§5.41.1ἐπεὶ δὲ περὶ τῆς πρὸς ἑσπέραν κεκλιμένης χώρας καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὰς ἄρκτους νενευκυίας, ἔτι δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὸν ὠκεανὸν νήσων διεξήλθομεν, ἐν μέρει διέξιμεν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν μεσημβρίαν νήσων τῶν ἐν ὠκεανῷ τῆς Ἀραβίας τῆς πρὸς ἀνατολὴν κεκλιμένης καὶ προσοριζούσης τῇ καλουμένῃ Κεδρωσίᾳ.
Since we have discussed the land lying toward the west and that which inclines toward the north, and furthermore the islands in the ocean, we shall discuss in turn the islands in the south of the ocean, off that part of Arabia which lies toward the east and borders on the land called Kedrosia.
§5.41.2ἡ μὲν γὰρ χώρα πολλαῖς κώμαις καὶ πόλεσιν ἀξιολόγοις κατοικεῖται, καὶ τούτων αἱ μὲν ἐπὶ χωμάτων ἀξιολόγων κεῖνται, αἱ δʼ ἐπὶ γεωλόφων ἢ πεδίων καθίδρυνται· ἔχουσι δʼ αὐτῶν αἱ μέγισται βασίλεια κατεσκευασμένα πολυτελῶς, πλῆθος οἰκητόρων ἔχοντα καὶ κτήσεις ἱκανάς.
For the land is inhabited by many villages and notable cities, and of these, some lie upon notable mounds, while others are established upon hills or plains; and the largest of them possess luxuriously constructed palaces, having a multitude of inhabitants and sufficient possessions.
§5.41.3πᾶσα δʼ αὐτῶν ἡ χώρα γέμει θρεμμάτων παντοδαπῶν, καρποφοροῦσα καὶ νομὰς ἀφθόνους παρεχομένη τοῖς βοσκήμασι· ποταμοί τε πολλοὶ διαρρέοντες ἐν αὐτῇ πολλὴν ἀρδεύουσι χώραν, συνεργοῦντες πρὸς τελείαν αὔξησιν τῶν καρπῶν.
Their entire land is full of all kinds of livestock, bearing fruit and providing abundant pastures for the herds; and many rivers flowing through it irrigate much land, contributing to the perfect growth of the crops.
διὸ καὶ τῆς Ἀραβίας ἡ πρωτεύουσα τῇ ἀρετῇ προσηγορίαν ἔλαβεν οἰκείαν, εὐδαίμων ὀνομασθεῖσα. §5.41.4ταύτης δὲ κατὰ τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς παρωκεανίτιδος χώρας κατʼ ἀντικρὺ νῆσοι κεῖνται πλείους, ὧν τρεῖς εἰσιν ἄξιαι τῆς ἱστορικῆς ἀναγραφῆς, μία μὲν ἡ προσαγορευομένη Ἱερά, καθʼ ἣν οὐκ ἔξεστι τοὺς τετελευτηκότας θάπτειν, ἑτέρα δὲ πλησίον ταύτης, ἀπέχουσα σταδίους ἑπτά, εἰς ἣν κομίζουσι τὰ σώματα τῶν ἀποθανόντων ταφῆς ἀξιοῦντες.
Therefore, the region which holds the first place in Arabia in excellence received an appropriate designation, being called "Happy." Opposite this land, along the borders of the coast of the ocean, lie several islands, of which three are worthy of historical record: one is that which is called Hiera, upon which it is not lawful to bury the dead, and another is near it, seven stades away, to which they carry the bodies of the deceased, deeming them worthy of burial.
ἡ δʼ οὖν Ἱερὰ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων καρπῶν ἄμοιρός ἐστι, φέρει δὲ λιβανωτοῦ τοσοῦτο πλῆθος, ὥστε διαρκεῖν καθʼ ὅλην τὴν οἰκουμένην πρὸς τὰς τῶν θεῶν τιμάς· ἔχει δὲ καὶ σμύρνης πλῆθος διάφορον καὶ τῶν ἄλλων θυμιαμάτων παντοδαπὰς φύσεις, παρεχομένας πολλὴν εὐωδίαν.
At all events, Hiera is destitute of other crops, but it produces such an abundance of frankincense that it suffices for the entire inhabited world for the honors of the gods; and it also has a great quantity of excellent myrrh and all kinds of other incense, which offer a great fragrance.
§5.41.5ἡ δὲ φύσις ἐστὶ τοῦ λιβανωτοῦ καὶ ἡ κατασκευὴ τοιάδε· δένδρον ἐστὶ τῷ μὲν μεγέθει μικρόν, τῇ δὲ προσόψει τῇ ἀκάνθῃ τῇ Αἰγυπτίᾳ τῇ λευκῇ παρεμφερές, τὰ δὲ φύλλα τοῦ δένδρου ὅμοια τῇ ὀνομαζομένῃ ἰτέᾳ, καὶ τὸ ἄνθος ἐπʼ αὐτῷ φύεται χρυσοειδές, ὁ δὲ λιβανωτὸς γινόμενος ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὀπίζεται ὡς ἂν δάκρυον.
The nature of the frankincense and its preparation are as follows: the tree is small in size, and in appearance resembles the white Egyptian acacia, and the leaves of the tree are like the so-called willow, and the flower grows upon it of a golden color; and the frankincense which comes from it distills like a tear.
§5.41.6τὸ δὲ τῆς σμύρνης δένδρον ὅμοιόν ἐστι τῇ σχίνῳ, τὸ δὲ φύλλον ἔχει λεπτότερον καὶ πυκνότερον.
The myrrh tree is similar to the mastic tree, but has thinner and denser leaves.
ὀπίζεται δὲ περισκαφείσης τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ῥιζῶν, καὶ ὅσα μὲν αὐτῶν ἐν ἀγαθῇ γῇ πέφυκεν, ἐκ τούτων γίνεται δὶς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, ἔαρος καὶ θέρους· καὶ ὁ μὲν πυρρὸς ἐαρινὸς ὑπάρχει διὰ τὰς δρόσους, ὁ δὲ λευκὸς θερινός ἐστι.
It distills when the earth is dug up around its roots, and such of them as grow in good soil produce twice a year, in spring and summer; and the red kind is that of spring because of the dew, while the white is that of summer.
τοῦ δὲ παλιούρου συλλέγουσι τὸν καρπόν, καὶ χρῶνται βρωτοῖς καὶ ποτοῖς καὶ πρὸς τὰς κοιλίας τὰς ῥεούσας φαρμάκῳ.
They also collect the fruit of the paliurus, and use it for food and drink and as a medicine for running bowels.