EUROPE. called the Cnossian.' Itanus was the residence of a CHAP. V. dyer of purple named Corobius, who had been to Libya, and who conducted the Theraeans to the island of Platea.2 Axus was a city where Etearchus Itanus. Axus. Carpathus. Rhodes. Cyprus. was king.' The Polichnitae and Praesians have been already mentioned, together with some strangers who were settled in the island.* CARPATHUS, the modern Scarpanto, is merely named by Herodotus.5 6 RHODES was inhabited by Dorians. Herodotus only mentions three of its cities-Lindus, Ialyssus, and Cameirus." At Lindus there was a temple of Athene, said to have been founded by the daughters of Danaus, when flying from the sons of Aegyptus. On this account the Aegyptian king, Amasis, dedicated two stone statues and a linen corselet, well worthy of notice. The Lindians founded Gela in Sicily." 8 10 CYPRUS contributed 150 ships to Xerxes. Her kings wrapped their heads in turbans. The people generally wore tunics, and were in other respects attired like the Hellenes. The inhabitants of the island were a mixture of many nations, some coming from Salamis and Athens, others from Arcadia, others from Cythnus, others from Phoenicia, and some even, as the Cyprians themselves said, from Aethiopia. Artemisia said of the Cyprians, that they were bad Topography slaves, and fit for nothing." The following localities Paphos. are mentioned. Paphos, which sent 12 ships to Xerxes, 11 of which were destroyed in the storm off Sepias.12 Soli, which held out longer against the Persians than any of the other Cyprian cities, but was taken in the fifth month by the enemy undermining their wall.13 Curium, whose inhabitants are said to be a colony of Argives. Amathus, whose inhabitants refused to join in the Ionian revolt." 15 Salamis, whose tyrant, Euelthon, dedicated the curious of Cyprus. Soli. Curium. Amathus. Salamis. 14 censer at Delphi, which is deposited in the treasury EUROPE. of the Corinthians.' The promontory called the CHAP. V. Key of Cyprus.2 The island also contained a tem- Key of ple of the celestial Aphrodite, which was built after Cyprus. the fashion of the one at Ascalon.3 The Cyprians called spears σyúvves. In many parts of Cyprus there σιγύννες. was a custom very similar to the one observed by the Babylonian women in the temple of Aphrodite. or Grecian lago. Ge scription. THE ISLANDS OF THE AEGEAN which are included Islands of the Aegean, under the name of the Grecian Archipelago, are best considered under their separate heads. First, the Archipe group of isles off the coast of Europe, which are neral decalled the Cyclades, because they were supposed to lie in a circle round Delos. Secondly, the Sporades, or "scattered islands," which lie more to the south, and off the Asiatic coast. Thirdly, the northern islands, or those lying off the more northern coasts of both Europe and Asia Minor. Countless numbers of isles or islets, beside those mentioned by our author, are scattered over the Aegean Sea. Many are of volcanic formation; others, like Paros, are composed of a pure white marble; and we learn from modern travellers, that in no part of Greece does the character and expression on the face of ancient statues so decidedly show itself, as upon the countenances of the fine athletic men, and very beautiful women, who still people "the isles of Greece, Where burning Sappho loved and sung." clades. I. THE CYCLADES mentioned by Herodotus are thir- I. The Cyteen in number, viz. Delos, Rhenea, Myconus, Tenos, Andros, Scyros, Ceos, Cythnos, Seriphus, Siphnos, Melos, Paros, and Naxos. centre; its The small island of DELOS, which formed the cen- Delos, the tre of the Cyclades, was celebrated as having been sacred chathe birth-place of the two deities, Apollo and Arte- racter. mis; and its inhabitants were apparently regarded as sacred. It contained a sanctuary of Artemis Sanctuary with an altar; and also a hall called the banqueting- Banqueting of Artemis. hall of the 3 i. 105. CHAP. V. Grave of the borean virgins, Hyperoche and Laodice. Grave of Hyperborean virgins, Opis EUROPE. room of the Ceians.' On the left-hand side of the entrance to the sanctuary of Artemis was the grave of two Hyperborean virgins, Hyperoche and Laodice, two Hyper- who died at Delos; and on the grave there grew an olive tree. The two virgins had carried some sacred things, wrapped in wheat straw, from their native country to Delos, attended by five of the principal Hyperborean citizens, who were afterwards called Perpherees, and highly venerated at Delos. The maidens and youths of the island dedicated their hair to these two virgins; the maidens cutting off a lock before marriage, and laying it on the sepulchre wound round a distaff; and the youths placing their hair on the sepulchre wound round a plant.2 Behind the temple of Artemis, facing the east, and very near the banqueting-room of the Ceians, was the seand Arge. pulchre of two other Hyperborean virgins, named Opis and Arge, who came with the gods themselves long before the two others. The Delians paid them different honours, and the women collected contributions for them, and invoked their names in a hymn sung by Olen the Lycian; and the ashes of the thighs of victims burnt on the altar were strewed upon their grave. Delos was spared by the Persians under Datis, but after their departure was shaken by an earthquake, which Herodotus says had never happened in his time before or since.* obedience to an oracle, Delos was purified by Pisistratus, who dug up all the dead bodies within sight of the temple, and removed them to another part of the island. Islands los, viz. Rhenea, Myconus, 3 6 In West of Delos was the island of RHENEA, which is round De- merely named by Herodotus. To the east was the island of MYCONUS, also scarcely noticed.' Northward was TENOS; then ANDROS, which was dependent on Naxos. South of Andros was SCYROS. Again, to the north-west was CEOs, whose inhabitants were Ionians from Athens, and furnished two triremes and Tenos, Andros, Scyros, Ceos, two penteconters, both at Artemisium and Salamis.1 EUROPE. Southwards of Ceos was CYTHNOS, whose inhabitants CHAP. V. were Dryopes, and sent one trireme and one pente- Cythnos, conter to Salamis. Many of the Cythnians were settled at Salamis.3 Next came SERIPHUS, whose in- Seriphus. habitants were Ionians from Athens. They refused to send earth and water to Xerxes, and had one penteconter at Salamis.* The island of SIPHNOS came next. In the time of Siphnos. Polycrates it was in a very flourishing condition, and so rich in gold and silver mines that Herodotus considered the Siphnians to be the richest of all the islanders. A tithe of the produce went to Delphi, and the remainder was shared by the inhabitants. When the Siphnians sent their treasure to Delphi, they inquired of the oracle if their prosperity would continue. The Pythia thus replied: "In Siphnos when the hall and mart are white, From wooden ambush and a crimson herald." This prophecy was fulfilled. The prytaneium and agora of Siphnos were faced with Parian marble," and at that time all ships were painted with red ochre or vermilion. Ambassadors came in a ship from Samos to request the loan of ten talents, and when this was refused the Samians ravaged the country, and exacted a fine of 100 talents. Siphnos was one of the few islands that refused to send earth and water to Xerxes, and one of its ships with 50 rowers fought on the side of the Greeks at Salamis. Its inhabitants were of Ionian extraction, and came from Athens." Lastly came the three islands, Melos, Paros, and Naxos. The inhabitants of MELOS were Dorians Melos. from Lacedaemon. They refused to send earth and water to Xerxes, and furnished two penteconters at Salamis. PAROS included a town of the same name, Paros. which was surrounded by a wall. When the Parians were threatened by Miltiades, they raised the 8 1 viii. 1, 46, 47. 5 iii. 57. CHAP. V. 2 EUROPE. most exposed parts of this wall to double the former height. On a hill in front of the city was a temple of Demeter Thesmophora, surrounded by a fence, which Miltiades leaped over, as he could not open the door. He then entered the interior, which contained things that ought not to have been revealed to the male sex, but a thrill of horror came over him, and he turned back; but on again leaping the fence, dislocated his thigh, or, as others say, hurt his knee. The Parians were chosen by the Milesians Naxos. to reconcile the factions at Miletus." NAXOS was regarded by Herodotus as an island of no great extent, but otherwise beautiful and fertile. It was near Ionia, and contained much wealth and many slaves. Paros, Andros, and the other islands that are called Cyclades, were dependent upon it.* In the time of Darius, its inhabitants were the richest of all the islanders, and possessed 8000 heavy-armed men, and a considerable number of ships of war. Aristogoras built a fortress for the Naxian exiles.' The island was apparently mountainous in the interior. The Naxians were Ionians from Athens, and sent four triremes to Salamis." II. The Thera. 8 5 II. THE SPORADES mentioned by our author are only four in number, viz. Thera, Telos, Cos, and Leros. They lie off the western coast of Asia Minor. The island of THERA (the modern Santorin) was anciently called Callista, and was inhabited for eight generations after Cadmus by the descendants of Membliares and some Phoenicians. Theras, founder of a colony from Sparta including Laconians and Minyans, re-named it after himself. 10 The Pythia admonished the Theracans to send a colony to Libya, but the latter did not know where Libya lay. Seven years of drought followed, during which no rain fell, and all the trees in the island except one withered away. The Pythia then renewed her ad |