ENCYCLOPEDIA METROPOLITANA:

OR,

System of Universal Knowledge:

ON A METHODICAL PLAN

PROJECTED BY SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE.

SECOND EDITION, REVISED.

Chird Division. Bistory and Biography.

EARLY HISTORY OF GREECE.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY JOHN JOSEPH GRIFFIN AND CO.,

53 BAKER-STREET, PORTMAN-SQUARE;

AND RICHARD GRIFFIN AND CO., GLASGOW.

THE

EARLY HISTORY OF GREECE.

BY

E. POCOCKE, Esq.

SIR THOMAS NOON TALFOURD, D.C.L.

ONE OF THE JUSTICES OF HER MAJESTY'S COURT OF COMMON PLEAS,

THE LATE JOHN T. RUTT, Esq.

AND

THE REV. J. B. OTTLEY, M. A.

LATE FELLOW OF ORIEL COLLEGE, OXFORD.

SECOND EDITION, REVised and GREATLY ENLARGED.

PREFACE.

IN presenting a new edition of the History of Greece, contained in the Encyclopædia Metropolitana, it has been my object, by a brief view of the influences of Mythology upon the early Greeks, to convey a preliminary idea of their heroic and legendary belief. To this succeeds a compendious notice of the Mysteries, Oracles, and Games of that ingenious people. Immediately in connection with this part of the work, will be found illustrative notices of the Indo-collegiate system, from which, undoubtedly, the Hellenic mythological group was modelled. As the nature of the work necessarily precluded an extension of this important investigation, I have reserved for a distinct volume the Ante-Homeric History of Greece, which will, unaided by any rationalizing process, appear for the first time divested of its mythical colouring, and a principle be laid down by which its fable may be separated from its history. I have treated the Legends of the Gods, in accordance with the pouía of the Homerid of Chios, presenting a metrical version of the most remarkable passages: the originals will be found at the foot of each page. The same method has been pursued with the extracts from Homer, Eschylus, Sophocles, and the "Legends of Heroes;" the only exceptions being occasional passages from Pope, Francis, Cooke, and Fawkes.

The papers of Sir T. N. Talfourd, the treatise on the Social Condition of the Greeks by the Rev. J. B. Ottley, and the writings of other distinguished authors, greatly enhance the value of the work; while the illustrative portion is drawn from the most authentic sources.

With respect to the introduction of the Greek quantities, occurring in the names of gods, heroes, or historical personages, the object has been, not to supply the place of a prosodial lexicon, but to give, up