The elements of history. From the creation of the world, to the reign of Constantin the Great Containing the history of the monarchies in a new order and method. Together with a view of the contemporary kingdoms and commonwealths. And a brief account of their magistracies and politick constitutions. Done for the use of young students. By William Howel, LL.D. Translated from the latin.

SECT. III.

The Kingdom of the Argives.

1. THis Kingdom had always the second, if not the first Rank in Antiquity. Perhaps the Sicyonian was ancienter: But if we consider Power, Riches, and the Glory of great Atchieve∣ments, the other does far outstrip it. The Ar∣golick Bay lies near the Scyllean Promontory and Myrtoan Sea; near to that was the Coun∣try Argos and Mycene built long after, the Rivers Inachus and Erasinus, and part of Laconia.

2. Inachus was the first who began to Reign here, about 244 years after the Date of the Si∣cyoman Kingdom, 142 Years after Abraham, 676 Years before the Destruction of Troy, 1082 be∣fore the first Olympiad, A. M. 2149. His An∣tiquity gave Rise to the Proverb Inacho antiquior, upon which Erasmus may be consulted. Melissa

his Sister and Wife bore to him Phoroneus and a Daughter Io, which is not to be confounded with Io the Daughter of Jasus, as the Mytho∣logists do. After 50 Years Inachus died, and Phoroneus succeeded him.

3. Some took Phoroneus for the first of Man∣kind, the Son of the River Inachus, and the com∣mon Father of the Human Race; and the Town into which he gather'd the dispers'd Peo∣ple was call'd Phoronicum from him. He Made himself Master of the whole Peninsula, and by the Nymph Laodice begat a Son call'd Apis, and Niobe his Daughter, who is said to be the first Woman that Jupiter lov'd, with whom he begat Argus. Phoronaeus reign'd 60 Years and then died.

4. Apis his Son and Successor had a mind to Christen the Peninsule by his own Name. He reign'd 34 Years, and then being betray'd by Thelxion and Telchines, dy'd without Issue. A∣pollodorus says, he was kill'd for his Tyranny. Others say he went into Egypt, and was worship'd there as a God under the Name of Serapis: But there were several Kings of that Name, whom the Mythologists confound. Argus the Son of Niobe by Jupiter succeeded. At that time Ju∣piter reign'd in Crete. But since many Kings were call'd by that Name, and by that means it became liable to Ambiguity; I shall there∣fore oblige the Young Historian with a short Account of the matter.

5. Ham the Son of Noah was the first who was so call'd after his Death, being worship'd as God under the Title of Jupiter Hammon. His Grandchild Nimrod, the first King of Babylon

and Assyria, was called Belus, and Jupiter Be∣lus. In ancient Times there reign'd a King in Crete, who was brought up by the Curetes, or Idaei Dactyli; and about 150 Years after another of the same Name reign'd in the same Island, who was the first Jupiter that was given to A∣mours, whence Niobe was said to be the first Woman that Jupiter lov'd.

6. Aeolus the Son of Deucalion was so noted by his Posterity, that he was call'd Jupiter and Neptune. Picus King of the Aborigines was by some call'd Jupiter, and by the Romans Aeneas is call'd Jupiter Indiges. In former Times eve∣ry Nation had a Jupiter of their own, whom they own'd for a Common Father. The Anci∣ents had likewise a Custom of calling the anci∣entest of their Kings Saturn, his Eldest Son Ju∣piter, and the strongest of his Grandchildren Her∣cules. It is also to be observ'd, that the Illegal Issue of any Noble Woman was commonly laid to Jupiter, and sometimes to Mars and A∣pollo.

7. The Town Argos was so call'd from Argus, as the Inhabitants were Christen'd Argi and Ar∣givi, and the Peninsule Argos. In his Reign Greece began to have Corn of its own, by virtue of their own Agriculture, the Seed being im∣ported from abroad. Upon which Account Ar∣gus, after his Death, was accounted a God, and honour'd with a Temple and Sacrifices. During his Reign, and in the times preceding that, that Honour was engross'd by a private Man call'd Homogyrus, as being, the first who yok'd Oxen to the Plough. Argus had a Brother call'd Pelas∣gus (the Father of Lycaon) from whom sprung

the Pelasgi, who first inhabited Arcadia, from them call'd Pelasgia, and afterwards planted Co∣lonies in several other Countries.

8. Argus had four Sons by Evadne the Daugh∣ter of Strymon, namely, Jasus, Peiranthus, Epi∣daurus, and Criasus; to which number Pausani∣as adds Phorbas. Peiranthus (or Pirasus) was the first who consecrated a Temple to Juno, and appointed his own Daughter Callithya, or Cal∣lirrhoe, or Io, to be Priestess; and the Women of that Order became so famous, that the Gre∣cians measur'd their Publick Account of Times by the Years of their Priesthood. Pausanias is the only Man that says Pirasus came to the Crown; but others say Criasus succeeded to Argus, then Phorbas, and after him Triopas.

9. Pausanias writes, that Triopas had two Sons, Jasus and Agenor; and that Jasus was King of the Argivans; tho' Eusebius leaves him out in the List of their Kings. The Daughter of this Prince was the famous Io, who is said to be ravish'd by Jupiter, and thereupon to be trans∣form'd thro' Juno's Envy; and in passing the Thracian Streight Christen'd it Bosphorus. Af∣terwards she went into Egypt, recover'd her Hu∣man Shape, bore Epaphus the Builder of Mem∣phis, and was worship'd as a Goddess under the Name of Isis. Herodotus writes, that this Wo∣man was ravish'd by Phaenician Merchants, and that that was the occasion of the Feud between the People of Greece and those of Asia; but at the same time he confounds her with the Daugh∣ter of Inachus.

10. The Town was call'd Jasos, and the Citizens Jasii, from Jasus. To him succeeded Crotopus, his Brother Agenor's Son; whom o∣thers wou'd have to succeed to Triopas his Grandfather. His Daughter Psamathe being got with Child by Apollo, laid out the Infant Linus. Upon the Discovery of this matter, her Father put her to Death: Which Apollo resented so much that he punish'd the Argivans with a Plague; and they, to pacifie him, appointed an anniver∣sary Mourning for the Child. This Child is not the same, as some have imagin'd, with the famous Poet Linus. After 21 Years Crotopus was succeeded by Sthenelas, and after 11 Years he was follow'd by Gelanor, his Son.

11. In the Reign of Gelanor, Danus the Bro∣ther of Aegyptus came to Argos, to make good his claim to the Kingdom, as descending from Epaphus; and the People sided with him. Da∣naus had 50 Daughters, and his Brother had as many Sons; but the former was afraid to give his Daughters to them in Marriage, being fore∣warn'd by the Oracle to beware of his Son-in-Law; and thereupon absented from his own Country. But Aegyptus, fearing that his Brother might make too great Alliances by the Marriages of his Daughters, dispatch'd his Sons with an Ar∣my to Argos, with orders either to Marry the Girles, or kill their Father.

12. Danaus seem'd to comply with his Brothers demands; but underhand provided a Dagger for each of his Daughters, and order'd 'em to mur∣der their respective Husbands the first Night: which accordingly they all did, excepting Hy∣permnestra, and as some say Bebryce. Hyperm∣nestra

was charg'd by her Father with the neg∣lect of her Duty, and brought to a Tryal; but the Argives clear'd her. The rest by so black a Crime as parricide drew upon themselves eter∣nal Disgrace, and, as the Story goes, were Con∣demn'd in Hell to fill a leaky Vessel with Wa∣ter, which let out as it receiv▪d.

13. From Danaus the Citizens were call'd Danai, instead of Pelasgians. 'Tis thought he built the Castle. Having reign'd 50 Years he was follow'd by Lynceus his Nephew and Son in Law, Husband to Hypermnestra. Lynceus's Successor was Abas, to whom Ocalea bore Twins, namely Acrisius and Proetus. The Story has it, that these two struggled for Preference in the Womb. However, they Disputed the Kingdom with one another. Oftentimes they attack'd one another by open force, and, 'tis said, they were the first that Fought with Shields. At last they came to a Composition, and the Patri∣mony was equally divided. Arisius got Argos; and Proetus got Hiraeum, Meda, Tiryns and the Seacoasts. And thus was the Kingdom of the Argives split into two parts.

14. Acrisius Marry'd Eurydice, and by her had Danae, whom he shut up in a Tower toge∣ther with her Nurse, because the Oracle foretold him that his Grandchild would certainly be the Author of his Ruine. But Jupiter, transform'd into a Golden Shower, got in to her and begat Per∣seus. When she was deliver'd of the Child, she and the Infant were put into a Chest and com∣mitted to the Sea; but they were drove upon the Island Seryphus, where Dictys sav'd and brought up Perseus. Perseus was the first Grecian Wrest∣ler,

and did many noble Exploits, He defeated and kill'd Medusa Gorgon the Daughter of Or∣cus, who liv'd upon the Lake Triton. Now History mentions three Gorgons, namely, Medu∣sa, Steno, and Euryale, the Daughters of Orcus and a Sea-monster.

15. Perseus Married Andromeda the Daugh∣ter of Cepheus by Cassiopeia, after he had snatch∣ed her out of the Jaws of a Whale. At length when he was in Pelasgia, or Thessaly so call'd by the Pelasgians a Wandring and Vagabond People, he invented the Game of the Quoit; and while Teutamias King of the Larisseans was Celebrating Games to the Honour of his deceas'd Father, he unfortunately threw a Quoit that kill'd his Grandfather Acrisius. Some think that the Council of the Amphictyones, which commonly met at Delphi, was rather ordain'd by Acrisius, than by Amphictyon the Son of Deucalion, who Reign'd in Athens 100 Years before.

16. But 'tis not improbable that Amphictyon first ordain'd that Council to meet at the Ther∣mopylae, and that Acrisius Translated it from thence to Delphi. This place was reckon'd the Center of Greece, and of Europe. It was the Seat of that famous Oracle of Apollo Pythius; and of the Publick and Universal Council of Greece which met twice a Year, to adjust dif∣ferences between the Cities of Greece; and which consisted of certain Commissioners, cal∣led Pylagorae, delegated by each City. This Council continued long in its primitive consti∣tution, till Philip King of Macedonia, cut off the Phocians from Voting, and join'd them to his

own Kingdom. A long time after that Augustus Caesar made some Alterations in it; and in the Reign of Antoninus Pius it still had a being and consisted then of 30 Members.

17. Perseus return'd to Argos, to avoid the discreditable Imputation of Parricide: and per∣swaded Megapenthes the Son of Praetus to ex∣change Kingdoms with him. After that he built Mycenae, so call'd, because in that Place the Head of the Handle of his Sword fell off. Per∣seus had 5 Sons by Andromeda, namely, Perses, Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Electryon and Mestor. The credulous Grecians perswaded themselves, that Perses gave Being to the Persians. Alcaeus be∣got Amphitryon. Sthenelus succeeded his Fa∣ther Perseus in the Kingdom of Mycenae, after he had reign'd 58 Years. Electryon begat Alc∣mena, wife to Amphitryon.

18. About this time the Kingdom of the Ar∣gives, having stood 534 Years, was divided in∣to 3 or 4 Parts. For Anaxagoras the Son of Megapenthes, contenting himself with a third Part of his own Kingdom, gave the other two to Melampus and Bias, the Sons of Amythaon, because Melampus the first Inventor of Artificial Purgation, cur'd the Daughters of Proetus (who were Anaxagoras's Aunts) of Madness; or else, because he found out a Remedy for checking an Epidemical Madness that reign'd among the Women of that Country.

19. Bias was follow'd by 5 Successors in a direct Line, till the Days of Cyanippus, Son to Aegialeus, who descended, all of 'em, from Ni∣leus by the Mother's side. Melampus had six direct Successors for as many Ages, till the Reign

of Amphilochus Son to Amphiaraus. But the na∣tive Line, the race of Anaxagoras, continued to Reign much longer.

20. For Iphis the Son of Alector, and Grand∣child to Anaxagoras, left the Kingdom to Sthe∣nelus the Son of Capaneus his Brother. After the destruction of Troy Amphilochus went into that Country, and the People were christen'd Amphilochi after him, and about the same time Cyanippus dy'd without Children: So that Cyla∣rabes the Son of Sthenelus got the Kingdom to himself. Cylarabes likewise dy'd without issue: Whereupon Orestes the Son of Agamemnon, be∣ing outted of his Fathers Kingdom, possess'd himself of the Kingdom of the Argives and then of that of Sparta: of which more an∣non.

21. Sthenelus the Son and Successor of Per∣seus, begot Eurystheus Heir of the Kingdom; and about 7 Months after his Birth Alcaeus Hercules the Son of Amphitryon and Alcmena was brought forth. And for as much as Iphicles one of the Twins was brought forth after Hercules, Amphi∣tryon was esteem'd the Father of the one, and Jupiter of the other.

22. From hence, they took occasion to say that Juno pursu'd him with a mortal hatred, and by the help of Ilythia, alias Lucina or Luna re∣tarded the Birth for 7 Days. The Child was call'd Alcaeus from his Grandfather and after∣wards by reason of his mighty Achievements was Sirnamed Hercules. There being several Persons of this Name, which signifies Fame dif∣fus'd thro' the Air; and since the Grecians seem'd to attribute the exploits of several Per∣sons

to their Hercules, it will not be impro∣per to insist a little upon that Subject.

23. Cicero says there were 6 of that Name: The first and ancientest begot of the first Jupiter and Lepitus, who, they say, disputed with A∣pollo for the Tripos: The second begot of Ni∣lus in Egypt, who, they say, contemn'd the Phrygian Letters: The third Indigetes sprung from the Ideans, to whom they offer'd Sacrifices for the Dead. The fourth Son to Asteria Sister to Latona, whom the Tyrians worship'd very religiously, taking Carthago to be his Daugh∣ter: The fifth call'd Belus in India: And the last the Son of Alcmena.

24. Diodorus Siculus says there were 3 Her∣cules's, Servius mentions 4, and Varro recounts 44. Tacitus writes that the Lybians said the Ancientest Hercules was born in their Country, and those who equall'd him in great exploits were honour'd with his Sirname. It is likewise to be remember'd, what the Author of the Ae∣quivoca commonly ascrib'd to Xenophon observes; viz. That the Ancientst Kings of noble Families were wont to be call'd Saturns, their eldest Sons Jupiters, and the bravest of their Grandchildren Hercules's.

25. Among all these, he who carry'd the Club and the Hides of Lyons, who kill'd Mon∣sters, and, as the Story has it, assisted the Gods against the Giants; is rather to be reckon'd an Egyptian, than to be that Grecian who preceded the Trojan War by one Generation. But he who erected the Pillars upon the outermost Boundaries of the World, was certainly a Ty∣rian, the leader of those Phenicians who made

an irruption into Spain as far as Gades. And the Ambitious Plea of the Grecians is sufficiently baffl'd by this one remark, that in that Island of Gades there stood a most Ancient Temple, in which Hercules was worship'd in the Tyrian, and not in the Grecian way.

26. Sanchoniathon the Ancientest Writer of the Phenician Annals, writes that this Hercules was the Son of Demacoon, and that his proper Name was Melcarthus, which signifies King of the City, the Grecians calling him Melicertes and Palaemon. In his own Country he was likewise call'd Diodas as being invok'd by Lovers. Some will have him to be the same with that Lybian or Egyptian Person, whom Pausanias calls Ma∣ceris, who went to Delphi, and whose Son Sar∣dus carried a Colony to Ichnusa, and christen'd the Island Sardinia.

27. However Amphitryon the Father of Alcae∣us or Hercules, seems to have been Governor of Tiryns. Having kill'd Electryon his Uncle and Father-in-Law, he was was oblig'd to flee to Thebes. Hercules being educated at Thebes, gave many wonderful Specimens of his Valour, and when he was 20 Years of Age, sail'd to Colchis in company of the Argonautae so call'd from the Ship Argos, in order to get the Golden Fleece.

28. The Projector and Head of this adven∣ture was Jason the Son of Aeson, of the race of Aeolus, whom 53 noble Grecians of the first rate accompany'd. After 4 Months they re∣turn'd home. Medea the Daughter of Aeetas, having fallen in Love with Jason, betray'd the Golden Fleece into his Hands, and came with

him to Corinth. Upon their Voyage to Colchis they met with a storm off of Sigaeum a promon∣tory of Troas, where Hercules kill'd a Whale, and rescu'd Hesione the Daughter of Laomedon from its Monstrous Jaws. Afterwards Laome∣don refus'd to give Hercules the reward he had stipulated; whereupon Hercules took Troy, slew the King, and set his Son Priamus upon his Throne.

29. Hercules, upon his return to Greece, in∣stituted Games to the Honour of Jupiter Olym∣pius. Afterwards Eurystheus being Jealous of his greatness, and plotting his ruine, press'd him to undertake the 12 famous exploits. 1. He kill'd the Lyon of Nemea. 2. The Serpent at Ler∣na, with a hundred Necks and as many Serpents Heads growing out of one Body; of which when one was cut off two started up in the Room on't. 3. He brought off the Wild Boar of Erymanthus alive, and in the same expedition defeated the Centaurs. 4. He catch'd a Hind with Golden Horns, notwithstanding it's extreme swiftness, and brought it to the King.

30. In the 5th place he unkennel'd the Birds of the Lake Stymphalis. 6. He clean'd Augea's Stable without any assistance, by bringing up the River Peneus to it. 7 He brought the Bull out of Creet, which Pasiphae is said to have been in love with; and at the same time assisted the Gods against the Giants, and releas'd Promethe∣us. 8 He brought Diomedes's unruly Horses out of Thracia. 9. He made War with the A∣mazons and carry'd the Girdle of Hipolyta.

31. The 10. labour injoin'd him by Eurystheus, is said to be this, to drive away Geryon's Oxen

which fed in the maritim Places of Spain: Whereas Geryon did not Reign in Spain, but in Epirus, near to Ambracia and Amphilochus. So that this expedition into Spain is rather to be attributed to Hercules the Tyrian, who at the same time is said to have kill'd Antaeus and Bu∣siris, and to have erected Pillars upon the Boun∣daries of the World. 11. He brought Cerberus out of Hell. 12. At last he cross'd over to A∣frica and brought off the Aples belonging to the Hesperides.

32. At last, after many noble Atchievements, his Wife Deianira being possess'd with a furious Jealousy put upon him a Garment tainted with Poison, which Nessus the Centaur at his Death (enjoyn'd by Hercules for offering to ravish his Wife) recommended as an excellent thing for creating Love. The Story is, that the Poyson soak'd thro' to his Shirt, and ate away the Flesh all over his Body; whereupon in the extremity of his Torment he threw himself into a Fire upon the Mountain Oeta, and was burn'd to death. Some are of the Opinion, that he was mad when he threw himself into the Fire. He dy'd when he was 52 Years old, A. M. 1776.

33. Eurystheus being apprehensive of the dan∣ger he was in, made War with the Heraclidae; but had the misfortune to be worsted and slain together with all his Children. The Heraclidae endeavour'd a Restoration, but were disappoint∣ed: So that Atreus the Son of Pelops, who at this time govern'd Argi, got the Kingdom of the Mycenae. This Pelops was the Son of Tantalus the Phrygian, who about an hundred Years be∣fore being beaten by Ilus King of Troy, fled

to Greece, and marry'd Hippodamia the Daugh∣ter of Oenomaus King of Elis. Having got Pisa with her as a Dowry, he afterwads ma∣ster'd almost the whole Peninsule, which de∣riv'd from him the Name of Pelopponne∣sus.

34. He had several Children by Hippodamia; by the marrying of whom, or rather by the vast Summs of Money which he brought into Greece, he insinuated himself into several Cities. The most noted of his Sons were Atreus, Thyestes and Plisthenes. The first two succeeded their Fa∣ther, after he had reign'd 54 Years. Plisthenes dy'd while he was yet young, and left his two Children Agamemnon and Menelaus to the charge of Atreus. Atreus marry'd Aerope the Mother of these Children, and the Daughter of Minos. Thyestes being found guilty of adultery with her was first banish'd; but afterwards was recall'd and entertain'd with the flesh of his own Chil∣dren at Table.

35. After the Death of Eurystheus, Atreus having master'd all the Peloponnesus, put the Heraclidae to flight. He was reckon'd a famous Astrologer. He adopted his two Nephews Aga∣memnon and Menelaus, who succeeded him 18 Years before the Trojan War. Agamemnon be∣ing a Man equally noted for his Valour and Pru∣dence, master'd not only Mycenae and Argi, but the whole Country as far as Sicyon and Corinth, and that part of the Country which was then call'd Jonia, Aegialea and afterwards Achaia. Menelaus reign'd in Lacedemon, having marry'd Helena the Daughter of Tyndareus the Lacede∣monian King. Paris the Son of Priamus stole

away his Wife, which was the cause of the Tro∣jan War. In order to present you with a brief account of this War, it will be necessary to pre∣mise a succinct Scheme of the Kingdom of the Trojans.

36. Dardanus the Son of Jupiter and Electra the Daughter of Atlas, having left Arcadia, planted a Colony in Phrygia; and having mar∣ry'd Batea the Daughter of Teucer and the Grandchild of Scamander, setl'd in that Country which was afterwards call'd Troas; and there built the City Dardanum, about the 2530 Year of the World, in the reign of Sthenelus at Argi. Erichthonius his Son and successor was prodigi∣ously Rich, and marry'd Calirrhoe the Daughter of Scamander, by whom he had a Son call'd Tros, from whose name the Country was call'd Troas.

37. Tros had 3 Sons, namely, Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymedes. Ilus succeeded his Father As∣saracus and begot Capys the Father of Anchises and Grandfather of Aeneas. Ganymedes, being a beautiful boy, was ravish'd by Tantalus, where∣upon a War broke out, in which Tantalus was outted of Paphlagonia. King Ilus built a City upon plain Ground, which being the Metropo∣litan, was call'd by the Grecians Ilium, and by the Latins Troja, which name more properly belongs to the Country. Pelops the Son of Tantalus was worsted in the War which he wag'd with Ilus. Laomedon the Son of Ilus was at once strip'd of his Kingdom and Life, for offering to cheat Hercules of the reward he had stipulated for saving his Daughter.

38. Podarces the Son of Laomedon was Sir∣nam'd Priamus; and was very famous for his Riches and the largeness of his Kingdom. He begat 50 Sons, 17 of which were by Lawful Marriage. One of whom, call'd Paris Alexan∣der, came to Lacedemon and ravish'd Helena: Upon notice whereof the Princes of Greece join∣ed together, and resenting the affront as if it had been given to themselves, chose Agamem∣non to be their head, and declar'd War against Priamus, and oblig'd themselves by an Oath ne∣ver to return till they had taken Troy.

39. The heads of this Expedition, were Ne∣stor, the 2 Ajax's, Achilles, Ulysses, Thoas, Po∣dalirius, Machaon, and Tlepolemus. It's said, 120000 Men were Transported in a Fleet of 1000 Ships. As soon as they arriv'd in Troas, they had a slight Skirmish, and then sent Am∣bassadors to demand Helena. But Priamus was so far influenc'd by the Counsel of Young Men, and so indulgent to Paris, that he rejected their demands. Then the War broke out on both sides, and lasted for 10 Years.

40. Upon the Grecian side Protesilaus, Pa∣troclus, Euphorbus and Achilles were slain. In the Trojan Army, Hector, Troilus and Paris, Sons to Priamus, Mnemon Son to Tithon the King's Brother, and Penthesilea the Amazon, un∣derwent the same Fate. At last the Town was taken by a Stratagem, and Menelaus recover'd his Wife Helena, and slew Deiphobus who Mar∣ried her after the Death of Paris. Priamus was kill'd by Pyrrhus, or Neoptolemus the Son of Achilles. But Antenor and Aeneas with some others escap'd out of the Grecian hands. This

famous Destruction of Troy happen'd in the 10 Year of the Seige, 408 Years before the first Olympiad, 1182 before Christ, A. M. 2821.

41. Among the Grecians who surviv'd the War, the two Ajax's dy'd before their return; one of 'em, viz. The Son of Telamon laid vio∣lent hands on himself, after he lost Achilles's Armour by the decision of the Army, or by U∣lysses cunning; the other, the Son of Oileus was lost at Sea: Ulysses is said to have been toss'd to and again several Years: Menelaus was 8 Years absent from Home: Agamemnon indeed return'd Home; but was presently Murder'd by Aegisthus the Son of Thyestes, with whom Cly∣temnestra his Wife (the Daughter of Tyndareus) not only committed Adultery, but Conspir'd to bring about that detestable Parricide.

42. Agamemnon had by Clytemnestra one Son, namely Orestes, and 3 Daughters. Orestes was with some difficulty sent out of the way by E∣lectra his Sister, for fear of Aegisthus, before his Father's return. About 8 Years after his Fathers Death, he recover'd his Kingdom, and put Ae∣gisthus and his Mother to Death. Being seiz'd with a furious Remorse for killing his Mother, he submitted his Case to the Areopagites, whose decision clear'd him, there being just as many Voices for him as against him. Cylarabes the Son of Sthenelus being dead without Issue, he obtain'd the Kingdom of the Argives; and after∣wards upon the death of Menelaus came to that of Lacedemon.

43. By this means the Kingdom of the Ar∣gives was once more united, about 140 Years after its Division into 4 Parts. Orestes Trans∣ported

a Colony of Eolians into Asia, about 4 Ages before the Ionians went thither, and at last dy'd in Arcadia, after he had reign'd 70 Years. He left two Sons, one Tisamenus by Hermione the Daughter of Menelaus, the other a bastard by the Daughter of Aegisthus. Tisame∣nus succeeded his Father, but was soon after expell'd his Kingdom by the Heraclidae. Pater∣culus writes that both the Sons reign'd after the Death of Orestes.

44. The Heraclidae made many successless at∣tempts to return into the Peloponnesus. Hyllus the Son of Hercules attempted it twice, and Clodeus and Aristomachus once, but both were e∣qually unfortunate. Aristomachus left 3 Sons, Temenus, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus. They chiefly laid claim to 3 Parts of the Peloponnesus, namely, 1. Argi, as being the posterity of Perseus▪ whereas Tisamenus the present Possessor de∣scended of Pelops, who had no Title to that Country. 2. Lacedemon, because Hercules re∣stor'd Tyndareus when he was outted by Hypo∣coon, upon this Condition, that he shou'd hold the Kingdom only as a Depositum. 3. Messenia, grounding their Title upon this Plea, that when Hercules destroy'd Pylus, he likewise deposited this Country in the Hands of Nestor.

45. Having built a Fleet upon the Coast of Aetolia, from whence the Place was call'd Nau∣pactus, they pretended to go by the Isthmus, but in effect were bound for Molycrium. Upon their arrival in the Peloponnesus they gain'd that Country without great difficulty. Temenus got Argi, Cresphontes cunningly hook'd in Mesenia to himself; but Lacedemon fell to Proclis and Eu∣rysthenes

Sons to Aristodemus, who had been slain by the Sons of Pyladas and Electra, and Tisamenus's Cousins.

46. Tisamenus and the Achaians, being thus outted of Argolis and Lacedemon by the Hera∣clidae and Dorians, were upon certain Terms en∣tertain'd by the Jonians then inhabiting the Pe∣loponnesus. But afterwards the Jonians grew Jealous, that the Valour and Quality of Tisa∣menus, might induce both People to choose him King, whereupon a War broke out and Tisamenus was kill'd in Battel. However the Achaians drove the Jonians to Attica, where the Athenians by advice from their King Melanthus, receiv'd them into their City, not so much out of deference to their former friendship, as out of fear of the Dorians.

47. Temenus being possess'd of Argi, his Sons out of envy to Deiphontes his Son-in-Law, whom he too much respected, made away with him. Cisus the eldest succeeded his Father. But the People was so much at Deiphontes's beck, and so fond of their Liberty, that the re∣gal Power was confin'd to a very narrow com∣pass, and the posterity of Cisus had little else but the name of a King. So that this Kingdom was converted into a Democracy, about 40 Years after the Restoration of the Heraclidae 690 after the Reign of Inachus, A. M. 2940.

48. A certain learned Author endeavours to prove from Aeschylus the Tragedian, that this Government of the Inachidae was highly Monar∣chical. Another gathers from Pausanias that it was very moderate and limitted by some Authori∣ty in the People, and that, because the Argives

at first are said to be very careful of their Liberty, and to have dethron'd Meltas, the Son of Laci∣daus and Grandchild to Medon: For tho' Herodo∣tus mentions a King of the Argives, yet there the Word King signifies only a magistrate ac∣countable to the People, as in several other Pla∣ces.

49. However the People having the Supreme Authority in their Hands, were divided into 3 Tribes. Under them was a Senate, to be ele∣cted every year, for preparing Affairs to be laid before the Convention, for executing the Laws, and some other Ministerial Services. There was likewise another Society of 80 Men, that took Care of part of the Republick; besides the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whom we take to be City Magistrates and Judges of Courts. All these Courts and Of∣fices are expresly mention'd in a formal Treaty between the Athenians, Argivans, Mantineans and Eleans; which is extant in Thucydides.

5. All the ancient Records that we are Masters of, do not furnish us with any further Account of the Republick of the Argives. That City wag'd frequent Wars with the Lacedemonians their Kinsmen and Neighbours, which was chief∣ly occasion'd by reciprocal Pretensions to some Lands in the Neighbourhood, adjacent to Thyre. Not to speak of their mutual Emulation, and vying with one another for the Preference. To which you may add this Consideration, That the La∣cedemonians hated that Popular Government which the Argives were fond of; and on the o∣ther hand, the Argives hated the Lacedemonian Aristocracy. But we shall have occasion to con∣tinue our Account of the Argives elsewhere.