The third generation after Pelasgus Arcadia advanced in population and
cities. Nyctimus was the eldest son of Lycaon and succeeded to all
his power, and his brothers built cities where each fancied. Pallas
and Orestheus and Phigalus built Pallantium, and Orestheus built
Oresthasium, and Phigalus built Phigalia. Stesichorus of Himera has
mentioned a Pallantium in Geryoneis, and Phigalia and Oresthasium in
process of time changed their names, the latter got called Oresteum
from Orestes the son of Agamemnon, and the former Phialia from
Phialus the son of Bucolion. And Trapezeus and Daseatas and Macareus
and Helisson and Thocnus built Thocnia, and Acacus built Acacesium.
From this Acacus, according to the tradition of the Arcadians, Homer
invented a surname for Hermes. And from Helisson the city and river
Helisson got their names. Similarly also Macaria and Dasea and Trapezus
got their names from sons of Lycaon. And Orchomenus was founder of
Methydrium and Orchomenus, which is called rich in cattle by Homer
in his Iliad.[20] And Hypsus built Melæneæ and Hypsus and Thyræum
and Hæmoniæ: and according to the Arcadians Thyrea in Argolis and
the Thyreatic Gulf got their name from Thyreates. And Mænalus built
Mænalus, in ancient times the most famous town in Arcadia, and Tegeates
built Tegea, and Mantineus built Mantinea. And Cromi got its name from
Cromus, and Charisia from Charisius its founder, and Tricoloni from
Tricolonus, and Peræthes from Peræthus, and Asea from Aseatas, and
Lycoa from Lyceus, and Sumatia from Sumateus. And both Alipherus and
Heræus gave their names to towns. And Œnotrus, the youngest of the sons
of Lycaon, having got money and men from his brother Nyctimus, sailed
to Italy, and became king of the country called after him Œnotria. This
was the first colony that started from Greece, for if one accurately
investigates one will find that no foreign voyages for the purpose of
colonization were ever made before Œnotrus.
With so many sons Lycaon had only one daughter Callisto. According to
the tradition of the Greeks Zeus had an intrigue with her. And when
Hera detected it she turned Callisto into a she-bear, whom Artemis shot
to please Hera. And Zeus sent Hermes with orders to save the child that
Callisto was pregnant with. And her he turned into the Constellation
known as the Great Bear, which Homer mentions in the voyage of Odysseus
from Calypso,
“Looking on the Pleiades and late-setting Bootes, and the Bear, which
they also call Charles’ wain.”[21]
But perhaps the Constellation merely got its name out of honour to
Callisto, for the Arcadians shew her grave.
[20] Iliad, ii. 605.
[21] Odyssey, v. 272, 273.