Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/412

 378 flint's natural HISTOET, [Book Y. up ; it is then the scene of the gambols of the JEgipans' and the Satyr crew, while it re-echoes with the notes of the flute and the pipe, and the clash of drums and cymbals. All this is what authors of high character have stated, in addition to the labours which Hercules and Perseus there experienced. The space which intervenes before you arrive at this moun- tain is immense, and the country quite unknowTi. There formerly existed some Commentaries vtritten by Hanno^, a Carthaginian general, who was commanded, in the most flourishing times of the Punic state, to explore the sea-coast of Africa. The greater part of the Greek and E/oman writers have followed him, and have related, among other fabulous stories, that many cities there were founded by him, of which no remembrance, nor yet the slightest vestige, now exists. While Scipio JEmilianus held the command in Sicily, Polybius the historian received a fleet from him for the purpose of proceeding on a voyage of discovery in this part of the world. He relates, that beyond^ Mount Atlas, pro- ^ Or " Groat-Pens ;" probably another name for the Fauni, or Fauns. More usually, there is but one -^gipan mentioned, — the son, according to Hyginus, of Zeus or Jupiter, and a goat, — or of Zeus and .^ga, the wife of Pan. As a foundation for one part of the stories here men- tioned, Brotier suggests the fact, that as the Kabyles, or moimtain tribes, are in the habit of retiring to their dweUings and reposing during the heat of the day, it would not, consequently, be improbable that they would devote the night to their amusements, Hghting up fires, and dancing to the music of drums and cymbals. 2 Under his name we still possess a " Periplus," or account of a voyage round a part of Libya. The work was originally written iu Punic, but what has come down to us is a Greek translation. We fail, however, to discover any means by which to identify him with any one of the many Carthaginians of the same name. Some writers caH him king, and others dux, or imperaior of the Carthaginians ; from which wo may infer, that he held the office of suffeies. This expedition has by some been placed as far back as the time of the Trojan war, or of Hesiod, while others again place it as late as the reign of Agathocles. Falconer, Bougainville, and Gail, place the time of Hanno at about B.C. 570, while other critics identify him with Hanno, the father or son of Ilamilcar, who was killed at Himera, B.C. 480. Pliny often makes mention of him ; more particularly see B. viii. c. 21. ' 2 M. Gossehn thinks that the spot here indicated was at the south- western extremity of the Atlas range, and upon the northern frontier of the Desert of Zahara.