the history-第89章

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d　king　of　the　island　of　Thera；　went　to　Delphi　to　offer　a　hecatomb　on　behalf　of　his　native　city。　He　was　accompanied　by　a　large　number　of　the　citizens；　and　among　the　rest　by　Battus；　the　son　of　Polymnestus；　who　belonged　to　the　Minyan　family　of　the　Euphemidae。　On　Grinus　consulting　the　oracle　about　sundry　matters；　the　Pythoness　gave　him　for　answer；　〃that　he　should　found　a　city　in　Libya。〃　Grinus　replied　to　this：　〃I；　O　king！　am　too　far　advanced　in　years；　and　too　inactive；　for　such　a　work。　Bid　one　of　these　youngsters　undertake　it。〃　As　he　spoke；　he　pointed　towards　Battus；　and　thus　the　matter　rested　for　that　time。　When　the　embassy　returned　to　Thera；　small　account　was　taken　of　the　oracle　by　the　Theraeans；　as　they　were　quite　ignorant　where　Libya　was；　and　were　not　so　venturesome　as　to　send　out　a　colony　in　the　dark。　　　　　Seven　years　passed　from　the　utterance　of　the　oracle；　and　not　a　drop　of　rain　fell　in　Thera：　all　the　trees　in　the　island；　except　one；　were　killed　with　the　drought。　The　Theraeans　upon　this　sent　to　Delphi；　and　were　reminded　reproachfully　that　they　had　never　colonised　Libya。　So；　as　there　was　no　help　for　it；　they　sent　messengers　to　Crete；　to　inquire　whether　any　of　the　Cretans；　or　of　the　strangers　sojourning　among　them；　had　ever　travelled　as　far　as　Libya：　and　these　messengers　of　theirs；　in　their　wanderings　about　the　island；　among　other　places　visited　Itanus；　where　they　fell　in　with　a　man；　whose　name　was　Corobius；　a　dealer　in　purple。　In　answer　to　their　inquiries；　he　told　them　that　contrary　winds　had　once　carried　him　to　Libya；　where　he　had　gone　ashore　on　a　certain　island　which　was　named　Platea。　So　they　hired　this　man's　services；　and　took　him　back　with　them　to　Thera。　A　few　persons　then　sailed　from　Thera　to　reconnoitre。　Guided　by　Corobius　to　the　island　of　Platea；　they　left　him　there　with　provisions　for　a　certain　number　of　months；　and　returned　home　with　all　speed　to　give　their　countrymen　an　account　of　the　island。　　　　　During　their　absence；　which　was　prolonged　beyond　the　time　that　had　been　agreed　upon；　Corobius　provisions　failed　him。　He　was　relieved；　however；　after　a　while　by　a　Samian　vessel；　under　the　command　of　a　man　named　Colaeus；　which；　on　its　way　to　Egypt；　was　forced　to　put　in　at　Platea。　The　crew；　informed　by　Corobius　of　all　the　circumstances；　left　him　sufficient　food　for　a　year。　They　themselves　quitted　the　island；　and；　anxious　to　reach　Egypt；　made　sail　in　that　direction；　but　were　carried　out　of　their　course　by　a　gale　of　wind　from　the　east。　The　storm　not　abating；　they　were　driven　past　the　Pillars　of　Hercules；　and　at　last；　by　some　special　guiding　providence；　reached　Tartessus。　This　trading　town　was　in　those　days　a　virgin　port；　unfrequented　by　the　merchants。　The　Samians；　in　consequence；　made　by　the　return　voyage　a　profit　greater　than　any　Greeks　before　their　day；　excepting　Sostratus；　son　of　Laodamas；　an　Eginetan；　with　whom　no　one　else　can　compare。　From　the　tenth　part　of　their　gains；　amounting　to　six　talents；　the　Samians　made　a　brazen　vessel；　in　shape　like　an　Argive　wine…bowl；　adorned　with　the　heads　of　griffins　standing　out　in　high　relief。　This　bowl；　supported　by　three　kneeling　colossal　figures　in　bronze；　of　the　height　of　seven　cubits；　was　placed　as　an　offering　in　the　temple　of　Juno　at　Samos。　The　aid　given　to　Corobius　was　the　original　cause　of　that　close　friendship　which　afterwards　united　the　Cyrenaeans　and　Theraeans　with　the　Samians。　　　　　The　Theraeans　who　had　left　Corobius　at　Platea；　when　they　reached　Thera；　told　their　countrymen　that　they　had　colonised　an　island　on　the　coast　of　Libya。　They　of　Thera；　upon　this；　resolved　that　men　should　be　sent　to　join　the　colony　from　each　of　their　seven　districts；　and　that　the　brothers　in　every　family　should　draw　lots　to　determine　who　were　to　go。　Battus　was　chosen　to　be　king　and　leader　of　the　colony。　So　these　men　departed　for　Platea　on　board　of　two　penteconters。　　　　　Such　is　the　account　which　the　Theraeans　give。　In　the　sequel　of　the　history　their　accounts　tally　with　those　of　the　people　of　Cyrene；　but　in　what　they　relate　of　Battus　these　two　nations　differ　most　widely。　The　following　is　the　Cyrenaic　story。　There　was　once　a　king　named　Etearchus；　who　ruled　over　Axus；　a　city　in　Crete；　and　had　a　daughter　named　Phronima。　This　girl's　mother　having　died；　Etearchus　married　a　second　wife；　who　no　sooner　took　up　her　abode　in　his　house　than　she　proved　a　true　step…mother　to　poor　Phronima；　always　vexing　her；　and　contriving　against　her　every　sort　of　mischief。　At　last　she　taxed　her　with　light　conduct；　and　Etearchus；　persuaded　by　his　wife　that　the　charge　was　true；　bethought　himself　of　a　most　barbarous　mode　of　punishment。　There　was　a　certain　Theraean；　named　Themison；　a　merchant；　living　at　Axus。　This　man　Etearchus　invited　to　be　his　friend　and　guest；　and　then　induced　him　to　swear　that　he　would　do　him　any　service　he　might　require。　No　sooner　had　he　given　the　promise；　than　the　king　fetched　Phronima；　and；　delivering　her　into　his　hands；　told　him　to　carry　her　away　and　throw　her　into　the　sea。　Hereupon　Themison；　full　of　indignation　at　the　fraud　whereby　his　oath　had　been　procured；　dissolved　forthwith　the　friendship；　and；　taking　the　girl　with　him；　sailed　away　from　Crete。　Having　reached　the　open　main；　to　acquit　himself　of　the　obligation　under　which　he　was　laid　by　his　oath　to　Etearchus；　he　fastened　ropes　about　the　damsel；　and；　letting　her　down　into　the　sea；　drew　her　up　again；　and　so　made　sail　for　Thera。　　　　　At　Thera；　Polymnestus；　one　of　the　chief　citizens　of　the　place；　took　Phronima　to　be　his　concubine。　The　fruit　of　this　union　was　a　son；　who　stammered　and　had　a　lisp　in　his　speech。　According　to　the　Cyrenaeans　and　Theraeans　the　name　given　to　the　boy　was　Battus：　in　my　opinion；　however；　he　was　called　at　the　first　something　else；　and　only　got　the　name　of　Battus　after　his　arrival　in　Libya；　assuming　it　either　in　consequence　of　the　words　addressed　to　him　by　the　Delphian　oracle；　or　on　account　of　the　office　which　he　held。　For；　in　the　Libyan　tongue；　the　word　〃Battus〃　means　〃a　king。〃　And　this；　I　think；　was　the　reason　the　Pythoness　addressed　him　as　she　did：　she　he　was　to　be　a　king　in　Libya；　and　so　she　used　the　Libyan　word　in　speaking　to　him。　For　after　he　had　grown　to　man's　estate；　he　made　a　journey　to　Delphi；　to　consult　the　oracle　about　his　voice；　when；　upon　his　putting　his　question；　the　Pythoness　thus　replied　to　him：…

　　　　Battus；　thou　camest　to　ask　of　thy　voice；　but　Phoebus　Apollo　　　　　Bids　thee　establish　a　city　in　Libya；　abounding　in　fleeces；

which　was　as　if　she　had　said　in　her　own　tongue；　〃King；　thou　camest　to　ask　of　thy　voice。〃　Then　he　replied；　〃Mighty　lord；　I　did　indeed　come　hither　to　consult　thee　about　my　voice；　but　thou　speakest　to　me　of　quite　other　matters；　bidding　me　colonise　Libya…　an　impossible　thing！　what　power　have　I？　what　followers？〃　Thus　he　spake；　but　he　did　not　persuade　the　Pythoness　to　give　him　any　other　response；　so；　when　he　found　that　she　persisted　in　her　former　answer；　he　left　her　speaking；　and　set　out　on　his　return　to　Thera。　　　　　After　a　while；　everything　began　to　go　wrong　both　with　Battus　and　with　the　rest　of　the　Theraeans；　whereupon　these　last；　ignorant　of　the　cause　of　their　sufferings；　sent　to　Delphi　to　inquire　for　what　reason　they　were　afflicted。　The　Pythoness　in　reply　told　them　〃that　if　they　and　Battus　would　make　a　settlement　at　Cyrene　in　Libya；　things　would　go　better　with　them。〃　Upon　this　the　Theraeans　sent　out　Battus　with　two　penteconters；　and　with　these　he　proceeded　to　Libya；　but　within　a　little　time；　not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　the　men　returned　and　arrived　off　Thera。　The　Theraeans；　when　they　saw　the　vessels　approaching；　received　them　with　showers　of　missiles；　would　not　allow　them　to　come　near　the　shore；　and　ordered　the　men　to　sail　back　from　whence　they　came。　Thus　compelled　to　return；　they　settled　on　an　island　near　the　Libyan　coast；　which　（as　I　have　already　said）　was　called　Platea。　In　size　it　is　reported　to　have　been　about　equal　to　the　city　of　Cyrene；　as　it　now　stands。　　　　　In　this　place　they　continued　two　years；　but　at　the　end　of　that　time；　as　their　ill　luck　still　followed　them；　they　left　the　island　to　the　care　of　one　of　their　number；　and　went　in　a　body　to　Delphi；　where　they　made　complaint　at　the　shrine　to　the　effect　that；　notwithstanding　they　had　colonised　Libya；　they　prospered　as　poorly　as　before。　Hereon　the　Pythoness　made