Here this
merchant bought much more goods, such as would find a ready sale in the
Roman market, enough to fill the half of a galley, indeed, which lay in
the harbour near the Pharos lading for Syracuse and Rhegium.
At length the galley sailed, meaning to make Crete, but was caught by
a winter storm and driven to Paphos in Cyprus, where, being afraid to
attempt the seas again, let the merchant, Demetrius, do what he would
to urge them forward, the captain and crew of the galley determined
to winter. So they beached her in the harbour and went up to the great
temple, rejoicing to pay their vows and offer gifts to Venus, who had
delivered them from the fury of the seas, that they might swell the
number of her votaries.
But although he accompanied them, since otherwise they might have
suspected that he was a Jew, Demetrius, who sought another goddess,
cursed Venus in his heart, knowing that had it not been for her delights
the sailors would have risked the weather. Still, there was no help for
it and no other ship by which he could sail, so here he abode for more
than three months, spending his time in Curium, Amathos and Salamis,
trading among the rich natives of Cyprus, out of whom he made a
large profit, and adding wine, and copper from Tamasus to his other
merchandise, as much as there was room for on the ship.
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