Lăcæna, an epithet applied to a female native of Laconia, and, among others, to Helen. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 6, li. 511.
Lăcĕdæemon, a son of Jupiter and Taygeta the daughter of Atlas, who married Sparta the daughter of Eurotas, by whom he had Amyclas and Eurydice the wife of Acrisius. He was the first who introduced the worship of the Graces in Laconia, and who first built them a temple. From Lacedæmon and his wife, the capital of Laconia was called Lacedæmon and Sparta. Apollodorus, bk. 3, ch. 10.—Hyginus, fable 155.—Pausanias, bk. 3, ch. 1.——A noble city of Peloponnesus, the capital of Laconia called also Sparta, and now known by the name of Misitra. It has been severally known by the name of Lelegia, from the Leleges the first inhabitants of the country, or from Lelex one of their kings; and Œbalia, from Œbalus the sixth king from Eurotas. It was also called Hecatompolis from the 100 cities which the whole province once contained. Lelex is supposed to have been the first king. His descendants, 13 in number, reigned successively after him, till the reign of the sons of Orestes, when the Heraclidæ recovered the Peloponnesus, about 80 years after the Trojan war. Procles and Eurysthenes, the descendants of the Heraclidæ, enjoyed the crown together, and after them it was decreed that the two families should always sit on the throne together. See: [Eurysthenes]. These two brothers began to reign B.C. 1102. Their successors in the family of Procles were called Proclidæ, and afterwards Eurypontidæ, and those of Eurysthenes, Eurysthenidæ, and afterwards Agidæ. The successors of Procles on the throne began to reign in the following order: Sous 1060 B.C., after his father had reigned 42 years; Eurypon, 1028; Prytanis, 1021; Eunomus, 986; Polydectes, 907; Lycurgus, 898; Charilaus, 873; Nicander, 809; Theopompus, 770; Zeuxidamus, 723; Anaxidamus, 690; Archidamus, 651; Agasicles, 605; Ariston, 564; Demaratus, 526; Leotychides, 491; Archidamus, 469; Agis, 427; Agesilaus, 397; Archidamus, 361; Agis II., 338; Eudamidas, 330; Archidamus, 295; Eudamidas II., 268; Agis, 244; Archidamus, 230; Euclidus, 225; Lycurgus, 219. The successors of Eurysthenes were Agis, 1059; Echestratus, 1058; Labotas, 1023; Doryssus, 986; Agesilaus, 957; Archelaus, 913; Teleclus, 853; Alcamenes, 813; Polydorus, 776; Eurycrates, 724; Anaxander, 687; Eurycrates II., 644; Leon, 607; Anaxandrides, 563; Cleomenes, 530; Leonidas, 491; Plistarchus, under guardianship of Pausanius, 480; Plistoanax, 466; Pausanius, 408; Agesipolis, 397; Cleombrotus, 380; Agesipolis II., 371; Cleomenes II., 370; Aretus or Areus, 309; Acrotatus, 265; Areus II., 264; Leonidas, 257; Cleombrotus, 243; Leonidas restored, 241; Cleomenes, 235; Agesipolis, 219. Under the two last kings, Lycurgus and Agesipolis, the monarchical power was abolished, though Machanidas the tyrant made himself absolute, B.C. 210, and Nabis, 206, for 14 years. In the year 191 B.C. Lacedæmon joined the Achæan league, and about three years after the walls were demolished by order of Philopœmen. The territories of Laconia shared the fate of the Achæn confederacy, and the whole was conquered by Mummius, 147 B.C., and converted into a Roman province. The inhabitants of Lacedæmon have rendered themselves illustrious for their courage and intrepidity, for their love of honour and liberty, and for their aversion to sloth and luxury. They were inured from their youth to labour, and their laws commanded them to make war their profession. They never applied themselves to any trade, but their only employment was arms, and they left everything else to the care of their slaves. See: [Helotæ]. They hardened their body by stripes and other manly exercises, and accustomed themselves to undergo hardships, and even to die, without fear or regret. From their valour in the field, and their moderation and temperance at home, they were courted and revered by all the neighbouring princes, and their assistance was severally implored to protect the Sicilians, Carthaginians, Thracians, Egyptians, Cyreneans, &c. They were forbidden by the laws of their country [See: [Lycurgus]] to visit foreign states, lest their morals should be corrupted by an intercourse with effeminate nations. The austere manner in which their children were educated, rendered them undaunted in the field of battle, and from this circumstance, Leonidas, with a small band, was enabled to resist the millions of the army of Xerxes at Thermopylæ. The women were as courageous as the men, and many a mother has celebrated with festivals the death of her son who had fallen in battle, or has coolly put him to death, if, by a shameful flight or loss of his arms, he brought disgrace upon his country. As to domestic manners, the Lacedæmonians as widely differed from their neighbours as in political concerns, and their noblest women were not ashamed to appear on the stage hired for money. In the affairs of Greece, the interest of the Lacedæmonians was often powerful, and obtained the superiority for 500 years. Their jealousy of the power and greatness of the Athenians is well known. The authority of their monarchs was checked by the watchful eye of the Ephori, who had the power of imprisoning the kings themselves if guilty of misdemeanours. See: [Ephori]. The Lacedæmonians are remarkable for the honour and reverence which they paid to old age. The names of Lacedæmon and Sparta are promiscuously applied to the capital of Laconia, and often confounded together. The latter was applied to the metropolis, and the former was reserved for the inhabitants of the suburbs, or rather of the country contiguous to the walls of the city. This propriety of distinction was originally observed, but in process of time it was totally lost, and both appellatives were soon synonymous, and indiscriminately applied to the city and country. See: [Sparta], [Laconia]. The place where the city stood is now called Paleo Chori (the old town), and the new one erected on its ruins at some distance on the west is called Misatra. Livy, bk. 34, ch. 33; bk. 45, ch. 28.—Strabo, bk. 8.—Thucydides, bk. 1.—Pausanias, bk. 3.—Justin, bks. 2, 3, &c.—Herodotus, bk. 1, &c.—Plutarch, Lycurgus, &c.—Diodorus.—Mela, bk. 2. There were some festivals celebrated at Lacedæmon, the names of which are not known. It was customary for the women to drag all the old bachelors round the altars, and beat them with their fists, that the shame and ignominy to which they were exposed might induce them to marry, &c. Athenæus, bk. 13.
Lăcĕdæmŏnii and Lăcĕdæmŏnes, the inhabitants of Lacedæmon. See: [Lacedæmon].
Lăcĕdæmŏnius, a son of Cimon by Clitoria. He received this name from his father’s regard for the Lacedæmonians. Plutarch.
Lăcerta, a soothsayer in Domitian’s age, who acquired immense riches by his art. Juvenal, satire 7, li. 114.
Lacetania, a district at the north of Spain. Livy, bk. 21, ch. 23.
Lachăres, a man who seized the supreme power at Athens when the city was in discord, and was banished B.C. 296. Polyænus, bk. 4.——An Athenian three times taken prisoner. He deceived his keepers, and escaped, &c. Polyænus, bk. 3.——A son of Mithridates king of Bosphorus. He was received into alliance by Lucullus.——A robber condemned by Marcus Antony.——An Egyptian, buried in the labyrinth near Arsinoe.
Laches, an Athenian general in the age of Epaminondas. Diodorus, bk. 12.——An Athenian sent with Carias at the head of a fleet in the first expedition undertaken against Sicily in the Peloponnesian war. Justin, bk. 4, ch. 3.——An artist who finished the Colossus of Rhodes.
Lăchĕsis, one of the Parcæ, whose name is derived from λαχειν, to measure out by lot. She presided over futurity, and was represented as spinning the thread of life, or, according to others, holding the spindle. She generally appeared covered with a garment variegated with stars, and holding spindles in her hand. See: [Parcæ]. Statius, Thebiad, bk. 2, li. 249.—Martial, bk. 4, ltr. 54.
Lacidas, a Greek philosopher of Cyrene, who flourished B.C. 241. His father’s name was Alexander. He was disciple of Arcesilaus, whom he succeeded in the government of the second academy. He was greatly esteemed by king Attalus, who gave him a garden where he spent his hours in study. He taught his disciples to suspend their judgment, and never speak decisively. He disgraced himself by the magnificent funeral with which he honoured a favourite goose. He died through excess of drinking. Diogenes Laërtius, bk. 4.