The persons who resided in these temples are represented as persons of great strength and stature: for many of them were of the race of Anac. There is reason to think, that a custom prevailed in these places of making strangers engage in fight with some of the priests trained up for that purpose. The manner of contention was either with the cæstus, or by wrestling. And as the priest appointed for the trial was pretty sure of coming off the conqueror, the whole was looked upon as a more specious kind of sacrifice. Amycus, who was king of Bithynia, is represented as of a [[746]]gigantic size, and a great proficient with the cæstus. He was in consequence of it the terror of all strangers who came upon the coast. Cercyon of [[747]]Megara was equally famed for wrestling; by which art he slew many, whom he forced to the unequal contention. But Cercyon was the name of the [[748]]place; and they were the Cercyonians, the priests of the temple, who were noted for these achievements. Pausanias gives an account of them under the character of one person. [[749]]Ειναι δε ὁ Κερκυων λεγεται και τα αλλα αδικος εις τους ξενους, και παλαιειν ου βουλομενοις. Cercyon was in other respects lawless in his behaviour towards strangers; but especially towards those who would not contend with him in wrestling. These Cercyonians were undoubtedly priests of Ceres, or Damater: who seems to have been tired of their service, and glad to get rid of them, as we are informed by the poet.
[[750]]Quæque Ceres læto vidit pereuntia vultu
Corpora Theseâ Cercyonea manu.
Before most temples of old were areas, which were designed for Gumnasia, where these feats of exercise were performed. Lucian speaks of one before the temple of [[751]]Apollo Lucius. And Pausanias mentions that particular [[752]]parade, where Cercyon was supposed to have exhibited his art. It stood before the tomb of Alope, and was called the Palæstra of Cercyon even in the time of this writer, who takes notice of many others. He styles it ταφος Αλοπης, as if it were a tomb. But it was a Taph, or high altar, sacred to Al-Ope, Sol Pytho, who was the Deity of the place called Cer-Cuon. Before this altar was the palæstra; where the Cercyonian priests obliged people to contend with them. I have taken notice of a Pharos at [[753]]Torone, which Proteus is said to have quitted, that he might not be witness to the cruelties of his sons. He fled, it seems, to Egypt, Τεκνων αλυξας τας ξενοκτονας παλας, to shun their wicked practices: for they were so skilled in the Palæstric art, that they slew all strangers whom they forced to engage with them. Taurus, called Minotaurus, was a temple in Crete: but by the Grecians is spoken of as a person. Under this character Taurus is represented as a [[754]]renowned wrestler, and many persons are said to have been sent from Athens to be victims to his prowess. Eusebius styles him, [[755]]ωμος και ανημερος, a man of a cruel and sour disposition. After he had done much mischief, Theseus at length Ταυρον κατεπαλαισε, foiled him in his own art, and slew him. He is supposed to have done the like by Cercyon. [[756]]Λεγεται δε ὁ Κερκυων τους διασταντας παντας ες παλην [[757]]διαφθειραι πλην Θησεως. For it is said of Cercyon, that he slew every person who ventured to cope with him in wrestling, except Theseus. In all these instances the place is put for the persons who resided in it: of which mistake I have been obliged often to take notice.
Antient history affords numberless instances of this ungenerous and cruel practice. The stranger, who stood most in need of courtesy, was treated as a profest enemy: and the rites of hospitality were evaded under the undue sanction of a sacrifice to the Gods. In the history of Busiris we have an account of this custom prevailing in Egypt. [[758]]Βουσιριν δε κατα την Αιγυπτον τῳ Διι καλλιερειν σφαγιαζοντα τους παρεπιδημουντας ΞΕΝΟΥΣ. It is said of Busiris, that he used to offer to Jupiter, as the most acceptable sacrifice, all the strangers, whom chance brought into his country. There was a tradition concerning Antæus, that he covered the roof of a temple, sacred to Poseidon, with the sculls of foreigners, whom he forced to engage with him. The manner of the engagement was by [[759]]wrestling. Eryx in Sicily was a proficient in this art, and did much mischief to strangers: till he was in his turn slain. The Deity was the same in these parts, as was alluded to under the name of Taurus, and Minotaurus, in Crete; and the rites were the same. Hence Lycophron speaks of Eryx by the name of Taurus; and calls the place of exercise before the temple,
[[760]]Ταυρου γυμναδας κακοξενου
Παλης κονιστρας.
This the Scholiast interprets παλαιστραν του Ερυκος του ξενοκτονου, The Gymnasium of Eryx, who used to murder strangers. Androgeos the son of Minos came to the [[761]]like end, who had been superior to every body in this art. Euripides styles the hero Cycnus [[762]]ξενοδαικταν, on account of his cruelty to strangers. He resided it seems near the sea-coast; used to oblige every person, who travelled that way, or whom ill fortune brought on shore to contend with him. And his ambition was to be able with the skulls of the victims, which he slew, to build a temple to Apollo. [[763]]Κακοξενος ὁ Κυκνος, και εν παροδῳ της θαλασσης οικων, επεκερτομει τους παριοντας, ναον τῳ Απολλωνι βουλομενος εκ των κεφαλων οικοδομησαι. Mention is made of Lycaon, qui advenas et hospites trucidavit. He is said to have founded the temple of Jupiter [[764]]Lycæus, and to have first introduced human sacrifices, particularly those of infants. Λυκαων δε επι τον βωμον τον [[765]]Λυκαιου Διος βρεφος ηνεγκεν ανθρωπου, και εθυσε το βρεφος, και εσπεισεν επι του βωμου το ἁιμα. Lycaon was the person, who brought an infant, the offspring of a man, to the altar of Zeus Lucaios: and he slew the infant, and he sprinkled the altar with the blood which issued from it. Antinous in Homer threatens to send Irus to one Echetus, a king in Epirus, who was the dread of that country. The same threat is uttered against [[766]]Ulysses, if he should presume to bend the bow, which Penelope had laid before the suitors. Under the character of Lycaon, Cycnus, &c. we are to understand Lycaonian and Cycnean priests; which latter were from Canaan: and this method of interpretation is to be observed all through these histories. Echetus, Εχετος, was a title of Apollo, rendered more commonly [[767]]Ἑκατος by the Greeks, as if it came from the word ἑκας. It was an Amonian title by which Orus, and Osiris, were called: and this king Echetus was a priest of that family, who was named from the Deity, whom he served. The Poet styles him βροτων δηλημονα, from his cruelty to strangers.
[[768]]Πεμψω σ' Ηπειρονδε βαλων εν νηι μελαινῃ
Εις Εχετον βασιληα, βροτων δηλημονα παντων.