A R G 
and other princes of tire Peloponnefus, were allowed to 
ill are the benefits and fecurity of this ufeful aflociation. 
“ After this event, the Am’pJiRtyons appear to have long 
confined themfelves to the original ptirpofe of their infii- 
tution. The dates, vvhofe meafures were diredled by this 
alfenrbly, found fufficient occupation in defending their 
own territpries; and near a century elapfed, before they 
undertook, by common confent, any diftant expedition. 
But it was not to be expedted that their reftlefs aftivity 
could be always ex ha tided in defenfive war. The efla- 
blifhment of the Amphi&yons brought together the chiefs 
mod didinguidied by birth and bravery. Glory and emu¬ 
lation prompted them to arms, and revenge directed tliofe 
arms againd the barbarians. Jafon, Admetus, and other 
chieftains of Theiraly, having equipped, in the harbour 
of Ioleus, the dtip Argo, of fuperior fize and conftruftion 
to any before known, were animated with a dedre to vifit 
foreign lands, to plant colonies in thole parts of them that 
appeared mod delightful, and to retort on their inhabitants 
the injuries which Greece had fuftered from drangers. The 
princes of the north having proclaimed this fpirited defign 
over the central and fouthern provinces, the dandard of 
enterprife and glory was fpeedily furrottnded by the flower 
of the Grecian youth, who eagerly embraced this honour¬ 
able opportunity to fignalize their valour. Peleus, Tydeus, 
Telamon, and in general the fathers of tliofe heroic chiefs 
who in the fucceeding age dione with didinguidied ludre 
in the plains of Troy, are numbered among the leaders of 
the Argonauts. They were accompanied by the chofen 
warriors, and by the venerable prophets, of their refpedt- 
ive tribes; by an iEfculapius, the admired father of the 
healing art: and by the divine Orpheus, wliofe fublime 
genius was worthy to celebrate the amazing leries of their 
adventures. 
“ Tliefe adventures, however, have been too much 
adorned by the graces of poetry, to be the proper lubjefls 
of hidorical compofition. The defigns of the Argonauts 
are veiled under the allegorical, or at lead doubtful, phrafe, 
of carrying off the golden fleece ; which, though eafily ex¬ 
plained, if we admit the report that the inhabitants of the 
eadern banks of the Euxine extended fleeces of wool, in 
order to collect the golden particles which were carried 
down by the torrent from mount Caucafus, is yet deferibed 
in fucii various language by ancient writers, that almod 
every modern who examines the fubject thinks himfelf 
entitled to otter, by way of explanation, fome new conjec¬ 
ture of his own. But in oppofition to the mod approved 
of thefe conjeftures, we may venture to affirm, that the 
voyage to Colchis was not undertaken with a view to efia- 
blifli extenfive plans of commerce, or to fearch for mines 
of gold, far lei's to learn the imaginary art of converting- 
other fubdances into that precious metal; all fitch motives 
fuppofing a degree ©f (peculation and refinement unknown 
in that age to the gallant but unindrudled youth of Tlief- 
faly. The real object of the expedition may be difeovered 
by its confequences. The Argonauts fought, conquered, 
and plundered; they fettled a colony on the fliores of the 
Euxine ; and carried into Greece a daughter of the king 
of Colchis, the celebrated Medea, a princefs of Egyptian 
extra£tion, whole crimes and enchantments are condemned 
to eternal infamy in the immortal line's of Euripides.” 
Hence then the objedl of the Argonauts was to open the 
commerce of the Euxine fea, and to eftablifh colonies in 
adjacent country of Colchis. The fliip Argo, which was 
the admiral of the fleet, is the only one particularly taken 
notice of; though we learn from Homer, and other ancient 
writers, that feveral were employed in this expedition. 
The fleet of the Argonauts was, from the ignorance of 
tliofe who conducted it, long totted about on different coafts. 
The rocks, at fome dittance from the mouth of the Eux¬ 
ine fea, occafioned great labour : they fent forward a light 
velfel, which palfed through, but returned with the lofs of 
her rudder. This is expreffed in the fabulous language 
of antiquity, by their fending out a bird which returned 
with the lofs of its tail, and may give us an idea of the 
Vol. 11 . No. 63. 
A R G 149 
allegorical obfeurity in which the other events of this ex¬ 
pedition are involved. The fleet at length arrived at /Ecu, 
the capital of Colchis, after performing a voyage, which, 
confidering the condition of the naval art during this age, 
was not lei's important than the circumnavigation of the 
world by our modern difeoverers, From this expedition 
to that again!! Troy, which was undertaken to recover the 
fair Helena, who had been carried off'by Paris, fon of the 
Trojan .king, the Greeks mutt have made a wonderful pro- 
grefs in arts, in power, and in,opulence; lince no lefs than 
twelve hundred vellels were employed in that voyage. 
Argonauts of St. Nicholas, was the name of a 
military order inftituted by Charles Ill. king of Naples, in 
13S2, for the advancement of navigation, or, as fome fay, 
merely for preferving amity among the nobles. They 
wore a collar of fliells,-inclofed in a (ilver crefcent, whence- 
hung a (hip w ith this motto. Non credo tanpori , “ I do not 
trutt time.” Hence thefe Argonaut knights came to be 
called knights of the fell. They received the order of St. 
Balil, archbilhop of Naples; and held their aflemblies is 
the church of St. Nicholas, their patron. 
ARGOPHYL'LUM, f. and (pvWov y white-leaf-5 
the leaves being of a fiIky whitenefs beneath.] In botany, 
a genus of the pentandria monogynia clafs, in the natural 
order of ericae. The generic characters are—Calyx: pe- 
rianthium Ihort, quinquefid ; divifions (harp. Corolla': 
petals five, lanceolate-fpreading, three times larger than 
the calyx ; nectary five-angled, pyramidal, open at the top, 
confiding of many converging papillas, connate at the bale. 
Stamina : filaments five, fubulate, inlerted into the recep¬ 
tacle, and fhorter than the nedtary; antherte ovate. Pil- 
tilluin : germ turbinate, fattened at the bottom to the ca¬ 
lyx, flat above ; ttyle filiform, the length of the nedtary ; 
ttigma globular. Pericarpium : caplule hemifpherical, 
flat above, growing to the calyx, three-celled, opening in¬ 
to three parts. Seeds : very many, globular, porous.— 
EJfcntialCharacter. Capfule, three-celled ; nedfary, pyra¬ 
midal, five-angled, the length of the corolla. 
We have but one fpecies, known by the name of argo» 
phyllum nitidum. It is perennial; and is found in New 
Caledonia. 
AR'GOS, an ancient name of Peloponnefus ; from Ar¬ 
gos one of the kings. Strabo. 
Argos, the capital, and an inland town, of A rgolis, 
or Argeia. It had different furnames; as Achaicum from 
the country, or an ancient people, (Homer ;) Ilipphnn , from 
its breed ot horfes ; and Inachium , from the river Inacluis, 
which runs by, or from Inacluis the founder of the king¬ 
dom, whofe name was alfo given to the river. 
Ancient Argos flood chiefly on a flat. The fprings were 
near the furface ; and it abounded in wells, which were 
faid to have been invented by the daughters of Danaus. 
This early perfonage lived in the acropolis or citadel, which 
was named Lari/J'a, and accounted moderately flrong. On 
the afeent was a temple of Apollo, which in the fecond 
century continued the feat of an oracle. On the top was 
a temple of Jupiter, without a roof. In the temple of 
Minerva, among other curious articles, was a wooden Ju¬ 
piter, with an eye more than common, having one in the 
forehead. This ftatue, it was faid, was once placed in a 
court of the palace of Priam, who fled as a fuppliant to 
the altar before it, when Troy was facked. In this city 
was alfo the brazen tower in which Danae, being confined 
by her father, was deflowered by Jupiter. Argos retain? 
its original name and fituation, ftanding near the mountains 
which are the boundary of the plain, with Napoli and the 
fea in view before it. The filming houles are whitened 
with lime or platter. Churches, mud-built cottages and 
walls, witli gardens and open areas, are interfperfed, and 
the town is of confiderable extent. Above the other build¬ 
ings is feen a very handfome mofque, fliaded with folemn 
cyprefies; and behind is a lofty hill, brown and naked, of 
a conieal form, the fummit crowned with a neglected caf- 
tle. The devaftations of time and war have effaced the 
old city. We now look in vain for veftiges of its mime. 
Q >41 rous 
