barises, round the Delta, until it reached Naucratis. Such was the privilege bestowed to Naucratis. The Amphictyons 180 having entered into a contract to build, for three hundred talents, the temple now standing at Delphi-for the former one had been burnt down accidentally, and the Delphians were taxed to furnish one quarter of the costs-the people of Delphi undertook a begging excursion to different places, from which they obtained subscriptions: in this way they brought from Egypt a very great contribution: for Amasis gave them a thousand talents of alum; and the Hellenic settlers contributed, on their part, twenty minæ. 66 66 Amasis contracted a league of friendship and alliance 181 with the Cyrenæans: he determined, also, to take a wife from thence;-whether he desired to unite himself to an Hellenic lady, or wished to give thus a proof of his attachment to the Cyrenæans. He espoused, therefore, the daughter of Battus; some say Arcesilaus; others also Critobulus, a respectable citizen: the lady's name was Ladica. When Amasis lay with his bride, he found himself unable to consummate, although he could enjoy other women: this had lasted a considerable time, when Amasis sent for Ladice herself, and addressed her thus : Ladice, you have used some charm upon me, and now you have no means of escaping "the most miserable death of all women.' Amasis, in spite of all Ladice said in her defence, relaxed not his stern intention: the princess prayed mentally 267 to Venus, that Amasis might be gratified that night, which would be the only preventive of the calamity that awaited her, and vowed she would send to the goddess an image at Cyrene: immediately she had made this vow, Amasis was made happy his happiness continued, and his affection for his consort increased. Ladice fulfilled her vow to the goddess: she ordered the image to be made, and sent it off to Cyrene; where it remained safe and sound to my time, with its back turned to Cyrene 6. Cambysis, after his conquest of Egypt, when he discovered who Ladice was, sent her back, unhurt, to Cyrene. Amasis dedicated offerings in Hellas: first, a 182 gilt statue of Minerva at Cyrene, and his own portrait painted: secondly, at Lindus, two stone statues to Pallas, 68 267 Wesseling reads, "in the temple of Venus." 266 It is probable that this statue was placed within the town; if so, the text means, that it was turned towards the country; and this is the sense that I have adopted. But the together with an admirable corset of linen 209; he dedicated, moreover, to Juno, at Samos, two wooden images of himself, which stood to my days in the great temple behind the doors: those dedications at Samos he made out of regard for the compact of friendship entered into between himself and Polycrates the son of Ajax: the dedication at Lindus was not in consequence of any similar compact, but because it was related that the daughters of Danaus, in their flight from the sons of Ægyptus, having touched at Lindus, founded there the temple of Minerva: such were the dedications of Amasis. He was the first that ever conquered Cyprus, and subjected that island to tribute. 269 Probably something of the kind, of diaper or damask. See iii. 47, fin. This is the last note I find it necessary to append to this most important and interesting part of ancient history the object that I have kept in view, in the composition and compilation of these observations, has been to explain the meaning of Herodotus ;an object of no small moment, when we consider that this Historian is unquestionably the best authority with regard to ancient Egypt, which he seems to have examined and studied with the curiosity of a traveller and the genius of a philosopher. Had I followed the plan I originally proposed to myself, which was, to illustrate my author by the works of subsequent historians and the journals of modern travellers, the com ments upon this single book would have extended to two volumes; indeed, those of Larcher occupy four hundred pages of matter closely printed in very small type: considerations, not within the controul of an author alone, have hindered me from carrying into effect my design; but I regret it the less, as a Geographical Dictionary to the Works of Herodotus, translated from Larcher, and accompanied with illustrations from various authors and travellers, is about to make its appearance; which will, at least, assist the reader in those parts of Herodotus where illustration is of the greatest consequence; I mean, with regard to the relative situations of the places he mentions, and the state of the world at the time the Muses were written. EGYPTIAN CHRONOLOGY. The Chronology of Egypt, given upon any well-founded authority by Herodotus, according to his own avowal, begins with the Dodekarchia, and is thus arranged: B.C. Dodekarchia .671...656 SUMMARY OF BOOK III. THE causes of the war between Cambyses and the Egyptians, 1-9. King Psammenitus, son of Amasis, is conquered near Pelusium, 10 seq. After the surrender of Memphis, the Africans, Cyrenæans and Barcæans surrender, of their own accord, 13. Psammenitus is at first treated liberally; but soon after, being caught intriguing, is put to death, 14, 15. Having subjugated Egypt, Cambyses resolves to carry war against the Carthaginians, Ammonians, and Ethiopians; but the Phœnicians refuse to carry war against the Carthaginians, their fellow citizens: the expedition, therefore, is dropped, 19. Spies are sent from the Ichthyophagi to the Ethiopians, 20: they bring back a threatening answer from the king. The army, marching against the Ethiopians, is compelled to return, by famine, 25. Those sent against the Ammonians are swallowed up, under mountains of sand, 26. Cambyses is wroth against the rites and the priests of the Egyptians, fancying that the Egyptians rejoice on account of his failure, 27 seq. He refrains not even from his own subjects; but puts to death his brother Smerdis, and his sister, who was likewise his wife; slaughters many, both of the Persians and Egyptians; and gives various other proofs of his insanity, 30-39. In this place is inserted the history of Polycrates, tyrant of the Samians, against whom the Lacedæmonians undertook, about this time, an expedition, 39 seq. The Corcyræans assist in this expedition, in consequence of a grudge against the Samians from the time of Periander: concerning Periander, 49 seq. In the mean time, Smerdis the Magus takes possession of the Persian throne, 61: he sends a herald into Egypt, to summon the troops to abandon the standard of Cambyses, 62. Cambyses, scized with great anger, is about to lead his army against the Magi; but is accidentally wounded, as he is leaping on his horse, and dies, 64 seq. The cheat of the Magus having been discovered by the daughter of Otanes, seven of the chief men among the Persians conspire the death of the usurper, 68 seq. The Magi are put to death, 78. A consultation is held on the most expedient form of government to be adopted; and finally, Darius the son of Hystaspes is pointed out king by the neighing of his horse, 80 seq. He divides the empire into twenty satrapies; the revenue from each of which is stated, 89, 96. Some other nations furnish free gifts to the king; among whom the Indians, whose country and manners are described, 98–101. The advantages of Arabia are then enumerated, 107-113; as well as those of Ethiopia, and the distant tracts of Europe, 114 seq. Intaphernes, one of the seven conspirators, is put to death by Darius's order, 118 seq.; and afterwards Orates, 128, who had compassed, by perfidy, the death of Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, 120-125; who had likewise put to death Mitrobates, a noble Persian, together with his son Crassaspes, and had ordered the murder of a messenger to him by Darius, 126. Democedes, a physician of Croton, having been found among the slaves of Orœtes (125) cures the king and Atossa: he is sent as a guide with some Persians, to reconnoitre Greece and Italy: he makes his escape: and the Persians who had accompanied him are taken, and ransomed by Gillus, an exile of Tarentum, 129–138. The manner in which the Persians took Samos, 139-149. But, at the same time, the Babylonians secede ; and, after a siege of twenty months, are subdued by the art and valour of Zopyrus, 150 to the end. THE THIRD BOOK OF HERODOTUS. THALIA. Ir was against the above Amasis that Cambyses, son of 1 Cyrus, prepared for war, at the head of an army, consisting, not only of all the various tribes under his dominion, but also of Ionians and Æolians from among the Hellenes: this expedition was undertaken from the following motive. Cambyses had sent a herald into Egypt, and requested the hand of Amasis's daughter'. This request was made at the suggestion of a native Egyptian; who, having a grudge against Amasis, acted in this manner, because the king of Egypt had selected him alone from among the Egyptian physicians, and, forcibly tearing him from wife and children, had made a present of him to the Persians, when Cyrus sent to Amasis, and asked for an ophthalmist, that should be the best in Egypt. This being, accordingly, the reason of the Egyptian's illwill, he instigated Cambyses, by his counsels, to ask Amasis for his daughter; in order that the king of Egypt either should, to his great mortification, give his daughter, or refuse her, and so become the object of Cambyses's hatred. But Amasis, alarmed, and dreading to be oppressed by the power of the Persians, knew not whether he should give or refuse his daughter; as he was well aware that Cambyses did not intend to take the lady for his wife, but to make her his concubine. After revolving in his mind this subject, he decided to act thus. Apries, the preceding king, had left one daughter, a stately and handsome woman, the only remaining offspring of the family: her name was Nitetis. Accordingly, Amasis decked this damsel in cloth of gold, and sends her 1 Constr. ἐνῆγε τῇ συμβουλίῃ Καμ- It is, I think, the fgure which the βύσεα, κελεύων [αὐτὸν] αἰτέειν μισιν grammarians term dia duoiv, as in Duyariga. Schweig. See Mass. 411, 4. this verse of Virgil: "Pateris liba* The Greek is, ἐσθῆτί το εαὶ χρυσῷ. mus et auro." Georg. ii. 192. Larcher. |