S P H 



in the year B. C. 348. He placed the ftatues of the 

 Graces in the fchool built by Plato in the academy, and 

 clofely adhered to the doftrines of his mafter. His manners, 

 however, were not conformable to his philofophy : he was 

 vindiftive, and a lover of pleafure. He was likewife ava- 

 ricious, and, contrary to the praftice of Plato, exafted a 

 gratuity from his difciples. He was admitted to the 

 friendfhip of Dion while he refided at Athens ; and it was 

 by his iniligation that Dion, invited by the malecontents of 

 Syracufe, undertook his expedition againft Dionyfius. 

 (See Dion, in Vit. Corn. Nep.) Becoming paralytic in 

 his limbs, he was conveyed to and from the academy in a 

 carriage of fome kind. Upon one of thefe occafions he 

 met Diogenes, and faluted him ; but the cynic, inftead of 

 returning the civility, upbraided him for enduring to live 

 under fuch an infirmity. To which Speufippus replied, 

 «' that he did not live in his limbs, but in his mind." At 

 length, overcome by his maladies, and wearied of life, he 

 put an end to his exiftence, having firft conilituted Xeno- 

 crates his fuccelTor in the academy. He was author of 

 feveral philofophical treatifes, which have perilhed ; though 

 it is faid that they were held in fuch eftimation by Ariftotle, 

 that he gave three talents for them. 



SPEY, in Geography, a river of Scotland, which rifes in 

 the loch of that name, about eight miles S.W. from Fort 

 Auguftus, in the county of Invernefs, and runs into the 

 North fea, in the frith of Murray ; 3 miles N.W. of 

 Fochabers. N. )at. 57° 4.0'. W. long. 2° 59'. 



SPEYERSBERG, a town of Bavaria, in the bifhopric 

 of Bamberix ; 1 1 miles N. of Bamberg. 



SPEYMOUTH, a pariih of the fhire of Elgin, Scotland, 

 \\ mile N.W. from Fochabers. 



SPEZZA, or SpETiA, a fea-port town of the Ligurian 

 republic, fituated on a gulf of the Adriatic, to which it 

 gives name, and anciently called " Portus Lunae." At the 

 entrance of the gulf is a fmall ifland, called " Palmaria," 

 which makes the harbour fafe and large ; 35 miles S.E. of 

 Genoa. N. lat. 44° 9'. E. long. 9° 40'. 



SPEZZANO, a town of Italy, in the department of 

 the Panaro ; 5 miles S. of Modena. — Alfo, a town of 

 Naples, in Calabria Citra ; 4 miles E.N.E. of Cofenza. 



SPHACELUS, from o-ifafi., to dejlroy, implies, in Sur- 

 gery, the complete mortification of a part of the body. 

 See Gangrene. 



SPHACHIA, in Geography, a diltrift or province of 

 the ifland of Crete, lying towards the fouth, and extending 

 to the eaft much more than Cidonia, or Kidonia, which is 

 fituated to the north ; it is confidered as making part of 

 the pachalic of Candia ; though the interior police and 

 adminillration belong to the inhabitants themfelves, called 

 •< Sphachiots." The firft chain of the high mountains of 

 Sphachia, comprifed in the province of Kidonia, is covered 

 with fnow for four or five months. It is, in general, ftony 

 and deftitute of earth ; but it has a few narrow vallies 

 which are fufceptible of culture. Barley is fown here in 

 May, and gathered in September. As foon as the fnow is 

 melted, the flocks are brought to thefe mountains ; and 

 though the ground appears' almoft naked, cattle find a 

 food, vphich, if not abundant, is very relilhing, and very fit 

 for giving to their milk and fle(h a quality, unattainable by 

 thofe that are bred in the moft fertile places. The 

 Sphachiots inhabit the high mountains, which extend from 

 E. to W., from the province of Selino, as far as that of 

 Arnari. Independently of a great number of villages, 

 which are fituated on thefe mountains, fome are found 

 towards the fouth coaft, and among others " Sphachia," 

 their chief place, which is a fmdl harbour that contains 



S P H I 



feven or eight large boats, which the Sphachiots ufe for 

 their trade, and fometimes alfo for the piracies which they 

 praftife in imitation of their anceftors. The Maltefe for- 

 merly frequented this harbour, and were furnifhed by the 

 inhabitants with provifions, and all the affiftance which 

 they wanted. Sphachia produces fcarcely any oil ; but it 

 affords a fmall quantity of wheat, and barley in greater 

 abundance : it alfo furnifties honey and wax. The prin- 

 cipal produftion confifts in little cheefes made with ewes' 

 milk, which are exported to Conftantinople. In winter 

 the Sphachiots drive their flocks to the fea-fide, in order 

 to obtain plenty of grafs ; but in fummer they remove 

 them back to feed on the rich paftures, which the milder 

 temperature and gradual melting of the fnow always main- 

 tain in a Itate of verdure. With the wine which thefe 

 Greeks make on the firfl link of the chain of their moun- 

 tains, they indulge themfelves fo freely, that they confume 

 their whole ftock during the three or four months that 

 fucceed the vintage, and in the remainder of the year they 

 are obliged to drink pure water. The inhabitants of the 

 Sphachian mountains are diftinguifhed by their induftry 

 and aftivity ; they are fliepherds, agriculturifts, and artifans ; 

 they occupy their land to advantage, and breed a great 

 number of cattle ; and manufafture with tolerable (kill the 

 cloths which they ufe, as well as the utenfils and imple- 

 ments which they employ. Upon the whole, the Spha- 

 chiot has preferved the energy of the independent man, 

 and the aftivity of a perfon who enjoys, without moleitation, 

 the fruit of his labour. 



The Sphachiots, who are confidered as the real defcend- 

 ants of thofe famous Cretans who were fo long mafters of 

 the country, are diftinguifhed from the other Greeks by 

 their tall ftature, their comely appearance, their love of 

 liberty, their courage, their (kill, and, above all, the hatred 

 which they have vowed againft the ufurpers of this ifland. i 

 Under the Romans, the Saracens, the Venetians, and the • 

 Turks, the Sphachiots found means to preferve their law* 

 and their cuftoms. They annually appointed their magif- 

 trates in the general affemblies of the people. Obliged by 

 the Turks to tranfport, in fummer, from the top of their 

 mountains, the ice neceffary for the confumption of the 

 inhabitants of Canea and Retimo, they paid no tax, no 

 impoft ; they had no agas ; they never faw among them 

 the agents of the Turkilh government ; they formed, in a 

 word, a republic in fome meafure independent. When, in 

 1769, fome Ruffian emiflaries came to difturb the peace, 

 and impair the happinefs, which thefe privileged Greeks 

 enjoyed on their mountains, the Sphachiots recurred to 

 arms ; and fome hundreds of the braveft of them went and 

 joined the Mainots, their friends, and proceeded together 

 to offer their fervices to count Orloff, at a time when they 

 apprehended the Ruffians were preparing to deliver the 

 Greeks from the Ottoman yoke. The paflia of Candia, 

 informed of the conduft of the Sphachiots, refolved, in 

 the fame year 1770, to march againft them with all the 

 forces of the ifland. He wifhed to exterminate thsm, and 

 thus to afford a terrible example of feverity to all the 

 Greeks who might be tempted to imitate them. The 

 Turks foon united under their colours. The Sphachiots, 

 taking advantage of their rocks and mountains, defended 

 themfelves againft the attacks of the Turks, and flieltered 

 themfelves amidft their crags and precipices. Notwithftand- 

 ing their refiftance, the Turks perfevered, though tired of 

 a painful and difagreeable war, and loudly demanding to 

 return home, reduced the Sphachiots to the laft extre- 

 mity. Almoft all their villages were fet on fire ; many of 

 their women and children were carried off, as well as their 



flockf. 



