a Chariot, Bees.-2. Of the Age of Men; of what pre- |ther the lessons of civil and political wisdom. He cedes and follows Birth; of the Members of the Human played a distinguished part in the history of his country Frame; of the External and Internal Parts of the Body. as ambassador to the Roman generals, and as a com-3. Of the various relations between the Members of a mander of the Achæan cavalry. At the age of about Family or a City; of Friends, Country, Love; of the 15 years he was selected by his father to join an emRelation between Master and Slave; of Metals, Trav-bassy to Egypt, which, however, was not sent. At the els, Roads; of Gayety and Sadness; of Happiness; age of 40 years he was carried as a hostage to Rome, of Rivers; of the Avaricious, the Industrious, and the and continued there for the space of 17 years. He beIdle; of Buying and Selling, &c.-4. Of the Sciences. came the friend, the adviser, and the companion in arms -5. Of the Chase, Animals, &c.-6. Of Repasts; of of the younger Scipio. In order to collect materials various Crimes, &c.-7. Of various Arts and Trades. for his great historical work, which he now projected, -8. Of Justice, and the public Administration of it. he travelled into Gaul, Spain, and even traversed a part -9. Of Cities, Edifices, Games, &c.-10. Of Vases, of the Atlantic. Scipio gave him access to the regisUtensils, &c.-The value of the work, for acquiring ters or records known by the name of libri censuales, not only a knowledge of Greek terms, but also of anti- which were preserved in the temple of Jupiter Capitoquities, is conceded by all. The interest, moreover, is linus, as well as to other historic monuments. On his considerably increased by the citations from authors return to Greece, after the decree of the senate which whose works are lost. Julius Pollux composed many granted the Achæan hostages permission to return to other works that have not come down to us, such as their homes, he proved of great service to his counDissertations (Aiahétis) and Declamations (Meλé- trymen, and endeavoured, though fruitlessly, to disTal); and among these are mentioned a discourse pro- suade them from a war with the Romans. The war nounced on the occasion of the marriage of Commo- broke out when he was in Africa, whither he had acdus, an eloge on Rome, and an accusation of Socrates. companied Scipio, and with whom he was present at the The best edition of the Onomasticon is that of Hem- taking of Carthage. He hastened home, but appears sterhusius, Amst., 1706, fol. There is a later one by to have arrived only after the fall of Corinth. Greece W. Dindorf, Lips., 1824, 5 vols., in 6 parts, contain- having been reduced under the Roman power, he traving the notes of former editors.-III. An ecclesiasti- ersed the Peloponnesus as commissary, and by his cal writer in the ninth century, not to be confounded mild and obliging deportment won the affections of with the author of the Onomasticon. He compiled a all. Some years after he travelled into Egypt; in chronology, which commences with the creation. The the year of Rome 620, he accompanied Scipio into author calls it 'IoTopía ovσiký (“ a physical history"), Spain, and finally he returned to Achaia, where he died because his work enlarges greatly respecting the crea- at the advanced age of about 82 years, of a fall from tion of the world. It is rather, however, an ecclesias- his horse.-Polybius gave to the world various historitical than a political history. The best edition is that cal writings, which are entirely lost, with the excep of Hardt, Monach, 1792, 8vo. Hardt supposed that tion of his General History ('Ioтopía кaboλiký), in this work was just newly discovered; but the Abbé forty books. It embraced a period of 53 years, from Morelli has proved that this is the same work with that the commencement of the second Punic war (A.U.C. entitled Historia Sacra ab orbe condito ad Valentinia- 555) to the reduction of Macedonia into a Roman num el Valentem Imp. a Biancono, Bonon., 1779, fol. province (A.U.C. 587). Thirty-eight books were dePOLYÆNUS, I. a native of Lampsacus, and one of voted to the events of this period; while two others the friends of Epicurus. He had attended previously precede them, and serve as an introduction to the work. to mathematical studies. (Cic., de Fin., 1, 6.)-II. A In these last the historian runs rapidly over the internative of Sardis, a sophist in the time of Julius Cæsar, val which had elapsed between the taking of Rome by and who is thought to have taken his prænomen (Ju- the Gauls and the first descent of the Romans on Sicily, lius) from the family that protected him. We have and after this enumerates what had occurred up to the four epigrams by him remaining.-III. A native of commencement of the second Punic war. His object Macedonia, a rhetorician or advocate, who flourished was to prove that the Romans did not owe their greatabout the middle of the second century of our era. He ness to a mere blind fatality; he wished it to be made published a work entitled' Erparnynuariká ("Military known by what steps, and by favour of what events, they Stratagems"), in eight books, of which the sixth and had become masters, in so short a time, of so extensive seventh are imperfect. This work, addressed to Mar- an empire. (Lucas, Ueber Polybius Darstellung des cus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, during their campaign Etolischen Bundes, Königsb., 1827, p. 6, seqq.) His against the Parthians, is of little value to military men, history is of a general nature, because he does not conbut not without interest in an historical point of view. fine himself merely to those events which related to the It is well written, though rather affected, and too much Romans, but embraces, at the same time, whatever had loaded with ornament. Polyænus has been justly cen- passed during that period among every nation of the sured for admitting into his list of stratagems instan- world. Of the 40 books which it originally compreces of treachery and perfidy unworthy of warriors, and hended, time has spared only the first five entire. Of undeserving of being regarded as ruses de guerre. He the rest, as far as the 17th, we have merely fragments, is inexcusable on another point: he mutilates and dis- though of considerable size. Of the remaining books torts facts; he wishes to convert every military opera- we have nothing left except what is found in two meation into a stratagem, particularly those of Alexander, ger abridgments which the Emperor Constantine Pora prince who contended openly with his foes, and de-phyrogenitus, in the tenth century, caused to be made tested stratagems of every kind. The most useful edi- of the whole work. The one of these is entitled "Emtion of Polyænus is that of Mursinna, Berol., 1756, bassies," or the history of treaties of peace; the other 12mo. A more correct text than the former is given is styled "Virtues and Vices." Among the fragments by Coray in the Parerga Bibl. Hell., Paris, 1809, 8vo, that remain of Polybius are from the 17th to the 40th forming the first volume of this collection. A critical chapters of the sixth book, inclusive, which treat of edition, however, is still a desideratum. (Schöll, Hist. the Roman art of war, and have often been published Lit. Gr., vol. 5, p. 268, seqq.)—IV. A native of Ath- separately under this title. That part of the history ens, an historical writer. (Euseb., Chron., 1, p. 25.) which is lost embraced a narrative of those events of POLYBIUS, an eminent Greek historian, born at Me- which the historian was himself an eyewitness; an gaiopolis, in Arcadia, about B.C. 203. His father Ly- irreparable loss for us, though Livy made frequent cortas was prætor of the Achæan republic and the friend use of it. The history of Polybius possesses, in one of Philopomen, and under the latter Polybius learn- respect, a peculiar character, distinguishing it from ed the art of war, while he received from his own fa- the works of all the historians who had preceded him. POLYBUS, a king of Corinth, and the adoptive father of Edipus. (Vid. Edipus.) He was succeeded by Adrastus, who had fled to Corinth for protection. (Pausan., 2, 6.) Not content with relating events in the order in which they had occurred, he goes back to the causes which produced them; he unfolds their attendant circumstances, and the consequences they have brought with them. He judges the actions of men, and paints the charac- POLYCARPUS, a father and martyr of the church, born ters of the principal actors. In a word, he forms the probably at Smyrna during the reign of Nero. He was judgment of the reader, and causes him to indulge in a disciple of the Apostle John, and was by him apreflections which ought to prepare him for the adminis- pointed bishop of that city; and he is thought to be tration of public affairs (Tрáyμara). Hence the title of the angel of the church of Smyrna, to whom the epishis history, 'loropia прауuатiкý. Never has a history tle in the second chapter of Revelations is addressed. been written by a man of more good sense, of more Ignatius also esteemed Polycarp highly, who, when the perspicacity, or of a sounder judgment, and one more former was condemned to die, comforted and encourafree from all manner of prejudice. Few writers have ged him in his sufferings. On the event of a controunited in a greater degree a knowledge of military and versy between the Eastern and Western churches, repolitical affairs; no one has carried farther a rigid specting the proper time for celebrating Easter, Polyimpartiality, and a respect for virtue. Cicero gives carp undertook a journey, to Rome to confer with Anian animated character of this history in his treatise cetus; but, though nothing satisfactory took place on De Oratore (2, 15.-Compare the remarks of Ast, that affair, he violently while at Rome, opposed the Grundriss der Philologic, p. 202).-The style of Po-heresies of Marcion and Valentinus, and converted lybius is not free from faults. The period when the many of their followers. During the persecution of Attic dialect was spoken in all its purity had long the Christians under Marcus Aurelius, Polycarp sufpassed away, and he wrote in the new dialect which fered martyrdom with the most heroic fortitude, A.D. had arisen after the death of Alexander. A long resi- 169. When he was going to the flames, the procondence also out of his native country, and sometimes sul offered him his life if he would blaspheme Christ, among barbarian nations, had rendered him, in some lit- to which the venerable prelate answered, "Eighty and the degree, a stranger to his mother-tongue. Though six years have I served him, and he has ever treated his diction is always noble, yet he occasionally mingles me with kindness; how, then, can I blaspheme him?" with it foreign terms, and even Latinisms. We find His "Epistles to the Philippians," the only one of his in him, too, phrases borrowed from the school of Al- pieces which has been preserved, is contained in Archexandrea, and passages taken from the poets; he loves, bishop Wake's "Genuine Epistles." The best edialso, occasional digressions; but, whenever he indulges tion of the original is that by Aldrich, Oxon., 8vo, 1708. in these, they are always instructive." In Polybius," Another edition appeared from the same press, by says Müller, "we find neither the art of Herodotus, Smith, 1709, 4to. nor the strength of Thucydides, nor the conciseness POLYCLETUS, I. a celebrated sculptor and statuary, of Xenophon, who says all in a few words: Polybius who flourished about 430 B.C. Pausanias (6, 6) calls is a statesman full of his subject, who, caring little for him an Argive; but Pliny (34, 8, 19) introduces his the approbation of literary men, writes for statesmen; name with the epithet of "Sicyonian." In order to reason is his distinctive character." (Allgemeine Ges- reconcile these two conflicting authorities, it has been chichte, 5, 2.)—Dionysius of Halicarnassus (De Comp. conjectured that the artist was descended from SicyVerb., c. 4) remarks, that no man of taste can endure onian parents, and was born at Sicyon, but was afterto read the work of Polybius to the end. It is strange ward presented by the Argives with the freedom of that he did not take into consideration the highly at their city. Another supposition is, that, when a young tractive nature of the events, and the spirit with which man, he went to Argos, in order to avail himself of they are narrated.-Besides his general history, Polyb- the instructions of the celebrated Ageladas, that he reius wrote " Memoirs of the Life of Philopamen" (lib. mained there, and having thus made Argos, as it were, 10, Exc. Peiresc., p. 28), a work on "Tactics" (lib. his second native city, styled himself on his produc9, Exc., c. 20), and a letter "on the situation of La- tions, not a Sicyonian, but an Argive. (Sillig, Dict. conia," addressed to Zeno of Rhodes (lib. 16, Exc.). Art., p. 103.)-Polycletus may be said to have perFrom a passage of Cicero, moreover (Ep. ad Fam., 5, fected that which his predecessor, Phidias, had in12), it would appear that Polybius had written a de- vented. He did not possess the grandeur of imagintached "History of the Numantine war." It is proba- ation which characterized this great artist, nor did ble that his visit to Spain, during the second consul- he even attempt, like him, to create the images of the ship of Scipio, gave him the idea of this last-mentioned most powerful deities. It seems, indeed, that he exwork, and furnished him with the materials.-Plutarch celled less in representing the robust and manly grarelates that Marcus Brutus, the assassin of Cæsar, ces of the human frame, than in the sweet, tender, and made an abridgment of the history of Polybius, and unconscious loveliness of childhood. In his works, that he was occupied with this in his tent on the even-however, he manifested an equal aspiration after ideal ing preceding the battle of Philippi. Casaubon is hence led to infer that the abridgment or epitome which we possess, from the 7th to the 17th books, may be the work of Brutus; but this abridgment is made with so little judgment that we cannot properly ascribe it to that distinguished Roman.-The best edition of Polybius is that of Schweighaeuser, Lips., 1789-95, 9 vols. 8vo. Orellius published in 1818, from the Leipsic press, the commentary of Eneas Tacticus, in one volume 8vo, as a supplement to this edition. The Excerpta Vaticana of Polybius, which Mai first made known in his "Scriptorum Veterum nova Collectio" (vol. 2, Rom., 1827, 4to, p. 369-464), were afterward published anew, under the title of "Polybii Historiarum Excerpta Vaticana," by Geel, Lugd. Bat., 1829, 8vo; and "Polybii et Appiani Historiarum Excerpta Vaticana," by Lucht, Altone, 1830, 8vo. (Schöll, Gesch. Griech. Lit., vol. 2, p. 135, seqq.Id. ib., vol. 3, p. 603.) beauty with Phidias. He seems to have laboured to render his statues perfect in their kind, by the most scrupulous care in the finishing. Hence he is said to have observed, that "the work becomes most dif- * ficult when it comes to the nail." He framed a statue of a life-guardsman (Aopvoópos, Doryphorus), so marvellously exact in its proportions, and so exquisite in its symmetry, that it was called "the Rule" (Kavív), and became the model whence artists derived their canons of criticism which determined the correctness of a work. (Plin., l. c.— Cic., Brut., 86. — Lucian, de Saltat., 75.) He executed also a statue of a youth binding a fillet (Acadovμévos, Diadumenus), of so perfect a beauty that it was valued at the high price of a hundred talents. Another of his celebrated works represented two boys playing at dice, which was regarded with the highest admiration in after days at Rome, where it was in the possession of the Emperor Titus. Polycletus is said to have carried alto-relieve which Phidias invented, to perfection. He discovered principal city with vigour, but they were finally forced the art of balancing of figures on one leg; and is said to have been so partial to this mode of representing the human form, that he almost invariably adopted it in his statues. He is accused by Varro of too great uniformity in his figures, and the constant repetition of the same idea. Nothing could exceed the exactness of symmetry with which he framed his statues; but it seems that they were destitute of passion, sentiment, and expression. It is singular that, notwithstanding the refinement, the extreme polish, and exactness of finishing with which his works were in general elaborated, he represented the hair in knots, after the fashion of the ancient sculptors. These defects, however, seem to have derogated but little from his fame, either in his own age or in after times. (Encycl. Metropol., div. 2, vol. I, p. 400, seq.)--Polycletus used, in many of his works, the brass of Egina. (Plin., 34, 2, 5.) His highest glory, perhaps, was obtained from a statue made of ivory and gold, and dedicated in the Heræum by the citizens of Argos and Mycenae. The estimation in which this work was held is evident from Strabo (551). The production itself is described in Pausanias (2, 17, 4), whose remarks are admirably illustrated by Böttiger (Andeut., 122)-Like other statuaries of the same age, Polycletus was also distinguishes as an architect, and erected a theatre, with a dome, at Epidaurus, on a piece of ground consecrated to Esculapius. This building Pausanias pronounces to be superior, in respect of symmetry and elegance, to every other theatre, not excepting even those at Rome. All ancient writers bestow the highest praises on Polyeletus. Cicero pronounces his works absolutely perfect. (Brut., 18.) Quintilian mentions his diligence and the gracefulness of his productions, but intimates that they were deficient in majestic dignity. (Quint., 12, 10) Dionysius of Halicarnassus says of his works, conjointly with those of Phidias, that they were esteemed κατὰ τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ μεγαλότεχνον καὶ ağıμariкóv (de Isocr., p. 95, ed. Sylb.). The breasts of his statues were particularly admired. (Auct. ad Herenn., 4, 6.) We find also, in other writers, several narratives illustrative of his skill, and his accurate judgment of the arts. Consult, in particular, Plutarch (Symp., 2, 3) and Ælian (V. H., 14, 8. 16). He wrote also a treatise on the Symmetry of the Members of the Human Body, of which Galen makes mention. (Περὶ τῶν καθ' Ἱπποκρ. καὶ Πλάτ., 4, 3, vol. 5, p. 449, ed. Kuhn.-Sillig, Dict. Art., p. 104.)—II. A statuary, a native of Argos, who flourished a little before Olymp. 100. He executed, among other works, a figure of Hecate at Argos, the Amyclean Venus, and a statue of Alcibiades. (Pausan., 2, 22.-Dio Chrysost., Orat., 37, vol. 2, p. 122, ed. Reiske.—Sillig, Dict. Art., p. 104.) POLYCRATES, I. a tyrant of Samos, who raised himself to the chief power, from the condition of a private person, by his abilities alone, about 566 B.C. His history is narrated at length by Herodotus. He shared, at first, the government of his country with his two 'brothers Pantaleon and Syloson; but subsequently he caused the former to be put to death, and expelled the latter; after which he reigned with undivided authority. His successes were great and rapid, and he acquired a power which made him dreaded equally by his subjects and neighbours; and his alliance was courted by some of the most powerful sovereigns of that period. He conquered the Lesbians and other islanders, and had a fleet of 100 ships, a navy superior to that of any one state recorded at so early a date. (Herod., 3, 39.--Thucyd., 1, 13.—Strab., 637.) The Samians attempted to revolt from him; but, though Chey were assisted in the undertaking by the Lacedæmonians, they failed of success, and many were driven into exile. (Herod., 3, 44, seqq.) The Spartans landed in the island with a large force, and besieged the to abandon the enterprise, after the lapse of forty days. POLYDAMAS, I. a Trojan, son of Antenor by The ano, the sister of Hecuba. He married Lycaste, a of antiquity. He was a native of Thasos, but obtained natural daughter of Priam. According to Dares, Po- the right of citizenship at Athens; and hence Theolydamas, in conjunction with Antenor and Æneas, be- phrastus calls him an Athenian (ap. Plin., 7, 56). trayed Troy to the Greeks. (Dar., Phryg., 39, seqq.) The period when he flourished has been made a mat-II. A son of Panthous, and born the same night as ter of dispute. Pliny observes, that he lived before Hector. He was distinguished for wisdom and val- the 90th Olympiad; some modern philologists, howour. Dictys of Crete makes him to have been slain ever, conjecture that the period of his fame was about by Ajax. Homer, however, is silent about the man- Olymp. 80. (Jen. Lit. Journ., 1805, vol. 3, p. 34.) ner of his death. (Dict. Cret., 2, 7.-Hom., Il., 11, As Polygnotus was born at Thasos, and was there 57.-Id. ib., 14, 458, &c.)-III. A celebrated athlete instructed by his father Aglaophon, it seems necessaof Scotussa, remarkable for his great size and strength ry to inquire at what period he removed to Athens; of body, in both of which respects he is said to have and no time can be fixed on with greater probability surpassed all the men of his time. He was conquered, than that in which Cimon returned to Athens, after indeed, according to one account, by Promachus of bringing Thasos under the dominion of his countryPallene, at the Olympic games, but this was denied men. (Müller, Nunt. Liter. Götting., 1824, scid. by his countrymen the Thessalians. (Pausan, 6, 5. 115.) It is a very consistent supposition, that Polyg-Id., 7, 27.) He is said to have killed lions with his notus accompanied Cimon on his return; and there hands, tearing them in pieces like so many lambs. existed a powerful reason for Cimon to solicit the ar(Diod. Sic., fragm., 18, p. 640, ed. Wess.) Pausa- tist to remove with him to Athens, that he might have nias, however, merely says that he met a lion on one his assistance, namely, in embellishing with paintings occasion, and, though unarmed, destroyed it in emu- those public buildings which he had either begun to lation of Hercules (6, 5). At another time he seized erect or had in contemplation. Among the most imthe largest and fiercest bull in a herd, and held it so portant of these buildings was the temple of Theseus, firmly by one of its hind legs, that the animal, after still existing, reared on the ashes of the ancient hero, many efforts, only managed to escape at length with which were brought by Cimon from Scyros. This last the loss of its hoof. He could also hold back a char- circumstance took place B.C. 469; and it is highly iot, when advancing at full speed, so firmly with one probable that in the following year the temple itself hand, that the charioteer could not urge it onward in was commenced. All these particulars concur to supthe least by the most vigorous application of the lash port the opinion that Polygnotus flourished about to his steeds. The fame of his exploits obtained for Olymp. 80.-This distinguished painter seems to have him an invitation to the court of Artaxerxes, where he contributed more largely to the advancement of his slew three of the royal body-guard, called the immor-art than all who had preceded him. Before his time, tals, who attacked him at once. He lost his life by an the countenance was represented as destitute of aniact of foolhardiness; for, having one day entered a mation and fire, and a kind of leaden dulness percave along with some friends for the purpose of carous-vaded its features. His triumph it was to kindle up ing in this cool retreat, the roof of the cave became expression in the face, and to throw feeling and intelrent on a sudden, and was on the point of falling. The lect into the whole frame. He was the Prometheus rest of the party fled; but Polydamas, endeavouring of painting. He also first represented the mouth open, to support with his arms the falling mass, was crushed so that the teeth were displayed, and occasion was beneath it. A statue was erected to him at Olympia, given to use that part of the visage in the expression on the pedestal of which was inscribed a narrative of of peculiar emotions. He first clothed his figures in his exploits. (Pausan, 6, 5.) Lucian says, that the light, airy, and transparent draperies, which he eletouch of this statue was believed to cure fevers. gantly threw about the forms of his women. (Deor. Concil., 12.) in short, the author of both delicacy and expression in the paintings of Greece: but his style is said to have been hard, and his colouring not equal to his design. His great works consisted of nose with which he adorned the Poecile (Tokian Eroά) at Athens. The decoration of this buildingas, on the part of Polygnotus, gratuitous (Plut., V.t. Cim., 4); whereas Mycon, a contemporary artist, who was employed in adorning another part of the same building, received a liberal compensation for the exertions of his genius. Polygnotus, however, was not without his reward. The Amphictyonic council offered him a public expression of thanks for having also gratuitously embellished the temple at Delphi, and decreed that, whenever he should travel, he was to be entertained at the public expense. One of his pictures was preserved at Rome, representing a man on a scaling-ladder, with a target in his hand, so contrived that it was impossible to tell whether he was going upward or descending.-Polygnotus and Mycon were the first who used, in painting, the kind of ochre termed Athenian "sil." (Plin., 33, 12, 56.) The former likewise made a kind of ink from the husks of grapes, styled “tryginon" (Plin., 35, 6, 25); and he left behind him some paintings in enamel. (Plin., 35, 11, 36) Cicero mentions him among those who executed paintings with only four colours (Cic, Brut., 18); and Quintilian observes, that his productions were very highly esteemed even in later periods. (Quintil., 12, 10.) Aristotle calls him ypapevç ηOiкóç (Polit., 8, 5); and he elsewhere contrasts the three artists, Polygnotus, Panso, and Dionysius, in that the paintings of the first were more favourable than nature, those of the POLYDECTES, king of the island of Seriphus when Danae and her son Perseus were wafted thither. (Vid. Danaë, and Perseus.) POLYDORUS, I. a son of Cadmus and Harmonia. He succeeded his father on the throne of Thebes, and married Nycteis, daughter of Nycteus, by whom he became the father of Labdacus. (Apollod., 3, 4, 2.-Id., 3, 5, 4.-Consult Heyne, ad loc.)-II. A son of Priam and Hecuba, treacherously put to death by Polymnestor, king of Thrace, to whose care his father had consigned him, on account of his early years, towards the close of the Trojan war. (Vid. Polymnestor.) According to the legend followed by Euripides, in his play of the "Hecuba," the body of the young Trojan prince was thrown into the sea, and, having been washed up by the waves on the beach, was there found by Hecuba, then a prisoner to the Greeks. Virgil, however, following a different version of the fable, makes him to have been transfixed by many spears, and these spears to have grown into trees over his corpse. When Æneas visited the Thracian coast, and was preparing to offer a sacrifice in this spot, he endeavoured to pull up some of these trees, in order to procure boughs for shading the altar. From the root of the first tree thus plucked from the earth, drops of blood issued. The same thing happened when another was pulled up; until at last the voice of Polydorus was heard from the ground, entreating Eneas to forbear. Funeral rites were thereupon prepared for him, and a tomb erected to his memory. (En., 3, 19, seqq.) POLYGNOTUS, one of the most distinguished painters He was, second more unfavourable, and those of the last exact | ymnestor by putting out his eyes. (Hygin., Jab., POLYNĪCES, a son of Edipus, king of Thebes, by Jocasta. He inherited his father's throne with his brother Eteocles, and it was agreed between the two brothers that they should reign each a year alternateniority; but, when the year was expired, he refused to resign the crown to his brother. Polynices thereupon fled to Argos, where he married Argia, the daughter of Adrastus, king of the land. Adrastus levied a large army to enforce the claims of his son-in-law to the throne, and laid siege to the city of Thebes. The command of the army was divided among seven chieftains, who were to attack each one of the seven gates of the city. All the Argive leaders, with the exception of Adrastus, were slain, and the war ended by a single combat between Eteocles and Polynices, in which both brothers fell. (Vid. Eteocles.) POLYPHEMUS, a son of Neptune, and one of the Cyclopes in Sicily. He is represented as of monstrous size, with but one eye, and that in the centre of his forehead, and as leading a pastoral life. According to the Homeric fable, Ulysses, on his return from Troy, was thrown upon that part of the coast of Sicily which was inhabited by the Cyclopes; and having, with twelve of his companions, entered the cave of Polyphemus during his absence, they were, found therein by him on his return, and were kept immured for the purpose of being devoured. Four of the companions of the Grecian chief fell a prey to the voracity of the monster; and Ulysses would probably have shared the same fate, had he not adopted the following expedient. Having intoxicated the Cyclops, he availed himself of his state of insensibility to deprive him of sight, by means of a large stake which had been discovered in the cave, and which, after having sharpened it to a point and heated it in the fire, he plunged into his eye. Polyphemus roared so loudly with pain that he roused the other Cyclopes from their mountain retreats. On inquiring the cause of his outcries, they were told by Polyphemus that No man (Ovris), the name which Ulysses had applied to himself, had inflicted the calamity, whereupon they retired to their dens, recommending him to supplicate his father Neptune for aid, since his malady came not, as he himself said, from human hands, and must therefore be a visit POLYHYMNIA and POLYMNIA, one of the Muses, daughter of Jupiter and Mnemosyne, who presided over singing and rhetoric, and was deemed the invent-ly. Eteocles first ascended the throne by right of seress of harmony. She was represented veiled in white, holding a sceptre in her left hand, and with her right raised up, as if ready to harangue. Ausonius describes her attributes in the following line," Signat cuncta manu, loquitur Polyhymnia gestu. (Idyll., ult.) The etymology of the name is disputed. According to the common acceptation of the term, it comes from roλús, "much," and iuvos, “a song" or " hymn," and indicates one who is much given to singing. Some, however, deduce it from πολύς and μνεία, memory," and therefore write the name Polymncia, making her the Muse that watches over the remembrance of things and the establishment of truth. Hence Virgil remarks, "Nam verum fateamur: amat Polymneia verum.' (Ciris, 55.-Consult Heyne, ad loc. in Var. Lect.) POLYMNESTOR Or POLYMESTOR, a king of the Thracian Chersonese, who married Ilione, one of the daughters of Priam. When Troy was besieged by the Greeks, Priam sent his youngest son Polydorus, with a large amount of treasure, to the court of Polymnestor, and consigned him to the care of that monarch. His object in doing this was to guard the young prince against the contingencies of war, and, at the same time, to provide resources for the surviving members of his family, in case Troy should fall. As long as the city withstood the attacks of its foes, Polymnestor remained faithful to his charge. But when the tidings reached him of the death of Priam and the destruction of Troy, he murdered Polydorus, and seized upon the treasure. A very short time after this, the Grecian fleet touched at the Chersonese on its return home, bearing with it the Trojan captives, in the number of whom was Hecuba, the mother of Polydorus. Here one of the female Trojans discovered the corpse of the young prince amid the waves on the shore, Polymnestor having thrown it into the sea. The dreadful intelligence was immediately communicated to Hecuba, who, calling to mind the fearful dreams which had visited her during the previous night, immediately concluded that Polymnestor was the murderer. Resolving to avenge the death of her son, and having obtain-ation from Jove. The monster then, having removed ed from Agamemnon a promise that he would not in- the immense stone which blocked up the mouth of the terfere, she enticed Polymnestor within, under a prom- cave, placed himself at its entrance to prevent the esise of showing him where some treasures were hid, and cape of his enemies. Ulysses, however, eluded his then, with the aid of the other female captives, she de- vigilance by fastening the sheep together, "three and prived him of sight, having first murdered before his three," with osier bands, and by tying one of his comeyes his two sons who had accompanied him. () (Eu- panions beneath the middle one of every three. In rip., Hec.)- Hyginus gives a different version of the this way the whole party passed out safely, the hero legend. According to this writer, when Polydorus himself bringing up the rear, and clinging to the belly was sent to Thrace, his sister Ilione, apprehensive of of a thick-fleeced and favourite ram. (Hom, Od., 9, her husband's cruelty, changed him for her son Diphi-172, seqq.) Virgil has embellished his neid by inJus, who was of the same age, so that Polydorus pass-terweaving the story of Ulysses and the Cyclops. He ed for her son, and Diphilus for her brother, the mon- feigns that the prince of Ithaca, in the hurry of dearch being altogether unacquainted with the imposi-parture, had left behind him one of his followers, AchaAfter the destruction of Troy, the conquerors, menides by name, who, after supporting a miserable who wished the house and family of Priam to be ex-existence in the woods by the meager fare of roots tirpated, offered Electra, the daughter of Agamemnon, and berries, gladly threw himself into the hands of the in marriage to Polynestor, if he would destroy Ilione Trojans when Eneas was coasting along the island and Polydorus. The march accepted the offer, and of Sicily. (Virg., En., 3, 588, seqq.) Homer reimmediately murdered his son Diphilus, whom he lates, that it was the wrath of Neptune for the injury had been taught to regard as Polydorus. Polydorus, inflicted on his son by Ulysses that induced the god who passed as the son of Polymnestor, consulted the to destroy his vessel on the Phaeacian coast. (Öd., oracle after the murder of Diphilus; and when he was 11, 101, seqq.-Od., 5, 286, seqq.) informed that his father was dead, his mother a captive in the hands of the Greeks, and his country in ruins, he communicated the answer of the god to Ilione, whom he had always regarded as his parent. Ilione told him the measures she had pursued to save his life, and upon this he avenged the perfidy of Pol tion. POLYSPERCHON, an Etolian, a general of Alexander's, who commanded the Stymphæans in the battle of Arbela, and afterward subdued Bubacene for the conqueror. The freedom of his remarks on a subse quent occasion, when he saw a Persian prostrating himself before Alexander, so offended that prince, tha |