[Footnote 1: The flowers of the Cyrenaica are stated by Athenæus to have been famous for the odours which they emitted; and we learn from the same author that a most excellent oil, or ointment of roses, was made at Cyrene in the time of Berenice (the great Berenice, as the author here terms her, who was probably the daughter of Magas). Both Arsinoë and Berenice are said by Athenæus to have been great patronesses of fragrant oils and ointments at Alexandria; and we may believe with probability, that the Rigges and Gatties of Cyrene were equally encouraged by the royal protection. The roses which we saw had however no smell, (probably from want of attention,) although the woodbine and other plants were remarkably fragrant. Athenæus’s words are: ηκμασε δε και τα εν Αλεξανδρεια, δια πλουτον, και δια την Αρσινοης και Βερενικης σπουδην, εγινετο δε και εν Κυρηνη ροδινον χρηστοτατον, καθ᾽ ον χρονον εζη Βερενικη ἡ μεγαλη.—(Deipnosoph. Lib. xv. c. 12.)] [Footnote 2: Και το σιλφιον αρχεται απο τουτου (the harbours of Menelaus and Aziris), παρηκει δε απο Πλατεης νησου μεχρι του στοματος της Συρτεος το Σιλφιον.—(Melp. ρξθʹ). Mr. Beloe is of opinion that Herodotus intended in this passage to point out the limits of a place or province called Silphium, so named originally without any reference to the plant; and in his remarks on another passage in the same book—εισι δε και γαλαι εν τω σιλφιω γινομεναι . . . (ρϟβʹ.) he observes—“I cannot help thinking that the herb was named from the place and not the place from the herb.” But the space here included by Herodotus comprehends the whole of the Cyrenaica, and there is no mention on other occasions of this term as substituted either for Pentapolis or Cyrenaica, with which it would, however, be synonymous if the reading proposed were adopted. We will not venture to dispute a point of this nature with a writer of Mr. Beloe’s talents and judgment; but there does not (on the whole) appear to be, in our estimation, any reason why το Σιλφιον, in the first passage quoted, should not be translated Silphium, (the plant;) or why the words τω σιλφιω in the one last mentioned should not be supposed to mean exclusively the place, or region, in which silphium is produced[a].] [Footnote a: For a great many curious and valuable remarks on the silphium, in which the origin of the term is also alluded to, see the comments on Theophrastus by Johan. Bodæus at the end of the account of the plant.—(Theoph. περι Φυτων, Fol. Amst. 1644.)] [Footnote 3: Αλλ᾽ ἡ Κυρηνη γαρ της Λιβυης εν τοις ερημοτεροις πεπολισμενη, ποιωδης τε εστι και μαλθακη, και ευυδρος, και αλσεα και λειμωνες, και καρπων παντοιων και κτηνεων παμφορος, ες τε επι του σιλφιου τας εκφυσεις· υπερ δε το σιλφιον, τα ανω αυτης ερημα και ψαμμωδεα.—(Hist. Ind. cap. xliii.)] [Footnote 4: Τροπον δε πολην επεχει της Λιβυης. πλειω γαρ φησιν η τετρασχιλια σταδια. τα πλειονα δε γενεσθαι περι την Συρτιν απο των Ευεσπεριδων.—(Theophrast. περι Φυτων. L. iv. c. iii.)]