Codrus

• The last Athenian king, who voluntarily devoted himself to death in order to obtain for his people victory over the Spartans, Cic. Tusc. 1, 48, 116; id. Fin. 5, 22, 62; id. N. D. 3, 19, 49; Hor. C. 3, 19, 2; Just. 2, 6, 19; Vell. 1, 2; Val. Max. 5, 6, 1.—
• II A wretched poet, hostile to Virgil, Verg. E. 5, 11; 7, 22; Juv. 1, 2; 3, 203; 3, 208; cf. Weich. Poett. Latt. Rell. p. 402 sq.

(Κόδρος), the son of Melanthus, and king of Athens, where he reigned, according to tradition, some time after the conquest of the Peloponnesus by the Dorians, about B. C. 1068. Once when the Dorians invaded Attica from Peloponnesus, they were told by an oracle, that they should be victorious if the life of the Attic king was spared. The Dorians accordingly took the greatest precautions not to kill the king. But when Codrus was informed of the oracle, he resolved to sacrifice himself, and thus to deliver his country. In the disguise of a common man, he entered the camp of the enemy. There he began quarrelling with the soldiers, and was slain in the struggle. When the Dorians discovered the death of the Attic king, they abstained from further hostilities, and returned home. Tradition adds, that as no one was thought worthy to succeed such a high-minded and patriotic king, the kingly dignity was abolished, and a responsible archon for life was appointed instead. In our accounts of this transaction there are points which justify the belief, that when, after the death of Codrus, quarrels arose among his sons about the succession, the eupatrids availed themselves of the opportunity for stripping the chief magistrate of as much of his power as they could, and that they succeeded in altogether abolishing the kingly dignity, for which that of a responsible archon was instituted. Medon accordingly succeeded his father as archon, and his brothers emigrated to Asia Minor, where they founded several of the Ionian colonies. (Hdt. 5.76; Lycurg. c. Leocr. 20; Vell. 1.2; Justin, 2.6, &c.; Paus. 4.5.4, 7.2; Strab. xiv. p.633, &c.) [L.S]

a Roman poet, a contemporary of Virgil, who ridicules him for his vanity. (Eclog. 7.22, 10.10.) According to Servius, Codrus had been mentioned also by Valgius in his elegies. Weichert (Poet. Lat. Reliq. p. 407) conjectures, that this Codrus is the same as the Jarbitas, the imitator of Timagenes, who is ridiculed by Horace (Hor. Ep. 1.19. 15); whereas Bergk believes, that Codrus in Virgil and Valgius is a fictitious name, and is meant for the poet Cornificius. (Classical Museum, vol. i. p. 278.) Juvenal (i. l) also speaks of a wretched poet of the name of Codrus (the Scholiast calls him Cordus), who wrote a tragedy " Theseus." But it is generally believed, that in all the above cases Codrus is altogether a fictitious name, and that it is applied by the Roman poets to those poetasters who annoyed other people by reading their productions to them. [L.S]

(Κόδρος). The last king of Athens. He received the sceptre from his father Melanthus, and was far advanced in years when some of the Dorian States united their forces for the invasion of Attica. The Dorian army marched to Athens and lay encamped under its walls; and the oracle at Delphi had assured them of success, provided they spared the life of the Athenian king. A friendly Delphian, named Cleomantis, disclosed the answer of the oracle to the Athenians, and Codrus resolved to devote himself for his country in a manner not unlike that which immortalized among the Romans, at a later date, the name of the Decii. He went out at the gate disguised in a woodman's garb, and falling in with two Dorians, killed one with his bill, and was killed by the other. The Athenians thereupon sent a herald to claim the body of their king, and the Dorian chiefs, deeming the war hopeless, withdrew their forces from Attica. After the death of Codrus, the nobles, taking advantage, perhaps, of the opportunity afforded by a dispute between his sons, are said to have abolished the title of King, and to have substituted for it that of Archon. This new office was to be held for life, and then transmitted to the son of the deceased. The first of these hereditary archons was Medon, son of Codrus, from whom the thirteen following archons were called Medontidae, as being his lineal descendants. See Archon.

• king of Athens: Paus. 1.19.5, Paus. 1.39.4, Paus. 7.25.2, Paus. 8.52.1, Paus. 10.10.1
• an ancient king of Athens, ancestor of the Caucones: Hdt. 1.147(See Caucones)
• of Pisistratus: Hdt. 5.65
• descended from Messenians of Pylos: Paus. 7.2.3
• Dorian invasion of Attica during his rule: Hdt. 5.76
• benefactor of his country: Paus. 8.52.1
• slain by Peloponnesians: Paus. 1.19.5, Paus. 7.25.2
• father of Medon and Nileus: Paus. 7.2.1
• statue at Delphi: Paus. 10.10.1
• his sons lead colony to Ionia: Paus. 7.2.1, Paus. 9.37.8
• father of the founder of Miletus: Hdt. 9.97