Erichthŏnius

, the fourth king of Athens, sprung from the seed of Vulcan, which fell upon the ground when that god attempted to offer violence to Minerva. He was very deformed, and had the tails of serpents instead of legs. Minerva placed him in a basket, which she gave to the daughters of Cecrops, with strict injunctions not to examine its contents. Aglauros, one of the sisters, had the curiosity to open the basket, for which the godde punished her indiscretion by making her jealous of her sister Herse. See: Herse . Erichthon was young when he ascended the throne of Athens. He reigned 50 years, and died B.C. 1437. The invention of chariots is attributed to him, and the manner of harne ing horses to draw them. He was made a constellation after death under the name of Bootes. Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 2 , li. 553 .— Hyginus , fable 166.— Apollo dor us , bk. 3 , ch. 14 .— Pausanias , bk. 4 , ch. 2 .— Virgil , Georgics , bk. 3 , li. 113 .――A son of Dardanus, who reigned in Troy, and died 1374 B.C., after a long reign of about 75 years. Apollo dor us , bk. 3 , ch. 10 .