arranged in pairs opposite one another. The wood of the 'male' tree has no heart, but is hard throughout, like horn in closeness and strength; whereas that of the 'female' tree has heart-wood and is softer and goes into holes; wherefore it is useless for javelins. The height of the 'male' tree is at most twelve cubits, the length of the longest Macedonian spear, the stem up to the point where it divides not being very tall. The people of Mount Ida in the Troad say that the 'male' tree is barren, but that the 'female' bears fruit. The fruit has a stone like an olive and is sweet to the taste and fragrant[1]; the flower is like that of the olive, and the tree produces its flowers and fruit in the same manner, inasmuch as it has several growing from one stalk,[2] and they are produced at almost the same time in both forms. However the people of Macedonia say that both trees bear fruit, though that of the 'female' is uneatable, and the roots are like those of the chaste-tree, strong and indestructible. This tree grows in wet ground and not only [3] in dry places; and it comes from seed, and also can be propagated from a piece torn off.
[4]The 'cedar,' some say, has two forms, the Lycian and the Phoenician[5]; but some, as the people of Mount Ida, say that there is only one form. It resembles the arkeuthos (Phoenician cedar), differing chiefly in the leaf, that of 'cedar' being hard sharp and spinous, while that of arkeuthos is softer: the latter tree also seems to be of taller growth. However some do not give them distinct names, but call
- ↑ The Idaeans are evidently responsible for this statement. T. himself (3. 4. 3) says the fruit is inedible.
- ↑ But (1. 11. 4) only certain varieties of the olive are said to have this character: the next statement seems also inconsistent with 3. 4. 3. Perhaps T. is still reproducing his Idaean authority.
- ↑ μόνον ins. R. Const. from G.
- ↑ Plin. 13. 52. See Index κέδρος and ἄρκευθος.
- ↑ Φοινικῆν: Φοινικικὴν conj. W. cf. 9, 2. 3; Plin. l.c.
