The History and Antiquities of the Doric Race, Vol. 1 of 2Müller, Karl Otfried
History
The History and Antiquities of the Doric Race, Vol. 1 of 2
Müller, Karl Otfried
Dorians -- History; Greece -- Antiquities, Dorian; Greece -- History -- Dorian Invasions, approximately 1125-1025 B.C.
6. The Cretan worshippers of Apollo also established some considerable
temples on the Ionian coast. The principal of these was the Didymæum, in
the territory of Miletus. Before the Ionic migration, Miletus was a Cretan
fortress, on the coast, in a country at that time called Caria.(965) The
disagreement of traditions as to whether Sarpedon or Miletus (the Cretan)
was the founder, confirms, rather than weakens, the principal fact of its
settlement from Crete, both traditions describing the same fact in a
different manner. With the founding of this stronghold was connected that
of a temple, which is ascribed to Branchus, an expiatory priest(966) of
Delphi, whose name (which was well fitted for a prophet),(967) moulded
into a patronymic form, was afterwards adopted by the priests of the
temple;(968) the temple itself, and even the place (which was also called
Didyma). Thus we here again see a fresh connexion between the Delphians
and Cretans, there being indeed hardly any distinction between them before
they were dispersed by the different migrations of the Doric race. The
worship at Didyma was in fact the same with that of Crete and Delphi;
expiatory ceremonies and prophecies being united, and the latter delivered
with rites very similar to those observed at the Pythian oracle. Apollo
was here called _Philesius_ and _Delphinius_, which names were afterwards
adopted by other Ionians;(969) with him was connected Zeus, both,
according to Callimachus, being the ancestors of Didyma; and also Artemis,
who, in an ancient hymn ascribed to Branchus, is with Apollo addressed
under the titles of ἑκάεργος and ἑκαέργη.(970) The ruins of this temple,
so highly honoured in Asia, still bear witness to its ancient fame and
splendour. From the temple to the harbour(971) Panormus there was a sacred
road adorned on both sides with more than sixty statues in a very ancient
style of workmanship: amongst these, an Egyptian lion attests the
connexion of king Necho with the oracle.(972) The Ionians of Miletus,
however, acknowledged the god of Branchidæ as the principal deity in their
town, and introduced him into their numerous colonies, from Naucratis(973)
to Cyzicus,(974) Parium,(975) Apollonia Pontica,(976) and the distant
Taurica: the coins and inscriptions of which place agree in representing
him as the guardian deity (προστάτης).(977)
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