Histories

When Grinnus king of +Thera [25.433,36.4] (island), Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Thera asked the oracle about other matters, the priestess' answer was that he should found a city in Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya. “Lord, I am too old and heavy to stir; command one of these younger men to do this,” answered Grinnus, pointing to Battus as he spoke.

No more was said then. But when they departed, they neglected to obey the oracle, since they did not know where Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya was, and were afraid to send a colony out to an uncertain destination.

For seven years after this there was no rain in +Thera [25.433,36.4] (island), Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Thera; all the trees in the island except one withered. The Theraeans inquired at Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi again, and the priestess mentioned the colony they should send to Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya.

So, since there was no remedy for their ills, they sent messengers to +Crete [25,35.166] (region), Greece, Europe Crete to find any Cretan or traveller there who had travelled to Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya. In their travels about the island, these came to the town of Itanus, where they met a murex fisherman named Corobius, who told them that he had once been driven off course by winds to Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, to an island there called Platea.[*](The island now called Bomba, east of Shahhat [21.866,32.833] (inhabited place), Al Jabal al Akhdar, Libya, AfricaCyrene.)

They hired this man to come with them to +Thera [25.433,36.4] (island), Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Thera; from there, just a few men were sent aboard ship to spy out the land first; guided by Corobius to the aforesaid island Platea, these left him there with provision for some months, and themselves sailed back with all speed to +Thera [25.433,36.4] (island), Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Thera to bring news of the island.