Ancient Elis

Sons of Eurytus the ruthless Eurytus to whom the far-shooting god gave his bow but he had no joy of the gift for of his own choice he strove even with the giver after them came the sons of Aeacus not both together nor from the same spot for they settled far from Aegina in exile when in their folly they had slain their brother Phpheus Telamon dwelt in the Attic island but Peleus departed and made his home in Phthia after them from Cecropia came warlike Butes son of brave Tileon and Phalerus of the ashen spear Alcon his father sent him forth yet no other sons had he to care for his old age and livelihood but him his well-beloved and only son he sent forth that amid bold heroes he might shine conspicuous but Theseus who surpassed all the sons of Erichthius an unseen bond kept beneath the land of Taenarus for he had followed that path with Pirithous assuredly both would have lightened for all the fulfilment of their toil Tiphys son of Hegneus left the Siphean people of the Thespians well skilled to foretell the rising wave on the broad sea and well skilled to infer from sun and star the stormy winds and the time for sailing Tritonian Athena herself urged him to join the band of chiefs and he came among them a welcome comrade she herself too fashioned the swift ship and with her Argus son of Arista wrought it by her counsels wherefore it proved the most excellent of all ships that have made trial of the sea with oars after them came Phlegyas from Erythrae where he dwelt in affluence by the favour of his father Dionysus in his home by the springs of Asopus from Argos came Talaus and Areius sons of Bias and mighty Leodocus all of whom Pero daughter of Neleus bare on her account the Aeolid Melampus endured sore affliction in the steading of Iphiclus nor do we learn that Heracles of the mighty heart disregarded the eager summons of Iason's son but when he heard a report of the heroes gathering and had reached Lercaean Argos from Arcadia by the road along which he carried the boar alive that fed in the thickets of Lympia near the vast Erymanthian swamp the boar bound with chains he put down from his huge shoulders at the entrance to the marketplace of Mycenae and himself of his own will set out against the purpose of Eurystheus and with him went Hylas a brave comrade in the flower of youth to bear his arrows and to guard his bow next to him came a scion of the race of divine Danaus Nauplius he was the son of Clytoneus son of Nobilus Nobilus was son of Lernus Lernus we know was the son of Prytus son of Nauplius and once Amymone daughter of Danaus wedded to Poseidon bare Nauplius who surpassed all men in naval skill Idmon came last of all them that dwelt at Argos for though he had learned his own fate by augury he came that the people might not grudge him fair renown he was not in truth the son of Abas but Leto's son himself begat him to be numbered among the illustrious Aeolids and himself taught him the art of prophecy to pay heed to birds and to observe the signs of the burning sacrifice moreover Aetolian Leda sent from Sparta strong Polydeuces and Castor skilled to guide swift-footed steeds these her dearly loved sons she bare at one birth in the house of Tyndareus nor did she forbid their departure for she had thoughts worthy of the bride of Zeus the son of Aphareus Lynceus and proud Idas came from Oeni both exulting in their great strength and Lynceus too excelled in keenest sight if the report is true that that hero could easily direct his sight even beneath the earth and with them Pylean Periclymenus set out to come eldest of all the sons of godlike Neleus who were born at Pylos Poseidon had given him boundless strength and granted him that whatever shape he should crave during the fight that he should take in the stress of battle moreover from Arcadia came Amphidamas and Cepheus who inhabited Tegea and the allotment of Ophietus two sons of Aldus and Enceus followed them as the third whom his father Lycurgus sent the brother older than both but he was left in the city to care for Alectryone now growing old while he gave his son to join his brothers Antaeus went clad in the skin of a Maenalian bear and wielding in his right hand a huge two-edged battle-axe for his armour his grandsire had hidden in the house's innermost recess to see if he might by some means still stay his departure There came also Ogyges, whom fame declared to be the son of Helios.

He reigned over the Eleans, glorying in his wealth, and greatly he desired to behold the Colchian land and Aeetes himself, the ruler of the Colchians.

Asterius and Amphion, sons of Hyperasius, came from Achaean Pylae, which once Peleus, their grandsire, founded on the brows of Aegialus.

After them from Taenarus came Euphemus, whom, most swift-footed of men, Europe, daughter of mighty Tityus, bare to Poseidon.

But I think it strange, for it was always the way of my history to investigate excursus, that in the whole of Elis no mules can be conceived, although the country is not cold, nor is there any evident cause.

The Eleans themselves say that it is because of a curse that mules cannot be conceived among them.

But whenever the season is at hand for the mares to conceive, they drive them into the country to their neighbors and then send asses after them until the mares are pregnant, and then they drive them home again.

But regarding the feathers of which the Scythians say that the air is full, so thickly that no one can see or traverse the land beyond, I have this opinion.

So when the Minyae escaped from prison and camped on Tegatum, and the Lacedaemonians were planning to put them to death, Theras interceded for their lives, that there might be no killing, promised to lead them out of the country himself.

The Lacedaemons consented to this, and Theras sailed with three thirty-oared ships to join the descendants of Membliarus, taking with him not all the Minyae but only a few, for the greater part of them made their way to the lands of the Peroritae and the Cacones, and after having driven these out of their own country, they divided themselves into six companies and established the cities of Leprium, Machistus, Phrixae, Phyrgis, Epium, and Nudium in the land they had won.

Most of these were in my time taken and sacked by the Eleans.

As for the island Calliste, it was called Thera after its colonist.

He was unaware of the deceitful trick which had been played upon him.

After this fiasco on the part of the Lacedaemonians, Alcibiades was appointed general, and straightaway brought the Argives, Mantineans, and Eleans into alliance with Athens.

The manner of this achievement of his no one approved, but the effect of it was great.

It divided and agitated almost all Peloponnesus.

But I think it strange, for it was always the way of my history to investigate excursus, that in the whole of Elis no mules can be conceived, although the country is not cold, nor is there any evident cause.

The Eleans themselves say that it is because of a curse that mules cannot be conceived among them.

But whenever the season is at hand for the mares to conceive, they drive them into the country to their neighbors and then send asses after them, until the mares are pregnant, and then they drive them home again.

But regarding the feathers of which the Scythians say that the air is full, so thickly that no one can see or traverse the land beyond, I have this opinion.

So when the Minye escaped from prison and camped on Tegatum, and the Lacedaemonians were planning to put them to death, Theras interceded for their lives, that there might be no killing, promised to lead them out of the country himself.

The Lacedaemons consented to this, and Theras sailed with three thirty-oared ships to join the descendants of Memblierus, taking with him not all the Minye but only a few, for the greater part of them made their way to the lands of the Perarite and the Cacaones, and after having driven these out of their own country, they divided themselves into six companies and established the cities of Leprium, Machistus, Phrixae, Phyrgis, Epium, and Nudium in the land they had won.

Most of these were in my time taken and sacked by the Eleans.

As for the island Calliste, it was called Thera after its colonist.

I ought, as it seems to me, not to omit some remark on the subject of boy attachments, it being a topic in close connection with that of boyhood and the training of boys.

We know that the rest of Hellenes deal with this relationship in different ways, either after the manner of the Boeotians, where man and boy are intimately united by a bond like that of wedlock, or after the manner of the Eleans, where the fruition of beauty is an act of grace, whilst there are others who would absolutely debar the lover from any conversation and discourse with the beloved.

Lysurgus adopted a system opposed to all of these alike, given that someone, himself being all that a man ought to be, should in admiration of a boy's soul, in an effort to discover in him a true friend without reproach and to consort with him,

Hanging out at the pool is great.

But I think it strange, for it was always the way of my history to investigate excursus, that in the whole of Elis no mules can be conceived, although the country is not cold, nor is there any evident cause.

The Eleans themselves say that it is because of a curse that mules cannot be conceived among them.

But whenever the season is at hand for the mares to conceive, they drive them into the countries of their neighbours and then send asses after them, until the mares are pregnant, and then they drive them home again.

But regarding the feathers of which the Scythians say that the air is full, so thickly that no one can see or traverse the land beyond, I have this opinion.

He was unaware of the deceitful trick which had been played upon him.

After this fiasco on the part of the Lacedaemonians, Alcibiades was appointed general, and straightaway brought the Argives, Mantineans, and Eleans into alliance with Athens.

The manner of this achievement of his no one approved, but the effect of it was great.

It divided and agitated almost all Peloponnesus.

He therefore discovered that the true means for restoring the preponderance of Athens was to bring about an alliance with Argos.

By his advice, accordingly, envoys from Argos appeared at Athens in company with others from Mantinea and Elis.

At the same time came a counter-embassy from Sparta, and the fears of Alcibiades for his new scheme were roused by their saying before the Senate that they had full power for the immediate settlement of all differences.

Such a statement made before the assembly would jeopardize his alliance with Argos.

When the assembly met on the following day, Nicias insisted successfully that important interests were not to be rashly thrown aside, and that if alliance with Sparta was to the interest of Athens, it was their duty to send commissioners to ascertain the real intentions of the Spartans.

Sent thither himself, he could obtain nothing more than the declaration that they were ready to renew the oaths of covenant with Athens.

Dispensing with the superfluous and useless ceremony, he returned to find the Athenians ready to effect with Argos, Mantinea, and Elis a defensive alliance which distinctly recognized the imperial character of each of these states, thus introducing into the Peloponnesus relations among the allies or former subjects of the Spartans which the Spartans could not consistently tolerate, and the existence of which they would prefer not to acknowledge.

Under the guidance of Alcibiades, Athens was rapidly committing herself to schemes which completely reversed the policy of Pericles.