94 MELPOMENE.

Diana, on the led side of the entrance, and is shaded
by an olive, which grows there naturally. The youatf
men of Delos wind some of their hair round a certaar
herb, and place it on the tomb. Such are the honour*

which the Delians pay to these virgins.

XXXV. The Delians add, that in the same age,
and before the arrival of Hyperoche and Laodice at
Delos, two other Hyperborean virgins came there,
whose names were Argis and Opis; their object waa
to bring an offering to Lucina, in acknowledgment
of the happy delivery of their females; but that Ar»*l
gis and Opis were accompanied by the deities them­
selves. They are, therefore, honoured with other
solemn rites. The women assemble together, and in
a hymn composed for the occasion by Olen of Lycia,
they call on the names of Argis and Opis. Instructed
by these, the islanders and Ionians hold similar assem­
blies, introducing the same two names in their hymns.
This Olen was a native of Lycia, who composed other
ancient hymns in use at Delos. When the thighs of
the victims are consumed on the altar, the ashes are
collected and scattered over the tomb of Opis and
Argis. This tomb is behind the temple of Diana,
facing the east, and near the place where the Ceiaas
celebrate their festivals.

XXXVI. Concerning these Hyperboreans, we have
spoken sufficiently at large, for the story of Abaria,
who was said to be a Hyperborean, and to have made
a circuit of the earth without food, and carried on an
arrow, merits no attention. As there are Hyperbore­
ans, or inhabitants of the extreme parts of the north,
one would suppose there ought also to be Hyperno-
tians, or inhabitants of the corresponding parts of the
south. For my own part, I cannot but think it exf
ceedingly ridiculous to hear some men talk of the
circumference of the earth, pretending, without the
smallest reason or probability, that the ocean en­
compasses the earth; that the earth is round, as rf
mechanically formed so; and that Asia is equal
to Europe. I will, therefore, concisely describe the
figure and the size of each of these portions of the
earth.