back agam ia
Sicily.
CLXV. The Sicilians afErm, that Gdon would
ftill have afliftcd the Greeks, and fubtnitted to fervc
under the Lacedsemonians, if Terillus, the fon ofCri•
nippus, who had been expelled from Himera, where
he had excrcifed the ibvereignty, by Theron, Ion of
^nefidemus, had not at this time brought an army
againft him. This army was compofed of Phoeni*
cians, Africans, Iberians, Ligurians, Helifycians,
Sardinians, and Cymians, under the command of
Amilcar, fon of Anno, king of Carthage'*', to the
amount of three hundred thoufand men. This
perfon Terillus had conciliated, pardy from the
rites of private holpitality, but principally by the
interpofition of Anaxilaus, fon of Cretineus, king of
Rhegium, who had given his children as hoftages
to Amilcar, to induce him to come to Sicily *'%
and revenge the caufc of his father-in-law. Anaxi-
laus had married a daughter of Terillus, whoie
name was Cydippe : Gelon, from thefe circumftan-
ces being unable to aflift the Greeks, fent, as we
have dcfcribed, a fum of money to Delphi.
'•• King of Cer/A^f.]— Ltrchcr remarks» from Poljrznus
and Cornelius Nepos, that the title of king was frequently given
to the Carthaginian generals.
•^ Come t9 ^Vi^.J—Diodorus Siculas relates» tiiat Xtrxti
had made a treaty with the Carthaginians» and that it was in
confeqoence of tliis that the war here mentioned took place in
Sicily.
CLXVL
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 175
CLXVI. It is related on the fame authority,
that Gelon and Thcron conquered the Carthaginian
Aniilcar, in Sicily, on the fame day '^', which was
remarkable for the viftory of the Greeks at Sala-
mis. The father of Amilcar, they aflert, was a
Carthaginian, his mother a native of Syracufe ; he
had been elevated to the throne of Carthage for his
pcrfonal virtues. After being vanquiflied, as we
have defcribed, he difappeared, and was never feen
afterwards, dead or alive, though Gelon *** with the
moft diligent care endeavoured to difcover him•
CLXVIl. The Carthaginians, and with ibme pro-
bability, aflert, that during the conteft of the Greeks
and Barbarians in Sicily, which, as is reported, con-*
tinued from morning till the approach of night,
•5* On thifame i/^y.]— Diodorus Siculus fays the iame tlmig«
ot courfe thefe two authors are agreed about the year of th•
battle of Thermopylae, and dilFer only in a few months. Hero-
dotus makes it to have happened in the beginning of the firft
year of the 75th Olympiad ; Diodorus Siculus fome months af-
terwards.
The vidlory of Gelon did him great honour ; but what in my
opinion did lum more» was, that when he granted peace to the
Carthaginians, he ftipulated that they ihould never again facri•
£ce children to Saturn. Neverthelefs, Diodorus Siculus, who
mentions this treaty,.fays nothing of this condition ; and it ap*
pears from this author, that the barbarous cuflom above-men-
tioned ilill prevailed tn the time of Agathodes, that is to iky»
in the 117th Olympiad. — Larcher•
*** Though Gflon.]^^li Polyaenus may be believed, Gelon
Tcry well knew the fate of Amilcar ; fee lib• i. c. 27. Not daring
to face him openly in the field, he deftroyed him by a paltry
' ilraugem, when in the ad of offering (acrifice.
Vol. III. Τ Anulcar
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α74 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α•
Amilcar remained in his camp ; here he oiTered ia^
crifice to the gods^ confuming upon one large pile
the eqtire bodies ^numerous vidims ^^K As foon
as he perceived the retreat of his parqr» whilft he
was in the zGt of pouring a libation, he threw him-
ielf into the flames^ and Har ever diiappeared. Whe*
ther> according to the Phoenicians, he vanifhed in
this, or, as the Cartha^ians alledge, in fome other
manner, this laft people, in all their colonies, and
particularly in Carthage, ereded monuments in his
honour, and facrifice to him as a divinity. — ^Enough
perhaps has been iaid on the affairs of Sicily..
CLXVIII. The condud of die Corcyreans did
not correipond with their profeffions» The iaoie
cmilTarics who vifited Sicily, went alio to Corcyra,
the people of which place they addrefled in the
terms they had ufed tp Gelon• To thefe they re-
ceived a promifc of inrHnediate and powerful affift-
ance : they added, that they could by no means be
indifierent Ipeftators of the ruin of Greece, and
they felt themfelves impelled to give their aid, from
the conviftion, that the next ftep to the conqueft of
Greece would be their Servitude i they would there-
fore aflifl: to the utmoit; — Such was the flattering
anfwer they returned. But when they ought to
have fulfilled their engagements, having very dif-
ferent views, they fitted out a fleet of fixiy veflTels j
■*• Numerous iv^i^.]— We find CroeAie> in a preceding
book» offering up three thoafand choren viAimd; fee book i.
ckap. 5a
thdc
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 475
dicfe were put to fca, though not without difficulty,
and failing towards the Peloponncfe, they ftationed
thcmfelvcs near Pylos and Tainaros, off the coaft of
Sparta. Here they waited the iifuc of the conteft,
never imagining that the Greeks would prove vic-
torious, but taking it for granted that the vaft power
of the Perfian would reduce the whole of Greece•
They afted in this manner to juftify themfelves, in
addreffing the Perfian monarch to this effeft : *' The
« Greeks, Ο king, have follicited our afliftance,
** who, after the Athenians, are fecond to none in
^ the number as well as ftrength of our ihips j but
** we did not wiflito oppofe your defigns, or to do
^' any thing hoftile to your wiflies." By this Ian-•
guage they hoped to obtain more favourable condi•»
dons s in which they do not to me appear to havo
been at all unreafonable : they had previoufly con-
certed their excufe to the Greeks. When the
Greeks reproached them for withholding the pro-
mifed iuccour, they replied that they had abiblutely
fitted out a fleet of fixty triremes j but that the
north-eail winds would not fuffer them to pais the
promontory of Malea: and that it was this accident
alone, not any want of zeal, which prevented their
arrival at Salanus tilt afi:er the battle. It was thus
they attempted to delude the Greeks.
CLXIX. The Cretans being in like manner fol-•
licited by the Grecian envoys to aflift the common
caufe, determined to confult the oracle at Delphi
about the expediency of fuch a meafure : *' Inconfi-
?* derate as you are/* replied the prieftefs, " hastnot
Τ a *^ Mino$
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δ76 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
" Minos given you fufficicnt caufe to regret the
** part you took with relpeot to Menelaus ? The
" Greeks refufed to revenge the murder of Mi-
" nos ''*, at Camicus, though you afliftcd them to
" puniih
■^ ilf;«w.]— The Cretans had Cent fome forces to the Tro-
jan war» under the condufl. of Idomeneus and Merion. Ido-
ineneus was a defcendant of Minos, and at his death the govern-
ment of the family of Minos ceafed. Minos expelled from
Crete the Rhadamanes ; fee the Dionyuaca of Nonnos, cited
by Meurfius, p. 120• Thofe who fettled with Minos at Crete»
are the firil whom the Grecian hillory records for their powec
and dominion at If a; he extended his jurifdidion to the coafts
of Caria on the one hand, and to the cities of Greece on the
other ; uHng his power with moderation and juilice, and em-
ploying it againft thofe lawlefs rovers and pirates who infefted
the neighbouring iilande, and. in the proteoUon and fupport of
the injured and diftrefled. If he be reprefented in worfe colours
by fome authors, the painting is the hand of one who copied
from thofe, whofe rapine and opprefllon had provoked and felt
his refentment. Minos was no. lefs renowned for his armt
abroad» than for Ids polity and good government at home ; he
is faid to have framed a body of laws, under th« dire^lion of
Jupiter, for his fubjefts of Crete, and, though this may have the
air of a romance, invented/ as fuch reports were, to give the
better fan^on to his laws» yet it is confe/Ted, fays Strabo, that
Crete in ancient times was fo well governed, that the bed iUtes
of Greece, efpecially the Spartan, did not difdain to tranfaibe
many of its laws, and to form the plan of their government ac-
cording to this model. Lycurgus retired into Crete, and tranf-
cribed its hws.-^Meurfius, p. 162 ; they related principally to
military points. A. Gellius records one inilance of this agree-
ment of the military fort, in giving the onfet to battle, L L c• 1 1•
there are many others in Meuriius. Befides Plato and Ephorus,
mentioned by Strabo, we may add Xenophon and Polybius,
bearing their witnefs to what 1 have above faid of the ancient
C|:etan$ chara£ter« As it was gained by» fo it fell with, the de-
fcendanu
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. -177
^ punifli the rape of a Spartan woman by a Barba-
• *^ barian/* This anfwer induced the Cretans to
refufe their alliftance.
CLXX. It is faid that Minos coming to Sica-
nia, now called Sicily, in fearch of Daedalus **^ pe-
riihed
fcendants of Minos ; for when the Carians had expelled the
former, and were become mailers of the illand, as Diodorus Si-
cuius fuppofes that they did foon after the Trojan war (book v.
at the end) Crete became a den of tyrants» and a neft of pirates,
as in&moQS for their thefts and injuftice» as the Eteocretans had
been famous for their oppoiite virtues.— T*•
*'5 Diedalus.l — Diodorus Siculus gives the following account
of Daedalus, book iv. c. 76.
Daedalus was an Athenian, of the family of £re£Uieus ; he
was eminently Ikilful as an architeol, as a ftatuary and engraven
He had arrived at fo great excellence, that his poilerity boailed
of his figures, that they appeared to fee and to move like hu-
man beings. He was the firft who formed tyts to his figures, and
reprefented the limbs and arms corrcdly and diftinoUy. Befi^re
his time artifts made the eyes of their figures clofed, the hands
fofpended clofe to the fides• ; His nephew Talos was his pupil,
whofe ingenuity fo excited his envy and jealoufy that he killed
him : for this he was condemned to death by the Areopagus»
but flying to Crete, his talents procured him great reputation,
and the friendihip of Minos. This he forfeited from ufing his
art to gratify the prepofterous paffion of Pafiphae, the wife of
Minos ; whence the ilory of the birth of the Minotaur. He
confequently fled from hence with his fon Icarus, who gave his
name to the fea where he periihed. Daedalus went to Sicily,
where he was received and entertained by Cocalus ; Minos pur-
fued him with a numerous fleet, he landed in the territory of
Agrigentum, and fent to Cocalus to demand Daedalus. Coca-
lus invited him to a conference, promifed to give Daedalus up,
and offered him the rites of hofpitalityj after which he fuffo-
cated Minos in a hot bath.
Τ 3 It
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d78 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A•
riflicd by a violent death '^^ Not long afterwards,
actuated as it were by ibnme divine impulfc, all die
Cretans m a body, except the Polichnites and the
Praefians, paflcd over with a great fleet to Sicania,
and for five years laid clofe fiege to Camiais, inha-
bited even to my time by the Agrigcntines. Unabk
cither to take the place or continue the fiege, they
were compelled by famine to retire; a furious tempeft
attacked them off the coaft of lapygia,and drove them
alhore. As their veflcls were dcftroyed, and they were
unable to return to Crete, they remained there,
and built the town of Hyria. Inilead of Cretans
It has been difpated» whether with the afliftance of Daedalus,
Minos was not the inventor of the labyrinth. The credit of
the invention is by Pliny affigned to the Egyptian ; Ovid very
prettily compares the winding of the Crcun labyrinth to the
courfe of the Meander, L viii. i6o.
Non fecus ac liquidus Phrygiis Mseandros in arvis
Ludit, et ambiguo lapfu refluitque fluitqae,
Occurrenfqac fibi Venturas affHcit undas ;
£t nunc ad fontes, nunc in mare verfus apertum
Incerias excrcet aquas. lu Daedalus implet
Innumeras errore vias. Sec, T•
»ί• Fiolii^ ^^Λ.]— -Zenobius affirms, that whilft he was at
the bath, the daughter of Cocalus killed him, by pouring boil-
ing pitch upon him. Diodorus Siculus fays, that Cocalut hav^
ing permitted him to do what he wiihed, and o£Fering him the
rites of hofpitality, fufibcated him in a bath, of which the water
was too hot. Paufanias fays nothing of the kind of death which
Minos died s he fatisnes himfelf with faying, that the daughters
of Cocalus were fo pleafed with Daedalus on account of his in*
g^uity, to oblige him, refolved to deilroy Minos. The vio•
lent death of this prince caufed Sophocles to write a tragedy,
called Minos, as appears from Clemens Alexandrinus or Cami•
coi, as we find in Athenaeus.— jL^ri&#r•
they
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• 279
thcytook the name <rf'MeflapianIapyges"'%and feom
being iflanders they became inhabitants of the con«
tinent• From Hyria they fent out feveral colonies ι
with thcfc, the Tarentines being afterwards engaged
in the moft deftniftive hoftilities^ received the ic•
vereft defeat we ever remember to have heard re-
Jated. The Tarentines were not oh this occaikm
the only fufferers j the people of Rhegium^ who
had been inftigated by Mycithus, Ion of Choerus,
fo affift the Tarentines, fuftained a lofs of three
thoufand men ; the particular lofs of the Tarentines .
has not been recorded Micythus had been one
of the domeftics of Anaxilaus^ and had been left to
take care of Rhegium ; being driven thence, he re•
fided afterwards at Tegca in Arcadia, and confe•
crated a great number of ftatues "* in Olympia•
''^ lafyges.'l'^So called from lapyx» the name of the Ton of
Dsdalus. lapyx was alio the name of the Weftero win4
See Horace :
Obftri^ aliis prater lapyga
Ventis.
Again,
£go quid fit ater
Adriae novi finus, et quid aibus
Peccet lapyx.
The particulars of the battle, mentioned in the fubfequent
part of the chapter, may be found at length in Diodorus Siculus,
book ii. chap• 52.
''* Great number o/^aiius.'\*^Thtit are fpecifie^ in Paoia#
nias ; they confided of the ilatues .of Amphitrite, Neptune, and
VeiU, by the hand of Glaucus, an Argive : there were alfo
Proferpinc, Venus, Ganymede, Diana, Homer, and Hefiod; next
thefe were ^fculapius and Hygeia, with Agon. Thefe with
many others were given by Micythus, in confequence of a vow
made on account of his ίοη, who was afflioied with a dangerous
difeafe^r.
Τ 4 CLXXI.
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flSo Ρ Ο L Υ .Μ Ν 1 Α.
CLXXI. My remarks concerning the people of
Rhegium and Tarentum, have interrupted the
thread of my narration• Crete bei^ thus left
without inhabitants, the Prseiians fay, that various
emigrants reforted there, of whom the greater num-
ber were Greeks• In the third age after the death
of MinQs, happened the Trojan war, in which the
Cretans were no contemptible allies to Menelaust
On their return from Troy, and as fome have af.
ferted a? a puniflimcnt for the part they had taken,
a fevere peftilence and famine deftroyed them and
their cattle j they who furvivcd, were joined by
others who migrated to them, and thus was Crete
a third time peopled. By recalling thefe incidents
to their remembrance, the Pythian checked their
inclination to aflift the Greeks.
CLXXII. The Theflalians were from the be-
ginning compelled to take the part of the Medes,
taking care to fhew their diflike of the condud of
the Aleuadse. As foon as they heard that the Per-
fian had pafled over into Europe, they fent deputies
to the ifthmus, where were affembled the public
counfellors of Greece, deputed from thofe ftates
which were moft zealous to defend their country.
On their arrival the Theflalian deputies thus fpake :
" Men of Greece, it will be neceflary to defend
'^ the Olympic ftraits, for the common fecurity of
" Theflaly, and of all Greece• We on our parts
** are ready to affift in this, but you muft alfo fend
«' a confiderable body offerees, which if you omit
?' t© 4o, we ihall undoubtedly make our terms
^* witi^
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. a8i
•* with the Pcrfian. It cannot be juft that we, who
*' from our fituation are more immediately expofed
^' to danger, ihould periih alone on your account•
*^ If you refufe to aflift us, you cannot expcft us to
** exert ourfelves for you. Our inability to refift
** will juftify our condud, and we fliall endeavour
*^ to provide for our own fccurity.*'
*
CLXXIII;. The Greeks in confequence deter-
mined to fend a body of infantry by fea to defend
thefe llraits. As foon as their forces were ready
they pafled the Euripus. Ai^iving at Alus, in
Achaia*, they difembarked, and proceeded towards
Theflaly. They advanced to Tempe, to the paflage
which conncfts the lower parts of Macedonia with
Theflaly, near the river Peneus, betwbct Olympus
and Ofla J here they encamped, to the number often
thoufand heavy-armed troops, and they were joined
by the Theflalian horfe. The Lacedaemonians
were led by Euaenetus, fon of Carenus, one of the
Polemarchs '^', though not of the blood-royal•
Themiftocles^ fon o( Neocles, commanded the
* In ^/ς.&Λ/Λ.]— Achaia means here Phthiotis, in Theflaly.—?
See Siralo, b. ix.
"' One of the Po!emarchs.]'^The Pdemarch feems to have
had feparate and diilind duties in peace and in war; in peace^as
I have clfewhere obferved, it was his bufmefs to fuperintend the
ftrangers reiident in Sparta, as well as to fee to the maintenance
of the children of thofe who died in the public fcrvice.
In war he feems to have been a kind of aid dc camp to the
king, and to have communicated his orders to the troops. We
may prefume, from what Herodotus fays in the conclu£on of
the paragraph, that the Polemarchs were generally of the blood-
foyal.— f.
Athenians•
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Λί>
ίΐ8ι Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Ι Α.
Athenians• Here they reniabed but a few days;
for Alexander, fon of Amyntas, the Macedonian,
fent to them, recommending their retrea^ from
Aeir total inability to make any ftand againft die
land and lea forces of the enemy, whofe numbers
he expkined• The Greeks thinking die advice
reafonable, and the Macedonian amicable towards
them, regulated their conduot by it. I am rather
inclined to impute the part they aded to theh- fears,
being informed tfiat there was another paffage into
Theflaly, through the country of the Perrhsebi, in
the higher region of Macedonia, near the city
Gonnos, and through this die army of Xerxes did
aftually pafs. The Greeks retired to dieir fliips,
and returned to the ifthmus•
CLXXIV. This expedition to Theflaly was un-
dertaken when die king was preparing to pafs into
Europe, and was already at Abydos• The Thef•
~&lian.$, forlaken by their allies, loft no time in treat-
ing with the MedesV tlicy entered warmly into
the king's affairs, and proved tiiemfelves remark-
ably ufefiil.
CLXXV. The Greeks, after their return to the
ifthmus, in confequence of die advice of Alexander,
called a councU to deliberate how and where diey
ihould commence hoftDities. It was ultimately de-
termincd to defend die ftraits of Thermopyte, as
Joeing not only narrower dian diofe of ThefTaly, but
alfo widiin a lefs diftance. Of riiat other avenue by
which die Greeks at Thermopylae were furprized,
they
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. α«3
ύχ€γ had not the fmalleft knowledge, till, having
jurived there, they were fhewn it by the Trachini-
ans• To prevent the approach of the Barbarians
to Greefce, they undertook to guard this paffage :
their fleet they rcfolved to fend t o JVrtemifium on
the coaft of Hiiliasotis• Thefe places are lb con-
tiguous, that a communication betwixt the two
armaments was extremely eafy•
CLXXVI. The above places may be thus de-
fcribed : — ^Artemilium *, beginning from the Thra-
cian fea, gradually contrads itfclf into a narrow ftrait
betwixt the ifland of Sciathus and the continent of
Magnefia. At the ftrajta ^ Euboe a Artcmjlhun —
meets the coaft, upon which is a temple of Diana^
The entrance into Greece by the way of Trachis
is in its narroweft part half a plethrum; compared
with the reft of the country, the part moft contrad-
fd lies before and behind Thermopylae '*** -, behind»
near
♦ ^r/<rm^^.]— According to this defcnpnon, Artemlfium is
the name of the whole fea» from Sepias to the Cenaean promon-
tory.
■♦^ ThermofjU*]^^An excellent plan of the ftraita of Ther-
mopyls, as they at prefent appear^ may be feen in the charts
of the Voyage du Jeune Anacharfis. The defcripdon which
Livy gives of them has been greatly adniired•— See liber xxxvi»
f. 15.
«' £xtremos ad orientem montes CEum Tocant; qnonuii qood
altiffiratun eft, Callidromon appellatur, in cujus valle ad Malia•
€vaa finnm vergente iter eft non latius quam LX pafius* HcC
una militaris via eft* qua traduci exercitus, fi non prohibeantuc
poffint. ideo Pyls» et ab aliis» quia calidse aquae in ipfis faucibot
font» Thermopylc locos appeUatur» nobilis Lacedaemoniomm
adverfus Perfas morte magb memorabifi quam pogdL*'
The
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α84 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
near the Alpeni, there is room only for a finglc
carriage; before, near the river Phoenix, by the
town of Anthela, the dimenfions of the paffage are
the fame. To the weft of Thermopylae, is a ftecp
and inacceflible mountain, which extends as far as
CEta ; to the eaft, it is bounded by the ihoals and
by the fea. In thefe ftralts, there are warm badis
which the natives call Chytri, near which is an
altar facred to Hercules. The place was formerly
defended by a wall ^nd by gates : the wall was
built by the Phoceans, through fear of the Thefla*
lians, who came from Thefprotia,to eftablifli them-
selves in ^olia, where they now reiide. The Thef-
falians endeavouring to expel them, the Phoceans
erefted the wall to proteft themj and, to make the
place marlhy and impaffable, they fuffered the
abovp-mentioned warm fprings to empty them-r
felves, ufing every expedient to prevent the incur-
iions of the Theflalians. The wall had in a great
meafure mouldered away from length of time : it
was repaired, becaufe it was here determined to
repel the Barbarian from Greece. In the vicinity
is a place called Alpeni, which the Greeks made ^
repofitory for theh- provifions.
CLXXVII. This place the Greeks from every
confideration deemed the moft eligible. After much
The gates of public buildings were called by the Greeks
$t/^ei} the gates of cities ^τνλα».— See Suidas at the word «-νλα»•
See alfo Perrenius'^ note to iEIian, book iii. c. 25.
«« The narrow entrance of Greece," fays Mr. Gibbon, de-
ftribing the march of Alari^ into Greece, ** was probably en-
larged by each fucceffive raviiher.^T— ^•
cautious
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 2ΐ$5
cautious infpeftion and deliberation, they concluded
that the Barbarians could not here avail themfelvef
cither of their numbers or their cavalry; here
therefore they determined to receive the difturber
of their country. As loon as they were informed
of his arrival in Pieria, they left the ifthmus -, the
land forces proceeding to Thermopyise, the fleet to
Artemifium.
CLXXVIII. Whilft the Greeks, according to
the refolutions of their council, reforted to their fe-
veral ftations, the Delphians, anxious for themfelves
and for Greece, confulted the oracle• They were
direded, in reply, to addreis themfelves to the winds,
for they would prove the beft allies of Greece•
The Delphians loft no time in communicating this
anfwer to thofe Greeks who were zealous for their
liberty, and who greatly dreading the Barbarian,
thought it deferved their everlafting gratitude. An *
altar was immediately erefted, and facrifice offered
to the winds in Thyia, where is a temple in honour
of Thyia, daughter of Cephiflus '♦', from whom
the
■♦' T^ia, daughter of CephtJ/us.] — Larcher quotes from Pau-
fanias the following paiTage :
*' Others Tay that Caftalius, a native X)f the country, had a
daughter named Thyia ; (lie was priedefs of Bacchus, and was
the firft who celebrated orgies in honour of that god. From
this time, all thofe were called Thyiades, who became frantic ia
honour of this god. They fay alfo that Delphus was the fon
of that Thyia by Apollo ; others again fay that the mother of
Delphut was Melscna, the daughter of CephiiFus."
Strabo and Plutarc^ difcemed a great affinity and likenefs
between
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i
ftS6 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν ί, A;
die place has its name. In confequence of the
above oracle^ the Delphians to this day fupplicatt
the winds*
CLXXIX. The fleet of Xerxes moving fiom
Therma, difpatched ten of their fwifteft failing
veflels to Sciathns, where were three guardihips of
the Greeks, of Troezene, -Slgina, and Athena.
Thefe, on fight of the Barbarian veflels, immedi-
ately fled.
CLXXX. Tho Barbarians, after a purlmt^ took
the Trcezenian veflcl commanded by Praxinus• The
moil valiant of the crew they iacrificed on the prow
of the ihip, thinking it a &voiirable omen that
their firfl: Greek capture was of no mean diflindtion.
The name of the man they flew was Leon^ and to
his name perhaps he owed his htt.
CLXXXI. The veflel of Mpnz occafioned the
enemy more troiiblc ; it was commanded by Alb*
nides, and amongfl: its warriors was Pythes '**, foa
of Ifchenous, who on that day gready difl:inguilhed
himfelf. When his fliip was taken, he pcribvered
in his refiftance, till he was cut in pieces : at length
he fell, but, as he difcovered fome figns of life, the
between the frantic rites of Cybcle, the orgia of Bacchus, and
the myfteries of Pan,— 7*.
*** Pyihes,] — Bellanger in a long note endeavours to prove
that it ihould be Py theas, and not Pythes. To all his argumenu
I am iatisfied to oppofe the learned authority of Longinus, who
writes the npminative cafe Pythes•— i«rciJ#r.
5 Perfians,
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. ig/
Perfians, in admiration of his valour, made ercry
^IBble effort to preferve him> bathii^ his wounds
with myrrh> and applying to them bandages of
cotton'*'• On their return to their camp, they
exhibited him to the whole army as a man deienr-
ing univerial efteem; whilft they treated the reft of
the crew as vile (laves•
CLXXXIL
»** Bmdagu oftottM.]^^ have proved in another place» that .
ByiTus was cotton• A very learned man has objeded to me«
that as the tree which produces cotton was not culuvated in
^gypt, in the time of Profper Alpinus, except in gardens, it
muUt neceflarily» in the time of Herodotas> have been ftill more
uncommon ; which induces lum t• betieve, \nth father Hardouin»
that it b a fpecies of fine linen. This does not to me feem
condufive• It may be reaibnably fuppofed that die floods may
in a great degree have deiboyed that plane and particularly
fince iEgypt is become barbarous (devenue barbare») This
may be one caufe of its fcardty in the time of Proiper Al•
pinus, and does not prove to me that it was (carce in the time
of Herodotus, or even before his time• According to my in•
terpretation, the Perfians bound the wounds of Pythes with
cotton ; we in fimilar cafes ufe lint : but the i£gy ptians at thi»
day ufe Unt of cotton for wounds and forcs.^^arc/rer»
*^ I do not know whether what I have to offer, in contradiftion
to M. Larcher's opinion on this fubjed, may be thought iktif-
fadory, but I think that they merit the attention of the Englifh .
reader. I have before obferved, that the fineft linen of iEgypt
was of a very coarfe nature, of whatever it was compofed ;
and I find in Ezekiel, xxvii. 7. the following verfe :
ΒΤΣΣΟΣ μΛΤ» ΐΓοιχ»λ»«ς £S ΑΙΓΤΠΤΟΥ f^srir• τοι τ^ν^ινη,
rs Wifi&ufuU 0^1 io^at, ttf 7Γtξ^βaλ^^9 σι votxkJf^Qf xoc» νοξψυξοί» tJt
rvw νησωιι £λι ιβ'αι, χαι ιγινιτο τψβολχίΛ σ». Which our tranila-
tors have thus rendered :
Fine linen with broidered work from iEgypt, was that
which
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j88 ρ ο L υ μ ν ι Α.
CLXXXII. Two of the vcffels being thus takoi^
the third, commanded by Phormus, an Athenian, in
its endeavour to efcape, went aftiore at the mouth
of the Peneus. The Barbarians took the fliip but
not. its crew. The AAenians got on fliore, and
proceeding through Thefl&ly, arrived fafe at Athens.
The Greeks ftationed at Artemiflum were niade
acquainted with the above event by fignals of fire
from Sciathus. They inftantly retired in alarm to
Chalcis, with the view of guarding the Euripus•
They did not however omit to place daily centineb
on the heights of Euboea.
*
CLXXXIIL Three of die ten Barbarian veffels
failed to the rock called Myrmex, betwixt Sciathus
and MagneCa. Here they eredted a column, with
ftones which they brought with them for that pur-
poie. They (pent eleven days on this cruize, after
the king's departure from Therma, being condudtcd
lafe with refpeft to this rock by Pammos the Scy-
rian. Sailing from the above place, they in one
days pafled along the coaft of Magnefia to Sepias,
on the ihore which lies betwixt the town of Caftha-
nsea and the coaft of Sepias.
■which thou fpreadeft forth to be thy fail ; blue and purple from
the ifles of Eliiha was that which covered thee.
That Bt/cr<roc is properly expreifed by the word linen, I be-
Eeve ; but why it ihould be rendered fine linen, I am at a ΙοΓ$
to imagine. We are exprefsly told that it was ufed for fail-
doth, and was probably of a fubdance equally coarfe with that
mentioned by Virgil :
Ufum in cailromia aut miferis velamlna miutis. ST.
CLXXXIV..
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ϊ> ο L Ϋ Μ Ν 1 Α. ϋ89
CLXXXI V. Thus far, and to Thermopylae, the
army of Xerxes met with no misfortune. The
number of the veflels which left Afia amounted, if
my conjeftures have not deceived me, to twelve
hundred and feven. The complement of the crews
by which they were originally '^ manned was two
hundred forty-one thoufand four hundred, compofed
of the different auxiliaries, and allowing two hun-
dred men to each veflel : to thefe, independent of
tiieir own proper crews, are to be added thirty of
cither Perfian s^ Medes. or Saca?> The whole
numberof thefe laft was thirty-fix thobiand two
hundred and ten : to the above are alfo to be added
thofe who were on board the veflfels of fifty oars, to
which we may allow at the rate of eighty men to
each. The whole number therefore of thefe will
be found to have been three thoufand> and of the
men two hundred and forty thoufand. Thus the
fleet which left Afia was compofed of five hundred
fevcnteen thoufand fix hundred and ten men. The
infantry tonfifted of feventeen hundred thoufand
men j the numbef of the cavalry was eighty thou-
fand. The Arabians with their cameb, and the
Afiicans in -their chariots, "were twenty thoufand
more. The above was the armament which left
Afia ; to make no mention of the menial attendants,
the cranfports which carried the provifions, and
their crews*
*^ Originall/.]'^Thzt Is, Ifuppofe, without the troops which
the kmg added to hii trmainenc in progreis from Aiia to
Europe.
Vol III. U CLXXXV.
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/
/
'Ί
ί9α POLYMNIA.
CLXXXV. To thcfc are ftiU to be added aU
thofe troops which were brought from Europe; of
the prccife number of which we can only φeak
from opinion. The Greeks of Thrace, and of the
iflands contiguous^ furniihed one hundred and
twenty veflels, the crews of which amounted to
twenty-four thoufand men : a body of land forces
was alfo provided by the Thracians, Pasonians> the
Eordi, Bottiaeans '*^, Chalcidians, Brygians, Fieri-,
ans, Macedonians, Perrhssbians, Enienes, Dolopes,
Magneiians, Acha^ans, and the other people who
inhabit the maritime parts of Thrace. The amount
of all thefe was I believe three hundred thoufand
men. Thefe coUeotively, added to the Afiatic forces,
make two millions fix hundred forty-one thoufand
fix hundred and ten fitting men•
CLXXXVI. Great as the number of thefe forces
was, the number of the menial attendants, of the
crews on board the traniports carrying the provi-
fions, and of the other veflels following- the fleet,
was I believe ftill greater. I will however llippofe
them equal• Thus it will appear that Xerxes fon
*♦• 5tf///><iff/.]— The Botdaeans were of Athenian origin,
tola, according to Arlftotle, from thofe children whom the Athe<
nians fent to Minos in Crete by way of tribute. Thefe chil-
dren grew old in that iiland, gaining their livelihood by the la-
bour of their hands. The Cretans» in compliance with fome
vow, fent to Delphi the firft-fruiis of their citizens, to whom
they added thefe defccndants of the Athenians, As diey could
not fubfift there, they went to Italy, and eftabliflied themfelves
in lapygia ; from hence they went to Thrace, where they to<*
the name of BotuxdXis^-^Larchcr^
of
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^ ο L y Μ Ν ι Α. 091
of Darius conduAec} to Sepias and tq Thcrmopylfip
an army confiiling of five irujliion^ piro humlr^
and eighty-^hree thoqiaivl two hundred an^ i^w^f^y
men.
CLXXXVn. The ^qvp was the aggi?eg3itf <^
the troops of Xerxes : as to the women who pre-
pared the breads the concubines and eunuchs^ no
one has ever attempted to afcertain their ttumber.
The ba^pgc waggons alfo^ the bpafts of b^den,
and the Indian dogs^ which accompanied the arm)rj
defied all computation* We can hardly he fur-
prifrd that the waters of fonae rivers were e^auftedj
but we may rcaibnably wonder how provifioncpuld
be fupplied to fo vaft ^ multitude^ Accordii^ tp
α calculation made by myfelf^ if each of the abovp
number had only a chaenix of com a day> there woul^
every day be confumed '^ ten thoufand three hxwr
*^ Einrydayhe fojj^iwft/.]-^Madtland, whol believe ia ge•
nerally allowed to be a faithful and accurate hiilorian> furniihes
US with a table of the quantity of cattle confumed annually in
London, above thirty years ago> when that city was i^ lefs
populous than it is at prefentt
Beeves w - -
Calves - - ^
•Hogs . fc -
- ^,244
- 1 94*760
. ie6,93S
Figs ...
Sheep and Landh•
^ 52,000
The moH-ioquifitive calculators feem now ^reed in allowing»
ttpon an ave^^e, to the mietropolis a ti^Uioa eif io^bitants.
* ! υ 2 ' * dred
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α^α Ρ Ο 1. Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
dred and forty medimni "*^. Neither does this com-
putation comprehend thtf quantity allowed to the
women> eunuchs^ catde^ and dog8« Amongft all
riiefe myriads of men, with refpeft to grace and
dignity of perfon *^, no one better deferved the
fijpreme Comniand than Xerxes himfelf•
• CLXXXVIII. The veflels of the fleet, after
their arrival on the coaft of Magncfia, betwixt the
town of Cafthanaea and the fliores of Sepias, there
ftationed themfelvcs, the fbremoft drawing dofe
to land, the others layuig on their anchors be-
hind• As the ihore was of no great extent, the
fleet was ranged in eight regular divifions, with
their heads towards the main fea, in which fituadon
they paflcd the night. On the approach of day,
the Iky and the fea, which had before been ferene,
were violently difturbed : a furious ftorm arofc, at-
"♦^ i)f#^«Mri. ]-^There were forty-eight cHenices in one
medimnus; according therefore to the calcalation of Herodotos*
there ought to have been 5,296,310 men. There is of cotirie
a taiiftake either in the number of medimni or of the troops•
■^ Grace and dignity of perfon,'^^
Through all the nations which adorM hu pride
Or fear'd his power the monarch now was paisM;
Nor yet among thefe millions could be found '
One who in beauteous feature might compare^
Or towering lize, with Xerxes. Oh poffcfs'd
Of all but virtue, doom'd torihew how mean,
How weak> without her is unbounded power»
The .charm of beauty, and the blaze of fiate;
How infecnre of happinefs, how vain I GUvir.
tended
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ρ 5 L γ Μ Ν I Α. ag3
tended with a violent fquall of wind from the
Eaft '♦', which the inhabitants of thefe parts call
an Hellefpontian wind They who forcfaw that the
tempeft
'♦• From the #^5^.]— Apeliotes, called alfo Solanue and Sul>-
folanus. The ancients originally ofed only the four cardinal
winds; they afterwards added four more. The Ronuns in-
creafed them to twenty -four, and the modems have added to
the four cardinal, twenty «eight collateral winds. The annexed
table may probably be ufeful to many of my readers.
Names of the winds» and pcnnts of the compafs.
Englijb.
I North - - .
ζ North by Eaft - -
3 North, North Eaft -
4 North Eaft by North -
5 North East -
6 North Eaft by Eaft -
7 Eaft North Eaft - -
8 Eaft by North -
9 East • - -
10 Eaft by South •
11 Eaft South Eaft - >-
t2 South Eaft by Eaft •
13 South East -
14 South Eaft by South -
15 South, South Eaft
16 South by Eaft - -
17 South
Latin and GregJt,
1 Sbptbntrio or Boreas.
2 Hyperboreas, Hypaquilo, Gal*
licus.
S Aquilo.
4 Mefoboreas, Melaquilo, Sa*
pemas.
5 ArCT^PBLIOTBS, BORAPE-
LIOTBS, GrACUS.
6 Hypocsefias.
7 Caeiias, Hellefpontins•
8 Mefocacfias.
9 SOLANUS, SUBSOLAVUS, Ar
PBLIOTBS.
10 Hypeurus,orHypereiiru».
1 1 Eurus or VoUornus.
iz Mefeurus.
13 N0TAPBLI0TBS,EURA8TE*
14. Hypophoenix.
15 Phoenix, Phoenidas, LeucO-
notus, Gangedcus.
16 Mefophoemx.
ij AuSTBR, NoTUs, Mbri*
PXBS•
U 3 ?8 Son^h
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.α94 Ρ Θ L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
tcmpcft would ftill incirafc, and whofe ftuatiod was
favourable, prevented the effedb of the ftorm, by
drawing their veffels aihore, and with them pre-
ferved their own perfons; of thofe whom the
hurricane furprized farther out at fea, fome were
driven to the ftraits of Pdion, tenned die Iprtoi^
others went on flime; fome were daflied againft
idie promontory of Sepias, odiers carried to Meli•
boea and Cafthanaea, ίο fevere wjsis the tempeft.
CLXXXIX. It is aflcrted, that the Athenians
beii\g advifcd by fome oracle to folicit the affiftance
of then- foii-m-la^, invoked in a folemn manner
18 South by Weft •
ig South» South Well .
Vo South "Wefihy South -
ai South W^sτ . -
2Z South Weft by Weft -
23 Weft South Weft - .
^4 Weft by South -
Z5 West - - •
z6 Weft by North - -
27 Weft North Weft
28 North Weft by Weft -
29 North West - -
30 North Weft by North -
31 Norths North Weft .
3* North by Weft . .
18 Hypolibonotus* Alfanus.
19 Libonotus» Notolybicosj Auf-
tro-Africus•
20 Mefolibonotus.
Zl N0TOZEPHYRUS9 NOTOLI-
BYcue, Apricvs.
tz Hypolibe, Hypafricue, Snbvef-
perus.
23 Libs.
24 Mefolibs, Mefozephyrus.
25 Zephtrvs» Favonius,
OCCIDSNS.
«6 Hypargeftes, Hypocorus.
27 Argeftes,Caurus,Corus,Iapyr,
a8 Mefargeftes, Mefocorus.
39 Zbphyro-Boreas, BoroG•
bycus, Orympias.
30 Hypodrcius, Hypothrtfdas,
Scirem.
31 Circius, Thrafdaa.
32 Mefocircius•
the
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν ϊ Α. 195
the aid of Boreas ^**. Boreas, accordmg to the
tradition of the Greeksj married Orithya, an Athe-
nian femde, daughter of Ereftheus : from this, if
fame may be believed, the Athenians were induced
to confider Boreas as their fon-in-law j and during
their ftation off the Euboean Chalcis to watch the
motions of the enemy, diey facriuced to Boreas and
Orithya, invoking their interpofition to dcftroy die
Barbarian fleet, as diey had befere done «ear mount
Athos. I will not preiume to fay, that in confe-
quen^e of their fupplications Boreas diiperfed the
Barbarian fleet; but the Athenians do not fcruple
t& afikm, that Boreas, who had before been favour-
able to them, repeated his efforts to aflift them on
this occafion• — ^They afterwards created a ihrine to
Boreas on the banks of the IlifTus.
CXC. In this ftorm, according to the loweft cal-
culation, four hundred veflels were totally loft, with
an infinite number of men, and a prodigious trea-
fure. Aminocles fon of Cratinus, a Magnefian,
who had an eftate near Sepias, reaped afterwaVds
very confiderable advantage from this tempcft:
many veflcls of gold and filver were thrown by the
tides upon his lands ; he became mafter alio of
«50 ^^Γ^Λ/.]— Aftraeus had by Aurora four fons, Argeftes,
Zephyms, Boreas^ and Notus. Some have taken Boreas for
a wind, others for a prince of Thrace• This Boreas went to
Thrace in Attica> from whence he carried Orithya, daughter
of £re^ieas : By this marriage he became fon-in-law to
Eredheus, and the Athenians confequently coniidered him as
thek ally, callmg him their fon-in-law uCo.^^Larchgr,
U 4 various
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196 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A•
various Perfian trcaftires, and an inuqenfe quandqr
of gold. Although this incident rendered him af«
fluent, he was in other reipefts unfortunates he
had by ibme calamity been deprived of his chil-
dren'^'•
CXCI. The Icrfs of die provifion-traniports, and
of the other fmaller veSas, was too great to be
afcertained• The naval commanders, apprehend-
ing that the Theflalians would avail themfdves of
this opportunity to attack them, intrenched them-
felves within a buttrels made of the wrecks of the
veiTels. For three days the ftorm was unabated ;
on the fourth die magi appealed its violence by
human victims, and incantations to the wind, as well
as by facrificing to Thetis and the Nereids, tinlei^
perhaps the tempeft ceafcd of itfelf. They facri-
ficcd to Thetis, having learned from the lonians
that it was from this coait ihe had been carried
away by Peleus, and that all the diftrid of Se-
»5' O/his Γ&'/Λ»!.]— This pafiage has occaikmed great per-
plexity ; but Pahnerius in his £xercitationes has removed every
di^culty, and fatisfadorily done away the effedls of Plutarch's
pervcrfe mifconception. Plutarch abofes Herodotus for intro•
ducing this eircumftance of the affluence of Aminocles» and the
means by which he obtained it» merely for an opportunity of
faying that he had killed his fon*
Plutarch of courfe refers the word ψαΛ^Λτοψος to Aminocless
but, as P^lmerius obferves> by referring the word waihxToto^, not
to the man» but to his σνμψοξη (calamity) every difficulty is
removed• and no imput^op pf in^dignity (an be attached to
our hiilorian.-^T'.
piaa
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• «97
pias '^ was facred to her in common with the other
Nereids. It is certain, that on the fonrth day the
tempeft '" ceafed.
CXCII. Their centinels, who were every day
ftationed on the heights of Eubcea, did not fail to
acquaint the Greeks with all the circumftances of
the ilorm on the morning which followed. As loon
as they received this intelligence, after paying their
TOWS, and offering libations to Nqptune Servatoiv
they haftily returned toJVrtemifium, hoping to find
but few of the enemy^s veflels. Thus a fecond
lime they fixed their ilation at Artemifium, near
die temple of Neptune furaamed Servator, which
appellation, ^ven on the above occafion, is ftiU it«
tained.
CXCIII. The Barbarians, as foon as they per-
ceived the wind fubfide and the iea calm, agsun
ventured from the fliore• Goaftjng along, they
doubled the Magnefian prompntory, and made their
way diredly to the gulph leading to Pagafic
«'* 5ι^/Λ/.]— This coaft was facred to Thetis, becauie that
goddefs, defirous of eluding the purfuit of Peleus, changed
hcrfelf in this place into a kind of fea-fiih, which the Greekf
call Xnm» (Sepia.) This dory gave the name of Sepias to
this coaft and promontory. '^Larchen
•»* The temfefi.] — Twenty-four miles to the foath-eaft of
Lariila is Volo, faid to be Pagafae, where the poets fay die (hip
Argo was built. Near it is Aphetae, from which place they Czy
the Argonauts failed. The foath-eaft corner of tMs-land is the
old promontory Sepias, where five hundred fail uf Xerxes* fleet
were fhipwrecked in a ftorm.— i'ef^-i/.
It
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49« Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν ϊ Α.
It WAS m this gulph of Magncfia that Herastes,
going on fltore frona the Argo '^* to procure water,
"τΐϊ i^T^Titfti hy Jafon ^"^ h'^ companions^ who
were bound to Mz of Colchis to obtain the golden
Hecce• Having taken in water, they failed from
lience j in commemoration of which incident^ the
place afterwards took the name of Aphetse.
CXCI V.' Mere alfo it was that the fleet dfXenccs
came to an anchor. Fifteen of thcfc, being at a
tonfiderable diftance from their companions, diico-
vcrcd the veflels of the Greeks at Artemifium, and
miftaking them for friends, failed into the midit of
them. The leader of thefe fhips was Sardoces, foh
of Tharmufias, the governor of Cyma, in iEolia.
This man Darius had formerly condemned to the
puniihnient of the crofs j he had been one of the
foyal jiidgcs, and conviifted of corruption in his
ofBce• He was already on the crofs, when Ae
king, rcflcfting that his fcryices to the royal family
exceeded his offences, and that he himfelf had in
the prdcnt inftance afted with more impetuofity
than prudence, commanded him to be taken down.
Thus he efcaped the puniihment to which Darius
had condemned him; his efcape now from the
Greeks was altogether impoflSblej they faw him
failing towards them, and perceiving his error at*
tacked and took him and his vefiels.
*'♦ ^r^.]— Sec book iv. c 179• Note Biyaut, iL 490,
491.
cxcv.
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ρ Ό L τ Μ Ν I Α. 199
CXCV• In one of thefe veflck was Aridolis,
IMince Of d& Alabandians of Cams in anodier^
. Pefithyhis^ fon of Demonous^ a PajAian general.
This letter left Paphos with twelve veflels, eleven
of which were loft in the ftorm off Sepias ; he him-
&1ζ wiA ihe twdfth, fell into the enemy's hands, at
ArtdiMfnem. The Greeks, having obtakied fuch
xnformaaon as they wiihed concerning the forces df
Xertces, fent their prifoners bound to the ifthmus df
Corinth.
CJCCVL Except the above fifteen veflels, com-
manded by Sardoces, the whole of the Barbarian
fleet arrived at Apheta. Xerxes with his land
•forces, marching through Theflalyand Achaia, came
on the tlurd day to the territories of the Melians.
Whilft he was in Theflalvjie made a trial of his 2 J ^
cavalry againft thole of the Theflalians, which he
had heard were the beft in Greece; but in this
pontcft the inferiority of the Greeks '^^ was evi-
dently
■55 The inferiority of the Gr/fi/.]— The beft cavalry in the
world attended Xerxes im^this expedition, namel y thof eofCap.»
iatndPaphlagonia. Hecatonymus tells ^IMphon, in
"δβ fifth book ϋί ΙΛβ Allft^fis, that the cavalry of the Cappa-
docians and Paphlagonians was better and more expert, in
Txrartial exercifes than any other which the king of Perfia had•
That part of Cappadocia which Herodotus calls Cilicb paid
^ a tribute to the kings of Perfia a horfe for every day in the
year. Strabo fays, that Cappadocia fpnt i t|nn hf>rf<>j^m^vally
The boaft of Hecatonymus to Xcnophon was by no means"
>ain ; the fame preference was given them by others, and ex-
ceHent commanders. Plutarch informs us, that on thefe
Craflos the Roman general chiefly relied ; and with thefe fur•
6 prifing
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' /
300 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
dcndy conipicuous. The Onochonus was thc'onljr
'irrr in T hcfl^ v which did not afibrd fufficienc
water for the army. Of thofe of Achaia^ the Api-
^''^ ,^ danus^ the greateft of them all, hardly fufficed.
CXCVII. Whilft Xerxes was procecdingjo
-an Ac bdan city > his guides, anxious to teU him
every thing, related what was reported by the natives
jQOCCmiDftlhc temple of Jupiter La Bhyftms' ^^ It
' was
prlilng feats of gallantry were performed in the Partkian war•
Locullus alfo had thefe in his army at the fiege of Tigranocerta;
and in the battle vnth Tigranes made choice of them and the
Thracian horfe to attack the Cataplads, the choiceft of the
enemy's cavalry, and to drive them from the ground• Ti-
granes is faid to have oppofed Lucullus with an army of
55,oco horfe; and many other inftances may be adduced to
Ihew that the chief ih^ngth of thefe northern powers confuted
in their cavalry.
The curious reader may compare Plutarch*s account of the
army of Tigranes with that which Ezekiel gives of the army
of Magog.
Claudian, in Laud. Serenae, tells us it was cuftomary to have
a breed from a Phrygian mare by a Cappadocian horfe :
Dele6lus eqnorum
\ Quos Phrygix matres Argseaque gramina pafbe
\ Semine Cappadocum facris praefepibus edunt. 7*•
^^yupiter £fl/i&jjy?/«j.]— It was to this deit y that Phrixus fiu
(rificel the ram upon which Ue was't^ed; and even to this day,
fays thd Scholiaft to ApoUonius Rhodius, one of the defcendanu
of Phritus enters the prytaneum according to the eftabliflicd
law, andi offers facrifices to this god. At twenty fUdia from
. Ceroneul was mount Jjaph^fUus, where was a mound confe*
crated to Jupiter Laphyfllus : tEere is flill (een in this |rfaoe a
marble fiatue of this gp4• Phri^cui and Hellc being on Ae
point
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Cu^.^c / ii ο L\T Μ Ν 1 A. 301 /
J4,^l.-j|ga^ d that A thany^ the fon of ^flEolus, in conceit ^ ^^
widOno^ Smrt^ the death of Phrixus. The O' ^ '^ •
Achaians, following the command of the oracl^/^ /-
forbade the eldeft of the defcendants of AthamasC / ^ ^^ ^
- ever to enter their prytaneum, called by them Lcitus• / / * /Z J
Thejr were very vigilant in feeing this reftriftion J^O
obferved, and whoever was detefted within the
profcribed limits could only leave them to be fa-
crificed. There were feveral who in terror efcaped
into another country, when they were on the point
of being facrificed. If they ever afterwards re-
turned, they were, if difcovered, inftandy fent to !
the prytaneum. To the above, the guides ^Z ' './,™ '
Xerxes adde d the defcrigtJonjpf the %(;;rifi£fa the ./ ^ 7 } ,
ceremony of binding the viftim with ribbands, J j/i
with all other circumftances. The poftcrity of ' ^ f
Cytiflbrus, the fon of Phrixus, are fubjeft to the
r above, becaufe Cytiflbrus himfelf, in his way from
^aof Colchis, deliveredAthymaj; frnm ri^g hffld» / f L•
of the Achaeans, who by the dire6tion of the oracle f
were about to offer him as an expiatory facrificc.
On this account, the anger of the divinity fell upon ^
the pofterity of Cyrifforus. In confequence of {^
hearing the aboveniaiTative, XerxiEsi Whenfie ap- /
proached the precinfts of the grove, cautioufly
avoided it himfelii and commanded all his army"^
point of being facrificed in this place by Athamas» they fay that
Jupiter fent them a pja whofe fleece was gold» upon which
Jth^ faved themfelvefi
Jupiter furnained Laphyftios was, according to Kuhnlas, the
proteaor of fugitives* — Larcher.
''^ JU bis ΛΓ»7.]— See on this fubjed Bryant, voL 2. 40^
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^
3οα POLYMNIA,
to do the (ame. He ihewcd the fame Teneratkio
for the refidcnce of the pofterity of Athamas•
CXCVIII. Such were the incidents which oc^
curred in Theffaly and Achaia. From hence
Xerxes advanced to Melis, near a bay (^ the iea,
where the ebbing and flowing of the tide may be
feen every day• Near this bay i$ an extoifive
plain, wide in one part, and contrafted in aaother :
round this plain are certain lofty and inacccffible
mountains, called the Trachinian rocks, and en-
clofing the whole region of Melis. Leaving Achaia»
the firft city near this bay is Anticyra• This is
walhed by the river Sperchius, which, rifing in the
country of the Enicni, here empties itfelf into the
fea. At the diftance of twenty furlongs is another
river, called Dyras, which is faid to have rifen φοη-
taneoufly from the earth, to fuccour Heretics when
he was burning. A third river, called Melas, flows
at the diftance of twenty furlongs more.
41, &c.— This writer fappofes, and his opinion is confirmed by
Soidat» that the prataneion is derived from ψτνξ, Are : the words
of Suidas are thefe : ψτζνταηίορ, ψνξος rmfMiop ι »6« n» aoQts^
9νξ. The SchoUaft upon Thucydides ulks to the fame par-
poie : άλλοι li ^«9*1» on το vfvrutuot ννξος nv rofifiov t«6« ^t
aaSiTop wvξ, Others tell us that the^ prutaneion was of old
called purcs tameion, from pur^ becaufe it was the repofitory
of a perpetual fire. Thefe places were templesj and at the
fame time courts of juitice ; hence we find that in the prtit*-
neion of Athens the laws of Solon were engraved. Thefe
laws were defcribed upon wooden cylinders» hm% of wUcli
fcmaioed to Uie time of Ptotarch, tcc.'^Bryai^^
CXCIX,
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 3f>3
CXCIX• Within five furlongs of this laft river
ftands the town of Trachis. In this part the coun^:;
try is the wideft, extending from the mountains to
the fea, and comprehending a ipace of twenty-two
thoufand plethra. In the mountainous tra^l whicb
inclofes Trachinia there is an opening to the weft
of Trachis, through which the Aibpus winds round
the baie of die mountain.
CC. To the weft of this another fmall ftream is
found> named the Phoenix; it rifes in thefc moun-
tains, and empties itfelf into the Aibpus. The moft
contracted part of the country is that which lies
neareft the Phoenix, where the road will only admk
one carriage to pafs. From the Phoenix to Ther-
mopylae are fifteen furlongs : betwixt the Phoenix .
and Thermopylae is a village named Anthela, paf-
fing which the Afopus meets the fea. The country
contiguous to Anthela is φacioυsJ here may be,
feen a temple of Ceres Amphiolyonis, the feats'
of the Amphiftyons *^% and a ihrine of Amphic-
tyon himfelf.
CCI. Xerxes encamped in Tract^inia at JN^gJis λ -
the Greeks in the Straits. Thefe ftraits the Greeks
in general call Thermopylae j the people of the
country Pyte only. Here then were the two armies
■»■ Jmfhiayons.]'^Stc hook y. c. 62^ note. What I have
diere omitted concerning the Araphidlyons, their oiHce, and
charader» may be found amply difcuifed in GilUes's Hiftory of
Greece, and faithfully reprefented in Rees's Chambers's Dic-
tionary, a« well as by Larcher.•^?".
ftationcd.
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304 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
ftadoned, Xerxes occupying all the northern region
as fiu* as Trachinia^ the Greeks that of the fouth•
CCIL The Grecian army '*% which here w^ted
die approach of the Perfian> was compbied of three
hundred Spartans m complete armour ; five h\m-
dred Tegeat£> and as many Mantineans; one
hundred and twenty men from Orcbomenus of Ar«
*<^ The Gnciam tfm^.]— Beneath is the Qomber of Greeks
who appeared on this occauon, according to the difiereat repre•
fencauons of Herodotus, Paufanias, and Diodorus Siculus:
Herodotas. Aiofanias. Diodoms.
Spartans
—
300
—
300
— 300
Tegeatae
T-
500
—
50•
Lacedaemonians 700
Ifandneans
—
SCO
—
500
The other nati-
Orchomenians
—
IZO
— .
120
ons of the Pe-
Arcadians
—
1,000
—
1,000
loponnefc - 3.0CO
Corinthians
—
400
— .
400
PhlTontians
—
aoo
—
aoo
Mycenians
—
80
—
80
Total — 3,ieo 3,100 4,000
The above came from the Peloponnefe; thofe who came from
the other paru of Greece, according to the authors above<^
mentioned-»
Thefpians ^ 700 -* 700 Milefians i^ooo
Thebans — 400 — 400 — 400
Fhoceans — 1,000 — 1,000 — 1,000
Opuntian Locrians — ^ 6,000 — 1,000
5,200 1 1,200 7>4^^
cadia.
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I a: 305
cadia, a thoufand men from the reft of Arcadia,
four hundred Corinthians, two hundred from
Phlius, and eighty from Mycenar. The above
came from the Peloponncfe: from Boeotia there
were fevcn hundred Thelpians and four hundred
Thebans.
CCIII. In addition to the above, the aid of all
the Opundan Locrians had been folicited, together
with a thoufand Phoccans. To obtain the afliftance
of thefe, the Greeks had previoufly fent emiffaries
among them, faying, that they were the forerunners
only οΓ another and more numerous body, whole
arrival was every day expcfted. They added, that
the defence of the fea was confided to the people
of Athens and iEgina, in conjunftion with the reft
of the fleet; that there was no occafion for alarm,
as the invader of Greece was not a god, but a mere
human being ; that there never was nor could be
any mortal fuperior to the viciilitudes of fortune ;
that the moft exalted charafters were expofed to
the greateft evils; he therefore, a mortal, now ad-
vancing to attack them, would fufFcr "*^ for his te•
merity.
»eo w^uIJ fyffer.l^^TYit expedition of Xerxes to Greece,
and Ιιΐθ calamitous return, as defcribed by Herodotus, might be
well exprefled by the words which in Ezekicl reprefcnts Gog's
army and its deftruftion. — See chapter xxxviii. xxxix.
** Thou ihall afcend and come iike a ilorm; thou ihall be
Kke a cloud to cover the land ; thoa and all thy bands, and
many people with thee:
** Perfia, Ethiopia, and Lybia with them, all of them with
ihield and helmet•
Vol. III. X " B«
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joS POLYMNIA.
xpmty. Thdfe arguments prored efibfhial» 20ά
they accordingly marched to Trachis to jom tbeir
CCIV. Thefe troops were commanded by dif-
ferent officers of their refpcitive countries ; but the
man πκ>Λ regarded, and who was entruftcd with
the chief command, was Leonidas of Sparta. His
anceftors were, Anaxandrides, Leon, Eurycratidcs,
j^axander, Eurycrates, Polydorus, Alcamencs,
Tdcclus, Archelaus, Agefilaus, Doryflus, Leobotcs^
Echeftratus, Agis, Euryfthenes, Ariftodenws, Arif-
tpmachus,Cleodaeus, Hyllus, and Hercules.
CCV. Art accident had placed him on the throne
of Sp^rtii 5 for, as he had two brothers older than
himfclf, Cleomenes and Dorieus, he had entertamed
ho thoughts, of the government : but Cleomenes
dyipg without male iffue, and Dorieus not funriv-
uig (for he ended his days in Sicily) the crown
* XdiciC to Leonidas, who was older tfian Cleom•-
brotus, the youngeft of the fons of Anaxandrides»
*and who had married the daughter of Cleomenes•
On the prefent occafion he took with him to Ther-
mopylae a body of three hundred chofen men, all
•* But I will tarn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws• I
Will tarn thee back, and leave but die fixth part of thee : and I
^will fmite thj bow out of thy left hand; and wiQ caufir thy
arrows to fall out of thy ng^ hand.
" Thou (halt fall upon thexnountains, thoa and all thy bandi»
and the people that is with thee. I will give thee onto the
^venous birds of every fon, and to the bealU of the fields to be
devoured/*— Γ.
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POLTMNIA• 3tJ7
of whom had children**'. To thefe he added
thofe Thcban troops '** whofe number I have before
ni)endoned> and who were condufted by Leontiades
Ion of Eurymachus• Leonidas had feleded die
Thebans to accompany him, becaufe a iliipick>a
generally prevailed that they were fecretly attached
to the Medes. Thefe therefore he. fummoned to
attend him, to afcertain whether they would aftual-
ly contribute their aid, or openly withdraw them-
fehes from the Grecian league. With fcntimenta
perfeitiy hoftile, they ncverthekfs lent the afliftaiice
required*
CCVI. The march of this body under Leonidas
Was accelerated by the Spartans, that their exaniple
might ftimulate their allies to aotion, and that they
might not make their delay a jwetence for going
over to the Medes. The celetnation of the Car-
nian feftival '** protrafted the march of their xtma
««» JU of nvhom bad children.']^
Three hondred more compleat th' intrepid band»
IlluilHoas fathers all of generous fons.
The future guardians of Lacoma's ftate. Leonidas^
■•* Tbeban /ree//.]— Plutarch upbraids Herodotus for thus
ilandering the Thebans ; and Diodorus fays> that Thebes was
divided into two parties» one of which fent four hundred meti
to Thermopylae.— 7*.
*•* Camion /^we/•]— This was costiDQed for feven dayt
«t Sparta in honour of Apollo. Various reafons are affigntd
for its inftitution ; the moil plauuble b that found in the Scho«
fiaft to Theocritus, which tells us that they were celebrated by
the people of the Peloponnefef to commemorate the ceilatiof^
of fome peftilence.»r.
X 2 bodf I
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joS Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
body ι but it was their intention to follow with all
unaginable expedition^ leaving only a imall detach-
ment for the defence of Sparta• The reft of the
allies were adtuated by fimilar motives, for the
Olympic games happened to recur at this period j
and as they did not expedb an engagement would
immediately take place at Thermopylae, they fcnt
only a detachment before them•
CCVII. Such were the motives of the confe^
derate body. The Greeks who were already aC-
iembled at Thermopylas were feized with fo much
terror on the approach of the Perfian, that dicf
coixfulted about a retreat. Thofe of the Pelopon-•
nefe were in general of opinion that they ihoukl
returaand guard the ifthmus ; but as the Phoceans
and Locrians were exceedingly averfe to this mea-
iure, Leonida» prevailed on them to continue on
their poft. He refolved however to fend meflengcr»
ground to all the itates, requiring fupplies, ftating
that their number was much too fmall to oppoie
the Medes with any effeft.
CCVIII. Whilft they thus deliberated, Xerxes
fent a horfeman to examine their number and their .
motions• He had before heard in Thcflaly, that ^
fmall band was collected at this paflage, diat the;
were led by Lacedaemonians, and by Leonidas
of the race of Hercules. The perfon employtd
performed his duty : all thofe who were without die
entrenchment he was able to reconnoitre i thofe who
were within for the purpofe of defending it eluded
his
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 30f
hb obfcrvation• The Lacedaemonians were at that
period Rationed without'^*; of thefe fome were
performing gymnaftic exercifes, whilft others were
employed in combing their hair. He was greatly
aftoniihed, but he leifurely furveyed their number
and employments, and returned without molefta-
tion, for they dcfpifed him too much to purfue him.
—He related to Xerxes all that he had leen•
CCIX. Xerxes, on hearing the above, was little
aware of what was jeally the cafe, that this people
were preparing themfelves either to conquer or to
die. The thing appeared to him fo ridiculous^
that he fent for Demaratus the fon of Arifton, who
was then with the army. On his appearing, the
king queftioned him on this behaviour of the
Spartans> exprefling his defire to know what it
might intimate. " I have before. Sir," faid De-
maratus, *^ ipoken to you of this people at the
'^^ commencement of this expedition; and as I re-
^ member, when I related to you wliat J knew
••♦ StatioMid 'wUbotftftic'^^mm
By chance
The Spartans then compos *d th' external guard |
They^ in a martial exerciie employ 'd.
Heed not the monarch and his ^udy train.
But poife the fpear protended as in fight»
Or lift their adverfe ibieldf in Angle ftrife.
Or trooping forward rufh, retreat, and whee}
In ranks unbrol^eni i^nd With equal feet :
While others calm beneath their polUh'd helmf
Praw down their hair, whofe length of Ab]e cufls
O'erfpread their necks with terror, lioniths.
X 5 ^ you
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310 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I a;
*^ jroy. would have occafion to obfcrve, you treaCp^^
^ mc with contempt. I am confcious of the dent•
*^ gcr of declaring the truth, in oppofition to your
*• prejudices ; but I will nevcrthelefs do this. It
*' i? die determination of thcfe men to dilute this
*' pais with u^ and they are preparing thcna*
^ fdves accordingly. It is their cuftom before any
*^ enterprize of danger to adorn their hair '*^ Of
*' this you may be aflured, that if yqu vanquifli
** thefe, and their countrymen in Sparta, no odicr
>^ <* nation will prefume to take yp arms againft you :
*^ you are now advancing (o attack a people whole
^ nahm and city are the fiiireft, and whofe troops
^ arc ;he bravcfl: of Greece." Thefc words feem^
ed to Xaites prepofterous enough ; but he danaiid-
ed a iecond time, how ib fmall a number could
contend with his army. '^ Sir,'* ikid he, ^ I wHl
^^ Αά•κΛ their ikKr.]-?-Long hair diffinguiihed the free bi^
from the flave, and, according^^e^lutarch» Lycurgus was ap•
^uftomed to fay» that long hair adde^ grace to handfome men,
fnd made ti^ofe who were ugly more terrific. The foUowing
^re fome of the moft animated lines in I^eonidas :
To whom the Spartan : Ο imperial lordji
Such is their cuilom, to adorn (heir heads
When full determined to encounter death.
Bring down thy nations in refplendent fteel ;
Arm» if tho^ cand, the general race of man«
All who poflefft the regions unexplpr'd
Beyond the Ganges^ all whpfe wand'ring ftepi^
Above ukc Cafpian range, the Scythian wild,
νΤιύα thofe who drink the fecret fount of Nile:
Yet to Laconian bofoms ihaU difina^
Remain a ftrangen T•
^ fubnik
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν 1 A• 3it
^ Ibbmk to futHtr the puniihrnent of fatfehood^ if
•• what I fajr does not happen/'
CCX• Xerxes was itill incredulous^ he accord*
istglf kept his ροίιϋοη widiout any movement for
four daysy in expefbition of feeing them re*
treaL On the fifth d<ty> obferving that they conti-
nued on their poft, merely as he fuppofed iix>m die
moft impudent raihnefs, he became much exaipe«
lated, and fent againft them a detachment of Medes
and Cifliansy widi a command to bring them alive
ft> his preience. The Medes in confequence at«
tacked them, and loft a confiderable number. A
reinforcement arrived ; but diotigh the onfet wat
levere, no impredion was made. It now became
univerfally conipicuous, and no leis ίο to the king
himfclf, diat he had many troops, but few men '**♦
•—The above engagement continued all day*
CCXI• The Medes, after being very roughly
treated, retired, and were fucceeded by die band of
Perfians called by the king ^ the imroorta]»" aod
commanded by Hydarnes• Theic it was iuppofed
would fucceed widiout the fmaUeft diiEculty• They
commenced the attack, but made no greater im^
preflion than the Medes; dieir fuperior numbers*
*•• Many troops. But few in/».]•** According to PlungOli» I^eo*
mdas being a^ced how lit dared to encounter (b pro<iigioas %
Addtade with (b f^ men» repHed: S* If yoa reckon by
nomber, all Greece is not able to oppoTe a fmaU part of that
^rmy; bat if by courage^ the number I h^ve with mc is fuffi*
WnU'V^;
' X 4 were
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3ΐα Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν' I Α. ^^ά
were of no advantage, on account of the ftarrow*•* ^
neis of the place ; and their ipcars alfo wcrclhortcr ^ -λ
than thofe of the Greeks. tKp T.ar#>^^yiny,||Bn,^^ —
fought in a manner which deferves to be recorded;
their own excellent difcipline, and the unfldlfulnefs
of their adverfaries, was In nianyinftances remark-
able^ and not the leaft fo when in dole ranks they
aflfeded to retreat. The Barbarians feeing them
retire purfued them with a great and clamorous
ihout; but on their near approach the Greeks
feced about to receive them. The lofi^of the Per-
fians was prodigious, and a few alfo of the Spartans
fell. . The Perfians, after fucaeflive efforts made
with great bodies of their troops to gain the pafi,
were unable to accompliih it, and obliged (o re*
tire•
CCXIL It is faid of Xerxes himfelf, that being
a fpeftator of the contcft, he was fo gready alam^d
for the fafety of his men, that he leaped thrice fiOm
his throne. On the following day the Barbsttians
fuccecded no better than before. They went to
the onfet as againft a contemptible number, whofe
wounds they fuppofed would hardly permit than
to renew the combat : but the Greeks, drawn up
in regular divifions, fought each nation on its re-
Ipeitive poft, except the Phoceans, who were fta-
tioned on the fummh of the^mountain to defend the
pals. The Perfians, experiencing a repetition of the
Ame treatmentj a fecond time retired.
CCXIII.
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 3iJ
CCXIII. Whilft the king was exceedingly per-
plexed what conduft to purfue in the prefent enier-
gence, Ephialtes the fon of Eurydemus, a Melian>
demanded an audience : he expefted to receive fome
great recompence for fhewmg him the path which
led over the mountain to Thermopylae ; and he in•
deed it* was who thus rendered ineffeotual the va«
lour of thofe Greeks who periihed on this ftation.
This man, through fear of the Lacedaemonians^
fled afterwards into Theflaly; but the Pylagorae'%
calling a council of the AmphiAyons at Pyla» fcr
this exprels purpofe, fet a price upon his head, and
he was afterwards flain by Athenades, a Trachinian,
at Anticyra, to which place he had returned• Athe-
nades was induced to put him to death for ibme
other reafon, which I Ihall afterwards'^ explain;
he neverthcleis received the reward offered by the
Lacedaemonians J — this howpyer was tht end of
Ephialtes*
*•' PyA^^^r.]— Many are involved in a mlftake» by con-
founding the Pylagone with the AmphiAyons. They were not
fynonymons» for thoagh all the Pylagorae were Amphiffyont,
all the Amphi^ons were not Pylagor»•— See Pounds Arch^n•
legia GrstcOf lib. L c. l6,
ί *■ / βαΙΙ afterwards, ] — But Herodotus no where does this j
whether therefore he forgot it, or whether it appeared in fixme
of his wridngs which are loft» cannot be afcertained««-»See
P. WeiTelingt Diflertatio Herodotaeia, p. 14•
** Verum nihil hujus nee libro viii. neque nono. Plores nt
ergo ix. Ubris abiblvit in quis de Athenada ? An exddit ex fa•
periHtibas ejus memoria ? non dixenv. Oblitus ne eft ac Athe*
nada addere ? Fieri potei|• Open Ipngo fiu eft obrepere. (bm•
CCXIV.
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3X4 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I a;
CCXIV• On this fubjeft thefc is alfo a di^rtnt
fcport^ for it is faid that Onctcs, fon of Phan^orae^
a Cayftian, and Corydalus of Antiq^ra, were the
men who xoibnned the king of thb pad)> and con^
dufted the Perfians round the niountain. This
whSx me obtains no credit, for nothing is better
known than that the Pylagone did not %t a price
ιφοη the heads of Onetes or Corydalus, but upon
that of Ephiahes the Trachinian ^% after, as may
be prefomcd, a due invcftigation of the matter. It
is alfo certain, that Ephialtes, confcious of his
crime, endeavoured to &ye himfelf by flight:
Qoetes, being a Melian, might perhaps^ if tokraUy
acquainted with the country, have known this paf-
£ige ; but it was certainly Ephialtes who (hewed it
«j the Perfians^ and to him without fcrupk I knpoxb
die crime*
CCXV. The intelligence of Ephialtes gave the
king infinite fatisfaftion, and he inftandy detached
Hydarncs, with the forces under his command, to
avail himfelf of it. They left the camp at the firft
approach of evening -, the Mclians, the natives of
the country, difcovcred this path, and by it con-
duftcd the Theflalians againft the Phoceans, who
had defended it by an intrenchment, and deemed
themfelves fecure. It had never however proved
^ my advantage to the Melians*
*^ TraciiMiaM.'l'^ln the preceding chapter Herodotus calU
Idxn a Mcliah ; but diis amoimtt to d^ 6me thing, "kt Tnidu-
laa made part of Melis•
ccxvi.
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• 31J
CCKVI. The path of which wc arc ipeaking
commences at die river ATopus• ThisibesnxiflMn
dirough an aperture of the mountain caUed Anopoca^
which is alfo the name of the padi. This is trontU
nued thfou^ the whole length of the mountain»
and terminates near die town of Aipenus• This is
the firft city of the Locrians, on die fide next dw
Meiians, near the rock called MdampTgus *7% by the
rcfidence of die Cercopcs '^'. It is narrowcft at diis
point•
'70 MeUmfji^us,']^^Stt Saidas at the ardde UOiM^mwfi
τνχοκ• The Melampygi were two brothers, and remarkable
ibr their extreme infolence ; their mother cautioned them
agatnft meeting a man who had ** bhick buttocks.'* Hercnlet
meeting them» bound them together^ and fu^ended them irodi
a poft, with their heads downwards. Afterwards feeing then
Jaugh» he enquired the reafon» they told him that their mother
bade them beware of meeting a man mth ** black bnttocks;'*
Hercules on hearing this laughed too, and let them gow TMe
who had ** white buttocks '* (λιοηνντνς) were ridiculed bj
the comic poets as effeminate.-^-See Jriftofbams Ljififirait^
Larcher tells a ftory fomewhat difFerent, from the Adagia of
Zenobius.— 'T*.
■7* C/rfi;^##.]— Thefe peof^e were robbers. Homer is find
to hare written a poem on them, mentioned b7 Suidas at die
word *Ομ,ηξΛς» and by Proclus in his life of Homer. Probably
the expreiHon extended to all forts of robbers, of whom there
were doubtlefs many in fnch a place as (Eta. Plutarch men•
uons them as a ridiculous people, making Agis iky to Alex-
ander, *«I am not a fittle furprized that all you great mea
who are defcendcd from Jupiter take a ftrange ddight in
flatterers and buffoons: Hercules had his Cercopians» Bi^cchua
\uA Silenians about him; fo I fee your majefty is pleafed tp have
a regard for fuch charafters."-^£«rriS^*
^ ccxvn.
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'3i6 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν Ι Α;
CCXVII. Following this track which I have
defcribcd, the Perfians paffed the Afopus, and
marched all night, keeping the (Etean mountains
on the right, and the Trachinian on the left. At
the dawn of morning they found thcmfelvcs at the
iummit, where, as 1 have before defcribed, a band
of a thoufand Phoceans in arms were ftationed,
both to defend their own country and this pafi•
The paflage beneath was defended by thofe whom
I have mentioned: of this above the Phoceans
had voluntarily promifedLeonidas to undertake the
charge•
CCXVIII. The approach of the Perfians was
difcovered to the Phoceans in this manner: whilft
they were afcending the mountain they were totally
concealed by die diick groves of oak i but fix>m
the ftillneis of die air diey were difcovered by the
noife they made by trampling on the leaves, a thing
which might naturally happen. The Phoceans
ran to arms, and in a moment the Barbarians ap-
peared, who, feeing a number of men precipitately
arming dicmfelves, were at firft ftruck with afto-
nifliment. They did not expeft an advcrfary;
and they had feUen in amongft armed troops. Hy-
darnes,apprehending that the Phoceans might prove
to be Lacedaemonians, enquired of Ephialtes who
they were• When he was informed, he drew up
the Perfians in order of batde. The Phoceans, not
able to fqftain die heavy flight of arrows, retreated
up
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ρ ο L τ Μ Ν I Α. 317
νρ the meiffituii '^» imagining themielves the ob«
jcGts of this attack^ and expedking certain deftnic-»
tion : but the troops with Hydames and Ephialtes
did not think it worth their while to purfue them»
and defcended rapidly the oppofite fide of the
mountain•
CCXIX. To thofe Greeks ftationed in the ftralt»
of Thtrmopylae Megiftias the foothfayer had pre•
vioufly, fix)m inlpeftion of the entrails, prediotcd
that death awaited them in the morning. Some de--'
ferters '^^ had alfo informed them of the circuit the
Perfians had taken; and this intelligence was in the
courie of the night circulated through the camp.
All this was confirmed by their cendnels, who early
in the morning fled down the fides of the moun*
tain. In this predicament, the Greeks called a
council, who were greatly divided in their opinions:
Ibme were for remaining on their ftation, odiers
adviied a retreat. In confcquence of their not
'^ Uf the $itotmiMM.]^^Mr. Glover has been very minate
and faithful in hb reprefentadon of the places where thb
noble fcene was exhibited :
The Phocian chief.
Whatever the caufe» relinquiihing his poft.
Was to a tteigbboMring rmnence rcmovM,
Though by the foe neglefted or cmiumn^d. T.
*^> Df^/rf. ']—Diodoru8 Siculus mentions but one: "There
was in iht army»'' ikys hr, *< one Tyraftiades of Cyme; as he
was a man of honour and probity, he fled from the camp by
night, and going to Leonidas and lus party» dUcovered to them
ihe dcfigns of Ephialtes•''— lerti^•
agreeing,
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jf» ρ ο L τ Μ Ν Ι Α•
agtveing^inanfof them <£j^erfedtad)drre|«dive
ernes ; a part reiblved to oondaae wkk Le»*
aebaL
CCXX. It is iaid, that diofc who retired only
did fo in compUance with the wiihes of Leooidasy
who was defirous to preferve them : but he thou^t
diat he hioofel^ with his Spartans» could not widb-
out the greateft i9:Kominy forfake the poft diry had
come to d^end• I am myfelf inclined to believe
that Leonidas, feemg his allies not only rduftam»
|ΐΗ( totally averfe to refill the danger which me-
naced them^ confented to their retreat. His own
fcstum he confidered as diihonourable, whilft he was
convinced that his defending his poft would equally
ibcure his oWn fame^ and the good of Sparta• £o
^e YCTY beginning of dxefe diihirbances the Spar-
tans having confulted the oracle> were inibnoed that
either their king muft die, or Sparta be vafiqutflied
by the Barbfirians• The oracle was communicated
in hexameter verfcs, and was to this efieft :
" To you who dwell in Sparta's ample walls,
" Behold, a dire alternative befalls 5—
** Your glorious city muft in ruins lie,
" Or flain by Perfian arms, a king muft die,
** A king defcended from Herculean blood.
'* For lo! he comes, and cannot be withftood;
" Nor bulls, nor lions, can difpute the field,
** 'TisJove'sownfcH-c^andthisorthatmuftyield.*'
I am uawilling to prefume of the allies that depart-
ed, that differing in opinion from their leader uyef
diflionourably
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν J A, jif
diilumoini^y dcferted. I (hquld alio Ijbppole thiL
φς condti^ of Leooidjis was the itfuk of Us rcvc^^
ing the oracle '^^ in bi^ mmd^ and o( his great <ie»
lire to fecuie to tjbe Spartaas.ajkHne thegloiy of this
memorable zBiot^.
CCXXI. To me it is no finall teftimony of the
truth of the abovej that amongft thofe whom Leo-
nidas difmiffed was Mcgiftias himfclf• He wa^ of
Acamania, and, as fome affirm, defccnded fron^
Melampus ; he accompanied Leonidas on this €a>
pedition, and from the entrails had prediftcd what
would happen: he refiifed however to leave hii
friends, and fatisfied himfelf with fending away hi$
only fon, who had followed his father on this oc-
calion.
CCXXII. Obedient to the .dh-eilion of their
leader, the eonfederates retired. iThe Thclpian3
and Thebans *^^ alone remained with the Spartan^
the
■^* Tie w^cZp.]— Plutarch is very fererc opon Herodotus fcf
\as manner of reprefenting thefe circumllances ; fome of whicji
lie <kys our author has done falfely» others maKcioufly. This
liovrever does not feemto have been the caie.
Glover makes Leomdas exclaim* on hearing that the enemy
had drcumvented them,
I now behold the oracle fulfiird.— ι
Then art thoa near» thou glorious facred hour
Which ihall my cotintry's liberty fecure ?
Thrice hail» thou folemn period ; thee tihe tongees
Of virtue, fame, and freedom, (hall prodain^
Shall celebrate in ages yet unborn ! 7*.
^* Tbe^ans 0ul 7U|^^4nr/.]*-Diodorus Siculw i^aks only
of
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3αο Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Κ 1 Α.
the ihcbans indeed very rclu6lantly, but they were
detained by Leonidas as hoftages. The Thefpians
were very zealous in the cauic, and refiifing to
abandon their friends, periflied with theni• The
leader of the Thelpians was Demophilus, fon of
Diadromas•
CCXXIIL Xerxes early in the morning ofJered
a Iblcmn libation, then waiting till that period of
the day '^ when the forum is fuUcft of people, he
advanced from his camp : to the above meafurc he
had been advifed by Ephialtes. The defcent from
the mountain is of much fhorter extent than the
circuitous afcent• The Barbarians with Xerxes
approached 5 Leonidas and his Greeks proceeded as
to inevitable death a much greater fpace from the
defile than they had yet done. Till now they had
defended themfelves behind their entrenchment,
fighting in the moft contrafted part of the pafiage ;
but on this day they engaged on a wider Ipace,
and a multitude of their opponents fell• Behind
each troop officers were ftationed with whips in
their hands, compelling with blows their men to
advance• Many of them fell into the fea, whei%
theyperiihedj many were trodden under foot by
of the Thefpians. Paufanias fays that the people of Mycene
fent eighty men t• Thermopylae, who had part m this glorious
day ; and in another place he fays, that all the allies retired be*
lore the battle, except the Thefjnans and people of Mycene»
•■'• That time of da^.'\ — I have before explained this circanl•-
ftance with refpcdl to the mode of computing time.
their
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 3αι
their own troops» without exciting the imallefl:
pity or regard. The Greeks, confcious that their
deftnidion was at hand from thofe who had taken
the circuit of the mountain, exerted themfelves with
Che moil de^erate valour againil their Sarbariaa
aflailants,
CCXXIV. Their fpears being broken in pieces^
they had recourfe to their Iwords'^^ L^onidas
fell in the engagen^ent, having greatly fignali^ed
himfelf; and with him many Spartans pf diftinc-
tion, as well as others of inferior note. I am ac-
qudnted with the names of all the three hundred.
Many illuftrious Perfians alfo were flain, amongft
whom were Abrocomes and Hyperanthes, fons of
Darius, by Phrataguna, tlie daughter of Artanes•
Artanes was the bother of Darius, the Ion of Hy-
ftafpes, and grandfon of Arfamis. Having married
his daughter to Darius, as ihe was an only child, all
his wealth went with her.
CCXXV. Thefe two brothers of Xerxes fell
as they were contending for the body of Leo-
nidas ^^^ ; here the confliot was the moft fevere, till
at
^^ 7%0ir /worJs, ^-^Thc foldiers of the Lacedaemonians wore
a red uniform; and Saidas fays, that it was becaufe the blood
of thofe who were wounded would thus be lefs confpicuous. — T•
*^ Boify of Leoniiias,]~^ne of the nobleft defcriptions in
Homer it that of the battle for the body of Patroclus ; and we
learn from varioos examples, that the ancients were remarkably
tn^adous on this head, deeming it the greateft bafenefs to for*
f^ke the dead bodies of their friends. Plutarch, in his parallels
between the Roitoit and Greeki, uius defcribes th^ 4eath of
J^eonidas :
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3αι Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I A•
at length the Greeks by their fupcrior valour (οκα
times repelled the Perfians» and diew afide the bodf
of their prince• In this fituation they continued
till Ef^altes and his party approached. Ae foon
as the Gredcs perceived them at hand, the icene
was changed» and they retreated to the nacrowefl:
part of the pafs. Haying repafled their intrench-
ment, they polled themfclves, all except the The-
bans, in a compaA body» upon a hill» which is at
the entrance of the ftraits, and where a liftn of
ftone *^' has been ereibed in honour of Leonida$•
In this fituation» they who had fwords left» uied them
againft the enemy» die reft exerted themfelves with
their hands and th?ir teeth '*^ The Barbarians
ruihing
« Whilft they were at dinner, the Barbarians fell upon them;
lipon which Leonidas deflred them to eat heartily, for they
were to Γαρ with Pluto. Leonidas charged at the head of Ιώι
troops» and after receiving a multitude of wounds» gof op to
Xerxes himfelf» and fnatched the crown from his head• He
loft hit life in the attempt; and Xerxes, caufing lus body to, be
opened, found his heart hairy. So fays AriiHdes, in the firft
book of hu Perfian Hiftory." This fiaion {ccms to have been
taken from the λάσιο» xn^ of Homer.
*'» Lion ο/βοη0.]'^Ύνίθ epigrams on this fubjefl may be
found in the Analeda Veterum Focl Grace, v. i. 13a. ν•ϋ 162.
The bones of Leonidas were carried back to Sparta by. Paa-
fanias, forty years after his death ; they were placed in a ido«
Ajomcnt oppoiite the theatre : tyery yt^a they pronounced im
this place a funeral oration, and celebrated games» at whkh
Spartans only were fuffered to contend.— -Lurr^•
■■** Tifeir teetk]"^ What are we to think of this hyper-
bole,'' fays Longinus ? '< What probability is there that men
ihould defend themfelves with their hands and teeth againft
anned troops I This neverthelefs is not incredible, for the thin^
docf
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1? ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 3^3
Mdang ύροη them^ ibme in ftontj after overtumkig
tiieir waU> others ibrrounding luid preffing them in
dU direftions^ βηηΆγ overpowered then^
does not a|>pear to be foagkt out for an hyperbole ; bdt the hy-
perbole feems to arife from the fufajed."
This drcumuince which appeared hyperbbfical to Longuias
^oes not' to me{ this mode of figkong wits' comtnon amongft
the Lacedannomans; when they had no arm^ they availed
themfdres of their nails and teeth: Cicero had been a witnefs
^ this.— See the ttf/culsm ^flions, book fifth» chapter 27th.
Diodorus Slculns relates the battle of Thermopylae ibmewhat
«Bferently; he tells as that Leonidas, when he knew that he
was circvmvented, made a bold attempt by night tapemtimte
to the tent of Xences; bat dus tke PerfiMH king had foriaken
on the firft alarm. The Greeks however proceeded in fearch
of him from one 4tde to the other, and flew a prodigious inul•
titude. When morning approached, the Perfians perceiving
the Greeks fo few in nmnber» held them in contempt ; bat they
fiill did not dare toatuck them in fronts encompafllog them on
)>oth iides, and behind, «hey flew them all with xbar fpears•
^uch was the end of Leonidas and his party.
Mr. Gbver, in his Englifli Poem of Leonidas, has foHowed
the account of Diodoms ; he differs however from bodi hifto-
dans, in making the king of Sparta iaH the laft ; his defertption
isiofficiently animated to 1>e infertedin this place:
The Spartan king
Now Ibnds doiie. In heaps his flaughter'd friends
Allftreech^daroondhimlie. Tkediflantfots
Show'r on Ms head innnmerable darts;
•From varioos floices gufli the vital floods:;
They ftain Us fainting limbs^ nor yet with pain
liis brow is clouded ; but thofe beauteous wounds.
The /acred pledges of his own renown,
And Sparta's fafeqF, in fereneft joy
2Ib ck)&ng eye contemplates• Fame can twine
ΦΤο brighter laurels round his glorious bead;
flis tircue more to labour fate forbids,
;And lays lum now in honourable reft,
To fcal his country's liberty by death*
X γ a CCXXVI.
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324 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
CCXXVL Such was the conduft of the Lsh
cedaemonians and Thefpians ; but none of them
all diftinguUhed thetnfelves ίο much as Dkneces
the Spartan. A Ipeech of his is recorded, which
he made before they came to any engagement. . A
certain Trachinian having obfervcd^ that the Bar-
banan$ would fend forth iuch a fhower of. arrows
that their multitude would obfcure the fun i^ he
replied, like a man ignorant of fear, and deipiCng
the numbers of the Medes, " our Trachinian friend
*' promifcs us great advantages ; if the M^es ob-
" fcure the fyn*s light, we fliall fight with them in
** the Ihade, and be protefted from the heat.'* Many
other fayings have been hjindcd down as nx>nu-
ments of this man's fame,
CCXXVII. Next to him, the moil dlftinguiihed
of the Spartans were, Alpheus and Maron, two
brothers, the/ons of Orfiphantus j of the Thefpians,
the moil conipicuous was Dithyrambus, ion of
Harmatidas.
CCXXVIII. All thefe were interred in the
place where they fell, together with fiich of the
confederates as were flain before the feparation of
the forces by Lconidas. Upon their tomb was
this infcription:
** Here once, from Pelops* feagirt region brought^
" Four thoufand men three hoftik millions fought.*•
This was applied to them all coUcilircly. The
Spartans were thus diftinguiihed :
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I A• 3^5
•* Go, ikranger, and to lift*ning Spartans tell,
" That here, obedient to their laws, we felL"
There was one alfo appropriated to the prophet
Megiftias : '
*^ By Medes cut off befide Sperchius' wave,
*^ The feer Megiftias fills this glorious grave-:
*' Who ftood the fate he well forefaw to meet,
** And linked with Sparta's leaders, fcorn'd retreat.'*
All thefe ornaments and infcriptions, that of Me-
giftias alone excepted, were here placed by the
Amphiotyons. Simonides fon of Leoprepis "*', in-
fcribed the one to the honour of Megiftias, from
the ties of private hofpitality•
• CCXXIX. Of thefe three hundred, there were
two named Eurytus and Ariftodemus j both of them,
confiftently with the difcipline of their country,
might have fecured themfelves by retiring to
Sparta, for Leonidas had permitted them to leave
the'campj but they continued at Alpenus, being
both aiHi(5ted by a violent diforder of the eyes : or,,,
if they had not thought proper to return home, they
had the alternative of mectmg death m the field
with their fcllow-foldiers• In this fituation, they
differed in opinion what conduft to purfue. Eu•
rytus having heard of the circuit made by the Per-
iians, called for his arms, and putting them oj^
*•■ Simonidis fin ofLeopnpisn^'^Sec nott to hoo\iy. c. 102.
The Simonides here mentioned compofed feveral works* the
titles of which may be feen in the Bibiiotheca Gra^ca of Pa-
tnciusj v. i• p. 565.
Υ 3 commanded
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commanded his hdot ta coaduft him to die battle.
The flave did fo^ and inuncdiately fled, whUft hi&
piailer died fighting valiaody•. Ariibodemus pufi-
lanimouflf ftaid where he was^ If either Axi&Or
demus, being iadividuaUy <uiea(ed, had retired
home, or if diey had returned t<^cdier„ I cannot;
think that the Spartans could have ihewn any re^
fentment againft them ; but a$ one of them died
in the field, which the other,, who was preciicly in
the fame circumftances, refufed to doj^ it was im-»
poflible not to be greatly inccnfed againft Arifto^
demus,
CCXXX. The fafe return of Ariftpdcmus ta
Sparta is by fome thus related and explained^
There are others who aflert, diat he was diipatched
on iqme bufinefs from the army, and might, if he
had pleafed, hare been prefent at the battle, but
that he faved himfelf by lingering on the way.
They add, that his companion, employed on the
fame bufinefsj, returned to d^e battle^ an4 tiere
CCXXXI. Ariftodemus, on his return, was brand*
cd with diigrace and infamy j no one would ipeak
with him j no one would fupply him vith firc; and
the opprobrious term of trembler* was iumexcd ta
• TrmiIer.]'^Ue who trembled, • r^ttra^; it might be ren-
dered quakfr: this feems to have been aa eftabliihed term of
opprobrium in Sparta; Tyrtaeus (ays, r(im^»1^» ¥a^i3 mma^
MvohuX* βίξίϊητ^" the tremblers are ^evmd gf all yirpi^,** Se•
Brunck's Anal^ vo]« i. p. 49.--»7'•
his
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ρ ο L γ Μ fi I. A• 3^7
his name ; but he afterwards at the battle of Platet
efieftually atoned for his former conduft•
CCXXXII. It Is alio faid that another of the
three hundred furvivedj his name was Pantites, and
he had been fent on fome bufineis to Theflaly. Re-
turning to Sparta, he felt himfelf in difgrace, and
put an end to his life.
CCXXXIII. The Thebans, under the comman d
of Leontiades, hitherto conftrained by force> hacl
fought with the Greeks againft the Periians ; but
as foon as they faw that the Periians were viAo*
rious, when Leonidas and his party retired to the
hill, they feparated themfelves fix>m the Greeks.
In the attitude of fuppliants they approached the
Barbarians, aflliring them what was really the
truth, that they were attached to the Medes j that
they had been amongft the firft to render eaith and
water ι that they had only come to Thermopylae on
compulfion, and could not be confidered as ^c--
ceflary to the Daughter of the king's troops. The
TheiMans confirming the truth of what they had
aflertedi their lives were prcferved. Sopie of thern
however were (lain; for as they approached:» the
Barbarians put feveral to the fword j
part, by the order of Xerxes, had the royal marks
impreffid upon them, beginning with Leondades
himlelf• Eurymachus his ibn was afterwards flain at
die head of four hundred Thebans, by the people
of Platea, whilft he was makipg an attempt upon
their city•
Υ 4 CCXXXIV.
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318 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 A•
CCXXXIV. In this manner the Greeks fought**•
at Thcrmopyke. Xerxes afterwards fcnt for Dc-
maratus, and thus addreffed him : " I have already,
" Dcmaratus, had experience of your truth and in-
€i
tegnty,
a
»•* Ti?e CreeJcs /ought. ]'^flvita,t<:\i cenfdrc3 Herodotus for
omitting many memorable things relating to Leonidas. Some
of thofe fpecified by Plutarch I have already introduced in my
notes, others were as follows : When the ^wife of Leonidas
took leave of him» ihe aiked him what commands he had for
her ? «* Marry," faid he, in reply, ** a good man, and bring
him good children. ''-—Being defirous to iave two of his rela<•
tions, who were with him at Thermopylae, he prctoidcd to give
them meflagcs to the fenate of Sparta : ** I followed you,*'
fays one of them, ** to fight, not as a meflenger." *^ What
you enjoin," (ays the other, " is the bufmefs of a mcffcngcrj**
he then took up his ihield and placed himfelf in his rank.
I cannot in a more proper place than this, make a few mifcel-
laneous remarks upon the inftitutions of Lycurgus, and the
manners of the Spartans; not that I entertain any hope of
throwing new light on a fubjed which has been amply invcfti-.
gated by the learned; but I may perhaps be able to make a
few things familiar to my Epglijh readers, which were obicurc
or unknov^n to them before. The Spartans are renowned in
the volumes of antiquity for ope virtue above all pthers : I
fpeak of their fortitude, whigh they carried to an amazing and
almoil incredible perfedion, a virtuci whidi if we canvafs and
examine it to the extent in which it was pradifed by this extra-
ordinary people, will feem almoft peculiar to themfelvcs.
It was the aim of Lycurgus to fettle and root in the minds
of the Spartaps ϋμβ pripςiple, that the preference w^, always
to be given to virtue, which coniHtuted the only real 'difference
or inequality between one man and another. And he fuccecd-
ed almoft to a miracle. He perfuaded them to renounce all
Other means of happinefs afually bi^( falfely fo called» to make
virtue
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• 3^9
^ tegrity, every thing has happened as you foretold;
'* tell me then, how many of the Lacedaemonians
^ may there be left, how many of like valour with
*^ thofe who have perilhed, or are they all alike ? "
'' Sir/*
virtue their chief and only objeft» and to put themfdves» their
dedres, and their hopes to this (ingle teft. He prevailed on the
rich and noble to give up their ample poiTeffions, to throw all
they had into a common fund» and to reduce themfelves to a
level with their neighbours. And thefe men» inftead of the
foft and tender blandiihments of plenty» the fweets of luxuryj
and the pride of life» to which they had been accuftomed» were
contented to fubmit to the auilerities of a ievere and painful
difcipline; to fit down to a coarfe mefs of black SparUn broth;
to make no appearance» to exped no treatment abroad better
than others. This ailoniihing reformation was confirmed and
fecured by two expedients ; the one which obliged every per*
fon to dine conflantly in public with his own tribe» on the dinner
which was provided for them at the expence of the ftatej the
other» which fprbade the ufe of any other than iron money : by
thefe falutary injundlions» every opportunity of indulging in
luxury was cut off, as well as the means of providmg for ic^
They rendered money altogether ufelefs among them» fo that
Plutarch informs us» it was a common faying in other countries,
^ that at Spart^ and there alone» of all the cities in the world,
Plutus the god of riches was blind; a mere pidure or fiatoe
without life or motion.'^ I would here remark» that ^is if
one note of difference which Folybius affigns againft thofe
who likened the Cretan polity to the Spartan» fee book fixth,
Plato alfo» when he reckons riches the fourth ordinary bleiling
to a ffate» certainly could not eileem this difregard of money
which prevailed in Sparta as a mark of extraordinary virtue ;
but ordinances fo felf-denying» fo oppofite to the fuggeitions of
fenie» and the ordinary practice of mankind» would not have
Jbeen received on the authority of Lycurgus» if they had not
been favoured by acharader of mind peculiar to this people•.
It was the natural and confticuuonal bravery of the Spartans
which
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J/2•
2iJ /JiW-^^
230 ρ ο L γ Μΐϊί r κ.^^^^
" Sir,^ replied Demaratus, \thc La t^acmo niar^ ^
•' are a numeroiis people, aM pOUelfed 01 man jr ,
•* cities; but 1 will anfwer your queiHon more /
*• particularly. Sparta itfelf cont^ns eight thou-
•' land
fvbich inclined them to admit and obey iuclt a plan aadfom οΓ
l^crMnent•
Precept and authority alone would not have done it> for
ike paflioas of men are neither to be reafoned nor terrified
irom their own bent and tendency: it is therefore bat render-
ing jadice to this gallant people to confefs, that their bravery
of mind was founded in inclination and principle. Cicero ob-
ierves> that the Spartans (and the iame could not be (aid of any
other people in die world) had retained their primitive manners^
wbotti changing their laws^fbr more than feven hundred years•
«*^ee Oiat. pro L. Flacco. Lacedaemonii foli» toto orbe ter-
rarom» feptingentos annos et ainplius fuis moribas et nonqnam
moutie legibus, vixenint««-See alio Linjyt book xxx. c. 54.
Plutarch fays, only five hundred years» until the time of Agis»
Ion of Archidamus> in which period fburteeit kings had reigned.
See his Life of Lycurgus. The conquefts of Lyfander in Afia»
\y filling Lacedasmon with money» introduced luxury» and vi-
tiated their mor^s ; feveral examines of which are produced
by Xenophon. The women of Sparta feem little lefs emided
to admiration ; firangers to the natural weakiltfs and foftneis
^f their fex^ they were aduated by the fame gallant fptrit as
the men• They fubmltted to a like difcipline, and endured
fimilar hardihips. Inilead of ftudyiqg the accompliihments
if\rhich ufually diilinguifh a female education, they accoibmed
themfy ves to manly exercifes ; to running, wrefUing, throwing
the dart or quoit ; having the en^ulation \o contend with men
at their own arts» and to bear them company in the fame paths
of glory.
I cannot help prefuming, with refpeA to the dames as
well as the men of Sparta, that it muft have been fomething
kmate, fomerhing beyond the power of education, cu^m, or
example, which conilitutes the wonderful difference we difcem
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POLYMNIA• 331
• ^ fand men, all of whom are equal in valour to
^ thofe who fought here 5 the other Lacedxmo*
*^ nians, though inferior to thefe, are ftill brave."
^^ Tell me then/' returned Xerxes, ^* how we may
^' fubduc
in them, compared with all other women. Can it then be a
matter of wonder, that the Spartan females claimed extraor-
flinary privileges at home, and more exteniive power in the
government of their fiMnilies ? Lycurgus diiliked that exceffive
authmty which the women had ufurped, and attempted it feems,
to reform it, and to reftore to the huiband the ufual and proper
imthority in his own honfe ; bat in vain : a convincing argu-
ment, that if the women had not of themfelves been inclined
to hb laws Qf female education, they would have paid them
neither attention nor obedience. War then, and conqueft, with
the endurance of fetigue, were the principle objedts which the
Spartans had in view» Learning and the ftudy of letters, of
arts and fpiences, to which their neighbours die Athenians
fvere devoted, were in no repute among them. Hence it ha«
|)een obferyed, that the former made the better figure in war«
the latter in peace•— ^ee Valerius ^aximus, 1, ii. c. 6. £gre-
gios yirtutis bellicae fpiritus Lacedaemoniorum, prudentiflimi
pacis moHbus Athemenfes fubfequuntur.
And this was unqueitionably true, iince we are aflured, that
although the moft rigorous care was taken to keep their youth
cooilantly to their exerdfes, their men of mature years were
t>ermitted to live juft as they pleafed ; they followed no em-
ployment, they difdjdned induftry and honeft labour, and were
indeed forbidden to purfpe any art which was accounted illi-
beral ; even huibandry, and the management and culture of their
lands, tl^e mpft rational and^moil public-fpirited ibdy that can
be purfued, they left entirely to their flaves. The old men of
Sparta ipent the whole of their time in frequenting the fchools
and apartments of the youth, as at Athens they did at the
public places of refort, to hear or to tell fome new thing. The
former indeed could mifpend their time in this manner with
^re gracej and might plead the authority of Lycurgus in
3 their
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5ja ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α.
" fubdue thefe men with lead trouble ? you wB"0
^ have been their prince, muft know what mea-
" fures they arc likely to purfue/*
ΛβΐΓ vindication, whofe polity and fcheme of government
aimed at nudntaining an equality among the people, by re-
training them from trade, and the arts of growing rich• The
deiign of Solon was entirely the reverie ; he ilrove to animate
the Athenians with afpirit of indailry; he enadedalaw againft
idlencfs, requiring every j>erron to have a caHing and profeiuon^
tnd the philofopher who had none fell under the ftatute. Cle^
anthes and Me> cdemus were indided and called before the
Areopagus on this account. The flatute which xedrained the
^udy of rhetoric at Rome afugned this reafon : '* Ihi homine»
adolefccntulos totos dies defidere;'' for the fame reaibn philo*
ibphers were baniihed, amongft whom was £pi£letus in the
ycignofDomiiian.— See Julus Gtlliuj, 1. χ v. c. ii.
I have little to fay on the religion of the Spartans. The
objed of their worihip feems to have been diverfified by them
as well as by the Athenians, according to the fy ilem of politics
which their refpedHve law-givers eflabliihed• Solon, intent
upon promoting commerce and gainful arts, prefented the
GREAT c D D ε s s to the Athenians, holding in her right hand
the weaver's beam, and he fumamed her from the i£gyptians«
Athene and Minerva, itiling her the goddefs of arts and fciences•
Lycurgus, training up the Spartans to the difcipline of war,
clothed the fame goddefe in armour, called her Pallas and the
Goddefs of Battle {'^Γ<ι^μμΛχQς kj χάλκικος θια) Ariftoph. Lyfift.
ad finem. She was ftyled Chalcioecus, either becaufe her temp'e
was of brafs, or becaufe it was built by fugitives from Chalcis in
Eubcea. The brothers alfo, Caftor and Pollux, were for fimilar
rcaions enrolled in the Falli of the Spartans ; and I prefume, if
the Pagan Theology be capable of being reduced to any fixed
and fettled rules, it will be beft explained and accounted for by
fuppOilng t ic religion of every different nation or people to be
a mixture of worihip, and phyfics, and politics, and that their
idols were reprefentations of natural caufes, named and habited
according to the diBerent tempers and genius of thofe who fee
them up. -^Γ•
CCXXXV•
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α. 333
CCXXXV. «Since, Sir/' anfwered Demaratus,
«^ you place a confidence in my opinion, it is pro--
•* per that I ihould fpeak to you from the bcft of
•^ my judgmeint: I would therefore recommend you
*^ to fend a fleet of three hundred veflels to the coaft
*' of Lacedsemonia. Contiguous to this is an ifland
" named Cythera, of which Chilon, the wif^ of
*^ our countrymen, obferved, that it would be better
" for the Spartans if.it were buiied in the feaj
" forefeeing the. probability of fuch a meafure as
" I now recommend. Fronp this ifland your
*^ (foops may Ipread terror overSparta. Thus, a
" w^ £> very .near them, may remove from you
« any appreh^njion of their , affifting the reft of
*^ Greece, which will then be open to your arms,
'* and which, if fubdiied, will leave Sparta hardly
*^ able to oppofe you. If my advice be difre-
'^ garded, you may expeft what follows. There
" i§ a narrow ifthmus in the Peloponnefe, in which
*\ all its people will aflemblc in refiftance to your
** arms, and where you will h^ve far more viokpt
** contefts to fuftain than you have here experienced•
■^ If you execute what I propofe, you may without
*^ a battle become mafter of the ifthmus, with 4U
« the cipe$ of prfoponnefus."
CCXKXVI5 Achaemenes the brother of Xerxes,
and commander of the fleet, was prefcnt at this
interview. Fearful that the king might do as be
hiid been advifed, he thus delivered his fcntimcnts :
^ You feem. Sir," faid he, ^' too much incline^
^ UP liftpn to 9 ipan, who fithpr enyie^ jour prof-
«^ perity.
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334- Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν 1 Α.
^ perhy, or wiflies to betray you. It is the chi-
^ raster of Greeks to envy the foeceisfiil, and to
•• hate their iiipa-iors. We have already loft by
** ihipwreck four hundred veflels ; if we detach
** three hundred more to the Petoponnefe, the fwce
** of our opponents will be equal to our own j oMt
^ imited fket will be far fuperior to theirs, and
*^ with relpeft to any efforts diey can make, invin-
^• cible* If your forces by land, and your fleet by
^^ fea advance at the fame time> they will be able
^ mutually to afliik each other; if you ieparate
** them, the fleet will not be able to aflSft you, nor
** you the fleet• It becomes you to deliberate well
^ on your own afl^rs, and not to concern yourfelf
*' about thoie of your enemies, nor to enquire where
^ they will comnience their hoftilities> what mea-
*' lures they will take, or how numerous they are.
*^ Let them attend to their affairs^ we to ours. If
*^ die Lacedaemonians Ihall prelume to attack the
*^ Perfians, they will be far from repairing the loii
** they have already fuftained.*^
CCXXXVIL '^Achafmenes," anfwered Xerxes,
*^ I approve your counfd, and will follow it. The
" fentimcnts of Demaratus are, I well know, difta*
^^ ted by his regard to my interefts ; but your ad*
** vice to me fccms preferable. I cannot be per-
" fuaded that he has any improper intentions^
*^ events having proved the wifdom of his former
" coiinfcls. One man frequendy envies the prof-
*^perity of another, and indulges in iccret lend-
*• ments tf hatred againft him, neither will he,
^^ when
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ρ ο L γ Μ Ν I Α• 3^35
^ i*hen he requires it, give him falutaiy advic^
^^ unlefs indeed from fome furprHing effiut of viiw
^^ tue s but a fiiend exuka in a £riendi*s happinefs;
^ has no fentiments fiar him but thofe of the tnieft
^ kindnei^ and gives him always the beft advice.
^ Let no one therefore in future ufe any iave&ive
^^ againft Demaratus, who is my friend."
CCXXXVIIL When Xences had finiflied, h• ^ --^^^
went to view the.dead> amongft whom was Le^ili^ <y
das. When be heard, that he had been the prince
and leader of Sparta» he ordered his ht^a to be cut / V .^
efi; a nd his boc^ to be fuiggnded^ a P^^- Τ^'«^ — 2:
^HJEiaOTtisHO fmall proof to me, amongft many / / ^j
ochers» that Xeraptts indulged, the warmeft indigna* ^ /
doQ agttnfl: L»mdas whilft he was alive. He j»
odicrwiie . would not have treated him when dead;
wkh fuch barbarity. I know that the Perfians, of
all mankind, moft highly honour military virtue.
The orders however of the king were executed•
CCXXXIX. I Ihkll now return to die thread of
our hiftory. The Spartans were the firft who were
acquainted with the king's defigns againft Greece ;
they lent to the oracle on the occafion, and received
the anfwer I have related. The intelligence was
communicated to them in an extraordinary manner.
Demaracus, the ion of Arifton, had taken refuge
amongft the Medes, and as there is every reaibn
to fuppofe, was not friendly to the Spartans. He
however it was who informed them of what was
meditated, whether to krv^ or infult them muft
be
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//i
236 Ρ Ο L Υ Μ Ν I Α.
be left to conjefture. When Xerxes had rdhived
cm this C3cpedition againft Greece, Demaratus, who
was sat Sufaj and acquainted with his intention^y
determined to inform the Lacedaemonians. As this
was both difficult and dangerous, he employed the
fi>Uowing means : he took two tablets, and erafed
the wax from each; then infcribed the purpofe
of the king upon the wood. This done, he re-
placed the wax, that the feveral guards on the road,
from feeing the empty tablets, might have no fu^i*
cion of the bufineis. When thefe were delivered
at Lacedaemon, the people had no conception of
their meaning, till, as I have been informed, Gorgo
die daughter of Clcomenes and wife of Leonidas
removed the difficulty. Imagining what might be
intended, fhe ordered the wax to be removed, and
thus made the contents of the tablets known. The
Lacedaemonians, after examining what was in<»
Icribed on the wood^ circulated the intelligence
through Greece.
HEROPOTUS.
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HERODOTUS.
♦ ♦ ♦♦ ♦♦♦» »» » Ι > Φ »»»»»» » »
fe ο ο κ VIII.
URANIA•
C Η A t>. ί*
HAVE before deicribed the
events which are faid to have
happened, the Greeks who
compoled the naval arniament
were thefe : The Athenians *
fumiihed one hundred and
twenty-ieven veflels, part of which were manned
by Plateans, who, though ignorant of fea affairs,
were prompted by zeal and courage j the Corin-
thians brought forty ihips, the Megarians twenty ;
the Chalcidians, equipped twenty Ihips, which the
Athenians fupplied} the ^ginetae eighteen, the
Sicyonians twelve, and the Lacedaemonians ten; the
' ^/i&mi»r/«]-^Diodon]s Siculos makes the flumber of Athe-
nian veflels on this occailon two hundred.
Vol.• III.
£pidauriaro
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υ ly A Ν I A•
brought eight, the Erctrians fevcn, the
Troezenians five, tmi ^tyrcans two, the people of
Ceos two, and two barks oi fiiqr-oars j the Opun-
tian Locriaos affifted the confederates with feven
vcflek of fifty-oars.
II. Thefe were ftationed at Arteniifium; and fuch
were the numbers which each nation fupplied.
Without taking into the account the veffck of fifty-
oars, the whole amounted to two hundred and ie-
venty-one. Of thefe the commander in chief ap-
pointed by the Spartans was Eurybiades, the fon of
£uryclidas« The allies refufed to fcrve under the
Athenians, and had refolved, unleis they had a
Spartan leader, to difperfe.
III. At firft, and before any dqnitadon had been
fent to Sicily requiring afllilance, it had been de*
bated whether it would not be expedient to entruit
the conduct of the naval forces to the Athenians ;
but as this was oppofed by the allies, the Atheni-
ans did not infift upon it \ Their principal con-
cern was the welfare of Greece, and a^ they Ψτ6η
fcnfible that this would be endangered by any con-
tention, they very wifely withdrew their claims : as
• Did not ιη/φ ufon //.]— Mr. Glover, in hb Poem of die
Atbeiuid» V^xa this fendment into the mouth of Theaufloclea;
Wifely did we cede
To Spartan Eurybiades command ;
The different fquadrons to their native port»
Had elfe deierted, &c
much
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URANIA. 339
muA as war itfclf is more deftruftive than peice,
fo much more dangerous are inteftine commotions/
than a war conducted with confiftency and union j
perfuaded of this they did not difpute the matter
whilft circumftances juftified amd required their
forbearance. Afterwards, when having repelled
the Perfian, they were contending for what belonged
to him, they made the infolence of Paufanias a pre-
tence for depriving the Lacedaemonians of the
command. Thefe, however, were things whfth
happened afterwards.
IV• When the Greeks affembled at Artemifium
law the number of ftiips which were coUefted
at Aphetac, and every place crowded with troops,
they were ftruck with terror j and as the attempts
of the Barbarians had fucceeded fo much beyond
their cxpeftations, they confulted about retreating
to the interior parts of Greece ^ When this idea
had been generally circulated, the Eubaeans en-
treated Eurybiades to give them time to remove
then• children and their ilaves. Unfuccefsful in this
application, they went to Themiftocles the Athe-
nian leader, whom they engaged, on the confidera-
^ Parts qf Greece.] — Plutarch is very fevere upon Herodotus
for making this aiTertion. Pindar, fays he, who was a native of
a city fuppofed to be attached to the Μ edes, mentions the beha-
viour of the Athenians at Artemifium with the bigheft enco«
minms. So perhaps he might, but what does this prove ; cer-
tainly not that the Greeks did not day and fight againil their
will, though when they adlually were engaged, they behaved
with extraordinary valour.— 7*.
Ζ 1 ύοη
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340 URANIA.
tion of thirty talents, to continue at Euboea, and
rifle the event of a battle•
y. This was efFedled by Themiftoclcs in the
following manner : He preiented Eurybiadcs with
five talents, as if from himfelf ; having gained him,
he had only to prevail on Adimantus the Corin-
thian \ the fon of Ocytus, who was obftinate in his
determination to fail from Artemifium. After
ufing the folemnity of an oath, " If you," f^d he,
" will not defert, I promife to give you a greater
" prefent than the king of the Medes would have
" done for leaving us." He inftandy fcnt to his
veflel three talents of filver• By thefe gifts he
gained the commanders to his purpofe, and fatisfied
_the^ Eubjoeans. Themiftocles .rewarded himfelf by
keeping the remainder, whilft they who had ac-
cepted of his prefents fuppofed the money had been
fent him from Athens for this purpofe. . {/
VI. They continued there$;?j:c..,atJ |uboea, zn^ ^
came to a batde. The Barbarians ariiving'at break
of day at Aphetae, had before heard that the
Greeks at Artemifium were very few in number.
♦ Adimantus the Corinthian,'] — ^This Adimantus in the event
behaved timidly. He was a Corinthian, and leader of the Co-
rinthians ; he muft not therefore be confounded with the Athe-
nian Adimantus, who greatly diftinguifhed himfelf againft the
Periians, and who, probably, is the fame perfon who was archon
in the fourth year of the feventy- fifth Olympiad. An epitaph
by Simonides was infcribed on his tomb, intimating, that by his
coundls Greece became frcC'^Larchcr.
Co
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URANIA. 341
On their feeing this they were eager to engage, in
cxpeilation of taking them i they did not, how-
ever, think it expedient to advance direftly to the
attack, leaft the Greeks perceiving them ihould
efcape under cover of the night. The Perfians
had already boafted that not even the torch-bearer^
Ihould efcape them,
' Torch 3ί/τΓίΓ.]— Before trnmpets were ufed in armies, the
fignal for battle was given by a torch. Thofe who carried it
were facred to Mars; they advanced at the head of armies,
and in the interval betwixt them they dropt their torch» and re«
tired without moleilation. The armies engaged, and even if a
whole army was deftroyed, they fpared the life of the torch-
bearer, becaufe he was facred to Mars : thence came a proverb
applicable to total defeats, ** Not even the torch-bearer has ef-
capcd." Herodotus is the firft author where we meet with this
expreQJon, which afterwards became fo familiar that it paiTed
into a proverb.— L/irr^^•
It is probable, that in the time of Homer no iignaU for battle
were in ufe, a? we find no mention of any throughout his worlcs :
in both Iliad and Qdyifey we find torches placed on the tops of
hills to give intelligence of certain event». Modern fignals
for battle are, by land, drums and trumpets ; by fca they are
jnore various, and are fometimes given by cannon, lights, fails,
and colours. The Romans, in addition to the ihout with which
all nations have been defcribed as commencing an engagement,
violently claihed their arms together. Milton makes a happy
pfe of this idea•
He fpake, and to confirm his words outflew
Millions of flaming fwords, drawn from the thigh
Of mighty cherubim. The fudden blaze
Far round illimun'd hell : highly they raged
Agdnft the higheft, and fierce ικΊώ grafped arms,
Clafied on their founding Jhields the din of 'war y
{lurling defiance toward the vault of heaven.— 7*,
ζ 3 VII.
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342 URANIA.
VII. With this idea they purfued the following
meafures: two hundred chofen vcflels, were 4e-
tached beyond Sciathus, leaft in pafling round Eu-
boea they might be difcevered by the enemy oflP
Capharea and GeraEftus, near the Euripus, mean-
ing thus to enck)fe them, and commence an attack
at the fame time in the rear and in front. With
this defign the appointed fquadron ftp fail 5 it was
not their intention to attack the Greeks on this day,
nor till a fignal (hould be given by the detachment
with which they were to ad in concert. On the
departure of the former, an account was taken of
the number of thofe which continued at Aphetae.
VIII. Whilft the Perlians were thus employed,
they happened to have with them Scyllias* of
Sciosj
• 5ο^///λ/.]— The name of this Mful diver is differently
written. In an epigram of Apellonides it is Scyllos, in Pliny
and Paufanias it is Scillis. Scyllias had taught his daughter
Cyane the art of diving ; during the tempeft, which furprized
the Perlians near mount PeHon, they plunged together under
the water, and removed the anchors which held the veffels of
Xerxes, which occaiioned confiderable injury. By order of the
Amphidyons, ftatues were eredled to the father and daughter
in the temple of Apollo at Delphi THie ftatue of Cyane was
among ll thofe which by the command of Nero were traniport-
cd to Rome.— ZtfTf^^r.
Brydone, in his entertaining tour through Sidly and Malta»
informs us, that the Sicilian authors make mention of one
.Colas, who, from his extraordinary ikill in diving, was named
Pefce or the fiih. It was faid of him, that without coming tt
all to land, he could lire for feveral day$ in the water; that he
caught fiih merely by his agility in the water, and that he could
even walk acrofs the ftraits at the bottom of the fea. One of
their
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URANIA. 34^
Scios^ the moil ikilful diver of his time^ who in the
fliipwrcck off Pelion had preferved to the Perfians
an immcnfe quantity of treafure, and at the iamc
time confiderably enriched himfelf. This man had
long intended to defert to the Greeks, but he had
never -before had the opportunity; he on this day
efiefted his purpofe; it is uncertain in what manner
but if what is related of him be true, it is really
aftoniihing. It is faid, that having leaped into the
lea at Aphetse, he did not riie again till he came to
Artemifium, having gone a fpace of eighty ftadia
through the water. Other things are related of
this man, fome of which appear to be fabulous,
whilft others are aftually true. For my own part,
I am inclined to the opinion that he efcaped
to Artemifium in a little veflfel ; on his arrival,
he informed the commanders of the ihipwreck %
and of the ihips which had been fent round
Etiboea,
IX. Upon this the Greeks called a council:
various opinions were delivered, but it was ulti-
mately determined to remain that day on their fta-
tion, but to depart foon after midnight to meet
that part of the enemy's fket which had been fent
round Euboea. As they perceived no one advancing
againft them, as foon as the twilight appeared, they
their Icings had the cruelty to propofe hie diving near the
gulph of Charybdis, and to tempt him threw in a golden cop•
In a third attempt to gup this» it is fuppofed he was caught by
the whirlpool, for he appeared no more.— -Τ*.
^ Sbipwreck.'l'^^ec book vii. chap. i88.
Ζ 4 proceeded
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344 ^URANIA.
proceeded towards the Barbarians, determining to
make experiment of their fkill in iighting and ma-
noeuvring.
X. The commanders and forces of Xerxes feeing
them approach in fo fmall a body, conceived them
to be aftuated by extreme mfatuation *, and draw-
ing out their veffcls expeited to find them an eafy
CPnqueft. In this they were not unreafonable, for
their fleet was fuperior to the Gree^Ls, not only in
number but fwiftnefs ; in contempt, therefore they
furrounded them. There were fomc of the lonians
who wiihed well ta the Greeks, and ferved againft
them with the.^eateft reluftance; feeing them
thus encircled, they were afFefted with much unea-
fineis concerning them, not fuppofing that any
could efcape, fo infignificant did they appear. There
were other lonians, to whom the feeming diftrels of
the Greeks gave great pleafurej, thefe contended
• Extreme infatuation,'] — ^With the fame contempt the French
are rcprefented to have confidered the Engliih army before the
battle of Agincourt. This is exprefied with the greateft poffibl^
anunation by Shakefpeare^ in his Life of Henry the Fifth.
His numbers are fo few.
His foldiers fick and famiih'd in their march ;
And I am fure> when he (hall fee our army.
He'll drop hb heart into the fink of fear.
And for atchievement, offer us his ranfom.
To the Perfians, as well as to the French, the noble anfwer of
Henry to the French herald was happily applicable.
The man that once did iell the lion's Ikin
While the beaft livU was kill'd with hunting him.
with
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URANIA. ,345
with all exertion who fhould take the flrft Athe-
nian veflel, in hopes of a reward from the king.
For amongft the Barbarians greater reputation ^ was
allowed to the Athenians than to any other of the
allies.
XL The Greeks, as foon as the fignal was given^
turned their prows towards the Barbarians, col-
ledting their fterns into one common centre. On a
fecond fignal, Aough comprefled within a narrow
Ipace, they attacked the enemy in front. They loon
took thirty of the Barbarian veflels, amongft whom
wasPhilaon, fon of Cherfis, and brother of Gorgus,
prince of Salamis, a man very highly efteemed in
the army. The firft enemy's ihip was taken by an
Athenian 5 his name was Lycomedcs, the fon of /Εί-
chreas, and he obtained the fame he merited. Vic-
tory alternately inclined to both parties, when they
were feparated by the night : the Greeks returned
to Artemifium, the Barbarians to Apheta^, the ifluc
of the conteft being, very different from what φey
had expefted. Of thole Greeks who were in the
fervice of the king, Antidorus the Lemnian was
the only one who went over to his countrymen.
9 Greatir reputaiion,]'^^otwiύίίL•nόL•ig what is here aiTeited
in faTOur of the Athenians, their own hiftorian remarks, that
from the beft conjedare» he was able to form» his countrymen
had done nothing worthy of being recorded, either at home or
abroad, from the Trojan to the Perfic and Peloponnefian wars.
TbucyMdest 1. i. As I have thrown together at the end of the
preceding book fome remarks on the Spartan policy and man-
ners, the reader at the condufion of this will find fome relative
to thofc of Athens.— y.
ί ^
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346 URANIA.
The Athenians, in confiderarion of his conduA^
aiCgned him (owe lands in Salamis.
XIL The above engagement took place in the
middle of the fummer. When night zpprozchcd^
there fell a heavy ftorm of rain attended widi con-
tinued thunder from mount Pelion• The bodies of
the dead, and the wrecks of the veilels Boating to
Aphetse, were ίο involved amongft the prows of the
ihips, that the oars were hardly manageable; the
fiirces on board were ieized with a violent panic^
expeiting that they were certainly doomed to pe-
riih '\ They had hardly recovered themfelves from
the efied of the firft ftorm and ihipwreck off Pe-
lion, when that ievere batde at fea had fucceeded•
As foon as this laft terminated, they had now been
attacked again by violent rains, a tempeftuous ikz^
mid continued thunder*
XIIL This night, however, proved ftill more ft-
rere to thoie whoie buiine& it was to make a cir-
■• Bxpeaing i*very moment /•/#r^,]— -An example of terror
Teiy much like this, occurs in i Samuel, xiv. xv. Though it
moft be acknowledged, that the confiifion into which the camp of
the Philiilines was thrown, is exprefsly attributed to a divine
canfe and was attended with an earthquake.
«< And there was trembling in the hoft, in the field and
among the people; the garriibn and the fpo^ers they alfo
trembled» and the earth quaked \ fo it was a very great tremb«
Kng.
** And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah looked, and behold
the multitude melted away» and they went on beating down one
mnother."— r.
cuit
Digitized byVjOO^lC
URANIA. 347
cuit round Euboea. The ftorm fell upon thtm
with the greater violence, as they were remote from
land, and they perilhed in a miferable manner"•
It commenced when they were ftanding towards
the fands of Euboea; ignorant of their courie they
were driven before the wind, and dalhed againft the
rocks. It feemed a divine interpofition, that the
Perfian fleet ihould thus be rendered equal, or at
leaft not much fuperior to that of the Greeks : in
this manner they were deftroyed on the Euboean
iands.
XIV. The Barbarians at Aphetae law with joy
the morning advance, and remained ina£tive, thinks
ing it of no fmall moment, after thdr pait calami^
ties, to enjoy the prefent interval of tranquillity. At
this junfturc the Greeks were rebfbrced l^ fifty-
" Mtferahli moMMinl'^^To τιλ•^ σψ^ ιγιριτο βχ#ι^•— Longioas»
{€€ύθΛ xliiL p. 160, Pearce's eduion» cenfures this ex^eiiion of
φ^χΛξ^, as mean and feeble. Pearce does not viqdioate our ae^
thor^ neither does Toup ; Larcher does, and with coniiderable
effe^U Boileau, he fays, has rendered the word »x»^i,peu agre-»
ahU ; if this were admitted^ the cenfur/of Longtaus would be
reafonable enough ; but in fa^ «χβ^ι is a very ftrong term» an4
jgnifies fomething in the higheft degree ihocking. Herodotus ha•
applied συ^^ αχοξίς, to the murder of a brother* book i. 42 ;
and again to the murder of a fon, vii• 190• Antoninus Libera•
Ks calls the crime of inceft between a father and his daughter»
^Xfi^^ 'b "^t^^ *ζγ»»» ^ adton horriUe and offenfive to alt
laws. A iimilar mode of fpeaking was in ufe amongft the
Romans ; every one knows that Virgil applied the word illauda'
tut to fiuilri^ ; and Hprace calls Pythagoras, Noa ibrdidus auc-^
tor natune verique«
three
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^48 URANIA.
three Athenian (hips: animated by the arrival or
their friends, they had ftill farther reafon to exult
in the fate of thofe Barbarians who had been order-
ed round Euboea, not one of whom efcaped the
violence of the ftorm. The Greeks taking the op-
portunity of the fame hour, towards the evening
advanced boldly againft the Ciliciansi thefe they
totally defeated, and at night returned again to Ar-
temifium.
XV• On the third day the leaders of the B«ba•
rians did not wait for the Greeks to commence the
attack; they advanced about mid-day, mutually
encouraging each other j they could not bear to be
infulted by fo inferior a number, and they feared the
indignation of Xerxes. It happened that thefe en-
^gements by fea took place precifely at the fame
periods as the conflifts at Thermopylae. The
objeft of the fea fights was the Euripus, as that of
the battles by land was the paflage of Thermopylae.
Th^ Greeks animated each other to prevent the
entrance of the Barbarians into Greece j the Barba-
rians in like nnanner were emulous to difperfe thq
Greeks, and become mafters of thefe paiTages,
XVL Whilft the forces of Xerxes advanced ίη
order of battle, the Greeks remained on their nation
at Artemifiumj the Barbarians, as if to render
themfelves iccure of them all, enclofed them in a
femicircle. The Greeks met them, and a battle en-
fued, which was fought on both fides on equal
terna?• The fleet of Xerxes, from the fize and
number
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URANIA• 349
number of its veffels, was much perplexed by their
falling foul of each other; they fought however
with firmnefs, and rcfufed to give way, for they
could not bear to be put to flight by fo inferior a
force. In the conflidl many Grecian vcflcls pe-
riflied, with a great number of men i but the lofs of
the Barbarians was much greater m both : they fc-
parated as by mutual confent.
XVII. Of all thofe in the fleet of Xerxes, the
-/Egyptians performed the moft important lervice j
they difl^inguiihed themfelves throughout, and took
five Grecian veflels with all their men. Of the
confederates, the Athenians were moft confpi-
cuous, and of thefe the braveft was Clinias, fon of
Alcibiades ". His ihip, which carried two hun-
dred men, was equipped and manned at his own
expence.
XVIII. The two fleets eagerly retu-ed to their
reipeftivc ftations. The Greeks retained the
wrecks of their veflels which were damaged, and
pofleflfed the bodies of their dead ; but as they had
fuiSfered feverely, and particularly the Athenians,
the half of whofe veflTels were difabled, they delibe-
rated about retiring to the remoter parts of
Greece.
•* CUniaSffinefAkihiddes^l^-^Xi^xxii this perfonage Valcnaer
has a very elaborate and learned note, but I do not fee that it
contains any thing particularly claiming the attention of the
£ngliih reader, except that he wa3 Hat father of the famous
Alcibiades, afterwards fo celebrated in Greece.—?'.
XIX.
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J50 URANIA.
XIX. Thcmiftoclcs had conftandy believed, tim
if he could detach from the Barbarians the Ionian^
and Catians *^, dierc would be no difficulty in over-
powering the reft. Whilft the Euboeans were af-
lembling their cattle on the lea-coaft^ he called the
chiefs togedier, and infomned them he had con-
ceived a method, which he believed would deprive
the king of the bcft of his aUies. At this junAurC
he explained himfelf no farther, adding only his ad-
vice, that they ihould kill as much of the cattle of
the Euboeans as they poflibly could; for it waft
much better that their troops ihould enjoy them
than thofe of the enemy. He rccommcndoJ them
to order their relpedive pe^^le to kindle a fire, and
told them that he would be careful to feleft a proper
opportunity for their departure to Greece. Ήά
advice was approved, the fires were kindled, and
the cattle flain.
'* C^r/^x. ]—Ori^ally thefe people inhabited the iflaiids
lying near their own coail> and Γο much only of the Mgczn fea
as was called the Icarian, of wluch Icarus» the ijlaftd of Cariof
Was the principal ifland ; they were thenr named Leleges and
PelafgL— 5itf Strah$ih xii. 66 1.— 572. Afterwards, removing
to the continent, they feized upon a large tra£t of the fea-coaflr
as well as of the inland country : ** This,'* fays Strabo, ** was
the opinion moft generally allowed.'' Homer applies to the
Carlans the epithet of ^a^a^o^vywp. —Strabo fuppofes them to
have been fo called, from ως καχως Ελλ^ηζοη^ς, and that at
firil a perfon was called barbarous, whofe fpeech was thick and
coarfe, waχΌs•oμbς, though afterwards the word was extended to
a more general fenfe.— Tibullus calls the Latin Tumus barba-
rous, L ii. el. 5•
Jam tibi prxdko» barbare Tome, necem• T.
XX.
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URANIA. 351
XX. The Euboeans, paying no manner of reg?u-d
to the oracle of Bacis^ had neither removed any of
their efieob, nor prepared any proYiiion> which it
certainly became thofe to do who were menaced
by a war : their negleft had rendered their affairs
extremely critical. The oracle of Bacis '* was to
, this effeft :
** When barbVous hofts with Byblus yoke the main,
" Then drive your catde from Eubcea's plain.
As they made no ufe of this dcclaradon, either in
their prefent evils or to guard againft the future,
they might naturally expeft the worft.
XXI. At this period there arrived a Ipy from
Trachis ; there was one alfo at Artemifium, whofe
name was Polyasj a native of Anricyra. He had a
fwift veiTel with oars conftantly in readinefs, and
was direftcd to communicate to thofe at Thermo-
pylae the event of any engagement which might
take place at iea. There was alfo with Leonida3
an Athenian named Abronychus, the fon of Lyfi-
cles, who was prepared with a thirty-oared vellel
to give immediate information to thofe at Artemi•*
fium of whatever might happen to the land forces.
This man arrived at Artemifium, and informed the
Greeks of what had befallen Leonidas and his
'♦ ne Oracle of -^Λί•//.]— There were three foothfayers of
this name ; the mod ancient was of Eleus in Boeotia» the fecond
of Athens, and the third of Caphya in Arcadia. This hSi was
alfo called Cydas and Aletes, and wonderful things are related
of him by Theopompus.— Xrnrri^^.
party.
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55α ϋ R A Ν I Α.
party. On receiving his intelligence, they thought
it expedient not to defer their departure, but to fe-
parate in the order in which thpy were fUtioned,
the Corinthians firft, the Athenians 1^. .,.% ^• u^ ^
XXII^jrhcmiftoclfs '^ feleAing die fwifteft of .
— the Athenian veflfeLs, went with them to a watering
place, and there engraved upon the rocks thefe/C^7
worde, which thojonians^ coming^tUe n€Bt day .to- y ί
Artemifium, perufed : " Men of Ionia, in fidijijcjg^*' ^ ;
** agginftjOur^anccftors, an3^eiiJeavoflnngto "^
*' duce Greece to fervitude, you arc guilty of injuf-
" tice : take, therefore, an aftive part in our be-
" half J if this be impradticable, retire yourfelves
** from the conteft, and prevail ,on the Garians to
** do the fame• If you can comply with neither'
" of thefe requifidons, and are fo bound by necef-
** fity that you cannot openly revolt, when the
*' confliit begins, retire ; rernembering that you are
*• defcended from ourfelves^ and that the firft occa-^ ^
** fion of our diipute with the Barbarians origi-
" nated with you/* Themiftocles, in writing the
above, had, as. I fliould fuppofe, two objefts in
view. If what he faid were concealed, fronri the
king, the lonians might be induced to go over to
the Greeks, and if Xerxes Ihould know it, it mi^c
«5 Tim^if/pi.]— Bartelemy, in his Voyage 3u Jcune Ana-
charfisj divides the Athenian hiilory into three diitin^l intervals»
which he calls the commencement» the progrefs» aiid the fall of
that empire. The firil he names Che age of Solon» or of the
laws ; the fecond» the age of Themiftocles» and Ariltidef» or of
glory ; the third, the age of Pericles» or of luxury and the arts•
incline
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ϋ R Α Ν t Ά. 353
— - i n cHfl ? htm -^to-Jiitrufl: the lonians..' and employ
them no more by lea.
XXIIL When Themiftocles had written the /^'
above, a man of Hiftia^a haftened in a fmall veflcl '^ / .
to inform the Barbarians that the Greeks had fled
from Artemifium. Diftrufting the intelligence, they
ordered the man into clofe cuftody, and fent fomc
fwift veiTels to afcertain the truth. Thefe oonfirm-
cd the report, and as foon as the fun rofe the
whole fleet in a body failed to Artemifium; re-
maining here till mid-day, they proceeded to Hif-
riaea : they then took poflelfion of the city of the
^ ^ Hiftiaga ns,>and over-ran part of Heljopia '•^ and all -'
the coalf Of HiftiseotisT" ^7 , . ;
^^^ , ;■ - - '^'^ v J A >":
XXIV. Whilft his fleet continued at Hiiliaeotis,
Xerxes having prepared what he intended concern-
ing the dead, fent to them a herald. The prepara-
rations were thefe : Twenty tlioufand men had been
flain at Thermopylae, of thefe one thoufand were
kft on the field, the reft were buried in pits funk
for the purpofe ; thefe were afterwards filled up,
and covered with leaves, to prevent their being
perceived by the fleet. The herald, on his arrival
at Hiftiaea, aflembled the forces, and thus addreiled
them : *' Xerxes the king, Ο allies, permits who-
»* ^r/fc//tf.]^— The whole ifland of Euboea was anciently
called Helapia ; I under^nd that the Hebrew word which we
pronounce Hellap, means of a clear countenance ; for this rea•
fon the people round Dodona were called £Ui and Ellopes^ and
their country alfo Ellof ia.-*?'.
Vol. III. ^ Aa «ever
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354 υ R A Ν I Α.
" ever chooles it to leave his poft, and fee in what
" manner he contends with thofe fooliih men, who
" had hoped to overcome him."
XXV. Immediately on this declaration, fcarce a
boat remained behind, fo many were eager to fee the
Ipedacki coming to the fpot, they beheld the
bodies of the dead. Though a number of Helots ''
were amongft them, they fuppofed that all whom
they faw were Lacedaemonians and Thefpians.
This fubterflige of Xerxes did not deceive thofe
who beheld it ; it could not fail of appearing ex-
ceedingly ridiculous, to fee a thoufand Perfian bo-
dies on the field, and four thoufand Greeks crowded
togedier on one fpot• After a whole day had
been thus employed, the troops returned on the fol-
lowing one to the fleet at Hiftiaea, and Xerxes widi
his army proceeded on tlieir march.
XXVI. A fmall number of Arcadians deferted
to the Perfian army : they were deftitute of pro-
vifions, and wiflied to be employed. Being intro-
duced to the royal prefcnce, and interrogated by
fcveral Perfians, ahd by one in particular, concern-
ing the Greeks, and how they were then employed :
^ At prefent," they replied, " they are celebrating the
\
*^ Helots.]-^! have in a preceding note fpoken of the Helots;
but fbr more particulars concerning them, I beg leave to refer
the reader to a DiiTertaiion on the Hiftory and Servitude of the
Helots» by M. Capperonier, publiihed h the Memoir• of the
Academy of InfcHptions and Belles Lettres.— 7*.
,4. ^.Olympic
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URANIA. 355
^ Olympic games, and beholding gymnaftic and
*' equeftrian exercifes." Being a fecond time afked
what the prize was for which they contended, they
anfwered, '* An olive garland." On this occ^ion
_Tig;anes '!j..the fon of Artabanus, having exprefled
himfclf in a manner which proved great generoGty "" '^
of foul, was accufed by the king of cowardice.
Hearing that the prize was not money, but a gar-
land, he exclaimed before them all — " What mufl:
*' thofe men be, Ο Mardonius, againft whom you
*' are conduAing us, who contend not for wedtb,
** but for virtue ?"
XXVII, After the above calamity at Thermo-
pylae, the Theflalians fent a herald to the Phoce-
ans, with whom they had before been at enmity '%
but particularly fo after their laft overthrow. Some
■• Τγ^γλλ^/.]— Many learned men are of opinion, that this
name is derived from the Togarmah of fcriptore, and given to
the chiefs of that houfe; fee Ezekiel, xxxviii. 6. — ** To-
garmah of the north quarters» and all his bands." Jofephot
writes Togarmah's name, evy^aftjx^icyThygrammisy which fome
copies render Thygran/ neither of them very unlike Tigranes.
•• £««//y.]— The Theflalians being natives of Thefprotia,
had feized i£oIia, afterwards called Theilaly, whence they at-
tempted to penetrate into Phocea, by the paflage of Thermo-
pylae ; but the Phoceans in this place conilrufted a wall, which
checked their incuriions. This was the fource of the hatred,
which thefe people bore each other, and which was carried to
fuch extremities, that the Theflalians in one day cut the throats
of all the magiflrates and princes of the Phoceans, who, in xe-
turn, beat to death two hundred and fifty hoilages they had ia
their hands.«-L^ri&rr•
A a 2 years
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356 υ R A Η 1 Α.
years antecedent to this expedition of the king the
Theflalians in a body, in conjunftion with their
allies, had attacked the Phoceans, but had been
driven back and roughly handled. The Phoceans be-
ing forrounded at Parnaflus, happened to have with
them Tellias *"" of Eleum, the foothfayer, at whoie
inftigation they concerted the following ftratage«i ί
They felefted fix hundred of their braveft men,
whofe perfons and arms they made white with
chalk ; they thus fent them againft the Theflalians,
*^ Γ////Λ/.]— He was the chief of the family of the Telliadae,
in which the art of divination was hereditary. In gratitude for
the vidory which they obtained through his means, the Phoce-
ans made a ftatue of Tellias, which they fent to Delphi, with
thofe of the chiefs and heroes of their country. — Larcber.
Compare the account here given by Herodotus with Pauia-
nias, 1. x. c. i, and the Stratagemata of Polyaenus, L vi c. i8«*-
See alfo Plutarch on the Virtues of Women.
To revenge the above-mentioned murder of their ho^ges,
the TheiTalians marched againft the Phoceans, determining to
fpare no men that were of age, and to fell the women and chil-
dren for ilaves. Diaphantus, governor of Phocis, on hearing
this, perfuaded his countrymen to go and meet the Theflalians,
and to colleft their women and children in one place, round
whom they were to pile combuftible materials, and to place a
watch, who, if the Phoceans (hould be defeated, were to fet fire
to the pile. To this one perfon obje£led, faying, the women
ought to be confulted on the bufinefs. ITie women hearing of
this, aflembled together, and not only agreed to it, but highly
applauded Diaphantus for propoiing it : it is alfo (aid, that the
children alfo met together, and refolved on the fame thing.
The Phoceans afterwards engaging the enemy at Cleon, a place
in Hyampolis, were victorious. The Greeks called this refolu-
tion of the Phocean women aponoioy defperation. ^he greateft
feaft cf the Phoceans is that which they celebrated at Hyampo-
lii, and called ElafbeboUa^ in commemoration of this vidory.
under
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under cover of the night, commanding them to put
every one to death who was not whited like them•
felves. The Theflalian out-pofts, who firft fa>y
them, conceived them to be fomething fupernatu*
ral. Thefe communicated their panic to the body
of the army, in confequence of which the Phoceans
flew four thoufand, and carried away their fliields :
half of thefe fliields were confecrated at Abas, and
half at Delphi• A tenth part of the money which
refulted from this viftory was applied to ercot
the large fl:atues which are to be feen round the
tripod before the temple at Delphi; an equal
number were erefted at Abas•
XXVIII. The Phoceans thus treated the Thef-
falian foot, by whom they had been furrounded :
their horfe, which had made incurfions into their
country, they efFcdlually deftroyed. At the en-
trance to Phocis near Hyampolis they funk a deep
trench, into which having thrown a number of
empty caflcs, they covered them with earth to the
level of the common ground. They then waited
to receive the attack of the Theflalians : thefe ad-
vancing, as if to capture the Phoceans, fell in
amongft the caflcs, by which the legs of their
horfcs were broken.
XXIX. Thefe two difaflrers had fo much exaf-
peratcd the Theflalians, that they fent an herald to
fay thus to the Phoceans : ** As you are now, Ο
*' Phoceans, rendered wifer by experience, it be-
*^ come;i you to acknowledge yourfelves ow infc-
A a ^ ^' riora.
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35» υ R A Ν I A,
*^ riors. When we formerly thought it confiftent
*' to be united with the Grceksj we were always
*^ iuperior to you : we have now ib much influence
*^ with the Barbarian, that it is in our power
*^ to ftrip you of your country, and reduce you to
** flavery. We are neverthdefs willing to forget
^' paft injuries, provided you Vill pay us fifty
•' talents : on thefe terms we engage to avert the
^^ cvik which threaten your country."
XXX. Such was the application of the Thcfla-
lians to the Phoceans, who alone, of all the people
of this difixift, did not fide with the Medes, and foe
no other reafon, as far as I am able to conjefture,
than their hatred of the Theflalians. If the Thef-
falians had favoured the Greeks, the Phoceans I
believe would have attached themfelves to the
Medes. The Phoceans in reply refufed to give
the money; they had the iame opportunity, they
added, of uniting with the Medes, as the Thefla-
lians, if they wiflied to change their fentiments ;
but they exprefled themfelves unalterably reludtaRt
to defert the caufe of Greece.
XXXI. This anfwer of the Phoceans fo irritated
the people of Theflaly, that they ofiired themfelves
as guides to the Barbarian army, which they con-
duced from Trachis tx> Doris. The paflage of
this difl:riit is not more than thirty ftadia in extent^
it is fituate betwixt Melias and Phpcis, and was
before called Dryopis. The Dorians are the ori-
ginal and principal people of the Peloponnefe : the
Barbarians
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URANIA. 359
Barbarians penetrated into Doria, but without com-
mitting any devaftations. The Theflalians did not
wiih them to commit any violence here, and in-
deed the inhabitants had embraced the interefts of
the Medes.
XXXII. The Barbarians paffed from Doris into
Phocis, but did not make themfelves matters of the
perfons of the inhabitants. Of thefe fome had
taken refuge on the iummits of Parnaflus *', at a
*■ P^nr^Zf/.]— This celebrated mountain had a forked fum-
nut with two vertices ; of tKefe one was facred to Apollo, the
other to Bacchus.— See Joddrel on Euripides, p. 19. Sir
George Wheler, in his Travels into Greece, has given an en-
graving of this poetical circumftance, fo often celebrated by
the Greek and Roman poets ; and he obferves, that the high
cKfFs feem to end in two points from the town of Delphi. He
alfo adds, that there is a fountain with a very plentiful fource
of water continually flowbg out from a cavity clofe to this
mountain, which by the marble fleps leading to it ihould be
the fountain Cailalia• Lucan obferves, that at the time of the
deluge ParnaiTus was the only mountain, and that too with one
of its tops only, which projeded above the water, L v. 75.
Hoc folum flu^ terras mergente cacumen
Eminuit, pontoque fuit difcrimen et aftris.
Whid lines are thus difRifely rendered by Rowe :
When o*er the world the deluge wide was fpread.
This only mountain rcar'd its lofty head ;
One ruing rock prefervM, a bound was given
Between the vafty deep and ambient heaven.
L. V. 'ver. 17.
Sir George Wheler fays, *' I efleem this mountam not only
the higheft in all Greece, but one of the higheft in all the worlds
Rnd not inferior to mount Cenis among the A]ps«"
A a 4 place
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360 U R; A Ν I A.^^w-^ii-
place called Tithori, near the city Neon, capably
of containing a great number of people. A greater
number had fled to Ajmphifla^a town of the Ozob&
Locrians, beyond the plain of Crifeum. The
Barbarians cfFedually over^ran Phocis^ to which
the Theflalians conduced them ; whatever occurred
they dcllroyed with fire and fword, and both the
cities and facrcd temples were burned,
XXXIII. Proceeding along the river Cephiffus,
they extended their violence throughout Phocis•
On one fide they burned the city Drymon^i on the
other Charadra, Erochos, Tethronium, AmphieaK^
Neon *% Pedieas, Triteas, Elatca, Hyampolis,
ParapotiaiXUQS^ and Abas. At this laft place is an
'W edifice facred to Apollo, abounding in wealth, and
-" ' full of various treafures ** and offerings. Here as
J now was an pracle. This temple, having plundered,
\(^[^ they fet on fire. They purfued the Phoceans, and
overtook fome of them near the mountains \ many
of their female captives died, fiOm the great num-
ber who committed violence on their perfons.
XXXIV. Palling the Parapotamians, they came
to the Paropeans**5 at this place the army was;
** Λίτα».]— M. Larcher thinks» and with great reafiin» that
the Neon in this paiTage ihould be read Cleon.
** 7rfij/«rw.]— As the greater part of the Grecian cities
fent their wealth to Delphi» it is very probable, fays M. Lar-
cher» that thofe of Phocis depoiited theirs at Abas.
•♦ ΡΛΓέ?/ΓΛ>Μ.]— D'AnviUe, in his Geography, reverfes this
order» and places the Paropeans before the Parapotamians.
divided
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υ R A Ν I Ar 3ίί
idmded into two bodies, of which the. one moft
numerous and powerful proceeded towards Athens,
entering Boeotia through the Orchomenian ter-
ritories. The Boeotians in general had taken
part with the Medes. Alexander, with the view
of preferving the Boeotian cities, and of con-
vincing Xerxes that the nation were really at-
tached to him, had ftationed a Macedonian detach- -' ^
ment in each. ThtS'waslhe line of march piiribed
by one part of the Barbarians•
XXXV. The other divifion, keeping Pamaflii?
to the right, advanced under the conduct of their
guides to the temple of Delphi, Whatever thcjr
met in their march belongmg to die Phoceans they
totally Idd wafte, burning the towns of the Paro•
peans, Daulians, and -Slolians. They proςccded
in this direction, after feparating from the main
army, with the view of plundering the temple of /
J>elphi, and of prefenting its treafures^to the king.
I have beenlnformed that Xerxes had a more inti- ^0
mate knowledge of the trpafures which this temple
contained than of thofe which he had left in his
own palace 5 many having made it their bufineis
to inform him of its contents, and more particu-
larly of the offerings of Cropfus, the fon of Alyr
^ttee,
XXXVI. The Delphians on hearing this were
ftxuck with the greateft conftemation, and applying
t9 the oracle, defired to be inftrufted whether they
(hould bury the facrc4 trcafiu-es \τ\ the earth, or re^
piov?
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26i URANIA•
move them to fome other place. They were
ordered not to remove them, as the deity was able
to proteft what belonged to him ; their fole care
dierefbre was employed about themfelves, and they
immediately removed their wives and children into
Achaia. Of themfelves the greater part fled to the
fummits of Parnaffus, and to the Corycian cave*^j
*> Corycian cavr.]^^Tiai was at the bafe of mount Corycas»
and faid by Paufanias to have been of vail extent ; it was facred
to the mufes, who from thence were called Nymphae Coryddes•
See Ovid, Met i. 320.
Corycidas nymphas et numina montis adorant.
It (hodd feem, that in the countries of the Eaft fubterraneoiia
caves were very frequent» and ufed by ihepherds to deep in, or
as folds for their flocks in the evening. The Syrian coaft, w
rather the mountains on this coail, are remarkable for the num*
ber of caves in them.— ^i^ Hamur*s Ob/ervatioiu on Faffkgts of
Stripture, vol. iH. p. 61.
We find in the Hiibry of the Croifades, by the archbiihop of
Tyre, that Baldwin the Firft prefented himfelf, with ibme troops
which he had got together, before Aicaloa; that the citizens were
afraid to venture out to fight with him. Upon which, finding
it would be to no advantage to continue there, he ranged about
the plains between the mountains and the fea, and found villages
whofe inhabitants having left their houfes, had retired with their
wives and children, their flocks and herds, into /ubterraneons
See alfo i Samuel, smi. 11.
** And both of them difcovered themfelves unto the garriibn
of the PhiliiHnes; and the Philiitines faid. Behold, the Hebrews
come forth out of the Mes where they had hid themfelves/*
Again — Judges, vi. 2.
^< And becaufe of the Midianites, the children of Ifrael
inade them the iiens which are in the mountains, and ca<oes, an4
ftrong holds.'*—?;
Others
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URANIA• 3i53
others took refuge at Amphifla in Locria. Except-
ing fixty men, with the principal prieft, the city of
Delphi was entirely deferred.
XXXVII. When the Barbarians approached,
and were χ in fight of the temple, the prophet,
whole name was Aceratus, obferved that the facrcd
arms, which had ever been preferved in the fanc-
tuary, and which it was impious to touch, were
ranoved *^ to the outward fi-ont of the temple j^he
fattened to acquilnL lliufe Ddpliians who remained
with the prodigy. The enemy continued to ad-
vance; and when they came to the temple of
Minerva Pronea, more portentous appearances
were feen. It might be thought fufficiently won*
derful, that the arms fliould (pontaneoufly have re-
moved themfelves to the outward part of the
temple J but what afterwards happened was yet
more aftoniihing. As the Barbarians drew near
*• Were removeJ.'l'^A little before the battle of Leudra it was
faid that the teoiplet opened of themfelresy and that the arms which
were in the temple of Hercules difappeared, as if Hercules him-
felf was gone to be prefent at that engagement. But many
did not fcruple to iky, that thefe miracles were contrived by the
m^gi&ntts.'^XeftofJbon.
Julias Obfeqoene, in his enumeration of the Roman prodigies»
fays, that A. U. 652. Hailx Martis in regia fua fponte mota»*—
The fpears of Mars, preferved in the palace, moved of their
own accord. Amoogft the prognoitics which preceded the
^dlaifination of Caefar, Virgil mentions the found of arms hea^
all over Germany.
Armorumjonitum totp Germanta caplp
Aodiit. T»
th«
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J64 υ R^^ Ν I A•
the temple of Minenra xronea, a ftorm of thunder
burft upon their heads 5 twbsimmenfe fragments of
^ ,,ΐ/,^^Γς fgpyated jfr om thc^'^tQps pf Pamaflus^ _
which rolling down widi a horrid noifej deflxoyed a
/ / i^ vail multitude. At the fame time there proceeded
from the ihrine of the goddels loud and martial
Ihouts•
XXXYJ^^ This accumulation of prodigies im>
preflfed fo great a: itiiui on Uit Barbarians, diat they
fled in confufion. The Delphians, pcrceivingjdhisii^
^y Fragments of rod, "l"^
The double head
Of tall PamaiTas reelipg from the crag
Unloos'd two fragments : monntainous in bulk
They roll to Delphi» with a craihing (bond
Like thunder nigh> whofe burft of mm firikes
The ihatterM ear with horror•—
They move, and paffing by Minerva's grove^
Two monuments of terror fee.«— There ftoppM
The mafly fragments from Pamaflus rent;
An zSt of nature» by Tome latent caofe
Difturb'd. Tremendous o'er Barbarian ranks
The ruins down the facred way had roU'd,
Leaving its furface horrible to fight.
Such as might ftartle war's remorfelefs god.
And ihake his heart of adamant Athtnaut,
The fame events are recorded by Diodorua Siculus, I. ή. ^
c 4•
*■ PfrciMng thh.]''^
The Delphian race^
By fear fo lately to the neighbouring hills
Aiid caves reftrau'd, fbrfake their ftieh'ring hold*!
In clufters ruihing on the foes 4iiqii^y'd>
Aςcompliίh their defei^t« ^theaaid.
dcfcenifcd
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^. ^
υ R A NM A. 36J
deicended and flew a great number. They who
cfcaped fled to Boeotia j thefe, as I have been in-
formed, related that befidcs the above prodigies, ^^-^ ^
they faw alfp two arpne4 t^^i^gs of mp^e than hu-
man fize, who purfued and flaughtered them• -> \
XXXIX• TheDelphiansfajtbat-thcfe two were ^
heroes, and natives of dyriountry, their names > ^* ' ■
, JhylacM 3 ?f"^ ^"^onnn^/^^ whom fome buildiijgs.'^' / ύ 7
near the temple had been confecrated. That^ *^^ ^ /
Phylacus Hands on the public road near the temple *-- /^ c f ^
of Minerva Pronea, that of Autonous near Cafta- ^ ^ /
lia, beneath the Hyampean yertf y- Ύ ]χ^ ΡΓ^^,γ ^ ^
fragments which fell from Pamaflus have been
prcferved within my remembrance n^ar the templej^ -' f ^
of Minerva Pronea , where they firft fixed them•
lelves after rolling through the Barbarian ranks•
In this manner was the enemy obliged to retreat
from the temple•
XI^ The Grecian fleet, after their departure
from Artemifium, at the requeft of the Athenians,
came to an anchor at Salamis. The motive of
the Athenians in Iblicicing this, was to have the
opportunity of removing their wives and families*
from Attica, as well as to deliberate upon what
meafures they fhould purfue. To this alfo they
were farther induced, bccaufe things had hitherto*
happened contrary to their expeotations. They had
hoped that the people of the Peloponnefe, in one
coUefted body, would wait the approach of the
Barbarians in Boeotia. Inilead of which, they
learned
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yA'
366 υ R A Ν 1 Α.
fcarned tney were fatisfied with fortifying the ifth-
mus of the Peloponnefe with a wall, careful of their
own feciirity alone• The Athenians were induced,
in confcquence of this intelligence, to entreat the
allies to ftation at Salamis.
XLI. Whflft the reft of the allies continued
with the fleet, the Athenians returned to their
country, where they proclaimed by a herald*',
diat every Athenian was to preferve his iannily
and eiFefts by the beft means in his power. The
greater number took refuge at Troezene,* others
fled to .SEgina, and fome to Salamis, each being
anxious to fave what was dear to him, and to com-
ply with the injundUons of the oracle. It is af-
ferted by the Athenians, that there is a large fer-
pent'• in the temple of the citadel, which conti-
nually defends it. Of this they have fuch an en-
tire conviolion, that they oSer to it every month
cakes of honey : thefe had before always been re-
gularly confumed, at this junfture they were un-
touched ''. The prieftcfs having made this incident
"^ Βχα heraU,']'r^lt wxs criminal at Athens to abandon their
country in dme of dangep, or even to remove their wives and
children from the perils which impended^ till permiflion was
given by a pablic proclamation. — Larger.
^ Large ,^λι/.]— See Bryant on the fubjed of ferpent-
worihip^ vcJ. i. p. 476, &c. The Athenians were efteemcd
Serpemigens> and they had a tradition tliat the chief guardian
of their Acropolis was a ferpent, &c.— 19"•
»* Untouched,'] — It appears that Themiftocles was at the
bottom of all thefe pretended miracles, and of this in partica-
Ur; fee hi^ Life, as given by Plutarch.
known.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
URANIA. 367
known, the Athenians ftill more precipitately de-
ferted the city, believing that their goddefs had
abandoned the citadel. Removing, therefore, all
their effeds, they haftened to join the fleet.
XLII. When it was generally known that thofe
who had left Artemifium had taken their ftation
at Salamis, all the veflels which were at Troezcne
haftened to join them ; orders having been prc-
vioufly iflued to ailemble at Pogon and Trcezene.
A much larger fleet was now got together than
had before fought at Artemifium, and they were
manned by a greater number of difierent nations.
Eurybiades, the fon of Euryclidas, who had com-
manded at Artemifium, was the leader alfo on the
prcfent occafion, though not of the blood royal.
The veflels of the Athenians were the moft nume-
rous, and the beft failors.
XLIII. The fleet was thus compofed: Of the
people of the Pel gponpefy, t^he T.ft cgfjayrnpnv^ns fir-
niflied fixteen veflfels, the Corinthians the fame
number as at Artemifium, the Sicyonians fifteen,
the Epidaurians ten, the Trcezenians five, the Her-
mionians three. All thefe, except the Hermionians,
were Dorians and Macedonians, coming fi-om Eri-
neus, Pindus, and Dryopis. The Hermionians are
from Dryopis, they had formerly been expelled by
Hercxiles, and the Melians of the diftridt now called
lipris.— Thefe were the forces firom the Pelopon-
nele.
XLIV. Of
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36$ URANIA.
XLIV. Of thofe fituatifd upon the exterior con-»
dncnt, the Athenians alc^he fumilhcd one hundred
^ /^j ^ i^ *"^ eighty velTcls, a nilhiber equal to all the reft.
^ ^/ A 2 The Plataeans were not jprefent at the battle of Sa^
^ ^ lamis, and for this realbn ; when the Greeks dcr: - "
t <^ parting from Artemifium touched at_ Ctetlas^ the
Plataeans, landing on tht oppo^sc coaft of Boeotiat^5^
employed themfelves in rtoioving their famiiies*^n<i7yy
I rfFcdts, in doing wiHCfi they were IjfrWiund. Thcr
2> region now named Greece was pofleflcd by the Pe-
^.laj g i: under Cecrops ** they took the name ofCc-^
cropidx. The title of Athenians was given them
taeus/who faid th^P(
jtrabofo tes Hecataeus/who faid th^Pdopon^
ncfus was inhabited by the Barbari before it was poifefled by
the Greeks; and adds, that almoft all Greece was anciently the
feat of this ftrangc people. Among other proofs he alledges
feveral names of petfons, fuch ae Cecrops» Codras, &c. which
lie fays evidently prove a foreign language ; ro fiafim^w %yufm•
nrat•
Thucydides, I. i. at the beginning, with the Scholia fays,
that the lonians were called Pelargi or Pelafgi. The name
.Pelargus is ufually named of tL/auntertri v)^r9rr»x•;; this (hews
tliat it was originally ufed as a word of repfoaeh. Strabo evi-
dently derives the wandering temper of the Pelargi, or Pelafgi,
from the Greek «^o;, explaining the word 7•λννλ«κ» by retyv
#gic Λ»ΛΓΛ<Γΐΐί, quick in changing their feitlements.— 7*.
^geus of Athens, according to Androtion, was of the fef-
pent breed; and the nrH king of the country is faid to have
been Δ^αχ«;?» a dragon. Others make Cecrops the firft who
reigned ; he is faid to have been of a twofold nature, being form-
ed wiA the body of a man, blended with that of a ferpent. Dio-
dorus fays» that this was a circumihince deemedby the Athenians
inexplicable, yet he labours to explain it by reprefenting Cecrops^
as half a man and half a brute, &c. — Bryant , vol u 484, ^c.
when
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• URANIA• 369
^vben i Eredhcus fuccccded to the throne : their
jiamcof liMiiaOs " was derived from Ion, who had ^,
ccn general of the "Athenian forces.
XLVTrl^e Megareans fupplied the fame num-
ber of veffels as at Artemifium. The Ampraci-
atae brought a reinforcement of feven fliips : the
Leucadii, a Dorian nation, originally from Co-
rinth, furnilhcd three.
XLVl. Of the people of the i(lands> the ^Igi-
netse provided thirty veflels^ they had others, but
thefe were employed in defending their coafts : ihe
thirty, in which they fought at Salamis, were the
beft equipped, and the fwifteft failers. The -ilgi-
Xitxst are Dorians, originally of Epidaurus, and their
ifland was formerly called CEnone. Next to this
people, the Chalcidians, as at Artennifium, fupplied
twenty fhips, the Eretrians feven ; thefe are loni-
ans. An equal number was fumifhed by the people
>oSj who alfo are lonians of Athenian defcent.
The Naxians brought four veffels : thefe, with the
reft of the iflanders, had been defired by the majo-
rity of their countrymen to take part with the
33 lonians. ^ — See Genefis, x. 4*
" And the fons of Javan, Elilhah, and TarfliHh, and Chittim,
4nd Dodanim." . / ^
Bochart places Javan and his fons in Europe, afligninjfjtp
the father, Greece; to filiiha, Peloponnefus ; to TarihifhTTar- ^
teiTus in Spain; to Chittim, Latium in Italy; and to Dodatiim, -
a part of France, 1. iii. c 7.— Javan he confiders as the prince
of Ionia.— 7*•
Vol• IlL Β b Medcs,
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370 URANIA•
Medes, but they had gone over to the Greeks^ hf
the perlliafion of Democritus, a man of confidcrabk
diftinftion, and at that time tricrarchi The Naxi-
ans alfo are lonians, and of Athenian origin. The
i. J " Styreans appeared with the fame number of ihips
^^ as at Artemifnim ; the Cythnians ^* brought only
χ, ^- ■ one, and that of fifty oars t both thefe laft people are
2 1 (^ Dryopians; The allies were farther alHfted by the
^^ , Smphians, Siphnians, and Melians, who alone, of
5 7 ^ the iflanders, had reflifed to render the Barbarian
'. earth and waten
:' XLVir. AU thefe different people appeared as
confederates in the war, who inhabit the r^on be-
twixt the Theiprotijmid the r iver Ag hgiptt "• The
Thcφroti
*♦ C^ii&«wr»/*]-^Thefe iilander3 were of no great ilrength of
importance. '* If," fays Demofthenes, « I coniidered you as
like the Siphnians, Cythnians» or fuch people, I woald not re-
commend you to adopt fentimCnts fo elevatedi"— L/irrAir.
35 AcheronJ]^^litTt Hercules defcended into hell, and hither
Tie brought ^ack with him the dog Cerberus, whofe foam ovcrr
fpread the country with aconitum. Adonis was celebrated for
having the liberty of defcending to Acheton, or the bfemal
regions, and of returning again at certain feafons. Sec Theo-
critus, Idyl. iii. 48• with Scholia; fee alfo Theoc. Id. xv. t3j;
where Adonis is iaid to be .the only hero who had this pri•
vilege :
* HfciOiwy ως ψαψπ μο^ωτΛτος^
The defcent into hell is generally underftood to be a form of
admiffion into the myilerics, for all thofe more efpecially who
endeavoured to prove themfelves the moil illuftrious benefadors
J to mankind. QClJiefe mylleries the -^gjrgtians may perhaps
be eileemed the original authors; and that the defcent of their
^' V ' ting
I"
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Googl^,
URANIA. 371
ti are contiguous both to the Amp racio Qp
andXiCucadii, who came on this occafion from the
remoteft limits of Greece. Of the nations ftill
&rther diftant, the Crotoniatae alone^ with one
veffel ^^ affifted Greece in its danger : it was corn-
king Rhampfinitus to the infernal regions is older than that of X i
Hercules. H omer, in the lothOd. enumerates Acheron amon^ft C-^/; '•' ^ * *
the rivers ofhelU faying that the Phlegethon and Cocytus flow 77
into it* ιις Κχίξοψτ» ξ•Ησ%. Pope di^fely renders this the flam• / / < ^ -'
ing gulph of Acheron ; Homer fays no fuch thing.— y. ^ / 6 J
'* One v(^/.]— Paufanias fays that this veifel was provided '
and manned at the private expence of Phayllus ; which induces , . *
Valcriaer to believe that the text of Herodotas is in this place ^^
corrupt, and that inftead of vnV fA»7, we ihould read omdV*} ph'u . /
Pletarch alfo, in his Life oP Alexander, lays, that the Croto- * '\ ^ / , '^
matse were permitted to plunder the Periians, out of refpedl to
Phayllus, who equipped a veUel at his own expence to aflifl the 2^^ ^
Greeks at Salamis. • / -
There was a ftatue at Delphi of this Phayllus.
I find uiention made of Phayllus twice in Ariflophanss; once
in the Achamenfes, 210.
Ηχολ»θ»ι> Φαι>λλατ T(f%*rir•
In the Scholiaft to which paflTage we are told that there were ♦
others of this name ; concerning this there is a Greek epigram»
which fays he could leap fifcy-five feet, and throw the difcus
ninety-five.
Ilfrr* iTi irivmxorr« ψο^ας ιη}λ}^ι ΦΑΐ/λλο^,
*^Δ»0^ιν0Ί» V f)U»Toy «rirr' «7oAiiirojbify«9•
WUch I have fomewhere feen thus rendered in Latin :
Saltum ad quinque pedes quinquagintaque Phayllus»
Difcum ad centum egit quinque minus pedibus.
He is again menaoncd in the Vefps, 1 201, for his fwiftnefs
in the courfe•*— 'T*•
Β b 2 manded
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312 Ο H A Κ t Α.
mandcd by Phayllus, a man who had been three
times viftorious '^ at the Pythian games* — The
Crotoniatse are of Achaean origin.
XLVIII. The allies in general furniihed tri-
remes for the fervice : the Melians, Siphnians, and
Seriphians, brought veflels of fifty-oars j the Meli-
ans two, the Siphnians and Seriphians one each.
The Melians are of Spartan extraftion '^ : the
Siphnians and Seriphians are lonians, and de-
fcended from the Athenians. Without taking into
the account thefe veflels of fifty oars, the fleet con-
lifl:ed of three hundred and feventy-eight fliips.
XLIX. When all tliefe different nations were
aflTembled at Salamis, a council was called of their
leaders. At the fuggeflion of Eurybiades, it was
propofed that each fliould deliver his opinion, what
place of thofe which they poflefled would* be moft
proper for a naval engagement. Attica was con-
fidered as totally lofl:, and the objeft of their deli-
beration was the refl: of Greece. It feemed to be
the opinion of the majority, that they fiiould fail to
the iflJimus, and rifle a battle in the vicinity of
'^ Three times τ/*ί7ίηΌ;ζ/.]— Paufanias fays, that he was twice
vidorious in the conteits of the Pentathlon, and once in thofe of
the Stadium.
'• Spartan exfra^ion.']^T\iUcy dides, book v, fays the fame
thing ; MdXioi AeMiJai^y»*^» fAtt uatt α«Όΐχοι, the Melians are a
Lacedaemonian colony : fo alfo does Xenophon, Hift. Grxc• 1. iL
The particulars of t.'ieir migration are related at length by
Plutarch, in his Treatife of the Virtues of Women, where he
fpeaks of the Tyrrhene women.— y.
the
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URANIA, 373
Ac Peloponnefe j for if, it was urged, a defeat
ihould be the iflue of a conteft at Salamis, they
would be expofed to a fiege on the ifland, without
the proiped of reliefs but from the ifthmus they
might eafily retire to their refpedive countries.
L. Whilft the leaders were revolving this matter,
a meilenger arrived from Athens, to inform them
that the Barbarian had penetrated Attica, and was
burning all before him. The forces under Xerxes,
in their paflage through Boeotia, h^d fet fire to the
city of the Theipians, who had retired to the Pelo»
ponnefe. They had alfo burned the city of the
Plateans, and proceeding onwards, were now about
_ to ravage Ath ens ^^. They hadjojreated .T^i^ ^J^^ ^
and Platea, becaule intormed by the Tfaebans that
thefe places were hoftile to them•
\A. After pafling the Hellelpont, the Barbarians
had remained a month in its vicinity before they
'9 Raruage Jfhfins,]'r^The fpllowing lines, defcribing the ad-
vance of Xerxps to Athens, are highly animated and poetical•
Her olive groves now Attica difplay'd ;
The fields where Ceres firft her gifts beftow'd,
The rocks whofe marble crevices the bees
With fweetncfs ftor'd ; unparalleled in art
Rofe ftrudures growing on the ftranger'? eye
Where'er it roam'd delighted. On like Death,
From his pale courfer fcatt'ring wafte aroqnda
The regal homicide of nations pafs'd«
Unchaining all the furies of revenge
Qn this devoted country, &c. JtbinaiJ. •
Β b 3 advanced
ψ
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374 URANIA.
advanced: diree more were employed in their
march to Attica, where they arrived when Callia-
dcs was chief magiftrate. They found the city
defertedj an inconfiderable number remained in
the temple, with the treafurers ^ of the temple, and
a few of the meaner fort, who, with a palliiade of
wood, attempted to prevent the approach of the
enemy to the citadel. Thefe had not gone to Sa-
lamis, being deterred pardy by then• indigence, and
pardy from their confidence in the declaration of
the oracle, that a wall of wood would prove invin-
cible. This they had referred not to the (hips, but
to the defence of wood which on this occafion they
crefted.
LII. The Perfians encamped on the hill oppo-
fite the ciudel, which the Athenians call the hill of
.-Mars**, and thus commenced their attack: they
• Ihot
♦• Tna/mrers.l'^Sce Saidas, at the word Toc^iai ; thefe, he
tells US, were Athenian magiilrates, and were ten in uomber :
The ihrine of Minerva, of Vidlory, with their ornaments and
wealth, were delivered to them in the prefence of the fenate.
♦* HiJI of Mars.]^^On this place was held the celebrated
court of the Areopagus, of which, as it bore fo high a rank
in the conititation of the Athenian republic, the following fuc-
dnd account from Gillies may be acceptable.
«* The court of the Areopagus, originally entrufted with the
criminal jurifdiftion, aflumed an extenfive power in regulating
the behaviour and manners of the citizens : it confifted only ^
fuch magiilrates as had difcharged with approbation the duties
of their refpedtive offices. The members were named for life,
Oad as from the nature of the inititution they were generally
perfons of a mature age> of an extenfive experience» and who
having
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URANIA.. 375
Ihot againft the entrenchment of wood arrows
wrapped in tow, and fet on fire. The Athenians,
although reduced to the laft extremity, and involv-
ed inthe&^^sdlj^^ their barricade,
obftinately refafed to liften to conditions, and would
not hear the Pififtratidse, who on certain terms in-
vited them to iiirrender. They refitted to the kft,
and when the Perfians werejuft about tp enter,
ihey rolled down upon them ftones of an immenfe
fize. Xerxes, not ^ble to force the place, was for a
long time exceedingly perplexed•
LIII. In the midlt of their embarraffment the
Barbarians difcovered a refoufce : ^'^dff^d ^^^ (\nch -
had declared, that whatever the Athenians pofleiTed
on the continent ihould be reduced to the power
of the Perfians• In the front of the citadel, but
behind the gates and the regular afcent, there was a
cragged and unguarded pafs, by which it was not
thought poffible that any man could force his way.
Here, however, fome of the enemy mounted,, near ^ / ^y
the temple of Aglauros **, the daughter of C,ieqiQpguJc.^iL
As loon as the Athenians difcovered them, part
having already attained the aim, had feen the vanity of ambi-
tion, they were well qualified te reftrain the ippetuous paflions
of the multitude, and to ftem the torrent of popular phrenzy.**
♦* ^/λ«γο/.]— This word is written Aglauros in Paufanias,
1. i. c. i8 ; in Ovid. Met. 1. ii. 739•
Aglauros bevum, medium poiTederat Herfe.
Larcher ncverthelefs, on the authorities of ApoUodorus and of
Stephen of Byzantium, writes it Agraulos % fee his elaborate
note.
Β b 4 threw
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376 υ R A Ν I A,
threw themfclves over the wall and werckiUcd^
others retired into the building* The Pcrfiaiis who
entered forced their way to the gates, threw them
open, and put the fuppliants to death who had there
^ taken refuge: they afterwards plundq^ and fe;
^.'^ lirc^to the citadel.
ι
LIV. As foon as Xerxes found himfelf entire
,^ y^ mailer of Athens, he fent a horfeman to Sufa, to
infornn Artabanus of his fucceis. On the following
day he called together the Athenian exiles who
/2- were with him, and ordered them to go to the
citadel, and there facrifice according to tfie cuftom
of their country, «e was probably induced
to this from fome nofturnal vifion, or from fome
compunftion, on account of his having burned
the temple. The exiles did as they were com-
manded.
LV. 1 will explain my reafon for introducing
this circumftance :— There is in the citadel a temple
facred to Erefth^s *^ who is faid to have been the
paring
Λ
:«
*5 EreSiheus.]'^Sec book v. c. 82. Not only ErciUicus
called himfelf the offspring of the earth, but, as I have before
Ihewn, all the Athenians alfo. In his temple were three altars,
on the firft of which they facrificed to Neptune and Ereaheui,
from which Neptune was called Erefthean. See Lycophron,
V. 158.
Ereaheus was deified, becaufe in a conteft with Eomolpus,
prince of Thrace, he was told by the oracle that if he would
facrifice his daughter before he engaged the enemy, he fliould
be
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υ R A Ν I Α. 377
cBSpring of the earth: in this is an olive ^ and a
fca ♦% believed to have been placed there by Ncp-
, tunc
be viftorious ; he did ib, and fucceedcd. See the ftory related,
Lycur^. contra Leocrat. — ^Taylor's edition, 217.
Concerning his being deemed an offspring of the earth, Far-
naby, on this kind of fortuitous generatipn, is worth confdlting^
in his note on Ovid. Met, i. 416.
Paufanias, in his Atticis, c. xxvii. mentions two large figure^
in brafs in a fighting attitude, fuppofed to reprefcnt EredUieus»
^nd Immaradus, fon of Eumolpus.— 9".
*♦ An ^//y^.]— This, according to Pliny, was faid to exift in
his time ; it was in the citadel : and becaufe geats dellroy the
olive and make it barren, it was forbidden to bring goats near
the citadel, except once a year for the neceif^ry facrificcw— £λγ-
cker»
Some oil made of this olive, which was facred to Minerva,
was given as* a reward to thofe who conquered in the Panathe-
nza• See the Scholiaft to the Nubes of Ariflophanes, and to
the 10 Nem. Ode of Pindar, ver. 65. See a whole oration* of
Lyfias ; υιηξ τα σ^κ».— 7*.
♦5 Αβα.Ί — This was a ciilern, into which, by a fubterrancou?
canal, fea water was conduced.
" In itfelf," fays Paufanias, " there is nothing remarkable;
but what deferves to be related is, that when the fouth wind
blows, a noife is heard like that of agitated waves; and upon the
Hone is feen the figure of a trident, which is faid to be a teili-
mony of the difpute betwixt Minerva and Neptune concerning
Attica."— See Pau/anias, 1. i. c 26.
The fame was alio faid to be in the temple of Neptune Hip-
pias, near Mantinea, and at Mylafc, a town of Caria, ahhough
the gate of this laft place was eighty furlongs from the fea, and
Mantinea was fo far inland, that the water of the fca could not
come there unlefs by a miracle. — Larger.
The word ilea is ufcd in the fame manner for a large ciilern
by our interpreters of the bible ; fee 2 Kings, xxv. 13.
f And the pillars of brafs that were in the houfe of the Lord,
and
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i
yj% URANIA•
tunc and Minerva, in teftimony of their άίφυίε ♦'
concerning this country 2 this olive the BaAarians
had burned with the temple• The Athenians, who
had been fent by the king to perform the ceremo-
nies of their religion, which was .two days aft^ the
/ , /^^ place had been burned, obferved that this olive had
. , put forth a new Ihoot^ a cubit *^ in length•
iU/^' ' ■ "■ ■ \ ^
\f A LVI. When the Greeks at Salamis heard what
/ had befallen the citadel of Athens, they were feizcd
with conftemation ; many of the leaders, without
waiting the refult of the council as to their future
conduct, went haftily on board, hoiiled their lails^
and prepared to fly. It was inilandy determined
by thofe who remained, that ihey muft only riJk an
engagement at fea near the ifthmus• At the ap-
proach of night they left the aflembly, and returned
to their ihips•
and the bafes^ and the irascen/ea that were in the houfe of the
Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces» and carried the brais of
them to Babylon.••
This fea is defcribed, i Kings, vii. 23, to be ten cubits from
one brim to the other* The Greek word in Herodotus, and in
the Sej^uagint» is ^»>Mca%. This meaning of the Engliih
word^a I do not find either in Chambers's or Johnlbn's Die•
tionary.— 7*.
^ Their ili/puteJ]^^T\is is faid to have happened in the reign
of Cccrope. Neptune coming to Athens, ftruck with his trident
the midll of the citadel, from which fprang a horfe; Minerva
produced an olive : Jupiter affigned the patronage of the town
to Minerva.
^* A cubit.] — Paufanias fays two cubits. I fuppofe, feys
Larchex, the miracle encreafed with the time.
■ LVII.
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\,' ϋ R A Ν . I Α. 379
LVIL As foon as Themiftocles had retired to
his veflel, Maefiphilus, an Athenian, came to aik
him what had been the determination of the coun-
cil. When he was informed of their refolurion to
fail to the ifthmus, and come to battle in the vici-
nity of the Peloponnefe, he exprefled himfelf as
follows : " If the allies/' faid he, " (hall once leave
*^ Salamis, you will never have the opportunity
^^ of fighting for your country. The fleet will
^* certainly feparate, and each nation return to
** their relpeotive homes, and neither Eurybiades
*^ nor any one elfe will be able to prevent them:
** thus Greece will periih from the want of judicious
^ counfel. Make haile, therefore, and endeavour
" to counteraft what has been determined ^ if it be
** poifible, prevail on Eurybiades to change his
** purpofe and continue here."
LVIII. This advice was fo agreable to Themif-
tocles, that without returning an anfwer he went
to the veifel of Eurybiades. As foon as he faw him,
he exprefled his defire to fpeak with him on what
was of importance to the common interefl: : he was
defired to come on board, and declare hiis fenti-
ments. Themifl:ocles, feated by him, related what
had been faid by Mnefiphilus, as from himfelfi
which he fo enforced by other arguments, that Eu-
rybiades was brought over to his opinion, and per-
iliaded to leave his fliip, and again aflemble the
leaders.
LIX. As foon as they were met, and before Eu•
6 rybiades
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3«o υ R A Ν ί Α•
lybiades had explained why he had called them
together, Themiftocles Ipake at fome length, and
with great* apparent zeal. Adimantus, ion of
Ocytus, the Corinthian leader, interrupted -hims;
** Themiftocles,** faid he, " at the public games
*^ they who rife before their time are beaten/*
" True," replied Themiftocles, " but they who
" are left behind are never crowned,"
LX. Having thus gently reproved the Corin-
thian, he turned to Eurybiades -, he did not repeat
what he had faid to him before, that as foon as the
fleet ihould leave Salamis the confederates would
difperfe, for as they were prefent he did not think
it proper to accufc any one. He had recourfe to
other arguments : " The I'afety of Greece," faid he,
" depends on you ; whether, liftening to me, you
" come to an engagement here, or, perfuadcd by
** thofe who are of a contrary opinion, you Ihall
<* conduit the fleet to the ifthmus ; hear the argu-»
*' ments on both fides, and thep determine. If we
'* fight at the ifthmus, we muft fight in the open
« fea, where; on account of our heavier veflTels and
" inferior number, we fliall have every difadvan-:
*' tage : add to this, that if every thing elfe fuccecd
** to our wifties, we fliall yet lofe Salamis, Megara,
" and iEgina. The land forces of the enemy will
" accompany their fleet, which you will thus draw
" to the Peloponnefe, and involve all Greece in
*' danger. By adopting what I recommend, you
*' will have thefe advantages : By fighting within
^i a narrower fpace of fea, our fmall force will be
" better
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ϋ k A Ν I Α. 38r
*^ better able to contend with the greater armament
*' of the enemy, and, according to the common
*^ chances of war, we ihall have decifively the ad-
*' vantage. For us it muft be moft eligible to
*^ contend in a fmall fpace, as for them to fight in
** a large one. Thus alfo will Salamis be pre-
.*^ ferved, where our wives and children remain;
^^ and thus too the very advantage of which you
*^ yourfelves are folicitous will be fecured. By
** remaining here you will as effeftually defend the
** Peloponnefe as by failing to the ifthmus ; and it
** will be extremely injudicious to draw the enemy
" there. If, as I fincerely wifli, we ihall obtain
** the viftory, the Barbarians will neither advance
" to the ifthmus, nor penetrate beyond Attica:
** they will retire in confufion. We (hall thus be
*' benefited by preferving Salamis, Megara, and
** ^gina, where the oracle has promifed we fhall
** be fuperior to our enemy• They whofe delibe-
" rations are regulated by reafon ** generally ob-
** tain their wiflies, whilft they who are raih in their
** decifions muft not expedt the favour of the
" gods."
LXI. Themiftocles was a fecond time interrupt-
ed by Adimantus of Corinth, who ordered him to
♦• Reguliitedly rea/on,']'^
True fortitude is feen in great exploitsi
Which juMce warrants, and which wifdom guides;
AH elfe is tow'Hng phrenzy and diibradion. Addifon.
be
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fit URANIA.
be fiknt, as not having now a counoy ^; and he
added that Eurybiades could only theaconfiftently
fuffer Themiftocles to mfluence his detemiinationj
when he ihoiild again have a city : this he %Jee in
allufion to the plunder and capture of Athens.
Themiftocles in reply heaped many reproaches upon
the Corinthians^ and upon their leader in particular^
and he £uther urged^ that they ftill poflefled a coun•
try and a city» in efieA greater than theirs» as long
as they had two hundred vcflels ^% well provided
^ Not banfing ηοηυ a country.']'^
Proud Adimantus» on his birth elate,
--•--- arofe and fpake :
For public fafety when in council meet
Men who have countries, filence beil becomes
Him who has none— -Shall fuch preAime to vote ?
Too patient Spartan, nay^ to didate here.
Who cannot tell us they poiTefs a home, &ۥ . Atbenedd.
** Two hundred i/^^Z/.J-^Arillotle writes, that the fenate of
the Areopagus gave eight drachmas to every foldicr, and thus
the complement of men was foon provided. CHdemnus fays
that this money was procured by the artifice of Themiftocles :
whilft the Athenians, fays he, aiTcmblcd at Piraeus to embark,
the aegis of the ftatue of Minerva was loft• T^hcmiAocles pre-
tencUng to make a fearch, found amongft the" baggage an im-
menie fum of money, which being divided, fpread abundance
amongft their fleet.^-Z.err>^.
Thus brief he [Themiftocles] clos'd:—
Athenians ftill poiTcfs
A city buoyant on two hundred keels.
Thou admiral of Sparta frame thy choice ;—
Fight, and Athenians ftiall thy arm fuftain :
Retreat» Athenians ftiall retreat to ftiores
Which bid them welcome» Athtnaid.
with
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URANIA• 383
with nores and men^ a force which none of the
Greeks would be able to refift.
LXIL He afterwards proceeded to addrefs him•
felf to Eurybiades in particular. *^ If," faid hc^
Vith greater earncftnefs, " you continue here, you
" will deferve our ilniverfal gratitude ; if not^ you
*^ will be the deftroyer of Greece. In this war
** our fleet conftitutes our laft, our only refource•
** You may be afliired, that unleis you accede to
" my advice, we will take on board our families^
*' and remove with them to Siris in Italy ^\ which
*^ from remote times has been confidered as be-
*' longing to us, and where^ if the oracle may be
^* credited, we ought to found a cky• Deprived
" of our afliftance, you will hereafter have occalion
*^ to remember my words^"
LXIII. By thefe arguments Eurybiades was
finally influenced, principally, as I fliould iuppofei
from his fears left, if they failed to the ifthmus,
they Ihould be deferted by the Athenians, without
whofe aid they would be litdc able to contend with
the encmyw He acceded therefore to what The-
miftocles propofed> and confented to ftay and fight
at Salamis%
To Hefperian ihores
For them by ancient oracks referv'd;
Safe from infulting foes and falfe allies. Jtbenaid.
LXIV.
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3^4 URANIA.
LXIV. When the determination of EurybiiauleS
was known, the confederates, wearied with altcrca^
tions, prepared to engage. ^ In this fituation the
morning appeared, at the dawn of which there was
^ convuifion of the earth, which was felt at fed.
They determined therefore to fupplicate the gods,
a nd implor^ rl•^ inrprporirjnn of die iEacidg. This
iras accordingly done : after calling upon all the
gods, they invoked Ajax and Telamon,"and dif-
patched a veflel to -Slgina, to intreat die aid cli
^Eacus and the ^lacidae ^\
LXV. Dicaeus the fon of Theocydes, an Athe-
nian exile, but of confiderable reputation with the
Medes, at the time when Attica was deferted by the
Athenians, and wailed by the army of Xerxes, re-
ported that he was with Demaratus of Sparta on
the plains of Thria. Here he faw a duft as of an
army of thirty thoufand men advancing from
Eleufis. Whilft they were wondering from whence
it could proceed, Dicaeus affirms that he heard a
voice which fcemed to him the myf tic lacchus ^\
DemaratuSj
s* JEucUaJl-^tt book v. c. 80. — Confult Paufaniae, book
ii. c. 29.
Near the port of the ifland of i£gina there is a temple of
Venus, and in the mofl: conipicuous part of the city is a temple
of JEvlcm^, called the iEaceium. It is a fquare ftru£lurc of white
marble, in the entrance of which are the ftatues of the deputies
who came to i£acas from all parts of Greece^
*^ /^rcj&ii/.]— On the 20th of the month Boedromion, which
anfwers 10 our Odober, which was the 16 th day of the feilival
of
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Demaratus, being ignorant of the pln^finian m yf- --
tcries *% inquired the meaning of the noife which
he heard. " Demaratus," anfwered Dicseus, /^ fome
** great calamity is impending over the forces of
** the king: Attica being deferted, it is evidently
** the divinity which fpeaks, and is now coming
^' from Elcufis to affift the Athenians and their
" aUies.
of the myileries of Ceres, they carried from the Ceramians to
£Ieuiis a figure of iacchasj or Bacchui , crowned with myrtle»
having a torch in his hand. During the proceffion they fang
a hymn in honour of the god, which hymn was alfo called
lacchus, and m which they often repeated the word lacche•*— J
Larcbtr• Ζ -^ '^* ^ Λ
The word lacchas is derived, accordmg to Euftathius, airo/^
mxup, from bawling out. lacchus b ufed by Virgil as ίγτφ]
motts with vinum, becaufe la cchus or Bacchus was the
wine : fome fay he was theTon of Ceres. In the myAeries
here mentioned he is always joined with Ceres and Proferpine;
but he is not always confidered as the fon of Ceres, though
nurfed at her breaiL— See Liumius, and Salmafius ad BoUnum^
p. 750.
The clrcumftance of the myftica vannus, or myftical fan»
which in this folemnity was carried before the image of lacchus»
is thus curioufly explained by Servius, ad Georg. L 166• The
fan, fays he, was carried in proceflion before Bacchus, becaufe
they who were inidated into his myileries are purified as com
is by the ufe of the fan or van.— 7*.
^ Myfieriis.Y^l have before fpoken on die fubje£l of thefe
fnyfterles ; but the reader will fimd a far more particular and
entenaining account of them in Warburton's Divine Legatioi^
and in the Voyage da Jcune Anacharfis, vol. v. 507, &c.
Warburton intimates his bdief that the initiated were inftruded
in the unity of the Divine Being. Larcher thinks otherwife :
they might perhaps, fays the learned Frenchman, do this with
refpe£^ to thofe whom they found inclined to believe this dog*
Vqu πι. ^ C C xna
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^. .. \
386 υ R A Ν I A.
<« allies. If this ihall appear in the Pelopoimcfc
<« the king himfelf, and the forces which are with
** him, will be involved in the greatcft danger;
«« if it fliall ihew itfelf at Salamis, the deflxuotion
" of the king's fleet will probably enfue. Once in
*^ every year the Athenians folemnize thefe rites
«^ to Ceres and Proferpine, when alio they ini-
** tiate into the"^ myfterierTuch of the Greeks as
^* may defire it. The found which you hear is
«* the voice of lacchus.*' To this he fays Dema-
ratus made him this reply : " Make no mention
" of this to any one. If what you fay ihould be
" communicated to the king; you will certamly
" lofe your head, and neither myfelf nor any one
*« elfe will be able to fave you : be filent therefore^
*' and kaxg^ the event to the ^ods/ * He added,
that after the dull and voice which they faw and
heard, a cloud appeared, which direoted its courfe
towards Salamis and the Grecian fleet. From this
they concluded that the armament of Xerxes would
be defeated. This was reported by Dicaeus^^ the
foil
ma; but they preadicd athcifm to a Mea number, ία
whom they found a favourable difpofition to receive it. The
temple of Ceres, where thefe myileries were celebrated, was
one of the nobleft in Greece; it is defcribed by Strabo, book
ix. and by Vitruvius, book vii. A view of it is given in the
♦' Ruins c/jithens;** and it is defcribed alfo by Chandler in his
Travels in Gfeece• There were the greater and the leflet
myfteries; the latter of which belonged to. Prcferpine only.
— r.
55 iJ/V-rwi.]— Upon this name the following pleaiant anec-
dot• occur;» in tke Voyage du Jeunc Anachariis.
Atoh
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(on of Theocydes ; for the truth of which he ap-
pealed to Demaratus and others•
LXVL• The naval troops of XerxeiSi after teing
Ipedators of the Daughter of the Spartahs, pafled
over from Trachis to Hiftiasa^ where they remained
three days : thence failing down the Euripus, iii
three more they came to PhalcrUm ^^ The land
and
A Tertian, who founded all his merit on the fplendour of hii
name, came to Athens : as I had known him at Sofa» I was hit
condn^r to the theatre. We happened, to fit near a number of
Athenians who were talking together-^he was anxioas to know
their names. The firft, fays 1, is called Eudoxus^ that is, tki
bonourahli ; immediately my PeWian makes a low boVtr to Ew*
4oxus : the fecond» I continued» is named Pefycktus, or tit <vtry
<9Mratid\ another very low bow. Doubtlefs, ia^s he, thefe two
are at the head of the republic. Oh no, they are people whom
no body knows. That third perfon> who feems fo infirm, is
called Megafthems, or the very firong ; the fat heai^ man
yonder is named Pr^boos, or the very βωψ ; yOn melancholy
fellow's name is Epicbaris^ which means the chearftd* The fixth^
fays the Perfian impatiently, how b he called \ S^ftrates, or thi
fgfviour of the an^y. He has commanded then? No; he hat
never been in the fervice. The feventh, yonden who is called
Clitomacbus, which fignifies illufirions nwirrior, hae always beeik
a coward, and is declared infamous• The name of the eighth
is Dic^us, or tbejt^fl^ a moft notorious rafcal.•^-*! was goin^ to
name the ninth, when the ftranget rofe and faid, HoW all Uxcft
people di%race their names I But at leaft^ fays U yon moA cou•
fefs, that their names do not make them coxcombs.^fi^T;
5* Pi&«/priww.]-*-Athens had three ports near each others
Pir2us> Munychia» and Phalerum^ Phalemm ^as fiiid to havd
been named from Phalerus, a companion of Jafon in the Ar^
gonantic expedition. Theieus failed from it for Crete> and
Meneilhetu his fucsefibr for Troy; and it continned to be thd
C c s haven
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/^ 5*8 URANIA•
^"^^ and fca forces were neither of them, as far as I cail
2 determine, lefs in number when they laid waftc
' f^^ \ Attica than when they firft arrived at Sepias and
--^ / Thermopylae. To fupply the lofs of thofe who pc-
y ^ 1^ \/ Hihed from the ftorm, and who were Qain at Ther-
^ y ^,. mppylaeand ArtemifKim, there arrived from thoic
Niati ons which had not yet declared f or the king re-
^ enforcements of Melians, Doriam, LoCrians, and
; J Baftrians, who, except the Theipians and Plataeans,
; ^ joined him with all their troops. To thefe may be
7^ • '^ ?uided the Caryftians, Andrians, Tenians^with all
^ the people of the iflands, except the five ftates '^
- ; * before fpecified. The farther the Perfians pene-
trated mto Greece, by the greater numbers they
were followed.
LXVIL All theie troops except the Parians af•
fcmbled at Athens or at Phalenim. The Parians'*
ftaid at Cythnus waiting the event. of the war. At
haven of Athens to the time of Themiftoclc«. It is a fmall
ροή of a circulai- form ; the entrance narrow, the bottom a
cleat• fine fand, vlfible through the tranfparent water. The
fane of AriiUdes, and his monument, which was ereded at the
public expence, were by this port. The capital port was Pi-
r se wii-^ChanMer•
Chandler writes Phaler um ; Pococke Phalereus and Pyrseium ;
D'Anvillc, Phalcrus ; Meurfius, in his trail called Piraeus, or
an Eflay on the Port of that Name, writes Phalerum, and pro-
perly. This was the moft ancient port of the three. — T,
^^ Five /aies.] — Naxos, Mdos,. Sphnos, Seriphus, and
Cythnus.
*' /^ΛΓ/ΛΛί.]— The Parians (hared with the Perfians the dif-
grace of the battle of Marathon j and their perfidy to the
Creeks became proverbial— 7*.
this
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URANIA. 389
this jundture Xerxes viiited his fleet in perfon, to
. confer with the leaders, and to acquaint himfelf
with their fentiments. On his arrival he prefided
at a council, where the princes of the different na-
tions, and the feveral commanders, were placed ac-
cording to the rank which Xerxes had given them.
The prince of Sidon firft, the prince of Tyre^ ^ next,
'^ 93''•^]— In Ifaiah, chapter xxill. ver. 10. Tyre is calledth*
daughter of Tarihiih ; in the fame chapter, ver. i z. Tyre 19
called the daughter^ of Sidon, I prefume, on different accounts• cy
The Syrians were originally a colony of the Sidonians, and ^^^Ot-^^- ^*^ i-
Sidon, confequcntly the mother city of Tyre. By Tflr(l^ i(h, thr — t^ ^ >^
Seventy univcrfaily underiland Carthage ; but how then could ' /
Tyre be called the daughter of Tarihiih ? for Carthage was the
daughter of Tyre. ..
Herodotus, in book ii. chap. 44, fpeaks of the Hercules of
Tyre. It has been conjed lur cd by many learned n?c"> jh aj^ t^ ' ' ^ \
could Have Ticen no"otiier*than the liraelitifh tampion. That "^ /, ;y α ^T• ■•
this is very probable, the reader may perhaps be inclined to
think from thefe amongll other reafons : Jy , y t
With the ilory of Sampfon the Tyrians might eafily beceine
acquainted at Joppa, a fea port belonging to the tribe of Ban}
but m re efpecially from thofe Danites who removed to Laiih,
in the neighbourhood of Tyre, and who, as Ezekiel informs u»,
had great commerce with the Tyriane. Thefe Danites came
from Zorah and Eihtaol, where Sampfon was born and lived,
and would not fail of promulgating and magnifying the ex•
ploits of their own hero. I am aware how raih it is to pro•
nounce a famenefs of perfon from a likenefs of certain corre•
fponding circumdances in the a^lioni of men, but there are
certain particulars fo ilriking, firil in the account given of this
Tyrian Hercules by Herodotus, and fecondly, in the ritual pre•
fcribcd for his worihip, that where we can pf,fmff„nQKHlg ^y .
tnnrg (a^^ ^rg"'"^"^> ^S]!UfiflHr SL ^^ founded may be permitte
19 l^fve fom? weight, i he Κοιγ of Sampfon jdjl, ^ςςοβοΐΛ»^ , ,
/,
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J90 URANIA.
^d the reft in order. The king then comnuC-
fioned Mardonius to inquire of them individually
whether they were willing to engage the enemy.
LXVIII. Mardonius began with the prince of
Siaon^ and from him went to the reft, and they
the twp pillars fet up in the texDple of Hercules> if we conikler
them as p]ace4 there ia commemoration of the greateft of
Sampfoa's exploits. The various circumilances which Hero-
dotus makes peculiar to the Tyrian Hercules, however dif•
guifedj are all redudole and relative to this laft adion of Samp-
fon. |. Hercules, being apprehended by the ^Egyptians, was
led in proceffion as a facrifice to Jupiter ; and the Philiftines
proclaimed a feail to offer a great facrifice to Dagon their god,
and to rejoice, becaufe Sampfon was delivered into their hands•
Λ• Whilft Hercules (lands at the altar, he renudned quiet for a
f,/^'* fcafonj and fo was Sampfon when his ftrength was departed
from him. 3. But in a ihort time Hercules returned to his
llrengih, and flew all the iEgyptian£.— Concerning the ritual
"^ufti m tlie worihip or inc ^iyn^n Hercules, Bochart remarks
'^ /*-v^ there were many things in it not pradtifed elfewhere• Let die
reader judge from what follows whether they do not fcem
borrowed from the Levicical Law, or grounded on what the
f-' i >^ • Scripture relates of Sampfon. The total difufe of images,
the prohibition of fwine in facrifice, the habit of the prieil, his
/-" l•^ embroidered llole, &c. and naked feet, the flridi chaility ex-
aded of him, the fire ever-burning on the altar, arc all of
/ ^ them precepts which Mofes delivered. Why may we not add
Cf that the exdufion of women from the temple, and the ihaven
head of the prieils, were intei^dcd to brand the treacherous be-
^ ft Ιφ Kaviour of Dalilah, and to commemorate t}ie lofs of Sampfon's
V J locks? Appian, Arrian, and Diodorus Siculus, acknowledge
/ ^— thcfe to have been Phoenician rites, and different from any ob-
' ' > •-'^^ fervedamongft the Greeks; and it is well known that this
jfft^ularify >yw a principal point intended by the ritual of Mofes.
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URANIA. 39t
frere all of opinion that a battle fliould be fbtight ;
but Artemifia thus delivered her fcntimcnts :
** Mardonius, deliver this my opinion to the king,
" whofe exertions in the battle of Euboea were
** neither the meaneft nor the leaft ;^ think myfelf
^ therefore juftified in declaring what I think wijl
** be moft to your intereft to puriue• I would
*' advife you to ipare your ihips, and not rilk a
** battle. Thefe men by fea are as much fuperior
** to yours, as men are to women : but after all,
** what neceflity is there for your hazarding an en-
** gagement ? You are alrcatiy in poflcflion of
'^ Athens, the avowed objeft of this expedition,
^^ the reft of Greece is already your own, and no
" one refifts you. They who oppofed you have
^^ met. the fate they merited. I will now tell you
** how the affairs oif your adverfaries are circum-
*^ ftanced : if you do not urge a naval engagement,
*^ but will order your veflcls either to remain here, or
*^ fail to the Pcloponnefe, all your wiihes will infal-
** libly be accomplilhed• The Greeks will not long
*^ be able to oppofe you ; you will oblige them to
^^ feparate, and retire to their refpeftive homes. I
*^ am well informed, that in the ifland where they
*^ are they have no fupply of provifions ; and if you
** Ihall enter the Peloponncie, it is not to be fup-
^^ pofed that thefe remainmg here will riik a battle
^* for the fake of the Athenians. But if you de•
•* termine to fight them by fea, I icrioufly fear that
^* a defeat of your fleet wil| be added to that of
<* your land forces• Let this alfo be imprefled
C c 4 <* upoa
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39* URANIA.
" upon your mind, that the bcft of ΤΌ^ή have
^^ fometimes the worft of fervants ; and that bad
" men are frequently ferved with fidelity. You,
" Ο king, are one of the beft of men j but yoa
^* have amongft your dependants Egyptians, Gy-
" pians, CiliciiUMi and Pamphylians^% from whom
■•^"•nio good can be expefted."
. LXIX.
^ Cilififitts mnd PamfHyliaas.y^liowcvtr cpntemptnooflf
thcfe people may be here introduced, it is certain that Tarfus
of Cilicia was accounted the metropolis of this part of Afiaa
mnd was the £rft commercial power which made any figure in
that pvt of the world. Not only the fables of Pagan mytho-
logy, which inform us that Anchiale was built by the daughter
of Jsy[>etU8, and Tarfus, by Perfeus, fon of Jupiter, bear witnefs
to \k^ high antiquity of thefe cities ; but Scripture alfo informs
us, that the fons of Tarihiih, who were fettled on this coaft, had
made themfelves famous for their navigation and commerce
ms'c'arly as the days of David. The fiips ο/Ταφίβ, fee PfeliB
XjvUi. 7, were then become a common appellation for all
veffels of trade ; and to go to Tarfii/h, a proverbial exprefiioa
for fetung out to fea in fuch veffels. That part of the Medi-
terranean which was contiguous to Cilicia was called the Sea
tf Tarihiih. Pamphylia was colonized from Cilicia, and wai
the entrance to it from the north-weft. Strabo givesthis cha-
_^ iaftctpf the natives of Tarfus ; " They did not flay at home,"
lays *he, ** but in order to complete their education went
mbrbad ; and many of them, when thus accompHihed, reilded
with pleafure in foreign parts, and never returned." When
άίάτ neighbours on all fides, both in Afia and the adjacent
iilands, made themfelves infamous for their piratical depreda-
tions, the inhabitants of Tarfus maintained a fair reputation;
they not only occupied their bufinefs in great waters, but they
alfo traded on the continent. They had fadlorics at Dedan and
Sheba on the Euphrates, with which they trafficked in filver»
Scc^Exiiicl, xxxviiL lo, AU which incidents confidered, I
.•.•.. . . r, . . . . X - {hoM
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LXlXr They» who wilhed -well to Artemifia
were ^ipprehenfive that her fpeaklng thus decifively
to Mardonius againft riiking a battle, would bring
upon her fome mark of the king's indignation :
her enemies; on the contrary, who wilhed to fee her
difgraced, and who were jealous of her favour with
the king, were delighted in the confident expefta-
tion that her freedom of fpeech would prove her
ruin 5 but Xerxes, after hearing the opmions of the
council, was particularly pleafed with that of Arte-
mifia; he had efteemed her before, but he was on
this occafion lavifli in her praife. He neverthelefs
determined to comply with the decifion of the ma-
jority; and as he imputed the former ill fuccefs at
Eubcea to his being abfent, he refolved to be a Ipec-
iator of fhe battle of Salamis•
LXX. Wjben orders were given for the fleet
fo depart, they proceeded towards Salamis, and de-
liberately ranged th^mfelves in order of battle. As
the approach of evening prevented their then com-
ing to an encounter, they prepared themfelves for
jthe following day. In the mean while a general
confternation was impreflfed upon the Greeks, and
in particular upon thofe of the Peloponneic^ who,
conceiving that their fighting at Salamis was folely
on account of the Athenians, believed that a defeat
would occafion their being blockaded in the ifland,
ihould fappofe that the cenfure of Artemiiia, pailed upon them
in this place, will hardly occafion them to be confiJered either
as a faithlefs or cowardly people. — Γ.
and
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594 URANIA.
aiid would kavc their own country totally defence-
leis.
' LXXI. On the very fame night the land forces
of the Barbarians advanced to the Peloponnefc,
though every poffible effort had been made to check
their proceeding farther on the continent. As loon
as the Peloponnefians had heard of the ruin of
Leonidas and his party at Thermopylae, they aflcm-
bled at the ifthmus all the forces they could coUcft
fiom their different cities under the conduct of
Clcombrotus, the fon of Anaxandrides, and brother
of Leonidas. Encamped here, their firft care was
ϊ-^.. JiLforti^.-tht.pA^^f^.citQIl^*'3 they then, after con-
H ) fulting on the fubjeil;, proceeded to defend die
whole of the iilhmus by a wall. Thb was foon
finiihed, as not one of fo many -thoulands was in-
aftive ; for without intermiffion, either by night or
day, they fcverally brought ftones, bricks, timber,
and bags of fand. *
I.X^IL• The Greeks who appeared in defence
of the ifthmus with their coUeded ftrength, were
the Lacedaemonians, Arcadians univerfally, Eleans,
*' 5aiv».]— Said by Strabo to have been caOed from th^
famoos robber of that name, who was remarkable for his bar^
barity to paiTengers» and who was killed by Thefe\is . i Se e
Lucian in Jove Traga^do, where we learn that at the fame time
Thefeus deftroyed two other famous robbers, whofe names were
Pityocamptes and Cercyon. Sciron he threw into the fea, and
hjs bones became rocks.— See Qvid. Met. viL 443.«— 7*.
X Corinthians^
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URANIA• 395
Corinthians> Sicyonians, £pidaurians^ Phliafians,
Troezenians and Hermionians. All thcfe were
drawn togcdier by the danger which xncnaced
Greece. The reft of the Peloponneiians, although
the Olympic games and Camian feftivals were paft,
remained in careleis inadtivity at home•
LXXIII. ThsLPglQj>onncfeis inhabited by fcyen
different nations j two of thefe, the Arcadians^* and
Cynurians, are natives of the country, and have
never changed their place of refidence. The Acha-
ians have never quitted the Peloponnefe, but have
limply removed from one fituation to another. The
^* ^rr^'^mj.]— EuiUtKlus in Dioiu ▼. 414, tells us that
Arcadia waa formerly called Gigantis, that is the Land of
Giants. It was alio called Azania. Arcadia was facred to the
god Pan, who was worihipped in every comer of the country.
It was celebrated for the Hchnefs of its paihires ; and its inha-
bitants were fo generally addidled to the bufinefs of feeding
cattle, that Arcades and Paftores became fynonymous terms ;
and the Bucolic verfe was iHled the Arcadian. Of the an-
tiquity which this people claimed I have already ipoken in a
foregoing note. Some have fuppofed Arcadia to have beea
fo caJled from Areas, the fon of CalliilOy who was faid to have
had his name from the fuppofed transformauon of his mother,
and to have given it to Arcadia. — See in Jrati Pban, de Cal»
lifibo. Tixiif A^xT•» iw«r Tof xXqOerr»* A^n^^a. Homer fays they
were wholly ignorant of maritime affaire :
Bni tf ^1 Θαλασσί» ι^λ fAtfAfiXn,
Whidi Pope imperfedUy renders.
And new to all the dangers of the main.
See what De Pauw fays of the Arcadians in his Rcchercbes/ur
its Gr^cw^T^
four
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396 URANIA•
four others, namely the Dorians, ^tolians, Dryo-
pians, and Lemnians, niigraicd here• The Dorians
have many femout cities j the" ^tolians ^^ V}^%
, ^, only ; the Dryopians have Hermion and^fina, , ^^
^ ^ ,^^ near Car42n2yle% in Laconia. The Paroreatae**
)i> * ^ j arc all Lemnians. The Cynurians, though na-
\(o . tives of fhe coiintry, are fuppofed to be lonians ;
but in procefs of time, like the Orneata; and their
neighbours, they* became Dorians, and fiibjeil to
the Argivcs ^• Of all thefe feven nations, thofe
^ only
^^^ JEtobans . Τ ^^ There feemi to be a doobt in diis place
^v '' whether it iho^ild be read iEolians or J^tolians. .£olus is (kid
by rome learned men to be £&(ka, elded fim of Javan. — See
•the Genealogy. The name Eliiha is explained by the Jewiih
Rabbi to mean ad in/ulam; and Varro, as cited l^ Servius on
the I ft jEneid, give& thA fiune dtle to Λοίαβ Hippotades,
uyling him domittus infularum. Leibus was catted Iffii» that is»
I believe, the iflind. — See Hefychius in \σ<^. Of the ^to-
lians, M. P. de Pauw, in his Preliminary Difcourfe to his Re-
cherches Philoibphiqnes for les Grecs, gives a (hocking cha-
rad^er. «* On y parloit," fays the Frendunan» *< i la verite la
langue des Grecs, mais on y avoit les moeors des Barbares» &
tant d'atrocite dans le caradere, que I'on comparoit les £toliens
betes feroces cachees fous le mafque de I'homme, ^:e•
- — ^ (7tfr^^^^']^?*;''^M^^^^ ^ύ city was founded on a rocIe«
'5» iiri viT^( ; and Homer mentions it as one Of the feven whieh
Agamemnon promifed to give Achilles— T*.
•* P«r»rf<i/<#.]^^ee book iv. c• 145, Greats was the name
of a city in the territories of Lacedsemon» which was afterwards
called Bra^fias υ^ Pra(i«es concerning which confult Paofanias
, / in Laconicis.<*T^7'.
^ .£*,^^iiK«J — Eggarhim jaj^ that Apis cleared the Pelo*
/^^ ponncfe pf fcrpents, and named it from himfelf Apia ; he was
deifiedj^
'... If, ,--.. /.•'
/
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bniy whom I have Ipecified attached themielves to
the caufe of Greece; the others, if I may (peak the
truth, certainly favoured the Medes.
LXXIV. They who were at the ifthmus exerted
themielves as if every thing depended upon them
alone, not expefting any thing from the fleet.
The Greeks at Salamis hearing this, were over-
tvhclmed with terror, not fo much on their own
account, as on that of the Peloponnefe. Tliey
began to murmur fecretly amongft each other, and
to complain of the injudicious conduit of Euryhi•
ades. They at lengdi exprefled their difcontent
aloud, and obliged a council to be called; a violent
debate eniued, fome were for failing inftantly to the
Peloponnefe, and riflcing every thing for its defence,
urging the abfurdity of ftaying where they were to
contend for a country already captured. The
Athenians, with thpfe of -ffigina and Megara,
thought it moil advifeable to fight where they
were• J/ //
deified, and thence cal led Serapis» a mani feil alluiion to the ^
Ifreatidol of the Egyptians• From thefe ferpents Argos might
receive its name, for «pyai was ufed as fynonymous with o^if.
—See Htfychius. The frog, which was the fymbol of the
people of Argos, w^s explained to be a dire^ion to them to
keep at home ; and properly enough, that they might guard ^ /
the ifthmus, prevent a furprizc, and be a conftant garrifon to
the Peloponnefe. It was an allufion alfo, I believe, to their old
name Leleges. ' Ααλ^^κ, fays Hefychius, is the frog of a green
colour. The Spartan coin, or that of the Peloponnefe, was a
;^«Afc>);, or tortoife, the fymbol of a houfekeeper.— ί*.
X-XXV•
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39* ϋ ϊ A Ν I Α.
LXXV. Themiftoclcs, feeing himfclf overpow-
ered by thofc of the Peloponnefe, retired privately
from the council: he immediately diipatched a
meflenger to the enemy's fleet, with inftruftions
what to fay. The man's name was Sicinnus, a do-
meftic, and the tutor of his children, whom The-
miftocles afterwards caufcd to be made a citizen of
Thelpia, and who became very opulent. Direfting
his courfc to the leaders of the Barbarian fleet, he
thus addrefled them: "The Athenian leader %
" who in reality is attached to the king, and who
*' wiflies to fee the Greeks in fubjedion to your
** power, has fent me thus privately to you : a con-
^* ftemation has feized the Greeks, and they are
*^ preparing to fly ; an opportunity is now afforded
*' you of performing a fplendid adtion, unleis you
*^ fufier it through negligence to efcape you. They
*^ are divided amongft themfelves, and incapable of
^f farther refiftance. You witf foon fee thofe who
^' favour, and who are inclined to oppofe you, in
*^ hofl:ilities with each other." Having faid thii
Sicinnus departed»
•^ Athenian leader.]'^
Themiftoclcs, who leads
Athenian fquadrons, is the monarches friend.
Approved by this btelligence ; the Greeks
In conftemation ihortly will refolve
To fcpamte and fly. Let Afia^s fleet
Her numbers round in diligence extend,
Invefting every paflkgej then confus'd
Tl^is whole confederated force of Greece
Will fooner yield than $ght, alnd Xerxes do(k
^t once fo perilous a war• . Jthetuddi
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LXXVI. The Barbarians, confiding in this in-
telligence, pafled over a large body of Periians to
thefmalliflandof Pfittalia*% betwixt Salamis and
the continent. About midnight the weftem divi-
fion of their fleet advanced towards Salamis *^^,
meaning to furround it. The Ihips alfo which lay off
Ceos andCynofura7% removed, and occupied the
whole narrow fea as far as Munychia. They drew out
their fleet in this manner to cut oflF from the Greeks
the poflibility of retreat, and that, thus inclofed at
Salamis, they might fuflfer vengeance for the battle
of Artemifium. Their view in fending a body of
forces to Pfittalia was this : this ifland was conti-
guous to the fpot where the battle mufl: of necefiky
take place ; as therefore fuch veflels and men a«
were injured in the fight muft endeavour to take
refijge here, they might here preferve their own and
flay the forces of the enemy. The roeafure was
purfued privately and unperceivcd by >he enemy,
to accomplifli which the whole night was em-
ployed without any interval of reft.
•• ^fif/n/ie.]— ν»ττ«λιβ. Non retuliflem inter populos Attico*
nifi Strabonis locus aliad fuaderet. Itaqae credendum illnm
idiquando fuiiTe habitatum. — Jacobus Sponius de Pagis Atticis,
•• Advanced towards 5λΛϊ»ιι/.]— Larcher, in a very elaborate
note» attempts to defcribe the iltuation of the two fleets with
refpe^k to each other in this memorable engagement ; bat the
reader perhaps will have a better conception of k from the
chart to be found in the Voyage du Jeune Anacharfis^ thaa
from any thing Larcher has faid» or that 1 can fay.— ^T*•
'• Cynaftcra^l — ^This was a promontory of Attica» oppofite ta
the fouthern extremity of £ub(sa ; and muft not be confounded
with the place of the fame name in Laconia. Some critical re*
marks on the fubfequent oracle may be found in Jortin's Re-
marks on Ecclef.• Hiit Appendix N^ a.— Γ.
% UCXVIL
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LXXVII. After rcflciling upon this fubjcft, the
truth of the oracular prediitkm appears iacontefti-
ble J for who woxild attempt to centradift a decla-
ration fo obvious as the following ?
" On Dian's ihore, and Cynofura's coafts,
" When ev*ry ftrait is fill'd with naval hofts;
" When hoftile bands, infpir'd with frantic hope,
**' In Athens give wide- wafting fury fcope. —
" Then Ihall the youthful fon of daring Pride
** The vengeance of celeftial wrath abide,
*^ Fierce tho' he be, and confident of pow V,
** For arms with arms ftiall claih, suid blood fliall
« ihowV
** O'er all the fea : while liberty and peace
•* From Jove and Viftory defcend to Greece•**
After the above explicit declaration from Bacis, I
Ihall neither prefume to queftion the. authority of
oracles myfelf, nor patiendy fufFer others to do fo.
LXXVIIL Difputes ftill continued to run high
amongft the leaders at Salamis, who were not at
all confdbus of their being furrounded by the Bar-
barians. They prefumed that the enemy remained
on the very fame poft in which they had obfervcd
them during the day.
LXXIX. Whilft they were debating in council^
Ariilides, fon of Lyfimachus, arrived at iEgina;
he was an Athenian, and had been banrihed ^' by a
vote
7' BanifieJ,'\ — Literal!)^ oftracifrd. Ever]^ body knows that
oAKadfm was the baniihing a ρειΓοη by writing his name
J-~ It '■ Digitized by Google
URANIA. 401 /
Vote of the people^ although my information in- \.j / ..
duces me to confider him as die moft excellent^* /^ - ^^^^^
^^jgjdjupnght qf^his feU^^ He imiriedi- y/ / ^,
ately went to the alfembly and called out The- ^7^ *^
jmiflbcl^whojvas^
enemy. The greatneiS of the impending danger / /
prevailing over vi^^ thing elfe, he called him out ^ *^J
to confer with him : he had heard how anxious the i^/ ^ , ..
Peloponneiians were to return with the fleet to the ^ *
ifthmus; accordingly when Themiftocles appeared, J ^ / >
upon a ihe]l> in Greek Oftracon. It was not a diikonourable
baniihment, but rather a mark of popularity, and generally
inflided on tke great and powerful• By thb, Themiftocles»
Ariitides, Thucydides, and Alcibiades> were baniihed*
By oftracifm, a perfon was baniihed for ten years; a iimilar
node of baniihment was adopted at Syracufe, and called peta•»
liiin, where the people wrote the name upon a leaf, fttalon.
By petalifm, a man was baniihed for fiv» years only•
Perpetual exile at A thens was ^e j) um i^ggnt of facjilege^^ ^^t^^^iJ^
and tagh' treason; tfic ' term "they ufed was not ^ivyi»», but
^* Μοβ ixcelient.] — ^-iElian gives a catalogue of Greeks who
were alike remarkable for their extraordinary merit and ex•
treme poverty. Ariftides, Phocion, Epaminondas, Pelopidas,
Lamachus, Socrates, and Ephialtes. With rcfpedl to the dif-
pnte betwixt Themiftocles jnd Ariftides, the fame authority J^
inffirmTui that' they were educated together .under the fame
preceptor, and that when children they were notorious for 1
thdr diflike of and quarrels with each other. Plutarch ikys, ^ j * '
that oneamongft other reafons for the inveterate hatred which ^ ',
prevttled betwixt them, was their having an attachment to the / ί ' ^
fame y outh. ..^., . , '^"'^ '"""" ^"^^
" '^I'hJftlfCSmftance of their mutually laying afide their anl-
moiities when their country was in danger has obtained them
everlafting glory.— 7*.
Vot. III. D d he
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402 υ R A Ν 1 Α.
he fpoke to him thus : " It would become us at
*' any time, and more particularly lat the prdent,
" to contend which of us can bcft ferve our coun-
" try ''K I have to inform you, that whatever the
*^ Peloponnefians may now urge with refpcft to
*' retiring to the ifthmus can be of no fignification;
** I can aflure you, from my own obfervation, that
** the Corinthians, and Eurybiades himfelii could
** not now fail thither if they would ; we are on
" all fides furrounded by the enemy. Return there-
*^ fore, and tell this to the aflembly.**
LXXX. " What you tell me/' replied The-
mijft oclcs^ " I confider as particularly happy for us
^ all. The thing which I moft ardendy wiihed to
" happen you have beheld : know then, that this
^ motion of the Medes is the confequence of my
*' meHfures, it appearing to me cflential that thofe
" Greeks who were reludant to fight ihould be
** compelled to do fo ; but as you come to tell us
*' what promifcs us fo much good, tell it yourfelf.
*' If I ihall inform the alTembly of what you fay,
f^ I ihall obtain no credit -, nor will they fuppofe
^' Bf/l fer^)e our c^««/ry.]—
DiiTentions paft as puerile and vain
Now to forget, and nobly ftrivc who beft
Shall ferve his country, Ariftidcs warns
-^,. --^^jikancient foe Themiftocles. I hear
Thou giv'il the beft of councils, which the Greeks
Rejeft through mean folicitude to fly.
Weak men I throughout thefe narrow feas the foe
Is Rationed, now preventing all efcape. Aibenaid.
8 , cr that
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υ κ A Ν I Α. 403
*^ that die Barbarians are polled as they are. Enter
*' therefore yourfelf, and inform them how things
** are. If they believe you,* it will be well ι but if
*' not, the event will be the fame• For if, as you
** fay, we are furrounded, there exifts no opportu-
*' nity to retreat•"
V
LXXXL Ariftides entering the council, re-
peated what he had before faid ; that he was come
from ^gina, and had paiTed with great difEculty
through the enemy's forces j that the Grecian fleet
was entirely furrounded, and that it became them
to prepare for their defence. Arifti des, a s foon^^. J^t.l^^
he had fpoken, retired. Freih altercations now
again arofe amongft the leaders, the greater part of
whom refufed to credit what they had heard.
LXXXII. Whilft they continued ftill to doubt,
a trireme of Tenians deferted to them ; they were
commanded by Paraetius, the fon of Sofimenes,
and their intelligence put the matter beyond all
difpute• In gratitude for this fervice, the names
of the Tenians were inferred upon the tripod con-
fecrated at Delphi, amongft thofe who repelled the
Barbarians. This veflel, which joined them at Sa-
lamis ^^, added to one of Lemnos^ which before
came
^* ^λ/λλ/λ]— Attica was furrounded by iflands, but except
this of Salamisy they were in general barren and uninhabited.
- Salamis is praifedin high terms by Euripides, as abounding in
honey and olives. Euripides and Solon were both borii here.
The trophies of the battle of Salamis, fays De Pauw, ceafe to
D d 2 intcrcft
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1
404 URANIA-
came ov^ te them at Artcmifium, made the cxaft
number of the Grecian ihips three hundred and
eighty. There were ortly three hundred and fcvcnty-
cight before.
J JCXXIII. The Greeks having all their doubts
removed -by the Tenians, prepared ferioufly for
battle. At the dawn of morning all was in readinefs•
_. ThcmiiStosles^faid every thing which might avail to
animate his troops. The principal purport of his
^ t^^ Ipeech was a comparifon betwixt great and pufiUa*
nimous anions ; explaining how much the aftivity
/[ Ji ^ and genius of man could efFed, and exhorting them
/ to have glory in view. As foon as he had finifhed,
orders were given to embark. At this junfture
the veffel which had been fent to the iEacidie re-
turned from -ffi^a, and foon afterwards all the
Grecian fleet were under fail.
LXXXIV. As foon as they began to move the
Barbarians ruflied upon them. While the Greeks
lay upon their oars, and fcemed rather inclined to
retire, Aminias of Pallene, an Athenian, darted for-
wards and attacked the enemy; when he was fo
involved with his opponent, as to be unable to fc-
parate, the reft came to his aftiftance, and a promif-
intereft ns; but the Iphigenia in Tauris» and the legiflation of
Solon« can never be forgotten.
To take a circuit of the diilHdb of Atdca, it was advifed to
. embark at Salamis» double the promontory of Sunium, and
landing in the Oropian terricoricsj proceed to the mouth of the
Afopos•— 7*.
3 cuous
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cuous engagement eniued. Thus, according to the
Athenians, the battle began. The people of £ginai
fay, that the engagement was begun by the veflH
which had been fent to the jSacidae. It is alio
affirmed that a female figure was viiible to the
Greeks, and that in a voice fufficiendy loud to be
heard by them all, it exclaimed, " Infenfate men,
" how long will ye remain inaftive on your
**oars?"
LXXXV. The Athenians were oppofed to the
Phoenicians, who occupied the diviGon towards
Eleufis^* and the weft 5 the Lacedaemonians com-
bated the lonians, who were in the diviiion towards
the Piraeus ^^ and the caft. A fntiaU number of
thefc, at the fuggeftion of Themiftocles, made no
remarkable exertions ; but with the majority it was
otherwiie. I am able to mention the names of ic-
veral trierarchs who overpowered and took Grecian
veiTels ; but I ihall only fped ^^heomeftor, fon of
Androdamas, an d Phylacus, ion of Hiffiagus^ both
of them Samians. I mention th^fe, becaufe on
account of the fervice which he on this occafion
^* EU/ifis.]'^o called from Eleufis ion of Mercniy.-^ee
Faufiatiai in Atticism iS Mturfius Attica LtSioncs, L iii. c. 20•
The Eleuilnians fubmitted voluntarily to the dominion of
Athens» on condition of having the privHege exdufively of ce•
lebrating the myfteries of Ceres and Proferpine» which proved
to them an inexhauftible iburce of riches.— 71
^* P/r-r«/.]— This, as 1 have before remarked, was the moft
celebrated port of the Athenians. A Trail of J. Meurfios»
caUed Pirsus, contains every thing relating to it and its anti•
quities.— y.
D d 3 performed
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4o6 u/r A Ν I A.
performed; Thdomeftor was made prince of Samos
by the Perfians. ν Phylacuj alfo had his name writ-
ten, as deferving oTtTfrfoyal favour, and was pre-
sented with a large trad of land• They who merit
rh p favour of the king are in the Perfian tongu e
Called Orofangae•
LXXXVL Avery great part of the Barbarian
fleet was torn in pieces at Salamis, principally by
the Athenians and the people of iEgina. The event
could not well be otherwife. The Greeks fought
in order, and preferved their ranks j the Barba^
rians, without either regularity or judgment. They
neverthelcfs behaved better this day than at Euboea,
and they made the greater exertions from their
terror of the king,• in whofe fight ^^ they imagined
they fought,
LXXXVIL To fpeak dccifively and minutely
of the feveral efforts, either of Barbarians or Greeks,
is more than 1 can prefume to do• The conduft
however of Artemifia increafed her fevour with the
king. When the greatcft diforder prevailed in the
royal fleet, the veflcl of Artemifia was purfued by
^7 In nvho/e /ghi.]'^lt is no donht difficult to defcribc and
under Hand accounts of battles ; but whoever places himfelf on
the fpot where the Perfian monarch is faid to have viewed the
battle of Salamis, and at the fame time reads the account which
Herodotus, or that which ^Efchylus, an eye-witnefs, gives in his
Perfx of that a£lion, and confiders the Ihoalnefs of the water»
and the fmall fpace into which fo many (hips were crowded,
muft think contemptibly of φο marine engagements in thofc
days•— irWfl« Homer,
an
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an Athenian, and reduced to the extremeft danger.
In this peφlexity, having before her many veffels of
her allies, and being herfelf the ncareft to the enemy,
the following artifice fucceeded ^^ As ihe retreated
from the Athenian, Ihe commenced an attack upon
a ihip of her own party -, it was a Calyndian, and
had on board Damafithymus, the Calyndian prince.
Whilft they were in the Hellefpont, ihe was in-
volved in fome diipute with this man, but it is ftill
uncertain whether her conduct in the prefent in-
fiance was the efFeot of deiign, or accidentally hap-
pened from the Calyndian*s coming firft in her wgy.
This veffel Artemifia attacked and funk, by which
ihe obtained a double advantage. The Athenian
commander feeing the veffel he purfued attack a
Barbarian, fuppofed that it was either a Grecian
Ihip, or one that had deferted the Barbarians, and
was now aflifting the Greeks : he was thus induced
to dir^it his attack eliewherc.
LXXXVIIL Artemifia by this aftion not only
avoided the impending danger, but alfo made her-
felf more acceptable to the king at the time Ihe was
doing him an aftual injury. It is afferted that the
king, as he viewed the engagement, obferved her
veffel bearing down upon the other. At this period,
fome attendant remarked to him, *^ obferve, Sir,
** the prowefs of Artemifia, flie has now fent to the
^• Artifice fuccecdfd?^ — Polyscnus informs us, that Artemifia
firft ordered her Periian cnfign to be taken down '^ a circum-
(lance omitted by Herodotus, but which adds much to the pre-
^ability of ihc ^oiy. ^•^Larcher•
D d 4. '^ bottooa
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•* bottom a vcflfcl of the enemy." The king was
eameft in his enquiry, whether the ihip which at-
tracted his attention was really that of Artemifia»
Thofe about him, knowing exaftly the figure which
diftinguiihed hef ihip, aillired him that it was : at
the fame time they had no doubt but the veflel flic
had attacked belonged to the enemy. It happened
amongft the other fortunate occurrences which Ar-
temifia met with, that not a fingle perfon of the
Calyndian veflel furvived to accuf^ her. Xerxes
is faid to have replied to what they told hhn :
^ The men have behaved like women, the women
« likemeh^/'
LXXXIX. In this batde, many perfonages of
diftinftion fell, both of the Perfians, the Medes,
and their confederates : amongft others Ariabignes '•
was flain; he was the commander in chief. Ion of
Darius, and brother of Xerxes. The lols of the
Greeks was but fmall. As they were expert in
fwimming *', they whole fliips were deftroyedi and
who did not perifli by the fword, made their efcape
to
'• The nvomen Uh «f<».]— Xerxes fent a compleat fuit o(
Grecian armour to Artemiiia» as a reward of her bravery ; to
the commander of his own fleet» a dillaff' and fpindle. — Poly^nuu.
This lail does not feem to me probable» and the anfwer of
^erxes perhaps gave rife to it• The commander of the fteet
was the brother of Xerxes» wh(i died after fighting gallantly
^^Larcher•
•° Ariabignes, I'^Cillta Artabazanes, book vii. c. 2.
•' <S<iviVw«/Vj^.]— The art of fwimming coniKtuted a material
part of youthful education amongil the Greeks and Romans ;
if
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to Salamis. Great numbers of the Barbarians, from
their ignorance of this art, were drowned. When
the foremoft fhips were obliged to fcek their fafety
by flight, a general deftruftion of the refl: cnfuei
They who were behind, anxious to advance to die
front, and to give to the king, who viewed them,
fome teilimony of their zeal and courage, ran foul
of thofe veflels which were retreating.
XC. During the confufion, many Phoenicians
who had loft their Ihips went to the king, and in-
formed him, that their dilgrace was occafioned by
the perfidy of the lonians. The confequence of
this was, that the Ionian leaders were not puniflied
with death, but die Phcenicians were• ^ While
they were yet fpeaking, a Samothracian veflel at-
tacked one of Attica, and flink its immediatel)• after-
wards, a ihip of -SIgina fell upon the Samothracian,
and inflided on it a fimilar fate ; but the Samo-
thracians, who were ikilful in the management of
the fpear, attacked as they were gofng down their
jjidverfaries with fo much fucceis, that they boarded
-and took the vefleL This exploit was very for-
tunate' for the lonians• Xerxes obferviirg this
Ipecimen of the Ionian valour, turned with anger
if they intended to fpeak in very contemptuous terms of any
man» they (aid he had neither learned to read nor to fwim,
Savary informs us, that of the i^gyptians, men, women» and
children» are remarkably expert» and he fays graceful» in fwim-
sning. Man is the only perfect animal which learns to fwim»
all others fwim naturally ; in general we find that iilanders» and
all thofe people whofe country is interfered by canale» or
abounds in rivers» are ikilful in this manly excrcife» whilil thofe
living more inland are ignorant of it.— 7'•
to
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to the Phcenicians> and as he was bqrond mcafure
vexed and exafperated, he ordered them all to be
beheaded, as being pufiUanimous thenifelves, they
had prefumcd to accufe men better than themfelves.
The king, placed on mount iEgaleos ^*, which is
oppofite to Salamis, was particularly obfervant of
die batde, and when he faw any perfon cminendy
diftinguilh himfetf, he was minute in his inquiries
concerning his family and city; all which at his di-
rcftion his fcribes recorded• This execution of the
Phoenicians was not a litde forwarded by Ariaram-
•* Mount jEgaltos, ^^^Tht ancients differ concerning the
place from which Xerxes beheld the battle of Salamis. Phano-
deraus pretends that it was from the temple of Hercules, in a
"place where Attica is feparated from Salamis by a very fmall
firait. Aceflodorus fays it was from the hills called Cerau (Tho
Horns) or the confines of the territory of Megara. The dif-
ference is only in appearance. They fought, fays Paufanias,
at Salamis, which ilretches itfelf as far as Megara; thus Mount
j£galeos was on the confines of Attica and Me^ara.-^Lerfi^.
-^fchylus in the Perfae contents himfelf with faying, that
Xerxes was a fpefbtor of the engagement, without faying from
what place :
Έ.^ξΛ9 γοζ αχ% «-βιτος tvavyrj Γ^βτι<
Τψΐίλοιτ οχβο» Λγχ\ τβλα^.ας αλς;,
He had a feat from which he could eafily difcern all his forcesj,
a lofty mound near the fea ; from which it ihculd feem to have
bfcen forac artificial tumulus. The Schcliaft to the paflage of
jtfchylus refers the reader to the place before us in Hero-»
dotus. Pliny calls it Mount iEgialos. — 7".
Xerxes, who enthroned
High on i£galeos anxious fate to view
A fcene which nature never yet difplay'd.
Nor fancy feign'd. The theatre was Greece,
Mankind fpedators, equal to that flage» •
Thcmiiloclcs, great aitor. Athcnaid,
nesj
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nes, a Perfian, and favourite of the king, who hap-
pened to be then prefent.
XCL In this difafter were the Phoenicians in-
volved ; the Barbarians retreating, were anxious to
gain Phaleruni; the JEgintt^ however guarding this
neck of fea performed what well deferves mention.
The Athenians in the tumult of the fight over-»
powered thofe who refilled, and prefled upon thofe
who fled. Thefe laft the ^ginetae attacked, fo
that many which efcaped fiOm the Athenians were
intercepted by the JEginctas.
XCII. As Themiftocles was engaged in the pur-
fuit of a flying enemy, he came up with a veflel of
^gina, commanded by Polycritus, fon of Crios,
which was then attacking a veflel of Sidon. It
happened to bethe very Ihip which ofi^Sciathus took
Pjrtheas, the fon of Ifchenus, in a vefliel of -SEgina
fent to watch the motions of the enemy. This man
almofl: expiring fi-om his wounds the Perfians with
great tendernefs had preferved on account of his
extraordinary valour ; and when the Sidonian veflel
with the Perfians on board was taken, Pytheas was
•reftored in fafety to his country, Polycritus obferv-
ing the Athenian veflTel, which by its colours he
tnew to belong to the commander in chief^ called
out in a reproachfijl manner * to Themiftocles, and
* In a reproachful manner.'\'^T)\t Athenians had accaied the
^gineta:, and particularly Crius the father of this man, of de-
figning to betray their country to the Medes.— See book vL
chap. 49. To this unjuft accafation Polycntus alloded in this
(arcafmw^•^?'.
bade
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411 URANIA.
bade htm obferve how the -Sginetae ihcwed Acir
attachment to the Mcdcsj at the lame rime he
raihed on the Sidonian.
XCIII. The Barbarians, whofe fliips remainedji
ficd to Phalerum, and joined the land forces. On
this day, they who diftingiiifhed themfelvcs the
inoft were the people of jEgina, next to them the
Athenians• Of the -ilgineta?, Polycritus was mofi:
eminent ; ' of the Athenians, Eumenes of Anagyris„
an4 Aminias of Pallene '^ This laft was the pcr-
fon who purfued Artemifia, and who would not
have defifted till he had taken die enemy, or been,
taken himfelf, if he had conceived her to have been
on board the veflcl which he chafed. The Athe-
nian commanders had received particular orders
with refpeft to her, and a reward of ten thoufand
drachmas was offered to whoever fhould take her
alive j it being thought a moft difgraceful ciroim-
ftance that a woman fliould fight againft Athens.
She however efcaped as we have before dcfcribcd,
as alio did many others, to Phalerum•
XCIV. The Athenians afiirm*^ of Adimantu^
the leader cf the Corinthians, that at the very com-
mencement
•' Aminias of Pallene.'] — He was brother to the great poet
.Afchylus.
*♦ The Jthnians affirm.] — ^Dion Chryfoftom relates, that our
hiflorian not having received the compenfatiim ivhich he ex-
pc^ed from the Corinthians, to whom he had recited what he
had written in their praife, was induced to mifreprefent their
conduct.
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naenccment of the fight he was feized ^idi a panic
and fled• The Corinthians followed his example.
Arriving at the temple of Minerva Sciras '^ net
hr from the coaft of Salamis, they met a litdfe
J>ark, wliich feemed as if fent by the gods : who
«ftually fent it could never be difcovered ; it ap-
proached however the Corinthians, who were in
total ignorance hpw things went, and when at ft
certain diftancc Ibme one on board exclaimed:
** Adimantus, by thus flying with the ihips under
^^ your command, you muft be confidered as the
** betrayer of Greece : die Greeks however arc vic-
*^ torious over their enemies to the utmoft of their
** hopes.'* Adimantus not giving credit to thefe
aflTertions, it was repeated from on board the litde
condttfl, with that of Adimantus, on the day of Salamif . Plu-
tarch pretends that Herodotus from malignity related the battle
of Salamis in a manner difadvanugeous to the Corinthians. If
what was aflerted by Dion Chryfoftom were true, Plutarch
would not have omitted it. I cannot prevail on myfelf to believe
chat our hiAorian was influenced by either motive. I rather
think he defired to gratify the Athenians» who were at enmity
with the Corinthians. Plutarch with fome reafon oppofes to
Herodotus the ulence of Thucydtdes, the offerings made «t
Delphi» the vow of the women of Corinth» and the infcHp-
tions of Simonides» and fome other poets, of which the hiilorian
could not be ignorant• I may add, that if Herodotus had felt
the motives imputed to him by Plutarch and Dion Chry&ilom,
he would not have oppofed to the recital of the Athenians the
evidence of Univerfal Greece. — Larcher.
*' Mintrma Sciras.] — Salamis was anciently called Sciras»
from ibme hero. Minerva was honoured by this name in that
ifland, whence came the facriiice called at Athens the Bpifd«
rofif , and the month Scirophorion.— Itfr^^rr.
bark^
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ιί .
414 . URANIA.
bark, that tfiey would agree to fuffer death if the
Greeks were not viotorious. Adimantus therefore
with his detachment made haile to rejoin the
Greeks, but they did not come up till the battle
was determined. This is what th^ Athenians affirm.
The Corinthians deny the fadt, declaring that no
nation was more diilinguuhed on this occafion than
themfelves ; and this indeed the Grggics in general
confirm. •,^^ //2, /^'^T^
XCY.^Ariftides_the A'thenian, fon of Lyfima-
chus, of whofe integrity 1 Kave" before made ho-
nourable m cntiqn ^^^ring the tumult of the battle
of Salamis rendered his country this fervice : tak-
ing with him a number of armed Athenians, whom
he found ftationed along the ihore of Salamis, he
landed on the ifland of Pfittaleia, and put every
Perfiami whom JieJound t here to death.
XCVI. After the engagement, the Greeks col-
lefted all their damaged veflcls at Salamis *% and
prepared for another battle, prcfuming that the
•• Salamis.] — Amongft other rejoicings which celebrated
the vi6lory of Salamis, I find in Athenxus the following anec-
dote of Sophocles. Sophocles, who had a very fine perfon, was
alio accompli (hed in the arts of muficand dancing, which when
very young he had been taught by Lamprus. After the vic-
tory of Salamis, he danced with a lyre in his hand round a
military trophy ereded by the conquerors. Some <ay that he
was entirely naked, and anointed with oil ; others, that he was
in his clothes. When he exhibited his tragedy of Thamyris, he
played on the Citharis ; and when his Nau ficaawas perfbri^edy _
he difcovcred great activity ia leaping with the ball— icr^ei^ie-w.
~r.
king
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king would renew the fight with all the veflels he
had left. At the fame time a wind from the weft
had driven on that part of the coaft of Attica,
which is called Collas, many wrecks belonging to
the enemy. Thus the different oracles pronounced
concerning this battle at Bacis and Mufceus were
minutely accompliftied, as was alfo the predidion
of the Athenian Lyfiftratus, made many years -be-
fore concerning thefe wrecks. It had long eluded
the fagacity of the Greeks, and was to this effeft :
" The Colian dames with oars fhall roaft their
<^food^"
The above happened after the king's departure.
•
XCVn. When Xerxes knew how feverely he
had fuffered, apprehending that the lonians might
induce the Greeks, or that of themfelves they might
be difpofed to fail to the Hellefpont and break
down the bridge, determined to feek his fafety by
flight. Defirous however of not being fufpeded in
his defign, either by the Greeks or his own troops,
he made an effort to conneot Salamis with the con-
tinent, joining for this purpofe the Phoenician tranC-
ports together, to ferve both as a bridge and a wall.
He then made feeming preparations for another
naval engagement. . His taking thefe meafures
jcaufed it to be generally believed that he intended
•y Roafl their /uc^.]— This paiTage has greatly perplexed thfe
commentators ; in the Greek it is f ^•τ/*ο»ίη ψξίξασ^ (hall rage Ht
the oars. Kuhnius reads ^^viwe•», which both WeiTeling and
Valcnacr approve. — T.
to
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to continue where he was and profecute hdtilmes*
His real purpofe did not dcape Mardonhis^ who
was well acquainted with his mind. Whilft Xoxes
was thus employed, he fent a meflenger to Pcrfia
with intelligence of his defeat **.
XCVIIL The Perfian meflengers travel widi a
velocity. iKhirb nothing human ^^ can equal• It is
■" " "" -. thus
•• De/eat.y•^" I have been told by a Mede," fays Dion
Chryfodom» *' that the Pcriians do not agree to what is reported
by the Greeks. They pretend that Xerxes conquered the La-
cedsemooians at Thermopylx, and flew their kbg ; that he
made hunfelf mailer of Athens» totally deilroying it, and re-
dacing all thofe Athenians to flavery who did not efcape by
/ flight ; and that finally he returned to Afia, after ha^g im-
I pofed a tribute on the Greeks. It is evident that thb narrative
is &lfe ; but it is not impoffible> indeed it is very probable^ that
the king faid this to the Afiatic nations,'* icc.-^Larcber.
•• Nothing /^««Λ».]— θΐΊίτβ» ιβ».— Valcnaer does not approve
this reading. Surely, fays he, the domefHc pigeons, which we
know were ufed for the purpofe of conveying intelligence
very anciently, travelled much fafter. He therefore propofes
to read α^^ρΓο» or aiO^anniVor, human. Larcher replies to this,
by faying, " that it is not probable that pigeons were ufed in
the great roads where public pofb were efbibliihed, but rather
in routs difficult of acceis for horfes." Thb obfervation has
no great weight ; it is more to the purpofe that be refers the
reader to an expreffion of Herodotus, in the firft book, where he
calls the horfe, wavrvt rut Θπτγαπ re ταχίΓο». I Dcverthdeis
prefer the conjeflure of Valcnaer.
The regularity and fwiftnefs of the Roman pofts cannot ί$Ά
of exciting the admiration of all who attentively conitder the
fubjedl; they are thus excellently defcribed by Gibbon :
** The advantage of receiving the earlieil intelligence, and
of conveying their orders with celerity, induced the emperors
to eftabliih, throughout their extenfive dominions, the regular
inititutioB
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ί
URANIA• 417
thus accomplilhed : as many days as are rcquirtd to /^ J .
go from one place to another, fo many men anir -^ .
horfes are regularly ftationed along the road, ^J<iw- '/ L•^
injg a man and a horfe for each day : neithp/lhow> /
nor rain, nor heat, nor darkneis, are nemitted to J2 / 7
Obftruft their fpeed. The firft mpflenger delivers / ^ '
his bufinefs to the fecond, the fe^iond to the third, j ^ *^
as the torch is handed a^^dt amongft the Greeks
at thg fpaf t of Vij /cfliK^Trhis mode of conveying κ
intelligence the Perfians call Angareion.
s >
.a
r^i /i
XCIX. On the arrival of the firft meffcnger at--^ ^ J
Sufa, informing them that Xerxes was mafter of )
Athens, fuch univerfal tranfport prevailed, that the -/
Perfians ftrewed their public roads^with myrtle,
burned perfiimes, and all were'engagedTri rdigious"
or private feftivals j but the intelligence of the fe- '
cond mellenger excited univerfal forrow \ they tore
infUtution of pofb. Houfes were evety where ereded at the
diftance only of five or fix miles ; each of them was conftantly
provided with forty horfes» and by the help of thefe relays, it
was eafy to travel a hundred miles m a day along the Romaa
roads." Mr. Gibbon adds in a note the following anecdote :
** In the time of Theodofias, Cefarius, a magiftrate of high
rank» went poft from Antioch to Conftantinople. He began
his journey at night» was in Cappadocia (165 miles from An-
tioch) the enfiiing evening» and arrived at Conilantinople the
fixth day about noon. The whole diftance was 725 Roman,
or 665 £ngliih miles."— See alfo Libanius, Oral. 22» and the
iHneraria, p. 572—581.
The mode adopted by Cyras» as defcribed by XenophoD» did
1191 eifentiaily vary from this of the Romans.— Γ.
Vot. III. κ e their
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their deaths'**, wept and mourned aloud, imputing
all the blame to Mardonius• They were not fo
iblicitous about the lofs of their fleet, as anxious
for the perfon of their king; nor were dicir dit
quietudes calmed but by the arrival of Xerxes him^
ielf.
C. Mardonius obferved that his defeat at fca
greatly afflifted Xerxes, and he ft^eftcd diat he
mediuted to fly from Athens : he began there£:uie
to be alarmed on his own account, thinking that
as he had been the inflxument of «die king's com«
mencing hoftilities with Greece, he might be made
Ac objeft of his vengeance. He thought it there-
fore preferable to attempt again the fubjedion of
Greece, or in fome great effort meet an honourable
death. His idea of conquering Greece prevaikd,
and after fome deliberation, he thus addrefled die
king : *^ I would not. Sir,*' faid he, '* have you
*^ much afilift yourfelf concerning what has hap-
** pened, nor fuppofe that your reputation has fuf-
*' tained from it any confiderable wound. The
*^ ultimate fuccefs of our attempts does not dc-
^^ pend ^' on ihips, but on our troops and horics•^
'' They,
•^ Tort thtir cloatbs.l^^TYuA was a coflem of the Orkaotab, #f
which various examples occur in Scripture.^-»6ce alio the Petfie
of ^ichylus» 53. &c.— LerrAir.
*' Does not depindJ]^^Tht following paraphrafe on this φοβΑ
of Mardomus by Mr. Glover, is one of the beft paflages wl hia
poem:
Be not difcourag'd, fovereign of the world !
}Iot oars, not fails« and timber can decide
Thy
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ϋ k A Ν I Α. 419
^ They, who from their late advantages, ilippofe
*' all conteft at an end, will not prefumeto leave
" their veflels to oppofe you, nor will the Greeks
^* on,, the continent dare to meet you in the field.
^ They who did fojfufFered. With your permiflion,
** therefore, our future exertions Ihall be made in
^' the Peloponnefe ; or if you pleafe for a while to
^ llifpendyour a6Uvity, it may fecurely be done : be
** not however dilheartened, it is not poffible that
*^ the Greeks fliould be finally able to elude the
** vengeance due to them, or to avoid being made
" your flaves* What I have recommended, you
^ will find to merit your attention j but if you are
** determined to return with your army, I have
'^ other advice to ofiir. Suffer not, Ο king, the
^ Perfians to become the ridicule of the Greeks j
** you will not find us to have been the inftruments
** of your loiTes ; you have never feen us cowardly
** or bafe. If the Phoenicians, -Egyptians, Cy-
*^ prians, or Cilicians have behaved themfelves ill,
*' it ought not to be imputed to us : if the Perfians
^ therefore have not merited your cenfure, vouch-
*' fafe to liften to my counfel •, if you ihall not
^ think proper to continue with us yourfelf, return
Thy enterprizc fublime. In fliifting jftrifc.
By winds and billows governed» may contend
The fons of traffic ; on the folid plain
The generous fteed and foldier ; they alone
Thy glory muft eflabliih, where no fwell
Of iicide floods, nor breath of cafual gales
Ailift the ikilful coward, and controul
By nature's wanton but reulllefs might
The brave man's arnv> &c. Athendd.
Ε c α *^ to
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4αο URANIA.
*' to your country, and take with you the majority
** of your forces• Leave me here three hundred
'* thoufand chofen men, and I doubt not but I (hall
*' reduce Greece to your obedience/*
CI. Xerxes, on hearing this, found his vexation
fufpendcd, and his tranquillity reftored. He told
Mardonius, that after taking advice on the fubjcft
he would give him an anfwer. Having coniulted
with fome Perfians whom he aflembled, he deter-
mined to fend for Artemifia, Whofe fuperior wifdom
he had before had reafon to approve. On her ar-
rival, Xerxes ordered his courdTcllors and guards to
retire, whilit he thus addrcfled her : *' Mardonius
*' advifes me to continue here, .and make an at-
*' tempt on the Peloponnefe, urging that my Per-
•' fians and land forces have not been at all accef-
^ fary to the injuries we have fuftained, of which
" they defire to give me future teftimony. If I
" Ihould difapprove of this, he himfelf engages,
** with three hundred thoufand troops, to ftay and
^*. reduce Greece to my power, recommending me
*' to retire with the reft of the army to my native
^* country. Do you therefore, who with fo much-
** wifdom endeavoured to diffuade me from riflcing
" an engagement at fea, tell me which of thcfe
*' meafures you would have me purfue ? "
CII. The reply of Artemifia was to the follow*»
ing purport : " In a fituation like the prefen%
" Ο king, it is not eafy to fay what meafiires will be
^' befti but as &r as I am able to difcem, I would
*^ recommend
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** recommend your return. Let Mardonius rc-
*' main here with the number of forces he re-
*' quires, as it is his own voluntary propofal with
" thefe to efFeft the accompliihment of your
" wilhes. If he (hall fubjugate the country, and
" eiFeit what he promifes, the glory will be yours %
*^ for your troops muft be his inftruments j if he
•* Ihould be difappointed and vanquilhed, while
*' you are fafe, and your family and fortunes fecure,
*^ no ^at calamity can cnfue. The Greeks, as
*^ long as you ihall furvive, and your family re-
" main, muft be involved in many contefts. If
" Mardonius (hall fail in his attempts, and perilh,
^* the Greeks will have no great advantage to boaft
*' from the misfortunes or death of one of your
*' flaves. Tou have burned Athens, which was
^^ the propofed objed of your expedition, and may
^* therefore return without diflionour."
^ The glory will be jrMiri.]— Thus in fubfequent times did
the emperors of Rome obtain ovations, triumphs» and an arti-
ficial reputation from the fuccefsfol labours of their more bold
and hardy lieutenants. ** Under the commonwealth/' fays Mr.
Gibbon, ** a triumph could only be obtained by the general who
was authorized to take die aufpices in the name of the people•
By an exaft confequencc drawn from this principle of policy
and religion, the triumph was referved to the emperor; anct
his moil fuccefsful lieutenants were f4tisfied with fome marks
of diftin^tion, which under the name of triumphal honours»
were invented in their favour/' Speaking of the emperors
lieutenants, in another place, he fays, ^ they received and held
tiieir commiifions at the will of a fuperior, to whofe aufpicious
influence the merits of their ^idtion was legally attributed/'— 7*.
Ε e 3 cm.
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422 URANIA.
CIII. Xerxfs was delighted widi advice {o coft-
fonant to the fecret wiihes of his heart : for my own
part, I am of opinion his terror was fo greats that
no perfuafions could have prevailed on hkn to ftay•
Artemifia was difmifled moft gracioufly from his
prclence, and direfted to retire with the royal
children to Ephcfus, for fome of the king's natural
ioas had accompanied him.
CIV. Hermotimus a favourite^ eunuch xif the
lung, and a Pedafian by birthj^ was fent to take car?
of diemI"'ThL€"Pedafians9' inhabit the diftrift be-
yond Halicarpaffijs. It is afiirmed of this people»
th^t as often as they are menaced by any calamity,
the chin of the pricftcfs of Minerva produces a
large beard ; an incident which has happened twiccL
amongft them,
CV. This Hermotimus revenged himfclf on
account of the injury he had formerly fuftained, with
a feverity, as far as I can learn, without example.
He had been taken captive, and fold as a Have to
4 inan_Q£Oii2s^*5 named Panionius, who main-
tained
^ The Pedafianst £srf.]---Sce book I chap. 175. Vaknaer
is of opbioA that the whole of uas paragraph to the end of the
chapter is fpurious. It certainly has no bufinefs here, and if
effential at all, would have more properly appeared in book vi.
chapter ao. The ftrongeft ai:gument againll its being genoine
is, that Strabo feems to have known nothing of it ; {peaking as
if he had only feen the pailage in the firft book to which I hare
referred the reader.— 7*.
9Λ C^/W.]— Chiosy and the iilands in its vicinity, were famous
for
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^ J/
υ )El ^ Ν I A. 4^j
taiiic||3 himfelf by* th^ moft infamous of all traffic :
whetevcr he mrt wth any youths whole pcrfons
wcrc^ handlbmcyhelcaftratcd thcnii an d canying
^"^ them
fcr their parple. It jjvas to Chios that Alexander, when he was
revelling in Per£a, lent for materials to clothe himfelf and his
attendanti with purple robes. It was produced from the pur-
para called m Maccabees, chap. iv. verfe aj, the purple of the
fca.
♦' Then Judas returned to fpoU the tents, where they got
much gold and filver, and blue filk, and purfk of the fea» and
great riches/*
See alfo Ezekiel, chapter xxviL where the prophet, enume*
rating the merchandis^e of Tyre, fays, verfe 7. ** Blue and put.
pie from the ifles of EUihah was that which covered thee•*'
By the iiles of Eliihah, I conceive the prophet to mean LeflK)s»
Tenedos, and the fmall iflands near them. There were feveral
ipecies of the purpura, bnt the Pelagium and the Buccina were
meft valued.— See Pliny ^ 1. ix• c. 33. From thefe two fepa•
ratdy, or combined, were produced the three kinds of purple
moft efteemed by the ancients. One was called «o^y^K, of a
Arong violet colour inclining to black ; a fecond was called
foiyucKi inclining to fcarlet; a third βκλιι^κ» azure or ikv
bhie. Athensus fays, 1. uL c, 12, that the befl and largeft
were found about Leibos and the promontory of Le^tus.
*• By the difcovery of cochineal," fays Mr. Gibbon, " we far
iurpofs the colours of antiquity. Their royal purple had a ftrong
fmell and a dark caft, as deep as bull's blood. In Rome, thia
was reibained to the facred perfon and palace of the emperor,
and the penalties of treaibn were denounced agatnit the ambi•
tions fnbjeds who dared to ufurp thp prerogative of the throne/*
•i«^ee Gibbon, vol. iii. 71. Statius in the following paflage
feems to diiUilguiib betwixt the deep and the blueub purple :
Qms purpuira fa^pe
CEbalis et Tyrii moderator livet ahenL Sjh L a. 150W
The beft, or the Pelagia, were fo called, becaufe found in
deeper waters•*— S^e the SchoL to JfolUmns RMiw% I i• v. 4^1 •
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them to Sardis or Ephefus, difpofed of them at a
λ prodigious price. Amongft the Barbarians,
-^ ? eunuchs'^ arc efteemcd of greater value than other
flaves, from tjie prefumption of their iuperior fide-
lity. Hermptimus w^s one of the great many
whom Panionius had thus treated. Henpodmu^
however could not be efteemed as altogether un-r
fortunate : he was fent from Sardis to the king a^
one amongft other prefents, aqd in procefs of time
became the favourite of Xerxes fibove all the othcf
eunuchs.
CVI. When the king left Sardis to proceed to-
waids Athens, this Hermotimus went on fome bufir
£v Cadfi τψις ^ύΧχσσνις ιν^ισχιται, From this peculiarity of the
porpora^ the verb ητος(ρυ^%σκω W^s ufed for to meditate /r^^^KKrdT^•
— t:
9[^ £»w«fi&J•]— Eunuchs were introduced in the courts of
princes and the families of great men at a very early period»
and of courfe became an important article of commerce. Black
• eunuchs appear to hi^ve been preferred, at lea{l we find one ψ
the court of Zedekiah.-rSee Jeremiah» xxxviii. 7. '^ / /
- - " Now when Ebed-Melech, th e ^Ethiopian, one of the Su -^
nuchs which was in the king's houfe, heard that they had put > >^
Jeremiah in the dungeon, &c." j
Black eunuchs are ί^ an article of great luxury in the eaft» ^/
and feldom found but in the feraglio of the Grand Signior, an4 -^ '
thofe ofihc Sultanas. See Memoirs of Baron Tott, who re-
prefents their manners as always harih and bruta^-7-See^alfQ
if^r;«T, vol. iiL 328. /Z^r^yl^*^^'-^--^
Eunuchs are found in the catalogue of eadern commodities,
which, about the time of Alexander Severias, were made fubjed
to the payment of duties ; and Mr. Gibbon obferves» that the
life and value of thefe effeminate flaves gradnally rofe with the
decline of the empire.77-7'•
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URANIA. 4!ij
fitk to a place in Myfia, called Atarncus, inhabited
by Ibme Chians : he there met and remembered
Panionius. He addreffed him with much feeming
kindnefs ; he firft enumerated the many benefits he
enjoyed through him, and then proceeded to aflurc
him, that if he would come to him with all his fa-
mily, he ftiould receive the moft convincing tefti-
mony of his gratitude. Panionius liftened to the
offer with great delight, and foon went to Hermo-
timus, with his wife and children• When the
eunuch had got them in his power, he thus ad-
dreffed Panionius : '* The means by which you
^* obtain a livelihood is the moft infamous that can
*^ be conceived. How could I, or any of my an-
** ceftors, fo have injured you or your family as to
'^ juftify your reducing me from manhood to my
*' prefent contemptible ftate ? Could you imagine
*^ that your crimes would efcape the obfervaticax
'^ of the gods, who inlpiring me with the fallacy I
*' pra<5tifed, have thus delivered you into my
*^ hands ? Abandoned as you are, you can have
" no reafon to complai;i of the vengeance which I
'* mean to ipflift on you," After thefe reproaches,
he produced the four Ions of Panionius, and obliged
the father to caftrate them himfelf j when this was
done, he compelled the fons to do the fame to their •
fether. Such was ^^ the punilhment of Panionius,
^d the revenge of Hermotinius,
1^ Such WAf.]— r
Qui prixnof pueris genitalia membra ftcidit
Volnera qu« fecit debuit ipfe pati.
QvJd. Anur. 1, ii. e. 3.
CVII,
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426 URANIA.
C VII. Xerxes having fent his children to £pbe•
ftis, under the care of Arteaiiria, commUBoned
Mardonius to k]t& from the army the number that
he wiihedy and defired him to make his deeds corre«
%ond with his words. The above happened dur-
ing the day -, but on the approach of night, the
king commanded the leaders of his fleet to retire
from Phalerum, towards the Hellefpont, with the
greateft expedition, to proted the bridge and fe-
cure his paflage. The Barbarians fet fail> but
when they approached Zofter, miftaking the little
promontories whioh rife above that coaft for ihips»
they fled a great way. Difcovering their error, they
afterwards formed, and proceeded in a regular body.
CVIII. In the morning, the Greeks perceiving
the land forces of the enemy on their former poft,
fuppofed their fleet to be ftill at Phalerumj and
prepared for a fecond engagement• When in-
formed of their retreat, they commenced a purfuit
with the greateft eagernefs. Proceeding as fiu* as
Andros without being able to difcover them, they
went on fliore on the ifland to hold a conluhation,
Themifliocles was of opinion that diey ihould iail
through the midft of the iflands, continuing their
purfuit, and endeavour to reach the Helieipont, and *
deflroy the bridge. This was oppofed by Eurybi*.»
ades, who thought that the meafure of breaking
down the bridge would not fail to involve Greece
in the greateft calamity. It was not probable, he
urged, that if the Perfian was compelled to ftay iq
Europe he would remain inaftive ; if he did, his
army
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army M^piild be in daager of fuffering from famine^
unable either to return to Afia> or advance his
affairs ,. but if he fliould be earneft in the profecu-
tion of any enterprize, he would have great proba?•
bUity of fuccels, as it was much to be feared, that
moil of the cities and powers of Europe would
cither be reduced by him, or furrender previoufly to
his arms; befides this, he would have a'conitant
fupply of com from the annual produce of Greece;
as dtereforc it was notjikely that the Perfian, after
his late naval defeat, would wilh to ftay in Europe,
it was better that his efcape to his own coun-
try ihould be permitted. Here, he added, it will be
afterwards advifeable to profecute hoftilities. In thk
opinion the other leaders of the Pcloponnefe ac-
xjuieiced•
CIX• Thpmiftocles feeing his advice to fail im-
mediately to the Hellefpont overruled by the ma-
jority, addrefled himfelf next to the Athenians.
They were more particularly exaiperated by the
efcape of the enemy, and had detennined to con-
tinue the purfuit to the Hellefpont, even if unfup-
ported by the reft of the allies. He fpoke to them
as follows : ** I have myfelf been wimefs of fimilar
" incidents, and I have frequently heard it affirmed
^* by others, that men reduced to the extremeft ebb
•* of fortune have by fome fucceeding efforts re-
** trieved their affaire, and made amends for their
^* former want• of vigour. We Athenians have
^* enjoyed this favourable viciflitude j but although
^^ we have thus happily defended ourfelves and our
** country^
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41» υ R A Μ .1 Α.
^ country, and have rcpulled ftich an hoft of foes,
** we jcfrain from the purfuit of a flying enemy ;
** not that we muft impute our fticcels to our own
*• exertions; we muft thank the gods and the
** heroes who would not fuffer an individual niark-
** ed by his impiety and crimes to be the tyrant of
^ Afia and of Europe ; a man who made no dif-
^ crimination betwixt things facred and profane;
^'who coniumed by fire the fhrines of the gods;
^ who dared to inflift lafhes on the fea, and throw
** chains into its bofom• To us the prefent moment
^ is aulpicious, let us therefore attend to the intcrcft
^ of ourfelves and families; and as the Barbarian
^ is efFeftually expelled, let us feverally repair our
** dwellings, and cultivate our lands. In the fpring
*^ we will fail to Ionia and the Hellelpont." By
this condud, Themiftocfes intended to conciliate the
friendihip of the Perfian, that in cafe of his be-
coming unpopular with his countrymen he might
be fccure of a place of refuge. The event proved
his fagacity ^•
^' Tife e<penf.]^^lt is a Angular circumftance which I do not
remember ever to have feen remarked by any writer, that one
of the motives which made AtoiTa urge on Darius to hoitiUtieft
with Greece ws^x that (he might have fome Ionian female Haves
who were celebrated for their graces and accompISEm^ts,—
5ec Horj^ce :
Motus doceri gaudet lonicos
Matura virgo et fingitur artuba«
Jam nunc» ^c•
And the efcape of Themiilocles to Afia was in the habit of
an Ionian female flave, concealed in a litter, by which means
he with difficulty eluded the fury of his incenfed countrymen.
ex.
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URANIA* 429
ex. The Athenians, deluded by Themiftocks, ^
aflcnted to his propofal ; they haa before thought"
highly of his wifdom, and the prefent inftance of his
prudence and difcretion induced their readier com-
pliance with his wiihes. The Athenians had no
Iboner agreed m form to what he recommended,'
than he difpatched a bark with conHdential fervants
to inform die king of their determination, who were
not to be prevailed on even by torture to reveal
what was entrufted to them : amongft thefe was
the flave Sicinnus ^. On their arrival at Atdca,
Sicinnus left his companions in their veiTel, and
haitened to the king, whom he thus addrefled:
" Themiftocles, fon of Neocles, and kader of the
** Athenians, of all the confederates the moft wife
** and the moft valiant, has lent me to inform you, that
" willing to render you kindneis, he has prevented
" the Greeks from purfuing you to the Helleipont,
** when it was their inclination to do fo ^, in order
•• 5/ViVw!MM.]— Plutarch fays it was one of the king's eunuchs,
found amongft the prifoners, named Arraces. But as Larcher
juftly remarks, Themiftocles was much too wife to fend a perfoa
of this defcription» who> if poiTeiTed of the fmalleft fagacity,
could have forewarned Xerxes of the arti£ce of ύιέ Athenian
commander.-— Γ.
•» Inclination to Λ^.]— Plutarch relates the matter different-
ly : he makes Themiftocles inform Xerxes, that the Greeks,
after their vidory, had refolved to fail to the Hellefpont, and
break down their bridge ; but that Themiftocles, zealous to
preferre him, urged him to haften to that fea, and pafs over to
Aiia. In the mean time he raifed perplexities and exnbarraiT-
mentt amongft the allies, which reurded their purfuit.«-I^-
« that
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430 URANIA.
^ that they might break down your bridge ; you
** may now, therefore, retire there in fecurity/'
Saying this Sicinnus returned.
CXI. The Greeks having thus declined to pur-
iue the Barbarians, \f4th the view of breaking down
die bridge at the Helleipont, laid clofe fiege to An-
dros, and determined totally to deftroy it. Thefc
were the firft of the iflanders who had refafed the ibl-
licitadonofThemiftoclcs for money. He had urged
to them, that they were impelled to make this appli-
tation by two powerftjl divinities, perfuafion and ne-
ceffity, who could not poffibly be refufcd. The An-
drians replied, that Athens might reafonably expeft
to be great and profperous from the proteoHon of fuch
powerful deities, but that their ifland was of itfelf
poor and barren, and had withal unalterably attached
to it two formkiable deities, poverty and weaknefs ;
that they, therefore, could not be expefted to fupply
them wkh money : the ftrength of Athens, they
added, could never be greater in proportion than
their weaknefs. In confequence of this refufal and
reply they were now befieged.
CXII. In the mean while the avarice of Themif-
tocles appeared to be infatiable. He made applica-
cations to all the other iflands alfo for money, uiing
the fame emiflaries and language as before to the
Andrians. In cafe of refufal, he threatened to bring
againft them the forces of Greece, and utterly de-
ftroy them. He by thefe means obtained from the
Caryftians and Parians an enormous fum of mo-
4 ncy•
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URANIA. 43»
hef. Thcfe people hearing that the Andrians had
been diftrefled» on account of their attachment to
the Medes, and being informed that Thcmiftoclcs
was the firft in rank and influence of all the Gre-
cian leaders, were terrified into compliance. Whe-
ther any of the other iflands gave him tnonty or
not, I will not take upon me to decide, but I am
inclined to believe that fome of them did. The
Caryftians, however, did not by their compliance
.cfcape the menaced calamity, whilft the Carians,
by the efFeft of their bribes on Themiftocles, avoid-
ed being made the objeob of hoftilities. In this
manner Themiftocles, beginning with the Andrians^
extorted money from the iflanders without the
knowledge of the other leaders.
CXIII. The land forces of Xerxes, after conti-
nuing on their former ftation, a few days after the
battle of Salamis moved towards Boeotia, follow-
ing the track by which they had come. Mardonius
thought proper to accompany the king, both be-
caufc the feafon of the year was improper for any
farther military exertions, and becaufe he preferred
wintering in Theflaly, intending to advance to the.
Peloponnefe on the commencement of the φring.
On their arrival in Theflaly, the fjr^^jirejif^jjJl^^ _ „
dOhilis was "to ielefit, in preference to all the Per-
lians, thoie called the Immortals, excepting only
their leader Hydarnes, who refufed to leave the
pcrfon of the king. Of the other Perfians he chofe
the Cuirafli^rs, and the body of a thoufand horfe :
to thefe he added all the forces, horfe and foot, of
the Medesj Sacas, Ba£bians, and Indians. From
the
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431 URANIA.
die reft of the allies he fcleobed only thofe who were
diftinguilhed by their advantages of peribn, or who
had performed fome remarkable exploit• He took
alfo the greater part of thofe Perfians who wore
collars and bracelets ♦ ; and next to thefe the Medes,
inferior to the Perfians in force, but not in number•
The aggregate of thefe troops, including the cavalry,
was three hundred thoufand men•
CXIV. Whilft Mardonius was employed in fe•
lefting his army, and Xer ts was ftill in Theflaly,
an oracle was addrefled to tae Lacedaemonians from
Delphi, requiring them to demand compeniation of
Xerxes for the death of Leonidas, and to accept of
what he fliould offer. A meilenger was inftantly
diφatched from Sparta, who came up with the
army, the whole of which was ftill in TheiTaly, and
being introduced to Xerxes, thus addreifed him :
il^King of^e.Medes, the Lacedemonians and
** Heraclidas of Sparta "% claim of you a compen-
*^ fation for the death of their king, whom you flew
*^ whilft he was defending Greece/* The king
laughed at this, and for fome time returned no an-
fwer; till at length, turning to Mardonius, who
ftood near him, " This man," fays he, " fhall make
** you a becoming retribution." The herald re^
ceiving this anfwer departed.
■•• Hiracli^ 0/ S fart a,]'^Hcroaoins expreflcs himfelf thus»
to diitingaiih th0 kings of Lacedxmon from thofe of Argos and
Macedonia» who alfo were Heraclidx» that is to fay» of the race
of Hercules.— LtfTi^r.
• Collars and hrac€lets\-^k^ marks of royal favour, and re-
wards for fervice. See an account of the royal gifts of Perfia,
in a note on the £ril book•
cxv.
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URANIA; 433
C3tV. Xerxes, leaving Mardonius in Theflaly^
haftcned towards the Hellefpont. Within the fpace
of forty-five days he arrived at the place of paflage
with a very inconfiderable number bf troops. But
wherever thcic troops came, without any diftin6kion,
they confumed all the com of the inhabitants, and
When this failed, they fed upon the natural produce
of the earth, ftripping wild and cukivated trees
alike of their bark and leaves, to fuch extremity of
farifiine were they come. To this a peftilence fuc-
ceeded, which with the dyfentery deftroyed numbers
in their march. Xerxes diftributcd his fick through
the cities as he paffed, rccomrriending the care and
hiaintcnance of them to the inhabitants. Some
Vrere kft in Theflaly, others at Siris in Pasohia,
others in Macedonia. At tliis laft place, on his
march to Greece, Xerxes had left the facred chariot
of Jupiter, which he did not find on his return•
The Pseonians had given it to the Thracians j but
when Xerxes enquired for it again, they told him
that the mares, whilft feeding, had been driven
away by the people of the higher Thrace, who
lived near the fource of the Strymon•
CXVI. Here the king of Bifaltica and Creftonia^
a Thracian, did a moil unnatural aftion. Refufing
to fubmit to Xerxes, he had retired to the highir
parts of mount Rhodope, and had commanded his
fons not to ferve againft Greece. They^ either deC•
pifing their father, or curious to fee the war, had
joined the Perfian army. There were fix of thetli>
and they all returned fafe, but their father ordire^
V0L4 III• F f their
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434 URANIA.
their eyes to be put out; fuch was the rcw^ they
received.
CXVII. The Perfians, leaving Thrace> came to
the paiTage^ where they eagerly crowded into their
vcflfels to crois to Abydos. The bridge of veflfels
was no more, a tempeft had broken and diiperfed
it. Here meeting with provifions in greater abun-
dance than they had enjoyed during, their march,
they indulged themfelves fo intemperatdy, that
this, added to the change of water, deftroyed a great
number of thofe who rennainedj the reft wirfi
Xerxes arrived at Sardis "'.
CXVIIL There is alfo another ftory.— It is faid
that Xerxes, leaving Athens, came to a city called
Εϊοη, on the banks of the Strymon• Hence he
proceeded no farther by land, but entrufting the
conduct of his forces to Hydames, with orders to
march them to the Helleφont, he went on board a
Phoenician veflel to crofs over into Alia. After he
had embarked, a heavy and tempeftuous wind fet in
from the lake, which on account of the great numr
"^* Mr, Richardfon^ who re}e£b altogether the Grecian ac-
count of Xerxes, and his invafion of Greece, finally exprefles
himfelf in thefe flrong terms.
" To fum up all; the expedition of Xerxes, upon the moft
moderate fcale of the Greek writers, feems to be bconfiftent
with probability and the ordinary power of man.— «It is all upon
ftilts ; every ftep we take is upon romantic ground : nothing
icems wanting but a few genii, to make it in every refped an
exceeding good Arabian Uie.**'^Dt//criations, 8vo. 316.
bcr
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URANIA• .4J5
her of Perfians on board, attendant upon Xerxes,
made the fituation of the velTcl extremely dange-
rous. The king, in an emotion of terror, enquired
aloud of the pilot if he thought they were fafe ?
" By no means,*' was the anfwer, " unlefs wc
" could be rid of fomc of this multitude/' Upon
this Xerxes exclaimed, " Perfians, let me now fee
*' which of you has an affeolion for his princes niy
" fafety it feems depends on you." ^As foon as he
had fpoken, they firft bowed themfelves before him,
and then leaped into the fea '°\ The veflel being
thus lightened, Xerxes was fafely landed in Afia.
As foon as he got on Ihore, he rewarded the pilot
with a golden crown for preferving the life of the
king ; but as he had caufed fo many Perfians to
periih, he cut off his head.
CXIX. This laft account of the retreat of Xerxes
feems to deferve but litde credit for many reafons,
but particularly from this cataftrophe of the Per-
fians who accompanied the king. If Xerxes rejilly
made fuch a fpeech to the pilot, I cannot hefitate a
moment to fuppofe, that the king would have
'^ Leaped into the fea.\^k\i anecdote not very unlike this,
and particularly charafteriftic of the fpirit of Britiih failors, is
related of James the Second» when duke of York. He was» by
(bme accident, in imminent danger of being loft at fea> but
getting into the ihip's boat, with a feledt number of attendants»
he, though with extreme difficulty got fafe to ihore. The ho-
ned crew, when they faw his highne(s landed on the beach, gave
him three cheers, and in a few minutes all went down, and p<•
rifted.— r,
F f 2 ordered
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436 URANIA.
ordered his attendants, who were not only Perfians,
but men of the higheft rank, to defcend into the
hold of the ihip, and would have thrown hito the
fea as many Phoenician rowers as there were Per-
fians on board/ But the truth is, that the king^
with the refidue of his army, returned towards
Afia by land»
CXX. Of this there is a yet ftronger proof. It is
well known that Xerxes, on his return to Afia, came
to Abdera, with the inhabitants of which he made a
treaty of fricndlhip, prefenting them with a golden
fcimitar, and a tiara richly embroidered. The
Abderites aflert what does not to me appear pro-
bable, that with them, Xerxes, for the firft time
after his departure from Athens, pulled off his
robes, as being not till then releafed from alarm.
Abdera is much nearer the Hellelpont than Stry-
mon and Εϊοη, where it is faid he went on board.
CXXI. The Greeks not fiicceeding in tlieir at-
tempts upon Andros, attacked Caryftus, and after
Wafting its lands returned to Salamis. Here their
firft care was to fet apart as facred to the gods the
firft fruits of their fucccfs, amongft which were
three Phoenician triremes. One of thefe was depo-
fited upon the ifthmus, where it continued with-
in my memory ; a fecond was placed at Sunium j
the third was confccrated to Ajax. and rcferved aL,
Salamis. They then proceeded to a divifion of the
plunder^ fending the choiceft to Delphi. Here a
ftatuc
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ftatue was creded twelve cubits high, having in its
hand the beak of a ihip "*' : it was placed on the
fanie ipot where ftands a ftatue in gold of Alexan-
der of Macedon.
CXXII. After thefe offerings had been prefented
at Delphi, it was enquired publickly of the deity,
in the name of all the Greeks, whether what he had
received was perfeft and fatisfaftory to him. He
replied, that from the Greeks in general it was, but
not from the -ffiginetaj, from whom he claimed a
farther mark of their gratitude, as they had princi-
pally been diftinguiftied at the battle of Salamis.
The people of ^gina^ ,ojvJlg3ring.tl^^^ .
16 the divinity three golden ftars, which were fixed
upon a brazen maft, in the angle near the cittern of
Croefus.
CXXIII. After the divifion of the plunder, the
Greeks failed to the ifthmus, to confer the reward
^ of valour upon him who ftiould be judged to have
been moft diftinguiflied during the war. On their
arrival here, the Grecian leaders feverally infcribed
their opinions, which they depofited upon the altar
η j / of Neptune^ They were to declare whom they
tKought the firft, and whom the fecond in merit :
each individual infcribed his own name, as claiming
■*>• BeiU ο/αβί^.] — The firft naval triumph at Rome was
commemorated in a fimilar manner. A pyramid, or rather
trophy» was ereded in the forum» compofed of the beaks of
ftips taken from the enemy.— 7*.
Ff 3 the
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43ί URANIA•
the firft reward ; but a great majority of them
united in declaring Themiftocles deferving the fe-
cond. Whilft each> therefore, had only his own
fuflfrage for the firft, ThemiftoclSs had the fecond
place awarded him, by a great majority.
CXXI V• Whilft the Greeks feverally returned to
their homes, avoiding from envy to decide the
queftion for which they had purpofely aflembled,
Themiftocles was not only efteemed, but celebrated
through Greece as the firft in fagacity and wifdom.
Not having been honoured by thofe with whom he
conquered at Salamis, he retired for this purpofe to
Lacedaemon: here he was fplendidly entertained'***,
and honourably diftinguilhed. The prize of per-
fonal prowefs was afligned to Eurybiades ; but that
of wifdom and (kill to Themiftocles, and each was
prefented with an olive crown. To the Jatter they
alfo gave the handfomeft chariot in Sparta;. they
heaped praifes upon him, and when he returned,
three hundred chofen Spartans, of thofe who arc
called the knights ''^^, were appointed to attend him
as
'^ splendidly eetcttained.'j'^ThU was the more remarkable,
and mull have been a proof of the extraordinary regard in
which the charadler of Themiilocles was held, as it was contrarj
to the genius of the Spartans, and the inveterate prejudices of
that people. While at Athens there were fometimes known to
be ten thoufand foreigners of different nations, all of whom were
treated with hofpitality and attention, ilrangers were difcou-
jaged from vifiting Sparta, and if ever they ventured there^
y/CTC conlidered as fpies.— -T*.
*** n^ /t/f/ji6/i,]-P-Thc Qreck wor4 is itthj ; it pcvcrthc-
Ids
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as fiir as Tegea. I know no other example of the
Spartans conduiting any perfon froni their city.
CXXV, On his return from Lacedactnon to
Athens, Timodemus of Aphidna, a man chiefly
remarkable for his implacable enmity againft The-
miftocles, imputed to him his vifit to Sparta as a
public crime. The honours, he faid, which he had
received at Liacedaemon, were not bellowed out of
rcipeft to him, but to Athens. Whilft he was con-
tinuing his inveftives, " Friend,** fays Themifto-
cles, ** the matter is thus ; if I had been a Belbi*
" nite'°^, I ihould not have been thus diilmguiihed
" at Sparta^ nor would you, although an Athe-
« nian.''
CXXVI. At this junfture, Artabazus, fon of
Pharnaces, who had always had great reputation
amongft his countrymen, and particularly from his
condud at Platea, accompanied the king with a
detachment of ^^fixty thoufand men of the army
which Mardonius had felefted. When Xerxes had
paifed the Hellefpont, and was arrived in Afia,
lefs may fairly be doubted whether they ferved on horfeback,
or whether it was not a term of honour only. It is certain the
country of Lacedaemon was ill adapted for cavalry ; that Xeno-
phon calls the few they had νοηξοτατΜ ; and that none but thofe
who were wealthy pofleiTed horfes. See Larcher's elaborate
note at this word.— ST.
*^ Belbinitcl-^lii the beginning of the chapter, Herodotus
tells us that this man was of Aphidnse. — Weifeling thinks, that
he might neverthelcfs be a Belbinitc, though, when made a citi-
zen of Athens, he was enrolled in the tribe of Aphidnae.— 7*.
F f 4 Artabazus
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440 URANIA.
Artabazus returned, and encamped near PalleAew
Mardonius had taken up his winter quarters in
Theflaly and Macedonia, and as he did not wilh to
have his camp enlarged by this additional number,
Artabazus thought it expedient to take the oppor-
^ : ^ tunity now before him of chafliiing the rebellious
^ //z Potidacans. When the king was gone, and the
2- Perfian fleet had fled from Salamis, this people
,; Λ openly revolted from the Barbari^isj they of Pair
lene had done the fame. 1 X ^
CXXVII. Artabazus therefore laid fiege to Po-
tidaea: diftnrffing theKaelity of the Olynthians, he
' " dttaclced thcAi alfo. Their city was at this time
poflcflcd by c^e Botdaeans, whom the Macedonians
had driven fr0m the gulph of Therma. Artahay.^t' ^ ^
having taken their city, put the inhabitants to deaA
^ in a neighbounngjmarih. The goverment of the
j place he gave to Critobulus of Torone : the Chal*
; ' ; cidians thus became mafl^-s of Qlynthus•
CXXVIII. Having taken Ol ynthus , Artabazus
- "^ applied with greater ardour to the fiege of Poddaga>X3 Z
^ . He contrived to induce Timoxcnus, the chief of the
Scionseans, to betray the town into his hands. In
/ ; ^ J .. what manner their correlpondence commenced I
. ; y am not able to fay, I can only ipeak of the event.
Whenever they wanted to communicate with each
other, a letter was fixed to an arrow, and made to
- ^" / ferve as wings, which was then (hot to a place
agreed upon. But the bctraycr^of Potidga wj
ultimately detcfted : Artabazus direfted an arrow
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υ R A Ν I Α• 441
to the concerted place, but it deviated from its di-
reftion, and wounded a Potidaean in the Ihpulder,
A crowd, as b ufual on fuch occaGons, furroynded
the wounded man, who feeing the letter conne6le4
with the arrow, carried it immediately to the ma-
giftrates, with whom their Pallenian allies were pre-
fent. The letter was read, and the traitor difca-
vered : it was not, however, thought proper to in-
fliit the defcrved punilhment on Timoxeniis, out of
regard to his country, and that the Scionseans might
not in flitqre be ftigmatized as traitors : but it was
in this manqef diat the ir?achery of Timoxcnu^
became known•
CXXJX. Artabazus had been now three month?
bsforp.Eoritoi WkaJteCgA^^ESncd a grc^^ over-
flowing of the fea, which continued for a confidera*
ble time. The Barbarians feeing the ground be-
ςome a fwamp, retired to Pallene ; they had already
performed two-fifths of theh• march, and had three
more before them, when the fea burft beyond its
vfual limits with fo vaft an inundation, that the in*
habitants, who had often witneflcd fimilar incidents^
reprcfent this as without paralleL They who could
ijot fwim were drowned j uicy who could, were
killed by the Potidseans from their boats. This inun•
dadon, and the confequent deftruftion of the Perfians^
the Poridseans thus explain. — The Barbarians, they
fay, had impioufly profaned the temple and (hrine of
Neptune, fituate in their fuburbs, who may there-
^j[C be conQdered as the author of their calamity,
which
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44^ URANIA.
which to me appears probable. With the few who
cfcaped, Artabazus joined the army of Mardenius
in TheiTaly, and this was the fate of thofe who coa-
duftcd Xerxes to the Hellefpont.
CXXX. The remainder of the ffeet of Xerxes^
which flying from Salamis, arrived in Afia, after
paffing over the king and his forces from the Cher-
jbncfe to Abydos, wintered at Cyma. In the
commencement of the fpring it aflembled at Samos>
where fome other veflfels had continued during the
winter. This armament was principally manned
by Perfians and Medes, and was under the conduft
ctf Mardontes, the foa of Bagasus, and Artayntes„
Ion of Artachaeus, whole uncle Amitres had been
joined to him as his colleague. As the alarm of
their former defeat was not yet fubfided, they did
not attempt to advance farther weibvard, nor indeed
did any one impel them to do fo. Their veflels>
with thofe of the lonians, amounted to three hun-
dred, and they ftationed themfelves at Samos, to fc-
cure the fidelity of Ionia. They did not think it
prcbdblt that the Greeks would penetrate into
Ionia, but would be fatisfied with defending their
country. They were confirmed in this opinion, a&
the Greeks, afeer the batde of Salamis, never at-
tempted to purfue them, but were content to retire
alio themfelves. With refpeft to their aflairs at
fea, the Perfians were fufiiciently depreflcd^ but
they ' expefted that Mardonius would do great
things by land. Remaining on their ftation at
Samos,
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URANIA. 443
Samos, they confulted how they might annoy the
enemy, and they anxioufly attended to the progrefe
and affairs of Mahlonius. ^"^ ^"* '
CXXXI. The approach of the fpring, and the
appearance of Mardonius in ThciTaly, roufed the
Greeks. Their land army was not yet got toge-
ther, but their fleet, confifling of a hundred and ten
(hips, was already at-^gina, under the command of
Leut ychidgSju^ He was defcended in a right line
T'fforn Menares, Agefilaus, Hippocratidas, Leu-
tychides, Anaxilaus, Archidamus, Anaxandrides,
Theopompus, Nicander, Charilus, EunomuS, Po-
lydeftes, Prytanes, Euryphon, Procles, Ariftode• ,.^.-
mus, Ariftomachus, Cleodseus, ilyirus, and laftly
^"SSrHercules. He was of Ihe fecond royal fa-
mily, and all his anceftors, except the two named
after Leutychides, had been kings of Sparta. The
Athenians were commanded by Xanthippus, fon of
Ariphron,
CXXXII. When the fleet of the Greeks had
arrived at -ilgina, the fame individuals who had
before been at Sparta to entreat the aflifl:ance of
that people to delivef Ionia, arrived amongfl: the
Greeks. Herodotus, the fon of Bafilides, was with
*
them J they were in all feven, and had together
concerted the death of Strattes, tyrant of Chios.
Their plot having been difcovered by one of the
accomplices, the other fix had withdrawn them-
felves to Sparta, and now came to ^gina to per-
fuade the Greeks to enter Ionia: they were in-
ducedj^
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444 URANIA•
duced, though not without difficulty, to advance as
far as Delos. AU beyond this the Greeks viewecl
as full of danger, as well bccaufe they were igno^
rant of the country, as becaufe they fuppofed the
enemy's forces were in all tbefe parts ftiong and
numerous : Samos they confidered as not lefs re-
piote than the pillars of Hercules. Thus the Bar-
barians were kept by their apprehenfions from ad-
vancing beyond Samos, and the Greeks, notwith-
ftanding the folicitations of the Chians, would not
move farther eaftward than Delos. Their mutual
alarm thus kept the two parties at ^ equal dif-
tance from each other,
CXXXm. Whilft the Greeks thus moved to
Delos, Mardojjius, who had wintered in Theflaly^j
began to break up his quarters. His firft ftep was
to fend an European, Λvhoίe name was Mys, to the
different oracles, ordering him to ufe his endeavours,
and confult them all. What it was that he wiflied
to learn from them I am unable to fay, for I have
never heard ; I (hould, however, fuppofe, that he
only intended to confult them on his preient af-.
fairs.
CXXXIV. It is certain that this man went to
Ltbadia, and by means of a native of the country,i
whom he bribed to his purpofc, defcended to the
cave of Trophonius ; he went alfo to the oracle of
Abas in Phocis; he then proceeded to Thebes,
where, with the fame ceremonies as are praolifed in
Olympia, he confulted the Ifmenian Apollo 5 after•
wards
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/
URANIA. 44ί
Wards he obtained permiflion by his gold, of fome
ftranger, but not of a Theban, to fleep in the temple
/tf Ampli^j ariQ^ No Theban is here permitted to
^^ confult the oracle ; for when Amphiaraus had for-
merly fubmitted to their choice, whether they would
have him for their diviner, or their ally, they pre*
ferred having him as the latter. On this account
no Theban is allowed to fleep m his temple•
CXXXV. According to the account given nnc
by the Thebans, a remarkable prodigy at this
time happened. Mys the European having vifited
all* the oracles, came to the temple of Apollo
Ptous. This, though fo called, belongs to the
Thebans ; it is beyond the lake of Copais, at the
declivity of a mountain near Acrsephia '''^. When
this Mys arrived here, he was attended by three
perfons of the place, appointed for the exprefs pur-
pofe of writing down the anfwer of the oracle. The
prieftefs immediately made reply to him in a bar*
barous language '°% which filled thofe who were
prefent, and who expefted the anfwer to be given
in Greek, with aftonilhment. Whilft his attendants
remained in great perplexity, Mys fnatchcd the
tablets from their hands, and wrote down the reply
of the prieftefs, which, as afterwards appeared, was
in the Carian tongue : having done this he returned
to Theflaly.
'^^ Jcnefhia.^^'Brom this place Apollo had tk• name of
Acraephiu5.-*3r^
'**** Barbar9M languagi.'\^^t^ chapter 1 8.
CXXXVI.
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^^ ^ CXXXVl. As foon as tie oraculir.dcdarario»7 * ' 1
had been conveyed to Mardpnixis, he\fent Alexan- .;^ t
' der the Macedonian, ίοη, οί '-Aniy ntas l a njbafladgf .Jj^ 7 .
to Athens. His choice of him was direded from / / ^
his being connedted wjth the Periians by ties of ^ /
CQjiianguinity> Bubares, a Perfian, had married Gy- \
gsea, lifter of Alexander, and daughter of Amyntas : /
by her he had a ion, who after his grandfather, by. /
^thc mother's fide, was called alio . Am yntas^r to ^
wh^nO the king had prpfpnfp£^g]al-^nHa^ a r'lfy ^f
. \ Phrygiiy Mardonius was farther influenced in em-
ploying Alexander, from his being a man of a mu-
iMficent and hofpitable fpirit. For thefe reaibns he
deemed him the moft likely to conciliate the Athe-
V nians, who were reprelented to him as a valiant and
.'> numerous people, and who he underftood had prin-
cipally contributed to the defeats which the Per-
fians had fuftained by fea. He reafonably pre-
Xumcd, that if he could prevail on them to unite
their forces with his own, he might eafily become
mafter of the lea. His fuperiority by land was in
his opinion fuperior to all refiftance, and as the
oracles had probably advifed Jiim to make an alli-
ance with the Athenians, he hoped by thefe means
cffedtually to fubdue the Greeks.
CXXXVII. Attending to this, he fent to Athens
, Alexander, defcended in the feventh degree from
Perdiccas, whofc manner of obtaining the throne of
Macedonia I Ihall here relate: — Three brothers,
Gavanes, -ilropus, and Perdiccas, fons of Teme-
nus, fled on fgme occafion from Argos to jytfyrium|^
from
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I ,ν•^ ι» ' ''' ■•'-' / / . .. .,^ ί•' >τ• Α
<>
?t
^ Λ.
Λ>/ .f/^.
^
/./.iw ρ ^L Δ Ν Ι Α, "^/^ Ζΰ-ί
i ^ .from whence retiriiig to the hipjier parts of MacCf
^' donia, they came j<|JL€tea. Here they engaged
; ^n the fervice of the king, in different menial .eoir
. ployments : one had the care of his horfes, another
1^%r'J> of the cattle, the third and youngeft, of the Ihcqj.
In remoter times, the families even of kings had
but little money "% and it was the bufmels of tiie ^ /
■^ Little $noney,\^\xi ^Jie time of the Trojan wa^/tke ufe of ^
money was not known amongft the Greeks. .Homer and Hefiod /C4^t *^
do not fpeak of gold and filver money; they exprefs the value
of things by faying, tbey are worth fo many oxen or iheep• ρ ^ ^
They eilimated the riches of a nun by the namber of his fiock^^ ^
and that of a country by the abundance of its pailures, and the
quantity of its metals• See the Iliad» vii. 466. — Pope*s
verfion ;
Each in exchange proportioned treafures gave.
Some brafs or iron, fome an ox or flave.
Lucan attributes the invention of money (!. 6. v. 402.) to
Itonus, king of The^aly, and fon of Deucalion ; others to Eric*
thonius king of Athens, who, as they fay, was the fon of Vulcan«
and had been brought up by the daughters of Cecrops. Aglaof-
thenes (in Julius Pollux) gives the honour of this invention to
the inhabitants of the ifland of Naxos• The more received opi-
nion is, that Phidon, king of Argos, and cotemporary with
Lycurgus and Iphitus, nrfl introduced the ufe of money in
^gina, to enable the people of ^gina to obtain a fubfiilence
by commerce, as their iiland was fo barren.
Neither gold nor filver were permitted at Laced«mon. Ac*
cording to Athenaeus, they gave the widow of king Polydo-
nus, who reigned about 130 years before Lycurgus, a certain
number of oxen to purchafe a houfe. When Lyfander plundered
Athens, the Lacedsemonians began to have gold and filver, but
only for public neceifities, the ufe of it. amongft individuals
being forbidden on penalty of death.
He{-odotus>
ν * »-<
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/
44* ϋ R A ^ ί Α.
queen herfclf to cook for her hu/band "'. When the
bread prepared by die younger domeftk, Perdiccasi
was biJced, (he always obferved diat it became twice
as big is before ; this (he at length communicated to
her huiband. The king iaimediatcly confidered
riie incident as a prodigy, and as foreboding fome
extraordinary event. He therefore fcnt for the
brothers, and commanded them to leave his teni•
tories. They told him, it was but reafonable that
they ihould firft receive What Was due to thenru
Upon this the king anfwercd, as if heaven-ftruck,
•* 1 give you this fun (the light of which then
«ame through the chimney) " as proper wages for
** you•" Gavanes arid ^Iropus, the two elder
Herodotosi L i. c. g^, fays, that the Lydians were die 6τύ, who
coined gold and illver money, and ofed it in cooihi^rce•
The treafures of Crcefus contained gold and iilver ^y in thci
inafs• See Herodotus, b. vi. c. 125.
It does not appear that the Perfians had money before the
time of Darius, fon of Hyilaipes• See Herod. L vL 166.^-^
L ix. 40.
None of the ancient money of the Lydians, Perfians, &c is
Bpw to be feen : the molt ancient of thofe preferved in cabi-
nets are G reek, and of the Greek the oldeft are th o fe of yj ^piyn»
tas, grandfather of Alexand er^Ae G rtail-^BeilaHger,
^*• Cook for her hufi/andJ\-^A Ihaik, who has the cominand of
five hundred horfe, does not difdain to faddle and bridle his
own, nor to give him barley and chopped ilraw. In his ten\
liis wife makes the coffee, kneads the dough, and faperintends
the dreffing of the vi&uals : his daughters and kinfwomen wa(b
the linpn, and go with pitchers on their heads, and ve3s over
their faces, to draw water from fountains. Thefe mannefi
Jigrce precifcly with the defcriptions in Homer, and the Μβοιγ
4f Abraham in Gtut^.^^Vobuy.
brothem^
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υ R A Ν I A.1 449
brothers, on hearing this, were much aftoniihed,
but the younger one exclaimed, *^ We accept,
Ο king, what you offer us:" Then taking the f'
fword, for he had one with him, he made a circular /
mark with it upon that p4rt of the ground on which -' - ^ ' "^
the fun ihone, and having three feveral times re- j η t/
ceived the light upon his bolbm, departed with his
brothers. ^. /<52.. 2^ O/h
CXXX\^L One of the king's portj^ informed ^r>
him of wnat the young man had doiie, and of his^-^ ^ *
probabl^defign in accepting whit was offered• Η ^"
The king was much incenfed, and immediately y ^
dilpatclied fome horfemen to Viill them. In this ^ ,
country is a river, near which the pofterity of thofe ^ ' -
men who were originally from \Ar g gy offer ikcri>
fices as to their preferver. This, as foon as the
* Temenidae had got to the oppofite bank, fwelled to ; . . ^ .«
fo great a degree that the horfemen were unable /
to pafs it. The Temenidae arriving at another dif*
trid bf Macedonia, fixed their refidence near the *
gardens, faid to belong to Midas the fon of Gor-
//y/dius. In thefe a ^eaeT^f roiT^ows^niturally, / ^j^'* */
^ ^ Tiaving fixty leaves, and more than ordinary fra- - ' ^
i Λ ^ grance : heVe alfo, as the Macedonians relate^^Silg;^;! .,. . *
7 nus' " was taken• Beyond this place is a mountain, ' ,^ ,,
,/l ^ J < «. • , r, ,.. t. ;- called ,
iti
^itUli'\-'•^^^ aathors &£rm that he was a fatyr : fome
confound the Sileni with the fatyrs. Marfyas is called Siknus ,' _ ^
by fome writers, and a fatyr by other*. There was certainly λ , . ^
diflference betwixt theoi j the Sileni were the elder fatyrs.-r ' f > *, I Λ'
Larcher. 'V'*''•//:
Vol,, III. Og We , .'/'
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Google
e.
v-
>^'^i, called jScrmion, which during the winter is mac- I
^«ffible^"^/fK^^ fettled heffi and a£>
tcrwards fubdued the reft of Macedonia, ^ti^ ,
^^ CXXXIX. From the above Perdiccas, Alei^.^ '^^^'^
ander was thus dcfcended: He was the fon of 5/4?
Amyntas, Amyntas was the fon of Alcetas, Alee- ^^/^i
tas of -Slropus, iEropus of Philip, Philip of Arga£us,y^^ ^ ^^
Argaeus of Perdiccas, who obtained the kingdom. //
CXL. When Alexander arrived at Athens, ^^y
deputed by Mardonius, he delivered the followiny>^f^
Ipcech : ** Menjof .Athens, Mardonius infomns you //
** by me, that he has received a commifllon from
" the king of the following import : * Whatever
^^ injuries the Athenians may have done me, I
« willingly forgive: return them therefore their
*^ country ; let them add to it from any other they
" may prefer, and let them enjoy their own laws. If
" they will confent to enter into an alliance with me^
" you have my orders to rebuild all their teni|^[^^;
*' which I have, burned•' — It will be my buluwfe
*' to do all this unlefs you prevent me : I will how
Wc Icam from the Scholiaft on Apollonius Rhodius, L iv. 46a
thit there was a people of Arabia called Selenita?. It |ias beei)
faid that this name was taken by the Arcadians» to confront the
vain boaft of the Athenians; fee book vii. I think that the
aame Sileni was aifumed by the Arcadians before they began
to difpute antiquity with the Athenians, A principal part of
their poiTeflions in Aiia was called Salonum» and the cheeie
there made Cafeus Salonites, words not unlike Silenus and Se-
lenitac• The name is preferved in Silenus^ the ufual companion
of Pan— r.
^f give
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URANIA. 451
^ give you my own fentiments : — ^What infatuation
** can induce you to continue your hoftilirics againfl:
^ a king to whom you can never be fuperior, and
" whom you cannot always refift: you already
" know the forces and exploits of Xerxes; neither
*^ can you be ignorant of the army under me. If
** you fliould even repel and conquer i3S, of whick
'^ if you be wife you can indulge no hope, ano-
" ther army not inferior in ftrcngth will foon fuc-
** ceed ours. Do ηος therefore, by endeavouring
" to render yourfelves equal to fo great a king^
'* riik not only the lofs of your native country, but
" the fecurity of your perfons : accept, therefore,
" of our friendihip, and avail yourfelves of the pre-
** fent honourable opportunity of averring the in-
" dignation of Xerxes. — Be free, and let us mutu-
" tually enter into a folemn alliance; without fraud
** or treachery. Hitherto, Ο Athenians, I have
" ufed the fentiments and language of Mardonius 1
•* for my own part it cannot be neceflary to repeat
«* what partiality I bear you, fmce you have ex*
<^ perienccd proofs of it before. Accept, thereforcii
** the terms which Mardonius offers you ; you can-
" not always continue your oppofirion to Xerxes j
*^ if I thought you could, you would not now have
*^ feen me. The power of the king is prodigious "'^
" and extenfive beyond that of any human being.
"* Prodigious.]'^A3 the word χι»^ is ofed in Greeks fo U
/nanus in Lado.
An tLciui loDgas regibus eiTe manut. L^rchit,
Gg2 ^Mf
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4St URANIA•
" If you IhaU refufc to accede to the advantagcom
«f propoials which are made you, I cannot but be
" greatly alarmed for your fafety, who are fo much
^ more cxpofed to danger than the reft of the con-
** federates, and who, poflGbfling the region betwixt
^l the two κπι]^5 ΐΏ^ be involved In certain ruin.
** Let, then, my offers prevail with you as their
** importance merit, for te you alone of all the
Greeks^ the king^ forgives the injuries he has
'^^ fuftained, wiihing to become your friend."
CXLL The Lacedsemonians having heard that
this prince was gone to Athens to invite the Athe-
nians to an alliance with the Periian, were ^:ceed-
ingly alarmed. They could not forget the oracle
which foretold, that they, with the reft of the Dori-
ans, ihould be driven from the Peloponnefe by a
junotion of the Medes with the Athenians, to whom
therefore they loft no time in fending ambafladors.
Thefe were prefent at the Athenian council, for the
Athenians had endeavoured to gain time, well know*
ing that the l4acedaemonians would learn that an
ambaflador was come to invite them to a conicdc•
racy with the Perfians> and would confequently fend
deputies to be prefent on the occafion^ they there-
fore deferred the meeting, that the Lacedaemonians
might be prefent at. the declaration of their fcnti-
ments.
CXLIL When Alexander had finifliedfpcaking,
the Spartan envoys made this immediate reply:
We have been deputed by the Spartans, to en-
treat
€i
cc
Digitized by VjOOQIC
URANIA• 453
" treat you not to engage in any thing which may
** iterate to the injury of our common country,
*' nor liften to any propofitions of Xerxes j fuch a
*^ conduA would not be equitable in itfclf, and
** would be particularly bafe in you for varioua
" reafons: you were the firft promoters of this
** war, in oppofition to our opinions ; it was firft
" of all commenced in vindication of your liberties,
*' though all Greece was afterwards drawn into
*i the conteft. It will be moft of all intolerar-
" ble, that the Athenians fliould become the inftru-
" meats of enflaving Greece, who, fiOm times the
" moft remote, have reftored their liberties to many•
" Your prefent condition does not fail to excite in
" us fentiments of the fincercft pity, who, for two
" fucceflive feafons, have been deprived of the pnx-
" duce of your lands, and have fo long feen your
" manfions in ruin. From refleiling. on your
*' fituation, we Spartans, in conjunftion i^^ith your
** other allies, undertake to maintain, as long as the
** war ftiall continue, not only your wives, but
" fuch other parts of your families as are incapable
*^ of military /ervice. Let not, therefore, this Ma-
<<„ce4Qnian Alexander, foitening the fentiments of
" Mardoniiis, fcduce you : the part he afts is con•
*' fiftents a tyrant himfelfi he efpoufes the inte-
** refts of a tyrant• If you are wife you will always
^' remember, that the Barbarians are always falie
«' and faithlefs•"
CXLIII. After the above addrefs of the Spar-
tons, the Athenians made this reply to Alexander:
« It
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454 URANIA.
** It was not at all ncceflary for you to inform u^i
•* that the power of the Perfians was iuperior to
^ our own : ncvcrthelefs, in defence of our liber-
«* ties, wc will continue our refinance to the utmoft
" of our abilities. You may be afliired that your
•* endeavours to perfuade us into an alliance with
** the Barbarians never will fucceed: tell, there-
** fore, Mardonius, on the part of the Athenians,
^* that as long as the fun fliall continue its ordinary
*^ courfe, fo long will we avoid any friendftiip with
** Xerxes, fo long will we continue to refill him.
«* Tell him, we ihall always look with confidence
" to the protefting aflifl:ance of thofe gods and
** heroes whofe flirines and temples he has con-
" temptuoufly deftroyed. Hereafter do n ot 70"
" prefume to enter an Athenian aflembly with
** overtures of this kmd, leaft whilft you appear to
*^ mean us weU, you prompt us to do what is
*^ abominable'". We are unwilling that you
" fliould receive any injury fi-om us, having been
*' our gucft and our fi-iend."
CXLIV. The above was the anfwer given to
Alexander} after which the Athenians thus Ipoke to
the Lacedaemonians : *^ That the Spartans Ihould
"' ^^bat is ahominahkJ}'^** Our ancellors fo loved their
country," fays Lycurgus, " that they were very near ftoning
Alexander, the ambaiTador of Xerxes, and formerly their
friend, bccaufe he required of them earth and water." -
It was the circumftance of their being united to him by the
ties of hofpitality. which induced the Athenians to fpare his
life. See my note on the ancient rites of hofpitality w— T*.
α ** fear
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URANIA. 455
^ fear our entering into an alliance with the Bar-
^ barians fcems natural enough; but in doing
^* this, as you have had fufficient teftimonies of
** Athenian firmnefs, you certainly did us injury.
*' There is not upon earth a quantity of gold, nor
*^ any country fo rich or fo beautiful, as to feducc
^ us to take part wit h the M edes, or to aft inju-
^* rioufly to the Hbefties of (Greece. ^ if of ourielvSr"
*' we were fo inclined, there ftill exift many im-
** portant circemftances to deter us: in the firft
^' place, and what is of all motives the mod
*' powerful, the fhrines and temples of our deities^
** confumed by fire, and levelled with the ground,
" prompt us to the profecurion of a juft revenge,
'* and manifeftly compel us to rejcft every idea of
" forming an alliance with him who perpetrated
^* thefe impieties. In the next place, our common
** confanguinity, our uling the fame language, our
*^ worihip of the fame divinities, and our practice
'^ of the fame religious ceremonies, render it im-
*^ poffible that the Athenians fliould prove pcrfidi-
^* ous. If you knew it not before, be fatisfied now,
*' that as long as one Athenian fhall furvive, wc
" will not be friends with Xerxes j in the mean
^' time, your intereft in our fortunes, your concern
*' for the ruin of our manfions, and your offers to
** provide for the maintenance of our families, dc-•
" mand our gratitude, and may be confidered as
*' the perfedion of generofity. We will, how-
" ever, bear our misfortunes as we may be
i^ able^ and not be troublcfomc to you i be it your
^« care
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- - 7^*4,» • ,: ^s•^ϊ■ ^^ ■ ; *vr '"^Τ-.
1* .
45^ URANIA.
«* care to bring your forces into the field as expedi-
^ tioufly as poffible ; it is not probable that the
** Barbarian will long defer his invafion of our
*' country, he will be upon lis as foon as he fliall
^ be informed that we have rgeftcd his propofals :
*^ before he ihall be able to penetrate into Attica,
** it becomes us to advance to the afliftance of
otia."
THE END OF THE THJRD V0LUB#I,
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