134 
pliny's katueal histoet. 
[Book XII. 
we find it also called ledanum. They say, also, that a viscous 
substance settles upon this plant, and, that, by the aid of 
strings wound around it, its leaves are rolled into balls, from 
which a kind of cake is made. Hence it is, that in Cyprus, as 
well as in Arabia, there are two kinds of ladanum ; the one 
natural, and mingled with earth, and the other artificial : the 
former is friable, while the latter is of a viscous nature. 
It is stated, also, that this substance is the produce of a 
shrub originally found in Carmania, and propagated by plants, 
by order of the Ptolemies, in the parts beyond Egypt ; while 
other authorities are found, which say that it grows on the 
incense tree, and is gathered like gum, from incisions made in 
the bark, after which it is collected in bags of goat-skin. That 
of the most approved quality, sells at the rate of forty asses 
per pound. Ladanum is adulterated with myrtle berries, and 
filth taken from the fleeces of other animals besides the goat. 
If genuine, it ought to have a wild and acrid smell, in some 
measure redolent of the desert places where it is produced ; it 
is dry and parched in appearance, but becomes soft the moment 
it is touched. When ignited, it gives a brilliant flame, and 
emits a powerful but pleasant odour ; if mixed with myrtle 
berries, its spurious quality is immediately discovered by their 
crackling in the fire. In addition to this, the genuine lada- 
num has more grits, or stony particles, adhering to it, than 
dust. 
CHAP. 38. ENH^MON. 
In Arabia, too, the olive-tree distils a sort of tear, with 
which the Indians make a medicament, known by the Greeks 
as enhsemon ; it is said to be of wonderful efficacy in con- 
tracting and healing wounds and sores. These trees, ^''^ situate 
on the coasts there, are covered by the sea at high water, 
without the berries suifering the slightest injury, although it 
is a well-known fact, that the salt collects upon the leaves. 
26 From the Greek 'ivaifjiov, " styptic," or " blood-stopping." It is at 
the present day called gum " de lecce" in Italy. Fee says that it is not 
often procured from the olive-trees of France, though it is found very com- 
monly on those of Naples and Calabria. It has no active powers, he says, 
as a medicine. 
2'' Hardouin suggests that they may be the pelagise, mentioned again in 
B. xiii. c. 51. 
