Gorgŏphŏnus, a son of Electryon and Anaxo. Apollodorus, bk. 2, ch. 4.
Gorgŏphŏra, a surname of Minerva, from her ægis, on which was the head of the Gorgon Medusa. Cicero.
Gorgus, the son of Aristomenes the Messenian. He was married, when young, to a virgin, by his father, who had experienced the greatest kindnesses from her humanity, and had been enabled to conquer seven Cretans who had attempted his life, &c. Pausanias, bk. 4, ch. 19.——A son of Theron tyrant of Agrigentum.——A man whose knowledge of metals proved very serviceable to Alexander, &c.
Gorgythion, a son of Priam, killed by Teucer. Homer, Iliad, bk. 8.
Gortuæ, a people of Eubœa, who fought with the Medes at the battle of Arbela. Curtius, bk. 4, ch. 12.
Gortyn, Gortys, and Gortȳna, an inland town of Crete. It was on the inhabitants of this place that Annibal, to save his money, practised an artifice recorded in Cornelius Nepos, Hannibal, ch. 9.—Pliny, bk. 4, ch. 12.—Lucan, bk. 6, li. 214; bk. 7, li. 214.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 11, li. 773.
Gortȳnia, a town of Arcadia in Peloponnesus. Pausanias, bk. 8, ch. 28.
Gotthi, a celebrated nation of Germany, called also Gothones, Gutones, Gythones, and Guttones. They were warriors by profession, as well as all their savage neighbours. They extended their power over all parts of the world, and chiefly directed their arms against the Roman empire. Their first attempt against Rome was on the provinces of Greece, whence they were driven by Constantine. They plundered Rome, under Alaric, one of their most celebrated kings, A.D. 410. From becoming the enemies of the Romans, the Goths gradually became their mercenaries; and as they were powerful and united, they soon dictated to their imperial masters, and introduced disorder, anarchy, and revolutions in the west of Europe. Tacitus, Annals, bk. 2, ch. 2, &c.
Gracchus Tiberius Sempronius, father of Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, twice consul, and once censor, was distinguished by his integrity as well as his prudence and superior ability, both in the senate and at the head of the armies. He made war in Gaul, and met with much success in Spain. He married Sempronia, of the family of the Scipios, a woman of great virtue, piety, and learning. Cicero, On Oratory, bk. 1, ch. 48. Their children, Tiberius and Caius, who had been educated under the watchful eye of their mother, rendered themselves famous for their eloquence, seditions, and an obstinate attachment to the interests of the populace, which at last proved fatal to them. With a winning eloquence, affected moderation, and uncommon popularity, Tiberius began to renew the Agrarian law, which had already caused such dissensions at Rome. See: [Agraria]. By the means of violence, his proposition passed into a law, and he was appointed commissioner, with his father-in-law Appius Claudius and his brother Caius, to make an equal division of the lands among the people. The riches of Attalus, which were left to the Roman people by will, were distributed without opposition; and Tiberius enjoyed the triumph of his successful enterprise, when he was assassinated in the midst of his adherents by Publius Nasica, while the populace were all unanimous to re-elect him to serve the office of tribune the following year. The death of Tiberius checked for a while the friends of the people; but Caius, spurred by ambition and furious zeal, attempted to remove every obstacle which stood in his way by force and violence. He supported the cause of the people with more vehemence, but less moderation than Tiberius; and his success served only to awaken his ambition, and animate his resentment against the nobles. With the privileges of a tribune, he soon became the arbiter of the republic, and treated the patricians with contempt. This behaviour hastened the ruin of Caius, and in the tumult he fled to the temple of Diana, where his friends prevented him from committing suicide. This increased the sedition, and he was murdered by order of the consul Opimius, B.C. 121, about 13 years after the unfortunate end of Tiberius. His body was thrown into the Tiber, and his wife was forbidden to put on mourning for his death. Caius has been accused of having stained his hands in the blood of Scipio Africanus the younger, who was found murdered in his bed. Plutarch, Parallel Lives.—Cicero, Catiline, ch. 1.—Lucan, bk. 6, li. 796.—Florus, bk. 2, ch. 17; bk. 3, ch. 14, &c.——Sempronius, a Roman, banished to the coast of Africa for his adulteries with Julia the daughter of Augustus. He was assassinated by order of Tiberius, after he had been banished 14 years. Julia also shared his fate. Tacitus, Annals, bk. 1, ch. 53.——A general of the Sabines, taken by Quinctius Cincinnatus.——A Roman consul, defeated by Annibal, &c. Cornelius Nepos, Hannibal.
Grādīvus, a surname of Mars among the Romans, perhaps from κραδαινειν, brandishing a spear. Though he had a temple without the walls of Rome, and though Numa had established the Salii, yet his favourite residence was supposed to be among the fierce and savage Thracians and Getæ, over whom he particularly presided. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 3, li. 35.—Homer, Iliad.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 20; bk. 2, ch. 45.