DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0415
QJf the religion of greece.
CHAP. XXV.
of the isthmian games.
The Isthmian games were so called from the place where they were
celebrated, viz. the Corinthian isthmus, a neck of land by which Pelo-
ponnesus is joined to the continent. They were instituted in honour ot
Palasmon or Melicertes, the son of Athamus, king of Thebes and Ino,
for fear of her husband (who had killed her own son Learchus in a fit ot
madness), cast herself, with Melicertes in her arms, into the sea, where
they were received by Neptune into the number of the divinities of his
train, out of compliment to Bacchu->, nursed by Ino. At the change of
their condition, they altered their names ; Ino was called Leucothea, and
her son Palaimon : however, Palaemon's divinity could not preserve his
body from being tossed about the sea, till at length it was taken up by a
dolphin, and carried to the Corinthian shore, where it was found by Si
syphus, at that time king of Corinth, who gave it an honourable interment,
and instituted these funeral games to his memory; thus Pausanias (1).
Others report, that Melicertes's body was cast upon the Isthmus, and lay
there some time uuburied, whereupon a grievous pestilence began to rage
in those parts, and the oracles gave out that the only remedy for it was
to inter the body with the usual solemnities, and celebrate games in me-
mory of the boy : upon the performance of these commands the distem-
per ceased ; but afterwards, when the games were neglected, broke out
again ; and the oracles being consulted, gave answer that they must pay
perpetual honours to Melicertes's memory, which they did accordingly,
erecting an altar to him, and enacting a law for the perpetual celebration
of these games.
Others report, that they were instituted by Theseus in honour of Nep-
tune ; others are of opinion, that there were two distinct solemnities ob-
served in the Isthmus,one to Melicertes, and another to Neptune ; which
report is grounded upon the authority of Musasus, who wrote a treatise
about the Isthmian games. Phavorinus reports, that these games were
first instituted in honour of Neptune, and afterwards celebrated in memo-
ry of Palaemon. Plutarch, on the contrary, tells us, that the first institu-
tion of them was in honour of Melicertes, but afterwards they were al-
tered, enlarged,and reinstittited to Neptune by Theseus : he gives also se-
veral other opinions concerning the original of them ; his words are these
in the life of Theseus : ' Theseus instituted games in emulation of Her-
cules, being ambitious, that as the Greeks, by that hero's appointment, ce-
lebrated the Olympian games to the honour of Jupiter, so by his institu-
tion they should celebrate the Isthmia i g.imes to the honour of Neptune ;
for those that were before dedicated to Melicertes, were celebrated pri-
vately in the night, and consisted nther of religious ceremonies, than of
any open spectacle, or public festival. But some there are, who say
that the Isthmian games were first instituted in memory of Sciron, at the
expiation which Theseus made .for his murder, upon the account of the
nearness of kindred between them. Sciron being the son of Canethus and
Heniocha, the daughter of Bittheus, though others write that Sinnis, and
(1) Initio Corinthiac.
50
CHAP. XXV.
of the isthmian games.
The Isthmian games were so called from the place where they were
celebrated, viz. the Corinthian isthmus, a neck of land by which Pelo-
ponnesus is joined to the continent. They were instituted in honour ot
Palasmon or Melicertes, the son of Athamus, king of Thebes and Ino,
for fear of her husband (who had killed her own son Learchus in a fit ot
madness), cast herself, with Melicertes in her arms, into the sea, where
they were received by Neptune into the number of the divinities of his
train, out of compliment to Bacchu->, nursed by Ino. At the change of
their condition, they altered their names ; Ino was called Leucothea, and
her son Palaimon : however, Palaemon's divinity could not preserve his
body from being tossed about the sea, till at length it was taken up by a
dolphin, and carried to the Corinthian shore, where it was found by Si
syphus, at that time king of Corinth, who gave it an honourable interment,
and instituted these funeral games to his memory; thus Pausanias (1).
Others report, that Melicertes's body was cast upon the Isthmus, and lay
there some time uuburied, whereupon a grievous pestilence began to rage
in those parts, and the oracles gave out that the only remedy for it was
to inter the body with the usual solemnities, and celebrate games in me-
mory of the boy : upon the performance of these commands the distem-
per ceased ; but afterwards, when the games were neglected, broke out
again ; and the oracles being consulted, gave answer that they must pay
perpetual honours to Melicertes's memory, which they did accordingly,
erecting an altar to him, and enacting a law for the perpetual celebration
of these games.
Others report, that they were instituted by Theseus in honour of Nep-
tune ; others are of opinion, that there were two distinct solemnities ob-
served in the Isthmus,one to Melicertes, and another to Neptune ; which
report is grounded upon the authority of Musasus, who wrote a treatise
about the Isthmian games. Phavorinus reports, that these games were
first instituted in honour of Neptune, and afterwards celebrated in memo-
ry of Palaemon. Plutarch, on the contrary, tells us, that the first institu-
tion of them was in honour of Melicertes, but afterwards they were al-
tered, enlarged,and reinstittited to Neptune by Theseus : he gives also se-
veral other opinions concerning the original of them ; his words are these
in the life of Theseus : ' Theseus instituted games in emulation of Her-
cules, being ambitious, that as the Greeks, by that hero's appointment, ce-
lebrated the Olympian games to the honour of Jupiter, so by his institu-
tion they should celebrate the Isthmia i g.imes to the honour of Neptune ;
for those that were before dedicated to Melicertes, were celebrated pri-
vately in the night, and consisted nther of religious ceremonies, than of
any open spectacle, or public festival. But some there are, who say
that the Isthmian games were first instituted in memory of Sciron, at the
expiation which Theseus made .for his murder, upon the account of the
nearness of kindred between them. Sciron being the son of Canethus and
Heniocha, the daughter of Bittheus, though others write that Sinnis, and
(1) Initio Corinthiac.
50