Pharos

, a small island in the bay of Alexandria, about seven furlongs distant from the continent. It was joined to the Egyptian shore with a causeway by Dexiphanes, B.C. 284, and upon it was built a celebrated tower, in the reign of Ptolemy Soter and Philadelphus, by So stratus the son of Dexiphanes. This tower, which was called the tower of Pharos, and which pa ed for one of the seven wonders of the world, was built with white marble, and could be seen at the distance of 100 miles. On the top, fires were constantly kept to direct sailors in the bay, which was dangerous and difficult of acce . The building of this tower cost the Egyptian monarch 800 talents, which were equivalent to above 165,000 l. English, if Attic, or if Alexandrian, double that sum. There was this inscription upon it, King Ptolemy to the Gods the saviours, for the benefit of sailors ; but So stratus the architect, wishing to claim all the glory, engraved his own name upon the stones, and afterwards filled the hollow with mortar, and wrote the above-mentioned inscription. When the mortar had decayed by time, Ptolemy’s name disappeared, and the following inscription then became visible: So stratus the Cnidian, son of Dexiphanes, to the Gods the saviours, for the benefit of sailors . The word Pharius is often used as Egyptian. Lucan , bk. 2 , li. 636 ; bk. 3 , li. 260 ; bk. 6 , li. 308 ; bk. 9 , li. 1005 , . — Ovid , Ars Am at or i a , bk. 3 , li. 635 .— Pliny , bk. 4 , chs. 31 & 85; bk. 36 , ch. 13 .— Strabo , bk. 17 .— Mela , bk. 2 , ch. 7 .— Pliny , bk. 13 , ch. 11 .— Homer , Ody ey , bk. 4 .— Flaccus , bk. 2 .— Statius , bk. 3 , Sylvæ , poem 2, li. 102 .――A watch-tower near Capreæ.――An island on the coast of Illyricum, now called Lesina . Mela , bk. 2 , ch. 7 .――The emperor Claudius ordered a tower to be built at the entrance of the port of Ostia, for the benefit of sailors, and it likewise bore the name of Pharos , an appellation afterwards given to every other edifice which was raised to direct the course of sailors, either with lights, or by signals. Juvenal , satire 11, li. 76 .— Suet on i us.