Philostratus and t,be Canarles

JOHN. E MOFFIn New Mexico University

SUMMARY.—Philostratus the Fíder composed bis book of the Imagines/Eikones around 250 AD. Ihe format is a series of written descriptions (ekphraseis) of real wall painting displayed in a Neopolitan Villa, One of the series —NESOJ (the lslands)— pictures an archipelago in the (Atlantic) Ocean, Philostratus’ísland-group is now identi- fied as representing the Canary Islands, then as now. standing for theinsu/ae Forrunatae.

«And, as imagination bodies forth The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name.’> — Shakespeare, A MidsummerNights Dreans, Y i. 14 ff.

«La descripción de ciertas islas paradisiacas en el remoto y misterioso Occidente es un curioso fenómeno de la Antiguedad.»

— Antonio García y Bellido

The Elder Philostratus’ Imagines <‘Eikones). a book of descriptions (dating from the first half of the 3rd-century) of sorne sixty ancient paintings, is not only the snost extensive literary source in existence for the critical appreciation of ancient painting but. as well. it is the principal representative of classical painting in the Occident, On the one hand. the author characterizes the ensemble described as being by the hands of many masters, On the other, as liad been demonstrated in 1941 in a study by Karl Lehmann- Hartleben 2 Philostratus actually saw the collection of paíntings: these he viewed in a

A. García y Bellido, «Las Islas de los Bienaventurados o Islas Afortunadas>,, in Vcinii- cinco Estampas de/a España Antigua, Madrid, 1967. Pp. 47-57 (p. 47). García y Bellido is the foremostauthority on ancient Spanish history. Also useful to this study was A. O. Lovejoy & O. Boas. Primitivism and Re/ated Ideas in Antiqui:y New York. 1973. Neither of these works. however. makes any mention of Philostratus Imagines. 2 K. Lehmann-Hartleben. «Tite Imagines of tite Elder Pitilostratus». Art Bulletin. XXIII. 1941. Pp. 16-44. 1 shall be quoting from the text as given in Phi/ostratusImagincs; Cal/isrratus

Gerión. 8. 1990- 241/261 - Editorial de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. 242 John F. Mojfltt

suburban, terraced villa outside Naples. As is now believed. besides not being in any way imaginary, tite pictures do not represent a single gallery as such. nor even the collection of easel-paintings of a connoisseur; they are instead «pinakes»-independently painted pictures on walls, or fresco-decorations, Titerefore. according to tehrnann- Hartíeben, the sequence of tite Imagines is one derived from the placenient of real murais. seen room by room, and from bottom to top of each wall. and from one to the next wall, As Lehmann-Hartleben summed up bis argument, the «failure to account for tite general ideas and the cyclic sequences prove titat (Pitilostratus) really sawthese pic- tures... He parapitrased ratiter titan described tite paintings. and pointed out tite emotional values and psychological associations of eacit picture (providing) a description whicit was aimed not to describe but to interpret witat tite audience saw» 3. The purpose of titis investigation is to demonstrate that not only are Philostratus paintings «real» (a point perhaps already proven) but additionally to showthat. at leasí in one specific instance. agiven painíing-a marine landscape-actually recorded a «real place» with a surprising amount of topographical accuracy. Accordingly. tite details of Pitilostratus’ description may permit us today to situate this place with a reasonable amount of confidence upon a modern map. The mural depicting titis insular landscape was situated in witat Lehmann-Hartleben has called <‘Tite Room of the Primitive World» (Imagines; II. 13-19), a room containing sixotherpaintings. and tite second in a sequence offive other frescoed and inner-connected rooms (fig. 1). In general terms. titis cycle (pinakes 13-19) deals with tite titeme of tite sea. with the activities of (Neptune), and with the primeval origin of topographic features of tandscape. particularly of a kínd due to volcanic activity. Tite painting which interests me within this seven-part cycle is no. 17: ~

poetic or mythographical sources» ~. As 1 sitalí showby reviewing the pertinent textual materíals, ratiter titan being «mytitical», the so-called «Fortunate lslands». lying beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar) as depicted in Pitilostratus’ account, can be none otiter than tite Canary lslands off tite Atlantic coast of Morocco. Titerefore. Pitilostratus’ eikon represents tite first documented landscape painting of the two present-day Spanisit provinces comprising Las Islas Canarias, Moreover. on the basis of a comparison between modern topographical descriptions of tite major Canarias and Pititostratus’ descriptions of each of titese. 1am enabled to trace a hypotitetical route of discovery from eacit island to tite next on a map (ftg. 2).

Descr/prions; withan Eng/ish Transíation. LoebClassical Library: London. 1931. AII otitercías- sical texrs quoted in Uds paperare taken from tite Loeb Classics. unless otherwise indicated, 3 Leitmann-l-lartleben. p. 44. Ibid.. p. 28. In regard to tite details of the stylistic appearance of this fresco. 1 would ima- gine titat it rather looked like tite well-known «Odyssean Landscape» in tite Vatican Museum, On tite otiter hand, titere are two schools of titought as to tite subject matter, mea- ning and nature oftite landscape in tite painting described by Pitilostratus, Many. ofcourse. including Lcitmann-Hartleben, just assume it to be an imaginative invention, On tite other hand. sorne believe that it may have represented a real place. br example. the Acolian lslands near Sicily and soutitern Italy: see especially: Titeodor Weícker (cd.). Philostratorum Imagines e: Ca//istrati Sra¡uae. Leipzig. 1825. p. 485 ff. In any event. according to Leitman-Hartleben (p. 29), «tite painting whicit Pitilostratus describes is indeed the most compreitensive source for ancient speculation about tite Fortunate Isles». Philostratus and (he Canaries 245

In bis inrroductory statement, Pititostratus makes tivo points essential for any accurate understanding of «Tite Islands». First. titat we are actually viewíng titese seve- ral islands, just as they itad been seen frorn tite deckof a real sailing sitip of tite period whicit was (or itad been) passing titrougit and by The Islands. Secondly. that titese Islands are not like—and itence were certainly not among—tite Aegean lslands:

Would you like, muy boy. to have us discourse about thoseis/ands, justas qseen from a ship. as thougit we were sailing in and out among them in tite spring time, witen Zephyrus makes the sea glad by breathing his own breeze upon it? But you must be willing to forget tite land, and to accept titis as tite sea, not roused and tur- bulent noryet fiat and calm, but a sea fit for sailing and as it were alive and breat- hing. LQ, we itave embarked; for no doubt you agree? Answer for the boy: «1 agree. le: usgo sailing». You perceive that tite sea is large, and tite islands in it are not, by , Lesbos, nos yet Imbros or Lemnos, but small íslands, herding togetiter like bamlets or cattle-folds, or, by Zeus. like farm-buildings on the sea-sitore ‘.

lnmediately after come Philostratus’ descriptions of the eight individual «lslands» in this richly textured marine landscape of such greatvariety, begin- ning with the first, which 1 take to represent LANZAROTE.

(1) Tite first of titese (witicit is Lanzarote) is steep and siteer and fortified by a naturalwall (Riscosde Famara; 609 metersat titeir highest). It lifts irs peak aloft for all’seeing Poseidon: it is watered witit running water and furnisites tite bees with food of mountain fiower, which tite doubtless pluck when titey sport along tite seasitore 6

(II) The adjoining island (evidently,¡s/a Graciosa to tite nortit: next to which is Isla Alegranza. having titen lfl. as today, a Iighthousc). which is fIat and covered

~«The 1—Lanzarote: Lanzarote is not now continually «watered witit running water», as Phi- lostratus stated: instead, as explained by amodern guidebook, in tite eastern pad oftite Cana- ries «tite rare falís of ram reach atropical violence and rusit downin torrents into the ravines witich they strip completely, submerging tite roads whichhave tobe protected by paved foun- dations». On tite otiter hand, titere may very likely have been natural spríngs in Pitilostratus time. especially as tite island itas since been greatlychanged by telluric activity, and «the last eruptions (1730-1736) transformed tite former ricit agricultural region into an immense sea of lava, Sand banks, driven by the desert wind sonietimes cross tite island completely from one side to the otiter». M. W. Scitweitzer, SPAJN(~

witit a deep soil. is initabited by both fishermen and farmers. wito oller each otitera market, tite latter bringof tite fruits of theiritusbandry, tite lormer of tite fish titey have caught: and titey have set up yonder statue of Poseidon tite Farmer (a ligitt- itouse?) with a plougit and a yoke, crediting1dm with tite fruits of tite earth: buí that Poseidon rnay aol seem too rnucb a landsman, tite beak ofa ship is altacited to tite plow. and ite breaks tite ground as iitough sailing titrough it’.

(III) Tite two islands next to titese (Fuerteventura and Jandia: now joined by a sand-spit: El Jable) were formerly botit joined in one (as today): but itaving been broken apart in tite rniddle by tite sea, its two parts itave become separated by the widtit of a river. Titis you rnight know of from tite painting, rny boy; for you doubtless see titat tite two severed portions of tite islands are similar. and correspoad to eacit other, and are so shaped so titat concave parts fít titose that projecí. Europe once suifered the same experience in tite region of tite Thessalian Tempe: for witen eartitquakes laid open that land. they indicated on tite fractures tite correspondence of tite n,ountains. one to the otiter, and even today titere are visible cavities where rocks once were, and witicit corresponded lo tite rocks torn from ítem, and, moreover. traces have not yet disappeared of tite iteavy forest growtit that must itave followed te n,ountain sides witen titey split apart; for the beds of tite trees are still left (onTempe). So we may consider titat sorne sucit titing itappened lo titis island (of Fuerteventura): witit theresulí that tite two islands look like one: and witile ships sail under tite bridge, wagons go over it: in fact you doubtless see tite nien making tite passage, titat they are botit wayfarers and saiíors <

The aboye seems a fairly straight-forward description of the íopography of the tbree eastern most islands of Ihe Canary Archipelago. According to a modern guidebook, these islands are now «without forests or streams. fairly fiat, bristling with small craters, cones of ashes and outflows of lava... Only sixty nautical miles from Cape Juby (in Morocco), the westerly African winds sometimes bring swarms of locusts (perhaps the «bees» mentioned aboye). Rainfalí is scanty, but Lanzarote produces abundant harvests in good years... The Tyrians (of Phoenicia) discovered here a rich source of crimson dye.

11,—Isla Graciosa: Tite thick ricit soil referred to by Philostratus is likely: «tite ashes (picón) taken from oíd craters, spread on tite soil in Iayers of 8-12 incites into witicit seeds are sown, Titeir power to absorb and retain the moisture from tite nearby subsoil in tite ashy sur- face is such thaIone or two heavy downpours a year are suffícientto make tite crops prosper». Tite guidebook also mentions that upon an islet slightly to the north of Isla Graciosa —ls/a Aletranza— was «tite lighthouse: titis was the firsí island spoted by Jean de Betitencourt (in 1462). whence its name», 1 am fairly certain then thai tite «statue of Poseidon,> mentioned by Pitilostratus (perhaps constructed from wood) served prirnarily as a beacon for mariners approaching tite Canaries from tite nortit-east (SPAIN. pp. 9946). < III,—Fuerreventura-Jandía: As 1 itave found, tite lengthy (and somewhat irrelevant) digression upon tite creation of tite straits at Tempe was taken from Diodorus Siculus (Book IV. 18. áss.), an historian witose works were, 1 would imagine. very much on Philostratus mmd, Interestingly enough. nol long after picturing tite situation at Tempe. Diodorus turns to discuss Hercules mission to the Gardens of the (IV. 26. 2 ss.). Phi/ostratusand tAje Canaries 243

From tite differentiated manner of tite presentation of the descriptions of titese individual islands (eight in alí. 1 titink), it appears titat, in general terms, the autitor- cicerone proceeded frorn tite eastern end of tite arcitipelago. nearest Africa—tite direc- tion from witicit any ancient Mediterranean maríner would itave inevitably approacited titeCanaries—and titen he proceeded to move islandby island—following titedistincti- ve and varying wind-patterns cornmpn toeach different part of tite arcitipelago—sailing first to tite soutit-west, then a long stretcit due west, titen soutit, titen can, finally ending up in tite exact center of the island-group—witere port was made at Grand Canary Island, most likely near tite modern port-city of Las Palmas. Once one is informed of tite actual places that are being visited and commented upon, then tite detailed account of tite «NESOJ» reads like an actual mariner’s log, or «Perip/us»—scarcely a surprising or original obsetyation for Philostratus itimseíf says titat. in effect it was such!

Pto. 1. 244 John F. Mojfitt

4 a

~ \\ — SS~ c~.. • E o E,

2

Sr 1=,,’

— Os

---A u.,9

E z

‘y,

0

0 5

*

=30

8 ¡ .< o 1 1 >1 la , Sro

Sr o; La

\ ~V¿~ kl -<¿‘3 Phi/ostratus and Ihe Canaries 247

extracted from a certain variety of moss («plucked by the Nereids»?) that was

particularly abundant on the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura» ~. The next island described by Philostratus is radically different from the pro- ceding group; it is, as he puts it, «a marvel». lis distinctive physical characteris- tics indicate that it is the most north-westerly of the Canary Archipelago: La Palma According toour guidebook, it is an island noted «for the extraordinary beautyofits landscape and. mostofalí, forthe famous Caldera in thecenterof the island; it is the largest (volcanic) crater in the world: 5 1/2 miles in diameter From the edges of the crater, which tower up to nearly 8,200 feet altitude, with pink jagged crests fringed with snow and crowned with giant pines, we descend into a Dantesque cbasm, in some parts 6,566 feet deep. a of rocks and trees and bellow are small farms surrounded by orchards», Certainly this awesome and immense volcano was active in classical times, and parts of he island were recently «devastated by the last eruption in July, 1949> ¡O, Philostratus is evidently describing the volcanic isle of La Palma where he speaks of: -

(IV) Tite neigbbouríng island, my boy. we rnay consider a marvel: for fire srnoulders under tite witole ofit, itaving worked its wayinto underground passages and cavitíes of tite island, titrougit witicb, as titrougit ducts, tite llames break fortit and produce terriftc torrents from witich pour rnighty rivers of fire titat run in biílows to tite sea, Ifone wishes to speculate about such nsatters, tite island provides natural biturnen and sulpitur: and witen titese are mixed by tite sea, tite island is fanned into llame by many winds, drawing from tite sea titat witich sets tite fuel allame, Rut tite painting, following tite accounts given by tite poets. goes fartiter andascribes a mytb to tite island. A giant. narnely, was once struck downtitere. and upon him, as be struggled in tbedeath agony. tite island was placed as a bond to itoid bu down, and he does not yet yield but from beneatb tite eartb renews tite fight and breatites fortit titis fire as be utters titreats, Yonderfigure, tbey say, would represent Typho in Sicíly or Enceladus itere in ltaly (le., Naples. tite site of tite pinakes). titat both continents and islands are pressing down, not yet dead indeed, but always dying. And you. yourself, rny boy. will imagine that you bave not been left out of tite contesí. wbcn you look at tite peak of tite rnountains (La Caldera): for witat you see titere are titunderbolts witicit Zeus is iturling at tite giant. and tite giant is already giving up tite struggle but still trusts in tite eartit. but tite eanit itas grown weary because Poseidon does not perrnit iter to remain in place. Poseidon has spread a mist over tite contest, so titat it resembles witat has taken place now, Tisis hill encircíed by the sea is tite borne of a serpent. guardian doubtless of sorne ricit treasure titat lies bidden under tite earth. This creature is said to be devoted to goíd and witatever golden titing it sees it lovesand citerisbes: thus tite fleece in Colcitis and tite apples of tite Hesperides. since tbey seeniedtobe of gold. two serpents titat neverslept guarded and cíaimed as titeir own, And tite serpent of Atitena, titat even to-day still makes its borne (in Atitens) on tite Acropolis. in rny opinion. itas loved tite people of tite Atitenians because of tite

9 SPAIN. pp. 972. 992. SPAIN, p. 1008. Titere was anotiter eruption in 1971. 248 John F, Moffitt

gold wbicit titey make into grassbopper pins for titeir itair, Here tite serpent itimself is ofgold: and tite reason he titrusts isis itead out of tite hold is, 1 think. tbat ise fears for tite safety of tite treasure bidden below

Now that we have placed our narrator-navigator on the north-western perimeter of the archipelago, it seems logical to suppose that he would bave continued his looping perambulations toward the south, tlien towards the east. This means that the next island to be described by Philostratus should correspond to Hierro. the most westerlyand southern of the Canaries. Phiíostra- tus explained that the next island after La Palma was waterless, rocky and largely treeless. although it was noted for its local wines, and so the place «claims to be dedicated to Dionysius’>. It is also, as he telís us, foggy and violently wíndswept from the west. These details also accord with the guidebook description of Hierro, where we read howtbis island is characterized by «the almost total absence of springs, poorly compensated for the dampness of the foggy atmosphere. It has relatively few woods... wine, dríed figs, fruit and cheese are the only exports... Before the discovery of America, Hierro used to mark the end of the known world... The Greek geographer Ptolomaeus placed his first meridian here... (One sees) pyramids of ashes in the green fields whích are swept by terrible winds... Large fig-trees bend to the ground in little enclosu- res, which protect them from the goats. (There are) huge vineyards which produce a yellow wine, pungent and heady». The natives of Philostratus’ island were dancers and revellers, just as were ne ancient Hierrans: «Before tbeir conquest by the Spanish, the inhabi- tants, who called themselves Ben-Bashir or Bimbachos, were a pastoral people; they had simple customs, loved dancing, and had no idea of either war or money» t2, Once again we shall find that Philostratus’ description (again winth the cus- tomary mythic embellishments) closely accords with the details of the modern tourist’s handbook’s description of Hierro:

(V) Canopied with ivy and bryony and grape-vines. tisis next island clairns to be dedicated to . but adds titat Dionysus is now absent, doubtless reve- lling sornewisere on tite (African), rnainland. itaving entrusted to Seilenus tite sacred objects of titis place: titese objects are yondercymbals lying upside down, and golden mixing-bowls overtumed, and Rutes stiíí warsn, and drums lying silent: tite west wind seemsto Iift tite fawn-skins from the ground: and titere are serpents. some of witicb are twined abouttite tityrsi and otiters, in a drunken sleep. are at tite disposal of tite Bacchantesfor use as girdies. Of the clusters ofgrapes someareripe to bursting. sorne are turning dark. sorne are still green. and sorne appear to be hudding. since Dionysus itas cunningly fsxed tite seasons of tite vines so titat ite rnay gatitera continuous itarvest, Tite clusters are so abundant tbat they botit hang frorn tite rocks and are suspended over tite sea, and birds of both tite sea and tite

1V—La Palma. > SPAIN, pp. 1013-14. Phi/ostratus and the Canaries 249

land ny up to pluck tbem; for Dionysus provides tite vine for alí birds alike excepí tite owl. and titis bird alone be drives away frorn tite clusters because it gives man a prejudice against wine, For ifan infantcitild tisat has never tastedwine sbould cal tite eggs ofan owl. be itates wine alí bis life and would refuse to drink it and would be afraid of drunken men. But you are bold enougit, my hoy. nol to feareven tite Seilenus here titat guards tite island, tbougit ite is botis drunken and is trying to seize a Baccitante, Site, itowever, does not deign to Iook at him, but since site loves Dionysus site fasitions bis irnage in iter mmd and pictures 1dm and sees itim. absent titougb be is: for titougis tSe look of tite Bacchante’s eyes is waveríng, yet assuredly it is not free frorn drearns of love ‘>.

Having finished- with Hierro, Pbiíostratus now swings to the north-east to Gomera, again a very different sort of place from the preceding island. As the narrator explaíns, this island «yonder» (about 46 miles from Hierro) is mountainous, thickly covered with forests providing wood for ship building (especially useful for masts), and it once abounded with wild game. The modern guidebook concurs, noting that, althougb Gomera has «no definable (volcanie) crater, the island is surrounded by a wall of sheer basaltic cliffs, cut by narrow barrancos... The summit of the island, which reaches an altitude of 5,520 feet at Garajonay. is covered between the rocky chains by a fine fertilesoil bearing thick forests whose beechtrees are of a size unknown elsewhere». Philostratus also speaks of the yodelling críes of the local hunters, «so that you might say that herselfjoins in the revel of the hunt». The guidebook states that eventoday <«he inhabitants ofGomera have the peculiar custom oftalking to each other by means of the modulated whistling ofbriefsignals. From valey to valley, they transmit messages and warníngs» ‘~, Here is how Philostratus put it:

(VI) Nature in fasitioning yonder mountains has made an island titickly growss and covered witit forest, Iofty cypress and fir and pine. oaks also and cedar: for tite trees are painted eacit in its cisaracteristic fonn, Tite regions on tite island witere wild beasts abound are tracked by bunters of boarand deer. sorne equipped wítit itunting-spears and with bows. Knives and clubs. my hoy, are carried by tite bold itunters that attack at close quarters; and itere nets are spread tbrougit tite forest. sorne to surround tite animals, someto entrap titern, and someto citeck titeir running. Some of tite animals itave been taken, sorne flre struggling. sorne bave overpoweredtite itunter: every youthfuí arrn is in action, and dogs join men in an outcry. so that you migitt say titat Echo iterself joins in tite revel of tite itunt, Woodsmen cut titrougb tite tau trees and trim theni; and witile one raises isis axe, anotiter itas driven it borne, a tbird witets isis axe whicit he flnds dulí from hewing. anotherexamines isis fir tree,judging tite tree with aview to a rnast for bis sitip, and still anotiter cuts young and straight trees for oars

3 V,—Hierro. ‘4 SPAIN. p. 1011. ‘~ VI—Gomera. 250 John F.MoJfltt

Now, with Philostratus’ plot clearly fixed upon the map. there can be no doubt that the next island in the chain of descriptions would have to have been Tener(fe. As characterized by ihe Greek. the island is rocky, extremely elevated, and a natural nesting place for swarms of birds. As the moderm guidebook explains: «Tenerife isa volcanie formation like the otber Canary Islands: in the centre of its largest part rises the enormous crater of Las Cañadas (6,560 feet altitude), 12 kilometres wide, in tite centre of whicb is the enormous cone of tite famoús Teide Peak, 12,180 feet high; the peak, visible from far out at sea, has never failed to impress passing mariners Tite whole curved-in part of tite north-west shows a profusion of flora and fruit, as in the legendaty Gardens of the Hesperides.... Tenerife, ver>’ different from the Grand Canary (tite last stop on Pitilostratus’ itinerar>’), has few forests, and these only at the height of Las Cañadas» t6, Unfortunately, there is no mention here of the flocks of sea- birds—but the existence of these can be attested to by any modern visitor to the island. Here is how Philostratus described Tener(fe:

(VII) Tite precipitous rock and tite tlock of seagulís and tite birds in tbeir rnidst itave been painted for some sucit reason as tisis: Tite men are attacking tite sea-gulís, but not. by Zeus, for titeir llesh, witich is black aud noisorneand unpala- table even to a itungry man: but these birds supply to tite sons of tite doctors a sto- rnacit of sucis properties as to assure a good appetite in tisose wito eats it and to made titern at nigitt. Rut tite gulís induce tite ternwith a part of tite food titey catcit to act as a warden and to keep awake for tisem, Now titough tite tem is a sea-bird. yet it is sirnple-rninded. easy-going, and inefflcient at catciting prey: but in resisting sleep it is strong and in fact sleepsbuí little, For tisis reason it lets out tite use of lis eyes to tite gulís. So when tite gulís fly away after food. tite tern keeps guard around tite itome rock. and the gulís retum towards evening bringing to it a titite of witat titey itave caugití: titey al once síep round about tite tern. and it stays awake and is neverovercome by sleep except witen thcy are willing. Ifit senses tite approach of any danger it raises a piercing sitrilí cry. aud titey risc aí tite signal and lly away. supporting riteir warden if ever it grows weary in lligisí. Rut in tisis picture it is standing and watching over tite gulís. In titat it stands in tite midst of its birds. tite 1cm is like among lis seals. but it is superior to Proteus in titat it does not sleep “.

As is by now obvious, Philostratus’ final stop was at tite island called tite Gran Canaria, evidently the oní>’ one at which anchorage was made. Moreover. his mention of tite island’s famous racing dogs (canis) gives us today a very good idea of titeetymological source for the modern name of titis Gran Canaria:

(VIII) On titis island. rnyboy. we have put asitore: and titougit i do not know witat jis narne is, 1 st leasí sisould cali it ‘

6 SPAIN. p. 997. ~7VII—Tener/fe. Phdostratus and Ihe Canaries 251

itave a small palace: for no one wiII plougit itere or cultivate tite vine: but it itas an abundance of springs,(to sorne of witicli it furnisites purecold water and to some warer ritat it itas iteate8, Let us conclude that it is an island so well supplied with water titat tite water overtlows into tite sea, As for [bis surging water. bubbling springs titat Ieap up and bound on itigis as frorn a cauldron cause tite rippling waves, and titis island surrounds tite springs. Now tite marvel of tite source of tite springs, witetiter onesitouíd assume that titey come from tite eartit or sitouíd locate titem in tite sea, Proteus itere sitalí decide: for be itas cometo renderjudgment on titis point. Le; us examine tite city titat itas been built upon tite island, For in trutit titere itas been built tisere a likeness of a fair and splendid city no larger titan a itouse. and therein is nurtured a róyal child and tite city is bis play-titing. Titere isa 1and bis playfellows, and a itippodrome itas Iheatre large enougit to receive hurn been constructed of sufficient size for little Melitacan dogs to run mees in: for tite boy uses titese as itorses and titey are iteld togetiser by yoke and citariot, and tite drivers will be titese apestitat tite hoy regards as bis servants, Yonderliare, brougitt into tite itouse only yesterday, 1 believe. is fastened witit a purple leasit Iike a dog. but it objects to being bound and seeks to slip its bonds with tite itelp of its front feet: and a parrot and a rnagpie in a woven cage sing Iike Sirens on tite island: tite rnagpie sings witat it knows, but tite parrot witat itas been taugitt ‘~.

As the guidebook states (making, however, no mention of modern dog- races): «Grand Canar>’ has been called “a miniature continent”, because of the contrast between the Alpine nature ofcertain valleys and the African character of the south coast. The island is almost circular, 29 miles wide and 34 miles long. It forms a volcanic mountainous mass deepí>’ indented by barrancos, the sides of which are often sheer, nr hollowed out by former craters. Its bighest point, Los Pechos, reaches an altitude of 6,496 feet... Woods of laurels, eucalyptus, or magnificent pines cover the peaks and some nr the slopes... The island possesses a greatnumber of mineral and hot springs... Scarcely anything is known of the histor>’of Grand Canary before the arrival of Europeans in the lSth-century, except that the natives called it Tamaram, “home or the valiant”... On landing at Gáldar. (the first Spaniards) found 600 warriors... and had to seek refuge in a tugoror, or council-chamber» Gáldar, some 30 km. from the moderm port-city of Las Palmas, was the ancient court of the Guanche kings

(«guanartemes’>) ~. Gáldar is also Ver>’ likely tobe that «city that has been built

It VIII—Gran Canaria, ‘9 SPAIN. pp. 977-8. Tite pre-European population of tite Canaries, called Guanc/se& are as unique as tite islands witicit titey initabited. Titey (like their islands) areeasy to recognize in an early Stli- to 6tit-century Greek text —titere called «Aedsiopes»— dueto titeir unusually taIl stature and fair cornpíexions. According to Scylax (Peñp/us. 112): «And titese (western) Acduiopes aretite tallest ofalí men we know. taller titan four cubits. And someof thern are five cubits talí, And titey arebearded, and have long bair, and aretite most beautiful of alí men. And lie rules over titem wito is tite tallest, And titey are itorsemen and javelin-tlirowers and arciters: and (being ignoran; of rnetals) tbey use darts itardened in tire>,. Wlien speaking of tite eastemn brancit of tisis race of sucit tau stature. tite late 2d-century BC writer Agatliarchi- des (De niari e.ythraeo, 49) gaye titem tite teisurely and generous-minded qualities usually 252 John F.Moffitt

upon the island... no larger than a house», which was described by Philostratus. As 1 have also supposed, it appears that Philostratus’ ship finally dropped anchor in Las Palmas, on the north-east tip of the island, most probabí>’ in the ancient sheltered port within the modern provincial capital —el Puerto de la Luz— where passengers still customaril>’ disembark. Here also Columbus made port in preparation for his momentous voyages to the New World. As Lehmann-Hartleben had supposed, given the fact that Philostratus was actualí>’ describing a real painting, it would be logical to assume that «Philostratus’ Marine-Painter» (to coin a name for this otherwise unidentified and talented topographical painter) probabí>’ drew upon textual sources —or perhaps even verbal accounts— describing the topography and points of interest in the semi-legendary «Fortunate Islands» beyond the Pillars of Hercules which Mediterranean sailors had been visiting for centuries. Although the ftrst documeníed voyage to these regions is that of the Phoentctan sailor Hanno (before480 BC), it is certain that he was not the first Furopean to know these waters 20 ASter Hanno’s time there are several other accounts of

associated witit the inisabitants of tite legendary Fortunate lslands. saying titey «are said to itave limited alí useless tisings. and lack nothing witicit is fttting, alí endeavoring to follow a divine way of life.,, Since titey do not crave power. titey are not involved in contentious and unitappy sírife.,, They do not endangertiseir lives by navigation for tite sake ofgain, titereby meting out pain titrough fatal sitipwreaks. Rut needing little, titey itave few griefs. Gaining a sufftciency, titey do not demand superfluities... Titerefore, itaving ah titat he wants. he is happy according to tite logic of namre» These seerning-legends about tite talí Aeth/opes; Ii- ving in tite carefree conditions of a kind of primitive «Golden Age”. are substantiated Uy arcitacological Íinds and itistorical knowledge of the real. ancient. Guanches. Accoring to ourguidebook. «in tite tStit-century, tite Frencis and Spanisli conquerors wito set foot on tite islands found titere a ~fair-skinned race, of itigit stature. wbo behieved titey were tite last survivors of tite world, alt tite rest having perished”.Titis Guanche race titen still lived as in tite Stone Age. not knowing oftite existence of metal. Titey embalmed titeir dead in tite Egyptian fasition. and painted titeir bodies on certain days witit designs... Titeir language. of unknown origin. seerns to beíong to tite Berber and Haitian dialecis. Nurneroug skulls found sliow cliaracteristies sirnilar to titose of Cro-Magnon man.,, Tite sarne race peopled tite islands, altliougit navigation and boat-building were unknown to titem.,. Tite people wors- itipped onegod, He wito is Terribly Great”, tite Almigitty, and practised custorns ofgenero- sity, courage and citastity witicit astonisited tite invaders.,. Guancite skulls. skeletons and rnummies (itave been) found in the grottoes or on tite battíef,elds. Certain warriors wcre as talí as 6 ft., 7 in. Tite mysterious Guancite people... mingled with tite Spanish colonizers. whose language and names titey adopted. togetiserwitit tiseir religion. ...In tite isolated pue- bios, itowever. one still meets types of rnountain-dwellersof very talí stature and light-colored eyes who undoubtedly descend directiy frorn tite nature-race of bygone days.» SPAIN, Pp. 972, 984. 997. 215 Especially informative on early expeditions to. and knowledge of tite regions beyond tite Pillars of Hercules are M. Cary & E. H. Warmington. The Ancien, Exp/orers. Harmonds- wortit. 1963. stating (Pp. 43. 45) titat «Atlantic navigation dates well back mio tite preitistoric era.., Tite Pitoenici~ns probablyreacited tite Straits ofGibraltar soon after 1200 BCo. See also A. Scliulten. Tarasxás Madrid: Austral, 1972, for more on early navigation in Spanisit waters. including an interesting cxaniinatíon (witich 1 cannot accept: see note 25) of tite Atíantis legend in relation to ancient Tartessós (p. 159 ff.). Phflostratus and the Canaries 253 trips along tite northern African coasts. Curiousl>’ enough, as we examine these in detail, we shall find that of alí or these it is Philostratus’ eikon which seems the most coherent of tite extant ancient descriptions of tite striking appearance of the several Canary Tslands! Therefore it is my hypothesis that the Philostra- tus Marine-Painter also drew upon better or more detailed reports than those written texts which have survived to the present day. Certainly, given the tenuous survival rate of such early documents, tisis is notan unwarrented sup- position. Hannés pioneering trip to the south Atlantic, the first actualí>’ recorded, is best told in his own words, such as tisese have survived in a Greek manuscript known as the ‘

Tite Cartitaginians comrnissioned Hanno to sail past tite Pillars of , and to found cities of tlie Liby-Pitonenicians (i.e.. tite Tunisian-Cartitaginians). He set salí witit sixty vessels of ftfty oars and a niultitude of men and women to tite number of 30000 (evidently an exaggeration, or an error of transcription), and provisions and otiter equiprnent. After putting out to sea and passing tite Pillars we sailed beyond titern for two days (at tisis time a days sail was about80-90 nautical miles). llere we founded our first city. witicli we namedTitymiaterium (Meitedia). Under it a wide plain opened to view. Tisence we síood out westward and made Cape Solocis (Cape Cantín). a densely wooded Libyan (i.e., nortli-African) promontory. Having founded a temple of Poseidon at tisis poiní we sailedon for itaífa dayto tite east, until we arrived ata lagoon (tite marsises of tite riverTensift). fulí of itigit and titick-grown cane, Tisis was itaunted by elephants and multitudes of otiter grazing beasts. We skirted tite lagoon for about one day’s journey. Titen we founded sea-side towns witicit we named Carian Fort (Mogador), Gutta, Acra (Agadir), Melitta, and Ararnbys. Putting out from titat point we reacited a big river llowing frorn Libya. tite Lixus (tite Draa. witicit still cardes an irnposing volurne of water witen in spate). Lixite nornads pastured titeir llocks on its banks, We made friends witli tisem and stayed witli titern for a time. Beyond titese dwelt initospitable Aerhiopes (Berbers-Guancites). Titeir land is tnfested witit wild beastsand is broken up witit isigis rnountain-citains (tite anti-At- las), from witich tite Lixus is said to tlow. Tisese higblands are initabited by a frea- kisit race of men. tite Troglodytes (Pygrnies?), wito are said by tite Lixites to run fas- ter then itorses. From tbern (tite Lixites) we took interpreters and coasted along tite desert (tite Saitara) soutitward for two days (passing the Canaries!). Titence we turned back east for one day. There we found at tite top of a gulf a small island, witit a circuit of five stades (ca. half a mile). Here we founded a colony namedCerne, Wc estimated from the distance traversed titat it lay in a line with Cartitage; for it was tite sarne distance frorn Cartitage to tite Pillars and titence to Cerne (Heme Island). From titat point we sailed titrougit tite delta of a big river narned tite Cliretes. and carne to a lake containing titree islands larger than Cerne. From titere we accomplisited one day’s sail and arrived at tite itead ofthe lake, Beyond tisis avety 254 John F. MoJJ¡tt

itigli rangeof mountains roselike a tower. Titis was peopled by swar’ns ofwild rnen in beasts skins, wito drove us off with stones and would not let us land, Sailing on from that point we carne to anotiter deep and wide river, wisich was infested witit crocodiles and itippopotami. Titence we turned back to Cerne. From Cerne we sailed soutit for twelve days, skirting tite lad, This was peopled alí the way witli Etitiopians. who ran away from us and did not stay. Titeir tongue was unintelligible to us and to tite Lixites in our company. On tite last day of tite twelve we made fast under a higit wooded range, with varied and fragrant trees (Cabo Verde) II

Obviously, Hanno passed close by the Canaries-although he does not make the slightest mention of them. The likely conclusion, supported by other early texts to be quoted here, is that these islands were already so well known to the Carthaginians as not to require further explanation. The later, semi-legendary «Fortunate Islands»—in Greek. Kai ion Makaron Nesois in Latin, Fortunaíae Insulae—are described in the surviving documents (with the sole exception of the Imagines!) in such a way as to make accurate identification usualí>’ nearí>’ impossible between tite three likely Atlantic archi- pelagos: either the Canaries, or the Mores, or Madeira. The source of this con- fusion had a lot todo with a general lack of precision coneernig the actual num- ber of islands described. One sucb frustrating example is a book by an unk- nown author called the Peri íhaumsgion akoñsmata («Concerning Marvellous Things Heard Of>’). It probabí>’ refers to another Carthaginian voyage, perhaps as early as the Sth- or 6th-century BC:

It is said titat in tite sea beyond tite Pillars of Hercules tite Cartitaginians disco- veredan uninitabited island (or islandsl), altitough one covered witit all manner of trees and crisscrossed by navigable rivers (or inlets: also likely considering tite extremelyshallow draft of boats of thetime). Titis island is notewortity for its fruits. It was very far from rerrafirma. frorn witich it was several days sailing distance. Its fertility caused tite Cartbaginians to frequently visit it. aud some of titem even settled titere, Rut tite Cartitaginian autitorities prohibited furtiter navigation titere undertite pain ofdeatit. even putting tite colonists to deatitin ordernot to reveal its existence. and titere arrived a multitude of otiter people (evidently tite Berber- speaking, very talí, fair-itaired Guanches: tite laterinitabitants oftite Canaries witen tite Spaniards arrived). wiso took over tite island(s), pre~enting tite Cartitaginians frorn exploiting it (titem) furtiter 22

Diodorus Siculus, writing much later in the Augustan period (Libra ry, Book Y, 20,3), repeated the story of the mysterious Carthaginian colon>’ taken over by a people unknown in titeMediterranean. Adthough he makes mention of Etrus- cans with similar designs upon the paradise far out in tite Atlantic, he also mades clear that their designs upon these fair sitores were never realized:

21 Hanno, as, quoted in The Ancien: Explorerv. pp. 63-4. 22 Peri, as quoted by García y Bellido, «Las islas’>. p. 50. Ph//ostratus and the Canaries 255

Tite Plioenicians. wito from ancient times on ¡nade voyages continually for purposes or trade. planted many colonies tisrougitout Libye (rneaning nortit Afri- ca). and not a few as well in tite western parts of Europe. And since titeir ventures turned out according to titeir expectations, titey amassed great wealtit and essayed tu voyage beyond tite Pillars of ¡-lercules (Erakleiou s:e/au). into the sea witicli men cali Tite Ocean, And, ftrst ofalí, upon the Strait itself by tite Pillars titey founded a city on tite sitores ofEurope. and since tite land formed a peninsula tliey called tite city Gaderia (Cádiz)... The Pitoenicians. titen, witile exploring tite coast outside tite Pillars for tite reasons we itave stated, and witile sailing along tite (Atlantic) sitore of Libye. were driven by strong winds agreat distance out into tite ocean, And after being storm-tossed for rnany days. they were carried asitore on tite island (descri- bed betow),and witen tisey itad observed its felicity and nature titey caused it to be known by alí men, Consequently tite Tyrrhenoi (Etruscans), at tite tirne (ótit-cen- tury) witen tbey were rnasters of tise western Mediterranean sea, proposed to dis- patch a colony tu it: but tite Cartitaginians prevented titeir doing so. partly out of concern lest rnany inhabitants of Cartisage sisould rernove titere because of tite excellence of tite island, and partly in order to isave ready in it a place in witicit to seek refuge against an incalculable tum of fortune. in case sorne total disaster sitould overtake Cartitage. Por it was tiseir tbouglit tbat, since titey were rnasters of tite (Atíantie)sea, titey would tisus be aisle to move. houseliolds and ah, toan island witicli was unknown to titeir conquerors.

Diodorus also described the delights of the marvellous island(s), which he, of course, oní>’ knew of at second hand (Y, 19, 1-3):

(After itaving) discussed wliaí relates to tite (Mediterranean) islands witicli lic w¡thin tite Pillars of Hercules, we sitalí give an account of titose wliicit are in Tite Ocean, Por Itere lies out in tite deep oitLibye (Morocco) an island ofconsiderable size, and situated as it is in theocean it is distant from Libye a voyage of a nurniter of days to tite (soutit) west. Its Iand is fruitful. much of it being mountainous and not a little being a level plain ofsurpassing beauty. Titrough it flow (barely) naviga- ble rivers (for instance. tite shallow Barranco Guiniguada on Gran Canaria, or tite Barranco de Santos on Tenenfe) whicb are used for irrigation, and tite island con- tains many parks píanted witit trees of every varietyand gardens in great multitu- des wliicit are traversed by strearns of sweet water: on it also are prívate villas of costly construction, and tbroughout tite gardens banqueting itouses have been constructed in a setting of flowers, and in thern tite initabitants [mss titeir time during tite summer season, since theland supplies in abundance everytitingwiticit contributes to enjoyment and luxury. Tite rnountainous of tite island is cove- res witit dense tisickets of great extentand witit fruit-trees of every variety. and. mvi- ting men to life arnong tite rnountains, it itas cozy gíens and springs in great num- ber, In a word, titis island is well supplied witli springs of sweet water (or mineral springs)witicit not oníy malces tite use of it enjoyable for titose wito pass titeir life titere but also contribute to tite iteaíth and vigor of titeir bodies, Titere is also exce- llent liunting of everymanner ofbeast and wild animal. and the initabitants. being well supplied witit tisis garne at tiserir feasts. lack of notliing witich pertains tu luxury and extravagance: for in fact tite sea witicit wasites tite sitore of tite island contains a multitude of lisit. since tite cisaracter of tite ocean is sucit rhat it abounds 256 John F.Moffitt

tlirougit¿ut irs extent witit ¡bit ofevery variety. And, speaking generally. tite climate of titis island is so altogetiter mild titat it produces in abundance tite fruits of tite trees and tite otiterseasonal fruits for tite larger pan of tite year. so titar it would appear titat tite island. because ofits exceptional felicity. were a dwelling-place of a mce of gods and not of men.

Another mention of the (same?) «Fortunate Tslands» is found in relation to a story overheard by the notable Roman exile Sertorius; this probably happe- ned around 82 B CAs told by Plutarch, Sertorius, following a militar>’ defeat in Morocco, returned to Spain, landing near Cádiz. There, says Plutarch («Serto- nus», X~TII, 1-2): He felí in witit sorne sailors wito itad recently carne back from tite Atlantic Islands (tou Atlan:ikon néson). Tisese aretwo in number. separated by a very narrow strait: titey are ten thousand stades distant frorn Africa(an exaggerated figure, equa- líing around 2.000 kilometers). and are called tite lslands of tite Blest (kaí onomá- zonrai Makáron). They enjoy moderate rains at long intervaís. and winds whicit for tite most part are soft and precipitate dews, so titat tite islands not only itave a rich soil whicit is excellent for plowing and planting. but also produce a natural fruit titat is plentiful and witolesome enougit to feed. wititout toil or trouble. a leisured folk, Moreover, an air titat is salubrious, owing to tite climate and tite moderate citanges in tite seasons. prevails on theislands. For tite nortit and east winds whicit blow out from our pan of theworld plunge into fatitomless space. and. owing to tite distance. dissipatc titemselves and lose titeir power before they reach tite islands: witile tite soutit and west winds titat envelope tite islands from tite sea sometimcs bring in titeir train soft and interrnittentshowers. but for tite most part cool them witit rnoist breezes and gently nourisli tite soil, Therefore a f¡rrn belief has ¡nade its way. even to tite Barbarians. tbat titere is tite Elysian Ficíd. and tite abode of tite blessed, of wliicit Homer sang 23

The reference to Homer indicates in a useful fashion the manner in which real geographical localities—known as a rule to these writers only at second hand from travellers’ tales—became identified with pre-existent legends. According to the Greek bard (Odyssey, IV, 563-568):

The imrnortals wilt send you to tite Elysian Field, to tite boundaries of tite eartit. where is yellow-itaired Risadamantus, Titere, in truth, is tite easiest life for men, Titere is neither snow titere nor long winter nor even ram, but Ocean ever scnds fortit tite gentíy blowing breezes of Zepityr (Zephúroio) to rcfresit mcn

23 García y Bellido (ibid.) rnentions a fragmentary text by Sallust (Historia¿’. l. 101) witicit repeats Senorius story. adding at its close, «it is known that titese two islands were close to one another, bcing sorne 10.000 stades distant from Cadiz. and titese spontaneously produ- ced food for men>’. Although it is cornmonly believed titat tite «two islands» mentioned in titese accounts referto Madeira, 1 am inclined to think titem to be Lanzarote and Fuerteven- tura. whicit tite Pitoenicians certainly knew at f¡rst-itand, 24 Altitough 1 doubt titat Homerisad any «real» place in mmd. in general terms itis cita- racterization of tite Elysian Fieíds certainly is applicable to tite Canaries (SPAIN. p. 972): Philostratus and tAje Canaries 257

The «Elysian Field», on an island (or islands) in the distant seas to the West, was a motif repeated later by Pindar (OdaeOlympiae, II, 68-76): «alí those souls who... havecompleted the road of Zeus to the tower or Chronus go where the ocean breezes blow about the Islands of tite Blest and flowers of gold are gleaming...» The idea reappears in Hesiod’s description of the ‘Ageof Heroes” (WorksandDays, 60-65), who «dwell with hearts free of sorrow ín tite islands of tite blessed (makóron nésoioi) by the deep-eddying ocean» 25,

The later Greek geographer Strabo also knew of sorne Makáron nésoi — «Fortunate Isles>’— that were mentioned briefly in his Geographiká (written between 29 and 7 BC). But he too had never seen these isles of the blessed. Nevertheless, he refers (Book 1, 1, 5) to «the Makáron nésoi, found in front of Mauro usia (Morocco), towards the limits of the West, by.the part where (Africa) comes near to Iberia (Spain), and this same name shows that these isles were believed tobe fortunate for being in the vicinít>’ of these places>’ 26, Thus, Stra- bo was the first to identify —in a strictly geographic way— the actual locality of the Makáron Nésol in the place where one toda>’ finds the Canaries. As the Spa- nish editor of Strabo’s Geographikó makes clear: «the MaIc¿ron Nésol, or Islas de los Bienaventurados” (the Romans called them Fortunarae Insulae) are the Canar>’ lslands (Islas Canarias). Doubtlessly, titese were known in ancient times to Andalucian fishermen who made then, as now, lengthy fishing expeditions, sailing the length of the Moroccan coast down totite Sahara (perhaps even past Villa Cisneros). Punic navigators from Cádiz must therefore have also known

«Exposed to tite Trade Winds and batised by tite Gulf Stream. tite archipelago enjoys almosí perpetual spring conditións.,, Noiteating is required in tite winter, and tite summers are never unpleasantíy itot... Titese (are) happy islands. whose natural beauty and originality. togetiter with tite inborn charrn oftite inhabitants fon a strong índucement to retain tite travelíer», It may also be added, as a matterof peripiteral interest, titat tite narne of «yellow-itairedRitada- mantitus” is somewitat like tisat of tite «¡¡ar/mg¡¿adas”, tite Sacred Virgins of the fair-com- plected. sometirnes blonde, Guanchos, «alí daugitters ofcitieftains. wito itad to subrnit to tite sarne rigorous citastity as tite Rornan Vestals.,, Ondays ofpublie grief. titere were beaten in a procession accompanied by convulsive dances. witilst imploring tite clemency of tite itea- vens. Titey can be likened to tite Hesperides of Greek legend>’. SPAIN. p. 991. 25 Allied to titis is tite farnous legeud of tite «lost continent» of Atíantis. witose original textual source is Plato (Timaeus, 24c: Kritias. 1 14a). A lot of rubbisit, of course, has been published about tliis legend, and these materíais are examined in a lively fashion by L. Spra- gue de Camp, Lost Continents: TheAtíantis Theme. New York: Dover. 1954. lf titere was a real place witicit inspired Platos legend (así believe). tisen titis is the Aegean island ofTitera-San- torini, devastated by a volcanic eruption in tite rnid-2d Milleniurn: J. V. Luce. The End of Arlanris: New Ligia on Oíd Legend London, 1969. A fascinating exploration of cartograpitie confusion in regard [o tite contents of tite Atlantic Ocean. cxtending even into relatively modem times. is found in R.H. Ramsey, No Longer on the Map: Discovcring Places ruar Never Were. New York, 1973. Nurnerous referencestotite modern (re-) discovcry of rite Canaries are found ini, H. Parry, The Age of Reconnai.ssance, New York, 1963. 26 Strabos citations liave been largeíy taken from an edition excellently annotated by García y Bellido: Españay los españoles hace dos mil años según la «Geografla» de Sirabón. - drid. Austral. 1945. 258 John F.Moffitt

of them, and it was through them that certain notices of these (real) islands rea- ched tite Greek and Roman geographers and historians» 27 Rut Strabo elsewhere champions the traditional link of these islands to the «Elysian Fields» found in the Homeric saga, and in these passages one can again appreciate the manner in which geographical fact came to be inextrica- bí>’ identified with ancient legend (Rook III, 2, II):

It seerns tliat in former times tite Baitis (Guadalquivir River) was calles Tanes- sós (tite «Tarsitisb» of tite Oíd Testarnent). and Gódeira (Cádiz>, and its nearby tt islands. were called Erfitheia (tite Isla de León)... Eratotitenes is accustomed toca Tartessós tite region around Kólpe (Gibraltar). and calís Erj>theia «tite fortunate isle».

Rut, as Strabo adds later (III, 2, 13):

Horner itad tite idea of píacing here (on tite southern Atlantic coast of Spain) tite dwelling-place of pious souls, the «E/>sion Pedion” (Elysian Fields), witere. according to tite prediction of Proteus, Menelaus must live some day (and quotes tite Homerie passage cited aboye).

Therefore, anyone who had read Strabo would have known that the «Fortu- nate Isles>’,here equated with the «EI>’sian Fields», were located in the Atlantic directí>’ tothe sóuth of, and not for distant from Spain in general. or from Cádiz in particular—in other words just in that place where the Canar>’ Archipelago is actualí>’ to be found toda>’. Somewhat later, the actual location of these Fortunate/Canary [slands was made even more apparent by Pomponius Mela (ca. 50 AD) in his Chorographia (III, 100-102): Past tisis (tite Pillars of Hercules). the coast begins, witicit turns [otite West. bat- ited by tite Mare At/anticum. In tite flrst pan dwell tite Aeíhiopes In tite middle of titis, nobody lives; for tisis is a region witit parcited zones and others covered with sand and stones. infested witit reptiles (tite Saitara). tn front of tite parcited zone are the islands in witicit it is recalled titat the Hesperides liad titere titeir dwelling- place. In tite sandy region are tite Mountains. In front of titese are tite Fortu- natae lasa/aa, witose soil spontaneously produces a great quantity of fruits. witicit grow wititout cease (i.e.. all year long), and wbicit serve to nourisit the tranquil initabitants, itappier titan tisose who dwelí in sumptuous cities. Titere are on oneof these isíands, two springs witich possess extraordinary qualities: tite waters ofone of titese give to tite one wito drinks frorn it a laugliing-f¡t witicit ends in death.the watcrs frorn tite otiter cures this illness, (Furtiter on) to tite soutit. past the regions infcsted witit serpents. are found tite /iimanropodes («big-foot men»). witose flexible and curved legs are used, so titey say. to slither ratiter titan to walk.,. (and so forth, ending by describing tropical regions witit elepitants) 28 27 García y Bellido Strabón, note 365. p. 207. 28 Mela. in. La España de/siglo Ide nuestra era según P Mala i’ (1 P/inio (A. García y Bellido. editor). Buenos Aires: Austral. 1945. Pp. 41-2. Philostratusand the Canaries 259

Rut of alí the ancient writers (other than, of course, Pitilostratus!) it was Pliny the Elder who provided tbe most organized and detailed description of the Fortunate/Canar>’ Arebipelago. There are two references to these islands in his Naturalis Historia. The ftrst mention (IV, 119) is rather brief, dealing with various island-groups offIhe Atlantic coasts: «In front of Celtiberia (Spain) the- re are several isíands... and before the Promuníurium (Cape Finisterre), in the region of the Arroírebae (Galicia). there stand the six insulae Deorum, which havebeen called by some Forrunatae» 29 The second reference to these (VI, 201- 205) is longer, more detailed and far more accurate in the strictly geogra-phical sense:

Titere are thosewito believe tisat even furtiteraway are the Fortunatae and some otiter islands (evidently referring to tite western part of tite Canary Arcitipelago, witicit isad not been yetcolonized by King Juba of Morocco). Sebosus itimself has come to give titeir number and distances, stating titat lunonia (FUERTEVENTU- RA, closest to tite African rnainland) is located 750 miles frorn Cádiz (a Cadibus DCCL p. ¡milia passum/ tradit): tliat Pluvalia (HIERRO) and Capraria (GRAND CANARY). located furtiter to tite west, are found atan identical distance frorn Cá- diz: titat in Pl~ ya//a tisere is no waterbut rainfalí: tital at 250 miles from titis are found tite Forrunataa. placed to tite left ofMauretania in tite eiglit itour of tite Sun (in VIII horam solis): tisat one island is called Invallis (LA PALMA). on account of its deep depressions. and anotiter is called Planas/a (GOMERA). on account of its distinctive (planitas) citaracter (... er Planas/a a specie): tisat tite circumferance of Invallis is 300 miles and titat its trees reacita iteigitt of 140 feel (aclear reference to Gomeras uniquely immense beech-wood trees). Juba came to investigate titese titings of tite Fonunaíae: be placed tisern also to tite soutis and to tite west at 625 mi- les from tite Purpnriariae Islands (in tite Mediterranean). located in sucit a way tliat one sails lo titem first by going 250 miles aboye to tite west, titen by following an easterlycourse for 375 miles (titis must be an error in transcription for it makes no sense). Tite f¡rstis caled Ombrion (LANZAROTE). witicit gives no sign witatsoever of construction, but itas on its itilis a pool and treeswiticit look like sticks (arboras sunilesfarulae) (surely tite agave cactifound in abundance); from the black trees bit- ter water is extracted and agreeable water from rite witite ones, Anotiter island is called lunonia (FUERTEVENTURA), on wisich is seen a small temple made ofsto- nc. In tite proxirnity titere is another srnall island of tite same name («lunonia M/nor’>=PUNTO DE JANDÍA). Titen comes Capraria («goat-land”). fulí of large lizards, Within sigitt of titis is Ninguaria (TENERIFE). so called because of its eter- nal snows (qssae hoc nomen nomen accepent aperpetua nive; a citaracteristie aspect of Teide Peak). a cluody place. Near to titis is Canaria [witicit1 believe refers again to «Capraria”-GRAN CANARIAI, so named for tite multitude of large sized dogs witicit it sitelters. of witicit two were brought to Juba: on titis island are found traces of constructions. Ml tisese islands have an abundance of tree-grown fruits (pomo- ru,n). as wel as alí ¡nanner of birds. Additionally. titis group is copious in date- palnis and pines. Titere is also boney in quantity. and by tite streams there grow

29 Pliny. in ibid. p. 144. 260 John F. Moffitt

papyrus and catfisit (si/uros). Tite isíands are also polluted by tite putrefaction of tite beasts witicit tite sea constantly casts upon tite sitores ~

These, then, are the known textual parallels to the distinctive topographical pbenomena encountered in Philostratus’ description of the mural depicting the

«NESOI» ~ As was shown at the outset of these arguments, this painting con- tained certain striking topographical features, the kind and variety ofwhich are absolutel>’ unique to the Canaries, but. nevertheless, several of the features in the mural do not appear in an>’ of ihe other surviving written accounts of the marvels in the sea beyond the Pillars ofHercules. Eve though Philostratus him- self was evidently familiar with the oft-told travellers tales about geological oddities, as well as with the legends of far-away places (notice particularí>’ his appropriation of Diodorus Siculus’ account of the devastation ofTempe), tliere must be another explanation for the textualí>’ anomalous, though geographi- calI>’ accurate, landscape.features in the painting, and this argument has little todo with texts as such,whether lost or found 32, Could it be then that tite «Phi-

~ONa¡ura/ Hisroy, in ibid. pp. 150-2. In Latin, thepa~sage reads as follows: «Suní qui ultra cas Fortunatas putent esse quasdarnque alias, quarum e numero idem Sebosus etiarn spatia complexus lunoniam abesse a Gadibus DCCL p. tradit. ab ea tandundem ad ocasum versus Pluvialiarn Caprariarnque, in Pluvalia non esse aquamnisi ex imbribus: ab iis CCL Fortuna- tas contra laevarn Mauretaniae in VIII itoran, solis, vocarí lnvallem a convexitate et Plana- stam a specie. Invallis circuitu CCC p.; arborurn ibi proceritatem ad CXL pedes adolescere. luba de Fortunatis ita inquisivit: sub meridiern positas esse prope occasum, a Purpurariis DCXXV p., sic ut CCL supra occasurn navigetur, dein per CCCLXXV ortus petatur: primam vocari Ombrion nullis aediticiorum vestigiis, itabere in montibus stagnurn, arbores símiles ferulae, ex quibus aqua exprimatur, e nigris amara, ex candidioribus potui iucunda: alteram insulam lunoniarn appellari, in ea aedicularn esse tantum lapide exstructam: ab ea in vicíno eodem nomine minorem, deindeCaprariarn lacertis grandibus refertam: in conspectu earum esse Ninguariam, quae itoc nornen acceperit a perpetuanive, nebulosam: proxirnam ei Cana- nurn vocari a multitudine canun, ingentis magnitudinis —ex quibus perducti suní Jubae duo; apparent ibi vestigia aediftciorun,— curn ornens autem copia pomomrurn (recalling (?) tite ‘apples of tite Hesperide?’) et aviurn ornnis generis abundent. isanc et palmetis caryotas ferentibus ac nuce pinea abundare, essecopiarn et niellis, papyru¡n quoque et siluros in amnibus gigni; infestan eas beluis quae expellantur adsidue putescentibus.» tn regard to Plinys mention of «Goat-Land» ((‘apraria). it is notewortity titat tite f¡rstEuropean settlers in tite Canaries rernarked upon thernany goats there, and goat-cheese (quesocabrero) is still a lo- cal delicacy. Por tite «vestigia aed(ficiorum”, and particularly for tite «aedicu/am eswe tantum lapide exstructam» found on «lunonia Mayor». or Fuerteventura. see Mercer.Canarv Islands. p, 201 ff., for a listing of tite ancient structures found on Fuerteventura; Pliny was probably réferring to tite great stone wall stretching from coast to coast across El Jable, ~ Titere is one otiter earlytext-Lucian, Verae Historiae. 1 & II—witicb 1 itave not cited as it is quite clearly a parody on Platos «Atíantis» andHorners «Hesperides” (see especially Lucians mytitical «Cork-Town»—Phello). Clearly. titese stories do not pretend (in spite of titeir designation as «Trae Siories») to represent geograpitical trutit: «Alice in Wonderíand» is about as «trutisful!”. 32 As síated carlier (note 4)1 suspect titat tite rendering of the features of the individual parts of tite Nesoi mural. titat is titose pertaining to cacis panicular island. would itave looked. in regard to style. like tite famous «Odyssey Landscape’>. But titis begs tite question of tite Philostratus and the Canaries 261 lostratus Marine-Painter» had himself been a mariner belore he took up his evidentí>’ able brush?

manner of its overalí pictorial organization. As 1 now believe, tisis type of composition would itave looked very mucit like tite layout ofrny figure 2. graphically representing the itinerary of a saiíing sitip passing by tite individual islands in tite Canary Archipelago. In short. 1 would calI Philostratus fresco a «cartograpitic-landscape», witit detailed representations (out of scalc, ofcourse) of tite distinctive topograpity. flora and faunaof eacit island. Unfortunately, as only a very few maps from tite classical period have survived (see Cary & Warmington, Ancient Exploren-. pp. 226-7. for titese). it is difticult to knowjust how «typical» a kind of carto- grapitic-convention this fresco represents. More titan Iíkely. it was once far more common tlian WC now suppose. Moreover. it appears titat Pitilostratus wall-map found a later edito in a ituge painted world-map (completed ca. ¡275) wbicit adorned a wall in Hereford Catitedral (Herts.. England). Upon tisis mappa mundt at about tite proper place for tite Canaries, are shown tite «Fonunate Insulae ser sant Insuale s(an)cq’us) Brandan/a. unfortunately now much oblirerated (R. D. Benedict. «Tite Hereford Map and tite Legend of St. Brandan>’, Bulletin of the Amcrican Geographic Socierv, XXIV. 1892. pp. 312-65: on St. Brendans legendary voyages. see also Ramsey, No Longer on ihe Mag p. 60 f.: and W. H Babcock. Legendary Islands ofthe AtIende.- A Síudv in Medieval Geography New York. 1922, Pp. 34-49). Tite ancienr Greek narne for titese once commonplace pseudo-cartograpitic representations was Chorographia (an is explained as such in Ptolemy’s Geographia).