Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/872

854   BŒOTIA (Botomo.) a country of Central Greece, bounded on the S. by the Gulf of Corinth, Megaris, and Attica; on the E. by Attica and the Euripus, which separates it from Eubcea ; on the N. by the territory of the Locri Opuntii ; and on the W. by Phocis. Its surface is estimated at 1119 English square miles. Surrounded nearly on all sides by mountains, it divides itself naturally into three parts, the low country about Lake Copais, or, as it is now called, the Lake of Topolias, the valley of the River Asopus (now Oropo), and the coast district between Mount Helicon and the Corinthian Gulf. The country about the lake is a large valley, so completely surrounded by hills that it is con nected with the Euboean Sea by subterranean passages only. The natural passages, or katavothra, not being sufficient to carry off the great masses of water accumulating in the valley, which is traversed by the Cephisus, the principal river in the country, the early inhabitants often suffered severely from inundations ; and at a very remote period large artificial drains were constructed, probably by the Minyaus of Orchomenos, to supplement the natural outlets. Remains of these works, as stupendous as any that were executed in antiquity, still excite the admiration of the traveller. They formerly rendered that part of Boeotia one of the most fertile districts of Greece, but being neglected for centuries, the shores of the lake became an exten sive marsh. A large stretch of country is still often under water during the winter, but it begins to dry up in spring, and in summer forms fine wheat-fields and meadows. Between this valley of the Copais and the basin of the Asopus is situated the Theban plain, which is still distin guished for its fertility, especially in grain. The lowlands and valleys of Boeotia were notorious in antiquity for their moist and thick atmosphere, which was believed to render the inhabitants dull and stupid. For these characteristics the Boeotians are frequently satirized by the Attic writers ; and it is certain that comparatively few names were added to the long roll of Greek literature from this portion of the Greek soil. One writer alone, perhaps, the poet Pindar, stands out in striking contrast to the national character ; the two others who alone of his fellow-countrymen can claim to be also his intellectual kinsmen, Hesiod and Phitarch, bear no small trace of a Boeotian origin. The dialect spoken by the Boeotians was a broad ^Eolic. In the earliest times of history Boeotia was inhabited by various tribes, such as the Aonians, Temmicians, Thracians, Leleges, Phlegyans, and the Minyans of Orchomenos. Of these we know almost nothing, but the last-mentioned appear to have formed a great centre of civilization at a very remote period. All these tribes were gradually expelled or absorbed by the Boeotian ^Eolians, who immi grated from Thessaly about sixty years after the destruction of Troy, according to the ordinary chronology. The country, which had previously possessed no common name, henceforth is always spoken of as Boeotia, and the several cities and towns, with Thebes at their head, formed a sort of confederation, in which, however, the Thebans and the other Boeotians frequently came into hostile collision, Thebes claiming the supremacy of the whole country, and the other cities insisting on their independence. The confederation was administered by a number of officers called Bceotarchs, of whom two were chosen by Thebes and one by each of the remaining confederate communi ties. The federal temple was that of Athene Itonica at Coronea, and there a religious festival was held. The political history of the country is inseparable from that of,, , and , to which the reader must be referred for details. The con federacy continued its nominal existence even under the Roman emperors, although the country was so. reduced that, about the time of Augustus, Tanagra and Thespise alone could be considered towns, the other cities having either been entirely destroyed, or existing only as villages. The more important of the towns which had formerly existed, be sides those already mentioned, were Tegyra, Arne, Haliartus, Alalcomense, and Lebadea in the Copaic valley ; Anthedon, Mycalessus, and Oropus along the Euripus ; Thisbe and Creusis on the Corinthian Gulf ; Ascra and Leuctra further inland ; and Sidse, Tanagra, and Pherse in the valley of the Asopus. During the Middle Ages and under the Turkish domination, Livadia, the ancient Lebadea, was the capital of the country, which indeed was frequently called after that city. The district is now united in one No?nos with Attica (Attikoviotia), and is divided into two eparchies that take their names from Thebes and Livadia. The population in the eastern part is largely Albanian, and is engaged in the growing of grain and culture of the vine. See the Travels of Clarke, Wheler, Dodwell, Sir W v Gell, Hobhouse, Holland, Leake, and Mure ; Thiersch, Etat actuel de la Grcce, 1833; Forchhammer, Hdlenika, 1837; Kruse, Hellas, 1825--28; Kliitz, De fade re Bosotico, 1821; Ten Breujel, Defoedere Boeotico, 1834 ; Francke, Dcr Bootische Bund, 1843; and Bursian s Geographic von Griechenland, 1863.  BOERHAAVE,, one of the most celebrated physicians of modern times, was born at Voorhout near Leyden, December 31, 1G68. Destined for the clerical profession, to which his father belonged, he received a liberal education, and early displayed unusual abilities. At the age of sixteen he entered the University of Leyden, where he studied under Gronovius, Ryckius, Trigland, and other distinguished men, and obtained the highest academical honours. In 1G90 he took his degree in philosophy; on which occasion he delivered an inaugural dissertation De distinctions mentis a corpore, wherein he attacked the doctrines of Epicurus, Hobbes, and Spinoza. Being left, on the death of his father, without any provision, he was compelled to support himself by teaching mathematics. By the advice of Vandenberg, the burgomaster of Leyden, Boerhaave now applied himself with ardour to the study of medicine, to which indeed he had early manifested a decided inclination. The works of Hippocrates among the ancients, and those of Sydenham among the moderns, were the especial objects of his study ; but his reading was by no means confined to these authors. In 1693 he took his degree of M.D. at Harderwyck in Gueklerland, and imme diately entered on the studies of his profession. His merits were soon recognized, and in 1701 he was appoint ed by the University of Leyden to supply the place of Drelincourt as lecturer on the institutes of medicine. His inaugural discourse on this occasion was entitled De com- mendando Hippocratis studio, in which he recommended to his pupils that great physician as their model. In 1709, the university appointed him successor to Hotton in the chair of botany and medicine, in which capacity he did good service, not only to his own university, but also to botanical science, by his improvements and additions to the botanic garden of Leyden, and by the publication of numerous works descriptive of new species of plants. He was appointed in 1714 rector of the university. In the same year he succeeded Bidloo in the chair of practical medicine, and in this capacity he had the merit of introducing into modern practice the system of clinical instruction. Four years later he was appointed to the 