442 
pliny's nattjeal histoet. 
[Book y. 
Sartona\ a distance of fifty miles, thence to Melitene^, in 
Cappadocia, distant seventy-four^ miles, and tlience to Ele- 
gia^, in Armenia, distant ten miles ; receiving in its course tlie 
rivers Lycus^, Arsanias^, and Arsanus. At Elegia it meets 
the range of Mount Taurus, but no effectual resistance is 
offered to its course, although the chain is here twelve 
miles in Tvidth. At its passage^ between the mountains, 
the river bears the name of Omma^ ; but afterwards, when it 
has passed through, it receives that of Euphrates. Beyond 
this spot it is full of rocks, and runs with an impetuous 
tide. It then divides that part of Arabia which is called 
the country of the Orei^, on the left, by a channel three 
1 Other readings have " Pastona " here, said by D'AnvHle to be the 
modern Pastek. 
2 Called the metropolis of Lesser Armenia by Procopius. It was 
situate between Anti-Taurus and the Euplirates, and celebrated for its 
fertiHty, more especially in fruit-trees, oil, and wine. The site of the 
city MeHtene is now called Malatiyah, on a tributary of the Euphrates, 
and near that river itself. 
3 It is generally supposed that " twenty-four " would be the correct 
reading here. 
^ There were two places of this name. The one here spoken of was a 
town of Lesser Armenia, on the right bank of the Euphrates, at the 
first, or principal curve, which takes place before the river enters Mount 
Taurus. It is represented by the modern Iz Oghlu. 
^ No other writer is found to make mention of the Lycus, which 
flows into the Euphrates, though there is a river formerly so called, which 
flows into the Tigris below Larissa, the modern Nimroud. D'Anville 
is of opinion, that it is formed from the numerous springs, called by the 
people of the district Bing-gheul, or the " Thousand Springs." 
^ Now called the Myrad-Chai. Hitter considers it to be the south 
arm of the Euphrates. The Arsanus is mentioned by no wTiter except 
PHny. 
7 The defile at this place is now called the Cataract of Nachour, ac- 
cording to Parisot. 
8 The more general reading here is "Omira." Hardouin is of opinion, 
that this is the district referred to in the Book of Judith, ii. 24. In the 
Yulgate, it appears to be twice called the river Mamhre; but in our 
version it is called Arhonai. 
9 Burnouf has concluded, fi'om a cuneiform inscription which he 
deciphered, that the name of this people was Ayura, and that Hardouin 
is wi^ong in conjecturing that it was a name derived from tlie Greek 
Ojoos, " a mountain," and designating the people as a mountain tribe. 
If Burnouf is right, the proper reading here would seem to be Aroei, or 
Arrhoei. 
