CHAPTER IV.

HEROIC LEGENDS.—GENEALOGY OF ARGUS.

Structure and purposes of Grecian genealogies.—To connect the Grecian community with their common god.—Lower members of the genealogy historical—higher members non-historical.—The non-historical portion equally believed, and most valued by the Greeks.—Number of such genealogies—pervading every fraction of Greeks.—Argeian genealogy.—Inachus.—Phorôneus.—Argos Panoptês.—Iô.—Romance of Iô historicized by Persians and Phœnicians.—Legendary abductions of heroines adapted to the feelings prevalent during the Persian war.—Danaos and the Danaïdes.—Acrisios and Prœtos.—The Prœtides cured of frenzy by Melampus.—Acrisios, Danaê, and Zeus.—Perseus and the Gorgons.—Foundation of Mycênæ—commencement of Perseid dynasty.—Amphitryôn, Alkmênê, Sthenelos.—Zeus and Alkmênê.—Birth of Hêraklês.—Homeric legend of his birth: its expository value.—The Hêrakleids expelled.—Their recovery of Peloponnêsus and establishment in Argos, Sparta, and Messênia. 80-95