Page 77
CHAP. VII. Phoenician Voyages, and especially that of Hanno, a Carthaginian Captaine.
DIodorus Siculus reporteth of the Phoenicians (of whose Nauigations in the Indian and African Ocean, and Spanish Plantations * 1.1 we haue spoken before) that say∣ling to diuers Marts, they planted many Colonies in Africa, and some also in the West parts of Europe: that they sailed also out of the Straits into the Ocean,* 1.2 and built on the Europaean Continent the Citie Gadira (or Cadiz) and therein [ 10] erected a sumptuous Temple to Hercules, which to his dayes was holden in great reputation of Sanctitie, the Rites therein obserued after the Phoenician manner, wherein many famous Roman Commanders after their great exploits, haue paid to this God their vowed Holies. The Phoenicians sailing alongst the Lybian shore in the Ocean, were many dayes carried with tempests vnto an Iland very great and fertile, with pleasant Champaines and Mountaines,* 1.3 goodly Woods, Gardens, Houses, Fountaines, wholsome Ayre, seeming to be the dwelling rather of Gods then Men. The Tyrrhe••i (which were strong by Sea) would haue sent a Colonie thi∣ther, but were forbidden by the Carthaginians, which feared lest their Citizens allured by the goodnesse of the Countrey should betake themselues thither: and besides,* 1.4 they would res••rue it [ 20] for a place of refuge, if any aduersitie should happen to their Citie. Aristotle also in his Booke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath some such thing of Carthaginian Merchan••s, which sailed from Spaine into the Westerne Ocean; but I thinke both may bee applied rather to some one of the Ilands of the Canaries, or Cape Verd, or Saint Thomas, or to some part of the African Continent,* 1.5 which they might thinke (not sailing further) to be an Iland, or to some fiction, then to Ameri∣ca. Aristotle in that Treatise mentioneth Hanno,* 1.6 which Vossius thinketh rather to be the worke of the ••ounger Aristotle, called Ponticus (Laertius mentions eight Aristotles) then of that great Oracle of learning and miracle of Nature. But of Hannos Periplus (as it was falsly termed) many Authors haue made mention. Plinie so speaketh of it, as if hee had sailed about Africa, in these words, Et Hanno, Carthaginis potentia florente, circum••ectus à Gadibus ad finem Arabiae, nauigatio∣nem [ 30] ea••▪ pro••id••t scripto; sicut ad ext••ra Europae noscenda missus eodem tempore Himilco. By which words it is apparant that Hanno and Himilco in those flourishing times of Carthage, were sent by publike decree vpon discoueries, Himiclo to the Coasts of France, Britaine, and other parts of Europe; Hanno Southwards to coast around the African shores.* 1.7 The like testimony he hath in his fifth Booke, Fuere & Hannonis Carthaginiensium Ducis commentarij,* 1.8 Punicis rebus florentissi∣mis, explorare ambitum Africe iussi: quem secuti plerique e nostris, ad a 1.9 alia quaedam fabulosa, & vrbes multas ab eo conditas ibi prodidere, quarum nec memoria vlla, nec vestigium extat. Whereby wee see that Plinie doubted of the truth of Hannos relations: yea it was a Prouerbe, as Atbenaeus, which Casaubon in his Notes vpon him, with Vossius also haue obserued; Siquid eiusmodi Iuba refert, gaudeat Lybicis libris Hannonis ac erroribus: as good a testimonie of Iuba and Hanno for [ 40] Historians as Virgils of Bauius and Maeuius for Poets. Yet, as I will not altogether cleare him,* 1.10 so I thinke that ignorance of those places in those times made him seeme the more fabulous, as Marco Polo and others did till our Grandfathers daies: which appeareth in that they make that a cir∣cumnauigation about Africk, which reached not one quarter of the way from the Pillars of Her∣cules, to the Arabian Gulfe. Artemidorus the Ephesian doth mention it,* 1.11 and Mela also with So∣linus. Mela came neere the truth, which saith that Hanno sailed a great part of the coast, and re∣turned for want of prouision, not of Sea-roome. He, and Solinus and Plinie haue cited much out of him, which perhaps might receiue a better interpretation then Antiquity could giue, as appeareth by Ramusios annotations on that Voyage, and by helpe of a Portugall Pilot expert in those coasts, comparing Hannos with the present Nauigations. We will first giue you the Text and then the Commentarie. But first we will adde out of Gal••ano touching Himilco, that hee is said to haue [ 50] sailed to Gotland and Thule, within 24. degrees of the Pole, where the day in Iune is two and twenty houres, and to haue spent in that discouery two yeeres: I know not what good proofe he hath of that Relation. Plinie whom he citeth, saith that the Northerne Ocean was sailed for the most part by the procurement of Augustus, to the Cimbrian Promontory, and the Scythian coast, and that from the East when Seleucus and Antiochus reigned, the North Sea aboue the Caspian was sailed, and called by their names Seleucida and Antiochida. But that he ioyneth the Caspian with the Ocean, makes it lesse credible, being contrary to later experience.* 1.12 No better credit hath that report of Nepos touching Indians which had for trade sailed out of India and comne about by the Northerne Ocean, and by tempest were brought into Germany, presented by the King of the [ 60] Sucuians to Quintus Metellus Celer then proconsull of Gallia, which haply were of some Na∣tion •• the Ba••tike Sea, by ••empest loosing themselues, and not finding any which could vnder∣••tand ••••eir language, were by some smattering Grammarians or trusty trauellers (which by daring 〈…〉〈…〉 aduenture on applause for skill in Geography) or else by the Giuer (which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the mention of the Indian name would much commend his present) obtruded on the no