116 PLINY's NATUEAL HISTOEY. [Book XII. 



ATTONS "USED IN ALL SPICES AND AEOHATICS ; THE VAEIOUS 

 TESTS OF THEM AND THEIE EESPECTIVE VALUES. 



In the vicinity, too, of India, is Bactriana, in which region 

 ■we find bdellium, 64 that is so highly esteemed. This tree is of a 

 black colour, and about the size of the olive ; it has leaves like 

 those of the robur, and bears a fruit similar to that of the wild 

 fig, and in nature resembling a kind of gum. This fruit is 

 by some persons called brochon, by others malacha, and by 

 others, again, maldacon. "When of a black colour, and rolled 

 up in cakes, it bears the name of hadrobolon. This substance 

 ought to be transparent and the colour of wax, odoriferous, 

 unctuous when subjected to friction, and bitter to the taste, 

 though without the slightest acidity. When used for sacred 

 purposes, it is steeped in wine, upon which it emits a still 

 more powerful odour. The tree is a native of both India and 

 Arabia, as well as Media and Babylon ; some persons give to 

 the bdellium that is imported by way of Media, the name of 

 peraticum. 63 This last is remarkable for its brittleness, while, 

 at the same time, it is harder and more bitter than the other 

 kinds ; that of India, on the other hand, is moister, and gummy. 

 This last sort is adulterated by means of almonds, while the 

 various other kinds are falsified with the bark of scordastum, 

 that being the name of a tree 66 the gum of which strongly re- 

 sembles bdellium. These adulterations, however, are to be 

 detected — and let it suffice to mention it here, in relation to all 

 other perfumes as well — by the smell, the colour, the weight, 

 the taste, and the action of fire. The bdellium of Bactriana 

 is shining and dry, and covered with numerous white spots 

 resembling the finger-nails ; besides which, it should be of a 

 certain weight, heavier or lighter than which it ought not to 

 be. The price of bdellium, in its pure state, is three denarii 

 per pound. 



64 Fee remarks, that it is singular that a resinous gum, such as bdel- 

 lium, should have been used in commerce for now two thousand years, 

 and yet its origin remain unknown. Ksempfer and Kumphus are of 

 opinion, that the tree which produces it is the one known to naturalists as 

 the Borassus flahelliformis of Linnseus, or the Lontarus of others. It is 

 imported into Europe from Arabia and India, and is often found mixed 

 with gum Arabic. 



65 UtpaTiKov; from 7repara y^c, "the remotest parts of the earth," 

 from which it was brought. 



66 The modem name of this tree is unknown. 



