Page 332 - Lanzarotto Malocello from Italy to the Canary Islands

332 from Italy to the Canary Islands

include Phenomena (referring to the risings and settings of constellations)
and a theory of homocentric spheres (a geometrical model of celestial mo-
tion).
The geographer Strabo spoke of another Eudoxus, Eudoxus of Cyzicus
and his Atlantic voyages based on information by Posidonius of Apamea,
a Stoic philosopher who lived from about 135 to 51 BC. The latter founded
a school in Rhodes and travelled tirelessly around the Mediterranean as far
as Gaul and Spain, in Cadiz. He stayed several times in Rome. Of his vast
production we have only 23 titles of works and some fragments. Among
other things, he had written Histories in 52 volumes.
It is likely that Eudoxus may have come close to the Canary Islands as
a result of a trip caused by a fortuitous discovery. On the coast of Somalia,
Eudoxus saw a prow sculpture made of wood; it had the shape of an equine
protome and had once belonged to a ship that had reached those places
via a route that had begun in the West. In Egypt, he learned from owners
of merchant ships that the sculpture had undoubtedly belonged to a vessel
coming from Cadiz. In Eudoxus’ narration this city plays an undoubtedly
important role.
Apparently, different types of ships took to the sea from Cadiz; those of
more modest means were boats called hippoi, or horses, from the ornament
on their prows, which poor men used in fishing along the coasts of Mauri-
tania as far as the river Lixus.
The equine protome discovered by Eudoxus belonged to a boat that had
probably gotten lost south of the river Lixus.
Eudoxus must have then concluded that it was possible to go farther,
and so he set out for a Cadiz - East Africa route. There is a good chance
that his first expedition reached the wadi (rocky river bed) of the Draa.
Upon returning from this first adventure, he sighted a deserted island
with lots of water and trees. It is not unlikely that this was one of the is-
lands of the Canary archipelago. That trip must have been rich with images
and contents for Eudoxus, for he organized a second one with the intention
of docking on that island he had sighted, which must have struck a chord
in him.
From these short stories about the lives of ancient personalities - who
seem to come alive by the very act of telling - we can observe the impor-
tance of the city of Cadiz in antiquity as a strategic point from which to
sail beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and also that the men of those times
would set sail trusting in the gods alone, without cognizance of an Earthly