Lampsăcus

and Lampsăcum , now Lamsaki , a town of Asia Minor on the borders of the Pro pont is, at the north of Abydos. Priapus was the chief deity of the place, of which he was reckoned by some the founder. His temple there was the asylum of lewdne and debauchery, and exhibited scenes of the most unnatural lust, and hence the epithet Lampsacius is usual to expre immodesty and wantonne . Alexander resolved to destroy the city on account of the vices of its inhabitants, and more probably for its firm adherence to the interest of Persia. It was, however, saved from ruin by the artifice of Anaximenes. See: Anaximenes . It was formerly called Pityusa, and received the name of Lampsacus, from Lampsace, a daughter of Mandron, a king of Phrygia, who gave information to some Phoceans who dwelt there, that the rest of the inhabitants had conspired against their life. This timely information saved them from destruction. The city afterwards bore the name of their preserver. The wine of Lampsacus was famous and therefore a tribute of wine was granted from the city by Xerxes to maintain the table of Them is toc les. Mela , bk. 1 , ch. 19 .— Strabo , bk. 13 .— Pausanias , bk. 9 , ch. 31 .— Hero dot us , bk. 5 , ch. 117 .— Cornel i us Nepos , Them is toc les , ch. 10 .— Ovid , bk. 1 , Tristia , poem 9, li. 26 ; Fasti , bk. 8 , li. 345 .— Livy , bk. 33 , ch. 38 ; bk. 35 , ch. 42 .— Martial , bk. 11 , poems 17, 52.