Chap. 47.] 



PHXE^ICOBALANUS. 143 



duced in the Thebais yields it in larger quantities. Among 

 these various kinds, that which is sent from the country of the 

 Troglodyte is the worst of all. There are some persons who 

 prefer that of Ethiopia 56 to all of these, the nut of which is 

 black, and not oleaginous ; it has only a very small kernel, but 

 the liquid which is extracted from it is more odoriferous than 

 that of the other kinds ; it grows, too, in a champaign, open 

 country. It is said that the Egyptian nut is even more olea- 

 ginous, being of a reddish colour with a thicker shell, and 

 that the plant, although it grows in wet, marshy spots, is 

 shorter and drier than the other kinds. The Arabian nut, 

 again, is said to be of a green colour and of smaller size, but 

 harder and more compact, from the circumstance that it grows 

 in mountainous districts. The best of all, however, is that of 

 Petra, which comes from a city mentioned 56 * on a previous 

 occasion ; it has a black shell, but the kernel is white. The 

 perfumers, however, only extract the juices from the shells ; 

 but medical men pound the kernels, pouring warm water on 

 them, little by little, as they do it. 



CHAP. 47. (22.) PHCENICOBAIiANUS. 



The fruit of the palm in Egypt, which is known by the 

 name of adipsos, 57 is put to a similar use in unguents, and is 

 held next in esteem after the myrobalanum. It is of a green 

 colour, has exactly the smell of a quince, and has no stone or 

 nut within. It is gathered a little before it begins to ripen. 

 That which is left ungathered is known as phoenicobalanus ; 58 

 it turns black, and has a tendency to inebriate the person who 

 eats of it. The price of myrobalanum is two denarii per pound. 

 The shop-keepers give this name also to the dregs of the 

 unguent that is made with it. 



56 This Ethiopian variety is quite unknown, and is, as Fee remarks, 

 most probably of a different species from the genuine myrobalanus. 



56* See B. vi. c. 32. 



57 " Curing thirst." Dioscorides, B. i. c. 148, says that it was so called 

 from being full of juice, which quenched thirst like water. 



m " Palm-nut." Fee thinks it not improbable that one of the date- 

 palms is meant, if we may judge from the name. He suggests that possi- 

 bly the Elais or avoira of 'Guinea, the Elais Gumeeiisis, which is found as 

 far as Upper Eoypt, and which produces a fine oil known as palm-oil, is 

 meant, or possiblv the Douma Thebaica, a palm-tree frequently met with 

 in Egypt. On fermentation, a vinous drink is extracted from the last, 

 which 'is capable of producing intoxication. 



