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Graec. vol. ii. p. 3, vol. xiii. p. 932. ) [P. S. ) whose heads were covered, like those of serpents,
PERSEUS (Depo eús). 1. The famous Argive with scales, and who had large tusks like boara,
hero, was a son of Zeus and Danaë, and a grandson brazen hands, and golden wings. He found them
of Acrisius (Hom. Il. xiv. 310 ; Hes. Scut. Herc. asleep, and cut off the head of Medusa, looking at
2:29). Acrisius, who had no male issue, consulted her figure through the mirror, for a look at the
the Pythian oracle, and received the answer, that monster herself would have changed him into stone.
if Danaë should give birth to a son, he would kill Perseus put her hea nto the bag which he carried
his father. Acrisius, accordingly, 'shut up his on his back, and as he went away, he was pursued
daughter in a subterraneous apartment, made of by the winged Gorgons (Hes. Scut. Herc. 230;
brass or stone (Soph. Ant. 947 ; Lycoph. 858 ; Paus. v. 18. & 1). On his return he visited Aethi-
Horat. Carin. iii. 16). But Zeus having meta- opia, where he saved and married Andromeda, by
morphosed himself into a shower of gold, came whom he became the father of Perses, whom he
down upon her through the roof of the apartment, left with Cepheus. During this journey Perseus
and became by her the father of Perseus. From is also said to have come to the Hyperboreans, by
this circumstance Perseus is sometimes called xpu whom he was hospitably received (Pind. Pyth. x.
obrat pos or aurigena (Lycoph. 838 ; 0v. Mel
. v. 50), and to Atlas, whom, by the head of Gorgo, he
250). When Acrisius discovered that Danac had changed into the mountain of the same name (Ov.
given birth to a son, he threw both mother and son Met. iv. 655 ; Serv. ad Aen. iv. 246). Phineus, the
into a chest, and put them out to sea ; but Zeus brother of Cepheus, was likewise changed into stone,
caused the chest in land in the island of Seriphos, and when Perseus returned to Seriphos he found
one of the Cyclades, where Dictys, a fisherman, his mother with Dictys in the temple, whither she
found them, and carried them to his brother, king had fled from the embraces of Polydectes. Perseus
Polydectes. According to a later or Italian tra- found the latter at a repast, and metamorphosed
dition, the chest was carried to the coast of Italy, him and all his guests, and, some say, the whole
where king Pilumnus married Danaë, and founded island, into stone (Pind. Pyth. xii. 21; Strab. x. p.
Ardea (Virg. Aen. vii. 410 ; Serv. ud den. vii. 487), and presented the kingdom to Dictys Perseus
372); or Danaë is snid to have come to Italy with then gave the winged sandals and the helmet to
two sons, Argus and Argens, whom she had by Hermes, who restored them to the nymphs and to
Phineus, and took up her abode on the spot where Hades, and Athena received the head of Gorgn,
Rome was afterwards built (Serv. ad Aen, viii. / which was put on the shield or breast-plate of the
W
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206
PERSEUS.
PERSEUS.
goddess. Hereupon Persens went to Argos, accom- of exciting the jealousy of Perseus, who suspected
panied by Cyclopes, skilled in building (Schol. ad that the Roman senate intended to set up De-
Eurip. Or. 953), by Danaë, and Andromeda. metrius as a competitor for the throne on the
Acrisius, remembering the oracle, escaped to La- death of Philip: and the popularity of the young
rissa, in the country of the Pelasgians ; but Perseus prince among the Macedonians themselves was ill
followed him, in order to persuade him to return calculated to allay these apprehensions. Perseus
(Paus. ii. 16. § 6). Some writers state that in consequence set to work to effect the ruin of .
Persens, on his return to Argos, found Proetus his brother, and at length by a long train of ma-
who had expelled his brother Acrisius, in posses- chinations and intrigues (DEMETRIUS) succeeded
sion of the kingdom (Ov, Met. v. 236, &c. ) ; Per in convincing Philip that Demetrius entertained a
seus slew Proetus, and was afterwards killed by treasonable correspondence with the Romans, and
Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, who avenged the thus prevailed on him to order the execution of
death of his father. (Hygin. Fab. 244. ) Some the unhappy prince. (Liv. xxxix, 53, xl. 5–15,
again relate that Proetus was expelled, and went 20–24 ; Polyb. xxiv. 3, 7, 8 ; Diod. xxix. Ere.
to Thebes. (Schol. ad Eurip. Phoen. 1109. ) But l'ales. p. 576 ; Justin. xxxii. 2 ; Zonar. ix. 22;
the common tradition goes on thus: when Teuta Plut. Aemil. 8. ) It is said that Philip subse-
midas, king of Larissa, celebrated games in honour quently detected the treachery of Perseus, and
of his guest Acrisius, Perseus, who took part in had even determined to exclude him from the
them, accidentally hit the foot of Acrisius, and throne, but his own death, which was brought on
thus killed him. Acrisius was buried outside the by the grief and remorse caused by this discovery,
city of Larissa, and Perseus, leaving the kingdom prevented the execution of his designs, B. c. 179.
of Argos to Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, re- Perseus instantly assumed the sovereign power,
ceived from him in exchange the government of and his first act was to put to death Antigonus, to
Tiryns. According to others, Perseus remained in whose counsels he ascribed the hostile intentions
Argos, and successfully opposed the introduction of his father. (Liv. xl. 54–56, 57; Justin. xxxii.
of the Bacchic orgies. (Paus. ii. 20. $ 3, 22. $1;3; Zonar. ix. 22. )
comp. Nonn. Dionys. xxxi. 25. ) Perseus is said The latter years of the reign of Philip had been
to have founded the towns of Mideia and Mycenae. spent in preparations for a renewal of the war
(Paus. ii. 15. 4. ) By Andromeda he became with Rome, which he foresaw to be inevitable:
the father of Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Heleius, Mestor, and when Perseus ascended the throne, he found
Electryon, Gorgophone, and Autochthe. (A pollod. himself amply provided both with men and money
ii. 4. $ 1–5; Tzetz. ad Lyc. 494, 838 ; Ov. Met. for the impending contest. But, whether from a
iv. 606, &c. ; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. iv. 1091. ) sincere desire of peace, or from irresolution of
Perseus was worshipped as a hero in several places, character, he sought to avert an open rupture as
e. g. between Argos and Mycenae, in Seriphos, long as possible ; and one of the first acts of his
and at Athens, where he had an altar in common reign was to send an embassy to Rome to obtain
with Dictys and Clymene. (Paus. ii. 18. & 1. ) the recognition of his own title to the throne, and
Herodotus (ii. 91) relates that a temple and a a renewal of the treaty concluded with his father.
statue of Perseus existed at Chemnis in Egypt, This embassy was the more necessary as he had
and that the country was blessed whenever he already by his hostilities with a Thracian chief,
appeared.
named Abrupolis, who was nominally in alliance
2. A son of Nestor and Anaxibia. (Hom. Od. with Rome, afforded a pretext to the jealousy of
üi. 414 ; Apollod. i. 9. $ 9. )
that power ; but for the moment this cause of
3. A ruler of Dardanus, who, with his wife offence was overlooked, Perseus was acknow-
Philobia, assisted Laodice in forming a recon- ledged as king, and the treaty renewed on the
ciliation with Acamas. (Parthen. Erot. 16 ; comp. same terms as before. (Diod. xxix. Exc. Vatic,
Acamas and LAODICE. )
(L, S. ] p. 71; Appian. Mac. ix. 3 ; Polyb. xxii. Exc.
PERSEUS or PERSES* (Hepaeus), the last Vat. p. 413; Liv. xli. 24, xlii. 13, 40, 41. ) It is
king of Macedonia, was the eldest son of Philip V.
probable that neither party was sincere in the con-
According to some of the Roman writers he was clusion of this peace ; at least neither could enter-
the offspring of a concubine, and consequently not tain any hope of its duration ; yet a period of
of legitimate birth. (Liv. xxxix. 53, xl. 9, &c. ) seven years elapsed before the mutual enmity of
Plutarch, on the contrary (Aemil. 8), represents the two powers broke out into actual hostilities.
him as a supposititious child, and not the son of Meanwhile Perseus was not idle: and his first
Philip at all : but it is probable that both these measures were of a liberal and judicious character.
tales were mere inventions of his enemies : at He secured the attachment of his own subjects by
least it is clear that he was from the first regarded rescinding the unpopular acts of his father's reign,
both by his father and the whole Macedonian na- by recalling all exiles and publishing a general act
tion as the undoubted heir to the throne. He was of amnesty. (Polyb. xxvi. 5. ) At the same time
early trained to arms, and was still a mere boy he sought to conciliate the favour of the Greeks,
when he was appointed by his father to command many of whom were inclined to his cause in pre-
the army destined to guard the passes of Pelagonia ference to that of Rome ; and entered into ex-
against the Illyrians, B. C. 200 (Liv. xxxi. 28). tensive relations with the Thracian, Iliyrian, and
In B. c. 189 we again find him leading an army Celtic tribes, by which his kingdom was sur-
into Epeirus, where he besieged Amphilochia, but rounded. Nor did he neglect to cultivate the
was compelled by the Aetolians to retire. (Id. friendship of the Asiatic princes, who on their
xxxviii. 5. 7. ) The favour shown by the Romans part (with the exception of Eumenes) seem to
to his younger brother Demetrius had the effect have engerly sought his alliance. Seleucus IV
Philopator gave him his daughter Laodice in mar-
Concerning this latter form see Niebuhr, Lect. riage, while Prusias king of Bithynia gladly ac-
on Rom. Hist. vol. i. p. 272, ed Schmitz.
cepted the hand of his sister, (Liv. xli. 12; Po


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PERSEUS.
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PERSEUS.
lyb. xxvi. 7 ; Inscr. Del. ap: Marm. Oxon. ; Ap- drew off his forces, and even sent to the consulto
pian. Mac. ix. 1. ) But every attempt to strengthen renew his offers of peace, which were haughtily
himself by foreign alliances was resented by the rejected by Licinius. The rest of the campaign
Romans as an infraction of the treaty with them. passed over without any decisire result. "The
The Dardanians complained to the senate at Rome Romans in their turn obtained a slight advantage,
of the aggressions of the Bastarnae, and accused and Perseus at the close of the summer withdrew
Perseus, apparently not without reason, of sup- into Macedonia, whither Licinius made no attempt
porting the invaders. News was also brought to to follow him. (Liv. xlii. 50—67; Polyb. xxvii.
Rome that Macedonian envoys had been secretly 8; Appian Mac. Exc. 10 ; Plut, Aemil. 9; Zonar
received at Carthage ; and the king soon after | ix. 22; Eutrop. iv. 6; Oros. iv. 20. )
gave fresh cause of offence by an expedition The second year of the war (B. c. 170) passed
against the Dolopians, in which, after reducing over without any striking action, but was on the
that tribe, he repaired at the head of an arny, whole favourable to Perscus. The Macedonian flect
though in the most peaceful manner, to Delphi, defeated that of the Romans at Oreus ; and the
under pretence of a vow, but in reality to make a consul, A. Hostilius Mancinus, after an unsuccess-
show of his power and force in the eyes of the ful attempt to penetrate into Macedonia, through
Greeks. Numerous embassies were sent by the the passes of Elymiotis, remained inactive in Thes-
Romans to complain of these proceedings, as well saly. Meanwhile, the Epeirots declared in favour
as to spy into the real state of affairs in Macedonia, of Perseus, by which his frontier became secured
while Perseus in return was not sparing of apolo- on that side; and so little cause did there appear
gies and excuses. At length, in B. c. 172, Eu- to dread the advance of the Romans, that the king
menes, king of Pergamus, repaired in person to found leisure for an expedition against the Dar-
Rome and laid before the senate an elaborate danians, by which he obtained a large booty.
statement of the power, the resources, and the (Plut. Aemil
. 9; Liv. xliii. 18. ) During the heart
hostile designs of the Macedonian king. On his of the following winter he crossed the mountains
return through Greece he was attacked near Delphi into Illyria with an army, but not so much with a
by a band of assassins, who are said to have been view to conquest, as in order to gain over Gentius,
employed by Perseus, a suspicion to which the king of the Illyrians, to his alliance. That mon-
latter certainly afforded some countenance, by arch was favourably disposed towards the Mace-
taking the leader of thein-a Cretan named Evan- donian cause, but was unable to act without money,
der - into his immediate service. Another plot and this Perseus was unwilling to give. A second
which the Romans pretended to have discovered expedition into Acarnania was also productive of
at the same time, for poisoning some of their chief little result. (Liv. xliii. 18—23. )
officers (RAMMIUS), was probably a mere fiction The arrival of the new consul Q. Marcius Philip-
to inflame the minds of the populace against Per-pus, in the spring of 169, for a moment gave fresh
War was now determined by the senate, vigour to the Roman arms. By a bold but hazardous
but it was not declared till the following spring march he crossed the mountain ridge of Olympus,
(B. c. 171), and even then the Romans were not fully and thus descended into Macedonia near Hera-
prepared to commence hostilities. Perseus, on the cleium. Had Perseus attacked him before he reached
other hand, found himself at the head of a splendid the plains he might probably have destroyed the
army, fully equipped and ready for immediate whole Roman army: but instead of this he was
action: but instead of making use of this advan- seized with a panic terror, abandoned the strong
tage, he still clung to the delusive hopes of peace, position of Dium, and hastily retreated to Pydna.
and was persuaded by Q. Marcius Philippus, with Marcius at first followed him, but was soon com-
whom he held a personal conference in Thessaly, to pelled by want of provisions to fall back to Phila,
send ambassadors once more to Rome. These soon and Perseus again occupied the line of the Enipeus.
returned, as was to be expected, without having (Liv. xliv. 1-10; Polyb. xxix. 6; Diod. xxx.
even obtained an answer ; but in the mean while Exc. Vales. pp. 578, 579; Exc. Vat. pp. 74, 75;
the Romans had completed their levies, transported Zonar. ix. 22. )
their army into Epeirus, and the consul P. Licinius The length to which the war had been unex-
Crassus was ready to take the field. (Liv. xli. pectedly protracted, and the ill success of the Roman
19, 22-24, xlii. 2, 5, 11, 12, 14—19, 25, 29– arms, had by this time excited a general feeling in
31, 36-43, 48; Polyb. xxvi. 9, xxvii. 7, Erc, Pat. favour of the Macedonian monarch ; Prusias, king
p. 413; Diod. xxx. Exc. Leg. pp. 623, 624 ; Ap- of Bithynia, and the Rhodians, both interposed
pian, Mac. Exc. ix. 1-5. )
their good offices at Rome to obtain for bim a
Perseus was now at length convinced that he peace upon moderate terms ; and even his bitter
had no hope of any longer delaying the contest ; enemy Eumenes began to waver, and entered into
and at a council of war held at Pella, it was de- secret negotiations with the same view. (Eu-
termined to bave immediate recourse to arms. MENES. ] These were, however, rendered abortive
Though supported by no allies, except Cotys king by the refusal of Perseus to advance the sum of
of the Odrysians, he found himself at the head of money demanded by the king of Pergamus as the
an army of 39,000 foot and 4,000 horse, with price of his interposition ; and the same unseason-
which he invaded Thessaly, and after taking some able niggardliness deprived the king of the services
small towns, encamped near Sycurium in the of 20,000 Gaulish mercenaries, who had actually
valley of the Peneius. The consul Licinius soon advanced into Macedonia to his support, but retired
arrived in the same neighbourhood, and an action on failing to obtain their stipulated pay. Many
ensued between the cavalry of the two armies, in of the Greek states, also, which had been from the
which the Macedonians were victorious ; and if commencement of the war favourably disposed to.
Perseus had chosen to follow up his advantage wards Perseus, might undoubtedly have been in
with vigour, might probably have led to the total duced at this juncture openly to espouse his cause,
defeat of the Romans. But the king wavered, had he been more liberal of his treasures : but his
seus,


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208
PERSEUS.
PERSEUS.
blind avarice led him to sacrifice all these advan- starvation, while others—fortunately with less pro
tages. Even when he was compelled to advance bability-represent him as falling a victim to the
300 talents to Gentius, in order to secure his co- cruelty of his guards, who deprived him of sleep.
operation, he contrived basely to defraud his ally of (Liv. xlv. 4–9, 28, 35, 42; Plut. Aemil. 26, 27,
the greater part of the money. [GENTIUS). (Liv. 34, 37 ; Diod. xxx. Exc. Vat. p. 78; Exc. Vales.
xliv. 14, 23—27; Plut. Aemil. 12, 13; Polyb. p. 581, Exc. Phot. p. 516; Dion Cass. Fr. 74, 75;
xxviii. 8, 9, xxix. 2, 3, Exc. Vat. p. 427—431; Zonar, ix. 23, 24; Eutrop. iv. 7, 8; Oros. Lc. ;
Diod. xxx. Exc. l'ales. p. 580, Exc. Vat. p. 73, Val. Max. v. 1. 81; Justin. xxxiii. 2. )
74 ; Dion Cass. Fr. 73; Appian. Mac. Exc. 16.