reneans, afflicted by their recent calamities, fent to Delphi, defiring to know what fyftem of life would most effectually secure their tranquillity. The Pythian in reply recommended them to procure from Mantinea 157, in Arcadia, fome one to compose their difturbances. Accordingly, at the request of the Cyreneans, the Mantineans fent them Demonax, a man who enjoyed the univerfal efteem of his countrymen. Arriving at Cyrene, his firft care was to make himself acquainted with their affairs; he then divided the people into three diftinct tribes: the first comprehended the Thereans and their neighbours; the second the Peloponnefians and Cretans; the third all the inhabitants of the islands. He affigned a certain portion of land, with fome diftinct privileges, to Battus; but all the other advantages which the kings had before arrogated to themselves, he gave to the power of the people.

CLXII. In this fituation things remained during the life of Battus: but in the time of his fon an ambitious struggle for power was the occafion of great disturbances. Arcefilaus, fon of the lame Battus, by Pheretime, refufed to fubmit to the regulations of Demonax the Mantinean, and demanded to be restored to the dignity of his ancestors. A great tumult was excited, but the confequence was, that Arcefilaus was compelled to take refuge at Samos, whilft his mother Pheretime fled to Salamis

157 Mantinea.]-This place became celebrated by the death of Epaminondas, the great Theban general, who was here flain. -T.

17

428

in Cyprus, Euelthon had at this time the govern→›
ment of Salamis: the fame perfon who dedicated
at Delphi a most beautiful cenfer now depofited in.
the Corinthian treasury. To him Pheretime-made
application, intreating him to lead an army against
Cyrene, for the purpose of reftoring her and her
fon. He made her many prefents, but refused to
affift her with an army. Pheretime accepted his
liberality with thanks, but endeavoured to convince
him that his affifting her with forces would be
much more honourable. Upon her perfevering in
this request, after every present she received, Euel-
thon was at length induced to fend her a gold
fpindle, and a distaff with wool; observing, that for
a woman this was a more fuitable prefent than an
army.

CLXIII. In the mean time Arcefilaus was indefatigable at Samos; by promifing a divifion of lands, he affembled a numerous army: he then failed to Delphi, to make enquiry concerning the event of his return. The Pythian made him this anfwer: "To four Batti's, and to as many of "the name of Arcefilaus, Apollo has granted the "dominion of Cyrene. Beyond these eight gene "rations the deity forbids even the attempt to

158 To four Batti.]-According to the Scholiaft on Pindar, the Battiades reigned at Cyrene for the fpace of two hundred years. Battus, fon of the laft of thefe, endeavoured to affume the government, but the Cyreneans drove him from their country, and he retired to the Hefperides, where he finished his days.-Larcher.

43,45

сс

reign to you it is recommended to return, and "live tranquilly at home. If you happen to find " a furnace filled with earthen veffels, do not suffer " them to be baked, but throw them into the air: "if you fet fire to the furnace, beware of entering a place furrounded by water. This injunction, " if you difregard, you will perish yourself, as will "alfo a very beautiful bull.”

CLXIV. The Pythian made this reply to Arcefilaus: he however returned to Cyrene with the forces he had raifed at Samos; and having recovered his authority, thought no more of the oracle. He proceeded to institute a perfecution against those who taking up arms against him had compelled him to fly. Some of these fought and found a refuge in exile, others were taken into custody and fent to Cyprus, to undergo the punishment of death. Thefe the Cnidians delivered, for they touched at their ifland in their paffage, and they were afterwards tranfported to Thera: a number of them fled to a large tower, the property of an individual named Aglomachus, but Arcefilaus destroyed them, tower and all, by fire. No fooner had he perpetrated this deed than he remembered the declaration of the oracle, which forbade him to fet fire to a furnace filled with earthen veffels: fearing therefore to fuffer for what he had done, he retired from Cyrene, which place he confidered as furrounded by water. He had married a relation, the daughter of Alazir, king of Barce, to him therefore he went; but upon his appearing in public, the Barceans, in conjunction

121

conjunction with fome Cyrenean fugitives, put him to death, together with Alazir his father-in-law. Such was the fate of Arcefilaus, he having, defignedly or from accident, violated the injunctions of the oracle.

CLXV. Whilft the fon was thus haftening his destiny at Barce, Pheretime '59 his mother enjoyed 30 at Cyrene the fupreme authority; and amongst 360 other regal acts prefided in the fenate. But as foon 361 as fhe received intelligence of the death of Arcefi

laus, fhe fought refuge in Egypt. Her fon had fome claims upon the liberality of Cambyfes, fon of Cyrus, he had delivered Cyrene into his power, and paid him tribute. On her arrival in Ægypt, fhe prefented herself before Aryandes in the character of a fuppliant, and befought him to revenge her cause, pretending that her fon had loft his life merely on account of his attachment to the Medes.

CLXVI. This Aryandes had been appointed præfect of Egypt by Cambyfes; but afterwards, prefuming to rival Darius, he was by him put to death. He had heard, and indeed he had seen, that Darius was defirous to leave fome monument of himself, which should exceed all the efforts of his predeceffors. He thought proper to attempt fomewhat fimilar, but it coft him his life. Darius had

139 Pheretime.]-See this ftory well related in the Stratagemata of Polyænus, book viii. c. 47.-T.

iffued a coin 160 of the very pureft gold: the præfect of Ægypt iffued one of the pureft filver, and called it an Aryandic. It may ftill be feen, and is much admired for its purity. Darius hearing of this, condemned him to death, pretending that he had rebelled against him.

160 Darius had iffued a coin.]" About the fame time feem to have been coined thofe famous pieces of gold called Darics, which by reason of their fineness were for several ages preferred before all other coin throughout the east: for we are told that the author of this coin was not Darius Hyftafpes, as fome have imagined, but a more ancient Darius. But there is no ancienter Darius mentioned to have reigned in the east, excepting only this Darius, whom the fcripture calls Darius the Median; and therefore it is most likely he was the author of this coin, and that during the two years that he reigned at Babylon, while Cyrus was abfent on his Syrian, Ægyptian, and other expeditions, he caufed it to be made there out of the vast quantity of gold which had been brought thither into the treafury; from hence it became difperfed all over the east, and also into Greece, where it was of great reputation: according to Dr. Bernard, it weighed two grains more than one of our guineas, but the fineness added much more to its value; for it was in a manner all of pure gold, having none, or at least very little, alloy in it; and therefore may be well reckoned, as the proportion of gold and filver now ftands with us, to be worth twentyfive fhillings of our money. In thofe parts of the scripture which were written after the Babylonish captivity, these pieces are mentioned by the name of Adarkonim; and in the Talmudifts, by the name of Darkoneth, both from the Greek Aagxo, Darics. And it is to be obferved, that all those pieces of gold which were afterwards coined of the fame weight and value by the fucceeding kings, not only of the Perfian but alfo of the Macedonian race, were all called Darics, from the Darius who was the firft author of them. And there were either whole Darics or half Darics, as with us there are guineas and half-guineas.”—Prideaux.

CLXVII.