SEYFFARTH ON THE THEORY OF THE MOONS MOTIONS. 51 7 



refers this eclipse to Ol. 48, 4, and at the same time to u.c. 170. 

 Now, then, the Olympiads beginning two years earlier than was 

 formerly believed (p. 79. 98), 01.48,4, extended from June, — 5S2, 

 to the same in — 581. And, moreover, the first year post urbem 

 conditam commencing with the Julian month of January in — 751, 

 the year u.c. 170 began with January in — 581. Thus the time of 

 the famous Thalesian eclipse predicted to the Milesians is incon- 

 trovertibly fixed ; it must have taken place between January and 

 June in the year — 5S1, namely, during sunrise, as Herodotus says. 

 Indeed it was the ecliptic full moon in — 581, March 27th, 17I1. 

 45m. P. T., to which Pliny and Eusebius point us. According to 

 the present theory of the moon's motions, however, this eclipse 

 preceded sunrise in Miletus by nearly two hours ; and it was 

 there not total at all, because the ft lay 2° E. of the sun. But, 

 according to the Table on p. 429, this eclipse commenced 4J1. 9m. 

 later, and the longitude of the ft was about 6° 23' shorter ; it lay 

 nearly 4° W. of the sun. How came it to pass that chronologers, 

 being acquainted both with the asra urbis conditam and the Olym- 

 piads, referred the year u.c. 170 and Ol. 48, 4, to the year — 5S4? 

 But it is much stranger still that Hind's predecessors confounded 

 the Milesian eclipse with that on the Halys, and terminating the 

 Lydo-Median war ; for Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, reigned, as 

 we have repeatedly seen, since — 526, because in his sixth year, 

 i.e. in — 520, a new Apis period commenced : accordingly, Cyrus 

 must have died in — 526. Further, in — 532, the Jews, having 

 returned to Jerusalem, rebuilt the Altar six years and some 

 months prior to Cyrus's death (Cyrop. viii. 7, 1), which is con- 

 firmed by the turnns of the Hebrew priests. Two years earlier, 

 in — 535, Cyrus conquered Babylon (Cyrop. vii. 4, 16), and 

 Daniel, his contemporary (Dan. vi. 1), testifies that in the same 

 year Cyrus was 62 years old ; consequently the latter must have 

 been born in — 596, and this date is confirmed by Cicero (De div. 

 i- 33)? wno reports that Cyrus died 70 years old. Now, then, 

 seeing that Cyrus died in — 526, being 70 years of age, it follows 

 that he must have been born in — 596. Moreover, since Cyrus 

 conquered Babylon 9 years prior to his death, as history reports, 

 viz. in — 535, "whilst he was 62 years old," we obtain once more 

 the very same birth-year — 596. Thus Cyrus's natal year is put 

 beyond any question. Now, Mandane, Cyrus's mother, was born, 



