The History of the Manners and Customs of Ancient Greece, Volume 3 (of 3) — John Shaqi
The History of the Manners and Customs of Ancient Greece, Volume 3 (of 3)St. John, James Augustus
History
The History of the Manners and Customs of Ancient Greece, Volume 3 (of 3)
St. John, James Augustus
Greece -- Social life and customs
In another department of iniquity the Chians would appear to have been
engaged about the period of Xerxes’ expedition into Greece; I mean the
making of eunuchs for the Eastern market. Panionios, a miscreant engaged
in this traffic, who had mutilated and sold into slavery a young man
named Hermotimos, at length expiated his offence against human nature by
being himself, together with his four sons, subjected to the same
operation.[65] His countrymen, also, in process of time, were, in like
manner, compelled to drain the bitter cup of servitude. For, as we find
recorded by Nicolaos the Peripatetic, and Posidonios the Stoic, having
been subjugated by Mithridates of Cappadocia, they were delivered up to
their own slaves to be carried away captive into Colchis, which
Athenæus, a man not overburdened with religion, considers the just
punishment of their wickedness in having been the first who introduced
the slave-trade into Greece, when they might have been better served by
freemen for hire. From this ancient villany of the Chians is supposed to
have arisen the proverb—“the Chian has bought himself a master,” which
Eupolis introduced into his drama called the “Friends.”[66]
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Footnote 65:
Herod. viii. 105.
Footnote 66:
Athen. vi. 91.
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The servile war which took place among the Samians, had a more fortunate
issue, though but few particulars respecting it have come down to us. It
was related, however, by Malacos, in his annals of the Siphnians, that
Ephesos was first founded by a number of Samian slaves, who having
retired to a mountain on the island to the number of a thousand,
inflicted numerous evils on their former tyrants. These in the sixth
year of the war, having consulted the oracle, came to an understanding
with their slaves, who being permitted to depart in safety from the
island, sailed away, and became the founders of the city and people of
Ephesos.[67]
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Footnote 67:
Athen. vi. 92.
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