Some time after a few remembered the fame of their ancestors, and
when they considered what a change had come over the glory of Athens,
they elected Olympiodorus as their general. And he led against the
Macedonians old men and lads alike, hoping that by zeal rather than
strength their fortunes in war would be retrieved. And when the
Macedonians came out against him he conquered them in battle, and when
they fled to the Museum he took it. So Athens was delivered from the
Macedonians. And of the Athenians that distinguished themselves so as
to deserve special mention, Leocritus the son of Protarchus is said to
have displayed most bravery in action. For he was the first to scale
the wall and leap into the Museum: and as he fell in the fight, among
other honours conferred on him by the Athenians, they dedicated his
shield to Zeus Eleutherius, writing on it his name and his valour. And
this is the greatest feat of Olympiodorus, though he also recovered
the Piræus and Munychia: and when the Macedonians invaded Eleusis he
collected a band of Eleusinians and defeated them. And before this,
when Cassander intended to make a raid into Attica, he sailed to Ætolia
and persuaded the Ætolians to give their help, and this alliance was
the chief reason why they escaped war with Cassander. And Olympiodorus
has honours at Athens in the Acropolis and Prytaneum, and a painting
at Eleusis. And the Phocians who dwell at Elatea have erected a brazen
statue to him at Delphi, because he also helped them when they revolted
from Cassander.
And next the statue of Olympiodorus is a brazen image of Artemis
called Leucophryene, and it was erected to her by the sons of
Themistocles: for the Magnesians, over whom Themistocles ruled, having
received that post from the king, worship Artemis Leucophryene. But I
must get on with my subject, as I have all Greece to deal with. Endœus
was an Athenian by race, and the pupil of Dædalus, and accompanied
Dædalus to Crete, when he fled there on account of his murder of Calus.
The statue of Athene sitting is by him, with the inscription that
Callias dedicated it and Endœus designed it.
There is also a building called the Erechtheum: and in the vestibule
is an altar of Supreme Zeus, where they offer no living sacrifice,
but cakes without the usual libation of wine. And as you enter there
are three altars, one to Poseidon, (on which they also sacrifice to
Erechtheus according to the oracle,) one to the hero Butes, and the
third to Hephæstus. And on the walls are paintings of the family of
Butes. The building is a double one, and inside there is sea water in
a well. And this is no great marvel, for even those who live in inland
parts have such wells, as notably the Aphrodisienses in Caria. But this
well is represented as having a roar as of the sea when the South wind
blows. And in the rock is the figure of a trident. And this is said to
have been Poseidon’s proof in regard to the territory Athene disputed
with him.
Sacred to Athene is all the rest of Athens, and similarly all Attica:
for although they worship different gods in different townships, none
the less do they honour Athene generally. And the most sacred of all
is the statue of Athene in what is now called the Acropolis, but was
then called the Polis (_city_), which was universally worshipped many
years before the various townships formed one city: and the rumour
about it is that it fell from heaven. As to this I shall not give an
opinion, whether it was so or not. And Callimachus made a golden lamp
for the goddess. And when they fill this lamp with oil it lasts for a
whole year, although it burns continually night and day. And the wick
is of a particular kind of cotton flax, the only kind imperishable by
fire. And above the lamp is a palmtree of brass reaching to the roof
and carrying off the smoke. And Callimachus the maker of this lamp,
although he comes behind the first artificers, yet was remarkable for
ingenuity, and was the first who perforated stone, and got the name of
_Art-critic_, whether his own appellation or given him by others.