II.] THE AMBER TRADE. 33
Mullenhoff has proved by an ingenious comparison of passages
relating to this subject in Diodorus and Pliny. For, while the
former of these writers tells us, though without giving his authority,
that tin and amber were brought to the Mediterranean by this
route, it is clear from the corresponding notices in Pliny that the
source from which his information was drawn was Pytheas ] and
thus Pytheas is made to testify that the overland trade existed
before his 'day \ How far back it may have dated we have no
means of knowing, but possibly it may have been earlier than the
foundation of Massilia. In any case, however, and by whatever
route amber may have reached the shores of the Mediterranean, it
is certain that in the Homeric age, if it was transported by sea to
Greece, it must have passed through the hands of the Phoenicians,
inasmuch as they were the only seafaring people of that time, We
have already seen that in one passage of the Odyssey persons of
that race are mentioned as having it in their possession.
The idea that there was an entrepot for amber at the mouths of
the Po, which has been hinted at above, is con-
. Entrepdt at
nected with two interesting and much debated the Mouths of
points—viz. first, the origin of the legend of the **Po'
sisters of Phaethon, which was localised in this spot; and
secondly, the etymology of the name Eridanus, which was ap-
plied to the river Po by the Greeks, and after them by the Roman
poets. According to the well-known story, Phaethon, gtory of the
the son of Helios, persuaded his father to allow sisters of
him for one day to drive the chariot of the sun
through the heavens: but, being unable to check the horses in
their career, he first set the heavens on fire, and then approached
too near the earth; whereupon Zeus struck him with a flash of
lightning, and he fell to the ground near the mouth of the
Eridanus. His sisters, who there lamented his untimely fate,
were changed into poplars, and their tears became amber. The
last trait here mentioned is a clear proof that amber circulated
in that neighbourhood, and also that it was believed to exude
from the trunks of trees. How the myth of Phaethon's death
came to be naturalised there, we have no means of ascer-
1 Diodor. 5.22. 4 and 5.23. i, 5 compared with Pliny 4.94 and 37.35,3<>;
see also Miillenhoff, Deutsche Altirtumskundt, I. p. 476.
T.