Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/427

 ALEXANDER OF EPIRUS. 395 01/mpias. These Epirots now, during the general decline of Grecian force, rise into an importance which they had never be- fore enjoyed^. Philip of Macedon, having married Olympias, not only secured his brother-in-law on the Molossian throne, but strengthened his authority over subjects not habitually obedient. It was through Macedonian interference that the Molossian Al- exander tirst obtained (though subject to Macedonian ascen- dency) the important city of Ambrakia ; which thus passed out of a free Hellenic community into the capital and seaport of the Epirotic kings. Alexander farther cemented his union with Macedonia by marrying his own niece Kleopatra, daughter of Philip and Olympias. In fact, during the lives of Philip and Alexander the Great, the Epirotic kingdom appears a sort of adjunct to the Macedonian ; governed by Olympias either jointly with her brother the Molossian Alexander — or as regent after his death.2 ' The Molossian King Neoptolemus was father both of Alexander (the Epirotic) and of Olympias. But as to the genealogy of the preceding kings, nothing certain can be made out : see Merleker, Darstellung des Landes und der Bewohner von Epeiros, Konigsberg, 1844, p. 2-6. in the fragments (recently published by Mr. Bahington) of the oration of Ilyperides in defence of Euxenippus, p. 12. The Athenians, in obedience to an oracular mandate from the Dodonaean Zeus, had sent to Dodona a solemn embassy for sacrifice, and had dressed and adorned the statue of Dione there situated. Olympias addressed a despatch to the Athenians, reproving them for this as a trespass upon her dominions — vTvep tovtuv vfilv Tu tyKT^Tifiara rjA/de nap'' 'OTiVumudoc iv ra?f ETnaToT^alc, wf tj x^ 9 '^ tlrj T] MoXoaaia av t f/ c, tv ?} to iepov kavLV ovkovv TzpoaT/Ktv 7/f^iv tQv ekeI ov6e £v klveIv. Olympias took a high and insolent tone in this letter [ra^ rpayudiac avrfj^ Kal riif KOTriyoptac, etc.) The date of this oration is at some period during the life of Alexander the Great — but cannot be more precisely ascertained. After the death of Alexander, Olympias passed much time in Epirus, where she thought her- self more secure from the enmity of Antipater (Diodor. xviii. 49). Dodona had been one of the most ancient places of pilgrimage for the Hellenic race — especially for the Athenians. The order here addressed to them, — that they should abstain from religions manifestations at this sanc- tuary — is a remarkable proof of the growing encroacliments on free Hel- lenism ; the more so, as Olympias sent offerings to temples at Athens when she chose and without asking permission — we learn this from the sama fragment of Hypcrides.
 * A curious proof how fully Olympias was queen of Epirus is preserved