Page:History of Greece Vol I.djvu/172

 HO HISTORY OF GREECE Such was their irresistible might, that Herakles was defeated and repelled from Elis : but presently the Eleians sent the two Molionid brothers as TJieori (sacred envoys) to the Isthmian games, and Herakles, placing himself in ambush at Kleonae, sur- prised and killed them as they passed through. For this murder- ous act the Eleians in vain endeavored to obtain redress both at Corinth and at Argos ; which is assigned as the reason for the self-ordained exclusion, prevalent throughout all the historical age, that no Eleian athlete would ever present himself as a com- petitor at the Isthmian games. 1 The Molionids being thus re- moved, Herakles again invaded Elis, and killed Augeas along with his children, all except Phyleus, whom he brought over from Dulichion, and put in possession of his father's kingdom. Ac- cording to the more gentle narrative which Pausanias adopts, Au- geas was not kiUed, but pardoned at the request of Phyleus. 2 He was worshipped as a hero 3 even down to the time of that author. It was on occasion of this conquest of Elis, according to the old mythe which Pindar has ennobled in a magnificent ode, that Herakles first consecrated the ground of Olympia, and established the Olympic games. Such at least was one of the many fables respecting the origin of that memorable institution. 4 Phyleus, after having restored order in Elis, retired again to Dulichion, and left the kingdom to his brother Agasthenes, which again brings us into the Homeric series. For Polyxenos, son of Agasthenes, is one of the four commanders of the Epeian forty ships in the Iliad, in conjunction with the two sons of Eurytos 1 Pausan. v. 2, 4. The inscription cited by Pausanias proves that this was the reason assigned by the Eleian athletes themselves for the exclusion ; but there were several different stories. z Apollodor. ii. 7, 2. Diodor. iv. 33. Pausan. v. 2, 2 ; 3, 2. It seems evi- dent from these accounts that the genuine legend represented Herakles as having been defeated by the Molionids : the unskilful evasions both of Apol- lodorus and Diodorus betray this. Pindar (Olymp. xi. 25-5Q) gives the story without any flattery to Herakles. 3 Pausan. v. 4, 1. 4 The Amenian copy of Eusebius gives a different genealogy respecting Elis and Pisa : Acthlius, Epeius, Endymion, Alexinus ; next CEnomans and Pelops, then Herakle's. Some counted ten generations, others three, between Hrakles and Iphitus, who renewed the discontinued Olympic games (se Armem. Euseb. copy c. xxxii. p. 140).