OLYNTHUS, an ancient city of Macedonia, situated on the Toronhic gulf. It was founded by the Eubeean Etrurians and Chalcidians. At the time of the second Persian invasion the town was captured and sacked by Artabazus, one of Xerxes's gene rals. When Brasidas overthrew the Athenian power in Chalcidice, Olynthus gradually gained importance and became the head of an alliance among the northern Greek states, which soon provoked the jealousy of Athens and Lacedmmonia. When the annexation of Appollonia and Acanthus was threatened by Olynthus, 383 B.C. , an army of 10,000 men was sent against that republic by the Peloponnesian states, under the command of Teleutias, a Spartan. The Olynthians were driven back into their city; but, in a sortie, surprised the enemy and threw them into a panic. Teleutias beipg killed while trying to rally his forces. Agesipolis then took command and had gained the advantage, when he died, and Polyhiades, his compelled the surrender of the city in The confederation was broken up. For some time they had an alliance with Philip of Macedonia; but, two years after they had completed a league with Athens, 859 B. C., war broke out between Olynthus and 3facedonia. It was in advocacy of the policy of sup porting the Olynthians that Demosthenes uttered the Olynthiacs, among the best of his orations. Some aid was sent by Athens, but it was totally inadequate, and in 347 B.C. Philip razed the city to tit:: ground and sold the inhabitants as slaves.
Old is a Sanskrit word which, on account of the mystical notions that even at an early date of Hindu civilization were connected with it, acquired much importance in the development of Hindu religion. Its original sense is that of emphatic or solemn. affirmation or assent. Thus, when in the White-Yajur-Veda (see VEDA) the sacrificer invites the gods to rejoice. in liis sacrifice, the god Savitr'i assents to his summons by saying: '* Om (i.e., be it so); proceed!" Or, when in the Behad-aranyaka-Upanishad, PrajaPati, the father of gods, men, and demons, asks the gods whether they have under stood his instruction; lie expresses his satisfaction with their affirmative reply, in these Words: "Om, you have fully comprehended it;" and, in the same Upanishad, Prava han'a answers the question of S'wetaketu, as to whether his father has instructed him.
by uttering the world " Om;"te., I.`fOrshrith (Linn)." A portion ofathWigveda. called the .Aitareya-Braliman'a, where describing a religious cerRifeny'at Which verses from' the R'igveda, as well as songs called GOthas, were recited by the priest called Hotr'i, and responses given by another priest, the Adhwaryu, says: "Om is the response of the Adhwaryu to the R'igveda verses (recited by the Hotei), and likewise tatlai (i.e., thus) his response to the Gfithas, for Om is (the term of assent) used by the gods, whereas WM is (the term of assent) used by men" (the R'igveda verses being, to the orthodox Hindu, of divine, and the Gathas of human, authorship). In this, the original sense of the word, it is little doubtful that om is but an older and contracted form of the common Sanskrit word cram, "thus," which, coming from the pronominal base "a"—in some derivations changed to "e"—may have at one time occurred in the form cram, when. by the elision of the vowel following v—for which their are numerous analogies in San skrit—aram would become aunt, and hence, according to the ordinary phonetic laws of the language, om. This etymology of the word, however, seems to have been lost, even at an early period of Sanskrit literature; for another is met with in thf ancient gram marians, enabling us to account for the mysticism which many religious and theological works of ancient and mediaeval India suppose to inhere in it. According to this latter etymology, am would come from a radical au by means of an affix man, when can would be a curtailed form of avnuln or Oman; and as ar implies the notion of "protect, preserve, save," can would be a term implying "protection or salvation ;" its mystical properties and its sanctity being inferred from its occurrence in the Vedic writings, and in connection with sacrificial acts, such as are alluded to before.