A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

44 Syria
followed a certain ship-master, that they also might find
the market, the ship-master in jealousy purposely ran
his vessel upon a shoal, leading on those who followed him
into the same destructive disaster; he himself escaped by
means of a fragment of the ship, and received from the
state the value of the cargo he had lost. The Romans
nevertheless by frequent efforts discovered the passage,
and as soon as Publius Crassus, passing over to them, perceived
that the metals were dug out at a little depth and
that the men were peaceably disposed, he declared it
those who already wished to traffic in
to
this sea for profit,
although the passage was longer than that to Britain.
III.
Phoenicians Work the Iberian Silver Mines
The Silver Almost all this country is full of such mines, whence
'
mines.
.
IS dug very good and pure silver; so that those who deal
Diodorusv. 2.
Ancient
World, 39 f.
in that metal, gain great profit. And in the former book
we have spoken of the Pyrenees mountains in Iberia, when
we treated of the acts and achievements of Hercules; these
are the highest and greatest of all; for from the south sea,
almost as far as the northern ocean, they divide Gaul from
, . . .
Iberia and Celtiberia, running out for the space of three
thousand furlongs. As these places are full of woods,
it is
reported that in ancient time this mountainous tract
was set on fire by some shepherds, and continued burning
for many days together, whence the mountains were called
Pyrenees. The parched surface of the earth sweated,
abundance of silver, the ore being melted, flowed down in
pure streams like a river.
Its use being unknown to the
inhabitants, the Phoenician merchants bought it for trifles
given in exchange, and by transporting it into Greece,
Asia, and all other nations, greatly enriched themselves;
and such was their covetousness, that when they had fully