XVIII. LAMPSACE1
There came from Phocaea twin brothers Phobus
and Blepsus of the family of the Codridae, of whom
Phobus was the first to throw himself into the sea
from the Leucadian Rocks,
2 as Charon of Lampsacus
[p. 539]
has recorded.
3 Phobus, having influence and princely
rank, sailed to Parium on some business of his own,
and having become the friend and guest of Mandron,
who was king of the Bebrycians who are called the
Pityoessenians, he aided them by fighting on their
side when they were being harassed by their neighbours. When Phobus took his departure Mandron
expressed the utmost regard for him, and, in particular, promised to give him a part of their land and
city if Phobus wished to come to Pityoessa with
Phocaean colonists. So Phobus prevailed on his
citizens and sent out his brother with the colonists.
And what Mandron had promised was at their disposal, as they expected.
4 But they, inasmuch as
they made great gains for themselves through the
spoils and booty which they took from the neighbouring barbarians, were first an object of envy, and later
an object of fear also, to the Bebrycians, who, desiring
to be rid of them, could not prevail on Mandron, who
was a fair and just man in his treatment of the Greeks;
but when he had gone away on a journey, they prepared to destroy the Phocians by treachery. But
the daughter of Mandron, Lampsace, a young girl,
learned of the plot beforehand, and tried first to
dissuade her friends and relatives and to point out
to them that they were undertaking to carry out a
frightful and wicked deed in murdering men who
were their benefactors and allies and now also their
fellow-citizens. But when she could not prevail on
them, she secretly told the Greeks what was afoot,
and warned them to be on their guard. And they,
[p. 541]
having made ready a sacrifice and banquet, invited
the Pityoessenians to come to it just outside the city;
then, dividing themselves into two parties, with the
one they took possession of the walls, and with the
other made away with the men. Having gained
control of the city in this manner, they sent for
Mandron, and bade him be king jointly with one or
another of their own number. Lampsace died as the
result of an illness, and they buried her within the
city most magnificently, and called the city Lampsacus after her name.
5 When Mandron, endeavouring to avoid any suspicion of treachery, asked to be
released from dwelling with them, but asked as his
right to take away with him the children and wives
of the slain, they sent them forth, doing them no
wrong. They rendered heroic honours to Lampsace
at first; later they voted to offer sacrifice to her as to
a goddess, and so they continue to do.