Knowledge that Transforms

THE Journal of Hellenic Studies appears with this number, Vol. LI, Part I, in a new format, beautifully printed. The principal article is a closely reasoned discussion by Mr. J. A. Wainwright of the question whether Keftiu (Caphtor) is Crete. The writer, arguing mainly from the representations of kilts in Egyptian paintings, gives very strong grounds to support his view that the Keftiuans were Cilicians or the like and had nothing to do with Crete. Mr. Wade-Gery discusses afresh the Financial Decrees of Kallias, offers some new readings, and is inclined to make them belong to 422/1 B.C. Professor Mountford writes on a new fragment (a very little one) of Greek music, probably as old as 250 B.C., and gives approximate renderings in modern musical notation. There is an amusing note on the claim to the vacant throne of Greece in v 1830 made by an Irishman boasting descent from the Palaeologi and supporting his claim by a testimonial of character from the parish priest. Among the books reviewed are Sir Arthur Evans's Palace of Minos, vol. iii, Mr. Bowra's Tradition and Design in the Iliad, and Dr. Farnell's translation of Pindar.

The speculation of an ancient ocean, river and lake on Mars, the observation of geological features andthe findings of H 2 O on the Martian surface, and the detection of a “water lake” beneath 1.5 km in Mars are all consistent with the scenario of water envisaged earlier by Liu (Phys Earth Planet Inter 49: 142–167, 1987; Icarus 74: 98–107, 1988). Unless sealed in cavities, liquid water or naked ice should not survive on the Martian surface. These materials cannot possibly exist on the lunar surface either, regardless of the recent claims made by space missions to the Moon, because the lunar mass is even much smaller than Mars. Both the disappearance of the Martian ancient ocean and the scarce‑ ness of the findings in the space missions manifest that water and ice are not physically stable on the surface of Mars and the Moon. Otherwise, significant amounts of water and/or ice should have had been accumulated during the long history of these planets. Depending on the origin, the Moon may or may not contain ordinary hydrous minerals. Whether a volatile can stably exist on the surface of a planet, in either liquid or solid, depends on whether the volatile can exist as a component of the planet’s atmosphere.