red among them, they said that he had become one of the
Illyrians, otherwise a dragon, or a serpent. All the ancient writers
who mention his history agree that Cadmus really did retire into
Illyria, where he first assisted the Enchelians in their war against
the Illyrians. The latter were defeated, and, to obtain a peace from
the Enchelians, they gave the crown to Cadmus; to which, on his death,
his son Illyrus succeeded. The historian Christodorus, quoted by
Pausanias, says that he built the city of Nygnis, in the country of
the Enchelians.

Some writers have supposed, upon the authority of Euhemerus as quoted
by Eusebius that Cadmus was not the son of Agenor, but was one of his
officers, who eloped thence with Hermione, a singing girl. Others
suppose that Cadmus is not really a proper name, but that it signifies
a 'leader,' or 'conductor;' and that he received the name from leading
a colony into Greece. Bochart says that he was called Cadmus, because
he came from the eastern part of Phoenicia, which is called in
Scripture 'Cadmonia,' or 'oriental;' and that Hermione probably
received her name from Mount Hermon.

FABLE IX. [IV.604-662]

Perseus, the son of Jupiter and Danae, having killed Medusa, carries
her head into Africa, where the blood that runs from it produces
serpents. Atlas, king of that country, terrified at the remembrance of
an oracle, which had foretold that his golden fruit should be taken by
one of the sons of Jupiter, not only orders him to depart, but even
resorts to violence to drive him away, on which Perseus shows him the
Gorgon's head, and changes him into a mountain.

But yet their grandson, {Bacchus} gave them both a great consolation,
under this change of form; whom India, subdued {by him}, worshipped {as
a} God, {and} whom Achaia honored with erected temples. Acrisius the son
of Abas,[74] descended of the same race,[75] alone remained, to drive
him from the walls of the Argive city, and to bear arms against the God,
and to believe him not to be the offspring of Jove. Neither did he think
Perseus to be the offspring of Jupiter, whom Danae had conceived in a
shower of gold; but soon (so great is the power of truth) Acrisius was
sorry, both that he had insulted the God, and that he had not
acknowledged his grandson. The one was now placed in heaven, while the
other, bearing the memorable spoil of the viperous monster, cut the
yielding air with