Chap. 35.] 
MTEEH. 
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- 
nitse. A third kind is the Dianitic/^ and a fourth is the 
mixed myrrh, or ''all-sorts 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 Sambra- 
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 th^ 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 these 
various districts will be found in B. vi. c. 32. 
Hardouin suggests that it may be so called from the island of Dio^. 
mentioned hj Strabo, B. xvi. 
" Collatitia." The reading, however, is very doubtful. 
e: 2 
