MANY CIVILISATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 259, 2 November 1931, Page 6

MANY CIVILISATIONS.

CYPRUS THROUGH HISTORY.

(By W.L.M.)

Let it not be thought that this revolt of a portion of the Cypriot population, news of which has occupied such a .prominent place' in the recent ca'ble news, at a moment when the attention of the world was focussed upon the political situation in the United Kingdom, is the result of the enactment by Government of some unpopular measure, or of sudden discontent with their policy. Rather is it the logical culmination of the doctrine; inculcated for many years by a local which, in letters that Demosthenes would have recognised, but in a style that would have made this ardent advocate of a united Hellas turn in 'his grave, have systematically vilified the Administration, with a scurrility only to be equalled by that displayed in those vernacular papers of India-published under Swarj influence.

■ But apart from this present trouble, Cyprus has always had an interest for the world, for was not the laughter-loving Aphrodite herself 'born of the foam which even to-day comes ashore on the golden strand by Paphos, and did not the godij and goddesses hold their court on mighty Olympus, now Mount Troodos, whither in these days the Government migrates, fittingly enough, every summer to escape the heat of Nicosia ?

The Egyptian conquest in B.C. 569 is the first appearance of Cyprus in authentic history apart from legend, while the three references in Homer are obvious interpolations and are probably the earliest examples of that type of propaganda with which the world became so distressingly familiar after the Treaty of Versailles, as their acceptance would establish the fact of Greek influence in the island from the earliest times, at the. expense of .the truth that its earliest 'culture owed its origin to Phoenicia. Wdth the- rise of the Persian Empire,' Cyprus comes into the full light of authenticated history, and we know that, though in the 'beginning of the revolt of the lonian Greeks against the power, of the "Great King," certain of the Cypriote rebelled in sympathy, on the day of Salamis, when the fate of Europe depended on the galleys of Athens and her allies, the vessels of Cyprus constituted no mean addition to the Asiatic fleet. Passing to Roman times, we find Cato giving another example of his preference for the beaten side by protesting against the spoliation of the island, and at a iater 'date Cicero allows an appeal by certain Cypriots against paying interest on a loan at the rate of forty-eight per _cent. Cicero reduces this to twelve per cent, and then diecovei-s that tho ostensible creditor is merely a dummy to cover the operations of that "honourable" man, ardent patriot and republican 'by name Brutus. Our own Richard 1., married Berengaria of Navarre there, - captured the island and sold it to the Knights Templar. Ouydc Lusigmui, King of Jerusalem, took it over and his dynasty ruled for-nearly three centuries. It was fear of Turkish invasion that induced 'the last Lusignan queen to admit Venetian garrisons, but despite the battle of Lepantu, Cyprus became Turkish and remained so until the British regime. When in IDly we made the Government at Athens the offer of the island in return, for effective support of Serbia, it Wae declined with thanks. It is strange that Cyprus, offering as it does so many objects of interest, in which relics of all the great civilisations of Nearer Asia and Europe can i>c traced,.remains such a terra incognita, especially wlien it is remenrbefed that it lies less than a day's sail from Port Said.