94 PLINt's NATTTEAI HISTOBT. [Book VI. 



are the Ctadei, also called Ophiopliagi, a people in the habit 

 of mating serpents ; there is no region in existence more pro- 

 ductive of them. 



Juba, who appears to have investigated all these matters 

 with the greatest diligence, has omitted, in his description of 

 these regions— unless, indeed, it be an error in the copying — 

 another place called Berenice and sumamed Panchrysos," as 

 also a third surnamed Epidires,*® and remarkable for the 

 peculiarity o'f its site ; for it lies on a long projecting neck of 

 land, at the spot where the Straits at the mouth of the Eed 

 Sea separate the coast of Africa from Arabia by a distance 

 of seven miles only : here too is the island of Cytis,** which 

 also produces the topaz. 



Beyond this are forests, in which is Ptolemais,* built by 

 Philadelphus for the chase of the elephant, and thence called 

 Epitheras," situate bear Lake Monoleus. This is the same region 

 that has been already mentioned by us in the Second Book,'® 

 and in which, during forty-five days before the summer solstice 

 and for as many after, there is no shadow at the sixth hour, and 

 during the other hours of the day it falls to the south ; while at 

 other times it falls to the north; whereas at the Berenice of 

 which we first '^ made mention, on the day of the summer solstice 

 the shadow totally disappears at the sixth hour, but no other 

 unusual phsenomenon is observed. That place is situate at a 

 distance of six hundred and two miles from Ptolemais, which 



*' It obtained this title of Travxpvaog, or " all golden," from its vi- 

 cinity to the gold mines of Jebel AUaki, or OUaki, from which the ancient 

 Egyptians drew their principal supply of that metal, and in the working 

 of which they employed criminals and prisoners of war. 



^ Or ^Tri Siiprje, " upon the neck." It was situate on the western side 

 of the Red Sea, near the Straits of Kab-el-Mandeb. 



*' Ansart suggests that the modern island of Mehnn is here meant. 

 Gosselin is of opinion that Pliny is in error in mentioning two islands in 

 tlie Eed Sea as producing the topaz. 



^ Called Theron, as well as Epitheras. It was an emporium on the 

 coast of the Eed Sea for the trade with India and Arabia. It was chiefly 

 remarkable for its position in mathematical geography, as, the sun hayino- 

 been observed to be directly over it forty-five days tefore and after the 

 summer solstice, the place was taken as one of the points for determinin!>- 

 the length of a degree of a great circle on the earth's surface. ° 



" From the Greek «jri OrtpaQ, "for hunting." 



s2 In B. ii. c. 75. 



" In the same Chapter. 



