Page:History of Greece Vol I.djvu/117

 WANDERINGS OF 10. 86 Such is a general sketch of the adventures which the aucienf poets, epic, lyric, and tragic, and the logographers after them, connect with the name of the Argeian 16, one of the numerous tales which the fancy of the Greeks deduced from the amorous dispositions of Zeus and the jealousy of Here. That the scene should be laid in the Argeian territory appears natural, when we recollect that both Argos and Mykenie were under the special guardianship of Here, and that the Heraon between the two was one of the oldest and most celebrated temples in which she was worshipped. It is useful to compare this amusing fiction with the representation reportel to us by Herodotus, and derived by him as well from Phoenician as from Persian antiquarians, of the circumstances which occasioned the transit of 16 from Argos to Egypt, an event recognized by all of them as historical matter of fact. According to the Persians, a Phoenician vessel had arrived at the port near Argos, freighted with goods intended for sale to the inhabitants of the country. After the vessel had remained a few days, and disposed of most of her cargo, several gives a different version of the wanderings of 16 from that which appears in the Prometheus : in the former drama he carries her through Phrygia, Mysia, Lydia, Pamphylia and Cilicia into Egypt (Supplic. 544-566) : nothing is there said about Prometheus, or Caucasus or Scythia, etc. The track set forth in the Supplkes is thus geographically intelligible. that in the Prometheus (though the most noticed of the two) defies all com- prehension, even as a consistent fiction ; nor has the erudition of the com- mentators been successful in clearing it up. See Schutz, Excurs. iv. ad Prometh. Vinct. pp. 144-149 ; Welcker, ^Eschylische Trilogie, pp. 127-146, and especially Volcker, Mythische Geographic der Griech. und Romer, part i. pp. 3-13. The Greek inhabitants at Tarsus in Cilicia traced their origin to Argos: their story was, that Triptolemus had been sent forth from that town in quest of the wandering 16, that he had followed her to Tyre, and then renounced the search in despair. He and his companions then settled partly at Tarsus, partly at Antioch (Strabo, xiv. 673; xv. 750). This is the story of Kadmos and Europe inverted, as happens so often with the Grecian mythes. Homer calls Hermes 'Apyet^ovi-T/f ; but this epithet hardly affords sum cient proof that he was acquainted with the mythe of 16, as Volcker sup poses : it cannot be traced higher than Hesiod. According to some authors, whom Cicero copies, it was on account of the murder of Argos that Hermea was obliged to leave Greece and go into Egypt : then it was that he taughi the Egyptians laws and letters fl)e Natur. Deor. iii. 22).