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After the capture and destruction of Troy, Æneas, with twenty ships
laden with the Trojan relics, came into Italy, when Latinus reigned
there, Menestheus in Athens, Polyphidos in Sicyon, and Tautanos
in Assyria, and Abdon was judge of the Hebrews. On the death of
Latinus, Æneas reigned three years, the same kings continuing in the
above-named places, except that Pelasgus was now king in Sicyon,
and Samson was judge of the Hebrews, who is thought to be Hercules,
because of his wonderful strength. Now the Latins made Æneas one of
their gods, because at his death he was nowhere to be found. The
Sabines also placed among the gods their first king, Sancus,
[Sangus], or Sanctus, as some call him. At that time Codrus
king of Athens exposed himself incognito to be slain by the
Peloponnesian foes of that city, and so was slain. In this way,
they say, he delivered his country. For the Peloponnesians had
received a response from the oracle, that they should overcome the
Athenians only on condition that they did not slay their king.
Therefore he deceived them by appearing in a poor man's dress, and
provoking them, by quarrelling, to murder him. Whence Virgil says,
"Or the quarrels of Codrus." And the Athenians worshipped this
man as a god with sacrificial honors. The fourth king of the Latins
was Silvius the son of Æneas, not by Creusa, of whom Ascanius the
third king was born, but by Lavinia the daughter of Latinus, and he
is said to have been his posthumous child. Oneus was the twenty-ninth
king of Assyria, Melanthus the sixteenth of the Athenians, and Eli
the priest was judge of the Hebrews; and the kingdom of Sicyon then
came to an end, after lasting, it is said, for nine hundred and
fifty-nine years.
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