among them; daily withdrew their allegiance from Gelanor, already unpopular, and fixed it on one who appeared to be a being of a superior class. Thus situated, the sovereign of Argos was compelled to allow this intruder to plead, what he termed, his right to the kingdom: an assemblage of the inhabitants was formed in the fields without the city; and though at first the contest was equally maintained, the artifices of Danaus at length succeeded, and he ascended the throne of Argolis *, or Argos. Thus the Genius of Navigation, which had poured forth its many blessings on Arabia, Egypt, Phoenicia, Palestine, and the various countries that had thence derived a source of liberty, and of knowledge; after having for a period reposed amid the fertile territories of Crete, and received such an addition of strength from the regulations and laws of Minos, took a western direction, and began to unfold its enterprising and sublime Argos, the favourite city of Juno, is mentioned by Herodotus as the most famous city then comprehended under the general appellation of Greece. The Ionians, appear to have been incorrectly stated as the first who made long voyages. Ionia was founded by colonies from Greece, and must have followed the Argives in their knowledge of navigation, who were governed by a prince already skilled in all the maritime experience which Egypt could afford. Argos had different surnames, as Hippium from its breed of horses; and Inachium from the river on which it stood. Its harbour was called Nauplia, from being filled with ships. The town was defended by the citadel Larissa, and another whose name is not known it stood chiefly on a flat, and abounded in wells, which Danaus first taught the inhabitants the art of sinking. This monarch resided principally at Larissa; on the ascent was a temple of Apollo, which in the second century continued the seat of an oracle. South of the harbour was the lake Lerna, where Hercules slew the Hydra. North of Argos was Mycena the city of Agamemnon; near it was the strong fortress Tiryns, the birth-place of Hercules. At the bottom of the Argolic Gulph, Napoli, now Golfo di Napoli, formed by the promontories Scyllaum, and Malea, was the residence of Pittheus, the grandfather of Theseus, called Troezen; opposite to which lies the island Calauria, where Demosthenes ended his days by poison. West from Troczen, was the city of Epidaurus, celebrated for the Temple of Æsculapius. Argos still retains its name: above the old city effaced by the devas. tations of time, and war, is now an handsome mosque, shaded with solema cypresses, and behind rises a lofty hill perfectly bare, the summit of which is crowned with a neglected castle. The Nauplia, its former harbour, now called Napoli di Romania extends into the Golfo di Napoli, in lat. 36 deg. 55 min. N. and long, 23 deg. 36 min. E. It is still a large harbour; the mouth is so narrow, that only one ship can enter at a time. character on the shores of Argos. We shall, however, after a time, observe it taking a retrograde course towards the East, and beaming forth with peculiar glory* in the celebrated island of Rhodes. Danaus the Egyptian Navigator, having thus gained the sovereignty of a most powerful and extensive state; rendered his throne durable, and his power extensive, by encouraging the arts that had raised him to his present elevation. His connection with Egypt must have induced him to support a commercial spirit; and whilst a trade with the mother country would form a nursery for his naval force; the companions of his voyage, assisted by those who occasionally arrived from the kingdom of his brother Ægyptus, must have enabled him to construct a powerful and superior fleet: such was the extent of his sway, that the inhabitants, of the whole, peninsula of Peloponnesus, who previous to his reign had been called Pelasgians, were now styled Danaäns †, an appellation remaining in the days of Homer. Agamemnon, having succeeded to the throne of Argos and Mycæne, after the more immediate successors of Danaus, particularly Perseus, had greatly increased both the resources and limits of their Country, took the lead among the sovereigns of Greece. His navy, which had so long been an object of national attention, was far superior to that of any other state; and gave a degree of influence, that could not be equalled, to whatever undertaking his ambition, or bravery, induced him to attempt. We are not unmindful of the catalogue, which Eusebius has given, of those nations who were celebrated for their dominion of the Sea; nor of other naval powers: they will be hereafter noticed. Wishing to trace the grand Outline of the Progress of Navigation and Commerce, we have endeavoured to render. it as detached and clear as possible. Athens, though built in the year of the world 2467, and 1537, A. C. which is prior to the sailing of Danaus to Argos, did not greatly distinguish itself as a maritime nation, until a later period. The ships it s.nt under Minestheus to the Trojan war, formed only a subordinate part of the League in which Argos bore the sway. Mitford, vol. I. p. 30. Strabo, lib. v. p. 221, and lib. viii. p. 37*. DANAUS, Lynceus, Acrisius, Perseus, Electryon, Mæstor, Sthelenus, Atreus, Thyestes, Agamemnon. The coast of Asia Minor had been long famed for the different maritime nations to which it belonged. The Lydians, Phrygians, Ionians, and Carians, (who have been called Phoenicians, because a colony from that country settled there,) all displayed a naval character, which they sustained with considerable spirit. The western coast of Asia Minor was remarkable for the fertility of its soil, and peculiar mildness of its climate: the established governments had a greater extent of territory than those of Greece; as the wide Asiatic plains were less separated by mountains and seas. Phrygia Minor lay between the 40th and 42d degrees of north latitude: it was bounded by the Propontis on the north; by the Ægean sea on the south; by Mysia Minor on the east; and the Hellespont on the west. This country was styled Troas, Teucria, and Dardania, from kings that reigned over it; but in the reign of Priam, the name Troas chiefly prevailed. Phrygia Minor was divided into two parts; the maritime called Hellespontiaca, and the Mediterranean termed Epictetus: the former appellation was derived from the Hellespont, and extended along the coast from the town of Percote to the promontory Lectum, or Lecton, opposite to the north side of the island of Lesbos.-This part was properly called Troas, or Troia; though the Trojan kingdom extended from the river Asopus to the banks of the Caicus, including not only Troas, but also the greater, and lesser Mysia. In the year of the world 2458, Scamander, son of Corybas, and Demodice, and father of Teucer, bringing a colony from Crete, made the first settlement of note; and on one, of the many ridges that project from Mount Ida, laid the foundation of the kingdom of Troy. Ilus, son of Tros, who improved the territory to which Dardanus, as a second founder, had given the name of Dardania, moved his residence from the mountain; and chusing a rising ground within the plain beneath, built the renowned city, called from * Mitford's History, sect. iv. vol. 1. 3 P Wol. II. him Ilion; but better known by the name of Troy, which it derived from his father. On the coast were the following cities, Percote, Abydus, Arisba, Dardanum, Rhetum, Sigeum, Troy or Ilium, Larissa, Colonæ, &c. : it has generally been asserted by geographers, that the Castles of the Dardanelles were built on the ruins of Sestos, and Abydus; but the writers of the Universal History declare that such an idea is not founded on truth. The city of Troy had twice been taken and plundered by Grecian invaders, the last of whom were headed by Hercules, yet had regained its splendor, and been fortified in a superior manner by Laomedon, when during the reign of his son Priam it was threatened at once with the combined forces of Greece. Agamemnon, King of Argos, more from awe, than favour, induced the neighbouring princes to take a part in the expedition: the injuries which his brother Me'nelaus had received from a son of Priam, though they were even thus publicly regarded, could have had but little effect in collecting such an armament. The expedition of Paris was a marauding exploit, that frequently occurred amid the rude licentious manners of the time; and most probably arose, as Herodotus imagines, in retaliation for similar *Iliad, lib. v. ver. 640. Pindar, Olymp. viii. ↑ " Exploits like that of Paris," says Mr. Mitford in his excellent History, were, in the 12th century, not uncommon in Ireland. In a lower line they have been frequent there still, in our days; but in that age popular opinion was so favourable to them, that even princes gloried in such proofs of their gal lantry and spirit. Dermot, King of Leinster, accordingly formed a design on Dervorghal, a celebrated beauty, wife of O'Ruark, King of Leitrim, and between force and fraud, he succeeded in carrying her off. O'Ruark resented the affront, as might be expected. He procured a confederacy of neighbouring chieftains, with the King of Connaught, the most powerful prince of Ireland, at their head. Leinster was invaded; the Frincess was recovered; and after hostilities continued with various success during many years, Dermot was expelled from his kingdom. Thus far the resemblance holds with much exactness. The sequel differs: for the rape of Dervorghal, beyond comparison inferior in celebrity, had yet consequences far more important than that of Helen. The fugitive Dermot, deprived of other hope, applied to the powerful monarch of the neighbouring island, Henry the Second; and in return for assistance to restore him to his dominions, offered to hold them in vassalage of the crown of England. The English conquest of Ireland followed. injuries committed by the Greeks. The ambitious and haughty Agamemnon had been long eager to seize the first opportunity that offered to create so powerful a league: he therefore gladly entered into his brother's quarrel; and making the wrongs of Menelaus a cloke for his designs, looked forward with anxious hope towards the plunder of the richer provinces of Asia Minor. Before the Trojan war the Grecians had never acted in joint confederacy, nor was it, says Thucydides, until the sea had opened her free communication amongst them, that they engaged together in this expedition, which displayed a wonderful effort of naval strength. From the end of Peloponnesus to the end of Thessaly, besides other allies this powerful alliance assembled at Aulis, a sea-port of Boeotia, where contrary winds for some time detained them. The ficet consisted of 1200 ships; the number of men employed was 102,000. After a prosperous voyage from Aulis, they made good their landing on the Trojan coast; yet not without considerable loss of blood. The Trojans after making a brave resistance, in which they trusted alone to their domestic strength, retired within their walls; and beheld their enemies encamped on the plain, that extended before their city, with an animated resolution. The beautiful relation, which Homer in the second Iliad has introduced of the different states, who furnished their respective quotas of ships on this memorable naval expedition, will give our readers a general and interesting view of the maritime strength of Greece, and its allies. We have therefore selected some of the principal passages from Mr. Pope's translation. After mentioning "the hardy warriors whom Boeotia bred," he adds: -And they whom Thebe's well-built walls enclose, The greatest number of men in any single ship was one hundred and twenty; which may enable us to form some correct idea of the dimensions of the vessels. |
