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on his foot. It appears, too, from the writings of the poets, that Machaon was a brave and active soldier; for he is men tioned as engaged in some of the most dangerous enterprises, with the other celebrated leaders. Homer tells us, of a wound which he received in the shoulder, in one of the sallies of the Trojans; and Virgil and Hyginus inform us, that he was one of the brave warriors who entered the wooden horse, from which, according to the former, he was the first to descend. He is said to have lost his life in single combat with Nereus. It is asserted by Pausanias, that the remains of Machaon were preserved by Nestor, and conveyed to Messenia, where they were buried. Machaon married Anticlea, daughter of Diocles, king of Messenia, by whom he had two sons, Nichomachus and Gorgasus, who resided at Pheræ, and possessed the territory of their grandfather, until the Heraclidæ, on their return from Troy, made themselves masters of Messenia, and the rest of the Peloponnesus. Machaon is supposed to have been a king, either in his own right, or that of his wife, since Homer in two or three places, calls him "Pastor of the people," a title which he gives to Agamemnon and the other kings. Pausanias mentions three other sons of Machaon, namely, Sphyrus, Alexanon, and Polemocrates, who are supposed to have been the fruit of another marriage.

PODALIRIUS, an illustrious physician, and reputed son of Esculapius is celebrated by Homer as having accompanied the Grecian army in the Trojan war, together with his brother Machaon. He appears to have been the younger brother, and to have been on the whole less distinguished than Machaon, though, like him, he was married to the daughter of a king. On his return from the siege of Troy, he was shipwrecked on the coast of Caria, where he was hospitably received by a shepherd, who, having learned that he was a physician, took him to king Damætus, whose daughter had accidentally fallen from the top of the house. Podalirius bled her in the arms, after which she recovered, which so delighted the king, that he gave him his daughter in marriage, with the Chersonesus as a portion. Here Podalirius built two cities, the one of which he called Syrnum, from his wife Syrma, and the other Bybassus, which was the name of the shepherd who had received him when shipwrecked. Among other children, he had a son, called Hippolochus, from whom, in a direct line, Hippocrates considers himself as descended.

MELAMPUS, a physician, was enumerated among the early civilizers of Greece, who taught that it was necessary to travel into Egypt to qualify themselves for the high employments at which they aspired in their own country. Orpheus proceeded thence a legislator and philosopher; and Melampus, who had VOL. I

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different views, commenced at his return, a physician and diviner, arts which in Egypt were possessed together. Apollodorus says, that he was the first who cured diseases by medicinal potions. Physic had its miraculous powers during the infancy of the art as well as music; and life and health being esteemed more precious and solid blessings than the transient pleasures of the ear, bore a much higher price; for though bards were often distinguished by royalty, and their talents recompensed by gifts and honours, yet we do not find in ancient records that any of them ever experienced such munificence as Melampus. It is related by Pausanias, that having cured the daughter of Prætus, king of Argos, of an atrabilarious disorder with hellebore, he was rewarded with one of his royal patients for a wife, and a third part of her father's kingdom in dowry.

PERIOD VI.

FROM SAUL TO AHAB.

[B. C. 1120.]

REMARKABLE FACTS, EVENTS, AND DISCOVERIES,

B. C.

1104 The expedition of the Heraclidæ into Peloponnesus, the migration of the Dorians thither, and the end of the kingdom of Mycena.

1102 The kingdom of Sparta commenced

1070 The kingdom of Athens ended, and Archons established.

1051 David besieged and took Jerusalem.

1044 Migration of the Ionian colonics, Smyrna built.

1008 The temple built and dedicated by Solomon.

In this period, the kingdom of Judea, under king David, approached its utmost extent of power. In its most flourishing condition, however, it never was remarkable for the extent of its territory. According to the accounts given in scripture, however, the magnificence of Solomon was superior to that of the most potent monarch then on earth. This extraordinary wealth was owing partly to the spoils amassed by David in his various conquests, and partly to the commerce with the East Indies, which Solomon had established. Of this commerce he owed his share to the friendship of Hiram, king of Tyre, a city in Phoenicia, whose inhabitants were now the most famed for commerce, and skill in maritime affairs of any in the world.

After the death of Solomon, which happened about 975 B. C. the Jewish empire began to decline, and soon after many powerful states arose in different parts of the world.

The first shock given to the Jewish grandeur was the division of the kingdom into two, through the imprudence of Rehoboam.

About this time the Syrians had become a considerable people, and were bitter enemies both to the kings of Israel and Judah; constantly seeking the conquest of both their nations.

On the authority of Geoffrey of Monmouth, the biography of Britain first appears. In this period we have slight notices of the dawnings of philosophy, literature, astronomy, and painting.

SAUL, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, was the first king of the Israelites. Kish having lost his she asses, sent his son Saul to seek them. After he had in vain travelled over a considerable country, and was on the point of returning to

Gibeah to his father, a servant who was with him, said here is a very famous prophet hard by, let us consult him, so they went to Ramah, where they learned that the prophet Samuel was. Saul asked him where the seer or prophet lived? Samuel answered, it is I who am the seer; and Samuel made Saul and his servant enter the room where the feast was kept, placed them at the head of the table, and by way of distinction, served up to Saul the shoulder of the sacrifice. After supper, Samuel conducted Saul to his lodging on the terrace of the house, and on the next morning he brought him down, and came with him below the city of Ramah. Afterwards he anointed him, kissed him, and told him of the kingdom to which he was divinely appointed; of the certainty of which he gave him seve ral signs. All that Samuel had foretold him was fulfilled that same day, and God changed him into another man. All those who saw him, said with wonder, what has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? And this afterwards became a kind of proverb.

Some time after this, Samuel assembled the people at Miżpeh to give them a king, as they had desired. He cast lots on all the tribes of Israel, and the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin. He cast them on all the families of this tribe, and it fell on the family of Matri. Lastly, he cast them on the family of Kish, and the lot fell on the person of Saul. He was immediately sought for, but could not be found; they took him, however, from his concealment, and when he was among the people, he appeared taller than the rest by the whole head. The people shouted, and cried, God save the king! and Samuel declared before the people, the laws and conditions of the kingdom, and then dismissed the assembly. Saul returned to Gibeah, accompanied by a part of the army, consisting of men whose hearts the Lord had inclined to his interests. Others despised Saul, and said, how shall this man save us? But Saul affected not to hear them.

About a month afterwards, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, besieged the city of Jabesh-Gilead; and messengers were sent from Jabesh to Gibeah, to acquaint the people, that the king of the Ammonites had attacked the city, and threatened to put out every man's right eye, and to make it a reproach to Israel. Saul happening to return from the field, and seeing the people weep, he asked the reason of it; then he took his oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them into all Israel, saying, thus shall it be done to the oxen of whoever will not follow Saul and Samuel. Saul attacked the Ammonites in three places at once, killed a great number of them, and so dispersed them, that hardly two could be found together. After this, all the people returned to Gilgal, where they renewed the inauguration of king Saul. This happened in the first year of Saul. 1 Sam. xiii. 1-3, &c.

We shall not follow Saul through his whole history, but merely refer to the Scripture for the rest. His rash sacrifice in the absence of Samuel, his equally rash curse, his victories over the Philistines and Amalekites, his sparing of king Agag, with the judgment denounced against him for it, his jealousy and persecution of David, his barbarous massacre of the priests and people of Nol, his repeated confessions of his injustice to David, his consultation of the witch of Endor, with his defeat and suicide, are recorded in 1 Sam. ix.-xxxi. He reigned forty years, and died B. C. 1055.

AGAG, a king of the Amalekites, equally cruel and effeminate, who was spared by Saul, notwithstanding the express command of the Almighty, and deservedly slain by Samuel, because his sword had made many women childless. His cowardly dread of death, recorded in 1 Sam. xv. affords a proof, of which there are many recorded in history, that those persons who put no value on the lives of others, are generally most anxious to preserve their own.

NAHASH, a tyrant of the Ammonites, whose disgraceful terms offered to the people of Jabesh, gave occasion to the first great victory obtained by king Saul. 1 Sam. xi.

JONATHAN, the son of Saul, king of Israel, one of the greatest and most distinguished heroes recorded in history, sacred or prophane. His courage and patriotism in venturing into the host of the Philistines, accompanied by no one but his armour-bearer, by which he began and accomplished a most important victory over the enemies of his country, 2 Sam. xiv. have hardly been equalled, much less excelled, by any of the boasted heroes of ancient or modern times. But his astonishing affection for David, the man whom human pride and ambition might have been expected to have led him to detest and persecute, as his rival in the kingdom, is so entirely without a parallel, that it can be accounted for only from those powerful principles, of firm faith in the Almighty and implicit submission to his will, which appear to have been the ruling motives of this prince's actions. He was at last killed in battle, fighting bravely against the Philistines, B. C. 1055.

ISHBÖSHETH, is the same as Ishbaal, the man of Baal. Ishbosheth, or Ishbaal, was the son and successor of Saul. Abner, Saul's kinsman, and general, so managed that Ishbosheth was acknowledged king by the greater part of Israel, whilst David reigned at Hebron over Judah. Ishbosheth resided at Mahanaim, beyond Jordan. He was forty-four years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years tolerably peaceful. Afterwards, there was war between the house of David and that of Saul; but whilst the former continued to in-crease in strength, the latter became weaker every day, 2 Sam. ii. S., &c.

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