one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean, lying between 22 and 27 degrees of east longitude, and between 35 and 36 degrees of north latitude. According to Strabo, this island is 287 miles in length; according to Pliny, 270; and, according to Scylax, 312. As to its breadth, it is not, as Pliny observes, above 55 miles where widest; whence it was styled, as Stephanus observes, the Long Island. It has the Archipelago to the north, the African sea to the south, the Carpathian sea to the east, and the Ionian to the west. Anciently it was known by the names of Aeria, Chthonia, Idea, Curete, Macarii, &c.; but its most common name was that of Crete. This last name is by some derived from the Curetes, whom they reckon to have been the first inhabitants of the island; by others from the nymph Crete, daughter of Helius, or from Cretus the son of Jupiter, who reigned here.

The first inhabitants of Crete, according to Diodorus Siculus, were the Idæi Dactyls, who inhabited mount Ida. See DACTYLI.

Next to the Idæi Dactyls were the nine Curetes; some of whom are supposed to have sprung from the earth, and others to be descended from the Idæi Dactyls. See CURETES.

The Titans were contemporary with the Curetes; and dwelt in the country where the city of Gnoilius was afterwards built. They were in number six men, and five women. Some say they were the offspring of Uranus and Terra; others that they were descended from one of the Curetes and Titaea; whence their name of Titans. The men were Cronus, or Saturn, Hyperion, Cæus, Japetus, Crius, and Oceanus; the women were Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Thetis. All these were also deified, on account of their useful inventions. Saturn, the eldest, obtained the kingdom of Crete, and brought his subjects to a somewhat more civilized kind of life than they formerly used, which gave occasion to the many fables of the poets concerning the Golden Age. Hyperion was the first who observed the motions of the sun, moon, and stars, measuring by them the seasons of the year; and hence he was called the father of the planets. Latona was the daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, and Prometheus, so famous among the poets, the son of Japetus. He is said to have found out the way of striking fire with flint, which gave occasion to the fable of his stealing fire from heaven. Mnemosyne invented many things conducing to help a man's memory, whence her name. Themis taught the art of divination; instructed men in holy rites; and prescribed laws for the worship of the gods, and for the preservation of peace and good government among men. Vesta, Ceres, Juno, Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, are supposed to have been the children of Saturn and Rhea. Vesta invented the art of building houses; Ceres the use of corn; Neptune the art of navigation; and Pluto, funeral solemnities. Hence the latter was styled "Prince of the infernal shades;" and the former, "Prince of the sea."

Though the island of Crete is one of the most remarkable in the writings of the ancient historians and poets, its history affords nothing interesting. The only remarkable particulars are the wise institutions of one of the kings, called Minos; who for his wisdom and prudence was said to have been made one of the judges of the dead. At what time he lived is uncertain; but no sooner did he ascend the throne than he made the happiness of his people his first object. A wise system of laws he justly thought was what alone could tend to this; and to give these laws the greater weight with his subjects, he fell upon an expedient practised by many other legislators, namely, to pretend that he received them from Jupiter.

This prince occasioned a change in the government, from a monarchy to a republic. According to the spirit of his institutions, the government of Crete was a democracy tempered with an aristocracy. The supreme authority devolved to ten chosen magistrates, who composed their senate. Ten others were afterwards associated with them, who were distinguished by the title of coiini. The former, called senators, were established as guardians of the laws and government. They did not rise to that dignity till after they had exercised, for a certain time, the office of coiini; and the latter were appointed to maintain a just medium between the power of the great, and the weakness of the people of whom they were appointed protectors. But the power both of the senators and coiini was limited in such a manner, that they could not enrich themselves during their administration. A magistrate whose duty it was to see that they were put in execution, was obliged to visit thrice every year the towns depending on the government; and he carried with him tablets, or plates of brats, on which they were engraved. The Cretan laws seem to have been modelled for people who had no other business than to attack enemies or to defend themselves. They were particularly careful of the education of their youth. Masters were appointed, who taught them to repeat, and sing regularly, hymns in honour of the gods and of their laws, and of heroes. They even gave them some tincture of polite learning. The poems of Homer were not unknown in Crete, though they did not hold foreign poets in much estimation.

The Cretans, from their infancy, were accustomed to bear hunger and thirst with patience. As they advanced in years, they were taught the exercises of running, hunting, archery (in which they particularly excelled), the use of the sword, and wrestling. For their martial improvement also the Pyrrhic dance was instituted, in which the young men completely armed imitated the motions and actions of combatants. Thus they were early accustomed to see arms, and their use, without emotion. Indeed no people had greater occasion for learning the art of war than the Cretans, as they were for many ages in perpetual enmity with one another, the inhabitants of each city claiming the sovereignty of the whole island. Hence also they became very useful auxiliaries to other nations. Many of Alexander's victories were owing to the Cretan auxiliaries; and to the archers and slingers brought from this island the Romans were highly indebted, after they became acquainted with it.

One of Minos's institutions which Aristotle much admires was, that all his subjects should use the same diet, and take their repasts together, without any distinction between poor and rich. By this means a kind of equality was introduced among them, they were accustomed to a frugal and sober way of life, and friendships were cemented among them. The public defrayed the charges of these meals; one part of the revenues of the state being applied to the uses of religion, and the salaries of the magistrates; and the rest allotted for the public meals. After their repast, the old men discoursed of the actions and virtues of their ancestors, and of such as had distinguished themselves either by their valour in war, or their wisdom in peace; and the youth, who were present at these entertainments, were exhorted to propose to themselves those great men as examples whom they were to imitate. Another institution greatly admired by Plato was, to inspire the youth with an high regard for the customs, maxims, and laws, of their own country; not suffering them to dispute, or call in question the wisdom of their constitution; but commanded them to look upon the laws as dictated by the gods themselves. He enjoined every one to honour in a particular manner the magistrates and aged persons; and that nothing might lessen the respect due to their age, if any defect was found in them, it was never to be mentioned in the presence of their youth. A custom established by Minos, and afterwards adopted by the Romans, gives us reason to believe, that even the slaves in this island were better treated than anywhere else; for, at the feasts of Mercury, the masters waited on their slaves at table, and performed about them the same offices which they received from their slaves the rest of the year. The laws of Minos were anciently in so great repute, that Lycurgus paid a considerable time in Crete, employing himself in the study of their constitution, and forming his laws on the model of those which at that time obtained in the island. Plato tells us, that, under the government of so wise a prince, Crete became the abode of virtue, probity, and justice; and that the laws which he established were so well founded in justice and equity, that they subsisted in their full vigour even in his time; that is, above 900 years after they had been first published. It is true the Cretans degenerated by degrees from their ancient probity; and at length, by an entire change of manners, became the most vicious nation known either to the Greeks or Latins. Polybius writes, that the Cretans in his time were interested and avaricious to such a degree as to think no lucre fordid. Suidas and Callimachus give them the character of liars and impostors. St Paul quotes against them the testimony of one of their own poets, who paints them in very disagreeable colours. The impurity of their amours is but too well known from the accounts given us by Strabo, Servius, and Athenaeus. These authors inform us, that the unnatural passion of the Cretans for boys proceeded to a degree of madness, and that from them it overspread all Crete. But this change of manners, in whatever time it happened, does not affect the probity of the ancient Cretans, nor lessen the glory of their legislature.

Crete was the most ancient maritime power mentioned by the Greek historians. It is about 600 miles in circumference, though not 1/20th part so large as Great Britain; and this large extent of coast was of great service in this respect*. It was exceedingly fruitful, producing all sorts of grain, fruits, &c. The Cretan wines, particularly, are greatly commended both by ancient and modern writers. From the fruitfulness of its soil, and the purity of its air, it had the appellation of the fortunate island; and from its maritime power was styled empress of the sea. In ancient times also it had the name of Hecatopolis, as containing 100 cities; 90 of these were built before the Trojan war, and 10 after it. About 66 years before Christ this island fell under the power of the Romans. In the year of Christ 812 it was taken from them by the Saracens, who built the present capital of the island called Chandax, or Candia; from whence the whole island has got its modern name of Candia. It is now subject to the Turks.