MERGE TO GYRENE. 413 injury to Cyrene*. We have already mentioned in our account of the Syrtis (on the authority of the same writer) that the silphium and the liquor which was extracted from it formed material articles of a contraband trade at Charax, where they were exchanged with the Carthaginians for winef. And we have ventured, on the same occasion, to differ in opinion with Dr. Della Celia as to the propriety of adopting the change in Strabo’s text proposed by that gentleman (p. 79); as it sufficiently appears, from various authorities, that both the plant and the extract were articles of commerce, and not the extract only, as the Doctor has stated. This is evident from the remarks of ancient writers on the subject ."j: ; and it is also certain * It appears, however, that the laser, or extract of the silphium, was not difficult to be met with in the reign of Severus, as we learn from Galen (de Temperant. L. iii. c. iii.

simpl. Medic. Fac. L. viii. and de Antidot. L. ii. p. 440. Edit. Basil. The plant, at the present day, is common in the high grounds about Gyrene, but we did not meet with it in the neighbourhood of Berenice and the Hesperian gardens, where it seems to have been formerly most abundant.

t This was probably the (poivixior oivor (or palm wine) of Athenseus, much esteemed by the ancients ; or the vinum Byblinum another Garthaginlan wine in great repute, and said to be at fii'st taste more grateful than the Lesbian. Tov S’ a7ro<pomxrii rov Xivov aivai (says Archestratus as quoted by Athenseus) sav avrov ygycr/!, ixr, 'goaS’sv &eis-, evcoSvn fxsv aoi Soei tov AtaQiov mat faXkov. — Deipnosoph. Lib. i. c. 23. Palm wine was drunk at Susa and Babylon by the Kings of Persia, as we find from Polysenus, Stratagem. Lib. iv.

f Among others Athenseus (in the words of Eubulus) as quoted in the Deipnosophista — (Lib. 1.).... KxvXov EX KapxnSovo! xxi aiXipm. Here we see the stalk or stem decidedly mentioned with either the root or the exti-act of the silphium (more probably the former) as an article of export from Garthage ; and procured (we may infer) by the Garthaginian traders from Gharax, since they had no silphium in their own country. Again, Antiphanes (the nSiaros Avn(pxms) as quoted by Athenseus ; or ev rai i\o9n<Sxtaj (p-nmv. — AiSvs re xott/Xor s'/ipyarfj.evos stxruji S'eixis' aiKiptou rcxpxarxrei. — (Lib. xiv. c. iv).