Chap. 35.] MYERH. 131 



of myrrh; the first among the wild myrrhs is the Troglo- 

 dytic; and the next are the Minaean, which includes the 

 Atramitic, and that of Ausaritis, in the kingdom of the Geba- 

 nitae. A third kind is the Dianitic, 18 and a fourth is the 

 mixed myrrh, or " all-sorts ;" 19 a fifth, again, is the Sambra- 

 cenian, which is brought from a city in the kingdom of the 

 Sabaei, near the sea ; and a sixth is known by the name of 

 Dusaritic. There is a white myrrh also, which is produced in 

 only one spot, and is carried for sale to the city of Messalum. 

 The Troglodytic myrrh is tested by its unctuousness, and its 

 peculiarly dry appearance : it has also a dirty, rough look 

 with it, but is more acrid than the other kinds. The Sanibra- 

 cenian myrrh has none of these faults, and is more sightly in 

 appearance than any of them, though it is far from being 

 so powerful. In general, however, the proof of its goodness 

 consists in its being separated in little pieces of uneven shape, 

 formed by the concretion of a whitish juice, which dries up 

 little by little. When broken it ought to exhibit white marks 

 like the finger-nails, and to be slightly bitter to the taste. 

 That of second quality is of a mottled appearance within ; 

 while of worse quality is that which is of a black colour 

 within ; the very worst of all is that which is black on the 

 outside as well. 



The price of myrrh varies according to the number of pur- 

 chasers. Stacte is sold at prices which vary from three de- 

 narii to forty per pound, while the very highest price of the 

 cultivated myrrh is eleven denarii. Erythraean myrrh, the 

 same, it is pretended, as Arabian myrrh, is sixteen denarii per 

 pound, Troglodytic also, is sixteen denarii ; and that known as 

 odoraria, or odoriferous myrrh, sells at fourteen. Myrrh is 

 adulterated with pieces of mastich, and other gums ; it is also 

 drugged with the juice of wild cucumber, in order to produce 

 a certain bitterness, and with litharge for the purpose of in- 

 creasing its weight. Other sophistications may be discovered 

 on tasting it, and the gum will adhere to the teeth. But the 



being not a distinct kind, but a simple variety in appearance only. He 

 thinks, also, that Pliny may very possibly be describing several distinct 

 resinous products, under the one name of myrrh. An account of tbese 

 various districts will be found in B. vi. c. 32. 



18 Hardouin suggests that it may be so called from the island of Dia, 

 mentioned by Strabo, B. xvi. 



19 " Collatitia." The reading, however, is very doubtful. 



E 2 



