Note 118 — BOOK VI.

Berenice, about 40 miles to south-west of Barca. Here the ancients placed the gardens of the Hesperides—now Ben Ghazi. (Beechey, p. 314.) Bengazi may be considered as occupying the site of the Berenice of the Ptolemies and of the Hesperis of earlier times; but very few remains now appear above ground to interest the sculptor, the architect or the antiquary.—J. Pennell’s ‘Herodotus’ (4to., London, 1800), p. 154.

Of the ancient city very few remains are now visible. ‘At the back of the castle, some foundations may be seen cropping out, but the tomb of a saint prevents any excavations being made.’—Smith and Porcher’s ‘Discoveries at Cyrene’ (1864), p. 13.

‘Bengazi, the ancient Berenice, built by Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Nothing now remains but its port, which is certainly the best on the coast of Tripoli.’ ‘On the north there are still to be seen, beyond seamark, the foundations of several large buildings, of stones 8 or 10 feet long and 3 broad, which, by their own weight and being bound by strong cement, have preserved their places.’—Lieut.-Col. Playfair, ‘Travels in the Footsteps of Bruce’ (4to., London, 1877.)