BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 255 



Nesichthon the Salaminian, set afloat the first Quinquireme 

 (with five Ranks of Oars). Zenagoras of Syracusa brought 

 up those of six Rows ; and from it to those of ten, Mnesigeton 

 was the Inventor. It is said that Alexander the Great built 

 Galleys with twelve Banks ; and Philostephanus reporteth, 

 that Ptolemy Soter rose to fifteen : Demetrius, the Son of 

 Antiaonus, to thirty : Ptolemy Philadelphus, to forty ; and 

 Ptolemy Philopater, surnamed Tryphon, to fifty. Hippus 

 the Tyrian invented Ships of Burden. 1 The Cyrenians first 

 built the Pinnace ; the Phoenicians, the Ferry-boat ; the 

 Rhodians, the Wherry ; and last, the Cyprians, the Hulk. 

 The Phoenicians were the first that in sailing observed the 

 Course of the Stars. The Copeans devised the Oar, and the 

 Plateans its broad End : Icarus, the Sails : Dcedalus, the 

 Mast and the Yard. Vessels for transporting Horses were 

 the Invention of the Samians, or else of Pericles the Athe- 

 nian. The Thasii formed the long-covered Ships : for before 

 their Time they fought only from the Stern and the Bow. 

 Piseus added the Rostra ; the Tyrrhenians, the Anchor ; to 

 which Eupalamus added the two Claws, and Anac/tarsis the 

 Grappling-hooks. The Stock was by Pericles the Athenian ; 

 and finally, the Steering-tackle by Typhis. The Chief that 

 first fought in a Fleet was Minos. The first that killed a 

 Beast was HyperHus, the Son of Mars; and Prometheus first 

 killed an Ox. 2 



1 The names of these ships in the original are, Oneraria, Cymba, 

 Celox, Cercuros. Wern. Club. 



8 It has been already remarked, that the Greeks regarded as the 

 inventor of any art him who had communicated it to them ; and Pliny 

 seeks no further than to their writings for authority in these particulars, 

 In the Book of Genesis (chap. iv. &c.) we have more authentic particulars 

 of the invention of musical instruments, of tents to dwell in, and of 

 working in metal : the latter by one whose name seems to have been the 

 origin of that of Vulcan ; and the following catalogue of discoveries in 

 the most ancient times is derived from Sanchoniatho, the Phoenician : 



"From Genus, the son of Protogonus and (Eon, other mortal issue 

 were begotten, whose names were Light, Fire, and Flame. These found 

 out the way of generating fire by the rubbing of pieces of wood against 

 each other, and taught men the use thereof. These begat sons of vast 

 bulk and height, whose names were given to mountains on which they 



