Gell, William: The geography and antiquities of Ithaca (London, 1807)

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kingdom of Ithaca, in which it is probable he was succeed-
ed bjr the two latter. Ithaca must have prospered greatly
under the government of its founders, and though the is-
land was smaller, yet the possessions of Polyctor, the last of
the brothers of Ithacus, were so considerable, as to induce
Laertes, grandson of Cephalus through Arcesias, to quit
Cephallonia, where he reigned in his youth,' for a residence
in Ithaca. There appears indeed no other way of ac-
counting for the supremacy of Ulysses over Ithaca and the
neighbouring isles, than by his personal qualifications, and
the riches and extent of his patrimonial domain; for there
were other chiefs of great power,1 who might be suspected
of aspiring to the regal dignity, in case of the death of the
king.

The reigning family does not appear to have acted
without consulting both the nobles and the people,3 so that
the government was not very despotic, and we find the
slaughter of the suitors the cause of a great revolt in Itha-
ca, while a more violent insurrection was apprehended in
Cephallonia.3

1 Od. 24. 337.
* Od. 2. 256. &c.

2 Od. 1. 39. Od. 15. 532.
4 Od. 24. 353 and 354.