itution, those in Crete having begun in the reign of Minos, while those in
Italy are much older than these.
According to the historians one of the settlers there, a certain Italus, became
king of Oenotria, and from him they took the name of Italians instead of that of
Oenotrians, and the name of Italy was given to all that promontoryi.e. the south-west peninsula or toe of
Italy. of Europe lying
between the Gulfs of Scylletium and of Lametus,i.e. the Gulfs of Squillace and Eufemia. which are half a day's
journey apart. It was this Italus
then who according to tradition converted the Oenotrians from a pastoral life to
one of agriculture and gave them various ordinances, being the first to
institute their system of common meals; hence the common meals and some of his
laws are still observed by certain of his successors even today. The settlers in
the direction of TyrrheniaThe modern
Tuscany, i.e. the people of
Lu