BOOK VI L] History of Nature. 251 



Day is the Castle in Athens. Some will have it that Argos 

 was built before it by King Phoroneus; and others again, 

 that Sycione was before them. The Egyptians affirm, that 

 long before that, their City Diospolis was founded. Cinyra, 

 the Son of Agriopa, invented the Slating of Houses, and 

 Mines of Brass : both within the Isle of Cyprus. He also 

 invented Pincers, the little Hammer, the Lever, and the 

 Anvil. Danaus, who was brought from Egypt to Greece, 

 which was then called Argos Dipsion, first sunk Wells. 

 Cadmus at Thebes, or, as Theophrastus saith, in Phoenice, 

 found out Stone Quarries. Thrason was the first Builder 

 of Walls : of Towers, the Cyclops, as Aristotle thinketh ; 

 but the Tyrinthii, according to Theophrastus. Weaving 

 was the Invention of the Egyptians ; and Dyeing Wool, 

 of the Lydians in Sardis. Closter, the Son of Arachne, 

 taught the first making of the Spindle for Woollen Yarn : 

 and Arachnb herself, the Flax and Nets. Nicias the Megaren- 

 sian invented the Fuller's Art : Boethius, the Art of Sewing. 

 The Egyptians will have Medicine to have been discovered 

 among them ; but others, that Arabus, the Son of Babylo 

 and Apollo, was its Author. The first Herbarist and Apothe- 

 cary was Chiron, Son of Saturn and Phyllira. Aristotle 

 thinketh that Lydus the Scythian displayed the melting and 

 tempering of Brass ; Theophrastus, that it was Delas the 

 Phrygian. Some think the Chalybse devised the working 

 into Vessels of Brass, arid others attribute it to the Cyclopae. 

 The Discovery of Iron was the Invention of those in 

 Crete, who were called Dactyli Idaei, according to Hesiod. 

 Erichthonius the Athenian discovered Silver, or, as others 

 say, JEacus. The Gold Mines, together with the melting of 

 the Metal, Cadmus the Phrenician first found out at the 

 Mountain Pangaeus ; but others say, Thoas and Eaclis in 

 Panchaia ; or else Sol the Son of Oceanus, to whom Gellius 

 attributeth the Discovery of Medicine, and of Honey. 

 Midacritus was the first that brought Lead out of the Island 

 Cassiteris. 1 And the Cyclops invented the working Iron to 



1 The Islands of Scilly. Wern. Club. 



