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