strued by him into an omen of future success. Having collected, therefore, a band of robbers, and having roused the people of India to a change of affairs, he finally attained to sovereign power, and made himself master of a part of the country which had been previously in the hands of Seleucus. It is said, that, while waging war, and before coming to the throne, a wild elephant of very large size approached him on one occasion, and with the greatest docility suffered him to mount on its back, and used after this to bear him into the fight. (Justin, 15, 4.) The Sandrocottus of the Greeks is thought to be the same with the Chandragoupta of the Hindu writers. And Chandragoupta (i. e., "saved the moon") is regarded by many as a mere epithet or surname of the Hindu monarch Vischarada. (De Marles, Hist. de l'Inde, vol. 3, p. 255.-Id. ib., vol. 1, p. 420.)

SANGARIUS, a river of Asia Minor, rising near a place called Sangia (Zayyía), in Mount Adoreus, a branch of Mount Dindymus, in Galatia, and falling into the Euxine on the coast of Bithynia. Its source was 150 stadia from Pessinus. According to Strabo (543), it formed the true eastern boundary of Bithynia, and his account coincides in this with that of the earlier writers. (Scylax, p. 34.—Apoll. Rhod., 2, 724.) The Bithynian kings, however, gradually extended their dominions farther to the east, and the Romans gave the country a still farther enlargement on this side. This river is called Sangaris by Constantine Porphyrogenitus (1, 5), and Sagaris by Ovid (ep. e Pont., 4, 10). The modern name is the Sakaria. (Mannert's Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 3, p. 607.)

SANNYRION, an Athenian comic poet, contemporary with Aristophanes. Little is known of him. One of his plays, entitled Aavún (Danaë), in which he burlesqued a verse of the Orestes of Euripides (Schol. ad Aristoph., Ran, P. 142.Schol. ad Eurip., Orest., 279), appears to have been acted about 407 B.C. (Clinton, Fast. Hellen., p. 81.) Another comedy of his, entitled Teλws (“Laughter"), is also mentioned. (Clinton, Fast. Hellen., p. 91.- Bentley's Phalaris, vol. 1, p. 261, ed. Dyce.)

SANTONES, a people of Gallia Aquitanica, north of the mouth of the Garumna, on the coast. Their capital was Mediolanum Santonum, now Saintes. (Plin., 4, 19.-Cas., B. G., 1, 10.—Id. ibid., 3, 11)

taking a war against the Romans, he attempted to enlarge his dominions, and to add the provinces on the west of the Euphrates to his empire. Julian marched against him, but fell by a mortal wound. Jovian, who succeeded Julian, made peace with Sapor; but the monarch, always restless and indefatigable, renewed hostilities, invaded Armenia, and defeated the Emperor Valens. Sapor died A.D. 380, after a reign of 70 years, in which he had often been the sport of fortune. He was succeeded by Artaxerxes, and Artaxerxes by Sapor III., a prince who died after a reign of five, years, A.D. 389, in the age of Theodosius the Great.

SAPPHO, I. a celebrated poetess, a native of Mytilene in the island of Lesbos, and nearly contemporaneous with her countryman Alcæus, although she must have been younger, since she was still alive in 568 B.C. About 596 B.C. she sailed from Mytilene in order to take refuge in Sicily. (Marm. Par., ep. 36.) The cause of her flight appears to have been a political one, and she must at that time have been in the bloom of her life. At a much later period she produced the ode mentioned by Herodotus (2, 135), in which she reproaches her brother Charaxus for having purchased Rhodopis, and for having been induced by his love to emancipate her. (Muller, Hist. Grec. Liter., p. 172) Of all the females that ever cultivated the poetic art, Sappho was certainly the most eminent, and ancient Greece fully testified its high sense of her powers by bestowing on her the appellation of the "Tenth Muse." How great, indeed, was Sappho's fame among the Greeks, and how rapidly it spread throughout Greece itself, may be seen in the history of Solon, who was contemporary with the Lesbian poetess. Hearing his nephew recite one of her poems, he is said to have exclaimed that he would not willingly die till he had learned it by heart. (Stobaus, Serm., 29, 28.) Indeed, the whole voice of antiquity has declared that the poetry of Sappho was unrivalled in grace and sweetness. This decision has been confirmed by posterity, though we have only a few verses remaining of her poetic effusions; for these are of a high character, and stamped with the true impress of genius.-The history of Sappho is involved in great uncertainty. It is known that, as we have already stated, she was born at Mytilene, in the island of Lesbos; but if we subject to a rigorous criticism the opinion so generally received in relation to her amorous propensities, and the misfortunes attendant upon these, we will come to the conclusion that the story of her passion for Phaon and its tragical consequences is a SAPOR, I. a king of Persia, who succeeded his fa- mere fiction. It is certain that Sappho, in her odes, ther, Artaxerxes, about the 238th year of the Christian made frequent mention of a youth, to whom she gave era. Naturally fierce and ambitious, Sapor wished to her whole heart, while he requited her passion with increase his paternal dominions by conquest; and, as cold indifference. But there is no trace whatever of the indolence of the emperors of Rome seemed favour- her having named the object of her passion, or sought able to his views, he laid waste the provinces of Meso- to win his favour by her beautiful verses. The prepotamia, Syria, and Cilicia; and he might have be- tended name of this youth, Phaon, although frequentcome master of all Asia if Odenatus had not stopped ly mentioned in the Attic comedies, appears not to his progress. If Gordian attempted to repel him, his have occurred in the poetry of Sappho. If Phaon had efforts were weak, and Philip, who succeeded him on been named in her verses, the opinion could not have the imperial throne, bought the peace of Sapor with arisen that it was the courtesan Sappho, and not the money. Valerian, who was afterward invested with poetess, who was in love with Phaon. (Athenæus, the purple, marched against the Persian monarch, but 13, p. 596, c.) Moreover, the marvellous stories of was defeated and taken prisoner. Odenatus no soon- the beauty of Phaon have manifestly been borrowed er heard that the Roman emperor was a captive in from the myth of Adonis. (Müller, Hist. Gr. Lit., the hands of Sapor, than he attempted to release him p. 174.) According to the ordinary account, Sappho, by force of arms. The forces of Persia were cut to despised by Phaon, took the leap from the Leucadian pieces, the wives and treasures of the monarch fell rock, in the hope of finding a cure for the pangs of uninto the hands of the conqueror, and Odenatus pene-requited love. But even this is rather a poetical imtrated, with little opposition, into the very heart of the age than a real event in the life of Sappho. The Leukingdom. Sapor, soon after this defeat, was assassi-cadian leap was a religious rite, belonging to the exnated by his subjects, A.D. 273, after a reign of 32 years. He was succeeded by his son, called Hormisdas.-II The second of that name, succeeded his father Hormisdas on the throne of Persia. He was as great as his ancestor of the same name, and by under

SAPIS, a river of Cisalpine Gaul, rising in Umbria, and falling into the Hadriatic below Ravenna. It is now the Savio or Alps. It was also called Isapis. (Plin., 3, 15.-Sil. Ital., 8, 449.-Lucan., 2, 405.)

piatory festivals of Apollo, which were celebrated in this as in other parts of Grecce. At appointed times, criminals, selected as expiatory victims, were thrown from the high overhanging rock into the sea: they were, however, sometimes caught at the bottom, and,

if saved, were sent away from Leucadia. (Concern- | Sappho did not derogate from her moral worth, when ing the connexion of this custom with the worship of he calls her "violet-crowned, pure, sweetly-smiling Apollo, see Müller's Dorians, b. 1, ch. 11, 10.) Sappho." (Alcaus, fragm., 38, ed. Blomf.)-Sappho's This custom was applied in various ways by the poets misfortunes arose not, therefore, from disappointed of the time to the description of lovers. Stesichorus, love; they had, on the contrary, a political origin, and in his poetical novel named Calyce, spoke of the love terminated in exile. It is probable that, being drawn of a virtuous maiden for a youth who despised her into a conspiracy against Pittacus, tyrant of Mytilene, passion; and, in despair, she threw herself from the by the persuasions of Alcæus, she was banished from Leucadian rock. The effect of the leap in the story Lesbos along with that poet and his partisans. (Marm., of Sappho (namely, the curing her of her intolerable Oxon., ep. 37.) She retired, as we have already repassion) must, therefore, have been unknown to Ste- marked, to Sicily. We know nothing farther of the sichorus. Some years later, Anacreon says in an ode, life of Sappho. Her productions, which gained for "Again casting myself from the Leucadian rock, I her so exalted a reputation, are almost equally unplunged into the gray sea, drunk with love" (ap. He- known. All that has reached us consists of, 1. A phæst., p. 130). The poet can scarcely, by these beautiful Ode to Venus, in the Sapphic measure, prewords, be supposed to say that he cures himself of a served by Dionysius of Halicarnassus.-2. A second vehement passion, but rather means to describe the ode, in the same measure, still more beautiful, dedelicious intoxication of violent love. The story of scriptive of the tumultuous emotions of love, and preSappho's leap probably originated in some poetical im- served in part by Longinus.-3. Various fragments, ages and relations of this kind; a similar story is told all unfortunately very short, found in Aristotle, Pluof Venus in regard to her lament for Adonis. (Ptol., tarch, Athenæus, Stobæus, Hephaestion, Macrobius, Hephast, ap. Phot., cod., 191.-ed. Bekk., vol. 1, p. Eustathius, and others.-4. Three epigrams.--Sap153.) Nevertheless, it is not unlikely that the leap pho also composed hymns to the gods, in which she from the Leucadian rock may really have been made, invoked them to come from their favourite abodes in in ancient times, by desperate and frantic persons. different countries; but there is little information exAnother proof of the fictitious character of the story is, tant respecting their contents.-The poems of Sappho that it leaves the principal point in uncertainty, name- are little susceptible of division into distinct classes. ly, whether Sappho survived the leap or perished in it. Hence the ancient critics divided them into books, (Müller, Hist. Gr. Lit., p. 175.)—It appears that merely according to the metre, the first containing the Sappho became united in marriage to an individual odes in the Sapphic measure, for the poetess enriched named Cercolas, and the fruit of this union was a the melody of the language by a lyric measure of the daughter, named Cleis (Kariç), who is mentioned by most harmonious character, called after her own name; the poetess in one of her fragments. Having lost her a measure which Catullus and Horace afterward introhusband, Sappho turned her attention to literary pur- duced with so much success into the Latin tongue.suits, and inspired many of the Lesbian females with The best text of Sappho is that given by Blomfield, in a taste for similar occupations. She composed lyric the Museum Criticum (vol. 1, p. 3, seqq.). The best pieces, of which she left nine books, elegies, hymns, and fullest edition, however, is that of Neue, Berol., &c. The admiration which these productions excited 1827, 4to. (Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 1, p. 205.— was universal; her contemporaries carried it to the Müller, Hist. Lit. Gr., p. 172.-Barnes, Vit. Anacr., highest pitch of enthusiasm, and saw in her a superior p. 29.-Bayle, Dict., s. v. Sappho.)-II. A native of being the Lesbians placed her image on their coins, Eresus, in the island of Lesbos, for a long time conas that of a divinity.-Sappho had assembled around founded with Sappho of Mytilene. The distinction her a number of young females, natives of Lesbos, between the two has only been recently drawn, and whom she instructed music and poetry. They re- the memory of the celebrated poetess has at last been vered her as their benefactress, and her attachment to freed from the dishonourable imputations which had them was of the most affectionate description. This been so long attached to it. An ancient medal, brought intimacy was made a pretext by the licentious spirit of from Greece in 1822, presents, along with the name later ages for the most dishonourable calumnies. An EA1142 (Sappho), a female head, with the letters expression in Horace (“ mascula Sappho," Ep., 1, 19, EPECI (Eresi), the allusion being to the Lesbian city 28) has been thought to countenance this charge, but of Eresus, where the medal was struck. (Consu's De its meaning has been grossly misunderstood; and, Hautcroche, Notice sur la courtisane Sappho d'Eresus, what is still more to the purpose, it would appear that Paris, 1822.) This settles the question as to there the illustrious poetess has been ignorantly confounded having been two Sapphos, both natives of the same with a dissolute female of the same name, a native of island. The period when this second Sappho flourLesbos, though not of Mytilene. (Vid. Sappho II.) ished is far from being easy to determine. That she Indeed, as the Abbé Barthelemy has remarked, the ac- was a female of some celebrity appears evident from counts that have reached us respecting the licentious the inhabitants of Eresus having stamped her image character of Sappho, have come only from writers long on their coins; but, unfortunately, we have only a few subsequent to the age in which she lived. Sappho, words, scattered here and there in ancient authors, relthe favoured of the Muses, was, as we have just en- ative to this namesake of the Mytilenaan Sappho. deavoured to show, never enamoured of Phaon, nor The first of these authors is the historian Nymphis, did she ever make the leap of Leucadia. Indeed, the cited by Athenæus (13, p. 596, c), who speaks of severity with which Sappho censured her brother Cha- Sappho, a courtesan of Eresus, as having been enamraxus for his love for the courtesan Rhodopis, enables oured of Phaon (Kaì ʼn ¿§ 'Epéσov dé riç étaipa Zaxus to form some judgment of the principles by which φω, τοῦ καλοῦ Φάωνος ἐρασθεῖσα, περιβόητος ἦν, ὡς she guided her own conduct. For although, at the ono Nuupis v Hɛpinky 'Acíaç).—The second autime when she wrote this ode to him, the fire of youth- thority is Elian (Var. Hist., 12, 19), who remarks, ful passion had been quenched within her breast, yet "I learn, too, that there was also another Sappho in she never could have reproached her brother with his the island of Lesbos, a courtesan, not a poetess" (IIvvlove for a courtesan, if she had herself been a courte-θάνομαι δὲ, ὅτι καὶ ἑτέρα ἐν τῇ Λέσβῳ ἐγένετο Σαπφώ, san in her youth; and Charaxus might have retaliated upon her with additional strength. Besides, we may plainly discern the feeling of unimpeached honour due to a freeborn and well-educated maiden, in the verses which refer to the relation of Alcæus and Sappho Alcæus testifies that the attractions and loveliness of

:

éтaipa, où πoinтpia).-A third authority is Suidas, who distinguishes between Sappho the poetess, and Sappho who was enamoured of Phaon, and who leaped from Leucate; only by some negligence or other be makes the poetess a native of Eresus, and the other of Mytilene. The fact of the existence of two Sapphos

voluptuous retreat, and appeared at the head of bis armies. The rebels were defeated in three successive battles; but at last Sardanapalus was beaten and besieged in the city of Ninus for two years. When all appeared lost, he burned himself in his palace, with his eunuchs, concubines, and all his treasures, and the empire of Assyria was divided among the conspirators. This event happened B.C. 820, according to Eusebius; though Justin and others, with less probability, place it 80 years earlier. (Herod., 2, 150 -Cic., Tusc., 5, 35.)

SARDI, the inhabitants of Sardinia. (Vid. Sardinia.)

SARDES. Vid. Sardis.

being thus proved by the testimony of three authors, it remains to examine which of the two was the one that loved Phaon, and leaped in despair from the promontory of Leucate. Herodotus, the oldest author that makes mention of Sappho, only knew the native of Mytilene. He is silent respecting her love for Phaon, and, considering the discursive nature of his history, he no doubt would have mentioned it had the circumstance been true. Hermesianax, a piece of whose on the loves of poets is quoted by Athenæus (13, p. 598, seqq.), speaks of Sappho's attachment for Anacreon, but is silent respecting Phaon, when, in fact, her fatal passion for the latter, and particularly its sad catastrophe, suited so well the spirit of his piece, that he could not have avoided mentioning them had they been true. In an epigram by Antipater of Sidon (Ep., 70.-Jacobs's Anthologia Gr., vol. 2, p. 25), relative to the death of Sappho, that poet is not only silent respecting her tragical end at Leucate, but, according to him, she fell in the course of nature, and her tomb was in her native island. In the Bibliotheca of Photius, to which we have already referred (vol. 1, p. 153, ed. Bekker), an extract is given from a work of Ptolemy, son of Hephæstion, in which is detailed a kind of history of the leaps from Leucate. It is remarkable that no mention is made in this account of the fate of Sappho, although many instances are cited of those who had made the hazardous experiment. All these negative authorities would seem to more than counterbalance the testimony of Ovid, who, in one of his Heroïdes, confounds the female who was enamoured of Phaon with the lyric poetess-According to Strabo (452), Menander made Sappho to have been the first that ever took the leap. (Menandri, Reliq., ed. Meineke, p. 105.) Now Menander lived in the fourth century before our era, and the existence of the Sappho, therefore, who threw herself from the rock of Leucate, may be traced up as far at least as three centuries prior to the Christian era. It does not, however, go back as far as the fifth century, since Herodotus, who flourish ed at that period, makes no mention of the tragic end of the Mytilenian poetess the natural inference, therefore, is, that Sappho of Mytilene did not leap from the promontory of Leucate, and that Sappho of Eresus, who did, was not born when Herodotus wrote his history.-Visconti has the merit of having been the first modern writer who suspected that the episode of Phaon and the catastrophe at Leucate belonged rather to the second than the first Sappho. (Iconogr. Greca, vol. 1, p. 81, seqq.) His suspicions would have been changed into certainty if he could have foreseen the discovery of the ancient medal, brought to light after his decease, and which so fully establishes the existence of a second Sappho, a native of Eresus. (Biogr. Univ., vol. 40, p. 398.-Compare the remarks of Welcker, Sappho von einem herr-" Sardiniam Timæus Sandaliotim appellavit ab effigie schenden vorurtheil befreyt, Gött., 1816, 8vo.)

SARDICA OF SERDICA, and also ULPIA SARDICA, a city belonging originally to Thrace, but subsequently included within the limits of Dacia Ripensis, and made the capital of this province. It was situated in a fertile plain, through which flowed the river Escus. The Emperor Maximian was born in its vicinity, and it is known in the annals of the Church from a council having been held within its walls. Attila destroyed the city, but it was rebuilt, and the name changed by the Bulgarians to Triaditza, under which appellation it still exists. (Eutrop., 9, 22.-Nicetas, 3.) SARDINIA, an island in the Mediterranean, south of Corsica and west of Italy. The oldest Greek form for the name was Zapdó, undeclined, but of the feminine gender, which the Latins converted into Sardinia. Herodotus writes c Zapdú; Scylax and Scymnus give no inflections of the word; and Diodorus, in most instances, follows the original usage. (Herod., 1, 170.-Id., 5, 106.-Scylax, p. 2.—Scymn., ch. v., 204.- Diod., 4, 29, 82, &c.) At a later period the form began to be gradually declined, and hence we have Zapdóva in Polybius, though he gives Zapd (from which others have the genitive Zapdos) as the form of the nominative. Strabo writes Zapdó, gen. Zapdóvoç. The inhabitants were called Sardoi (Zapdot) and Sardonii (Zapdóvtot); the Romans named them Sardi, rarely Sardinienses-Scylax gives the distance between Sardinia and the mainland as one and a half days' sail, or 750 stadia; this, however, is too small, and Artemidorus is more correct when he makes it 1200 stadia. (Scylax, p. 2.-Strabo, 222.) That the island can be seen on a clear day from the coast of Italy, we learn from Strabo, and also from modern travellers. The area of Sardinia is given at the present day at 9200 miles, and the number of the inhabitants is estimated at about 4,000,000.-The Greeks compared the shape of this island to that of the human foot, and hence the appellation of Ichnusa that was sometimes given to it (lxvovoa-ixvos, vestigium). Others, from its resemblance to the lower part of the sandal, term it Sandaliotis. (Vid. Ichnusa, and compare the remark of Pliny, 3, 7,

soleæ, Myrsilus Ichnusam a similitudine vestigii.") SARACENI, or, more correctly, ARRACENI, a name first-Sardinia may be called a mountainous island, a belonging to a people in Arabia Felix, and derived most probably from that of the town Arra. The application of the name Saraceni to all the Arabians, and thence to all Mohammedans, is of comparatively recent origin. Ammianus Marcellinus employs the term in question as having been used by others before him. (Ammianus Marcell., 14, 4; 22, 15; 23, 6; 24, 2.)

SARDANAPALUS, the last king of Assyria, infamous for his luxury and voluptuousness. The greatest part of his time was spent in the company of his wives and favourites, and the monarch generally appeared in the midst of them disguised in the habit of a female, and spinning wool for his amusement. This effemiBacy irritated his officers; Belesis and Arsaces conspired against him, and collected a numerous force to dethrone him. Sardanapalus quitted for a while his

chain of mountains running through it from north to south, though nearer to the eastern than the western coast. From the northern part of this chain another rises, which proceeds from east to west, and which separates the island, as it were, into two parts, from the present Capo Comino to Capo Malargin. This cross range is called by Ptolemy Maivóueva opn (Insani Montes-"The Mad Mountains"). The mountains of Sardinia exercise a very important influence on the character of its coast, on the temperature, and on the productiveness of the island. The numerous side ranges, running down to the very coast, form spacious bays, and, on the southern and western shores, safe harbours. On the east side of the island, however, the cliffs are high and steep, and scarcely afford anywhere a safe anchoring place; while gusts of wind frequently blow with very sudden and great fury

.

from the interior of the mountain ranges, and do great the Etrurians and Tyrrhenians, under Phorcys, a son damage to vessels along these shores. Hence proba- of Neptune: these settled on the eastern coast. (Serbly the appellation of Insani Montes," and hence, vius, ad Virg., Æn., 5, 829.) At a subsequent petoo, the language of Claudian (Bell. Gildon., v. 512), riod, Sardus, a son of Hercules, led a colony thither. “Insanos infamat navita montes." Along the whole He introduced among the rude inhabitants, who were range, therefore, of the eastern coast, although so con- accustomed to dwell in caves, the first rudiments of veniently situated for intercourse with Italy, the an- civilization; taught them agriculture, and was their cients had but one harbour, Olbia, and that far to the earliest lawgiver. In gratitude to him, they called the north; and in modern days, too, no place of any im- island after his name, Sardinia; sent, at a later period, portance is found along this part of Sardinia. The his statue to Delphi, and worshipped him as a god mountain atmosphere was healthy, but the rugged na- under the appellation of Sardus pater, whence arose ture of the ranges and the wild character of the in- the forms Sardipater and Sardopater. (Serv. ad Virg., habitants forbade any attempts at cultivation. In the En., 8, 564.) After the Libyans came a colony of western and southern parts, on the other hand, the soil Iberians under Norax, from Bætica. He settled in was fertile and well cultivated, but the climate very the southern part of the island, and founded the city unhealthy. Thus Mela remarks (2,7), “ ut fecunda ita of Nora, which he called after his own name. Trapæne pestilens insula." The noxious effects of the dition also makes Aristaus, the father of Actæon, to climate were still more sensibly felt by strangers than have come to Sardinia with some Grecian followers by natives. Hence, whenever the Romans wished to after the death of his son. (Sil. Ital., 12, 368.) He designate a particularly unhealthy region, they named was the first to plant trees, and to teach the inhabiSardinia; and so greatly did they dread the effects of tants how to make oil and cheese.-As regards the its climate, that they never ventured to keep a stand- Grecian settlements in this island, it may be remarked, ing force in it for any length of time. (Cic., ep. ad that, though the date of their first coming cannot be Quint., fratrem, 2, 3.—Strabo, 225.) The principal ascertained, it would appear, however, to have taken causes of this unhealthiness were the pools of stag-place at a very early period. The first of these colonant water in the hollows of the island, and the want of northerly winds. These winds were kept off, as Pausanias believed (10, 17), by the mountains of Corsica and even of Italy. The Insani Montes also contributed their share in producing this. (Claudian, Bell. Gildonic., v. 512, seqq.)-The fertility of the island is attested by all the ancient writers; neither was it infested by any snakes, nor by any beasts of prey. Rome obtained her supplies of grain not only from Sicily, but also from Sardinia; large quantities of salt, too, as in modern times, were manufactured on the western and southern coasts. The ancient writers speak of mines, and Solinus (c. 11) of silver ones: the names of various places in the island indi- | cate a mining country, as Metalla, Insula Plumbaria, &c.; and Ptolemy makes mention of several mineral springs and baths. Two products of the island, how ever, deserve particular notice. One of these is its wool. Numerous herds of cattle were reared in the island, as might be expected among a people who paid little attention to, and derived little subsistence from agriculture. (Diod., 5, 15.) It must be remarked, however, that the animals chiefly killed for food were of a mongrel kind, begotten between a sheep and a goat, and called musmones. (Plin,, 49.—Pausan., 10, 17.) They were covered with a long and coarse hair, and their skins served for the common clothing of the mountaineers, whom Livy hence styles Pelliti. In winter they wore the hair inward. (Elian, H. A., 16, 34.) In war they had small bucklers covered with these skins. They were named from this attire Mastrucati; and the Mastrucati Latrunculi were of ten very dangerous antagonists for the Romans. The other remarkable product of Sardinia was a species of wild parsley (apiastrum), called by Solinus herba Sardonia. It grew very abundantly around springs and wet places. Whoever ate of it died, apparently laughing; in other words, the nerves became contracted, and the lips of the sufferer assumed the appearance of an involuntary and painful laugh. Hence the expression Sardonicus risus. (Pausan., 10, 17. -Solin., c. 11.—Plin, 20, 11.) It must be remarked, however, that the phrase ucidnoɛ Zapdóviov occurs also in Homer (Od., 20, 302), and that other explanations besides the one just mentioned are given by Eustathius.Whence Sardinia received its first inhabitants we are not informed by any ancient writer. They speak, indeed, of settlements made at various times in the island, but the new-comers always found a rude race of inhabitants already in possession. The fest that migrated to Sardinia were said to have been

nies was that led by Iolaus. He brought with him
many of the Thespiade or sons of Hercules, together
with a considerable number of Attic families. The
inhabitants of the part conquered by him were called
from him Iolaï, and even at the present day a part of
the territory of Cagliari is styled Euradoria di Iola.
(Diod. Sic., 4, 24, &c.-Id., 5, 15.) The fertility of
Sardinia soon invited over numerous Grecian settlers;
and various petty republics were established, independ-
ent of each other. All of these engaged with activ
ity in agriculture and commerce, and all rendered di-
vine honours to Sardus, Aristæus, and Iolaus. Traces
of Grecian customs and attire are said still to remain.
(Hörschelmann, Geschichte der Sardinien, p. 7.) The
Carthaginians would seem to have obtained a footing
in Sardinia at a very early period, as the situation of
the island in a commercial point of view was too im-
portant to be neglected. Its fertility, moreover, made
it one of their granaries, and they used every means
in their power to promote agricultural labours. Sar-
dinia fell into the hands of the Romans 237 B.C., in
the interval between the first and second Punic wars.
Its new masters could only, as the Carthaginians had
done before them, obtain possession, for a long period,
of the shores of the island. The inhabitants of the
interior defended themselves successfully for nearly,
100 years. Indeed, it may be said that Sardinia was
never completely subdued by the Roman arms (Strabo,
225), and the predatory movements of the mountain-
eers still occasioned trouble in the days of the emper-
ors. (Tac., Ann., 2, 85.) In the fifth century it fell
into the hands of the Vandals. (Procop., Bell. Vand.,
2, 13.) The interior of the island, even at the present
day, exhibits an astonishing degree of barbarism: the
peasants are still dressed in leather or skins, and the
mountains are still infested by banditti.—The present
island of Sardinia presents many monuments that re-
call the successive sway of its several conquerors.
The most remarkable, however, of these, are the very
ancient structures called Nurages or Nuraghes, which
have exercised the sagacity of various travellers. The
number of these monuments is about 600. Those
which are entire are 50 feet high, with a diameter of
90 feet at the base, and terminating at the summit in
a cone. They are built on little hills, in a plain, of
different sorts of stone, and, in some cases, are sur-
rounded by a wall. The blocks of stone are of large
size, and put together without cement. Some nura-
ghes are flanked by cones, to the number of from three
to seven, which are grouped around the principal cone;
they form a kind of casemates. The encompassing