was formerly possessed by barbarians; but a contest for the supreme power arising between Sarpedon and Minos, the sons of Europa 220, Minos prevailed, and expelled Sarpedon and his adherents. These, leaving their country, came to that part of Asia which is called Milyas. The country of the Lycians was formerly called Milyas, and the Milyans were anciently known by the name of Solymi. Here Sarpedon governed; his subjects retained the names they brought, and indeed they are now by their neighbours called Termilians. Lycus, the son of Pandion, being also driven from Athens by his brother Ægeus, went to Sarpedon, at Termilæ; in process of time

precise circumstances, consult Pococke.-But the best and latest account of Crete is to be found in Savary's Letters on Greece.-T.

220 Europa.]-The popular story of Jupiter and Europa, is too well known to require or to justify any elaborate discussion. This name, however, may be introduced amongst a thousand others, to prove how little it becomes any person to speak peremptorily, and with decision, upon any of these more ancient personages. According to Lucian, Europa and Astarte were the same, and worshipped with divine honours in Syria. She was also esteemed the same with Rhea, the mother of the gods.-T.

*Termilians.]-They are sometimes called Telmissi. I believe they both mean the same thing, both names relating to the kind of armour in use amongst them; the first denoting the short sword, or poniard, the last the quiver and arrows, for which the Cretans were famous, and both which Herodotus appropriates to the Lycians, in book the 7th,

time the nation was after him, called Lycians. Their laws are partly Cretan " and partly Carian. They have one distinction from which they never deviate, which is peculiar to themselves; they take their names from their mothers 222, and not from their * fathers. If any one is asked concerning his family, he proceeds immediately

221

to

Partly Cretan.]-The following whimsical circumstance is related by Elian. "The Cretans," says he, 66 are skilful archers. With their darts they wound the wild goats which feed upon the mountains. The goats, on perceiving themselves struck, immediately eat the herb dictamnus; as soon as they have tasted it, the darts fall from the wound."-T.

222 From their mothers.]-Bellerophon slew a wild boar, which destroyed all the cattle and fruits of the Xanthians, but he received no compensation for his services. He therefore prayed to Neptune, and obtained from him, that all the fields of the Xanthians should exhale a salt dew, and be universally corrupted. This continued till, regarding the supplications of the women, he prayed a second time to Neptune, to remove this effect of his indignation from them. Hence a law was instituted amongst the Xanthians, that they should derive their names from their mothers, and not from their fathers.-Plutarch on the Virtues of Women.

The country of the Xanthians was in Lycia. If this cus tom commenced with the Xanthians, the Lycians doubtless adopted it. Amongst these people the inheritance descended to the daughters, the sons were excluded.-Larcher.

No less singular is the custom which prevails in some parts of this kingdom, called Borough English, which ordains that the youngest son shall inherit the estate, in preference to all his elder brothers.-T.

* From their fathers.]—They also called themselves sons of Thetis, as I have mentioned in another place; this probably they did in consequence of the strange custom here

mentioned,

to give an account of his descent, mentioning the female branches only. If any free woman marries a slave, the children of such marriage are reputed free; but if a man who is a citizen, and of authority among them, marry a concubine, or a foreigner, his children can never attain any dignity in the state.

CLXXIV. Upon this occasion the Carians made no remarkable exertions, but afforded an easy victory to Harpagus. The Carians, indeed, were not less pusillanimous than all the Greeks inhabiting this district; among whom are the Cnidians, a Lacedæmonian colony, whose territories, called Triopium, extend to the sea. The whole of this country, except the Bybassian peninsula, is surrounded with water: on the north by the bay of Ceramus; and on the west by that sea which flows near Syme and Rhodes. Through this peninsula, which was only five furlongs in

extent,

mentioned, and to confront the like ridiculous fictions of other nations.

Moreover, over the different companies (ra Evcoitia, or Avdge) into which the Cretans were divided, a woman presided, had the care and management of the whole family, provided for them, and at table distributed the choicest pieces to those who had distinguished themselves, either at home or abroad. This feniale government arose from the foregoing plea, their pretended descent from Thetis: but the youth under seventeen were under the care of a master, who was called their father. See Meursius, c. 16, 17. Creta.

extent, the Cnidians endeavoured to make a passage, whilst the forces of Harpagus were employed against Ionia. The whole of this country lying beyond the isthmus being their own, they meant thus to reduce it into the form of an island. Whilst they were engaged in this employment, the labourers were wounded in different parts of the body, and particularly in the eyes, by small pieces of flint, which seemed to fly about in so wonderful a manner as to justify their apprehensions that some supernatural power had interfered. They sent therefore to make enquiries at Delphi, what power it was, which thus opposed their efforts? The Pythian 223, according to their own tradition, answered them thus:

Nor build, nor dig; for wiser Heav'n
Had, were it best, an island giv'n.

Upon

223 The Pythian.]-This answer of the oracle brings to mind an historical anecdote, which may properly be introduced here:-The Dutch offered Charles the Second of Spain to make the Tagus navigable as far as Lisbon, at their own expence, provided he would suffer them to exact, for a certain number of years, a stipulated duty on merchandize which should pass that way. It was their intention to make the Mansanazer navigable from Madrid to the place where it joins the Tagus. After a sage deliberation, the council of Castile returned this remarkable answer: "If it had pleased God to make these rivers navigable, the intervention of human industry would not have been necessary as they

are

Upon this the Cnidians desisted from their purpose, and, on the approach of the enemy, surrendered themselves, without resistance, to Harpagus.

CLXXV. The inland country beyond Halicarnassus was inhabited by the Pedasians. Of them it is affirmed, that whenever they or their neighbours are menaced by any calamity, a prodigious beard grows from the chin of the priestess of Minerva 224: this, they say, has happened three several times. They, having fortified mount Lida, were the only people of Caria who discovered any resolution in opposing Harpagus. After many exertions of bravery, they were at length subdued.

CLXXVI. When

are not so already, it does not appear that Providence intended them to be so. Such an undertaking would be, seemingly, to violate the decrees of Heaven, and to attempt the amendment of these apparent imperfections visible in its works."-Clarke's Letters on the Spanish Nation.

224 The priestess of Minerva.]-We express ourselves surprised at the blind credulity of the ancients: posterity, in its turn, will be astonished at ours, without being on this account perhaps at all more wise.-Larcher.

The liquefying of the blood of St. Januarius at Naples, which, by the majority of the people there, it would at this day be thought impiety to doubt, is recited in a very lively and entertaining manner by Dr. Moore, and is an instance of credulity no less striking than the one recorded by Herodotus of the Carian priestesses.-T.