the diffusion of the early
Grecian poetry, which brought all Ionians at stated intervals to the
sacred island of Delos. This later class of festivals agreed with the
Amphictyony in being of a special and exclusive character, not open to
all Greeks.

But there was one among these many Amphictyonies, which, though starting
from the smallest beginnings, gradually expanded into so comprehensive a
character, had acquired so marked a predominance over the rest, as to be
called the "Amphictyonic assembly," and even to have been mistaken by
some authors for a sort of federal Hellenic diet. Twelve sub-races, out
of the number which made up entire Hellas, belonged to this ancient
Amphictyony, the meetings of which were held twice in every year: in
spring at the temple of Apollo at Delphi; in autumn at Thermopylae, in
the sacred precinct of Demeter Amphictyonis. Sacred deputies, including
a chief called the _Hieromnemon_ and subordinates called the _Pylagorae_,
attended at these meetings from each of the twelve races: a crowd of
volunteers seem to have accompanied them, for purposes of sacrifice,
trade, or enjoyment. Their special, and most important, function
consisted in watching over the Delphian temple, in which all the twelve
sub-races had a joint interest, and it was the immense wealth and
national ascendency of this temple which enhanced to so great a pitch
the dignity of its acknowledged administrators.

The twelve constituent members were as follows: Thessalians, Boeotians,
Dorians, Ionians, Perrhaebians, Magnetes, Locrians, Oetaeans, Achaeans,
Phocians, Dolopes, and Malians. All are counted as _races_ (if we treat
the Hellenes as a race, we must call these _sub-races_), no mention
being made of cities: all count equally in respect to voting, two votes
being given by the deputies from each of the twelve: moreover, we are
told that in determining the deputies to be sent or the manner in which
the votes of each race should be given, the powerful Athens, Sparta, and
Thebes had no more influence than the humblest Ionian, Dorian, or
Boeotian city. This latter fact is distinctly stated by AEschines,
himself a Pylagore sent to Delphi by Athens. And so, doubtless, the
theory of the case stood: the votes of the Ionic races counted for
neither more nor less than two, whether given by deputies from Athens,
or from the small towns of Erythrae and Priene; and in like manner the
Dorian votes were as good in the division, when given b