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These same Pelasgians, after they were settled in Lemnos, conceived
the wish to be revenged on the Athenians. So, as they were well
acquainted with the Athenian festivals, they manned some
penteconters, and having laid an ambush to catch the Athenian women as
they kept the festival of Diana at Brauron, they succeeded in
carrying off a large number, whom they took to Lemnos and there kept
as concubines. After a while the women bore children, whom they
taught to speak the language of Attica and observe the manners of the
Athenians. These boys refused to have any commerce with the sons of
the Pelasgian women; and if a Pelasgian boy struck one of their
number, they all made common cause, and joined in avenging their
comrade; nay, the Greek boys even set up a claim to exercise lordship
over the others, and succeeded in gaining the upper hand. When these
things came to the ears of the Pelasgians, they took counsel
together, and, on considering the matter, they grew frightened, and
said one to another, "If these boys even now are resolved to make
common cause against the sons of our lawful wives, and seek to exercise
lordship over them, what may we expect when they grow up to be men?"
Then it seemed good to the Pelasgians to kill all the sons of the
Attic women; which they did accordingly, and at the same time slew
likewise their mothers. From this deed, and that former crime of the
Lemnian women, when they slew their husbands in the days of Thoas,
it has come to be usual throughout Greece to call wicked actions by the
name of "Lemnian deeds."
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