A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

206 PERSEUS. PERSEUS.
goddess. Hereupon Perseus went to Argos, accom- of exciting the jealousy of Perseus, who suspected
panied by Cyclopes, skilled in building (Schol. ad that the Roman senate intended to set up 1)eEurip. Or. 953), by Danai, and Andromeda. metrius as a competitor for the throne on the
Acrisius, remembering the oracle, escaped to La — death of Philip: and the popularity of the young
rissa, in the country of the Pelasgians; but Perseus prince among the Macedonians themselves was ill
followed him, in order to persuade hini to return calculated to allay these apprehensions. Perseus
(Paus. ii. 16. ~ 6). Some writers state that in consequence set to work to effect the ruin of
Persels, on his return to Argos, found Proetus his brother, and at length by a long train of mawho had expelled his brother Acrisius, in posses- chinations and intrigues [DEMETRIUS] succeeded
sion of the kingdom (Ov. Met. v. 236, &c.); Per- in convincing Philip that Demetrius entertained a
seos slew Proetus, and was afterwards killed by treasonable correspondence with the Romans, and
Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, who avenged the thus prevailed on him to order the execution of
death of his father. (Hygin. Fab. 244.) Some the unhappy prince. (Liv. xxxix. 53, xl. 5-15,
again relate that Proetus was expelled, and went 20-24; Polyb. xxiv. 3, 7, 8; Diod. xxix. Exc.
to Thebes. (Schol. ad Eurip. Phoen. 1109.) But Vales. p. 576; Justin. xxxii. 2; Zonar. ix. 22;
the common tradition goes on thus: when Teuta- Plut. Aemil. 8.) It is said that Philip subsemidas, king of Larissa, celebrated games in honour quently detected the treachery of Perseus, and
of his guest Acrisius, Perseus, who took part in had even determined to exclude him from the
them, accidentally hit the foot of Acrisius, and throne, but his own death, which was brought on
thus killed him. Acrisius was buried outside the by the grief and remorse caused by this discovery,
city of Larissa, and Perseus, leaving the kingdom prevented the execution of his designs, B. C. 179.
of Argos to Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, re- Perseus instantly assumed the sovereign power,
ceived from him in exchange the government of and his first act was to put to death Antigonus, to
Tiryns. According to others, Perseus remained in whose counsels he ascribed the hostile intentions
Argos, and successfully opposed the introduction of his father. (Liv. xl. 54-56, 57; Justin. xxxii.
of the Bacchic orgies. (Paus. ii. 20. ~ 3, 22. ~ 1; 3; Zonar. ix. 22.)
comp. Nonn. Dionys. xxxi. 25.) Perseus is said The latter years of the reign of Philip had been
to have founded the towns of Mideia and Mycenae. spent in preparations for a renewal of the war
(Paus. ii. 15. ~ 4.) By Andromeda he became with Rome, which he foresaw to be inevitable:
the father of Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Heleius, Mestor, and when Perseus ascended the throlle, he found
Elictryon, Gorgophone, and Autochthe, (Apollod. himself amply provided both with men and money
ii. 4. f 1 —5; Tzetz. ad Lye. 494, 838; Ov. Met. for the impending contest. But, whether from a
iv. 606, &c.; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. iv. 1091.) sincere desire of peace, or from irresolution of
Perseus was worshipped as a hero in several places, character, he sought to avert an open rupture as
e. g. between Argos and Mycenae, in Seriphos, long as possible; and one of the first acts of his
and at Athens, where he had an altar in common reign was to send an embassy to Rome to obtain
with Dictys and Clymene. (Paus. ii. 18. ~ 1.) the recognition of his own title to the throne, and
Herodotus (ii. 91) relates that a temple and a a renewal of the treaty concluded with his father.
statue of Perseus existed at Chemnis in Egypt, This embassy was the more necessary as he had
and that the country was blessed whenever he already by his hostilities with a Thracian chief,
appeared.. named Abrupolis, who was nominally in alliance
2. A Son of Nestor and Anaxibia. (Hom. Od. Xwith Rome, afforded a pretext to the jealousy of
iii. 414; Apollod. i. 9. ~ 9.) that power; but for the moment this cause of
3. A ruler of Dardanus, who, with his wife offence was overlooked, Perseus was acknowPhilobia, assisted Laodice in forming a recon- loedged as king, and the treaty renewed on the
ciliation with Acamas. (Parthen. Erot. 16; comp. same terms as before. (Diod. xxix. Erx. Ie'tic,
ACAMAS and LAODICE.) [L. S.] p. 71; Appian. Mac. ix. 3; Polyb. xxii. Exc.
PERSEUS or PERSES* (nlepoevs), the last Vat. p. 413; Liv. xli. 24, xlii. 13, 40, 41.) It is
king of Macedonia, was the eldest son of Philip V. probable that neither party was sincere in the conAccording to some- of the Roman writers he was clusion of this peace; at least neither could enterthe offspring of a concubine, and consequently not tain any hope of its duration; yet a period of
of legitimate birth. (Liv. xxxix. 53, xl. 9, &c.) seven years elapsed before the mutual enmity of
Plutarch, on the contrary (Aemil. 8), represents the two powers broke out into actual hostilities.
him as a supposititious child, and not the son of Meanwhile Perseus was not idle: and his first
Philip at all: but it is probable that both these measures were of a liberal and judicious character.
tales were mere inventions of his enemies: at He secured the attachment of his own subjects by
least it is clear that he was from the first regarded rescinding the unpopular acts of his father's reign,
both by his father-and the whole Macedonian na- by recalling all exiles and publishing a general act
tion as the undoubted heir to the throne. He was of amnesty. (Polyb. xxvi. 5.) At the same time
early trained to arms, and was still a mere boy he sought to conciliate the favour of the Greeks,
when he was appointed by his father to command many of whom were inclined to his cause in prethe army destined to guard the passes of Pelagonia ference to that of Rome; and entered into exagainst the Illyrians, B. c. 200 (Liv. xxxi. 28). tensive relations with the Thracian, Illyrian, and
In B.c. 189 we again find him leading an army Celtic tribes, by which his kingdom was surinto Epeirus, where he besieged Amphilochia, but rounded. Nor did he neglect to cultivate the
was compelled by the Aetolians to retire. (Id. fiiendship of the Asiatic princes, who on their
xxxviii. 5. 7.) The favour shown by the Romans part (with the exception of Eumenes) seem to
to his younger brother Demetrius had the effect have eagerly sought his alliance. Seleucus IV
Philopator gave him his daughter Laodice in mar* Concerning this latter form see Niebuhr, Lect. riage, while Prusias king of Bithynia gladly acon RoBzi. Hist. vol. i. p. 272, ed Schmitz. cepted the hand of his sister, (Liv. xlii. 12; Po