Page:History of Greece Vol II.djvu/260

 244 HISTORY OF GREKCE certain number of towns entered into an exclusive religious partnership, for the celebration of sacrifices periodically to the god of a particular temple, which was supposed to be the common property, and under the common protection of all, though one of the number was often named as permanent administrator; while all other Greeks were excluded. That there were many religious partnerships of this sort, which have never acquired a place in history, among the early Grecian villages, we may, perhaps, gather from the etymology of the word, (Amphiktyons 1 desig- nates residents around, or neighbors, considered in the point of view of fellow-religionists,) as well as from the indications pre- served to us in reference to various parts of the country. Tliu-i there was an Amphiktyony2 of seven cities at the holy island of Kalauria, close to the harbor of Troezen. Hermione, Epi- daurus, JEgina, Athens, Prasice, Nauplia, and Orchomenus, jointly maintained the temple and sanctuary of Poseidon in that island, (with which it would seem that the city of Trcezen, though close at hand, had no connection,) meeting there at stated periods, to offer formal sacrifices. These seven cities, indeed, were net immediate neighbors, but the speciality and exclusiveness of their interest in the temple is seen from the fact, that when the Argeians took Nauplia, they adopted and fulfilled these religious obligations on behalf of the prior inhabitants : so, also, did the Lacedemonians, when they had captured Prasiae, Again, in Triphylia, 3 situated between the Pisatid and Messenia, in the western part of Peloponnesus, there was a similar religious meeting and partnership of the Triphylians on Cape Samikon, at the temple of the Samian Poseidon. Here, the inhabitants of Makiston were intrusted with the details of superintendence, as well as with the duty of notifying beforehand the exact time of meeting, (a precaution essential amidst the diversities and irregularities of the Greek calendar,) and also of proclaiming what was called the Samian truce, a temporary abstinence from hostilities, which bound all Triphylians during the holy period. This latter custom discloses the salutary influence of such institutions in presenting to men's minds a common object 1 Pindar, Isthm. iii. *26 (iv. 14) ; Nem. vi. 40.
 * Strabo, via. p. 374 3 Strabo, viii. p. 343 ; Pausan v. 6, 1,