Diodorus Siculus

BOOK IV - The Library of History



Page 164 Teiresias the Soothsayer what they should do. Who advis'd them to abandon the City, as the only means left for their Safety and Preservation. The Cadmeans follow'd his Advice, and in the Night forsook the City, and fled to a Province in Beotia, call'd Tilphotium. The Epigonians afterwards enter'd and raz'd the City, and being now Lords of all (among others) possessed themselves of Daphne, the Daughter of Teiresias, whom (according to their Vow) they devoted (as the chief of their Spoils) to the Oracle at Delphos. The Daughter nothing inferior to her Father for the Art of Divination, mightily improv'd it while she continu'd at Delphos; for she was endued with those Parts and Qualifications that were to be admir'd: She writ divers sorts of Prophetical Verses in a most artificial dress and composure, out of which (they say) the Poet Homer borrow'd many Verses for the adorning of his Poems. Being often in an Enthusiastical inspiration from the God, she utter'd things that were Prophetical, and therefore (they say) she was call'd a Sibyl. For to be so inspir'd, is in the Greek Language to act the Sibyl.

The Epigonians thus prosperously succeeding in their Expedition, return'd at length (loaden with Spoyl) into their own Country. Among those Thebans that fled to Tilphosium, Tiresias dy'd, and was bury'd by the Cadmeans with great Funeral Pomp, and ador'd afterwards as a God.

Some time after leaving the City Tilphosium, they invaded the Doreans, and overcoming them in a Battel expell'd them out of their Country, and settl'd themselves for a while in their Rooms; but afterwards part of them return'd to Thebes in the Reign of Creon, the Son of Menaeceus, and the rest continu'd in Doris: But the expuls'd Doreans at length return'd into their Country, and inhabited Erineus, Citinius, and part of † Beotia. About this time Beotus the Son of Neptune and Arne, came into the Country, then call'd Aeolis, (now Thessaly) and nam'd those that accompany'd him Beotians.

Here it's necessary to give a distinct and particular Account of those things which we have gather'd out of the Rubbish of Antiquity, concerning these Aeolians.

In former times, some of the Children of Aeolus (the Nephew of Deucalion and Helen) inhabited the Places before mention'd, but Mimas another Son reign'd in Aeolis, and Hippotes the Son of Mimas begat Aeolus of Menalippe: And Arne the Daughter of this later Aeolus had a Son by Neptune call'd Beotus. Aeolus not believing she was got with Child by Neptune, judg'd her guilty of Whoredom, and therefore deliver'd her to a Metapontinian Stranger (that was there by chance at that time) to be transported to Metapontum; which he did accordingly, and there she was deliver'd of Aeolus and Beotus, whom the Metapontinian (being Childless) by direction of the Oracle, adopted for his own Sons. When they grew to Mens Estate, a Sedition being rais'd in Metapontum, they possess'd themselves of the Kingdom by force of Arms. Afterwards Arne and Autolyte, the Wife of the Metapontinian falling together by the Ears, the Sons of Arne, in assisting their Mother, kill'd Autolyte; which cruel Fact the Metapontinian took most heinously, and therefore they got on Shipboard, and put to Sea with their Mother Arne and many other of their Friends. Aeolus possess'd himself of the Islands in the Tyrrhenian Seas, call'd the Aeolides, after his Name, and built a City there which he call'd Lipara. But Beotus went to his Grandfather Aeolus, who receiv'd him as his Son, and he came afterwards to the Kingdom, and call'd the Country after his Mother Arne, but nam'd the People Beotians, after his own Name.

Itonus the Son of Beotus begat Four Sons, Hippalcimus, Electrion, Archilicus and Alegenor: Hippalcimus had Peneleos, Electryon, Leitus, Algenor, Cloncus, Archilycus, Prothaenor and Ariesilaus, who were all Commanders in chief of the Beotians in the Trojan War.

Having now set forth these Affairs, we shall endeavour to give an account of Salmoneus and Tyro, and of their Progeny down to Nestor, who was one of the Grecian Commanders at the Siege of Troy.

Salmoneus was the Son of Helen, Nephew of Aeolus, and Nephew's Son to Deucalion: He made an Expedition out of Aeolis, and possess'd himself of a Territory in Elis, upon the Banks of the River Alpheus, and there he built a City, which he call'd after his own Name Salomnia: He marry'd Alcidice the Daughter of Aleus, and by her had a Daughter nam'd Tyro, who was an extraordinary Beauty. His Wife Alcidice dying, he marry'd another call'd Siderone, who (after the manner of Step-mothers) hated Tyro.


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