266

GREEKS SETTLE AT NAUCRATIS.

BOOK IL

every Egyptian should appear once a year before the governor of his canton, and show his means of living; or, failing to do so, and to prove that he got an honest livelihood, should be put to death. Solon the Athenian borrowed this law from the Egyptians, and imposed it on his countrymen, who have observed it ever since. It is indeed an excellent custom.

178. Amasis was partial to the Greeks, and, among other favours which he granted them, gave to such as liked to settle in Egypt the city of Naucratis for their residence. To those

6 Each nome, or canton, was governed by a nomarch. Herodotus attributes this law to Amasis; but it appears to have been much older; since we find in the sculptures of the 18th dynasty bodies of men present. ing themselves before the magistrates for registration. It is possible that Amosis, the first king of that dynasty, made the law, and that the resemblance of the two names led to the mistake. Diodorus (i. 77) mentions it as an Egyptian law, and agrees with Herodotus in saying that Solon introduced it at Athens; but it was Draco who made death the punishment at Athens; which was altered by Solon (Plut. Life of Solon), "who repealed all Draco's laws, excepting those concerning murder, because they were too severe;" "insomuch that those

who were convicted of idleness were condemned to die." But Solon "ordered the Areopagites to ascer tain how every man got his living, and to chastise the idle."-[G. W.]

7 Amasis had reason to be hostile to the Greeks, who had assisted Apries, but, perceiving the value of their aid, he became friendly to them, and granted them many privileges, which had the effect of inducing many to settle in Egypt, and afterwards led them to assist the Egyptians in freeing their country from the Persiaus.[G. W.]

8 This was "formerly" the only commercial entrepôt for Greek merchandise, and was established for the first time by Amasis. The privileges enjoyed by Naucratis were not only owing to the exclusive regulations of

CHAP. 177-179.

THE HELLENIUM.

267

who only wished to trade upon the coast, and did not want to fix their abode in the country, he granted certain lands where they might set up altars and erect temples to the gods. Of these temples the grandest and most famous, which is also the most frequented, is that called "the Hellenium." It was built conjointly by the Ionians, Dorians, and Æolians, the following cities taking part in the work:-the Ionian states of Chios, Teos, Phocæa, and Clazomena; Rhodes, Cnidus, Halicarnassus, and Phasêlis of the Dorians; and Mytilêne of the Eolians. These are the states to whom the temple belongs, and they have the right of appointing the governors of the factory; the other cities which claim a share in the building, claim what in no sense belongs to them. Three nations, however, consecrated for themselves separate temples-the Eginetans one to Jupiter, the Samians to Juno, and the Milesians to Apollo.1

179. In ancient times there was no factory but Naucratis

the Egyptians, like those of the Chinese at the present day, but were a precaution against pirates landing on the coast, under pretence of trading. (See notes 5 and on chs. 112 and 154.) The exact position of

Naucratis is unknown. The name is Greek, like that of Archander (supra, ch. 98). Of the Naucratis garlands, see Athen. Deip. xv.-[G. W.]

The story told by Strabo (xvii. p. 1137) of the foundation of Naucratis by the Milesians in the time of Inarus is entitled to no manner of credit. It may be questioned whether Naucratis was in any real sense a Milesian colony."

9 Phaselis lay on the east coast of Lycia, directly at the base of Mount Solyma (Takhtalu). It was sometimes reckoned to Pamphylia (Plin. H. N. v. 27; Mela, i. 14; Steph. Byz. ad voc.), but more commonly, and by the best geographers, to Lycia (Scyl. Peripl. p. 94; Strab. xiv. p. 952; Ptolem. v. 3; Arrian. i. 24, &c.). According to tradition, it was founded by Lacius, the brother of Antiphêmus,

the Lindian colonizer of Gela. (Heropyth. and Philosteph. ap. Athen. Deipn. vii. p. 297, F. and Aristænet. ap. Steph. Byz. ad voc. réλa.) This would place its foundation about B.C. 690. There seems to be no doubt that it was a purely Greek town.

The remains of Phaselis are very considerable, and have been carefully described by Capt. Beaufort. (Karamania, pp. 59-70.) Its modern name is Tekrova. The part of the coast where it is situated abounds in woods of pine, which explains its ancient name of Pityussa. (See Steph. Byz. ad voc. Φασηλίς.)

The other places here mentioned are too well known to need comment.

1 That is, to the gods specially worshipped in their respective countries. The great temple of Jupiter Panhellenius in Egina, briefly described by Pausanias (II. xxix. § 6), is well known to travellers. That of Apollo at Branchidæ, and that of Juno at Samos, have been already noticed. (Supra, i. 157, ii. 148.)

268

AMASIS MARRIES LADICE.

Book II.

in the whole of Egypt; and if a person entered one of the other mouths of the Nile, he was obliged to swear that he had not come there of his own free will. Having so done, he was bound to sail in his ship to the Canobic mouth, or, were that impossible owing to contrary winds, he must take his wares by boat all round the Delta, and so bring them to Naucratis, which had an exclusive privilege.

2

180. It happened in the reign of Amasis that the temple of Delphi had been accidentally burnt, and the Amphictyons had contracted to have it rebuilt for three hundred talents, of which sum one-fourth was to be furnished by the Delphians. Under these circumstances the Delphians went from city to city begging contributions, and among their other wanderings came to Egypt and asked for help. From few other places did they obtain so much-Amasis gave them a thousand talents of alum, and the Greek settlers twenty minæ.5

181. A league was concluded by Amasis with the Cyrenæans, by which Cyrêné and Egypt became close friends and allies. He likewise took a wife from that city, either as a sign of his friendly feeling, or because he had a fancy to marry a Greek woman. However this may be, certain it is that he espoused a lady of Cyrêne, by name Ladicé, daughter, some say, of Battus or Arcesilaüs, the king—others, of Critobulus, one of

more than eighty pounds of our money. The entire sum which the Delphians had to collect exceeded 18,000l.

6 One wife of Amasis was a daughter of the third Psammetichus, and another is mentioned on the monuments, called Tashot, which looks like a foreign (Asiatic) name. Amasis had the title of Neitsi, "son of Neith," or Minerva; and this name, Ames-Neitsi, has been changed by Pliny into Seneserteus, who (he says) reigned when Pythagoras was in Egypt.-[G. W.]

7 Some of the MSS. give the reading "Battus, the son of Arcesilaüs," which Wesseling prefers. But the weight of authority is on the other side. The

CHAP. 179-182.

the chief citizens.

OFFERINGS OF AMASIS.

269

When the time came to complete the contract, Amasis was struck with weakness. Astonished hereat -for he was not wont to be so afflicted-the king thus addressed his bride: "Woman, thou hast certainly bewitched me-now therefore be sure thou shalt perish more miserably than ever woman perished yet." Ladicé protested her innocence, but in vain; Amasis was not softened. Hereupon she made a vow internally, that if he recovered within the day (for no longer time was allowed her), she would present a statue to the temple of Venus at Cyrêné. Immediately she obtained her wish, and the king's weakness disappeared. Amasis loved her greatly ever after, and Ladicé performed her Vow. The statue which she caused to be made, and sent to Cyrêné, continued there to my day, standing with its face looking outwards from the city. Ladicé herself, when Cambyses conquered Egypt, suffered no wrong; for Cambyses, on learning of her who she was, sent her back unharmed to her country.

182. Besides the marks of favour already mentioned, Amasis also enriched with offerings many of the Greek temples. He sent to Cyrêné a statue of Minerva covered with plates of gold, and a painted likeness of himself. To the Minerva of

chronology of the Cyrenæan kings is so obscure, that it is difficult to say which monarch or monarchs are intended. Perhaps Battus the Happy, and Arcesilaüs II., his son, have the best claim. (See note on Book iv. ch. 163.)

8 Statues of this kind were not un

common (infra, vi. 118). The most famous was that of Minerva at Delphi, which the Athenians dedicated from the spoils of their victory at the Eurymedon. (Pausan. X. xv. § 3; Clitod. Fr. 15.)

The Egyptians had actual portraits