What is the ‘Children's Tomb’ among the
Chalcidians?
Cothus and Aeolus, the sons of Xuthus, carne to
Euboea to dwell at a time when the Aeolians possessed the greater part of the island. It had been
prophesied to Cothus that he should have great
success and get the better of his enemies if he
bought the land. When he had landed on the island
with a few men, he encountered little children playing by the sea. So he joined in their play, and
in a kindly spirit showed them many playthings
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from foreign lands. But when he saw that the
children were desirous of having them for their own,
he refused to give them unless he too should receive
some earth from the children. So they picked up
some from the ground and gave it to Cothus, and
then, taking the playthings, departed. But the
Aeolians discovered what had happened, arid, when
their enemies sailed against them, they made away
with the children under stress of anger and grief.
The children were buried beside the road which
leads from the city to the Euripus, and the place
is called the Children's Tomb.