4. The Elians or Epeans: who differ from the others in being formally distributed into four divisions, under four leaders, and who are therefore strictly acephalous.
5. The Nisurians, &c.
6. The people of Tricce, Ithome, and Œchalia, under the sons of Asclepius.
It is observable with respect to the four first of these, that they were all in the comparatively open, and rich country; liable, therefore, to the influences which, as Thucydides observes[887], made Bœotia, Thessaly, and most of Peloponnesus peculiarly liable to revolutions; and whence doubtless it is, that Homer has been led to tell us that Amphion and Zethus built walls for Thebes, because they could not hold it without them.
With respect to the Nisurians, in stating that they were under Pheidippus and Antiphus, Homer adds that these were (Il. ii. 679)
Θεσσαλοῦ υἷε δύω Ἡρακλείδαο ἄνακτος.
On which we may observe
1. That the power divided between them had apparently been monarchical in the preceding generation.
2. That the name of their father points to his having been born in Thessaly[888], which from its richness was peculiarly open to revolutions.