The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. I.

The Country, Ancestors, and Parents of Periander.

* 1.1 PEriander was sonne of Cypselus Tyrant of Co∣rinh, his mother Cratea, his Ancestors the He∣raclidae, (* 1.2 descended from Hercules and Iar∣dana) raigned Kings of Lydia five hundred five yeares, the son continually succeeding the father for two and twenty generations. The originall of Cypselus, and the manner of his ob∣taining the Kingdome receive thus from* 1.3 Herodotus.

When Corinth was governed by an Oligarchy, inhabited by the Bacchiadae, who never would marry out of their own family, one of them (called Amphion) had a lame daughter (by name Labda) whom when none of the Bacchiadae would take to wife, Eetion married (son of Eche••rates of the Betraean tribe, but de∣sended afar off from Lapithe and Caenis) having no children, he consulted the Delphian Oracle about it; as soone as he en∣tred, the Prophetesse spake thus to him.

Eetion none will thee though great respect A stone from Labdas fruitfull wombe expect, Which shall the people crush, Corinth correct.

This Oracle to Eetion agreed with another deliver'd to the Bacchiadae (though by them not understood) to this effect.

A Lyon by an Eagle shall be laid Upon a rock, fierce, making all afraid. Corinthians, what I say consider well, Who in tall Corinth and Pir••ne dwell.

The Bacchiadae who could not comprehend the meaning of this Oracle, when they heard that to Eetion, understood their owne by the affinity it had with the other, and thereupon se∣cretly design'd amongst themselves to kill Eetions child. His wife being delivered, they sent ten men of their owne to the tribe wherein Eetion dwelt, that they should murder the Infant; when thy came to Petra to Eetions house, they demanded the child. Labda (not knowing their intent, but thinking they came

to congratulate with the Father,) brings her sonne, and gives him into the hands of one of them: they had agreed (upon the way) that he into whose hands the child were delivered should dash out its braines against the ground, but by divine provi∣dence, the child smiling upon him to whom Labda had given it, he was moved therewith to such compassion, that he could not finde in his heart to kill it, but delivered it to another, he to a third, untill at last it past through the hands of all the ten; None of them having power to kill it, they restored it to the mother. Then going forth and standing before the doore, they began to finde fault with one another, but chiefly with him who tooke the child first, for not performing the agreement; after some debate, they agreed to goe in all and bee equall sharers in the murther; but it was decreed that Eetions child should bee the oppressour of Corinth, for Labda standing at the doore heard all their discourse, and fearing lest their mindes changing, they should murther it, carried away the child, and hid it in a mea∣sure of corne (called Cypsela) a place which she conceived they could never search if they returned, and so it fell out: They came back and sought all about; when they could not finde him, they agreed amongst themselves to tell those who sent them, they had done what they required, and returning home, did so. Eetions son growing up was called Cypselus from the dan∣ger he had escaped in the corne-measure; when he came to mans estate, he consulted with the Delphian Oracle, and received a doubtfull answer, in confidence whereof he attempted Corinth and tooke it, the Oracle was this,

Happy is Cypselus, who to my fane This visit makes; he Corinth's crowne shall gain; He and his Sons (but not their sons) shall raign.

Being possest of the Kingdome, he persecuted the Corinthians, depriving many of their estates, more (by far) of their lives; ha∣ving reigned thirty yeares, he dyed and was succeeded by his Son Periander, whose reigne compleated this Tyranny, which lasted according to* Aristotle 73. yeares and sixe moneths: So that Cypselus began to reigne in the second yeare of the thirtieth Olympiad.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Laert.
• * 1.2

  Herod. 1. 7.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 5. 92.