THE EARLY AGE OF GREECE VOL.I by W.Ridgeway 1901

WHO WERE THE MAKERS ? 221
long head, and fine black hair. The beard was shaven, but not
the hair of the head."
As it was Dynasty xvii. that expelled the Hyksos from
Egypt, we have thus substantial evidence from Egyptian
history in corroboration of the Greek legend, that some time
about the 16th century B.C.
Epaphus the Swarthy (i.e.
the dark
Berber type) had descended from above the Cataract, i.e. from
Ethiopia, into the region of the Delta.
Cyrene. There is one region, and that not the least in
wide Hellas, where Aegean ren)ains may yet be found, and
where very probably they will be found, if the principles on
which our investigation has hitherto been conducted are sound.
Already indications are forthcoming that the Mycenean culture
had here a foothold.
Libya and especially that part of it in which lay the great
city of Cyrene, and her sisters of the Pentapolis, has been
proved to have been within the ken of the inhabitants of
the mainland and islands (jf Greece from a very remote time.
Such a connection can l)e traced back to a date when according
to the Greek ti'aditions the Acheans had not yet entered
Thessalv, or Ar""(tlis, or had irone atfainst Trov. If therefore
relationship can be |)roved between settlers in Libya and
Cyrene on the one hand and the inhabitants of parts of Greece
and Asia Minor occupied by Pelasgic tribes, wo must expect to
find a culturo in Libya closely resembling the Aegean.
Let us start hoxn the fnmdation of the historical city (jf
Cyrene.
Just three centurios bef(re the archonshij) of Simonides,
that is ab(jut 028 B.C., one Aristoteles of Thora led a C(tlony
to Libya. This man had a grit'vous stanunei-, from which ho
When he came to man's
was nicknamed Battus {Stdm merer).
estate, like all that sutioi'od afiiictioiis, ho made a journey to
Delphi
to consult the oraclo
])ricstes.s said to hiu) :
about his voice, where the IVthian
'
Battus, thou camest to ask of th\'
V(ico; but Phoeltus A))olli> bids thee establish a city in Libya
abounding in tleoces." After the di'ought ah'eatly nu'iitioned
(p. 204) the Theraeans sent out a colony with Battus as leader.
The eniierants at tiist settled mh the island of I'latea otV the
222 WHO WERE THE MAKERS ?
Libyan coast, where they fared ill, and again appealed for aid
to Delphi. The god reiterated the command to settle on the
mainland. They accordingly established themselves at Aziris
on the coast opposite Platea. There they abode six years, until
the Libyans led them to the site of Cyrene.
Here the weakened remnant of an older colony probably
still lingered, who were perhaps but too glad to admit to a
share in their town a stout body of allies to aid them against
the native Libyans.
According to the story told by the men of Cyrene in the
fourth century B.C. the silphium plant had for the first time
made its appearance just seven years before the coming of
Battus, as if in anticipation of the heaven-sent colony.
Here Battus dwelt and prospered, planted trees, made a
great paved road between the city and its port Peiraeus, and
founded a monarchy which passed from father to son for seven
"
generations.
He also planted gods' groves greater than those
aforetime there, and made a paved road cut sti-aight over the
plain,
to be smitten with horses' hoofs in processions that
beseech Apollo's guardianship for men and there at the end
;
of the market-place he lieth apart
in death. Blest was he
while he dwelt among men, and since his death the people
worship him as their hero. And apart from him before their
palace lie other sacred kings that have their lot with Hades,
and even now perchance they hear, with such heed as abideth
with the dead, of this great deed S})rinkled with kindly dew of
out[)oured song triumphal, whence have they bliss in common
Avith their son Arcesilas unto whom it falleth due'."
The C(^li)ny
made but little ad\ance during the reign of
Battus and his son, but in that of Battus II. Greeks Hocked
from all (piaitci's at the instigation
of the Delithic oracle, and
Cyrene waxed })opulous and mighty. The Cyrenians then
strip]>e(l the Libyan king Adicran of his lands. He sent
messengers to Kgy]>t and ])ut himself and liis jteople under the
rule of A pries
(
I'haraoh-Hophra). The latter levied a vast
host of Egyptians and sent them against Cyreiu'. In the
fertile district of Irasa the Cyreneans inflicted a crushing defeat
'
J'iiul. Pi/th. V. M.S xii>/. (Myers).