442 CHRONOLOGICAL ARRANGEMENT 



ing to Iphicrates — (Strab. xvii. 3), may be compared with "ha-risi," from "arou" and "risi," given 

 by Cosmas Indicopleustes xi. p. 334 as the Abyssinian name for the skin of the "rinokeros : " the 

 "rinokeVos" was seen in the distance in Abyssinia by Cosmas Indicopleustes, and is further de- 

 scribed by him as so-named from the horns on its nose, the hide being thick enough to be employed 

 as a plough ; two horns are represented in the accompanying figure, and the species is clearly the 

 African rkinoceios, known to inhabit Abyssinia as well as the more Southern and Western portion 

 of the continent. 



Asparagus sp. of Equatorial Africa. The " asparagon " of great magnitude sent home by Bogus 

 to his wife — (Strab. xvii. 3. 5), may be compared: A. sp. was observed by Grant near the Eastern 

 coast in "7° S., and in every forest," five feet high and very elegant, its roots used to cure sore eyes ; 

 "a variety climbs up trees with its opposite branches." 



"87 B. C." (Liv., and Clint.), Second grant of the freedom of the city of Rome: now to the 

 Italian States that had taken up arms. 



"The same year" ( . . ), after refusing for nearly three years to acknowledge the recalled 

 Ptolemy VIII., Thebes in Egypt captured. On which occasion, the monuments are said to have 

 sustained much injury. 



Posidonius on his voyage remained " thirty days " in "GathSira" (Cadiz); and from a house 

 "four hundred stadia ".distant, saw a star which he identified with Canopus ; known to become 

 visible "in the same climate" at Cnidus near Rhodes. He also witnessed mining operations in the 

 South of Spain ; the water being removed by means of "aiguptiois kohliais," the Archimedes screw 



— (Strab. ii. 5. 14, and iii. 2. 9). 



Drac&na draco of the Canary Islands. At Cadiz, Posidonius saw a tree with the branches 

 deflexed to the ground, and sword-shaped leaves often a cubit long by four fingers broad; the 

 branches when broken giving out a milky, and the roots a red juice — (Strab.. iii. 5. 10). D. draco, 

 the dragon tree, was observed by Bontier 66 to 69 frequent in the forest on Palma, Gomera, Teneriffe, 

 and Grand Canary, "bearing dragon's blood;'- a drug according to Lindley at present "scarcely 

 known," the resin of Pterocarpus being substituted. 



Posidonius mentions a small i^and at the mouth of the L£iger (Loire), on which the worship of 

 Bacchus was established (doubtless through Greek or Carthaginian traders). The island was inhab- 

 ited exclusively by " Samnite " women ; who were accustomed to sail with their husbands in ships, 

 and afterwards return to the island — (Strab. iv. 5. 6). 



In visiting various parts of Gaul, Posidonius became accustomed to the sight of warriors return- 

 ing from battle with the heads of their enemies suspended from the horse's neck : heads of illustrious 

 men were further exhibited to strangers, and could not be redeemed for their weight in gold. Smit- 

 ing with a sword the back of a human victim, they divined by the convulsions ; druids or priests 

 being present during all sacred rites. Human sacrifices besides were made at other times : but 

 from all these customs in conflict with " our " ideas, the people were being reclaimed by the Romans 



— (Strab. iv. 4. 5). 



In returning from Spain, Posidonius landed on the Barbary coast ; near a wood that proved to 

 be full of apes, some in the trees, and others on the ground ; and among them he remarked many of 

 the same infirmities that afflict the human family — (Strab. xvii. 3. 4). 



"86 Ii. C. = 'chi-youan,' first year of Hiao-tchao-ti, of the Han" or Seventh dynasty (Chinese 

 chron. table). 



"The same year" (Plut., and Clint.), in Rome during the last illness of Marius, Posidonius 

 ambassador from the Rhodians ; having already visited Spain, Gaul, and other countries. 



Lotus edulis of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Greece " grizellia " or "kapisoura" or 

 "neranizoura" (Sibth.), and the ALUTUU: K6P06NTI of Thyillus — (anth. pal. vii. 223) maybe 

 compared : L. edulis was observed by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, from the Peloponnesus to Caria and 

 Cyprus. Westward, is termed " 1. pentaphyllos siliqua cornuta" by Tournefort inst. 403 : and is known 

 to grow in Italy, Sicily, and Spain (Cav. ii. pi. 157, and Pers.). 



" March 1st" (Sm. b. d.), the army of Mithridates VI. defeated by Sulla near Athens, that city 

 captured, and its ruler the philosopher Arislion dragged from the altar of Minerva and put to death. 



"84B. C." (Plut., and Clint.), the Library of the deceased Apellicon, containing the writings of 

 Aristotle and Theophrastus, sent by Sulla from Athens to Rome. 



" 83 B. C." (Justin, and Clint, iii. p. 346), by invitation of the people tired of internal wars, Syria 

 occupied by Tigranes king of Armenia. — Governed by him peacefully " fourteen " years. 



"83 to 82 B. C." (Franz. 92), date of a Greek inscription on Aegina, presenting the following 

 form of the letter M. 



The Venus de Medici, by the sculptor Cleomenes, is referred by writers to the First century 

 B. C. — (Lubke and Lutrow). 



"82 B. C." (Major edit. Bethenc), Sertorius, fleeing from the ships of Annius, landing near the 



