CHAPTER XI.

ATTIC LEGENDS AND GENEALOGIES.

Erechtheus—autochthonous.—Attic legends—originally from different roots—each dême had its own.—Little noticed by the old epic poets.—Kekrops.—Kranaus—Pandiôn.—Daughters of Pandiôn—Proknê, Philomêla.—Legend of Têreus.—Daughters of Erechtheus—Prokris.—Kreüsa.—Oreithyia, the wife of Boreas.—Prayers of the Athenians to Boreas—his gracious help in their danger.—Erechtheus and Eumolpus.—Voluntary self-sacrifice of the three daughters of Erechtheus.—Kreüsa and Iôn.—Sons of Pandiôn—Ægeus, etc.—Thêseus.—His legendary character refined.—Plutarch—his way of handling the matter of legend.—Legend of the Amazons.—Its antiquity and prevalence.—Glorious achievements of the Amazons.—Their ubiquity.—Universally received as a portion of the Greek past.—Amazons produced as present by the historians of Alexander.—Conflict of faith and reason in the historical critics. 191-217