, Strab. xvii. p.770
; Diod. 3.39
; Ptol. 4.5.7
; Plin. Nat. 6.29. s. 33
), the modern Foul Bay,
in lat. 22° N., derived its appellation from the badness of its anhorage, and the difficulty of navigating vessels among its numerous reefs and breakers.
In its furthest western recess lay the city of Berenice, founded, or rather enlarged, by Ptolemy Philadelphus, and so named by him in honour of his mother, the widow of Ptolemy Soter; and opposite its mouth was the island Ophiodes, famous alike for the reptiles which infested it, and its quarries of topaz.
The latter was much employed by Aegyptian artisans for ornamenting rings, scarabaei, &c., &c. [BERENICE