Læstry̆gŏnes, the most ancient inhabitants of Sicily. Some suppose them to be the same as the people of Leontium, and to have been neighbours to the Cyclops. They fed on human flesh, and when Ulysses came on their coasts, they sunk his ships and devoured his companions. See: [Antiphates]. They were of a gigantic stature, according to Homer, who, however, does not mention their country, but only speaks of Lamus as their capital. A colony of them, as some suppose, passed over into Italy, with Lamus at their head, where they built the town of Formiæ, whence the epithet of Læstrygonia is often used for that of Formiana. Pliny, bk. 3, ch. 5.—Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 14, li. 233, &c.; Fasti, bk. 4; ex Ponto, bk. 4, ltr. 10.—Tzetzes, On Lycophron, lis. 662 & 818.—Homer, Odyssey, bk. 10, li. 81.—Silius Italicus, bk. 7, li. 276.
Læta, the wife of the emperor Gratian, celebrated for her humanity and generous sentiments.
Lætoria lex, ordered that proper persons should be appointed to provide for the security and the possession of such as were insane, or squandered away their estates. It made it a high crime to abuse the weakness of persons under such circumstances. Cicero, de Officiis, bk. 3.
Lætus, a Roman whom Commodus condemned to be put to death. This violence raised Lætus against Commodus; he conspired against him, and raised Pertinax to the throne.——A general of the emperor Severus, put to death for his treachery to the emperor; or, according to others, on account of his popularity.
Lævi, the ancient inhabitants of Gallia Transpadana.
Lævīnus, a Roman consul sent against Pyrrhus, A.U.C. 474. He informed the monarch that the Romans would not accept him as an arbitrator in the war with Tarentum, and feared him not as an enemy. He was defeated by Pyrrhus.——Publius Valerius, a man despised at Rome, because he was distinguished by no good quality. Horace, bk. 1, satire 6, li. 12.
Lagaria, a town of Lucania.
Lagia, a name of the island Delos. See: [Delos].
Lagĭdes. See: [Lagus].
Laginia, a town of Caria.