On this landlocked sea mankind had learned the art of navigation.

Every one looked at the waves before looking at the sky.

Over this blue highway had arrived the miracles of life, and out of its depths the gods were born.

The Phoenicians--Jews, become navigators--abandoned their cities in the depths of the Mediterranean sack, in order to spread the mysterious knowledge of Egypt and the Asiatic monarchies all along the shores of the interior sea.

Afterwards the Greeks of the maritime republics took their places.
In Ferragut's estimation the greatest honor to which Athens could lay claim was that she had been a democracy of sailors, her freemen serving their country as rowers and all her famous men as great marine officials.
"Themistocles and Pericles," he added, "were admirals of fleets, and after commanding ships, governed their country." On that account Grecian civilization had spread itself everywhere and had become immortal instead of lessening and disappearing without fruit as in the interior lands.