Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

Here they lived for two years; but as everything went wrong, the rest sailed to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi leaving one behind, and on their arrival questioned the oracle, and said that they were living in Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, but that they were no better off for that.

Then the priestess gave them this reply:

  1. “If you know Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya nurse of sheep better than I,
  2. Though I have been there and you have not, then I am very much astonished at your knowledge.”
Hearing this, Battus and his men sailed back again; for the god would not let them do anything short of colonizing Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya itself;

and having come to the island and taken aboard the one whom they had left there, they made a settlement at a place in Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya itself, opposite the island which was called Aziris. This is a place enclosed on both sides by the fairest of groves, with a river flowing along one side of it.

Here they dwelt for six years; but in the seventh, the Libyans got them to leave the place, saying that they would lead them to a better;

and they brought the Greeks from Aziris and led them west, so calculating the hours of daylight that they led the Greeks past the fairest place in their country, called Irasa, at night, lest the Greeks see it in their journey.