Chap. 23.] THE DIFFERENT KINDS Or PAPER. 187 



thickness of one's arm ; the section of the stalk is triangular, 

 and it tapers gracefully upwards towards the extremity, 

 being not more than ten cubits at most in height. Very much 

 like a thyrsus 5 in shape, it has a head on the top, which has 

 no seed 6 * in it, and, indeed, is of no use whatever, except as a 

 flower employed to crown the statues of the gods. The 

 natives use the roots by way of wood, not only for firing, but 

 for various other domestic purposes as well. From the papy- 

 rus itself they construct boats 6 also, and of the outer coat they 

 make sails and mats, as well as cloths, besides coverlets and 

 ropes ; they chew it also, both raw and boiled, though they 

 swallow the juice only. 



The papyrus grows in Syria also, on the borders of the same 

 lake around which grows the sweet-scented calamus; 7 and 

 King Antiochus used to employ the productions of that country 

 solely as cordage for naval purposes; for the use of spartum 8 

 had not then become commonly known. More recently it has 

 been understood that a papyrus grows in the river Euphrates, 

 in the vicinity of Babylon, from which a similar kind of paper 

 may easily be produced : still, however, up to the present time 

 the Parthians have preferred to impress 9 their characters upon 

 cloths 



CHAP. 23. (12) TnE NTNE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAPER. 



Paper is made from the papyrus, by splitting it with a 



5 This was a pole represented as being carried by Bacchus and his Bac- 

 chanalian train. It was mostly terminated by the fir cone, that tree being 

 dedicated to Bacchus, in consequence of the use of its cones and turpentine 

 in making wine. Sometimes it is surmounted by vine or fig leaves, with 

 grapes or berries arranged in form of a cone. 



5 * This is not the fact : it has seed in it, though not very easily percep- 

 tible. The description here given is otherwise very correct. 



6 Among the ancients the term papyrus was used as a general appellation 

 for all the different plants of the genus Cyperus, which was used for making 

 mats,' boats, baskets, and numerous other articles: but one species only 

 was employed for making paper, the Cyperus papyrus, or Byblos Fee 

 states that the papyrus is no longer to be found in the Delta, where it for- 

 merly abounded. ' 7 See B. xii. c. 48. 



8 Sometimes translated hemp. A description will be given of it in B. 

 xix. c. 7. 



9 " Intexere." This would almost appear to mean that they embroidered 

 or interwove the characters. The Persians still write on a stuff made of 

 white silk, gummed and duly prepared for the purpose. 



