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OPIS, a city on the river Tigris, in Assyria, west of Artemita. It is probably the same with that which Pliny calls Antiochia. (Herodotus, 1, 189.-Xen., Anab., 2, 4.-Pliny, 6, 27.)

OPPIA LEX, by C. Oppius, a tribune of the commons, A.U.C. 540. It required that no woman should have in her dress above half an ounce of gold, nor wear a garment of different colours, nor ride in a carriage in the city or in any town, or within a mile of it, unless upon occasion of a public sacrifice. This sumptuary law was made during the public distresses consequent on Hannibal's being in Italy. It was repealed eighteen years afterward, on the petition of the Roman ladies, though strenuously opposed by Cato. (Livy, 34, 1.-Tacit., Ann., 3, 33.)

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summer was so great as to produce an extraordinary ing" ("lževriká), “ Hunting” (Kvvnyeriká), and “Fishfertility and excellence in all the fruits of the earthing" (Ahievriká).—The 'ISEUTIR consisted of two throughout Italy. Hence the Opimian wine became books according to Suidas, or rather of five accordfamous to a late period. (Vid. Falernus.) ing to the anonymous Greek author of Oppian's life, and are no longer extant; but a Greek paraphrase in prose, by Eutecnius, of three books, was published in 1792 (Havnia, 8vo, ed. E. Windingius), which is also inserted in Schneider's edition of Oppian, Argent., OPITERGIUM, a city of Venetia in Northern Italy, 8vo, 1776.-The "Cynegetica" are written in hexamon the right bank of the river Plavis. It is now Odez-eter verse, consist of about 2100 lines, and are divided zo, a town of some consequence. (Strabo, 214.- into four books. They display a very fair knowledge Pliny, 3, 19.) The Opitergini Montes are in the of natural history, with which, however, a good many neighbourhood of this place, and among them rises the absurd fables are mixed up. The Halieutica" are Liquentia or Livenza. also written in hexameter verse, and consist of five books, of which the first two contain the natural history of fishes, and the last three the art of fishing. In this poem, as in the "Cynegetica," the author displays considerable zoological knowledge, though it contains several fables and absurdities. The "Halieutica” are much superior to the "Cynegetica" in point of style and poetical embellishment, and it is partly on account of this great disparity that it has been supposed that the two poems were not composed by the same person. But there are other and stronger reasons in support of this opinion (which was first put forth by OPPIANUS, an eminent Greek grammarian and poet Schneider, in the preface to his first edition of Oppian's of Cilicia, two of whose works are still extant un- works), rendering it almost certain that, though by der the titles " Cynegetica" (Kvvnyetiká), or “On the universal consent of antiquity Oppian wrote a Hunting" and "Halieutica" (ALEVTIKÚ), or "On poem on hunting, yet it cannot be that which now goes Fishing." The time and place of his birth are not under his name. Oppian was, as we have seen, a Cifully agreed upon. Syncellus (Chronogr., p. 352, seq.) lician, but the author of the " Cynegetica" tells us and Jerome (Chronic.) place him in the reign of Mar- distinctly, in two different passages, that his native cus Aurelius Antoninus; but Sozomen (Præf. ad place was a city on the Orontes in Syria (probably Hist. Eccles.), Suidas (s. v. 'Оññιavós), and others, Apamea, lib. 2, v. 125, seqq. — Ib., v. 156, seq). make him to have lived in the time of Severus; and Schneider supposes that the two Oppians were either though Oppian, in both his poems, addresses the em- father and son, or uncle and nephew. This opinion peror by the name “Antoninus,” it is more than proba- respecting two Oppians has been denied by Belin de ble that Caracalla is meant, as this appellation was con- Ballu, who published an edition of the "Cynegetica" ferred upon him when he was associated with his father in 1786, Argent., 4to and 8vo, and who, as Dibdis in the empire (A.D. 198.-Herodian, 2, 10), and as says, "seems to have entered upon the task almost exthis is the name by which he is commonly designated pressly with a determination to oppose the authority by the ancient historians, Herodian, Dio Cassius, &c. and controvert the positions of Schneider;" but it is As to his birthplace, Suidas supposes it to have been only by altering the text in both passages (and that, Corycus, but the anonymous author of the Greek life too, not very skilfully) that he has been able to reconof Oppian, and most other authorities, say that he was cile them with the commonly-received opinion that the born at Anazarba, a city which also gave birth to Dios- poem is the work of Oppian. In Schneider's second corides. His father appears to have been a person of edition he continues to hold his former opinion, and resome consideration in his native city, for he was ban-plies to the objections of Belin de Ballu. It appears, ished to the island of Melita, in the Hadriatic, by Sev- from an allusion to fishing and the sea deities, in the erus, for suffering himself to be so entirely engrossed first book of the “ Cynegetica” (v. 77, seqq.), that this by his philosophical studies as to neglect coming in per- poem was composed after the "Halieutica," and as a son, along with his fellow-citizens, to pay his respects sort of supplement or companion to it; and this has to the emperor, when, in taking a progress through tended to confirm the common opinion that both poems Cilicia, the latter made his entrance into Anazarba. were written by the same author.-With regard to the He was accompanied in his exile by his son Oppian, poetical merits of Oppian, he seems to be one of those who had enjoyed the advantage of an excellent educa- poets whose works have been more praised than read. tion under the superintendence of his father, and who Julius Cæsar Scaliger pronounces him to be "a subnow began to devote himself to poetry. Accordingly, lime and incomparable poet, the most perfect writer he now composed his poem on fishing, and presented it among the Greeks, and the only one of them that ever to the Emperor Severus (Sozomen, Præf. ad Hist. Ec- came up to Virgil." (Poët.,5,9.) Sir Thomas Browne cles.), or, more probably (Suidas, s. v. 'Оññiavós.— calls him "one of the best epic poets," and "wonders Oppian, Halieut., 1, 3.-Id. ib., 4, 5), to his son Car- that his elegant lines should be so much neglected (Vulacalla, who was so much pleased with it that he not gar Errors, 1, 8); and if, as Rapin says, he is someonly repealed the sentence of his father's banishment, times dry (Reflex. sur la Poétique, p. 176), it may fairly but also presented Oppian with a piece of gold for be accounted for and excused when we consider the each verse that it contained. Suidas says that he re- unpropitious nature of his subject." His style is florid ceived on this occasion 20,000 gold pieces; but he and copious, the language upon the whole very good, must have counted the verses contained in all Oppian's though (as is noticed by Heinsius, ad Nonni Dionys, poems, since the Halieutica consisted of only about p. 197) it is now and then deformed by Latinisms.3500. Reckoning the aureus at about $3 40 cts. of The last and (as far as it goes) the best edition of Opour currency, the sum received by the poet will be pian's two poems is Schneider's second one, which nearly $12,000. The verses of Oppian might there- unhappily is unfinished, Lips., 8vo, 1813. The most fore well be called xpvou trŋ,"golden verses." complete edition is that published by Schneider in 1776, (Sozomen, l. c.)-Oppian died of the plague shortly Argent., 8vo, containing also the paraphrase of the after his return to his native country, at the early age Ixeutica," by Eutecnius, to which we have already of thirty, leaving behind him three poems, on "Hawk-referred. Schneider published some addenda to this

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edition in his Analecta Critica, Francof., 1777, 8vo, Fascic., 1, p. 31, seqq.-(Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. 459, seqq.-Schöll, Hist. Lit. Gr., vol. 4, p. 67.) OPS, called also Tellus, the goddess of the Earth, and the same with the Rhea of the Greeks. (Vid. Rhea.) Another form of her name was Opis. The appellation Ops or Opis is plainly connected with opes, "wealth," of which the earth is the bestower; and her festival, the Opalia, was on the same day with the original Saturnalia. (Macrob., Sat., 1, 10.-Varro, L. b., 5, p. 57.-Keightley's Mythology, p. 525.)

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pear that oracles, like those of Dodona or Delphi, were ever established among them; and we find that the oracles of Greece, and particularly the far-famed one of Delphi, were consulted by them on many important occasions. (Livy, 5, 15. — Id., 22, 57, &c.) - The importance attached by the Greeks and Romans to oracular responses is a striking feature in the history of that people. Hardly any enterprise, whether public or private, of any moment, was undertaken without recourse being had to them, and their sanction being obtained. In later times, indeed, their influence was greatly diminished, and thus gradually fell into disre

Opus (gen. Opuntis), one of the most ancient cities of Greece, the capital of the Locri Opuntii, whose ter-pute. Cicero affirms, that, long before his age, even ritory lay to the north of Boeotia. According to Strabo, it was fifteen stadia from the sea, and the distance between it and Cynus, its emporium, was sixty stadia. (Strabo, 425.) Livy places Opus, however, only one mile from the sea (28, 6).-This place is celebrated by Pindar as the domain of Deucalion and Pyrrha (Ol., 9, 62), and by Homer as the birthplace of Patroclus. (Iliad, 18, 325.) The form of government adopted by the Opuntians was peculiar, since, as we learn from Aristotle, they intrusted the sole administration to one magistrate. (Polit., 3, 16.) Plutarch commends their piety and observance of religious rites. Herodotus informs us that they furnished seven ships to the Greek fleet at Artemisium (8, 1). They were subsequently conquered by Myronides, the Athenian general. In the war between Antigonus and Cassander, Opus, having favoured the latter, was besieged by Ptolemy, a general in the service of Antigonus. It was occupied several years after by Attalus, king of Pergamus, in the Macedonian war; but, on the advance of Philip, son of Demetrius, he was forced to make a precipitate retreat to his ships, and narrowly escaped being taken. (Livy, 28, 6)—The position of this town has not been precisely determined by the researches of modern travellers. (Wheler's Travels, p. 575.-Melet., Geogr., 2, p. 323.-Dodwell, vol. 2, p. 58.-Gell's Itinerary, p. 229.) Its ruins are laid down, in Lapie's map, a little to the southwest of Alachi, and east of Talanta. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 2, p. 117, seqq.)

the Delphic oracle was regarded by many with contempt; and there is little doubt that oracles were con sidered by philosophers as nothing different from what they really were, and by politicians as instruments which could be used for their purposes.-The modes in which oracular responses were delivered were various. At Dodona they issued from the sacred oaks, or were obtained from the sounds produced by the lashing of a brazen caldron. At Delphi they were delivered by the Pythia after she had inhaled the vapour that proceeded from the sacred fissure. At Memphis, a favourable or unfavourable answer was supposed to be returned, according as Apis received or rejected what was offered him. (Vid. Apis.) Sometimes the reply was given by letter: and sometimes the required information could be obtained only by casting lots, the lots being dice with certain characters engraven on them, the meaning of which was ascertained by referring to an explanatory table. Dreams, visions, and preternatural voices also announced the will of the divinities.--Bishop Sherlock, in his discourses concerning the use and intent of prophecy, expresses his opinion that it is impicus to disbelieve the heathen oracles, and to deny them to have been given out by the Evil Spirit. Dr. Middleton, however, in his Examination, &c., confesses that he, for his own part, is guilty of this very impiety, and that he thinks himself warranted to pronounce, from the authority of the best and wisest heathens, and the evidence of these oracles, as well as from the nature of the thing itself, that they ORACULUM, an oracle. The primary and proper sig-were all a mere imposture, wholly invented and supnification of the term is that of a response from an ora- ported by human craft, without any supernatural aid or cle, and Cicero says that "oracula" were so called interposition whatever. He adds that Eusebius de"quod inest in his Deorum oratio." (Top., 20.) The clares that there were 600 authors among the heathens word, however, is frequently employed to denote the themselves who had publicly written against the reality place whence the answers of divinities, as regarded the of them. Although the primitive fathers constantly events of the future, were supposed to be obtained. affirmed them to be the real effects of a supernatural Oracular responses were called by the Greeks xpnouoí power, and given out by the devil, yet M. de Fonteor μavrela; the name uavrelov was also often given nelle maintains, that while they preferred this way of to the oracular place, or seat of the oracle.-Curiosity combating the authority of the oracles, as most comregarding the future, and the desire to penetrate its modious to themselves and the state of the controversy mysteries, are dispositions which excite a powerful between them and the heathens, yet they believed them control over the minds of men in every stage of soci- at the same time to be nothing else but the effects of ety. Among nations that have made little advance- human fraud and contrivance, which he has illustrated ment in civilization and intelligence, they operate with by the examples of Clemens of Alexandrea, Origen, peculiar force; and in these dispositions, combined and Eusebius.-Another circumstance respecting the with the belief that the gods had both the ability and the ancient oracles, which has given birth to much controinclination to afford the knowledge so eagerly sought versy, is the time when they ceased altogether to give after, the oracles of the pagan world had their origin. responses. Eusebius was the first who propounded Of these oracles the most famous were those of Greece, the opinion that they became silent ever after the birth and among them the three most noted were those of of Christ; and many writers, willing thus to do honDodona, Delphi, and Trophonius. In the number of our to the author of Christianity, have given it their other noted oracles of antiquity may be mentioned that support. Milton makes allusion to this theory also in of Jupiter Ammon in the deserts of Libya, of the the most magnificent of all his minor poems, "The Branchide in Ionia, of Pella in Macedonia, of the head Hymn of the Nativity." But the circumstance that of Orpheus at Lesbos, &c. There were also current may be made available for the purpose of poetical orin Greece numerous so-called prophecies, the produc-nament_happens unfortunately to be contrary to the tion of individuals who were probably supposed to fact. It appears from the edicts of the emperors speak under a divine influence. Such were those of Theodosius, Gratian, and Valentinian, that oracles exBacis and Musæus, in which the battle of Salamis was isted, and were occasionally, at least, consulted as late predicted; and that of Lysistratus, an Athenian. (He- as A.D. 358. About that period they entirely ceased, rod., 8, 96.)-Though the Romans had various modes though for several centuries previous they had sunk of ascertaining the will of the deities, it does not ap- I very low in public esteem. So few resorted to them,

that it was no longer a matter of interest to maintain | prediction which he believed he was eluding: it is not them. Towards this consummation Christianity pow- Croesus alone who rushes to his own destruction by erfully contributed, by the superior enlightenment marching against the King of Persia, because the gods which it carried along with it wherever it was intro- had announced to him that, by crossing a certain river, duced, and by the display which it made of the false- he would overthrow a great empire; at a much later hood and folly of the superstitions which it was des- period than all this we find the Pythoness inducing the tined to overthrow. (Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 16, p. Lacedæmonians by a response of similar ambiguity to 464, seq.)-The Grecian oracles, or, at least, the most engage in a war with the Tegeans, who put them to celebrated of them, were of foreign origin, and were the rout (Herod., 1, 66); and again we see the oraestablished either by Egyptian or Phoenician strangers. cle of Dodona, in counselling the Athenians to estab(Heeren, Ideen, vol. 6, p. 94.—Compare Knight's In- lish themselves in Sicily, excite them to engage in a quiry, 43, 71, 223.) But it was impossible for these war with Syracuse, which proved the primary cause of sacerdotal settlements to assume in Greece the aspect their downfall and ruin, while all the time the Sicily which they took in Africa. The character of the coun- indicated by the oracle was merely a small hill in the try and the spirit of the people were alike opposed to neighbourhood of Athens. (Pausan., 8, 2.) In fine, it. For though the popular religion in Greece was it was at a period characterized by the general diffunot wholly unconnected with politics, the state, having sion of mental culture that Epaminondas, who had never, as in Egypt, been founded entirely upon religion, always avoided maritime expeditions, because the gods never made a temple its central point, these settle- had warned him to beware of pelagos, that is, as he ments, however, continued as oracles, of which the thought, the sea, died in a wood which bore this name Greek stood in need both in public and private life. in the vicinity of Mantinea. These anecdotes, wheth(Heeren, Ideen, l. c.- Politics of Ancient Greece, p. er we regard the occurrences connected with them as p. 78.) Somewhat analogous to this view of the sub- authentic facts or otherwise, serve nevertheless to ject is the position assumed by the advocates for the show the prolongation of popular belief on this all-enexistence of early sacerdotal castes or colleges in grossing topic. When a religion has fallen and been Greece; and they consider the oracles as a remnant succeeded by another, the more zealous advocates of surviving the overthrow of sacerdotal power. Hence the new belief sometimes find themselves in a curious they undertake to explain why the oracles play so sub- state of embarrassment. So it is with regard to the ordinate a part, and exercise so little influence in the heathen system and the Christian code. Among the earlier periods of Grecian history; for the struggle be- numerous oracles given to the world in former days, tween the sacerdotal caste and the warlike portion of some have chanced to find a remarkable accomplishthe population had been too recent for this, and the ha- ment; and the pious but ill-judging Christian, unable tred of the latter was still ardent against those who had to ascribe them to deities in whom man no longer be endeavoured to reduce them under their sway. (Con-lieves, is driven to create for them a different origin. stant, de la Religion, vol. 3, p. 369.) Homer speaks of no oracle except Dodona, and of that indirectly; no mention is made of Delphi in either of his poems. What had, however, been wrested by force from the sacerdotal caste, was in a great measure regained by the influence of these very oracles on the weak and superstitious. Everything that could tend to keep up a feeling of awe in the visiter was carefully exhibited. The seats of the oracles were established in the bosoms of forests, by the lonely sources of rivers, on wild and craggy mountains, in gloomy caves, but, above all, near the mansions of the dead; and, notwithstanding the efforts of philosophy, and the raillery and sarcasm of the comic muse, they succeeded in acquiring a power which often placed in the hands of their expounders the common fortunes of Greece.-The ambiguity of the oracular responses has always been a subject of remark in this, indeed, all the artifice and adroitness of the priests directly centred. Every prediction was susceptible of a double meaning, and the veracity of the gods in this way remained safe from impeachment. It must be remarked, however, that this fatal ambiguity on the part of the oracles does not confine itself merely to the ages of tradition and fable. On the contrary, it becomes more frequent the more men part with the improper and degrading notions of the deity which they had originally entertained. As long as men are still sufficiently rude and ignorant to believe the gods capable of voluntary falsehood, the predic- ORCADES, islands to the north of Britain, answering tions of oracles need be marked by no ambiguity; a to the modern Orkney and Shetland isles. They are deviation from truth on the part of the deity is in such supposed to have been first discovered by the fleet of a condition of society regarded merely as a mark Germanicus when driven in this direction by a storm. of divine anger. But when the character of the gods Agricola afterward made the Romans better acquaintis better understood, and when their attributes are ed with their existence as islands, separate from the made to assume a more perfect and becoming form, mainland of Britain, when he circumnavigated the their honour is consulted, and the hypothesis of in-northern coast of that country. Mela (3, 6), following tentional falsehood on their part is no longer admit- the oldest accounts, makes the number of these islands ted. The predictions of Jupiter in the Iliad are false, to be thirty, and this statement is received by subsebut not obscure, whereas the oracles mentioned in He-quent writers, with the exception of Pliny (4, 16), rodotus are obscure in order not to be false. Thus who gives forty as the amount, provided the reading it is not merely Laius who, by exposing his newly-be correct. Orosius, in a later age, would seem to born child, prepares the accomplishment of the very have had more recent information on this point, since

"God," says Rollin, "in order to punish the blindness of the heathen, sometimes permits evil spirits to give responses conformable to the truth." (Hist. Anc., 1, 387.) The only evil spirit which had an agency in the oracular responses of antiquity was that spirit of crafty imposture which finds so congenial a home among an artful and cunning priesthood. (Constant, de la Religion, vol. 3, p. 369, seqq.)

ORBILIUS PUPILLUS, a grammarian of Beneventum, who was the first instructor of the poet Horace. He came to Rome in his 50th year, in the consulship of Cicero. From the account which Suetonius gives of him, as well as from the epithet “plagosus" applied to him by Horace, he appears to have been what we would call at the present day a rigid disciplinarian. Orbilius, in early life, had served as a soldier. On settling at Rome he acquired more fame than profit, and is said to have alluded to his poverty in one of his writings. He published also a work entitled " Perialogos," containing complaints against parents on account of the treatment which instructors of youth were accustomed to receive at their hands. Orbilius reached nearly his 100th year, and for a long time before his death had completely lost his memory. A statue was erected to him at Beneventum. He left a son, named also Orbilius, who, like himself, was an instructor. (Sueton., de Illustr. Gramm., 9.—Horat., Epist., 2, 1, 71.)

he states the number at thirty-three, of which twenty, | Thebes, in conjunction with certain exiles from the according to him, were inhabited, and the remaining latter city. During the sacred war Orchoménus was thirteen deserted.-The Orkneys at the present day are twice in the possession of Onomarchus and the Phostill called Orcades by the French. They are separa- cians (Diod. Sic., 16, 33), but on peace being conted from the northern extremity of Scotland by the cluded it was given up by Philip to the Thebans. Pentland Straits or Frith, in which the sea is so bois-(Demosth., de Pac., p. 62.-Phil., 2, p. 69.) Orchomterous that the serf upon the rocks spreads a fine rain enus was not restored to liberty and independence to a league's distance within the land; no wind, how- till the time of Cassander, when that prince rebuilt ever strong, will enable the mariner to stem the cur- Thebes. (Pausan., 9, 3.) It is mentioned by Dirent in this place. The group consists of 67 islands cæarchus as existing at this period. (Stat., Græc., 96. and islets, 27 of which are inhabited. Red sand--Compare Plut., Vit. Syll.-Arrian, Exp. Al., 1, stone is the prevailing rock. The soil of some of the 9.)-According to the accounts of modern travellers, islands is of inferior quality, but that of others is ex- the ruins of Orchomenus are to be seen near the vilcellent. The Shetland or Zetland islands are eighty-lage of Scripou. Dodwell says, "This celebrated six in number, of which forty are inhabited. They contain granite and rocks of igneous origin, with red sandstone; their vegetation is poorer than that of the Orkneys, and their soil for the most part is marshy. (Malte-Brun, vol. 8, p. 684.)

city still exhibits traces of its former strength, and some remains of its early magnificence. The Acropolis stands on a steep rock, rising close to the west of the lower town; the Cephissus winds at its southern base. The walls, which extend from the plain to the summit of the hill, enclose an irregular triangle, the

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ORCHOMĚNUS, I. a celebrated city of Boeotia, near the Cephissus, and to the northwest of the Lake Co-acuter angle of which terminates at the summit of the païs. It was the second city of the land, and at one time even rivalled Thebes itself in wealth, power, and importance. Its first inhabitants are said to have been the Phlegyæ, a lawless race, who regarded neither gods nor men, but laid the whole country under contribution by their frequent and daring robberies. (Hom., Hymn. Apoll., 278. Schol. in Apollon. Rhod., 1, 735.-Hom., Il., 13, 302.-Pausan., 9, 36.) Pausanias, however, reports that a city named Andreïs existed before the time of Phlegyas, who is said to have been a son of Mars. The Phlegye having been destroyed by the gods for their impiety, with the exception of a small remnant who fled into Phocis, were succeeded by the Minya (vid. Minya), who are commonly looked upon as the real founders of Orchomenus, which thence obtained the surname of "the Minyean." (Od., 11, 283.-Pind., Ol., 14, 1.-Apoll. Rhod., 3, 1094.- Thucyd., 4, 36.) At this period Orchomenus became so renowned for its wealth and power that Homer represents as vying with the most opulent cities in the world. (Il., 9, 381.) These riches are said to have been deposited in a building erected for that purpose by Minyas, and which Pausanias describes as an astonishing work, and equally worthy of admiration with the walls of Tiryns or the pyramids of Egypt (9, 36). Thebes was at that time inferior in power to the Minyean city, and in a war with Erginus, king of the latter, was compelled to become its tributary. (Strabo,, 414.-Pausan., l. c.) As another proof of the wealth and civilization to which Orchomenus had attained, it is mentioned that Eteocles, one of its early kings, was the first to erect and consecrate a temple to the Graces (Strab., l. c.Pausan., 9, 35), whence Orchomenus is designated by Pindar (Pyth., 12, 45) as the city of the Graces. In a war waged against Hercules, its power, however, was greatly impaired, though at the period of the Trojan war it still retained its independence, since we find it mentioned by Homer as a separate principality, distinct from Boeotia. (Il., 2, 511.) It appears to have joined the Baotian confederacy about sixty years after the siege of Troy (Strabo, 410), and Thucydides informs us in his time it was no longer termed the Minyean, but the Baotian Orchomenus (4, 76.Compare Herod., 8, 34). It was occupied by the Lacedæmonians at the time they held the Cadmean citadel, but joined the Thebans after the battle of Leuctra. (Diod. Sic., 15, 57.) The latter, however, being now in the height of their ascendancy, not long after made an expedition against Orchomenus, and, having seized upon the town, put to death the male inhabitants, and enslaved the women and children. (Diod. Sic., 15, 79.—Pausan., 9, 15.) The pretext for this was an attempt on the part of some Orchomenian horsemen, 300 in number, to get possession of

rock, which is crowned with a strong tower, the walls
of which are regularly constructed. In the interior a
large cistern is formed in the solid rock; ninety-one
steps are cut in the rock, and lead up to the tower,
the position of which is remarkably strong. It com-
mands an extensive view over Phocis and Boeotia,
while the distant horizon is terminated by the mount-
ains of Euboea" (vol. 1, p. 229). At the eastern foot
of the Acropolis the same antiquary observed some
remains of the treasury of Minyas. The entrance
is entire, though the earth, being raised above its an-
cient level, conceals a considerable part of it, as only
six large blocks, which are of regular masonry, re-
main above ground. The whole building is of white
marble, which must have been brought from a great
distance, as the nearest quarries are those of Penteli-
cus." Mr. Dodwell found by approximation the di-
ameter of the building to have been upward of sixty-
five feet, which shows it to have been far superior to
the treasury at Mycena. "The architecture of that
portion which remains is composed of a single block,
fifteen feet four inches in length, the breadth six feet
three inches, the thickness three feet three inches, and
it weighs at least twenty-four tons" (vol. 1, p. 227).
Sir W. Gell says, "It has been a dome, formed by
approaching blocks, laid in horizontal courses, which
do not diverge from a centre like the principle of an
arch. The interior of the building was in the form of
a cone, or, rather, beehive. There seem to be two
other treasuries very near, but buried. Hence there is
a steep ascent to the citadel, passing some huge blocks
in the way." In the monastery of Scripou are sev-
eral inscriptions, with the name of the city written Er-
chomenos. This appears also in the coins of the city,
where the epigraph is EPX. instead of OPX. In
others of more recent date it is OPXOMENION.
(Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 2, p. 244, seqq.) With
regard to the form Erchomenos, the remarks of Bast
may be consulted. (Lettre Critique à Boissonade sur
Anton. Lib., p. 123.-Compare Müller, Orchomenos
und die Minyer, p. 129.)-II. A city of Arcadia,
some distance to the northwest of Mantinea. It was
first situated on the summit of a hill, but was after-
ward, as we learn from Pausanias, removed to the
plain below. Tradition assigned its foundation to Or-
chomenus, the son of Lycaon (Pausan., 8, 3), and its
antiquity is farther evinced by Homer's mention of it
in the catalogue of ships. (Il., 2, 605.) Orchome-
nus sent 120 soldiers to Thermopyla (Herod., 7, 102)
and 600 to Platea (9, 28). In the Peloponnesian
war, this town, being in alliance with Sparta, was be-
sieged and taken by the Argives and Athenians.
(Thucyd., 5, 61.) Several years after that event it
fell into the power of Cassander (Diod. Sic., 19, 63),
but, having at length regained its independence, joined

the Achæan league. Surprised again by Cleomenes, | from that quarter the statue of Diana to Argos. It it was retaken by Antigonus Doson, who placed there a Macedonian garrison. After his death, however, it appears to have reverted to the Achæans. (Polyb., 2, 46-Id., 2, 54.-Id., 4, 6.—Strabo, 338.) The plain of Orchomenus was in a great measure occupied by a small lake, formed by the rain-water which descended from the surrounding hills: one of these, situated over against the town, was named Trachys. The modern village of Kalpaki is built on the ruins of Orchomenus. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 306, seqq.)-III. A city of Thessaly, on the confines of Macedonia. (Schol. in Apoll. Rhod., 2, 1186.-Van Staveren, ad Hygin., fub., 1.-Müller, Orchomenos und die Minyer, p. 249.)-IV. A city of Pontus, according to the scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius (2, 1186). Consult the remarks of Müller (Orchomenos, &c., p. 288).

ORCUS, the god of the lower world, in the old Latin religion, corresponding to the Hades or Pluto of the Greeks. Verrius says that the ancients pronounced Orcus as if written Uragus, or, rather, Urgus, whence it would signify the Driver (from urgeo), answering to the Hades-Agesilaus of the Greeks. This etymology, however, is very doubtful. (Festus, s. v.-Keightley's Mythology, p. 527.)

was the custom in Taurica to sacrifice all strangers to this goddess, and Orestes and Pylades, having made the journey together, and having both been taken captive, were brought as victims to the altar of Diana. Iphigenia, the sister of Orestes, who had been carried off by Diana from Aulis when on the point of being immolated (Vid. Aulis, and Iphigenia), was the priestess of the goddess among the Tauri. Perceiving the strangers to be Greeks, she offered to spare the life of one of them, provided he would carry a letter from her to Greece. This occasioned a memorable contest of friendship between them, which should sacrifice himself for the other, and it ended in Pylades' yielding to Orestes, and agreeing to be the bearer of the letter. The letter was for Orestes, and a discovery was the consequence. Iphigenia, thereupon, on learning the object of their visit, contrived to aid them in carrying off the statue of Diana, and all three arrived safe in Greece. Orestes reigned many years in Mycene, and became the husband of Hermione, after having slain Neoptolemus. (Vid. Hermione, and Pyrrhus I.)Such is the ordinary form of the legend of Orestes. The tragic writers, of course, introduced many variations. Thus, it is said, that when the Furies of his mother persecuted him, he fled to Delphi, whose god had urged him to commit the deed, and thence went to Athens, where he was acquitted by the court of Areopagus. (Eschyl., Eumen. -Compare Müller, Eu men.)- Orestes had by Hermione two sons, Tisamenus and Penthilus, who were driven from their

ORDOVICES, a people of Britain, occupying what would correspond at the present day to the northern portion of Wales, together with the isle of Anglesey. (Tacit., Hist., 12, 33.-Mannert, Geogr., vol. 2, pt. 2, p. 187.) It was probably owing to the nature of their country, and to the vicinity of Deva, now Ches-country by the Heraclidæ. (Apollod., 2, 8, 5.- Euter, where a whole Roman legion was quartered, that the Romans had so few towns and stations among the Ordovices. Mediomanium was their capital, and was probably situated at Maywood or Meifad, in Montgomeryshire. (Mela, 3, 6.—Plin., 4, 16.—Mannert, 1. c.)

OREIDES, nymphs of the mountains, so called from the Greek opos, "a mountain." Another form of the name is Orestiades ('Opeστiúdes). They generally attended upon Diana, and accompanied her in hunting. (Virg., En., 1, 504.-Ovid, Met., 8, 787.-Hom., II., 6, 420.)

rip., Orest.-Soph., Electr.-Eschyl., Agam., &c.}

ORESTEUM OF ORESTHEUM, called by Pausanias (8, 3) Oresthasium, a town of Arcadia, southeast of Megalopolis, in the district of Oresthis. Its ruins, according to Pausanias, were to be seen to the right of the road leading from Megalopolis to Tegæa (8, 44). Allusion is made to it by Euripides. (Orest., 1643. -Electr., 1273.) It would seem from Thucydides and Herodotus to have been on the road from Sparta to Tegea. (Thucyd., 5, 64.-Herod, 9, 11.) Orestes died here. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 347.) ORESTIA. Vid. Oresta.

himself on this spot after the murder of his mother. Three rivers had here their confluence, the Hebrus, receiving the Ardiscus or Arda on one side, and the Tonsus or Tonza on the other. (Vid. Adrianopolis.)

ORESTE, a people of Epirus, situate apparently to ORESTIAS, the primitive name of Adrianopolis, in the southeast of the Lyncestæ, and, like them, origi-Thrace, and which the Byzantine authors frequently nally independent of the Macedonian kings, though af- employ in speaking of that city. The name is deterward annexed to their dominions. At a later peri-rived from the circumstance of Orestes having purified od, having revolted under the protection of a Roman force, they were declared free on the conclusion of peace between Philip and the Romans. (Liv., 33, 34. -Id., 42, 38.) Their country was apparently of small extent, and contained but few towns. Among these Orestia is named by Stephanus Byzantinus, who states it to have been the birthplace of Ptolemy, the son of Lagus. Its foundation was ascribed by tradition to Orestes. This is probably the same city called by Strabo (326) Argos Oresticum, built, as he affirms, by Orestes. Hierocles also (p. 641) recognises an Argos in Macedonia. (Cramer's Ancient Greece, vol. 1, p. 197.)

ORETANI, a people of Hispania Tarraconensis, whose territory is supposed to have corresponded to the eastern part of Estremadura, the middle section of Le Mancha, the eastern extremity of Jaen, and the northern extremity of Grenada. (Liv., 21, 11.—Id., 35, 7.-Plin., 3, 3.-Polyb., 10, 38.-Id., 11, 20.)

OREUS ('pεóç), an ancient city of Euboea, in the northeastern part of the island, founded, as was said, by an Athenian colony. It was situate in the district of ORESTES, son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Ellopia. (Strabo, 445.) Scymnus of Chios, however, On the assassination of Agamemnon, Orestes, then ascribes a Thessalian origin to the place. Its primiquite young, was saved from his father's fate by his tive name was Histiæa, and it retained this appella sister Electra, who had him removed to the court of tion until, having endeavoured to shake off the galling their uncle Strophius, king of Phocis. There he form- yoke of Athens, after the close of the Persian war, it ed an intimate friendship with Pylades, the son of met with a cruel punishment at the hands of that powStrophius, and with him concerted the means, which er. The inhabitants were expelled, and Athenian colhe successfully adopted, of avenging his father's death, onists were sent to occupy the lands which they had by slaying his mother and gisthus. (Vid. Clytem- evacuated. (Thucyd., 1, 115.) Strabo, on the aunestra, and Ægisthus.) After the murder of Clytem-thority of Theopompus, informs us, that the Histians nestra, the Furies drove Orestes into insanity; and withdrew on this occasion to Macedonia (l. c.). From when the oracle at Delphi was consulted respecting henceforth we find the name of the place changed to the duration of his malady, an answer was given that Oreus, which at first was that of a small place dependOrestes would not be restored to a sane mind until ant on Histiæa, at the foot of Mount Telethrius, and he went to the Tauric Chersonese, and brought away near the spot called Drymos, on the banks of the riv

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