Apollodorus Library 1.9.17

1. As to the visit of the Argonauts to Lemnos, see Ap. Rhod., Argon. i.607ff. ; Orphica, Argonautica 473ff. ; Scholiast on Hom. Il. vii.468 ; Valerius Flaccus, Argon. ii.77ff. ; Hyginus, Fab. 15 . As to the massacre of the men of Lemnos by the women, see further Hdt. 6.138 ; Apostolius, Cent. x.65 ; Zenobius, Cent. iv.91 ; Scholiast on Ap. Rhod., Argon. i.609, 615 . The visit of the Argonauts to Lemnos was the theme of plays by Aeschylus and Sophocles. See TGF (Nauck 2nd ed.), pp. 79, 215ff. ; The Fragments of Sophocles, ed. A. C. Pearson, ii.51ff. The Lemnian traditions have been interpreted as evidence of a former custom of gynocracy, or the rule of men by women, in the island. See J. J. Bachofen, Das Mutterrecht (Stuttgart, 1861), pp. 84ff. Every year the island of Lemnos was purified from the guilt of the massacre and sacrifices were offered to the dead. The ceremonies lasted nine days, during which all fires were extinguished in the island, and a new fire was brought by ship from Delos. If the vessel arrived before the sacrifices to the dead had been offered, it might not put in to shore or anchor, but had to cruise in the offing till they were completed. See Philostratus, Her. xx.24 .