MELPOMENE. 139

This Theras was of the Cadmean family, uncle of
Eurysthenes and Procles, the sons of Aristodemus:
during the minority of his nephews, the regency of
Sparta was confided to him. When his sister's sons
grew up, and he was obliged to resign his power, he
was little inclined to acknowledge superiority where
he had been accustomed to exercise it; he therefore
refused to remain in Sparta, but determined to join
his relations. In the island now called Thera, but
formerly Callista, the posterity of Membliares, son of
Pceciles, the Phoenician, resided; to this place Cad­
mus, son of Agenor, was driven, when in search of
Europa; and either from partiality to the country, or
from prejudice of one kind or other, he left there,
?.mong other Phoenicians, Membliares, his relation.
These men inhabited the island of Callista eight years
before Theras arrived from Lacedaemon.

CXLVIII. To this people Theras came, with a se­
lect number from the different Spartan tribes: he had
no hostile views, but a sincere wish to dwell with
them on terms of friendship. The MinyeB having es­
caped from prison, and taken refuge on mount Tay>
getus, the Lacedsemonians were still determined to
put them to death; Theras, however, interceded in
their behalf, and engaged to prevail on them to quit
their situation. His proposal was accepted, and ac­
cordingly, with three vessels of thirty oars, he sailed
to join the descendants of Membliares, taking with
him only 41 small number of the Minysj. The far
greater part of them had made an attack upon the
Paroreatoe, and the Caucons, and expelled them from
their country; dividing themselves afterwards into
six bodies, they built the same number of towns,
namely, Lepreus, Magistus, Thrixas, Pyrgus, Epius,
and Nudiuu: of these, the greater part have in my
time been destroyed by the Eleans. The island be­
fore mentioned is called Theras, from the name of its
founder.

CXJJX. The son of Theras refusing to sail with
him, his father left him, as he himself observed, as a
sheep amongst wolves; from which saying, the young
man got the name of Oiolycus, which he ever after­