the history-第101章

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d　in　Lemnos；　to　Spartan　husbands。　　　　　However；　before　much　time　had　elapsed；　the　Minyae　began　to　wax　wanton；　demanded　to　share　the　throne；　and　committed　other　impieties：　whereupon　the　Lacedaemonians　passed　on　them　sentence　of　death；　and；　seizing　them；　cast　them　into　prison。　Now　the　Lacedaemonians　never　put　criminals　to　death　in　the　daytime；　but　always　at　night。　When　the　Minyae；　accordingly；　were　about　to　suffer；　their　wives；　who　were　not　only　citizens；　but　daughters　of　the　chief　men　among　the　Spartans；　entreated　to　be　allowed　to　enter　the　prison；　and　have　some　talk　with　their　lords；　and　the　Spartans；　not　expecting　any　fraud　from　such　a　quarter；　granted　their　request。　The　women　entered　the　prison。　gave　their　own　clothes　to　their　husbands；　and　received　theirs　in　exchange：　after　which　the　Minyae；　dressed　in　their　wives'　garments；　and　thus　passing　for　women；　went　forth。　Having　effected　their　escape　in　this　manner；　they　seated　themselves　once　more　upon　Taygetum。own　land　　　　　It　happened　that　at　this　very　time　Theras；　son　of　Autesion　（whose　father　Tisamenus　was　the　son　of　Thersander；　and　grandson　of　Polynices）；　was　about　to　lead　out　a　colony　from　Lacedaemon　This　Theras；　by　birth　a　Cadmeian；　was　uncle　on　the　mother's　side　to　the　two　sons　of　Aristodemus；　Procles　and　Eurysthenes；　and；　during　their　infancy；　administered　in　their　right　the　royal　power。　When　his　nephews；　however；　on　attaining　to　man's　estate；　took　the　government；　Theras；　who　could　not　bear　to　be　under　the　authority　of　others　after　he　had　wielded　authority　so　long　himself；　resolved　to　leave　Sparta　and　cross　the　sea　to　join　his　kindred。　There　were　in　the　island　now　called　Thera；　but　at　that　time　Calliste；　certain　descendants　of　Membliarus；　the　son　of　Poeciles；　a　Phoenician。　（For　Cadmus；　the　son　of　Agenor；　when　he　was　sailing　in　search　of　Europe；　made　a　landing　on　this　island；　and；　either　because　the　country　pleased　him；　or　because　he　had　a　purpose　in　so　doing；　left　there　a　number　of　Phoenicians；　and　with　them　his　own　kinsman　Membliarus。　Calliste　had　been　inhabited　by　this　race　for　eight　generations　of　men；　before　the　arrival　of　Theras　from　Lacedaemon。）　　　　　Theras　now；　having　with　him　a　certain　number　of　men　from　each　of　the　tribes；　was　setting　forth　on　his　expedition　hitherward。　Far　from　intending　to　drive　out　the　former　inhabitants；　he　regarded　them　as　his　near　kin；　and　meant　to　settle　among　them。　It　happened　that　just　at　this　time　the　Minyae；　having　escaped　from　their　prison；　had　taken　up　their　station　upon　Mount　Taygetum；　and　the　Lacedaemonians；　wishing　to　destroy　them；　were　considering　what　was　best　to　be　done；　when　Theras　begged　their　lives；　undertaking　to　remove　them　from　the　territory。　His　prayer　being　granted；　he　took　ship；　and　sailed；　with　three　triaconters；　to　join　the　descendants　of　Membliarus。　He　was　not；　however；　accompanied　by　all　the　Minyae；　but　only　by　some　few　of　them。　The　greater　number　fled　to　the　land　of　the　Paroreats　and　Caucons；　whom　they　drove　out；　themselves　occupying　the　region　in　six　bodies；　by　which　were　afterwards　built　the　towns　of　Lepreum；　Macistus；　Phryxae；　Pyrgus；　Epium；　and　Nudium；　whereof　the　greater　part　were　in　my　day　demolished　by　the　Eleans。　　　　　The　island　was　called　Thera　after　the　name　of　its　founder。　This　same　Theras　had　a　son；　who　refused　to　cross　the　sea　with　him；　Theras　therefore　left　him　behind；　〃a　sheep；〃　as　he　said；　〃among　wolves。〃　From　this　speech　his　son　came　to　be　called　Oeolycus；　a　name　which　afterwards　grew　to　be　the　only　one　by　which　he　was　known。　This　Oeolycus　was　the　father　of　Aegeus；　from　whom　sprang　the　Aegidae；　a　great　tribe　in　Sparta。　The　men　of　this　tribe　lost　at　one　time　all　their　children；　whereupon　they　were　bidden　by　an　oracle　to　build　a　temple　to　the　furies　of　Laius　and　Oedipus；　they　complied；　and　the　mortality　ceased。　The　same　thing　happened　in　Thera　to　the　descendants　of　these　men。　　　　　Thus　far　the　history　is　delivered　without　variation　both　by　the　Theraeans　and　the　Lacedaemonians；　but　from　this　point　we　have　only　the　Theraean　narrative。　Grinus　（they　say）；　the　son　of　Aesanius；　a　descendant　of　Theras；　and　king　of　the　island　of　Thera；　went　to　Delphi　to　offer　a　hecatomb　on　behalf　of　his　native　city。　He　was　accompanied　by　a　large　number　of　the　citizens；　and　among　the　rest　by　Battus；　the　son　of　Polymnestus；　who　belonged　to　the　Minyan　family　of　the　Euphemidae。　On　Grinus　consulting　the　oracle　about　sundry　matters；　the　Pythoness　gave　him　for　answer；　〃that　he　should　found　a　city　in　Libya。〃　Grinus　replied　to　this：　〃I；　O　king！　am　too　far　advanced　in　years；　and　too　inactive；　for　such　a　work。　Bid　one　of　these　youngsters　undertake　it。〃　As　he　spoke；　he　pointed　towards　Battus；　and　thus　the　matter　rested　for　that　time。　When　the　embassy　returned　to　Thera；　small　account　was　taken　of　the　oracle　by　the　Theraeans；　as　they　were　quite　ignorant　where　Libya　was；　and　were　not　so　venturesome　as　to　send　out　a　colony　in　the　dark。　　　　　Seven　years　passed　from　the　utterance　of　the　oracle；　and　not　a　drop　of　rain　fell　in　Thera：　all　the　trees　in　the　island；　except　one；　were　killed　with　the　drought。　The　Theraeans　upon　this　sent　to　Delphi；　and　were　reminded　reproachfully　that　they　had　never　colonised　Libya。　So；　as　there　was　no　help　for　it；　they　sent　messengers　to　Crete；　to　inquire　whether　any　of　the　Cretans；　or　of　the　strangers　sojourning　among　them；　had　ever　travelled　as　far　as　Libya：　and　these　messengers　of　theirs；　in　their　wanderings　about　the　island；　among　other　places　visited　Itanus；　where　they　fell　in　with　a　man；　whose　name　was　Corobius；　a　dealer　in　purple。　In　answer　to　their　inquiries；　he　told　them　that　contrary　winds　had　once　carried　him　to　Libya；　where　he　had　gone　ashore　on　a　certain　island　which　was　named　Platea。　So　they　hired　this　man's　services；　and　took　him　back　with　them　to　Thera。　A　few　persons　then　sailed　from　Thera　to　reconnoitre。　Guided　by　Corobius　to　the　island　of　Platea；　they　left　him　there　with　provisions　for　a　certain　number　of　months；　and　returned　home　with　all　speed　to　give　their　countrymen　an　account　of　the　island。　　　　　During　their　absence；　which　was　prolonged　beyond　the　time　that　had　been　agreed　upon；　Corobius　provisions　failed　him。　He　was　relieved；　however；　after　a　while　by　a　Samian　vessel；　under　the　command　of　a　man　named　Colaeus；　which；　on　its　way　to　Egypt；　was　forced　to　put　in　at　Platea。　The　crew；　informed　by　Corobius　of　all　the　circumstances；　left　him　sufficient　food　for　a　year。　They　themselves　quitted　the　island；　and；　anxious　to　reach　Egypt；　made　sail　in　that　direction；　but　were　carried　out　of　their　course　by　a　gale　of　wind　from　the　east。　The　storm　not　abating；　they　were　driven　past　the　Pillars　of　Hercules；　and　at　last；　by　some　special　guiding　providence；　reached　Tartessus。　This　trading　town　was　in　those　days　a　virgin　port；　unfrequented　by　the　merchants。　The　Samians；　in　consequence；　made　by　the　return　voyage　a　profit　greater　than　any　Greeks　before　their　day；　excepting　Sostratus；　son　of　Laodamas；　an　Eginetan；　with　whom　no　one　else　can　compare。　From　the　tenth　part　of　their　gains；　amounting　to　six　talents；　the　Samians　made　a　brazen　vessel；　in　shape　like　an　Argive　wine…bowl；　adorned　with　the　heads　of　griffins　standing　out　in　high　relief。　This　bowl；　supported　by　three　kneeling　colossal　figures　in　bronze；　of　the　height　of　sev