4. The diflicidty of fixing the date of the first corre- sponilence is increased by tiie recurrence of tlie names involved. Two kings bore the name Areus, one of whom reigned B.C. 3()9-2G.^, and the other, his grand- son, died H.C. 257, being only eight years old. The same name was also borne by an adventurer who occu- pied a prominent position at Sparta about B.C. 184 (Po- lyb. x.xiii. II, 12). In Judica, again, three high-priests lx)re the name Onias, the first of whom held office B.C. .S30_3()!t (or .S(Mt); the second, B.C. 240-22C); and the third, about B.C. 198-171. Thus Onias I was for a short time contemporary with Areus I, and the correspondence has lK?en commonly assigned to them (I'almer, De Kpisf. etc. [Darmst. 1828] ; (irimm. On 1 Mace. xii). But the ]M)sition of .luda^ at that time was not such as to make the contraction of foreign alliances a likely occurrence; and the special circumstances which are said to have directed the attention of the Spartan king to the .lews a» likely to effect a diversion against Demetrius Polior- cetes when he was engaged in the war with Cassander, U.C. 302 (I'almer, (pioted by (irimm, loc. cif.), are not completely satisfactory, even if the priesthood of Onias can be extended to the later <late. ICwald ((I'lsc/i. iv.27(), 277, note ) supposes that the letter was addressed to Onias H during his minority, B.(J. 290-240, in the course of the wars with Demetrius. .Joscphus is probablv cor- rect in fixing the event in the time of Onias HI (Ant. xii, 4, 10). The last-named Areus may have assumed the royal title, if that is not due to an exaggerated translaiioii, and the alisence of the name of a second king is at once explained (Cssher, Annalc.i, A.C. 183; Herzfeld, <;<m/i. <l. \\ hr. 1, 2I.')-218), At the time when .lonathan and .Simon made negotiations with .Sparta the succession of kings had ceaseil. The last absolute ruler was Nabis, who was assassinated B.C. 192. ( Wernmlorff, l)e I'ide Lib. .Mace. § 93-112 ; (irimm, l<><: rit., Herzfeld, Inc. ril. Tlie early literature of the Bubjeci ih given liy Wernsdorff.)— Smith.
Sparti, in (Jreciau mythology, were the warriors who sprang from the dragons' teeth sown by Cadmus at the Uhest of .Minerva. They slew each other until only five were left alive, whose names were Kchion. Udwus, I'elor, Clithonius, and HyjKireiior. These sur-
vivors became the builders of Thebes, and from thera the five tribes of its subsequent population derived their names (.\pollod. iii, 4, 1 ; I'ausan. ix, 5, 1; 10, 1, etc.).
Sparton, in Grecian mythology, was (1) the son of Mvceneus, who was said to be the founder of the state of IVIycene (Pausan. ii, 16, 3); (2) A son of Tisa- nienus (ibid, vii, G, 2).
Sparver, a richly embroidered cloth used as a can- opy over a jmlpit, tomb, or bed. See TiiSTEH.
Spatularia, a term found in English inventories of ecclesiastical vestments de.scrijitive of the ornamental apparel placed round the neck and wrists of the alb.
Spauldiiig, Justin, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born at IMoretown, Yt., in 1802, and joined the New England Conference in 1823. He served in the capacity of an itinerant preacher, a pre- siding elder, and a missionary to South America. He was once a member of the General Conference. He sustained a superannuated relation to the New Hamp- shire Conference for several years before his death, which took place in his native town in 1865. He was an able minister, a good scholar, and gentlemanly in his deportment. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1860, p. 81.
Spear (Xoyx'/> John xix, 4; 2 Mace, xv, 11 ; yai- (Tof, Judith ix, 7; cdpv, xi, 2; Ecclus. xxix, 13), the next most effective piece of offensive armor to the sword, being designed for fighting at a short distance. Of this weapon among the Hebrews we meet with sev- eral kinds, each of which appears to have its distinctive name. See Ait.Ms.
1. Tlie chanith (P^'in), a "spear" by eminence, and that of the largest kind, as appears from various cir- cumstances attending its mention. It was the weapon of (ioliath— its staff like a weaver's beam, the iron head alone weighing 600 shekels, about twenty-five pounds (1 Sam. xvii, 7, 45; 2 Sam. xxi, 19; 1 Chron. xx, 5), and also of other giants (2 .Sam. xxiii, 21 ; 1 Chron. xi, 23) and mighty warriors (2 Sam. ii, 23; xxiii, 18; 1 Chron. xi, 11, 20). The chanith was the habitual com- ]ianion of king Saul — a fit weajion for one of his gigantic stature — planted at the head of his sleeping-place when on an ex])edition (1 Sam. xxv, 7, 8, 11, 12, 16, 22), or held in his hand when mustering his forces (xxii, 6); and on it the dying king is leaning when we catch our last glimpse of bis stately figure on the field of (iilboa (2 Sam. i, 6). His fits of anger or madness become even tnore terrible to us when we find that it was tliis heavy wea])on, and not the lighter '"javelin" (as the A. V. renders it), that he cast at David (1 Sam. xviii, 10, 1 1 , xix, 9. 10) and at Jonathan (xx, 3). A striking idea of the weight and force of this ponderous arm may be gained from the fact that a mere back thrust from the hand of Abner was enough to drive its butt end through the body of Asaliel (2 Sam. ii, 23). The cha- nitli is mentioned also in 1 Sarji. xiii, 19, 22; xxi, 8; 2 Kings xi, 10: 1 Chron. xxiii, 9, and in luimerous pas- sages of poetry.