The Geography of Strabo, Volume 2 (of 3): Literally Translated, with NotesStrabo
History
The Geography of Strabo, Volume 2 (of 3): Literally Translated, with Notes
Strabo
Geography -- Early works to 1800
3. Bœotia was first occupied by Barbarians, Aones, and Temmices, a
wandering people from Sunium, by Leleges, and Hyantes. Then the
Phœnicians, who accompanied Cadmus, possessed it. He fortified the
Cadmeian land, and transmitted the government to his descendants. The
Phœnicians founded Thebes, and added it to the Cadmeian territory. They
preserved their dominion, and exercised it over the greatest part of the
Bœotians till the time of the expedition of the Epigoni. At this period
they abandoned Thebes for a short time, but returned again. In the same
manner when they were ejected by Thracians and Pelasgi, they established
their rule in Thessaly together with the Arnæi for a long period, so
that all the inhabitants obtained the name of Bœotians. They returned
afterwards to their own country, at the time the Æolian expedition was
preparing at Aulis in Bœotia which the descendants of Orestes were
equipping for Asia. After having united the Orchomenian tract to Bœotia
(for formerly they did not form one community, nor has Homer enumerated
these people with the Bœotians, but by themselves, calling them Minyæ)
with the assistance of the Orchomenians they drove out the Pelasgi, who
went to Athens, a part of which city is called from this people
Pelasgic. The Pelasgi however settled below Hymettus. The Thracians
retreated to Parnassus. The Hyantes founded Hyampolis in Phocis.
4. Ephorus relates that the Thracians, after making treaty with the
Bœotians, attacked them by night, when encamped in a careless manner
during a time of peace. The Thracians when reproached, and accused of
breaking the treaty, replied, that they had not broken it, for the
conditions were “by day,” whereas they had made the attack by night,
whence the common proverb, “a Thracian shuffle.”
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