[[709]]Non tibi succurrit crudi Diomedis imago,
Efferus humanâ qui dape pavit equos?
Abderus, the founder of Abdera, is supposed to have been a victim to these animals: of which Scymnus Chius gives the following account.
[[710]]Των δ' επι θαλαττῃ κειμενων εστιν πολις
Αβδηρ', απ' Αβδηρου μεν ωνομασμενη,
Του και κτισαντος προτερον αυτην· ὁς δοκει
Ὑπο των Διομηδους ὑστερον ξενοκτονων
Ἱππων φθαρηναι.
These horses, ξενοκτονοι, which fed upon the flesh of strangers, were the priests of Hippa, and of Dionusus, styled Hippus, or more properly Hippius. They seem to have resided in an island, and probably in the Thracian Chersonese: which they denominated [[711]]Diu-Medes, or the island of the Egyptian Deity Medes. From hence the Grecian Poets have formed a personage Diomedes, whom they have made king of the country. There were opposite to Apulia islands of the same name, where similar rites prevailed. The priests were here Cycneans, and described as a species of swans, who were kind to people of their own race, but cruel to [[712]]strangers. A Diomedes is supposed to have been a king in these parts, and to have given name to these islands. It is said by Scymnus Chios above, that Abderus, who was devoured by the horses of Diomedes in Thrace, built the city, which bore his name. The Grecians continually supposed the personage, in whose honour a city was built, to have been the founder. I have mentioned, that Abderus signifies the place of Abdir, which is a contraction of Abadir, the serpent Deity Ad-Ur, or Adorus. And it is plain from many passages in antient writers, that human sacrifices were common at his shrine; and particularly those of infants. By Abdera being a victim to the horses of Diomedes is meant that the natives of that place, which stood in the vicinity of the Chersonesus, were obliged to submit to the cruel rites of the Diomedean [[713]]priests. The very name must have come from them; for they worshipped the Deity under the titles of Meed, Hippa, and Abadir; and various other appellations.
There is an account given by [[714]]Palæphatus of one Metra, who in the more authentic manuscripts is called Μηστρα, Meestra. It is said of her, that she could change herself into various forms, particularly εκ κορης γενεσθαι βουν, και αυθις κυνα, και ορνεον, that she would instead of a young woman appear an ox, or a cow; or else be in the shape of a dog, or of a bird. She is represented as the daughter of Eresicthon: and these uncommon properties are mentioned by Ovid[[715]], who sets them off with much embellishment. The story at bottom is very plain. Egypt, the land of the Mizraim, was by the Greeks often styled [[716]]Mestra and [[717]]Mestraia: and by the person here called Mestra we are certainly to understand a woman of that country. She was sometimes mentioned simply as a Cahen, or priestess, which the Grecians have rendered κυνα, a dog. Women in this sacred capacity attended at the shrine of Apis, and Mneuis; and of the sacred heifer at Onuphis. Some of them in different countries were styled Cygneans, and also Peleiadæ, of whom the principal were the women at [[718]]Dodona. Many of them were priestesses of Hippa, and upon that account styled Hippai, as I have shewn. Hence the mythologists under the character of Meestra have represented an Egyptian priestess, who could assume many departments, which were misconstrued different shapes. She could become, if we may credit Ovid,