Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/189

 B. x. c. in. 8. THE CURETES. 181 discussion is of a theological nature, and is not alien to the contemplation of the philosopher. 8. But since even the historians, through the similarity of the name Curetes, have collected into one body a mass of dis- similar facts, I myself do not hesitate to speak of them at length by way of digression, adding the physical considera- tions which belong to the history. 1 Some writers however en- deavour to reconcile one account with the other, and perhaps they have some degree of probability in their favour. They say, for instance, that the people about ^Etolia have the name of Curetes from wearing long dresses like girls, (jcdpat,) and that there was, among the Greeks, a fondness for some such fashion. The lonians also were called " tunic-trailers," 2 and the soldiers of Leonidas, 3 who went out to battle with their hair dressed, were despised by the Persians, but subjects of their admiration in the contest. In short, the application of art to the hair consists in attending to its growth, and the manner of cutting it, 4 and both these are the peculiar care of girls and youths ; 5 whence in several ways it is easy to find a derivation of the name Curetes. It is also probable, that the practice of armed dances, first introduced by persons who paid so much attention to their hair and their dress, and who were called Curetes, afforded a pretence for men more warlike than others, and who passed their lives in arms, to be them- selves called by the same name of Curetes, I mean those in Eubrea, ^Etolia, and Acarnania. Homer also gives this name to the young soldiers ; " selecting Curetes, the bravest of the Achaeans, to carry from the swift ship, presents, which, yesterday, we promised to Achilles.'' 6 members of the same family." It appears to me, on the contrary, that this was the opinion adopted by our author. Du Theil. 1 TrpooQtiQ TOV o'iKiiov Ty laTopia tyyaiKov yov. rationem naturalem, utpote congruentum hue, histories adjiciens. Xylander. Or paraphrased, " The history of this people will receive additional and a fitting illustra- tion by a reference to physical facts," such as the manner of wearing their hair, tonsure, &c. 8 eXK%ira>va. The words Kai Kpwf3vov Kai rlrnya sfj,irtxGrjvat appear, according to Berkel. ad Steph. p. 74, to be here wanting, " and to bind the hair in the form of the Crobulus and ornamented with a grass- hopper." The hair over the forehead of the Apollo Belvidere is an ex- ample of the crobulus. 3 Herod, vii. 208. 4 Kovpav rpi%oc. 5 Kopaig Kai KopoiQ. 6 Strabo therefore considered the 193, 194, 195 verses of II. xix. as