Cyrene

“ 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. ”

“ In the school of Cyrene, in that comparatively fresh Greek world, we see this philosophy where it is least blasé, as we say; in its most pleasant, its blithest and yet perhaps its wisest form, youthfully bright in the youth of European thought. But it grows young again for a while in almost every youthful soul. It is spoken of sometimes as the appropriate utterance of jaded men ”

“ 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) . ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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. ... ”

“ 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 ”

“ In the neighbourhood of Cyrene are Apollonia, Barca, Taucheira, Berenice, and other small towns close by.
22. Bordering upon Cyrenaïca is the district which produces silphium, and the juice called Cyrenaic, which the silphium discharges from incisions made in it. The plant was once [Pg 293] nearly lost, in consequence of a spiteful incursion of barbarians, who attempted to destroy all the roots. The inhabitants of this district are nomades. ”

“ II Polyteles of Cyrene was certainly the richest man in all Greek Lybia and probably the fondest father in any part of the Greek world. Likewise he was a pious man, with a proper respect for omens of all kinds and for dreams in particular. When his only child and darling daughter told him that it had been revealed to her in a dream that her choice of a husband was to be made at Dodona according to the voices of the speaking oaks, he accepted the dream as a sign from the gods. ”

“ He was denominated Cyrus from the Sun, which was so called. It was the same as Orus: and according to Strabo it is sometimes so expressed; as we may infer from a river of this name, of which he says, [315] Εκαλειτο δε προτερον Κορος. We find it sometimes rendered Κυρις, Curis: but still with a reference to the Sun, the Adonis of the east. Hesychius explains Κυρις, ὁ Αδωνις. In Phocis was [316] Κυῤῥα, Currha, where Apollo Κυῤῥαιος was honoured; which names were more commonly expressed Κιῤῥα and Κιῤῥαιος. The people of Cyrene are said by Palæphatus to have been originally Ethiopians or Cuthites. ”

“ 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. ”

“ But o'er Cyrene's cheek the rose,
Like moon-touch'd water, ebbs and flows;
And eyes that droop like Summer flowers
Told they could change with shine and showers. ”

“ 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. ”

“ And I believe, Cyrus, that the man who takes good-fortune well is further to seek than he who can endure adversity; for success engenders insolence in many hearts, while suffering teaches sobriety and fortitude."
(15) And Cyrus said, "Hystaspas, did you hear the saying of Gobryas?"
"I did indeed," he answered, "and if he has many more as good, he will find me a suitor for his daughter, a far more eager one than if he had shown me all his goblets." ”

“ 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 ! ”

“ 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) . ”

“ For there is no son of mine, nor can there ever be, sprung from my own loins, to whom I may leave my wealth: when I die myself, my house must perish with me, my family and my name. (31) And I must suffer this, Cyrus, I swear to you by the great gods above us, who see all things and hear all things, though never by word or deed did I commit injustice or foulness of any kind. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ At that sight the eldest of us said, 'Take comfort, lady, we know that your husband was beautiful and brave, but we have chosen you a man to-day who is no whit inferior to him in face or form or mind or power; Cyrus, we believe, is more to be admired than any soul on earth, and you shall be his from this day forward.' But when the lady heard that, she rent the veil that covered her head and gave a pitiful cry, while her maidens lifted up their voice and wept with their mistress. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Cyrus, as he rode forward, mounted upon a spirited, but hard-mouthed and unmanageable horse, which, we learn from Ktesias was named Pasakas, was met by Artagerses, the leader of the Kadousians, who shouted loudly, saying, “Most wicked and foolish of men, who hast disgraced the name of Cyrus, erst the noblest in Persia, and bringest thy base Greeks on a base errand, to plunder the good things of the Persians, and to slay thy brother and thy lord, who hath ten thousand times ten thousand slaves, each one better than thou art. ”

“ How shall we dare to think well of ourselves again? How shall one of us look Gadatas in the face, when all of us, so many and so strong, showed ourselves less generous than he, one single man and in so sore a plight?"
(34) Thus Cyrus spoke, and all of them assented right willingly, and said it must be done.
"Come then," concluded Cyrus, "since you are all of one mind with me, let each of us choose an escort for our waggons and beasts of burden. (35) Let us leave them behind us, and put Gobryas at their head. He is acquainted with the roads, and for the rest he is a man of skill. ”

“ Now when the hour came for the banquet, Cyaxares sent to Cyrus and begged him to share it: it was so long, he said, since they had met. But Cyrus answered, "Bid me not to the feast, good uncle. Do you not see that all these soldiers of ours have been raised by us to the pitch of expectation? And it were ill on my part if I seemed to neglect them for the sake of my private pleasure. If soldiers feel themselves neglected even the good become faint-hearted, and the bad grow insolent. ”

“ 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! ”