many ships; and that some were separated, and wandered away from the rest of the fleet; that the captains of these vessels founded colonies. He mentions, in particular, that on board one of them were the charioteers of the Tyndaride or Dioscuri, who settled colonies; and that the tribes, derived from them, took the names of Heniochi, Zygii, and Tyndarida; and the region where they established themselves, was called Dioscuris, or the land of the Dioscuri, on a bay of the Euxine sea, the last as you sail to Trapezus, a famous emporium, erected by the people of Sinope. As his authority, for this piece of ancient history, the learned bishop quotes an historian, named Chirax. The names of these tribes are obviously borrowed, from the profession or occupation of their founders, or from the illustrious brothers, in whose service they were employed. The passage of Dionysius runs as follows.

Ηνίοχοι ζεγιοι δε πελασγιδα εκγόνοι άιης

Παρ δε μυχον πονοιο μεσα χθονα τυνδαρίδαων.

Other writers inform us, that the Argonauts did not terminate their voyage, at Colchis; but wandered over the ocean and Erythrean sea.-Pindar intimates this, in the long digression, on the subject of the Argonautic expedition, in the fourth Pythic ode.

Επ' Οuava πελάγεσσι μεγεν

How ? aguJew.-L. 445.

The scholiast of Pindar, third Nemean ode, 64, quotes Hellanicus, to show, that the whole band of Argonauts joined Hercules; and assisted him, in his warfare against the Amazons, under their queen Melanippè; after which, we are told-see the fourth Pythic ode, that these heroes, in their wanderings, reached the Syrtes.-There are other writers, who say, that they sailed all about the sea coasts of Europe.

The

sea.

The learned Olaus Rudbeck, not content with the account of the wanderings of the Argonauts, given to us by the ancients, has attempted to prove, that Jason, with his companions, after they had carried off Medea, to avoid the pursuit of Eetes, sailed into the Palus Maotis; and, being borne into the mouths of the Tanais, past through a cut or canal, into the river Rha, now called the Wolga, and from thence, to the Baltic From the Baltic sea, he conducts them, to the Hyperborean tribes, and the gulf of Finland; where, having arrived, according to his hypothesis, they drew their vessel on land; and proceeded, through the river Ulense, to the Chronian sea; thence, to the Dead sea, and the Cimmerian sea. He then supposes, that they proceeded to Iernis or Ireland, and through the Western or Atlantic sea, to the pillars of Hercules; through them they past into the Mediterranean, and so home to Greece, and the port of Iolcus.—I thought this geographical romance deserved to be mentioned here, were it only to show, into what absurd reveries, men of sense and learning may sometimes be betrayed. This speculation has been fully examined and confuted, by G. Caspor Kirchmajor, in an essay on the Argonautic expedition, published at Witteburg, 1685.

It should seem, that Æetes apprehended some such attack, as this of the Argonauts, and prepared for it accordingly. For, we are told by Diodorus Siculus, whose account contains many curious particulars, that it was the practice of Ectes and his queen, to destroy ail strangers, who visited his coasts;, that Medea, his daughter, having exerted herself very much, to save the lives of many of these unfortunate people, became an object of fear and jealousy to her father; who suspected her of treachery, and secret conspiracy, with these strangers,

strangers, against his safety. On this account, he placed her under a sort of liberal confinement, in his palace. She, having escaped from thence, took refuge in the sacred grove of the sun, which was seated, near the sea shore. Just at this critical time, the Argonauts having set sail from Taurica by night, arrived at Colchis; and coasting along, in sight of the above mentioned grove, perceived Medea wandering on the beach. A mutual explanation, and consequent good understanding, soon took place, between the beautiful princess, and the illustrious voyagers. This ended in a solemn compact; the princess, on her part, engaging to assist the Argonauts, in the accomplishment of their object; and Jason, their leader, swearing that he would espouse Medea, and be faithful to her all his life. After this, the Argonauts, having left a detachment, to guard the grove and temple of the sun, proceeded, accompanied by Medea, to make the grand attempt, for possessing themselves of the golden fleece. This treasure, as we have mentioned, was deposited in the temple of Mars, and guarded by a band of Taurian soldiers, under the command of a person named Draco, -as has been already mentioned. Medea is said, by historians, to have led the Argonauts to this temple, which was distant about seventy stadii from the city, which contained the royal palace, and, according to Diodorus, was called Sybaris. Medea approaching the gates by night, and finding them closed of course, called to the guards, in the Tauric dialect. They, knowing her voice, and recognising the daughter of their king, readily opened the gates; which was no sooner done, than the Argonauts rushed in with drawn swords; cut to pieces many of the soldiers; and compelled the rest, in the utmost consternation, to betake themselves to a precipitate flight. The Argonauts then seised the golden fleece; and, returning to the shore,

exerted

exerted themselves, with the utmost haste and dili gence, to get their vessel afloat. On this transaction was founded the fable, of Medea having laid to rest, by inchantment, the wakeful dragon, that guarded the golden fleece. Eetes, being apprized of what had happened, prepared, with as many of his soldiers as he could assemble, to pursue the Greeks. He overtook

suit.

them near the shore, and a combat ensued. Iphitus, one of the Argonauts, and brother of Eurystheus, who imposed his labours on Hercules, was slain in this engagement, near its commencement. When the battle began to rage, and the Colchians furiously prest on in crouds; many of the barbarians, together with their king, fell by the hands of the Argonauts; and, particularly, by those of Meleager; their whole force was completely routed; and many of them were slain in the purSome of the principal Argonauts were wounded, particularly Jason, Meleager, and Atalanta; (for, as to the circumstance of her partaking in the expedition, Diodorus, and most other writers, who speak of these events, differ from Apollonius). The wounded were cured by Medea, by the application of certain herbs and roots. After this, the Argonauts proceeded to the Troade; and assisted Hercules and Telamon, in punishing the perfidy of Laomedon, whom they killed in battle; and placing Priam on the throne. The whole narrative, at large in Diodorus, is well worth the perusal of the learned reader:* and shows, that the Argonautic expedition must have been, as I have said, on a larger scale, and comprehended a more regular and digested plan, of invasion and warfare, than is commonly apprehended; that the most authentic accounts of it contain nothing that shock probability; and that the exploits

* See Book IV. edit. Steph. p. 174.

of

of the Argonauts were not confined to the acquisition of the golden fleece.

It is well observed, by an historian,* "That, not"withstanding many romantic fictions, that disfigure "the story of the Argonauts, their undertaking appears "to have been attended with a considerable and happy "effect on the manners, and character of the Greeks." From the æra of this celebrated expedition, we may discover, not only a more enlarged, and a more daring spirit of enterprise, but a more decisive and rapid progress, towards civilization and humanity. The sullen and unsociable chiefs, whose acquaintance with each other most commonly arose from acts of mutual hostility, hitherto gave full scope to the sanguinary passions, which characterise barbarians. Strength and courage were almost the only qualities, which they admired: they fought, and plundered, at the head of their respective tribes; while the inhabitants of the neighbouring districts were regarded as fit objects only to excite their rage, and gratify their rapacity. But these gloomy warriors, having exerted their joint valour, in a remote expedition, learned the necessity of acquiring more amiable virtues; as well as of adopting more liberal notions of the public interest: if they pretended to preserve the esteem of their equals. Military courage and address, might alone procure them the respect of their immediate followers, since the safety of the little community often depended on the warlike abilities of the chieftain; but, when several tribes had combined, in a common enterprise, there was less dependance on the prowess of any single leader. Emulation and interest naturally rendered all these leaders, as jealous of each other, as desirous of the public applause; and, in order

* Gillies.

to