μετὰ δὲ τὰς τῶν θεῶν γενέσεις ὕστερον πολλαῖς γενεαῖς φασι γενέσθαι κατὰ τὴν Κρήτην ἥρωας οὐκ ὀλίγους, ὧν ὑπάρχειν ἐπιφανεστάτους τοὺς περὶ Μίνω καὶ Ῥαδάμανθυν καὶ Σαρπηδόνα. τούτους γὰρ μυθολογοῦσιν ἐκ Διὸς γεγεννῆσθαι καὶ τῆς Ἀγήνορος Εὐρώπης, ἥν φασιν ἐπὶ ταύρου διακομισθῆναι προνοίᾳ θεῶν εἰς τὴν Κρήτην.
Μίνω μὲν οὖν πρεσβύτατον ὄντα βασιλεῦσαι τῆς νήσου, καὶ κτίσαι πόλεις οὐκ ὀλίγας ἐν αὐτῇ, τούτων δʼ ἐπιφανεστάτας τρεῖς, Κνωσὸν μὲν ἐν τοῖς πρὸς τὴν Ἀσίαν νεύουσι μέρεσι τῆς νήσου, Φαιστὸν δʼ ἐπὶ θαλάττης ἐστραμμένην ἐπὶ μεσημβρίαν, Κυδωνίαν δʼ ἐν τοῖς πρὸς ἑσπέραν τόποις κατʼ ἀντικρὺ τῆς Πελοποννήσου.
θεῖναι δὲ καὶ νόμους τοῖς Κρησὶν οὐκ ὀλίγους, προσποιούμενον παρὰ Διὸς τοῦ πατρὸς λαμβάνειν, συνερχόμενον εἰς λόγους αὐτῷ κατά τι σπήλαιον. κτήσασθαι δὲ καὶ δύναμιν ναυτικὴν μεγάλην, καὶ τῶν τε νήσων τὰς πλείστας καταστρέψασθαι καὶ πρῶτον τῶν Ἑλλήνων θαλαττοκρατῆσαι.
μεγάλην δὲ δόξαν περιποιησάμενον ἐπʼ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καταστρέψαι τὸν βίον ἐν Σικελίᾳ κατὰ τὴν ἐπὶ Κώκαλον στρατείαν, περὶ ἧς τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἀνεγράψαμεν ὅτε τὰ περὶ Δαίδαλον ἀνεγράφομεν, διʼ ὃν καὶ τὴν στρατείαν συνέβη γενέσθαι.
Many generations after the birth of the gods, the Cretans go on to say, not a few heroes were to be found in Crete, the most renowned of whom were Minos and Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. These men, their myth states, were born of Zeus and Europê, the daughter of Agenor, who, men say, was brought across to Crete upon the back of a bull by the design of the gods. Now Minos, by virtue of his being the eldest, became king of the island, and he founded on it not a few cities, the most renowned of which were the three, Cnosus in those parts of the island which look toward Asia, Phaestus on the sea-shore to the south, and Cydonia in the regions to the west facing the Peloponnesus. And Minos established not a few laws for the Cretans, claiming that he had received them from his father Zeus when conversing with him in a certain cave. Furthermore, he came to possess a great naval power, and he subdued the majority of the islands and was the first man among the Greeks to be master of the sea. And after he had gained great renown for his manly spirit and justice, he ended his life in Sicily in the course of his campaign against Cocalus, the details of which we have recounted in connection with our account of Daedalus, because of whom the campaign was made.
Ῥαδάμανθυν δὲ λέγουσι τάς τε κρίσεις πάντων δικαιοτάτας πεποιῆσθαι καὶ τοῖς λῃσταῖς καὶ ἀσεβέσι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις κακούργοις ἀπαραίτητον ἐπενηνοχέναι τιμωρίαν. κατακτήσασθαι δὲ καὶ νήσους οὐκ ὀλίγας καὶ τῆς Ἀσίας πολλὴν τῆς παραθαλαττίου χώρας, ἁπάντων ἑκουσίως παραδιδόντων ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην. τὸν δὲ Ῥαδάμανθυν Ἐρύθρῳ μὲν ἑνὶ τῶν αὑτοῦ παίδων παραδοῦναι τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν διʼ ἐκεῖνον Ἐρυθρῶν ὀνομασθεισῶν, Οἰνοπίωνι δὲ τῷ Ἀριάδνης τῆς Μίνω Χίον ἐγχειρίσαι φασίν, ὃν ἔνιοι μυθολογοῦσι Διονύσου γενόμενον μαθεῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τὰ περὶ τὴν οἰνοποιίαν.
τῶν δʼ ἄλλων τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν ἡγεμόνων ἑκάστῳ νῆσον ἢ πόλιν δωρήσασθαι λέγουσι τὸν Ῥαδάμανθυν, Θόαντι μὲν Λῆμνον, Ἐνυεῖ δὲ Κύρνον, Σταφύλῳ δὲ Πεπάρηθον, Εὐάνθει δὲ Μαρώνειαν, Ἀλκαίῳ δὲ Πάρον, Ἀνίωνι δὲ Δῆλον, Ἀνδρεῖ δὲ τὴν ἀπʼ ἐκείνου κληθεῖσαν Ἄνδρον. διὰ δὲ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν δικαιοσύνης μεμυθολογῆσθαι δικαστὴν αὐτὸν ἀποδεδεῖχθαι καθʼ ᾅδου καὶ διακρίνειν τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ τοὺς πονηρούς. τετευχέναι δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς τιμῆς καὶ τὸν Μίνω, βεβασιλευκότα νομιμώτατα καὶ μάλιστα δικαιοσύνης πεφροντικότα.
τὸν δὲ τρίτον ἀδελφὸν Σαρπηδόνα φασὶ μετὰ δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν διαβάντα κατακτήσασθαι τοὺς περὶ Λυκίαν τόπους. Εὔανδρον δὲ γενόμενον υἱὸν αὐτοῦ διαδέξασθαι τὴν ἐν Λυκίᾳ βασιλείαν, καὶ γήμαντα Δηιδάμειαν τὴν Βελλεροφόντου τεκνῶσαι Σαρπηδόνα τὸν ἐπὶ Τροίαν μὲν στρατεύσαντα , ὑπό τινων δὲ Διὸς υἱὸν ὀνομαζόμενον.
Of Rhadamanthys the Cretans say that of all men he rendered the most just decisions and inflicted inexorable punishment upon robbers and impious men and all other malefactors. He came also to possess no small number of islands and a large part of the sea coast of Asia, all men delivering themselves into his hands of their free will because of his justice. Upon Erythrus, one of his sons, Rhadamanthys bestowed the kingship over the city which was named after him Erythrae, and to Oenopion, the son of Minos’ daughter Ariadnê, he gave Chios, we are told, although some writers of myths state that Oenopion was a son of Dionysus and learned from his father the art of making wine. And to each one of his other generals, the Cretans say, he made a present of an island or a city, Lemnos to Thoas, Cyrnus to Enyeus, Peparethos to Staphylus, Maroneia to Euanthes, Paros to Alcaeus, Delos to Anion, and to Andreus the island which was named after him Andros. Moreover, because of his very great justice, the myth has sprung up that he was appointed to be judge in Hades, where his decisions separate the good from the wicked. And the same honour has also been attained by Minos, because he ruled wholly in accordance with law and paid the greatest heed to justice.
The third brother, Sarpedon, we are told, crossed over into Asia with an army and subdued the regions about Lycia. Euandrus, his son, succeeded him in the kingship in Lycia, and marrying Deïdameia, the daughter of Bellerophon, he begat that Sarpedon who took part in the expedition against Troy, although some writers have called him a son of Zeus.
Μίνῳ δέ φασιν υἱοὺς γενέσθαι Δευκαλίωνά τε καὶ Μόλον· καὶ Δευκαλίωνος μὲν Ἰδομενέα, Μόλου δὲ Μηριόνην ὑπάρξαι. τούτους δὲ ναυσὶν ἐνενήκοντα στρατεῦσαι μετʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος εἰς Ἴλιον, καὶ διασωθέντας εἰς τὴν πατρίδα τελευτῆσαι καὶ ταφῆς ἐπιφανοῦς ἀξιωθῆναι καὶ τιμῶν ἀθανάτων. καὶ τὸν τάφον αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Κνωσῷ δεικνύουσιν, ἐπιγραφὴν ἔχοντα τοιάνδε, Κνωσίου Ἰδομενῆος ὅρα τάφον. αὐτὰρ ἐγώ τοι πλησίον ἵδρυμαι Μηριόνης ὁ Μόλου. τούτους μὲν οὖν ὡς ἥρωας ἐπιφανεῖς τιμῶσιν οἱ Κρῆτες διαφερόντως, θύοντες καὶ κατὰ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις κινδύνους ἐπικαλούμενοι βοηθούς.
Minos’ sons, they say, were Deucalion and Molus, and to Deucalion was born Idomeneus and to Molus was born Meriones. These two joined with Agamemnon in the expedition against Ilium with ninety ships, when they had returned in safety to their fatherland they died and were accorded a notable burial and immortal honours. And the Cretans point out their tomb at Cnosus, which bears the following inscription:
Behold Idomeneus the Cnosian’s tomb,
And by his side am I, Meriones,
The son of Molus.
These two the Cretans hold in special honour as heroes of renown, offering up sacrifices to them and calling upon them to come to their aid in the perils which arise in war.
τούτων δʼ ἡμῖν διευκρινημένων λείπεται περὶ τῶν ἐπιμιχθέντων ἐθνῶν τοῖς Κρησὶ διελθεῖν. ὅτι μὲν οὖν πρῶτοι κατῴκησαν τὴν νῆσον οἱ προσαγορευθέντες μὲν Ἐτεόκρητες, δοκοῦντες δʼ ὑπάρχειν αὐτόχθονες, προειρήκαμεν· μετὰ δὲ τούτους πολλαῖς γενεαῖς ὕστερον Πελασγοὶ πλανώμενοι διὰ τὰς συνεχεῖς στρατείας καὶ μεταναστάσεις καταντήσαντες εἰς τὴν Κρήτην μέρος τῆς νήσου κατῴκησαν.
τρίτον δὲ γένος φασὶ τῶν Δωριέων παραβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν νῆσον ἡγουμένου Τεκτάμου τοῦ Δώρου· τούτου δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ μέρος τὸ μὲν πλέον ἀθροισθῆναι λέγουσιν ἐκ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ὄλυμπον τόπων, τὸ δέ τι μέρος ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Λακωνικὴν Ἀχαιῶν διὰ τὸ τὴν ἀφορμὴν τὸν Δῶρον ἐκ τῶν περὶ Μαλέαν τόπων ποιῆσαι. τέταρτον δὲ γένος συμμιγῆναί φασιν εἰς τὴν Κρήτην μιγάδων βαρβάρων τῶν διὰ τὸν χρόνον ἐξομοιωθέντων τῇ διαλέκτῳ τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις Ἕλλησι.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τοὺς περὶ Μίνω καὶ Ῥαδάμανθυν ἰσχύσαντας ὑπὸ μίαν ἀγαγεῖν συντέλειαν τὰ ἔθνη τὰ κατὰ τὴν νῆσον. τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον μετὰ τὴν κάθοδον τῶν Ἡρακλειδῶν Ἀργεῖοι καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι πέμποντες ἀποικίας ἄλλας τέ τινας νήσους ἔκτισαν καὶ ταύτης τῆς νήσου κατακτησάμενοι πόλεις τινὰς ᾤκησαν ἐν αὐταῖς· περὶ ὧν τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις χρόνοις ἀναγράψομεν.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν τὰ Κρητικὰ γεγραφότων οἱ πλεῖστοι διαφωνοῦσι πρὸς ἀλλήλους, οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν ἐὰν μὴ πᾶσιν ὁμολογούμενα λέγωμεν· τοῖς γὰρ τὰ πιθανώτερα λέγουσι καὶ μάλιστα πιστευομένοις ἐπηκολουθήσαμεν, ἃ μὲν Ἐπιμενίδῃ τῷ θεολόγῳ προσσχόντες, ἃ δὲ Δωσιάδῃ καὶ Σωσικράτει καὶ Λαοσθενίδᾳ.
But now that we have examined these matters it remains for us to discuss the peoples who have become intermixed with the Cretans. That the first inhabitants of the island were known as Eteocretans and that they are considered to have sprung from the soil itself, we have stated before; and many generations after them Pelasgians, who were in movement by reason of their continuous expeditions and migrations, arrived at Crete and made their home in a part of the island. The third people to cross over to the island, we are told, were Dorians, under the leadership of Tectamus the son of Dorus; and the account states that the larger number of these Dorians was gathered from the regions about Olympus, but that a part of them consisted of Achaeans from Laconia, since Dorus had fixed the base of his expedition in the region about Cape Malea. A fourth people to come to Crete and to become intermixed with the Cretans, we are told, was a heterogeneous collection of barbarians who in the course of time adopted the language of the native Greeks. But after these events Minos and Rhadamanthys, when they had attained to power, gathered the peoples on the island into one union. And last of all, after the Return of the Heracleidae, Argives and Lacedaemonians sent forth colonies which they established on certain other islands and likewise took possession of Crete, and on these islands they colonized certain cities; with regard to these cities, however, we shall give a detailed account in connection with the period of time to which they belong. And since the greatest number of writers who have written about Crete disagree among themselves, there should be no occasion for surprise if what we report should not agree with every one of them; we have, indeed, followed as our authorities those who give the more probable account and are the most trustworthy, in some matters depending upon Epimenides who has written about the gods, in others upon Dosiades, Sosicrates, and Laosthenidas.
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