a town of Sicily, near the Halesus
The Romans besieged it for seven months when in
tie hands of the Carthaginians, but without .
The Romans besieged it for seven months when in
tie hands of the Carthaginians, but without .
Charles - 1867 - Classical Dictionary
Herodotus
? ? also (9, 27) places the Amazons on this same river,
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMAZONES.
to this explanation, will be a band of warlike priest-
esses or Hierodulae, who, in renouncing maternity, and
in firing themselves up to martial exercises, sought
to imitate the periodical sterility of the great powers
of light, the sun and moon, and the combats in which
these were from time to time engaged, against the
gloomy energies of night and winter. (Crcuzer, Sym-
bolik. par Gaigniajit, vol. 3, p. 90, scqq ) That the
legend of the Amazons rests on a religious basis, we
readily admit, but that any Amazons ever existed,
wen as warlike priestesses, we do not at all believe.
The first source of error respecting them is the ety-
mology commonly assigned to the name. To derive
this from the negative a and /iil(oc, and to make
it indicate the loss of one of the breasts, is, we think,
altogether erroneous. If a Greek derivation is to be
assigned to the term Amazon, it is far more correct to
deduce tin- word from the intensive a, and fiuioc, and
to regard it as denoting, not the absence of one breast,
but the presence of many. The name 'Aiia. 'ur
(Amizon) then becomes equivalent to the Greek
Hohw inroe- (Polymastus) and the Latin Multimam-
aua. both of which epithets are applied by the ancient
mrthologists to the Ephesian Diana, with her numer-
ous breasts, as typifying the great mother and nurse
of all created beings. It is curious to connect with
this th2 well-known tradition, that the Amazons found-
ed th? city of Ephesus, and at a remote period sacri-
ficed to the goddess there. (Callim. , H. in Dian. ,
233. -- Dionys. Perie<r. , 828. ) But how does the
view which wc have just taken of the erroneous nature
o( the common etymology, in the case of the name
Amizon, harmonize with the remains of ancient sculp-
ture! In the most satisfactory manner. No monu-
ment of antiquity represents the Amazons with a mu-
tilated bosom, but, wherever their figures are given,
they have both breasts fully and plainly develo|>ed.
Thus, for example, the Amazons on the Phigaleian
frieze have both breasts entire, one being generally ex-
posed, while the other is concealed by drapery, but
still in the latter the roundness of form is very percept-
ible. Both breasts appear also in the fine figure of
the Amazon belonging to the Lansdowne collection;
and so again in the basso-relievo described by Winckel-
mann in his Monumrnti Inediti. The authorities, in-
deed on this head are altogether incontrovertible.
( Winckelmann. Gcsch. der Kunst des Allerlhums, vol.
2, p. 131. -- Id. , Mon. Ined. , pt. 2, c. 18, p. 184. --
Mailer, Arckdologie der Kunst, p. 530. -- Elgin and
Phigaleian Marbles, vol. 2, p. 179. --Heyne, ad Apol-
! :? ? ! . 2, 5, 9. ) The first Greek writer that made men-
tion of females who removed their right breast was
Hippocrates (Hcpl uepuv, k. t. X. , y 43). His remarks.
however, were meant to apply merely to the females
of the SauromaUe, a Scythian tribe; but subsequent
writers made them extend to the fabled race of the
Amazon*. --It appears to us, then, from a careful ex-
amination of the subject, that the term Amazon origi-
nally indicated neither a warlike female, nor a race of
such females, but was merely an epithet applied to the
Ephesian Diana, the great parent and source of nur-
ture, and was intended to express the most striking
of her attributes. The victories and conquests of the
Amazonian race are nothing more, then, than a figura-
tive allusion to the spread of her worship over a large
portion of the globe, and the contests with Bacchus,
Hercules, and Theseus refer in reality to the struggles
of this worship with other rival systems of faith, for
? ? Bacchus, Hercules, and Theseus are nothing more
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMB
AMBROSIUS.
Ambluareti. The ancient geographical writers are
silent respecting them.
AmbivarIti, a tribe of Gallia Belgica, a short dis-
tance beyond the Mosa or Meuse. ((? >>>. , B. G. , 4, 9. )
Amdbacia, a celebrated city of Epirus, the capital
of the country, and the royal residence of Pyrrhus
and his descendants. It was situate on the banks of
the Aracthus or Arethon, a short distance from the
waters of the Ambracian Gulf. The founders of the
place were said to have been a colony of Corinthians,
headed by Tolgus or Torgus, 650 B. C. , who was
either the brother or the son of Cvpselus, chief of
Corinth. (Strabo, 325. -- Scymn. , 'Ch. , v. 452. ) It
early acquired some maritime celebrity, by reason of
its advantageous position, and was a powerful and in-
dependent city towards the commencement of the Pe-
loponncsian war, in which it espoused the cause of Co-
rinth and Sparta. At a later period we find its in-
dependence threatened by Philip, who seems to have
entertained the project of annexing it to the dominions
of his brother-in-law, Alexander, king of the Molos-
sians. (Dcmosth , Phil. , 3. 85. ) Whether it actually
fell into the possession of that monarch is uncertain,
but there can be no doubt of its having been in the
occupation of Philip, since Diodorus Siculus (17, 3)
ass. -rtsthat the Ambraciots, on the accession of Alex-
ander the Great to the throne, ejected the Macedonian
garrison stationed in their city. Amliracia, however,
aid not long enjoy the freedom which it thus regained,
for, having fallen into the hands of Pyrrhus, we are
told that it was selected by that prince as his usual
place of residence. (Strabo, 325. -- lav , 38, 9. )
Ovid (Ibis, v. 306) seems to imply that he was inter-
red there. Many years after, being under the domin-
ion of the . Etolians, who were at that time involved
in hostilities with the Romans, this city sustained a
siege against the latter almost unequalled in the an-
nals of ancient warfare for the gallantry and perseve-
rance displayed in defence of the place. (Polyb. , Fraij. ,
22, 13. ) Ambracia, at last, opened its gates to the
foe. on a truce being concluded, and was stripped by
the Roman consul, M. Fulvius Nobilior, of all the
statues and pictures with whirh it had been so richly
adorned by Pyrrhus. From this time Ambracia began
to sink into a state of insignificance, and Augustus,
by transferring its inhabitants to Nicopolis, completed
its desolation. (Strabo, 325--Pausan , 5, 23. ) In
regard to the topography of this ancient city, most
travellers and antiquaries arc of opinion, that it must
have stood near the town of Aria, which now gives
its name to the gulf. (Cramer's Ancient Greece, vol.
1, p 145, seqq. )
AmrracTus Sinus, a gulf of the Ionian Sea be-
tween Epirus and Acarnania. Scylax (Pcripl, p. 13)
calls it the Bay of Anactorium, and observes that the
distance from its mouth to the farthest extremity was
one hundred and twenty stadia, while the entrance was
scarcely four stadia broad. Strabo (325) makes the
whole circuit three hundred stadia. (Cramer's Ancient
Greece, vol. 1, p. 153. )
Ambroses, a Gallic horde, who invaded the Roman
territories along with the Teutones and Cimbri, and
were defeated with great slaughter by Marius. The
name is thought to mean, "dwellers on the Rhone"
(Amb-rones). So Ambidravii, "dwellers'on the
Draavc;" Sigambri, "dwellers on the Sieg," <Stc.
(Compare Pfisler, Gesch. der Tcutschen, vol. 1, p.
? ? 35. )
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMI
totwoik is -;Dc Oflictt,," intended to explain the
Jnuei of Christian ministers The most accurate
afeionofhisworks is that of the Benedictines, Pans,
J<<U. fot , 1682-90. (. Gorton's Bioer. Diet , vol. 1, p.
<<? . ) ";
Antrim, a city of Phocis, said to have been
founded by the hero Anibrvssus, situate between two
etas of mountains, west of Lebedas, and north-
>>eaof Anticyra It was destroyed by the Amphic-
tjons. bat rebuilt and fortified by the Thebans. before
He iaiUe of Uhssronea. (Pausan. , 10, 3, and 36. )
Its rains were first discovered by Chandler, near the
n%e ofDyttamo. ( Cramer's Ancient Greece, vol 2,
p. 159. )
AUCBMA female minstrels, of Syrian origin, who
exercised their vocation at Rome, and were also of
dissolute lives. (Acron, ad. Herat. , Scrm. , 1,9,1. --
Kurt. Etymol. Ha. ndicortcrbu. ch, vol. 1, p. 45, seq. )
The name is supposed to be derived from the Syriac
i6iiorun6uA, " a flute. "
Anou, a surname of Castor and Pollux, in Sparta,
mi also of Jupiter and Minerva. They were so
B3'EEJ. it is said, from tlubi>~Ai'/, delay, because it was
thought that they could delay the approach of death.
Some, on the other hand, consider the term in ques-
tion to be of Latin origin, and derived from ambularc.
(Compare the remarks of Vollmer, Worterb. der My-
tU,f. T. )
AIKLES, a river of the lower world, according to
Plato, whose waters no vessel could contain: rov
'A(tt>j|7a ircrrafiov, ov rd v6tjp uyyeiov oiiiev oreyeiv.
(D; Ktf. , 1O, vol. 7, p. 229, ed. Bekk. )
AHENAXCS, a river of Sicily, near Catania. It is
now the JudiceUo. (Strabo, 360. -- Omd, Met. , 15,
S79. )
ASEEI i, one of the most considerable and ancient
dbea of L'mhria. It lay south of Tuder, and in the
TJdiuty of the Tiber. According to Cato, who is
quoted by Pliny (3, 14), Ameria could boast of an
origin greatly anterior to that of Rome, having been
foanJej, it is said, 964 years before the war with
Perseus, or 1045 years before the Christian era. Ci-
cero. in his defence of the celebrated Roscius, who
was a native of Ameria, has frequent occasion to speak
of this town. From him we learn its municipal rank,
and from Frontinus, that it became a colony under
Augustus. (Compare Strabo, 228. -- Festta, s r
Amau-) The small episcopal town of Amelia now
represents this ancient city. (Cramer's Anc. Italy,
mi. l,p. 273. )
A>>ESTB! TUS.
a town of Sicily, near the Halesus
The Romans besieged it for seven months when in
tie hands of the Carthaginians, but without . success.
It was taken, however, after a third siege, and razed
to the ground, the surviving inhabitants being sold as
slaves. Steph. Byz. calls the place Amestratus; Di-
odorus Siculus, My stratum; and Polybius, Mytttslra-
fcti>>. (Dtod. Stc. , 23,ed. 9. -- Polyb. , 1, 24. ) It is now
MistrcUa, in the Vai de Dcmona.
ASESTHIS, queen of Persia, and wife to Xerxes.
Having discovered an intrigue between her husband
an-1 Artaynta, and imputing all the blame solely to the
mother of the latter, she requested her from the king
>>t a royal festival; and, when she had her in her
power, cut off her breasts, nose, cars, lips, and tongue,
and sent her homo in this shocking condition. She
also, on another occasion, sacriBced fourteen Persian
children of noble birth. "to propitiate," says Herodo-
? ? tos, -the deity who is said to dwell beneath the
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMMON.
A M II
tepid at dawn, cool as the day advanced, very cool at
noon, diminishing in coolness as the day declined, warm
at sunset, and boiling hot at midnight Here also was
the celebrated oracle of Amnion, which Alexander the
Great visited, in order to obtain an answer respecting
the divinity of his origin. An account of the expedi-
tion is given by Plutarch (Kit. Alex. , c. 26), and, as may
well be expected, the answer of the oracle was alto-
gether acceptable to the royal visitant, though the
credit previously attached to its answers was seriously
impaired by the gross flattery which it had on this oc-
casion displayed. The temple nf Amnion, like that of
Delphi, was famed for its treasures, the varied offer-
ings of the pious; and these, in the time of the Per-
sian invasion of Egypt, excited so far the cupidity of
Cambyscs as to induce him to send a large body of
forces across the desert to seize upon the place. The
expedition, however, proved a signal failure; no ac-
counts of it were ever received, and it is probable,
therefore, that the Persian troops were purposely mis-
led on their route by the Egyptian guides, and that all
perished in the desert. (Vtd. Cambyses. )--- Herodotus
(2, 54. sciji/. ) gives us two accounts respecting the or-
igin of the temple of Amnion. One, which he heard
from the priests of Jupiter in Thebes, stated, that two
p. iesle. sses had been carried off by some Phoenicians
from Thebes, and that one of them had been conveyed
to Libya and there sold as a slave, and the other to
Greece. These two females, according to them, had
founded oracles in each of these countries. Accord-
ing to the other story, which he heard from the priest-
esses at Dodona, two black pigeons had flown
from Thebes in Egypt; one of these had passed
into Libya, the other had come to Dodona in Greece,
and both had spoken with a human voice, and di-
rected the establishment of oracles in each of these
places. --Thus much for the ordinary narrative. Am-
nion, says Plutarch (rfc /*. et Os. , p. 354), is the Egyp-
tian name for Jupiter. This god was particularly wor-
shipped at Thebes, called in the sacred books Hammon-
no, " the possession of Hammon," and in the Septua-
gint version (Ezck. , c. 20) the city of Amnion. Jablon-
? ki derives the word Amnion from Am-octn," shining. "
According, however, to Champollion the younger, the
term in question (Amon or Amen) denoted, in the
Egyptian language, "secret," "concealed," or "he
who reveals his secret powers. " It ih sometimes also,
as the same writer informs us, united with the word
Kneph, another appellation of the Supreme Being, and
from this results the compound Amcncfas (Amen-Neb)
which is found on a Greek inscription in the greater
Oasis. 'Lctronne, Kcch. xur VEpyp. , p. 237, seqq. )
The Greek etymology of the name Ammon, from upfior
or ipdfi/wr, " sand," is fanciful and visionary, and only
affords anotherproof of the constant habit inwhichthat
nation indulged, of referring so many things to them-
selves, with which they had not, in truth, the slightest
connexion. From all that has been said by the ancient
writers, it would appear very clearly, that the allusion
in the legend of Ammon is an astronomical one. This
is very apparent from the story told by Herodotus (2,
42), and which he received from the priests of Thebes.
According to this narrative, Hercules was very desi-
rous of seeing Jupiter, whereas the god was unwilling
to be seen ; until, at last, Jupiter, yielding to his im-
portunity, contrived the following artifice. Having
separated the head from the body of a ram, and flayed
? ? the whole carcass, he put on the skin with the wool,
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMMONIUS.
which at that time subsisted among philosophers.
Paramrry (tip. Euaeb. , Hisl. Etc. , 6, 19) relates, that
Ammouius passed over to the legal establishment, that
is. apostatized to the pagan religion. Eusebius (/. c. ,
p. SI) nod Jerome (Z><< ,S. E. , c. 55, p. 132), on the
Muirary, assert thac Ammonius continued in the Chris-
tian faith until the end of his life. But it is probable
tka Ovo*c Christian fathers refer to another Ammoni-
us who, in the third century, wrote a Harmony of the
Gospel*, or to some other parson of this name; for
tbtr refer to the sacred books of Ammonius: whereas
Amaumitu Saccas, as his pupil Longinus attests, wrote
nothing. (Compare fabricius, Bibl. Gr. , vo! . 4, p.
160, 173. ) It is not easy, indeed, to account for the
particular* related of this philosopher, but cpon the
? apposition of his having renounced the Christian faith.
According to Uierocles \L)e Fata, up. Phot. , Bibl. , vol.
2, p 461, ed. Better), Ammonius was induced to
adopt the plan of a distinct eclectic school, by a desire
of putting an end to those contentions which had so
knitf distracted the philosophical world. Ammonius
bad many eminent followers and hearers, both pagan
and Christian, who all, doubtless, promised themselves
nuch illumination from a preceptor that undertook to
collect into a focus all the rays of ancient wisdom.
He taught his select disciples certain sublime doctrines
and mystical practices, and was called ? SeodiiaicToe,
"ihe heaven-taught philosopher. " These mysteries
were communicated to them under a solemn injunction
ofwerecy. Porphyry relates, that Plotinus, with the
rot of the disciples of Ammonius, promised not to di-
vulge certain dogmas which they learned in his school,
but to lodge them safely in their purified minds. This
circumstance accounts for the fact mentioned on the
authority of Longinus, that he left nothing in writing.
Ammonias probably died about the year 243. (En-
fAC* ffutory of Philosophy, vol. 2, p. 58, teqq. --
Compare ScJaotf, Hist. Lit. Gr. , vol. 5, p. 119, teqq. )
--III. A Christian writer, a native of Alexandrea, who
fired about 25O A. I>- He wrote a Harmony of the
Gospels,which Jerome cites with commendation. --IV.
The ton of Hermias. so called for distinction' sake
from other individuals of the name, was a native of
Alexandrea, and a disciple of Proclus. He taught
pliuoiophy at Alexandrca about the beginning of the
Bith century. His system was an eclectic one, cm-
braauj principles both derived from Aristotle and Pla-
toTKe cannot be regarded as an original thinker: he
? as very strong, however, in mathematics, and in the
study of the exact sciences, which rectified his judg-,
merii. and preserved him, no doubt, from the extrava-
gance* of the New Platonism. Ammonius has left
commentaries on the Introduction of Porphyry ; on the
Calezunes of Aribtotle, together with a life of that phi-
losopher; on his treatise of Interprejation; and scho-
fia on the first seven books of the Metaphysics. Of the
commentaries on the Introduction of Porphyry we have
the following editions: Venice, 1500, fol. , Gr. ; Ven-
<<, 1546. 8vo, op. Aid. , Gr. ; Venice, 1569, fol. , Lot.
trmmtl. --Of the commentary on the Categories, and of
that on the treatise of Interpretation, Venice, 1503, fol. ;
Venue, 1546. ap. Aid. , 8vo. Of the commentary on
the treatise of Interpretation alone, Venice, 1549, 8vo,
Gr. it Lot. The scholia on the metaphysics have
? ever been edited. (ScholL, Hitt. Lit. Gr. , vol. 7, p.
1S3. itqq. )--V. A priest of one of the Egyptian tem-
ples. He wa>> one of the literary men who fled from
-? Uexandrea to Constantinople after the destruction of
? ? the pagan temples. There he became, together with
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMP
AMPHICTYONES.
to have been a descendant of a distinguished augur
family, his grandfather having been Antiphatcs, and
his great-grandfather Melampus. From various scat-
tered accounts respecting him in the ancient writers,
the following particulars may be gleaned. He was, in
his youth, at the famous hunt of the Calydonian boar;
he afterward returned to Argos, his native city, and,
with the aid of his brother, drove Adrastus from the
throne. A reconciliation, however, taking place, the
monarch was restored to his kingdom, and gave Am-
phiaraus his sister Eriphylc in marriage. The offspring
of this union were two sons, Alcma'on and Amphilo-
chus. When Adrastus, at the request of Polyniccs,
resolved to march against Thebes, Amphiaraus was
unwilling to accompany him, for he knew that the ex-
pedition would prove fatal to himself, and he endeav-
oured also to dissuade the other chieftains from going.
Polynices thereupon presented Eriphyle with the fa-
mous necklace of Harmonia, to induce her to overcome
her husband's scruples, and she not only, in conse-
quence, made known his place of concealment, but
prevailed upon him to accompany the army. Amphi-
araus thereupon, previous to his departure, knowing
what was about to befall him, charged his son Alcma? on
to kill his mother the moment he should hear of his
father's death. The Thcban war proved fatal to the
Argivcs, and Amphiaraus, while engaged in dangerous
conflict with Periclymcnes, was swallowed up by the
earth, Jupiter having caused the ground to open for
the purpose of receiving his favourite prophet, and sa-
ving him from the dishonour of being overcome by his
antagonist. The news of his death was brought to
A li'in. vnii. who immediately executed his father's com-
mand, and murdered Eriphyle. Amphiaraus received
divine honours after death, and had a celebrated temple
and oracle at Oropos in Attica. His statue was made
of white marble, and near his temple was a fountain,
whose waters were held sacred. They only who had
consulted his oracle, or had been delivered from a dis-
ease, were permitted to bathe in it, after which they
threw pieces of gold and silver into the stream. Those
who consulted the oracle of Amphiaraus, sacrificed a
ram to the prophet, and spread the skin upon the ground,
upon which they slept, in expectation of receiving in
a dream the answer of which they were in quest.
{Apollod. , 3, 6, 2. -- Horn. , Od. , 15, 243, &c -- Msch. .
Sept. c. Theb. -- Hygm. , Fab. , 70, 73, &c. --Pausan. ,
I, 34. )
Amphicrates, I. a biographer, who, according to
Diogenes Laertius (Vit. Aristip), was condemned to
die by poison. (Compare Athaueus, 13, 5.
? ? also (9, 27) places the Amazons on this same river,
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMAZONES.
to this explanation, will be a band of warlike priest-
esses or Hierodulae, who, in renouncing maternity, and
in firing themselves up to martial exercises, sought
to imitate the periodical sterility of the great powers
of light, the sun and moon, and the combats in which
these were from time to time engaged, against the
gloomy energies of night and winter. (Crcuzer, Sym-
bolik. par Gaigniajit, vol. 3, p. 90, scqq ) That the
legend of the Amazons rests on a religious basis, we
readily admit, but that any Amazons ever existed,
wen as warlike priestesses, we do not at all believe.
The first source of error respecting them is the ety-
mology commonly assigned to the name. To derive
this from the negative a and /iil(oc, and to make
it indicate the loss of one of the breasts, is, we think,
altogether erroneous. If a Greek derivation is to be
assigned to the term Amazon, it is far more correct to
deduce tin- word from the intensive a, and fiuioc, and
to regard it as denoting, not the absence of one breast,
but the presence of many. The name 'Aiia. 'ur
(Amizon) then becomes equivalent to the Greek
Hohw inroe- (Polymastus) and the Latin Multimam-
aua. both of which epithets are applied by the ancient
mrthologists to the Ephesian Diana, with her numer-
ous breasts, as typifying the great mother and nurse
of all created beings. It is curious to connect with
this th2 well-known tradition, that the Amazons found-
ed th? city of Ephesus, and at a remote period sacri-
ficed to the goddess there. (Callim. , H. in Dian. ,
233. -- Dionys. Perie<r. , 828. ) But how does the
view which wc have just taken of the erroneous nature
o( the common etymology, in the case of the name
Amizon, harmonize with the remains of ancient sculp-
ture! In the most satisfactory manner. No monu-
ment of antiquity represents the Amazons with a mu-
tilated bosom, but, wherever their figures are given,
they have both breasts fully and plainly develo|>ed.
Thus, for example, the Amazons on the Phigaleian
frieze have both breasts entire, one being generally ex-
posed, while the other is concealed by drapery, but
still in the latter the roundness of form is very percept-
ible. Both breasts appear also in the fine figure of
the Amazon belonging to the Lansdowne collection;
and so again in the basso-relievo described by Winckel-
mann in his Monumrnti Inediti. The authorities, in-
deed on this head are altogether incontrovertible.
( Winckelmann. Gcsch. der Kunst des Allerlhums, vol.
2, p. 131. -- Id. , Mon. Ined. , pt. 2, c. 18, p. 184. --
Mailer, Arckdologie der Kunst, p. 530. -- Elgin and
Phigaleian Marbles, vol. 2, p. 179. --Heyne, ad Apol-
! :? ? ! . 2, 5, 9. ) The first Greek writer that made men-
tion of females who removed their right breast was
Hippocrates (Hcpl uepuv, k. t. X. , y 43). His remarks.
however, were meant to apply merely to the females
of the SauromaUe, a Scythian tribe; but subsequent
writers made them extend to the fabled race of the
Amazon*. --It appears to us, then, from a careful ex-
amination of the subject, that the term Amazon origi-
nally indicated neither a warlike female, nor a race of
such females, but was merely an epithet applied to the
Ephesian Diana, the great parent and source of nur-
ture, and was intended to express the most striking
of her attributes. The victories and conquests of the
Amazonian race are nothing more, then, than a figura-
tive allusion to the spread of her worship over a large
portion of the globe, and the contests with Bacchus,
Hercules, and Theseus refer in reality to the struggles
of this worship with other rival systems of faith, for
? ? Bacchus, Hercules, and Theseus are nothing more
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMB
AMBROSIUS.
Ambluareti. The ancient geographical writers are
silent respecting them.
AmbivarIti, a tribe of Gallia Belgica, a short dis-
tance beyond the Mosa or Meuse. ((? >>>. , B. G. , 4, 9. )
Amdbacia, a celebrated city of Epirus, the capital
of the country, and the royal residence of Pyrrhus
and his descendants. It was situate on the banks of
the Aracthus or Arethon, a short distance from the
waters of the Ambracian Gulf. The founders of the
place were said to have been a colony of Corinthians,
headed by Tolgus or Torgus, 650 B. C. , who was
either the brother or the son of Cvpselus, chief of
Corinth. (Strabo, 325. -- Scymn. , 'Ch. , v. 452. ) It
early acquired some maritime celebrity, by reason of
its advantageous position, and was a powerful and in-
dependent city towards the commencement of the Pe-
loponncsian war, in which it espoused the cause of Co-
rinth and Sparta. At a later period we find its in-
dependence threatened by Philip, who seems to have
entertained the project of annexing it to the dominions
of his brother-in-law, Alexander, king of the Molos-
sians. (Dcmosth , Phil. , 3. 85. ) Whether it actually
fell into the possession of that monarch is uncertain,
but there can be no doubt of its having been in the
occupation of Philip, since Diodorus Siculus (17, 3)
ass. -rtsthat the Ambraciots, on the accession of Alex-
ander the Great to the throne, ejected the Macedonian
garrison stationed in their city. Amliracia, however,
aid not long enjoy the freedom which it thus regained,
for, having fallen into the hands of Pyrrhus, we are
told that it was selected by that prince as his usual
place of residence. (Strabo, 325. -- lav , 38, 9. )
Ovid (Ibis, v. 306) seems to imply that he was inter-
red there. Many years after, being under the domin-
ion of the . Etolians, who were at that time involved
in hostilities with the Romans, this city sustained a
siege against the latter almost unequalled in the an-
nals of ancient warfare for the gallantry and perseve-
rance displayed in defence of the place. (Polyb. , Fraij. ,
22, 13. ) Ambracia, at last, opened its gates to the
foe. on a truce being concluded, and was stripped by
the Roman consul, M. Fulvius Nobilior, of all the
statues and pictures with whirh it had been so richly
adorned by Pyrrhus. From this time Ambracia began
to sink into a state of insignificance, and Augustus,
by transferring its inhabitants to Nicopolis, completed
its desolation. (Strabo, 325--Pausan , 5, 23. ) In
regard to the topography of this ancient city, most
travellers and antiquaries arc of opinion, that it must
have stood near the town of Aria, which now gives
its name to the gulf. (Cramer's Ancient Greece, vol.
1, p 145, seqq. )
AmrracTus Sinus, a gulf of the Ionian Sea be-
tween Epirus and Acarnania. Scylax (Pcripl, p. 13)
calls it the Bay of Anactorium, and observes that the
distance from its mouth to the farthest extremity was
one hundred and twenty stadia, while the entrance was
scarcely four stadia broad. Strabo (325) makes the
whole circuit three hundred stadia. (Cramer's Ancient
Greece, vol. 1, p. 153. )
Ambroses, a Gallic horde, who invaded the Roman
territories along with the Teutones and Cimbri, and
were defeated with great slaughter by Marius. The
name is thought to mean, "dwellers on the Rhone"
(Amb-rones). So Ambidravii, "dwellers'on the
Draavc;" Sigambri, "dwellers on the Sieg," <Stc.
(Compare Pfisler, Gesch. der Tcutschen, vol. 1, p.
? ? 35. )
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMI
totwoik is -;Dc Oflictt,," intended to explain the
Jnuei of Christian ministers The most accurate
afeionofhisworks is that of the Benedictines, Pans,
J<<U. fot , 1682-90. (. Gorton's Bioer. Diet , vol. 1, p.
<<? . ) ";
Antrim, a city of Phocis, said to have been
founded by the hero Anibrvssus, situate between two
etas of mountains, west of Lebedas, and north-
>>eaof Anticyra It was destroyed by the Amphic-
tjons. bat rebuilt and fortified by the Thebans. before
He iaiUe of Uhssronea. (Pausan. , 10, 3, and 36. )
Its rains were first discovered by Chandler, near the
n%e ofDyttamo. ( Cramer's Ancient Greece, vol 2,
p. 159. )
AUCBMA female minstrels, of Syrian origin, who
exercised their vocation at Rome, and were also of
dissolute lives. (Acron, ad. Herat. , Scrm. , 1,9,1. --
Kurt. Etymol. Ha. ndicortcrbu. ch, vol. 1, p. 45, seq. )
The name is supposed to be derived from the Syriac
i6iiorun6uA, " a flute. "
Anou, a surname of Castor and Pollux, in Sparta,
mi also of Jupiter and Minerva. They were so
B3'EEJ. it is said, from tlubi>~Ai'/, delay, because it was
thought that they could delay the approach of death.
Some, on the other hand, consider the term in ques-
tion to be of Latin origin, and derived from ambularc.
(Compare the remarks of Vollmer, Worterb. der My-
tU,f. T. )
AIKLES, a river of the lower world, according to
Plato, whose waters no vessel could contain: rov
'A(tt>j|7a ircrrafiov, ov rd v6tjp uyyeiov oiiiev oreyeiv.
(D; Ktf. , 1O, vol. 7, p. 229, ed. Bekk. )
AHENAXCS, a river of Sicily, near Catania. It is
now the JudiceUo. (Strabo, 360. -- Omd, Met. , 15,
S79. )
ASEEI i, one of the most considerable and ancient
dbea of L'mhria. It lay south of Tuder, and in the
TJdiuty of the Tiber. According to Cato, who is
quoted by Pliny (3, 14), Ameria could boast of an
origin greatly anterior to that of Rome, having been
foanJej, it is said, 964 years before the war with
Perseus, or 1045 years before the Christian era. Ci-
cero. in his defence of the celebrated Roscius, who
was a native of Ameria, has frequent occasion to speak
of this town. From him we learn its municipal rank,
and from Frontinus, that it became a colony under
Augustus. (Compare Strabo, 228. -- Festta, s r
Amau-) The small episcopal town of Amelia now
represents this ancient city. (Cramer's Anc. Italy,
mi. l,p. 273. )
A>>ESTB! TUS.
a town of Sicily, near the Halesus
The Romans besieged it for seven months when in
tie hands of the Carthaginians, but without . success.
It was taken, however, after a third siege, and razed
to the ground, the surviving inhabitants being sold as
slaves. Steph. Byz. calls the place Amestratus; Di-
odorus Siculus, My stratum; and Polybius, Mytttslra-
fcti>>. (Dtod. Stc. , 23,ed. 9. -- Polyb. , 1, 24. ) It is now
MistrcUa, in the Vai de Dcmona.
ASESTHIS, queen of Persia, and wife to Xerxes.
Having discovered an intrigue between her husband
an-1 Artaynta, and imputing all the blame solely to the
mother of the latter, she requested her from the king
>>t a royal festival; and, when she had her in her
power, cut off her breasts, nose, cars, lips, and tongue,
and sent her homo in this shocking condition. She
also, on another occasion, sacriBced fourteen Persian
children of noble birth. "to propitiate," says Herodo-
? ? tos, -the deity who is said to dwell beneath the
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMMON.
A M II
tepid at dawn, cool as the day advanced, very cool at
noon, diminishing in coolness as the day declined, warm
at sunset, and boiling hot at midnight Here also was
the celebrated oracle of Amnion, which Alexander the
Great visited, in order to obtain an answer respecting
the divinity of his origin. An account of the expedi-
tion is given by Plutarch (Kit. Alex. , c. 26), and, as may
well be expected, the answer of the oracle was alto-
gether acceptable to the royal visitant, though the
credit previously attached to its answers was seriously
impaired by the gross flattery which it had on this oc-
casion displayed. The temple nf Amnion, like that of
Delphi, was famed for its treasures, the varied offer-
ings of the pious; and these, in the time of the Per-
sian invasion of Egypt, excited so far the cupidity of
Cambyscs as to induce him to send a large body of
forces across the desert to seize upon the place. The
expedition, however, proved a signal failure; no ac-
counts of it were ever received, and it is probable,
therefore, that the Persian troops were purposely mis-
led on their route by the Egyptian guides, and that all
perished in the desert. (Vtd. Cambyses. )--- Herodotus
(2, 54. sciji/. ) gives us two accounts respecting the or-
igin of the temple of Amnion. One, which he heard
from the priests of Jupiter in Thebes, stated, that two
p. iesle. sses had been carried off by some Phoenicians
from Thebes, and that one of them had been conveyed
to Libya and there sold as a slave, and the other to
Greece. These two females, according to them, had
founded oracles in each of these countries. Accord-
ing to the other story, which he heard from the priest-
esses at Dodona, two black pigeons had flown
from Thebes in Egypt; one of these had passed
into Libya, the other had come to Dodona in Greece,
and both had spoken with a human voice, and di-
rected the establishment of oracles in each of these
places. --Thus much for the ordinary narrative. Am-
nion, says Plutarch (rfc /*. et Os. , p. 354), is the Egyp-
tian name for Jupiter. This god was particularly wor-
shipped at Thebes, called in the sacred books Hammon-
no, " the possession of Hammon," and in the Septua-
gint version (Ezck. , c. 20) the city of Amnion. Jablon-
? ki derives the word Amnion from Am-octn," shining. "
According, however, to Champollion the younger, the
term in question (Amon or Amen) denoted, in the
Egyptian language, "secret," "concealed," or "he
who reveals his secret powers. " It ih sometimes also,
as the same writer informs us, united with the word
Kneph, another appellation of the Supreme Being, and
from this results the compound Amcncfas (Amen-Neb)
which is found on a Greek inscription in the greater
Oasis. 'Lctronne, Kcch. xur VEpyp. , p. 237, seqq. )
The Greek etymology of the name Ammon, from upfior
or ipdfi/wr, " sand," is fanciful and visionary, and only
affords anotherproof of the constant habit inwhichthat
nation indulged, of referring so many things to them-
selves, with which they had not, in truth, the slightest
connexion. From all that has been said by the ancient
writers, it would appear very clearly, that the allusion
in the legend of Ammon is an astronomical one. This
is very apparent from the story told by Herodotus (2,
42), and which he received from the priests of Thebes.
According to this narrative, Hercules was very desi-
rous of seeing Jupiter, whereas the god was unwilling
to be seen ; until, at last, Jupiter, yielding to his im-
portunity, contrived the following artifice. Having
separated the head from the body of a ram, and flayed
? ? the whole carcass, he put on the skin with the wool,
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMMONIUS.
which at that time subsisted among philosophers.
Paramrry (tip. Euaeb. , Hisl. Etc. , 6, 19) relates, that
Ammouius passed over to the legal establishment, that
is. apostatized to the pagan religion. Eusebius (/. c. ,
p. SI) nod Jerome (Z><< ,S. E. , c. 55, p. 132), on the
Muirary, assert thac Ammonius continued in the Chris-
tian faith until the end of his life. But it is probable
tka Ovo*c Christian fathers refer to another Ammoni-
us who, in the third century, wrote a Harmony of the
Gospel*, or to some other parson of this name; for
tbtr refer to the sacred books of Ammonius: whereas
Amaumitu Saccas, as his pupil Longinus attests, wrote
nothing. (Compare fabricius, Bibl. Gr. , vo! . 4, p.
160, 173. ) It is not easy, indeed, to account for the
particular* related of this philosopher, but cpon the
? apposition of his having renounced the Christian faith.
According to Uierocles \L)e Fata, up. Phot. , Bibl. , vol.
2, p 461, ed. Better), Ammonius was induced to
adopt the plan of a distinct eclectic school, by a desire
of putting an end to those contentions which had so
knitf distracted the philosophical world. Ammonius
bad many eminent followers and hearers, both pagan
and Christian, who all, doubtless, promised themselves
nuch illumination from a preceptor that undertook to
collect into a focus all the rays of ancient wisdom.
He taught his select disciples certain sublime doctrines
and mystical practices, and was called ? SeodiiaicToe,
"ihe heaven-taught philosopher. " These mysteries
were communicated to them under a solemn injunction
ofwerecy. Porphyry relates, that Plotinus, with the
rot of the disciples of Ammonius, promised not to di-
vulge certain dogmas which they learned in his school,
but to lodge them safely in their purified minds. This
circumstance accounts for the fact mentioned on the
authority of Longinus, that he left nothing in writing.
Ammonias probably died about the year 243. (En-
fAC* ffutory of Philosophy, vol. 2, p. 58, teqq. --
Compare ScJaotf, Hist. Lit. Gr. , vol. 5, p. 119, teqq. )
--III. A Christian writer, a native of Alexandrea, who
fired about 25O A. I>- He wrote a Harmony of the
Gospels,which Jerome cites with commendation. --IV.
The ton of Hermias. so called for distinction' sake
from other individuals of the name, was a native of
Alexandrea, and a disciple of Proclus. He taught
pliuoiophy at Alexandrca about the beginning of the
Bith century. His system was an eclectic one, cm-
braauj principles both derived from Aristotle and Pla-
toTKe cannot be regarded as an original thinker: he
? as very strong, however, in mathematics, and in the
study of the exact sciences, which rectified his judg-,
merii. and preserved him, no doubt, from the extrava-
gance* of the New Platonism. Ammonius has left
commentaries on the Introduction of Porphyry ; on the
Calezunes of Aribtotle, together with a life of that phi-
losopher; on his treatise of Interprejation; and scho-
fia on the first seven books of the Metaphysics. Of the
commentaries on the Introduction of Porphyry we have
the following editions: Venice, 1500, fol. , Gr. ; Ven-
<<, 1546. 8vo, op. Aid. , Gr. ; Venice, 1569, fol. , Lot.
trmmtl. --Of the commentary on the Categories, and of
that on the treatise of Interpretation, Venice, 1503, fol. ;
Venue, 1546. ap. Aid. , 8vo. Of the commentary on
the treatise of Interpretation alone, Venice, 1549, 8vo,
Gr. it Lot. The scholia on the metaphysics have
? ever been edited. (ScholL, Hitt. Lit. Gr. , vol. 7, p.
1S3. itqq. )--V. A priest of one of the Egyptian tem-
ples. He wa>> one of the literary men who fled from
-? Uexandrea to Constantinople after the destruction of
? ? the pagan temples. There he became, together with
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:05 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? AMP
AMPHICTYONES.
to have been a descendant of a distinguished augur
family, his grandfather having been Antiphatcs, and
his great-grandfather Melampus. From various scat-
tered accounts respecting him in the ancient writers,
the following particulars may be gleaned. He was, in
his youth, at the famous hunt of the Calydonian boar;
he afterward returned to Argos, his native city, and,
with the aid of his brother, drove Adrastus from the
throne. A reconciliation, however, taking place, the
monarch was restored to his kingdom, and gave Am-
phiaraus his sister Eriphylc in marriage. The offspring
of this union were two sons, Alcma'on and Amphilo-
chus. When Adrastus, at the request of Polyniccs,
resolved to march against Thebes, Amphiaraus was
unwilling to accompany him, for he knew that the ex-
pedition would prove fatal to himself, and he endeav-
oured also to dissuade the other chieftains from going.
Polynices thereupon presented Eriphyle with the fa-
mous necklace of Harmonia, to induce her to overcome
her husband's scruples, and she not only, in conse-
quence, made known his place of concealment, but
prevailed upon him to accompany the army. Amphi-
araus thereupon, previous to his departure, knowing
what was about to befall him, charged his son Alcma? on
to kill his mother the moment he should hear of his
father's death. The Thcban war proved fatal to the
Argivcs, and Amphiaraus, while engaged in dangerous
conflict with Periclymcnes, was swallowed up by the
earth, Jupiter having caused the ground to open for
the purpose of receiving his favourite prophet, and sa-
ving him from the dishonour of being overcome by his
antagonist. The news of his death was brought to
A li'in. vnii. who immediately executed his father's com-
mand, and murdered Eriphyle. Amphiaraus received
divine honours after death, and had a celebrated temple
and oracle at Oropos in Attica. His statue was made
of white marble, and near his temple was a fountain,
whose waters were held sacred. They only who had
consulted his oracle, or had been delivered from a dis-
ease, were permitted to bathe in it, after which they
threw pieces of gold and silver into the stream. Those
who consulted the oracle of Amphiaraus, sacrificed a
ram to the prophet, and spread the skin upon the ground,
upon which they slept, in expectation of receiving in
a dream the answer of which they were in quest.
{Apollod. , 3, 6, 2. -- Horn. , Od. , 15, 243, &c -- Msch. .
Sept. c. Theb. -- Hygm. , Fab. , 70, 73, &c. --Pausan. ,
I, 34. )
Amphicrates, I. a biographer, who, according to
Diogenes Laertius (Vit. Aristip), was condemned to
die by poison. (Compare Athaueus, 13, 5.
