Chap. 54.] BALSAIITTM. 147 



scent is something quite indescribable. Some persons call this 

 plant erysisceptruni, 70 and others, again, sceptrum. The proof 

 of its genuineness is its red or fiery colour ; it is also compact 

 to the touch, and has the smell of castoreum : 71 it is sold at 

 the rate of five denarii per pound. 



CHAP. 53. — MASON. 



In Egypt, too, grows marum, 72 though of inferior quality 

 to that of Lydia, which last has larger leaves, covered with 

 spots. Those of the other are shorter and smaller, and give 

 out a powerful scent. 



ceap. 54. (25.) — balsamum; opobalsamttm ; and xylobal-' 



SAMTJM. 



But to all other odours that of balsamum 73 is considered' 

 preferable, a plant that has been only bestowed by Nature 

 upon the land of Judaea. In former times it was cultivated in 

 two gardens only, both of which belonged to the kings of that 

 country : one of them was no more than twenty jugera in 

 extent, and the other somewhat smaller. The emperors Ves- 

 pasianus and Titus had this shrub exhibited at Borne ; indeed, 

 it is worthy of signal remark, that since the time of Pompeius 

 Magnus, we have been in the habit of carrying trees even in 

 our triumphal processions. At the present day this tree pays 

 us homage and tribute along with its native land, but it has 

 been found to be of altogether a different nature to that which 



70 Or "red sceptre," probably so called from the flowers clustering along 

 the whole length of the branches. 



71 A liquid matter extracted from the beaver. 



72 Generally regarded as identical with the Teucrium Marum of Linnaeus, 

 a sweet-smelling shrub found in the south of Europe and the East, by us 

 commonly known as "herb mastich," somewhat similar to marjoram. 

 Fee says that the marum of Egypt is a kind of sage, the Salvia iEthiopis 

 of Linnaeus. 



73 Balsam (or balm of Mecca, as it is sometimes called) is the produce 

 of two trees, probably varieties of one another, of the terebinth family, 

 belonging to the genus Amyris. So far from being a native solely of 

 Judaea, liruce assures us that its original country was that which produces 

 myrrh, in the vicinity of Babelmandel, and that the inhabitants use the 

 wood solely for fuel. In Judaea it appears to have been cultivated solely 

 in gardens ; and it was this tree which produced the famous balm of Gilead 

 of Scripture. The balsam 'trees known to us do not at all correspond with 

 Pliny's description, as they do not resemble either the vine or myrtle, nor 

 are their leaves at all like those of rue. 



