LAOMEDONTEUS, an epithet applied to the Trojans from their king Laomedon. (Virg., En., 4, 542; 7, 105; 8, 18.) LAOMEDONTIADE, a patronymic given to the Trojans, from Laomedon their king. (Virg., En., 3, 248.) LAPHYSTIUM, a mountain in Baotia, about twenty stadia to the north of Coronea, on which Jupiter had a tem that Athamas prepared to immolate Phrixus and Helle, whom Jupiter saved by sending them a golden ram. (Pausan., 9, 34.) LAPITHE, a tribe or people of Thessaly, whose contest with the Centaurs forms a conspicuous legend in classical mythology. (Vid. Centauri, where a full account is given.) LARA OF LARUNDA, one of the Naiads, daughter of the river Almon in Latium, famous for her beauty and her loquacity, which her parents long endeavour ed to correct, but in vain. She revealed to Juno the amours of her husband Jupiter with Juturna, for which the god cut off her tongue, and ordered Mercury to conduct her to the infernal regions. The god violated her by the way, and she became the mother of the Lares. (Vid. Lares.-Ovid, Fast., 2, 585, seqq.) seqq.-Chalcond., p. 85.) The ruins of Laodicea are | Jupiter to be subservient for one year to the will of now called by the Turks Eski Hissar. (Mannert, Laomedon, contracted to build a wall around Troy Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 3, p. 131. Leake's Journal, p. for a stipulated sum. When, however, this labour 154, seqq.)-II. Scabiosa, a city of Syria, southwest was accomplished, Laomedon refused to pay the of Emesa and of the Orontes. It is sometimes, though amount agreed on, and dismissed the two deities, erroneously, styled Cabiosa. The epithet Scabiosa threatening to cut off their ears. He even menaced must have reference to the leprosy, or some cutaneous to tie Apollo hand and foot, and transport him to the complaint, very prevalent here in the time of the Ro-distant islands. (Il., 21, 441.) To punish him, Apolman power. Its previous name under the Greeks was lo sent a pestilence, and Neptune a flood bearing a Aaodikelan pòç Aebúvo, Laodicea ad Libanum huge sea-monster, which carried off all the people to (Strabo, 753.-Plin., 5, 23), and it must have been sit- be found in the plain.-For the rest of his story, con uate, therefore, near the northeastern part of the chain sult the article Hesione. of Libanus, in the plain Marsyas, which Pococke (2, p. 204) mentions, though he is silent respecting its ancient name. Its site must be looked for to the west of the modern Hasseiah, a day's journey to the southwest of the modern Hems, the ancient Emesa. (Mannert, Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 1, p. 428.)-III. A maritime city of Syria, on an eminence near the coast, called, for distinction' sake, Aaodíkeia éñì tỹ dahár-ple, whence he was called Laphystius. It was here Ty, Laodicea ad Mare. (Strab., 751.—Plin., 21, 5.) It was built by Seleucus Nicator, and named in honour of his mother; and Strabo ranks it among the four principal cities of the country. (Compare Appian, B. Syr., c. 27.) The fruitfulness of the adjacent country, and the quantity of good wine made in this quarter, which furnished a great article of trade with Alexandrea, were the chief reasons that induced Seleucus to found this city. Laodicea may, in fact, be regarded as the harbour of Antiochia. The ancient writers praise its excellent port, and it would seem, even at the present day, to show traces of the works constructed to give security and convenience to the harbour. (Pococke, 2, p. 287.- Walpole's Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 138.) In the civil war after Cæsar's death, Dolabella stood a long siege in this place; it was finally taken, and suffered severely. (Dio Cass., LARES, gods of inferior power at Rome, of human 47, 30. - Appian, B. Civ., 4, 62.) Hence Antony origin, who presided over houses and families. There declared it independent, and freed it from all tribute. were various classes of them, such as Lares Urbani, to (Appian, B. Civ., 5, 7.) It again suffered from Pes-preside over the cities; Familiares, over houses; Ruscennius Niger (Malala, Chron., 11, p. 125), and therefore his more successful competitor Severus did all in his power to restore it to its former condition. Among other favours shown it, he made the place a colony with the Jus Italicum. (Ulpian, 1. 50, Digest. Tit., 15, de censibus.) The modern name is Ladikie. The modern city suffered severely from an earthquake in 1797, the greater part of the buildings having been thrown down. These have been rebuilt, though less substantially than before. Scarcely any wine is now made here, and few vines are planted. (Walpole's Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 138.― Mannert, Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 1, p. 450.)-IV. Combusta (ʼn KаTakeкavμévη), a city of Asia Minor or Lycaonia, northwest of Iconium. Its name is supposed to be owing to the frequent breaking forth of subterranean fires in the vicinity. Strabo mentions this as Speculiarly the case in the parts of Phrygia to the west of Laodicea, which were hence termed Catacecaumene (KaraкKEKAVμÉVη. Strabo, 579). The place itself was unimportant, and would only seem to have been mentioned by Strabo and Pliny from the circumstance of its having been situated on the great road from the western coast through Melitene to the Euphrates. Leake (Journal, p. 25) gives the modern name as Yorgán Ladik, and speaks of numerous fragments of ancient architecture found there.-V. A city of Media, on the confines of Persia. (Pliny, 6, 26.)—VI. A city of Mesopotamia, near Seleucia. (Pliny, 4, 26.) LAOMEDON, Son of Ilus, king of Troy, married Strymo, the daughter of the Scamander, by whom he had Tithonus, Lampus, Clitius, Hicetaon, Podarces (afterward called Priam), and Hesione, together with two other daughters. He had also, by the nymph Calybe, a son named Bucolion. (I., 6, 23.) The two deities Apollo and Neptune, having been condemned by tici, over the country; Compitales, over crossways; Marini, over the sea; Viales, over the roads, &c. If we closely examine into the nature of the Penates and that of the Lares, we will readily perceive why the former have a higher rank assigned them in the hierarchy of the Genii than the latter. In fact, the Penates were originally gods; they were the powers of nature personified; powers, the wonderful and mysterious action of which produces and upholds whatever is necessary to life, to the common good, to the prosperity of individuals and families; whatever, in fine, the human species cannot bestow upon itself. The case is quite different with the Lares. These were originally human beings themselves; men like unto us in every respect, who lived upon the earth, and who, becoming pure spirits after death, loved still to hover round the dwelling which they once inhabited, to watch over its safety, and to guard it with as much care as the faithful dog does the possessions of its master. Having once partaken of our mortal condition, they know the better from what quarter danger is wont to menace, and what assistance to render to those whose situation was once in every respect their own. They keep off, therefore, danger from without, while the Penates, residing in the interior of the dwelling, pour forth benefits upon its inmates with bountiful hands. The fundamental idea on which rests the doctrine of the Lares, is intimately connected with all the psychology and pneumatology of the ancient Italians. According to Apuleius (De Genio Socrat., vol. 2, p. 237, ed. Bip.), the demons which once had inhabited, as souls, human bodies, were called Lemures: this name therefore designated, in general, the spirit separated from the body. Such a spirit, if it adopted its posterity; if it took possession, with favourable power, of the abode of its children, was called Lar familiaris. If, on the contrary, by reason of the faults committed in | All that the house contained was confided to the superlife, it found in the grave no resting-place, it appeared intending care of these vigilant genii: they were set to men as a phantom; inoffensive to the good, but as a watch over all things large and small, and hence terrible to the wicked. Its name was in that case Lar- the name of Præstites, which is sometimes given va. (Festus, p. 200, ed. Dacier.-Bulenger, de Pro- them. (Ovid, Fast., 5, 128, 133.) Hence the dog dig., 4, 20.Græv., Thes. Antiq. Rom., 5, p. 480, was the natural symbol of the Lares; an image of this seqq.) As, however, there was no way of precisely animal was placed by the side of their statues, or else ascertaining what had been the lot of a deceased per- these were covered with the skin of a dog. (Creuzer, son, whether he had become, for example, a Lar or a Comment. Herod., 1, p. 239.)—The ordinary altar on Larva, it was customary to give to the dead the gen- which sacrifices were offered to the Lares was the eral appellation of Manes. (Deus Manis.) Varro, domestic hearth. The victims consisted of a hog in a more extended sense, if we credit Arnobius, re- (Horat., Od., 3, 23) or a fowl; sometimes, with the garded the Lares, at one time, as identical with the rich, of a young steer; to them were also presented Manes, the tutelary genii of the living and the dead; the first of all the fruits of the season, and libations of at another time, as gods and heroes roaming in the air; wine were poured out. In all the family repasts, the and at another, again, as spirits or souls separated from first thing done was to cast a portion of all the viands bodies, as Lemures or Larvæ. The mother of the into the fire that burned on the hearth, in honour of the Lares was called Lara or Larunda. (Arnobius, adv. Lares. In the form of marriage, called coëmtio, the Gent., 3, 41.-Macrob., Sut., 1, 7.—Marini, gli Atti., bride always threw a piece of money on the hearth to 2, p. 373.) This conception of the Lares, as the souls the Lares of her family, and deposited another in the of fathers and of forefathers, protectors of their chil- neighbouring cross-road, in order to obtain admission, dren, and watching over the safety of their descend- as it were, into the dwelling of her husband. (Non. ants, necessarily gave rise to the custom of burying Marc. de propr. Serm., c. 12, p. 784, ed. Gothofred.) the dead within the dwelling. (Serv., ad Virg., Æn., Young persons, after their fifteenth year, consecrated 5, 64.—Id., ad En., 6, 152.-Isidor., Orig., 15, 11. to the Lares the bulla which they had worn from in-Zoega, de Obelisc., p. 269.) Men wished to have fancy. (Pers., Sat., 5, 31.) Soldiers, when their near them these tutelary genii, in order to be certain time of service was once ended, dedicated to these of their assistance and support. In process of time, powerful genii the arms with which they had fought however, this custom was prohibited at Rome by the the battles of their country. (Ovid, Trist., 4, 8, 21.) laws of the Twelve Tables. (Cic., de Leg., 2, 23.) Captives and slaves restored to freedom consecrated It was general in early Greece, and among the prim- to the Lares the fetters from which they had just been itive population of Italy. (Plat., Min., p. 254, ed. freed. (Horat., Sat., 1, 5.) Before undertaking a Bekker.) The meaning attached to the word Lar | journey, or after a successful return, homage was paid being of itself extremely general, had among the an- to these deities, their protection was implored, or cients different acceptations. (Compare Müller, de thanks were rendered for their guardian care. (Ovid, Diis Romanorum Laribus et Penatibus, p. 60.) Anal- Trist., 1, 3, 33.-Müller, de Duis Rom. Lar. et Penat., ogous to the demons (or genii) and heroes of the p. 70.-Ev. Otto, de Diis vialibus, c. 9.) The new Greeks, the Lares, pure spirits, invisible masters and master of a house crowned the Lares, in order to renprotectors, and everywhere present, limited, as little der them propitious; a custom which was of the as the Penates, their domain to the domestic hearth. most universal nature, and which was perpetuated to The Etrurians, and the Romans after them, had their the latest times. (Plaut., Trinum., 1, 2, 1.—Creuzer, Lares publici and Lares privati. (Hempel., de Diis Comment. Herod., 1, p. 235.) The proper place for Laribus, p. xxiv., seqq.) The Lares were supposed to worshipping the Lares, and where their images stood, assist at all gatherings together of men, at all public was called Lararium, a sort of domestic chapel in assemblies or reunions, in all transactions of men, in the Atrium, where were also to be seen the images all the most important affairs of the state as well as of and busts of the family ancestors. The rich had often individuals. Born in the house, in the bosom of the two Lararia, one large and the other small; they had family, the notion of Lares went forth by little and lit- also "Masters of the Lares," and "Decurios of the tle; extended itself to the streets, to the public ways; Lares," namely, slaves specially charged with the care above all, to the cross-roads, where the peril was great- of these domestic chapels and the images of their dier for passengers, and where assistance was more im- vinities. As to the poor, their Lares had to be conmediately necessary. From this it extended itself to tent with the simple hearth, where honours not less communities, to entire cities, and even to whole coun- simple were paid to them. (For farther details retries. Hence the numerous classes of the Lares and specting the Lararia, consult Guther., de Veteri jure their various denominations, such as viales, ruales, Pontificio, 3, 10.-Græv., Thes., 5, p. 139.)-Certain compitales, grundiles, hostiles, &c. If each individ-public festivals were also celebrated in honour of the ual had his Lar, his genius, his guardian spirit, even the infant at the breast; so entire families, and whole races and nations, were equally under the protection of one of these tutelar deities. Here the Lares became in some degree confounded with the Heroes, that is, with the spirits of those who, having deserved well of their country while on earth, continued to watch over and protect it from that mansion in the skies to which their merits had exalted them. It would seem, too, that at times, the worship of these public Lares, like that of the public Penates, was not without some striking resemblance to that rendered to the great national divinities. The proof that the Lares were not always clearly distinguished from the gods, or, at least, were closely assimilated to the demons and heroes, is found in an ancient inscription: "The Lares, powerful in heaven" (Lares Coilo potentes), that is, most probably, inhabiting the region of the air, where they exercised their power. (Grav., Thes., 5, p. 686, seqq.-Spanheim, de Vesta, &c.) Lares, called Lararia and Compitalia. The period of dwellings. Macrobius (Sat., 1, 7) informs us, that | ria, on the banks of the Tigris. The ten thousand it was Junius Brutus who, after the expulsion of the found it deserted and in ruins. Xenophon states that Tarquins, introduced a new form of sacrifice, by vir- it had been once inhabited by the Medes. (Anab., 3, tue of which, heads of garlic and poppies were offered 4, 7.) Bochart (Geogr. Sacr., 4, 23) considers it up in place of human heads, ut, pro capitibus, capit-identical with the city mentioned in Genesis (10, 12) ibus supplicaretur, in accordance with the oracle of under the name of Resen; but Michaelis opposes this. Apollo. Every family, during these festivals, brought (Spicileg. Geogr. Hebr., vol. 1, p. 247 )—VI. An ana cake for an offering; slaves enjoyed a perfect equal- cient and flourishing city of Thessaly, on the river ity with their masters, as on the Saturnalia; and it Peneus, to the northeast of Pharsalus. It is not menwas slaves, not free men, that assisted the priests in tioned by Homer, unless, indeed, the Argos Pelasgithe sacrifices offered up on this occasion to the tute- cum of the poet is to be identified with it (Il., 2, 681), lary genii of the ways. (Dion. Hal., 4-Cic, ad Att., and this notion would not be entirely groundless if, as 7, 7.-Horat., Od., 3, 17, 14, and Mitscherlich, ad Strabo (440) informs us, there was once a city named Horat., l. c.) In case of death in a family, a sacrifice Argos close to Larissa. The same geographer has of sheep was offered up to the family Lares. (Cic., de enumerated all the ancient towns of the latter name, Leg., 2, 22, 55, where we must read, with Görenz, and we may collect from his researches that it was pevervecibus.-Marini, Atti, &c., 1, p. 373.)—As re- culiar to the Pelasgi, since all the countries in which gards the forms under which the Lares were repre- it was found had at different periods been occupied by sented, it may be observed, that it differed often but that people. (Compare Dion. Hal., 1, 21.) This city little from that of the Penates. Thus, on the coins was placed in that most fertile part of the province of the Casian family, they are represented as two which had been occupied by the Perrhabi, who were young men, seated, their heads covered with helmets, partly expelled by Larissaans, while the rest were and holding spears in their hands, while a dog watch-kept in close subjection, and rendered tributary. Aces at their feet. Sometimes, as we have already re-cording to Aristotle, the constitution of this city was marked, the heads of the Lares are represented as democratical. Its magistrates were elected by the covered with, or their mantle as formed of, the skin people, and considered themselves as dependant on of a dog. At other times we find the Lares resem- their favour. (Aristot., de Rep., 5, 6.) This fact bling naked children, with the bulla hanging from the will account for the support which the Athenians deneck, and always accompanied by the attribute of the rived from the republic of Larissa during the Pelopondog. (Creuzer, Symbolik, par Guigniaut, vol. 2, pt. nesian war. (Thucyd., 2, 32.) The Aleuada, men1, p. 416, seqq.) tioned by Herodotus as princes of Thessaly at the time of the Persian invasion, were natives of this city. (Herod., 9, 58.) Diodorus Siculus (16, 61) informs us, that the citadel of Larissa was a place of great strength. Though the territory of this city was rich and fertile, it was subject to great losses, caused by the inundations of the Peneus. (Strabo, 440.--Plin., 4,8.-Hierocl., Synecdem., p. 642.) Dr. Clarke states that he could discover no ruins at Larissa, which still retains the ancient name; but that the inhabitants gave the name of Old Larissa to a Paleo Castro, which is situated upon some very high rocks, at four hours' distance towards the east (vol. 7, p. 339). Dr. Holland and Mr. Dodwell are, however, of opinion, that the modern Larissa stands upon the remains of the ancient city. (Holland's Travels, p. 390.-Dodwell's Tour, vol. 2, p. 100.-Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p. 385, seqq.)-VII. Cremaste, so called from the steepness of its situation, a city of Thessaly in the district Phthiotis, and south of Phthiotic Thebe. It lay in the domains of Achilles, and it is probably from that circumstance that Virgil gives him the title of Larissæus, unless this epithet is a general one for Thessalicus. Dodwell thought he discovered the ruins of this place at about three quarters of an hour's distance from the village of Gradista (vol. 2, p. 81.-Compare Gell's Itinerary of Greece, p. 252.)-VIII. An old town of the Pelasgi in Attica, near Mount Hymettus. Some ruins, indicative of the site of an ancient town near the monastery of Syriani, at the foot of Mount Trelo Vouni, have been thought to correspond with this ancient Pelasgic settlement. (Strabo, 440.)-IX. A town on the confines of Elis and Achaia. (Xen., Hist. Gr., 3, 2, 17.)-X. The acropolis of Argos, deriving its name, as was said, from Larissa, daughter of Pelasgus. It was also called Aspis. (Plut., Vit. Cleom. Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 244.) LARINUM, a town of Apulia, which appears to have belonged once to the Frentani, from the name of Larinates Frentani attached to its inhabitants by Pliny (3, 12). It was situate on the road which led from Picenum into Apulia. (Liv., 22, 18.) Its ruins, which are said to be considerable, occupy the site called Larina Vecchio. (Romanelli, vol. 3, p. 20.) LARISSA, I. a town of Syria, on the western side of the Orontes, southeast of Apamea. It was either founded or else re-established by Seleucus Nicator. (Appian, B. Syr., c. 57.) Pliny calls the inhabitants Larissæi (5, 23). The city appears to have made no figure in history. Its true Oriental name would seem to have been Sizara, or something closely resembling it. Stephanus Byzantinus (s. v) gives Sizara (Ziapa) as the Syriac name of the place, and Abulfeda (Tab. Syr., p. 110) and other Arabian writers speak of a fortress in this quarter named Schaizar or Sjaizar. (Compare Schultens, Index ad Vitam Saladini, s. v. Siajzarum)-II. A town of Lydia, in the Caystrian field, and territory of Ephesus. It had a famous temple of Apollo. Larissa was situate near Mount Tmolus, 180 stadia from Ephesus, and 30 stadia from Tralles, on the northern side of the Messogis. The adjacent country produced very good wine. (Strabo, 620.) --III. A town on the coast of Troas, north of Colone and Alexandrea Troas. Whether it is the same with the place assigned by Homer to the Pelasgi (Il., 2, 841) is uncertain. Strabo, however, decides in favour of the Larissa below Cuma. (Mannert, Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 3, p. 465.)—IV. A town of Æolis, in Asia Minor, to the southeast of Cyme, and on the northern bank of the Hermus. (Mannert, Geogr., vol. 6, pt. 3, p. 394.) It is supposed by Strabo to have been the same with the Larissa mentioned by Homer (1., 2, 841), and was called by the Eolians, after it was taken by them from the Pelasgi, Phriconis, for distinction' sake from the other Larissas. Cyme was also named Phriconis. (Strabo, 621.) Another appellation given to the place was Larissa Ægyptiaca, because it was said to have been one of the towns which Cyrus the elder gave to the Egyptians who had come over to him from the army of Croesus. (Xen., Cyrop., LARISSUS, a river of Achaia, forming the line of sep7, 1, 45.-Compare Hist. Gr, 3, 1, 7.) In Strabo's aration between that country and Elis. (Pausan., 7, time the place was uninhabited.-V. A city of Assy- | 17.—Plin., 4, 5.) Strabo informs us that it flowed LARISSEUS, an epithet applied by Virgil (En., 2, 197; 11, 404) to Achilles, either with reference to the town of Larissa Cremaste, which lay within his dominions (vid. Larissa VII.), or as equivalent generally to Thessalicus. Heyne prefers the latter interpretation (ad En., 2, 197). 723 LAT from Mount Scollis, which Homer (Il., 11, 757) designates by the name of "Olenian rock." (Strabo, 387.) The modern name of this river is Risso or Mana. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 73.) LARIUS, Lacus, a lake of Cisalpine Gaul, north of the Padus, and east of the Lacus Verbanus. The name Larius is supposed to have been of Etrurian origin. Whatever truth, however, there may have been in this conjecture, there is no mention of the name prior to the time of Polybius, who, as Strabo (209) reports, estimated its length at 300 stadia and its breadth at 30, or 38 miles by 4. Servius says that Cato reckoned 60 miles from one extremity to the other, and the real distance, including the Lake of Chiavenna, is not short of that measurement; so that Virgil (Georg., 2, 159) seems justified in saying, " Anne lacus tantos? te Lari maxime-" The younger Pliny had two villas on this lake, which he describes (Epist., 9, 7). The one which he calls his Tragedy stood probably at Bellagio, as from thence the view extends over both arms of the lake. The intermitting fountain, of which he gives an account (4, 20), still exists under the name of Pliniana. This lake receives the Addua or Adda, which again emerges from it, and pursues its course to the Po. The modern name is Lago di Como, from the modern Como, the ancient Comum. The surrounding country is highly picturesque, being covered with vineyards, interspersed with beautiful villas, A headland, runand skirted by lofty mountains. ning boldly into the lake at its southern end, causes it to branch off into two arms, at the extremity of the western one of which the town of Como is situate. LARS OF LARTES TOLUMNIUS, a king of the Veientes, slain in battle by Cornelius Cossus. (Vid. Spolia Opima.-Liv., 4, 17.-Id., 4, 19.) LARTIUS FLORUS, I. T., a consul, who appeased a sedition raised by the poorer citizens, and was the first dictator ever chosen at Rome, B.C. 498. (Liv., 2, 18.)-II. Spurius, one of the three Romans who withstood the fury of Porsenna's army at the head of a bridge while the communication was cutting down behind them. His companions were Cocles and Herminius. (Vid. Cocles.-Liv., 2, 10, 18.-Dionys. H. -Val. Max., 3, 2.) LARVE, a name given to the wicked spirits and apparitions which, according to the notions of the Romans, issued from their graves in the night, and came to terrify the world. (Consult remarks under the article Lares.) LASUS, a celebrated dithyrambic poet, born at Hermione in Argolis, and, according to some authorities, the instructer of Pindar. (Thom. Mag., Vit. Pind.) He was contemporary with Simonides (Aristoph., Vesp., 1401-Schol., Vesp., 1402), and flourished in the reign of Hipparchus at Athens (Herod., 7, 6), and in the reign of Darius. (Schol., Vesp., 1401.) He was the first that introduced the dithyrambic measure into the celebrations at the Olympic games. The poet Archilochus, however, who was much older than Lasus, uses the word Dithyrambus in two verses cited by Athenæus (p. 628), so that Lasus could not have been the inventor of this species of measure. (Bentley, Diss. on Phalaris, p. 254, ed. 1816.) . | in the temple of Diana on the Aventine, for themselves LATINI, the inhabitants of Latium. (Vid. Latium.) LATIUM, a country of Italy, lying south of Etruria, from which it was separated by the Tiber.-The earliest records of Italian history, as we are assured by Dionysius of Halicarnassus (1, 9), represented the plains of Latium as first inhabited by the Siculi, a people of obscure origin, but who would be entitled to our notice from the circumstance above mentioned, even had they not acquired additional historical importance from their subsequent migration to the celebrated island from them named Sicily. (Vid. Siculi.) Ancient writers do not seem agreed as to the name of the people who compelled the Siculi to abandon Latium. Dionysius informs us, that Philistus ascribed their expulsion to the Umbri and Pelasgi. Thucydides refers the same event to the Opici; while Antiochus of Syracuse, a still more ancient writer, represents the Siculi as flying from the Enotri. Notwithstanding this apparent discrepance, it is pretty evident, that under these different names of Umbri, Opici, and Enotri, the same people are designated whom Dionys ius and the Roman historians usually term Aborigi(Ant. Rom., 1, 10) The Aborigines, internes. mixing with several Pelasgic colonies, occupied Latium, and soon formed themselves into the several LATINE FERIE, or Latin Holydays, a festival communities of Latini, Rutuli, Hernici, and Volsci, among the Romans. It was originally the solemn even prior to the Trojan war and the supposed arrival 'meeting of the cantons of Latium, and afterward, on of Eneas.-The name of Prisci Latini was first given the overthrow of the Latin republic, was converted to certain cities of Latium, supposed to have been colinto a Roman celebration. At first the Romans took onized by Latinus Sylvius, one of the kings of Alba, part in it, as members of the Latin confederacy, into but most of which were afterward conquered and dewhich they had entered by virtue of an old treaty, stroyed by Ancus Marcius and Tarquinius Priscus. made A.U C. 261, which placed the thirty cities of La-(Liv., 1, 3.) In the reign of Tarquinius Supe/bus tium on a perfect equality with the Romans. The place for holding the festival was the Alban Mount; and, so long as Latium had a dictator, none but he could offer a sacrifice there, and preside at the holydays. He sacrificed on behalf of the Romans likewise, as they did we find the Latin nation united under the form of a confederate republic, and acknowledging that ambitious prince as the protector of their league. (Liv., 1, 50.) After the expulsion of the tyrant from Rome, we are told that the Latins, who favoured his cause, experienced a total defeat near the Lake Regillus, and which will be found near the commencement of the were obliged to sue for peace. (Dion. Hal., 6, 18.) article Apollo. Her children by Jupiter were Apollo According to this historian, the Latins received the and Diana. While wandering from place to place thanks of the Roman senate, some years afterward, with her offspring, Latona, says a legend most prettifor having taken no advantage of the disturbances at ly told by Ovid (Metamorph., 6, 313, seqq.), arrived in Rome, which finally led to the secession of the people Lycia. The sun was shining fiercely, and the godto Mons Sacer, and for having, on the contrary, offered dess was parched with thirst. She saw a pool and every assistance in their power on that occasion; he knelt down at it to drink. Some clowns, who were adds also that a perpetual league was formed at that time there cutting sedge and rushes, refused to allow her between the Romans and the Latins. However, about to slake her thirst. In vain the goddess entreated, 143 years afterward, we find the latter openly rebell-representing that water was common to all, and aping, and refusing to supply the usual quota of troops pealing to their compassion for her babes. The brutes which they had agreed to furnish as allies of Rome. were insensible: they not only mocked at her distress, Their bold demand, which was urged through L. An- but jumped into and muddied the water. The godnius Setinus, in the Roman senate, that one of the dess, though the most gentle of her race, was roused consuls at least should be chosen out of their nation, to indignation: she raised her hand to heaven, and led to an open rupture. A war followed, which was cried, May you live for ever in that pool!" Her rendered remarkable from the circumstances of the wish was instantly accomplished, and the churls were execution of the young Manlius by order of his father, turned into frogs.-Niobe, the daughter of Tantalus and the devotion of Decius. After having been de- and wife of Amphion, proud of her numerous offspring, feated in several encounters, the Latins were reduced ventured to set herself before Latona; the offended to subjection, with the exception of a few towns, goddess called upon her children, Apollo and Diana, which experienced greater lenity, and Latium thence- and soon Niobe was, by the arrows of those deities, forth ceased to be an independent state. (Lav., 8, made a childless mother, and became stiffened into 14.-Plin, 34, 5.) At that time the rights of Roman stone with grief. (Vid. Niobe.)-Tityus, the son of citizens had been granted to a few only of the Latin Earth, or of Jupiter and Elara, happened to see Latocities; but at a later period the Gracchi sought to na one time as she was going to Delphi (Pytho). level all such distinctions between the Latins and the Inflamed with love, he attempted to offer her violence. Romans. This measure, however, was not carried. The goddess called her children to her aid, and he The Social war followed; and though the confederates soon lay slain by their arrows. His punishment did were finally conquered, after a long and desperate not cease with life, but vultures preyed upon his liver contest, the senate thought it advisable to decree, in Erebus. (Vid. Tityus.)-The Greeks personified that all the Latin cities which had not taken part with night under the title of AHT or Latona, and BAYBQ; the allies should enjoy the rights of Roman citizens. the one signifying oblivion, and the other sleep or Many of these towns were, however, deprived of their quietude (Plutarch, ap. Euseb., Præp. Evang., 3, 1. privileges by Sylla; and it was not till the close of the -Hesych., s. v. Bavb); both of which were meant republic that the Latins were admitted generally to par- to express the unmoved tranquillity prevailing through ticipate in all the rights and immunities enjoyed by the the infinite variety of unknown darkness that preceded Quirites. (Suet., Vit. Jul., 8.-Ascon., Ped. in Pis., the creation or first emanation of light. Hence she p. 490.-On the Jus Latii and Jus Italicum, consult was said to have been the first wife of Jupiter (Odyss., Lipsius, ad Tacit., Ann., 11, 24.- Panvin., Comm. 11, 579), the mother of Apollo and Diana, or the sun Reip. Rom., 3, p. 329.-Spanheim, Orb. Rom., 1, and moon, and the nurse of the earth and the stars. 16.)-The name of Latium was at first given to that The Egyptians differed a little from the Greeks, and portion of Italy only which extends from the mouth of supposed her to be the nurse and grandmother of Hothe Tiber to the Circæan promontory, a distance of rus and Bubastis, their Apollo and Diana (Herod., 2, about 50 miles along the coast; but subsequently this 156), in which they agree more exactly with the anlatter boundary was removed to the river Liris, whence cient naturalists, who held that heat was nourished by arose the distinction of Latium Antiquum and Novum. the humidity of night. (Macrob., Sat., 1, 23.) Her (Strabo, 231.-Plin., 3, 5.) At a still later period, symbol was the Mygale or Mus Araneus, anciently the southern boundary of Latium was extended from supposed to be blind (Plut., Sympos., 4, p. 670.the Liris to the mouth of the river Vulturnus and the Anton., Liberal. Fab., 28); but she is usually repreMassic hills. (Cramer's Anc. Italy, vol. 2, p. 1, seqq.) sented upon the monuments of ancient art under the LATMUS, a mountain of Caria, near Miletus. It was form of a large and comely woman, with a veil upon famous as having been the scene of the fable of En- her head. This veil, in painting, was always black: dymion. (Vid. Endymion.) In the vicinity of this and in gems the artists generally availed themselves of a mountain stood the city of Heraclea, commonly termed dark coloured vein in the stone to express it; it being Hрúkλeiα η vñò Aarμou, "Heraclea below, or at the the same as that which was usually thrown over the foot of, Latmus." The mountain gave to the adja- symbol of the generative attribute to signify the nutricent bay the name of Latmicus Sinus. (Mela, 1, tive power of night fostering the productive power of 17.-Plin., 5, 29.) the pervading spirit; whence Priapus is called in the poets black-cloaked. (Mosch, Epitaph. Bion., 27.) The veil is often stellated. (Knight, Inquiry into the Symb. Lang., &c., § 87.—Class. Journ., vol. 24, p. 214.) LATOBRIGI, a people of Belgic Gaul, in the vicinity of the Tulingi, Rauraci, and Helvetii, whose country lay on the banks of the Rhine, about 90 miles to the west of the Lacus Brigantinus, or Lake of Constance. If they are the nation called by Ptolemy Latobici, they must have changed their settlements before that geographer wrote, as he includes their territories in Pannonia near Noricum. (Cæs., B. G., 1, 2. — Id. ib., 3, 1.) LATOPOLIS, a city of Egypt in the Thebaid, between Thebes and Apollinopolis Magna. It derived its Greek name from the fish Latos worshipped there, which was regarded as the largest of all the fishes of the Nile. (Athenæus, 7, 17.-Strabo, 816.) The later writers drop the term óhus (polis), and call the place merely Laton (Aúrwv, Hierocles), and therefore, in the Itin. Anton. and Notitia Imperii, the ablative form Lato occurs. The modern Esne occupies the site of Latopolis, and is an important place in the caravan trade from Darfur and the more southern regions. (Man nert, Geogr., vol. 10, pt. 1, p. 331.) |