Diodorus Siculus

BOOK IV - The Library of History



Page 166 their Father's Kingdom; which being deny'd, they made War upon the Lapithites; and that when the War was ended, Perithous marry'd Hippodamia the Daughter of Bystus, and invited Theseus and the Centaurs to the Marriage; and that the Centaurs (being Drunk, and inflam'd with Wine) attempted to ravish the Women that were then at the Marriage Feast: At which bold and wicked Prank, Theseus and the Lapathites were so incens'd, that they kill'd many of them, and drove the rest as Fugitives out of the City. And for this Reason, the whole Body of the Centaurs afterwards made War upon the Lapithites, and kill'd most of them, and forc'd the rest that had escap'd the Sword, to fly into Pholoe in Arcadia: But some got into Malea, and there continu'd. The Centaurs lifted up with this Success, often issu'd out of Pholoe, and robb'd all the Grecians that travell'd that way, and kill'd many of the Neighbouring Inhabitants.

Having now done with these occurrences, we shall next speak of Aesculapius and his Posterity: They say he was the Son of Apollo and Coronis, and being of an acute and sharp Wit, earnestly bent his Mind to the study of Physick, and found out many Preservatives for the Health of Mens Bodies; and grew at length so famous, that curing many in a wonderful manner, whose Distempers were lookt upon to be desperate, he was judg'd to raise up many from the Dead: And therefore it's reported by the Mythologists, that Pluto complain'd to Jupiter of Aesculapius, that through his Cures the number of the Dead decreas'd; and accus'd him for the weakning of his Empire in the Shades below: At which Jupiter was so incens'd, that he kill'd Aesculapius with a Thunderbolt. At whose Death Apollo was inrag'd to that degree, that he kill'd the Cyclops that made the Thunderbolt for Jupiter. Whereat Jupiter was again in wrath, and for a Punishment of his Offences, forc'd * Apollo to serve Mankind in a piece of constant Drudgery. Aesculapius (it's said) had Two Sons, Machaon and Podalirius, who were skilful in their Father's Art, and went along with Agamemnon to the Trojan War; in which War they were very useful and serviceable to the Grecians, for they cur'd them that were wounded in Fights with singular industry, and were in such esteem and favour among the Grecians, that by reason of their extraordinary usefulness in their Art, they were exempted from hazarding their Persons, and freed from all other publick Services.

But here we shall conclude the History of Aesculapius, and his Sons; and shall now proceed to give an account of the Daughters of Asopus, and the Sons of Aeacus.

Oceanus and Tethys (as some Stories have it) had many other Sons, which gave Names to famous Rivers, besides Peneus and Asopus. The Residence of Peneus, was that Country which is now call'd Thessaly, who gave Name to that Famous River there call'd Peneus. Asopus dwelt at Phlias, and marry'd Medon the Daughter of Ladon, by whom he had Two Sons, Pelasgus and Ismenus, and twelve Daughters, whose Names were Cercyra, Salamis, Aegina, Pirene, Cleone, Thebe, Tanagra, Thespira, Asopis, Sinope, Oenia and Chalcis. Ismenus one of his Sons, came into Beotia, and seated himself near the River call'd after his own Name. Sinope one of the Daughters was forc'd away by Apollo to that Place where the City Sinope now stands; so call'd from her: From her and Apollo sprang Syrus, who reign'd over those People, from him call'd Syrians. Neptune transported Cercyra into that Island, now call'd from her Corcyra. He had by her a Son call'd Pheax, from whom the Pheans are so nam'd.

This Pheax was the Father of Alcinous, who guided Ʋlysses into Ithaca: Salamis also was forc'd by Neptune, and carry'd away into the Island call'd after her own Name; by him she had Cenchreus, who was King of this Island, and a brave spirited Man; he kill'd a Serpent of a vast bigness, which had destroy'd many of the Inhabitants. Aegina was carry'd away by Jupiter from Phlias, into the Island Aegina, so call'd from her; and by her had Aeacus, afterwards King of that Island, whose Sons were Peleus and Telamon. Peleus by the throwing of an Hand-Stone, unfortunately kill'd his Half-Brother Phocus, being both of the same Father, but not of the same Mother; for this Fact he was banish'd by his Father, and fled into Phthia, a Province of that Country, now call'd Thessaly, where he was acquitted and purg'd of the Slaughter by King Actor, and succeeded him in the Kingdom, Actor dying without Issue. Achilles was the Son of Peleus and Thetis, and went along with Agamemnon to the War of Troy. Telamon likewise fled out of Egina, and arriv'd in Salamis, where he marry'd Glance the King's


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