Listed 2 sub titles with search on: Mythology for wider area of: "TOLO Small town ARGOLIS" .
ASSINI (Ancient city) ARGOLIS
The people of Asine originally adjoined the Lycoritae on Parnassus.
Their name, which they maintained after their arrival in Peloponnese, was Dryopes,
from their founder. Two generations after Dryops, in the reign of Phylas, the
Dryopes were conquered in battle by Heracles and brought as an offering to Apollo
at Delphi. When brought to Peloponnese according to the god's instructions to
Heracles, they first occupied Asine by Hermion. They were driven thence by the
Argives and lived in Messenia. This was the gift of the Lacedaemonians, and when
in the course of time the Messenians were restored, they were not driven from
their city by the Messenians.
But the people of Asine give this account of themselves. They admit
that they were conquered by Heracles and their city in Parnassus captured, but
they deny that they were made prisoners and brought to Apollo. But when the walls
were carried by Heracles, they deserted the town and fled to the heights of Parnassus,
and afterwards crossed the sea to Peloponnese and appealed to Eurystheus. Being
at feud with Heracles, he gave them Asine in the Argolid.
The men of Asine are the only members of the race of the Dryopes to
pride themselves on the name to this day. The case is very different with the
Euboeans of Styra. They too are Dryopes in origin, who took no part in the battle
with Heracles, as they dwelt at some distance from the city. Yet the people of
Styra disdain the name of Dryopes, just as the Delphians have refused to be called
Phocians. But the men of Asine take the greatest pleasure in being called Dryopes,
and clearly have made the most holy of their sanctuaries in memory of those which
they once had, established on Parnassus. For they have both a temple of Apollo
and again a temple and ancient statue of Dryops, whose mysteries they celebrate
every year, saying that he is the son of Apollo.
The town itself lies on the coast just as the old Asine in Argive
territory. It is a journey of forty stades from Colonides to Asine, and of an
equal number from Asine to the promontory called Acritas. Acritas projects into
the sea and has a deserted island, Theganussa, lying off it. After Acritas is
the harbor Phoenicus and the Oenussae islands lying opposite. (Paus. 4.34.9-12)
It is said that Asine too was a habitation of the Dryopians--whether, being inhabitants of the regions of the Spercheius, they were settled here by the Arcadian Dryops, as Aristotle has said, or whether they were driven by Heracles out of the part of Doris that is near Parnassus. (Strab. 8.6.13)
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