Ten years after Jon went away, there arrived three ships in the
Flymeer; the people cried Huzza! (What a blessing!) and from their
accounts the mother had this written.
When Jon reached the Mediterranean Sea, the reports of the Gauls had
preceded him, so that on the nearest Italian coast he was nowhere
safe. Therefore he went with his fleet straight over to Lybia. There
the black men wanted to catch them and eat them. At last they came
to Tyre, but Min-erva said, Keep clear, for here the air has been
long poisoned by the priests. The king was a descendant of Teunis,
as we were afterwards informed; but as the priests wished to have a
king, who, according to their ideas, was of long descent, they deified
Teunis, to the vexation of his followers. After they had passed Tyre,
the Tyrians seized one of the rearmost ships, and as the ship was
too far behind us, we could not take it back again; but Jon swore to
be revenged for it. When night came, Jon bent his course towards the
distant Krekalanden. At last they arrived at a country that looked
very barren, but they found a harbour there. Here, said Min-erva,
we need not perhaps have any fear of princes or priests, as they
always look out for rich fat lands. When they entered the harbour,
there was not room for all the ships, and yet most of the people were
too cowardly to go any further. Then Jon, who wished to get away, went
with his spear and banner, calling to the young people, to know who
would volunteer to share his adventures. Min-erva did the same thing,
but she wished to remain there. The greater part stopped with Min-erva,
but the young sailors went with Jon. Jon took the lamp of Kalta and
her maidens with him. Min-erva retained her lamp and her own maidens.
Between the near and the distant coasts of Italy Jon found some
islands, which he thought desirable. Upon the largest he built a city
in the wood between the mountains. From the smaller islands he made
expeditions for vengeance on the Tyrians, and plundered their ships
and their lands. Therefore these islands were called Insulæ Piratarum,
as well as Johannis Insulæ.
When Min-erva had examined the country which is called by the
inhabitants Attica, she saw that the people were all goatherds,
and that they lived on meat, wild roots, herbs, and honey. They were
clothed in skins, and had their dwellings on the slopes (hellinga)
of the hills, wherefore they were called Hellingers. At first they
ran away, but when they found that we did not attack them, they came
back and showed great friendship. Min-erva asked if we might settle
there peaceably. This was agreed to on the condition that we should
help them to fight against their neighbours, who came continually to
carry away their children and to rob their dwellings. Then we built
a citadel at an hour's distance from the harbour. By the advice of
Min-erva it was called Athens, because, she said, those who come
after us ought to know that we are not here by cunning or violence,
but were received as friends (âtha). While we were building the citadel
the principal personages came to see us, and when they saw that we had
no slaves it did not please them, and they gave her to understand it,
as they thought that she was a princess. But Min-erva said, How did
you get your slaves? They answered, We bought some and took others
in war. Min-erva replied, If nobody would buy slaves they would not
steal your children, and you would have no wars about it. If you wish
to remain our allies, you will free your slaves. The chiefs did not
like this, and wanted to drive us away; but the most enlightened of
the people came and helped us to build our citadel, which was built
of stone.
This is the history of Jon and of Min-erva.
When they had finished their story they asked respectfully for iron
weapons; for, said they, our foes are powerful, but if we have good
arms we can withstand them. When this had been agreed to, the people
asked if Frya's customs would flourish in Athens and in other parts
of Greece (Krekalanden). The mother answered, If the distant Greeks
belong to the direct descent of Frya, then they will flourish; but if
they do not descend from Frya, then there will be a long contention
about it, because the carrier must make five thousand revolutions of
his Juul before Finda's people will be ripe for liberty.