Lasthĕnes, a governor of Olynthus, corrupted by Philip king of Macedonia.——A Cretan demagogue, conquered by Metellus the Roman general.——A cruel minister at the court of the Seleucidæ, kings of Syria.
Lasthĕnīa, a woman who disguised herself to come and hear Plato’s lectures. Diogenes Laërtius.
Latăgus, a king of Pontus, who assisted Æetes against the Argonauts, and was killed by Darapes. Flaccus, bk. 5, li. 584.——One of the companions of Æneas, killed by Mezentius. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 10, li. 697.
Laterānus Plautus, a Roman consul elect, A.D. 65. A conspiracy with Piso against the emperor Nero proved fatal to him. He was led to execution, where he refused to confess the associates of the conspiracy, and did not even frown at the executioner who was as guilty as himself; but when a first blow could not sever his head from his body, he looked at the executioner, and shaking his head, he returned it to the hatchet with the greatest composure, and it was cut off. There exists now a celebrated palace at Rome, which derives its name from its ancient possessors the Laterani.
Latĕrium, the villa of Quintus Cicero at Arpinum, near the Liris. Cicero, Letters to Atticus, bk. 10, ltr. 1; bk. 4, ltr. 7; Letters to his Friends, bk. 3, ltr. 1.—Pliny, bk. 15, ch. 15.
Latiālis, a surname of Jupiter, who was worshipped by the inhabitants of Latium upon mount Albanus at stated times. The festivals, which were first instituted by Tarquin the Proud, lasted 15 days. Livy, bk. 21. See: [Feriæ Latinæ].
Latīni, the inhabitants of Latium. See: [Latium].
Latīnus Latiaris, a celebrated informer, &c. Tacitus.
Latīnus, a son of Faunus by Marica, king of the Aborigines in Italy, who from him were called Latini. He married Amata, by whom he had a son and a daughter. The son died in his infancy, and the daughter, called Lavinia, was secretly promised in marriage by her mother to Turnus king of the Rutuli, one of her most powerful admirers. The gods opposed this union, and the oracles declared that Lavinia must become the wife of a foreign prince. The arrival of Æneas in Italy seemed favourable to this prediction, and Latinus, by offering his daughter to the foreign prince, and making him his friend and ally, seemed to have fulfilled the commands of the oracle. Turnus, however, disapproved of the conduct of Latinus; he claimed Lavinia as his lawful wife, and prepared to support his cause by arms. Æneas took up arms in his own defence, and Latium was the seat of the war. After mutual losses it was agreed that the quarrel should be decided by the two rivals, and Latinus promised his daughter to the conqueror. Æneas obtained the victory and married Lavinia. Latinus soon after died, and was succeeded by his son-in-law. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 9, &c.—Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 13, &c.; Fasti, bk. 2, &c.—Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 1, ch. 13.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 1, &c.—Justin, bk. 43, ch. 1.——A son of Sylvius Æneas, surnamed also Sylvius. He was the fifth king of the Latins, and succeeded his father. He was father to Alba his successor. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 1, ch. 15.—Livy, bk. 2, ch. 3.——A son of Ulysses and Circe also bore this name.
Lătium, a country of Italy near the river Tiber. It was originally very circumscribed, extending only from the Tiber to Circeii, but afterwards it comprehended the territories of the Volsci, Æqui, Hernici, Ausones, Umbri, and Rutuli. The first inhabitants were called Aborigines, and received the name of Latini, from Latinus their king. According to others the word is derived from lateo, to conceal, because Saturn concealed himself there when flying the resentment of his son Jupiter. Laurentum was the capital of the country in the reign of Latinus, Lavinium under Æneas, and Alba under Ascanius. See: [Alba]. The Latins, though originally known only among their neighbours, soon rose in consequence when Romulus had founded the city of Rome in their country. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 7, li. 38; bk. 8, li. 322.—Strabo, bk. 5.—Dionysius of Halicarnassus.—Justin, bk. 20, ch. 1.—Plutarch, Romulus.—Pliny, bk. 3, ch. 12.—Tacitus, bk. 4, Annals, ch. 5.