MELPOMENE. 147

dfbur Batti, and to the same number of the name of Ar­
cesilaus, Apollo has granted the dominion of Cyrene.
Beyond these eight generations the deity forbids even
the attempt to reign: to you it is recommended to
return, and live tranquilly at home. If you happen
to find a furnace filled with earthen vessels, do not
suffer them to be baked, but throw them into the air:
if you set fire to the furnace, beware of entering a
place surrounded by water. If you disregard this
injunction, you will perish yourself, as will also a very
beautiful bull."

CLXIV. The Pythian made this reply to Arcesi-
laus: he however returned to Cyrene with the forces
he had raised at Samos; and having recovered his
authority, thought no more of the oracle. He pro­
ceeded to institute a persecution against those who,
taking up arms against him, had compelled him to
fly. Some of these sought and found a refuge in exile,
others were taken into custody and sent to Cyprus,
to undergo the punishment of death. These the
Cnidians delivered, for they touched at their island
in their passage, and they were afterwards transport­
ed to Thera; a number of them fled to a large tower,
the property of an individual named Aglomachus, but
Arcesilaus destroyed them, tower and all, by fire. No
sooner had he perpetrated this deed, than he remem­
bered the declaration of the oracle, which forbade him
to set fire to a furnace filled with earthen vessels:
fearing therefore to suffer for what he had done, he
retired from Cyrene, which place he considered as
surrounded by water. He had married a relation, the
daughter of Alazir, king of Barce, to him therefore he
went; but upon his appearing in public, the Barceans,
in conjunction with some Cyrenean fugitives, put
him to death, together with Alazir, his father-in-law.
Such was the fate of Arcesilaus, he having, design­
edly or from accident, violated the injunctions of the
oracle.

CLXV. Whilst the son was thus hastening his des­
tiny at Barce, Pheretime, his mother, enjoyed at Cy­
rene, the supreme authority and among other regal
acts presided in the senate. But as soon as she re­