Hellenic feeling in Soon after the final subjugation of Messenia, we observe simultaneous Simultaneous political phenomena, operating throughout Hellas, with the exception change of of Sparta, viz., the rapid rise and fall of despots or despotic dynasties, government. and the decay of the once-venerated Homeric kingships. A political Democratic problem, so general and so especially applied to the maritime parts of Greece from Hellas and her colonies, is solved by the vast mercantile development of this period, productive at once of great wealth to the merchant, the 650-500. future despot, and of free ideas to the mercantile population; ideas gradually penetrating to states more inland. This æra of change ranges from B. c. 650 to 500, by which time the general democratic feeling had become strong in Greece. CORINTH. B. C. 650 TO B. C. 585. B.C. Bacchiads The noble maritime position of Corinth rendered her peculiarly liable to innovations. Here the dynasty of the Bacchiads' was over- The thrown by Cypselus, B. c. 650. This chief was of an opulent and overthrown ancient family, tracing his descent through the Æolian nobility. With by Cypselus. the real history of Cypselus, we have not yet shaken off legend; for we find his lineage carried up to Coneus, a king of the Lapitha; and the oracle again plays a prominent part in the tale of the ancestor of Cypselus, Melas, who was the attendant of the first Dorian chief Aletēs, the head of the original settlers at Corinth. This colonist was Melas is warned by an oracle to refuse admittance to Melas, and its prophetic the oracle. voice was again heard, immediately before the birth of Cypselus. The Bacchida were warned that his mother was about to give birth to an infant who should prove formidable to the ruling power. The emissaries whom the Bacchidæ despatched to murder the infant spared Cypselus its life; a second attempt was made, but by this time his mother had preserved concealed him in a chest (kupselos) whence his name. We may now return to history, which informs us, that afrer growing up to manhood, he became the champion of the democracy, by whose aid he first expelled warned by from death. the Bacchida, and then established himself as tyrant. By means of B. C. those popular qualities by which he had obtained the supremacy, he 655-625. The descendants of Bacchis, the first king of their race. These post-fictitious names were usual with the Greek. Compare the case of Edipus (Oous, or Swell-foot.) [H. G.] M Character istics of his reign. continued, for the space of thirty years, to maintain his sway in Corinth, nor had he ever any occasion for the usual body-guard of the Greek despots. His rule was distinguished by the costly works of art, with which he adorned various Grecian temples, particularly that of Olympia, in which he erected, and dedicated to Zeus a statue of pure gold. On the death of Cypselus, B. c. 625, his son Periander succeeded to Contradic- the throne. As in the case of his father, the historical notices we have of Periander. received of Periander are very contradictory; hence, we may fairly infer, that party spirit must have run high during his government. By tory accounts fine arts. one class of writers his character is drawn in the darkest colours, and tales of a revolting domestic nature are related of him; by others he is Fond of the distinguished as a warrior, a patron of poetry and music, and he is even included in the number of the seven wise men of Greece. Still there is no feature of his character, recorded by his most partial historians, incompatible with the dark traits of inhumanity, cruelty, and oppression; characteristics not unfrequently attending martial vigour and a taste for the fine arts. He kept on foot a powerful body-guard, and many of his exactions were appropriated to votive offerings at Olympia. The chief incidents in his career which may be most relied upon are his quarrel with his son Lycophron, and his barbarous treatment of a number of noble youths of Corcyra. Periander had married Melissa, the daughter of Procles, the Epidaurian despot. This princess Periander put to death, and his son, deeply exasperated, conceived an antipathy to his father, not to be overcome by mildness nor severity. After many efforts to conquer this feeling, but without success, Lycophron was sent to the island of Corcyra. Soon after, desirous to continue his dynasty, Periander invited him to return to Corinth; but the obstinacy of the son and the anxiety of the father were rendered alike unavailing by the murder of Lycophron by the Corcyræans. Periander, enraged at this atrocity, avenged himself by seizing on three hundred of their most noble youths, whom he sent over to Alyattes, the king of Lydia, at Sardis, that they might be reduced to worse than perpetual bondage. Happily, they were rescued from this terrible fate by the Samians, at whose island the Corinthian vessels had touched; and soon after the death of Periander they returned to their native country. The contradictory notices of Periander, transmitted to us by history, or rather by faction, however varying in themselves, yet, collaterally, demonstrate the existence of a state of society wealthy, prosperous, and enterprising in the highest degree. Whatever may have been the individual acts of tyranny committed by the despot, it is clear that his people generally had imbibed the true spirit of commerce, which Polyæn., v. 31; Aristot. Pol. v. 9. 2 A Corinthian orator in Herodotus describes Cypselus as a cruel tyrant, who robbed and murdered his people, numbers of whom he banished, taking from the Corinthians the whole of their property in taxation. Herod. v. 92. See also Pseud. Arist. Econom. ii. 2. they embodied in the most energetic action. A power so important B. c. 585. as this would never permit an indiscriminate despotism. We may, therefore, presume that a tacit agreement may have subsisted, on the one hand, to submit to the sway of a magnificent and occasionally cruel tyranny, and on the other not to interfere with the great mercantile energies of the Corinthian people. The power of the Corinthian state under the sway of Periander appears to have been very extensive, embracing Leucas, Anactorium, Ambracia, Corcyra, and other possessions. The dynasty of the Cypselids, of which the last member was Psammetichus, the son of Gordius, continued seventy-three years, of which the reign of Periander lasted forty, B. C. 625-585. ATHENS AND OTHER GREEK STATES, FROM THE TIME OF CODRUS Legend of Codrus historicised. Kings of Athens after Theseus. THE LEGEND OF CODRUS. ALTHOUGH the life of CODRUS is as mythical as any of the preceding legends, the continued attempts of the Greek historians have so stripped it of its wild proportions, and vested it with such a species of regularity, as to make it appear somewhat inconsistent with the scope and tendency of the previous myths. This, therefore, is one of those cases in which subsequent history appears so closely connected with previous legend, that an entire separation is a matter of considerable difficulty. As the Ionic emigration stands immediately in connection with Codrus and his family, this at once draws in its train a quasi-historical narrative. The proportion of truth mixed with fable is, at this distance of time, difficult to determine. We shall, therefore, present to the reader's notice the semi-historical narrative, modified by successive writers who have been desirous of giving dignity to the kingly founder of the Attic state, and the parent of the great Ionic emigrants. KINGS OF ATHENS AFTER THESEUS.-Menestheus, who succeeded Theseus on the throne of Athens, advocated a better title to that honour than his predecessor, having been the descendant of Erechtheus, one of its oldest kings. This monarch, finding himself firmly seated in the kingdom, after the death of Theseus, joined in the Grecian confederacy against Troy, and, accompanied by his brother Achamus, led fifty ships, and a proportionate land force, to join the attack of Agamemnōn and Menelaus upon that devoted town. Under the walls of Troy Menestheus fell, and is scarcely noticed by historians, amidst the heaps of slain in that memorable conquest; although the duration of his reign over Athens has been pretty generally fixed at twenty-four years. At his death we find Dēmophoon, the son of Theseus by Phædra, restoring the line of that monarch to the Athenian throne. To Demophoōn is attributed, by some writers, the honour of having first established the famous court of the Ephetæ, which consisted of fifty Athenians and as many Argives; continuing in that form until it was remodelled by Draco. To this tribunal was awarded the power of trying murders and all Court of the capital offences; and a singular act of justice is recorded of its founder. Epheta. Having accidentally killed one of his subjects, as he was riding under the walls of Troy, he submitted to be tried by this court for the offence, and the issue only appears from the circumstance of Dēmophoon having reigned in tranquillity thirty-three years afterwards, and leaving the undisturbed possession of the kingdom to his son. Of this son, whose name was Oxyntes, nothing is recorded, but that he held the sceptre twelve years, and left it to Aphydas, a prince who was assassinated, in the first year of his reign, by his illegitimate brother Thymates. In the eighth year of the reign of Thymates, the Athenians being at war with the Boeotians, it was resolved that the two kings of the contending nations should decide the difference by single combat, to which Xanthus, the Boeotian sovereign, readily acceded, but Thymates declined the contest. Melanthius, however, Melanthius. a noble Messenian, eagerly accepted the office of champion on behalf of the nation, and the combatants entered the lists. The Athenian cause proved victorious by the stratagem of Melanthius, and the conqueror being now elected to the throne of Athens, a feast was instituted in commemoration of the victory, which the Athenians entitled Apaturia. Of the deposed Thymates we hear no more. Melanthius seems to have held the government with a firm and a judicious hand for thirty-seven years, and was the father of the brave and patriotic Codrus. CODRUS. Although the records of this monarch do not particularise many of CODRUS. his actions, it is clear, from the general tone of history, that his advancement to the throne may be considered as an important epoch in the civilization of his people, while the manner of his death throws the greatest splendour around his name. The Heracleida (the descendants of Heraclēs) and the Dores, their |