fire. The Lacedæmonians perceiving this, fent to enquire of them who and whence they were they returned for anfwer that they were Minya, defcendants of thofe heroes who, paffing the ocean in the Argo, fettled in Lemnos, and there begot them. When the Lacedæmonians heard this ac-. count of their defcent, they fent a fecond meffenger, enquiring what was the meaning of the fire they had made, and what their intentions by coming among them. Their reply was to this effect, that being expelled by the Pelafgians, they had returned, as was reafonable, to the country of their ancestors, and were defirous to fix their refidence with them, as partakers of their lands and honours. The Lacedæmonians expreffed themselves' willing to receive them upon their own terms; and they were induced to this as well from other confidera- · tions, as because the Tyndarida 144 had failed in the Argo; they accordingly admitted the Minya among them, affigned them lands, and diftributed them among their tribes. The Minyæ in return parted with the women whom they had brought 193 from Lemnos, and connected themselves in marriage with others. 44 44 Virginibus Bacchata Lacænis Its dogs are also mentioned by Virgil, Taygetique canes'; -T. CXLVI. In a very fhort time these Minya became diftinguished for their intemperance, making themselves not only dangerous from their ambition, but odious by their vices. The Lacedæmonians conceived their enormities worthy of · death, and accordingly caft them into prison; it is to be remarked, that this people always inflict capital punishments by night, never by day. When things were in this situation, the wives of the prifoners, who were natives of the country, and the daughters of the principal citizens, folicited permiffion to visit their husbands in confinement; as no ftratagem was fufpected, this was granted. The wives of the Minya 145 accordingly entered the prison, and exchanged dreffes with their hufbands by this artifice they effected their efcape, and again took refuge on Taygetus. 146 , CXLVII. It was about this time that Theras the son of Autefion, was fent from Lacedæmon to establish a colony: Autefion was the fson of Tifamenus, grandfon of Therfander, great-grandfon of Polynices. This Theras was of the Cadmean family, uncle of Euryfthenes and Procles, the fons of Ariftodemus: during the minority of his 145 The wives of the Minya.]-This story is related at some length by Valerius Maximus, book iv. chap. 6, in which he treats of conjugal affection. The fame author tells us of Hipficratea, the beloved wife of Mithridates, who to gratify her hus band, affumed and constantly wore the habit of a man.-T. 146 Theras.]-This perfonage was the fixth defcendant from dipus.-T. nephews * nephews the regency of Spartà was confided to him. When his fifters fons grew up, and he was obliged to refign his power, he was little inclined to acknowledge fuperiority where he had been accuftomed to exercise it; he therefore refused to remain in Sparta, but determined to join his relations. In the island now called Thera, but formerly Callifta, the pofterity of Membliares, fon of Poeciles 147 the Phoenician, refided: to this place Cadmus, fon of Agenor, was driven, when in search of Europa ; and either from partiality to the country, or from prejudice of one kind or other, he left there, among other Phoenicians, Membliares 148 his relation. These men inhabited the island of Callifta eight years before Theras arrived from Lacedæmon. CXLVIII. To this people Theras came, with a felect number from the different Spartan tribes: he 147 Paciles.-M. Larcher makes no fcruple of tranflating this Procles; and in a very elaborate note attempts to establish his opinion, that this must be an abbreviation for Patroclus: but as, by the confeffion of this ingenious and learned Frenchman, the authorities of Herodotus, Paufanias, Apollodorus, and Porphyry, are against the reading, even of Procles for Poeciles, it has too much the appearance of facrificing plain fenfe and probability at the fhrines of prejudice and system, for me to adopt it without any thing like conviction.-7. 148 Membliares.]-Paufanias differs from Herodotus in his account of the defçent of Membliares; he represents him as a man of very mean origin: to mark these little deviations, may not perhaps be of confequence to the generality of English. readers, but none furely will be difpleafed at being informed, where, if they think proper, they may compare what different authors have faid upon the fame fubject.-T. had no hoftile views, but a fincere wish to dwell with them on terms of amity. The Minya hay ing escaped from prison, and taken refuge on mount Taygetus, the Lacedæmonians were still determined to put them to death; Theras, however, interceeded in their behalf, and engaged to prevail on them to quit their fituation. His propofal was accepted, and accordingly, with three veffels of thirty oars, he failed to join the defcendants of Membliares, taking with him only a fmall number of the Minya. The far greater part of them had made an attack upon the Paroreatæ, and the Caucons, and expelled them from their country; dividing themselves afterwards into fix bodies, they built the fame number of towns, namely, Lepreus, Magiftus, Thrixas, Pyrgus, Epius, and Nudius: of these, the greater part have in my time been destroyed by the Eleans. The ifland before mentioned is called Theras, from the name of its founder. CXLIX. The fon of Theras refufing to fail with him, his father left him, as he himself observed, a fheep amongst wolves; from which faying the young man got the name of Oiolycus, which he ever afterwards retained. Oiolycus had a fon named geus, who gave his name to the Ægidæ, a confiderable Spartan tribe, who finding themfelves in danger of leaving no pofterity behind them, built, by the direction of the oracle, a fhrine to the Furies 149 of 149 The Furies.]With a view to the information and amufe ment of Laius and Edipus; this fucceeded to their wifh. A circumftance fimilar to this happened afterwards ment of the English reader, I fubjoin a few particulars concerning the Furies. They were three in number, the daughters of Night and Acheron: fome have added a fourth; their names Alecto, Tifiphone, and Megara; their refidence in the infernal regions; their office to torment the wicked. They were worshipped at Athens, and first of all by Oreftes, when acquitted by the Areopagites of matricide. Æfchylus was the first person who represented them as having fnakes inftead of hair. Their name in heaven was Diræ, from the Greek word Awas, tranfpofing for: on earth they were called Furie and Eumenides; their name in the regions below was Stygiæ Canes. The ancient authors, both Greek and Latin, -abound with paffages descriptive of their attributes and influence: the following animated apostrophe to them, is from Æfchylus-Mr. Potter's verfion. See this griefly troop, Sleep has opprefs'd them, and their baffled rage And by the Olympian gods. After giving the above quotation from Afchylus, it may not be unneceffary to add, that the three whom I have fpecified by name, were only the three principal, or fupreme of many furies. Here the furies of Laius and Edipus are mentioned, because particular furies were, as it feems, fuppofed ready to avenge the murder of every individual; Thee may th' Erinnys of thy fons deftroy. |