Tisamenos, the son of Thersander, the son of Polyneikes, was preparing
to set forth from Lacedemon to found a settlement. This Theras, who was
of the race of Cadmos, was mother's brother to the sons of Aristodemos,
Eurysthenes and Procles; and while these sons were yet children, Theras
as their guardian held the royal power in Sparta. When however his
nephews were grown and had taken the power into their hands, then
Theras, being grieved that he should be ruled by others after he had
tasted of rule himself, said that he would not remain in Lacedemon, but
would sail away to his kinsmen. Now there were in the island which
is now called Thera, but formerly was called Callista, descendants
of Membliaros the son of Poikiles, a Phenician: for Cadmos the son of
Agenor in his search for Europa put in to land at the island which is
now called Thera; and, whether it was that the country pleased him when
he had put to land, or whether he chose to do so for any other reason,
he left in this island, besides other Phenicians, Membliaros also, of
his own kinsmen. These occupied the island called Callista for eight
generations of men, before Theras came from Lacedemon.
148. To these then, I say, Theras was preparing to set forth, taking
with him people from the tribes, and intending to settle together with
those who have been mentioned, not with any design to drive them out,
but on the contrary claiming them very strongly as kinfolk. And when
the Minyai after having escaped from the prison went and sat down on
Taÿgetos, Theras entreated of the Lacedemonians, as they were proposing
to put them to death, that no slaughter might take place, and at the
same time he engaged himself to take them forth out of the land. The
Lacedemonians having agreed to this proposal, he sailed away with three
thirty-oared galleys to the descendants of Membliaros, not taking with
him by any means all the Minyai, but a few only; for the greater number
of them turned towards the land of the Paroreatai and Caucones, and
having driven these out of their country, they parted themselves
into six divisions and founded in their territory the following
towns,—Lepreon, Makistos, Phrixai, Pyrgos, Epion, Nudion; of these the
Eleians sacked the greater number within my own lifetime. The island
meanwhile got its name of Thera after Theras 130 who led the settlement.
149. And since his son said that he would not sail with him, therefore
he said that he would leave him behind as a sheep among wolves; and in
accordance with that saying this young man got the name of Oiolycos, 131
and it chanced that this name prevailed over his former name: then from
Oiolycos was begotten Aigeus, after whom are called the Aigeidai, a
powerful clan 132 in Sparta: and the men of this tribe, since their
children did not live to grow up, established by the suggestion of an
oracle a temple to the Avenging Deities 133 of Laïos and OEdipus, and
after this the same thing was continued 134 in Thera by the descendants
of these men.
150. Up to this point of the story the Lacedemonians agree in their
report with the men of Thera; but in what is to come it is those of
Thera alone who report that it happened as follows. Grinnos 135 the son
of Aisanios, a descendant of the Theras who has been mentioned, and
king of the island of Thera, came to Delphi bringing the offering of a
hecatomb from his State; and there were accompanying him, besides others
of the citizens, also Battos the son of Polymnestos, who was by descent
of the family of Euphemos 136 of the race of the Minyai. Now when
Grinnos the king of the Theraians was consulting the Oracle about other
matters, the Pythian prophetess gave answer bidding him found a city in
Libya; and he made reply saying: "Lord, 137 I am by this time somewhat
old and heavy to stir, but do thou bid some one of these younger ones do
this." As he thus said he pointed towards Battos. So far at that time:
but afterwards when he had come away they were in difficulty about the
saying of the Oracle, neither having any knowledge of Libya, in what
part of the earth it was, nor venturing to send a colony to the unknown.
151. Then after this for seven years there was no rain in Thera, and
in these years all the trees in their island were withered up excepting
one: and when the Theraians consulted the Oracle, the Pythian prophetess
alleged this matter of colonising Libya to be the cause. As then they
had no remedy for their evil, they sent messengers to Crete, to find out
whether any of the Cretans or of the sojourners in Crete had ever come
to Libya. These as they wandered round about the country came also
the city of Itanos, and there they met with a fisher for purple named
Corobios, who said that he had been carried away by winds and had come
to Libya, and in Libya to the island of Platea. This man they persuaded
by payment of money and took him to Thera, and from Thera there set sail
men to explore, at first not many in number; and Corobios having guided
them to this same island of Platea, they left Corobios there, leaving
behind with him provisions for a certain number of months, and sailed
themselves as quickly as possible to make report about the island to the
men of Thera.
152. Since however these stayed away longer than the time appointed,
Corobios found himself destitute; and after this a ship of Samos, of
which the master was Colaios, while sailing to Egypt was carried out of
its course and came to this island of Platea; and the Samians hearing
from Corobios the whole story left him provisions for a year.
They themselves then put out to sea from the island and sailed on,
endeavouring to reach Egypt but carried away continually by the East
Wind; and as the wind did not cease to blow, they passed through the
Pillars of Heracles and came to Tartessos, guided by divine providence.
Now this trading-place was at that time untouched by any, so that when
these returned back home they made profit from their cargo greater than
any other Hellenes of whom we have certain knowledge, with the exception
at least of Sostratos the son of Laodamas the Eginetan, for with him it
is not possible for any other man to contend. And the Samians set apart
six talents, the tenth part of their gains, and had a bronze vessel made
like an Argolic mixing-bowl with round it heads of griffins projecting
in a row; and this they dedicated as an offering in the temple of Hera,
setting as supports under it three colossal statues of bronze seven
cubits in height, resting upon their knees. By reason first of this
deed great friendship was formed by those of Kyrene and Thera with the
Samians.
153. The Theraians meanwhile, when they arrived at Thera after having
left Corobios in the island, reported that they had colonised an island
on the coast of Libya: and the men of Thera resolved to send one of
every two brothers selected by lot and men besides taken from all the
regions of the island, which are seven in number; and further that
Battos should be both their leader and their king. Thus then they sent
forth two fifty-oared galleys to Platea.
154. This is the report of the Theraians; and for the remainder of the
account from this point onwards the Theraians are in agreement with the
men of Kyrene: from this point onwards, I say, since in what concerns
Battos the Kyrenians tell by no means the same tale as those of Thera;
for their account is this:—There is in Crete a city called Oäxos 138
in which one Etearchos became king, who when he had a daughter,
whose mother was dead, named Phronime, took to wife another woman
notwithstanding. She having come in afterwards, thought fit to be a
stepmother to Phronime in deed as well as in name, giving her evil
treatment and devising everything possible to her hurt; and at last she
brings against her a charge of lewdness and persuades her husband that
the truth is so. He then being convinced by his wife, devised an unholy
deed against the daughter: for there was in Oäxos one Themison, a
merchant of Thera, whom Etearchos took to himself as a guest-friend
and caused him to swear that he would surely serve him in whatsoever he
should require: and when he had caused him to swear this, he brought and
delivered to him his daughter and bade him take her away and cast
her into the sea. Themison then was very greatly vexed at the
deceit practised in the matter of the oath, and he dissolved his
guest-friendship and did as follows, that is to say, he received the
girl and sailed away, and when he got out into the open sea, to free
himself from blame as regards the oath which Etearchos had made him
swear, he tied her on each side with ropes and let her down into the
sea, and then drew her up and came to Thera.
155. After that, Polymnestos, a man of repute among the Theraians,
received Phronime from him and kept her as his concubine; and in course
of time there was born to him from her a son with an impediment in his
voice and lisping, to whom, as both Theraians and Kyrenians say, was
given the name Battos, but I think that some other name was then given,
139 and he was named Battos instead of this after he came to Libya,
taking for himself this surname from the oracle which was given to him
at Delphi and from the rank which he had obtained; for the Libyans call
a king battos: and for this reason, I think, the Pythian prophetess in
her prophesying called him so, using the Libyan tongue, because she knew
that he would be a king in Libya. For when he had grown to be a man,
he came to Delphi to inquire about his voice; and when he asked, the
prophetess thus answered him:
"For a voice thou camest, O Battos, but thee lord Phoebus Apollo
Sendeth as settler forth to the Libyan land sheep-abounding,"
just as if she should say using the Hellenic tongue, "For a voice thou
camest, O king." He thus made answer: "Lord, I came to thee to inquire
concerning my voice, but thou answerest me other things which are not
possible, bidding me go as a settler to Libya; but with what power,
or with what force of men should I go?" Thus saying he did not at all
persuade her to give him any other reply; and as she was prophesying to
him again the same things as before, Battos departed while she was yet
speaking, 140 and went away to Thera.
156. After this there came evil fortune both to himself and to the other
men of Thera; 141 and the Theraians, not understanding that which
befell them, sent to Delphi to inquire about the evils which they were
suffering: and the Pythian prophetess gave them reply that if they
joined with Battos in founding Kyrene in Libya, they would fare the
better. After this the Theraians sent Battos with two fifty-oared
galleys; and these sailed to Libya, and then came away back to Thera,
for they did not know what else to do: and the Theraians pelted them
with missiles when they endeavoured to land, and would not allow them
to put to shore, but bade them sail back again. They accordingly being
compelled sailed away back, and they made a settlement in an island
lying near the coast of Libya, called, as was said before, Platea.
This island is said to be of the same size as the now existing city of
Kyrene.
157. In this they continued to dwell two years; but as they had no
prosperity, they left one of their number behind and all the rest sailed
away to Delphi, and having come to the Oracle they consulted it, saying
that they were dwelling in Libya and that, though they were dwelling
there, they fared none the better: and the Pythian prophetess made
answer to them thus:
"Better than I if thou knowest the Libyan land sheep-abounding,
Not having been there than I who have been, at thy wisdom I wonder."
Having heard this Battos and his companions sailed away back again; for
in fact the god would not let them off from the task of settlement till
they had come to Libya itself: and having arrived at the island and
taken up him whom they had left, they made a settlement in Libya itself
at a spot opposite the island, called Aziris, which is enclosed by most
fair woods on both sides and a river flows by it on one side.
158. In this spot they dwelt for six years; and in the seventh year the
Libyans persuaded them to leave it, making request and saying that they
would conduct them to a better region. So the Libyans led them from that
place making them start towards evening; and in order that the Hellenes
might not see the fairest of all the regions as they passed through it,
they led them past it by night, having calculated the time of daylight:
and this region is called Irasa. Then having conducted them to the
so-called spring of Apollo, they said, "Hellenes, here is a fit place
for you to dwell, for here the heaven is pierced with holes."
159. Now during the lifetime of the first settler Battos, who reigned
forty years, and of his son Arkesilaos, who reigned sixteen years, the
Kyrenians continued to dwell there with the same number as 142 when they
first set forth to the colony; but in the time of the third king, called
Battos the Prosperous, the Pythian prophetess gave an oracle wherein
she urged the Hellenes in general to sail and join with the Kyrenians
in colonising Libya. For the Kyrenians invited them, giving promise of a
division of land; and the oracle which she uttered was as follows:
"Who to the land much desirèd, to Libya, afterwards cometh,
After the land be divided, 143 I say he shall some day repent it."
Then great numbers were gathered at Kyrene, and the Libyans who dwelt
round had much land cut off from their possessions; therefore they with
their king whose name was Adicran, as they were not only deprived of
their country but also were dealt with very insolently by the Kyrenians,
sent to Egypt and delivered themselves over to Apries king of Egypt. He
then having gathered a great army of Egyptians, sent it against Kyrene;
and the men of Kyrene marched out to the region of Irasa and to the
spring Theste, 144 and there both joined battle with the Egyptians and
defeated them in the battle: for since the Egyptians had not before made
trial of the Hellenes in fight and therefore despised them, they were so
slaughtered that but few of them returned back to Egypt. In consequence
of this and because they laid the blame of it upon Apries, the Egyptians
revolted from him.
160. This Battos had a son called Arkesilaos, who first when he became
king made a quarrel with his own brothers, until they finally departed
to another region of Libya, and making the venture for themselves
founded that city which was then and is now called Barca; and at the
same time as they founded this, they induced the Libyans to revolt from
the Kyrenians. After this, Arkesilaos made an expedition against those
Libyans who had received them and who had also revolted from Kyrene, and
the Libyans fearing him departed and fled towards the Eastern tribes
of Libyans: and Arkesilaos followed after them as they fled, until
he arrived in his pursuit at Leucon in Libya, and there the Libyans
resolved to attack him. Accordingly they engaged battle and defeated the
Kyrenians so utterly that seven thousand hoplites of the Kyrenians fell
there. After this disaster Arkesilaos, being sick and having swallowed a
potion, was strangled by his brother Haliarchos, 145 and Haliarchos was
killed treacherously by the wife of Arkesilaos, whose name was Eryxo.
161. Then Battos the son of Arkesilaos succeeded to the kingdom, who
was lame and not sound in his feet: and the Kyrenians with a view to the
misfortune which had befallen them sent men to Delphi to ask what form
of rule they should adopt, in order to live in the best way possible;
and the Pythian prophetess bade them take to themselves a reformer
of their State from Mantineia of the Arcadians. The men of Kyrene
accordingly made request, and those of Mantineia gave them the man
of most repute among their citizens, whose name was Demonax. This
man therefore having come to Kyrene and having ascertained all things
exactly, 146 in the first place caused them to have three tribes,
distributing them thus:—one division he made of the Theraians and their
dependants, 147 another of the Peloponnesians and Cretans, and a third
of all the islanders. 148 Then secondly for the king Battos he set apart
domains of land and priesthoods, but all the other powers which the
kings used to possess before, he assigned as of public right to the
people.
162. During the reign of this Battos things continued to be thus, but in
the reign of his son Arkesilaos there arose much disturbance about
the offices of the State: for Arkesilaos son of Battos the Lame and
of Pheretime said that he would not suffer it to be according as the
Mantineian Demonax had arranged, but asked to have back the royal rights
of his forefathers. After this, stirring up strife he was worsted and
went as an exile to Samos, and his mother to Salamis in Cyprus. Now at
that time the ruler of Salamis was Euelthon, the same who dedicated as
an offering the censer at Delphi, a work well worth seeing, which is
placed in the treasury of the Corinthians. To him having come, Pheretime
asked him for an army to restore herself and her son to Kyrene. Euelthon
however was ready to give her anything else rather than that; and she
when she received that which he gave her said that this too was a fair
gift, but fairer still would be that other gift of an army for which she
was asking. As she kept saying this to every thing which was given, at
last Euelthon sent out to her a present of a golden spindle and distaff,
with wool also upon it: and when Pheretime uttered again the same saying
about this present, Euelthon said that such things as this were given as
gifts to women and not an army.
163. Arkesilaos meanwhile, being in Samos, was gathering every one
together by a promise of dividing land; and while a great host was being
collected, Arkesilaos set out to Delphi to inquire of the Oracle about
returning from exile: and the Pythian prophetess gave him this answer:
"For four named Battos and four named Arkesilaos, eight generations
of men, Loxias grants to you to be kings of Kyrene, but beyond this he
counsels you not even to attempt it. Thou however must keep quiet when
thou hast come back to thy land; and if thou findest the furnace full of
jars, heat not the jars fiercely, but let them go with a fair wind: if
however thou heat the furnace fiercely, enter not thou into the place
flowed round by water; for if thou dost thou shalt die, both thou and
the bull which is fairer than all the rest."
164. Thus the Pythian prophetess gave answer to Arkesilaos; and he,
having taken to him those in Samos, made his return to Kyrene; and when
he had got possession of the power, he did not remember the saying of
the Oracle but endeavoured to exact penalties from those of the opposite
faction for having driven him out. Of these some escaped out of the
country altogether, but some Arkesilaos got into his power and sent them
away to Cyprus to be put to death. These were driven out of their course
to Cnidos, and the men of Cnidos rescued them and sent them away to
Thera. Some others however of the Kyrenians fled to a great tower
belonging to Aglomachos a private citizen, and Arkesilaos burnt them by
piling up brushwood round. Then after he had done the deed he perceived
that the Oracle meant this, in that the Pythian prophetess forbade
him, if he found the jars in the furnace, to heat them fiercely; and he
voluntarily kept away from the city of the Kyrenians, fearing the death
which had been prophesied by the Oracle and supposing that Kyrene was
flowed round by water. 149 Now he had to wife a kinswoman of his own,
the daughter of the king of Barca whose name was Alazeir: to him he
came, and men of Barca together with certain of the exiles from Kyrene,
perceiving him going about in the market-place, killed him, and also
besides him his father-in-law Alazeir. Arkesilaos accordingly, having
missed the meaning of the oracle, whether with his will or against his
will, fulfilled his own destiny.
165. His mother Pheretime meanwhile, so long as Arkesilaos having worked
evil for himself dwelt at Barca, herself held the royal power of her son
at Kyrene, both exercising his other rights and also sitting in council:
but when she heard that her son had been slain in Barca, she departed
and fled to Egypt: for she had on her side services done for Cambyses
the son of Cyrus by Arkesilaos, since this was the Arkesilaos who had
given over Kyrene to Cambyses and had laid a tribute upon himself.
Pheretime then having come to Egypt sat down as a suppliant of Aryandes,
bidding him help her, and alleging as a reason that it was on account
of his inclination to the side of the Medes that her son had been slain.
166. Now this Aryandes had been appointed ruler of the province of Egypt
by Cambyses; and after the time of these events he lost his life because
he would measure himself with Dareios. For having heard and seen that
Dareios desired to leave behind him as a memorial of himself a thing
which had not been made by any other king, he imitated him, until at
last he received his reward: for whereas Dareios refined gold and made
it as pure as possible, and of this caused coins to be struck, Aryandes,
being ruler of Egypt, did the same thing with silver; and even now the
purest silver is that which is called Aryandic. Dareios then having
learnt that he was doing this put him to death, bringing against him
another charge of attempting rebellion.
167. Now at the time of which I speak this Aryandes had compassion on
Pheretime and gave her all the troops that were in Egypt, both the
land and the sea forces, appointing Amasis a Maraphian to command the
land-army and Badres, of the race of the Pasargadai, to command the
fleet: but before he sent away the army, Aryandes despatched a herald
to Barca and asked who it was who had killed Arkesilaos; and the men of
Barca all took it upon themselves, for they said they suffered formerly
many great evils at his hands. Having heard this, Aryandes at last sent
away the army together with Pheretime. This charge then was the pretext
alleged; but in fact the army was being sent out (as I believe) for the
purpose of subduing Libya: for of the Libyans there are many nations of
nations of various kinds, and but few of them are subject to the king,
while the greater number paid no regard to Dareios.
168. Now the Libyans have their dwelling as follows:—Beginning from
Egypt, first of the Libyans are settled the Adyrmachidai, who practise
for the most part the same customs as the Egyptians, but wear clothing
similar to that of the other Libyans. Their women wear a bronze ring
150 upon each leg, and they have long hair on their heads, and when they
catch their lice, each one bites her own in retaliation and then throws
them away. These are the only people of the Lybians who do this; and
they alone display to the king their maidens when they are about to
be married, and whosoever of them proves to be pleasing to the king is
deflowered by him. These Adyrmachidai extend along the coast from Egypt
as far as the port which is called Plynos.
169. Next after these come the Giligamai, 151 occupying the country
towards the West as far as the island of Aphrodisias. In the space
within this limit lies off the coast the island of Platea, where the
Kyrenians made their settlement; and on the coast of the mainland there
is Port Menelaos, and Aziris, where the Kyrenians used to dwell. From
this point begins the silphion 152 and it extends along the coast from
the island of Platea as far as the entrance of the Syrtis. This nation
practises customs nearly resembling those of the rest.
170. Next to the Giligamai on the West are the Asbystai: 153 these dwell
above 154 Kyrene, and the Asbystai do not reach down the sea, for the
region along the sea is occupied by Kyrenians. These most of all the
Libyans are drivers of four-horse chariots, and in the greater number of
their customs they endeavour to imitate the Kyrenians.
171. Next after the Asbystai on the West come the Auchisai: these dwell
above Barca and reach down to the sea by Euesperides: and in the middle
of the country of the Auchisai dwell the Bacales, 155 a small tribe,
who reach down to the sea by the city of Taucheira in the territory of
Barca: these practise the same customs as those above Kyrene.