40 CYPRUS. 
CHAP, of the name of Belus\ Its inhabitants, ac- 
II. . 
<■ .y 1.^ cording to Cicero, were originally Phoenicians'. 
Cyprus, from its vicinity to their country, and its 
commercial advantages, was the first island of 
the Mediterranean that came mider this dominion. 
Eusebius observes, that Paphos, a Phoenician city 
in Cyprus, was built when Cadmus reigned 
at Thebes^. It is moreover affirmed by the 
learned Bochart\ that, before the time of the 
Trojan war, Cinyras, king oi Phoenicia, possessed 
this island of Cyprus, having derived it from his 
ancestors. To this monarch, Agamemnon, ac- 
cording to Horner^, was indebted for his breast- 
plate. The cities of Urania and Idalium were 
also founded by the same people : the former 
received its name from Urania Venus, whose 
worship, as related by Plerodotus, was trans- 
ferred to Cyprus by the Phoenicians from Ascalon^. 
(1) There were many kings of Phccnicia who had this name; so 
called from Baal, signifying Lord. Hence all the Phoenician Baalim 
had their denomination. See Gales " Court of the Gentiles,'" b. i. 
c. 2. p. 4". 
(2) See also Gale, p. 48; Cic. lib.iv.de Finibus ; Laertius and 
Sutdas on the. Life oi Zeno : Grotius ; and Fbssius de Philos. Sectis, 
lib.ii. c. 1. 
(3) Euseh. Chronicou in Num. 1089. 
(4) Bochart. Prasf. ad Canaan. 
(5) Horn. Iliad. A. Boch. Can. lib. i. c. 3. 
((>) There were four cities in Cyprus famous for the worship of T'enus .- 
'• Ei,t Aniathtis, est celsa niihi Papho.-;, atque Ci/lli»ia. 
Idaliceque domus." , 
