Greek Texts & Translations

All in reverence to the goddess abstained from every act of violence; wherefore the Thebans, at the time of the expedition of the Epigoni, abandoning their own city, are said to have taken refuge here, and on the strong mountain above it, the Tilphossium. ^note Below Tilphossium is the fountain Tilphossa, and the monument of Teiresias, who died there on the retreat. 37

Chaeroneia ^note is near Orchomenus, ^note where Philip, the son of Amyntas, after having overcome, in a great battle, ^note the Athenians, Boeotians, and Corinthians, became the master of Greece. There are seen the sepulchres erected at the public charge of the persons who fell in that battle. 38

At Lebadeia ^note is the oracle of Jupiter Trophonius, having a descent through an opening, which leads underground. The person himself, who consults the oracle, descends into it. It is situated between Helicon and Chaeroneia, near Coroneia. 39

Leuctra ^note is the place where Epaminondas overcame the Lacedaemonians in a great battle, and first weakened their power; for after that time they were never able to regain the supremacy over the Greeks, which they before possessed, and particularly after they were defeated in a second battle at Mantinea. Even after these reverses they preserved their independence until the establishment of the Roman dominion, and were always respected by that people on account of the excellency of their form of government. The field of battle is shown on the road which leads from Plataeae to Thespiae. 40

The poet next mentions the Orchomenians in the Catalogue, and distinguishes them from the Boeotian nation. He gives to Orchomenus the epithet Minyeian from the nation of the Minyae. They say that a colony of the Minyeians went hence to Iolcus, ^note and from this circumstance the Argonauts were called Minyae. It appears that, anciently, it was a rich