Cyrenaica

“ Battus became king of all Cyrenaica, and his descendants, by the name of Battidæ, did rule that land, and maintain the prosperity of Cyrene through eight generations, until the Ptolemies of Egypt conquered the country, and under their patronage Apollonia, the seaport, became the chief city.
It would be a great error to suppose that because Cyrene was on the northern coast of Africa, and near the vast and arid Barcan Desert, it was therefore an unpleasant seat. On the contrary, it may well be doubted whether a more delightful locality can be found on earth. ”

“ He had formed the project of bringing under his sway the Greek cities of the Cyrenaica. ... Apries despatched against Cyrene a large force; but the Cyreneans bravely defended themselves, and as the Egyptians on this occasion marched without their Greek allies, they were entirely defeated, and most of them perished by the sword, or in the deserts which separate Cyrene from Egypt. The defeated troops, and their countrymen who remained behind in garrison in Egypt, imputed the disaster to treachery on the part of Apries. ... ”

“ This was the new era which commenced for Cyrene with the reign of the third king, the Battus who, on account of the marvellously rapid rise of his kingdom, was celebrated as 'the fortunate' in all Hellas. The Battiadæ [the family or dynasty of Battus] were soon regarded as a great power." E. Curtius, History of Greece, book 2, chapter 3. {646} Cyrenaica became subject to Egypt under the Ptolemys, and was then usually called Pentapolis, from the five cities of Cyrene, Apollonia, Arsinoë (formerly Teuchira) , Berenice (formerly Hesperis, or Hesperides) and Ptolemais (the port of Barca) . ”

“ But on the death of Ptolemy Apion, the Roman senate, who had latterly been grasping at everything within their reach, claimed his kingdom as their inheritance, and in the flattering language of their decree by which the country was enslaved, they declared Cyrene free." S. Sharpe, History of Egypt, chapter 11. CYRENAICA: A. D. 117. Jewish insurrection. See CYPRUS: A. D. 117. CYRENAICA: A. D. 616. Destroyed by Chosroes. See EGYPT: A. D. 616-628. CYRENAICA: 7th Century. Mahometan conquest. See MAHOMETAN CONQUEST: A. D. 647-709. ----------CYRENAICA: End---------- CYRUS, The empire of. ”

“ Jebel el-Akabah is much more barren than Jebel Akhdar, and the desert comes right down to the sea in Marmarica, whose few inhabitants are more concerned with salt-collecting and sponge fishing than with agriculture. They have, however, the only good ports on the whole coast, Bomba and Tobruk. Much might be made of Cyrenaica by judicious colonization. All kinds of trees grow well, from the date palm to the oak; and there are over 200,000 wild olives in the country. The conditions in general are very like those of central Italy, and there is ample room for new settlers. ”

“ Long before this its most famous article of export, the silphium plant, a representation of which was the chief coin-type of Cyrene, had come to an end. This plant, credited with wonderful medicinal and aromatic properties, has not been certainly identified with any existing species. The similar Thapsia garganica (Arab. drias) , which now grows freely in Cyrenaica, though it has medicinal properties, has not those ascribed to silphium. Henceforward till the Arab invasion (A.D. 641) Apollonia was the chief city, with Berenice and Ptolemais next in order. ”

“ After the lake follows a place called Aspis, and a harbour, the best of all in the Syrtis. Near this place is the tower Euphrantas, the boundary between the former territory of Carthage and Cyrenaïca under Ptolemy (Soter) . Then another place, called Charax,994 which the Carthaginians frequented as a place of commerce, with cargoes of wine, and loaded in return with silphium and its juice, which they received from merchants who brought it away clandestinely from Cyrene ”

“ CYRANO.
He pays less dear
Than I myself; when a verse pleases me
I pay myself, and sing it to myself!
DE GUICHE.
You are proud.
CYRANO.
Really ? You have noticed that ?
A CADET
[entering, with a string of old battered plumed beaver hats, full of holes, slung on his sword] ,
See, Cyrano, this morning, on the quay
What strange bright- feathered game we caught! The hats
O’ the fugitives . . ,
Carbon. 'Spolia opima!
All
[laughing] .
Ah ! ah ! ah ! ”

“ Cyrano.
Where? At the pastry-house of Ragueneau.
The Duenna.
Where lodges he?
Cyrano.
Where lodges he? The Rue—God!—St. Honoré!
The Duenna
[going] .
Good. Be you there. At seven.
Cyrano.
Good. Be you there. At seven. Without fail.
[The Duenna goes out.]
SCENE VII
Cyrano, Le Bret. Then Actors, Actresses, Cuigy, Brisaille, Lignière, the Porter, the Violinists.
Cyrano
[falling into Le Bret's arms] .
A rendezvous... from her!...
Le Bret.
A rendezvous... from her!... You're sad no more!
Cyrano.
Ah! let the world go burn! She knows I live!
Le Bret. ”

“ Of all the powers in Asia, the kingdom of Cyrus showed itself to be the greatest and most glorious. On the east it was bounded by the Red Sea, on the north by the Euxine, on the west by Cyprus and Egypt, and on the south by Ethiopia. And yet the whole of this enormous empire was governed by the mind and will of a single man, Cyrus: his subjects he cared for and cherished as a father might care for his children, and they who came beneath his rule reverenced him like a father. ”

“ CYRANO.
So that she bursts out laughing into my face .... under my very nose? No, no!.... That is the only thing in the world that I fear!
[Pg 43]
THE JANITOR (bringing in the duenna, to Cyrano) .
Somebody for you, Sir.
CYRANO (seeing the duenna) .
Great heavens! Her duenna!
SCENE VI. CYRANO, LE BRET, THE DUENNA.
THE DUENNA (with a long curtsy) .
A fair cousin would like to know where a valiant cousin can be seen, in private.
CYRANO (greatly disturbed) .
I be seen, in private?
DUENNA (with another curtsy) .
Yes, be seen. There are things to be said. ”

“ Cyrano.
Ay! ay!
Roxane.
A hundred men against you ? Now, farewell.—
We are great friends?
Cyrano.
Ay, ay!
Roxane.
Oh, bid him write! You'll tell me all one day—A hundred men!—
Ah, brave! . . . How brave!
Cyrano.
[bowing to her] .
I have fought better since.
[She goes out. Cyrano stands motionless, with eyes on the ground. A silence. The door (R.) opens. Ragueneau looks in.]
SCENE VII
Cyrano, Ragueneau, Poets, Carbon De Castel-Jaloux, the Cadets, a crowd, then De Guiche. ”

“ Then Cyrus said to him, "Son of Hyrcania, it gives me pleasure to see that you show not only friendliness, but sagacity. It is clear that our interests are the same; the Assyrians are my foes as well as yours, only they hate you now even more bitterly than they hate me. (24) We must consult together and see that not one of our present allies turns his back on us, and we must do what we can to acquire more. You heard the Mede summon the cavalry to return, and if they go, we shall be left with nothing but infantry. ”

“ Cyrene was built at the summit of a slope which falls steeply to the sea but gently inland, melting southward into steppe at the limit of vision, and for miles and miles is dotted with fragments of grey ruin. The Bedawis say that it is six camel-hours from one end to another of “Grené,” as the name “Kyrene” has been softened in their mouths. No site of antiquity so well suggests how a large city of our own day will seem when at last deserted by man. ”

“ SECOND POET.
By sword both slashed and pierced,
Eight cut-throats bleeding fast illustrated the street.
CYRANO (looking up) .
Eight?.... I thought seven.
(continues writing.)
RAGUENEAU (to Cyrano) .
Who fought so bravely? Do you know?
CYRANO (treating the matter lightly) .
I?.... No!
LISE (to the Musketeer) .
Do you?
MUSKETEER (curling his mustache) .
Perhaps.
CYRANO (writing—mutters a word now and then, aside) .
I love you....
FIRST POET.
A single man, they say, put all the band to flight!....
CYRANO (writing) . ”

“ Cyrus added, "can show the greatest number of chariots in proportion to his power, and the largest and finest body of cavalry, I will honour him as my best ally and most faithful fellow-guardian of the Persian empire. Let the best men always have the preference at your courts as they have at mine, give them seats of honour as I do, and let your table be spread, as mine is, not only for your own household, but for your friends also, and for the honour of him who may accomplish any noble deed. ”

“ Silence, Christian ! Hush !
Roxane.
[leaning over] ,
What whisper you ?
Cyrano.
I chid myself for my too bold advances ;
Said, ' Silence, Christian ! '
[The lutes begin to play.]
Hark ! Wait a while, . . .
Steps come !
[Roxane shuts the window. Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a merry, the other a melancholy, tune.]
Why, they play sad - then gay - then sad !
What ? Neither man nor woman ? - oh ! a monk !
[Enter a Capuchin Friar, with a lantern. He goes from house to house, looking at every door.]
SCENE VII
Cyrano, Christian, a Capuchin Friar. ”

“ LE BRET:
Cyrano!
ROXANE (half fainting) :
Cyrano!
(All shrink back in terror.)
CYRANO:
Why, I well believe
He dares to mock my nose? Ho! insolent!
(He raises his sword) :
What say you? It is useless? Ay, I know
But who fights ever hoping for success? ”

“ LE BRET (rubbing his hands) :
Yes!
A BURGHER (entering, followed by a group of men) :
Sir, all the Marais is a-coming here!
(Outside the street has filled with people. Chaises a porteurs and carriages have drawn up.)
LE BRET (in a low voice, smiling, to Cyrano) :
And Roxane?
CYRANO (quickly) :
Hush!
THE CROWD (calling outside) :
Cyrano!. . .
(A crowd rush into the shop, pushing one another. Acclamations.)
RAGUENEAU (standing on a table) :
Lo! my shop
Invaded! They break all! Magnificent!
PEOPLE (crowding round Cyrano) :
My friend!. . .my friend. . . ”

“ Cyrano.
Have done! And if these lords hold not their tongue
Shall feel constrained to make them taste my cane!
All the Marquises
[rising] .
Enough!... Montfleury...
Cyrano.
Enough!... Montfleury... If he goes not quick
I will cut off his ears and slit him up!
A Voice.
But...
Cyrano.
But... Out he goes!
Another Voice.
But... Out he goes! Yet...
Cyrano.
But... Out he goes! Yet... Is he not gone yet?
[He makes the gesture of turning up his cuffs.]
Good! I shall mount the stage now, buffet-wise,
To carve this fine Italian sausage—thus! ”

“ Then Chrysantas the Persian stood up and spoke as follows:
"Formerly, Cyrus, it was natural and right that you should appear in public, for the reasons you have given us yourself, and also because we were not the folk you had to pay your court to. We did not need inviting: we were with you for our own sakes. It was necessary to win over the masses by every means, if they were to share our toils and our dangers willingly. (56) But now you have won them, and not them alone; you have it in your power to gain others, and the moment has come when you ought to have a house to yourself. ”

“ So it came about that Cyrus had the new armour placed before him and summoned a general meeting of the Persian soldiery, and spoke to them as follows:
(15) "Men of Persia, born and bred in the same land as ourselves, whose limbs are as stout and as strong as our own, your hearts should be as brave. I know they are; and yet at home in the land of our fathers you did not share our rights; not that we drove you out ourselves, but you were banished by the compulsion that lay upon you to find your livelihood for yourselves. ”

“ At the period when the dispute concerning the limits of the countries took place between the people of Cyrene and Carthage, we may presume, from the account transmitted of it by Sallust, that democracy was the established form of government at Cyrene; and Strabo has informed us, that the Cyreneans continued to be governed by their own laws, till the reduction of Egypt by the Macedonians. After the death of Alexander, Cyrene became the prey of contending adventurers, and was at length delivered into the hands of Ptolemy by Ophellas ”

“ From its loftily situated capital Cyrene (p. 411) , one of the richest and most brilliant cities in the Greek world, Greek culture spread rapidly over the whole coast-region, where the numerous seaports acquired also great wealth through the caravan-traffic with the interior. For a time (about 400–330 B.C.) the Cyrenians succeeded in repelling the attacks of the Carthaginians with their mighty fleet, but in 322 they succumbed to Ptolemy I. (p. 433) , who united the different parts of the district under the name of Pentapolis (‘five cities’) . ”

“ The harbour of Cyrene is situated opposite to Criu-Metopon,1008 the western cape of Crete, distant 2000 stadia. The passage is made with a south-south-west wind. Cyrene is said to have been founded by Battus,1009 whom Callimachus claims to have been his ancestor. The city flourished from the excellence of the soil, which is peculiarly adapted for breeding horses, and the growth of fine crops. It has produced many men of distinction, who have shown themselves capable of worthily maintaining the freedom of the place, and firmly resisting the barbarians of the interior ”

“ When the spoil was all brought in, Cyrus summoned the officers of the Medes and the Hyrcanians, as well as his own peers, and spoke as follows:
"My friends, Gobryas has entertained us nobly; he has showered good things upon us. What say you then? After we have set aside the customary portion for the gods and a fair share for the army, shall we not give all the rest of the spoil to him? Would it not be a noble thing, a sign and symbol at the outset that we desire to outdo in well-doing those who do good to us?" ”