|
The name Libya derives from the Greek, and means dripping rain. In the Greek myth, Libya was the daughter of Zeus and Io. The story goes that Cyrene, a strong maiden adept of wrestling with wild beasts and protector of flocks on Mount Pelion, attracted Apollo’s attention. He carried her off in his golden chariot to the site of what to become the city of Cyrene. There Aphrodite greeted them - and had them bed down in Libya’s chamber. Apollo promised Cyrene that she would reign over a well-watered, pleasant land, where she could enjoy the hunting. This land was no doubt the Jabal Al-Akhdar, The Green Mountain. Cyrene then bore Apollo a son, Aristaeus. The Greek of Cyrene in eastern Libya held Aristaeus to be their ancestor-and named their port Apollonia, in honour of his father.
|
