27. Μότω—Motô—a sort of cassia exported from Tabai and Opônê ([13]).
28. Μύρον—Myrrh. (Sans. bola.) Exported from Egypt to Barugaza as a present for the king ([49]). It is a gum or resin issuing from a thorn found in Arabia Felix, Abyssinia, &c., vide σμύρνη inf.
29. Νάρδος (Sans. nalada, ‘kaskas,’ Heb. nerd) Nard, Spikenard.[11] Gangetic spikenard brought down the Ganges to Gangê, near its mouth ([63]), and forwarded thence to Mouziris and Nelkunda ([56]). Spikenard produced in the regions of the Upper Indus and in Indo-Skythia forwarded through Ozênê to Barugaza ([48]). Imported by the Egyptians from Barugaza and Barbarikon in Indo-Skythia (49, 39).
The Nardos is a plant called (from its root being shaped like an ear of corn) νάρδου στάχυς, also ναρδόσταχυς, Latin Spica nardi, whence ‘spikenard.’ It belongs to the species Valeriana. “No Oriental aromatic,” says Vincent, “has caused greater disputes among the critics or writers on natural history, and it is only within these few years that we have arrived at the true knowledge of this curious odour by means of the inquiries of Sir W. Jones and Dr. Roxburgh. Pliny describes the nard with its spica, mentioning also that both the leaves and the spica are of high value, and that the odour is the prime in all unguents; the price 100 denarii for a pound. But he afterwards visibly confounds it with the Malabathrum or Betel, as will appear from his usage of Hadrosphærum, Mesosphærum, and Microsphærum, terms peculiar to the Betel”—II. 743-4. See Sir W. Jones on the spikenard of the ancients in As. Res. vol. II. pp. 416 et seq., and Roxburgh’s additional remarks on the spikenard of the ancients, vol. IV. pp. 97 et seq., and botanical observations on the spikenard, pp. 433. See also Lassen, Ind. Alt. vol. I. pp. 288 et seq.
30. Ναύπλιος—Nauplius. Exported in small quantity from the marts of Azania ([17]). The signification of the word is obscure, and the reading suspected. For ΝαΥΠλιος Müller suggests ΝαΡΓΙλιος, the Indian cocoanut, which the Arabians call Nargil (Sansk. nârikêla or nâlikêra, Guj. nâliyêr, Hindi nâliyar). It favours this suggestion that cocoanut oil is a product of Zangibar, and that in four different passages of Kosmas Indikopleustês nuts are called αργελλια, which is either a corrupt reading for ναργελλια, or Kosmas may not have known the name accurately enough.
31. Ὀθόνιον—Muslin. Sêric muslin sent from the Thînai to Barugaza and Dimurikê ([64]). Coarse cottons produced in great quantity in Ariakê, carried down from Ozênê to Barugaza ([48]); large supplies sent thither from Tagara also ([51]); Indian muslins exported from the markets of Dimurikê to Egypt ([56]). Muslins of every description, Seric and dyed of a mallow colour, exported from Barugaza to Egypt ([49]); Indian muslin taken to the island of Dioskoridês ([31]); wide Indian muslins called μοναχὴ, monâkhê, i. e. of the best and finest sort; and another sort called σαγματογήνη, sagmatogênê, i. e. coarse cotton unfit for spinning, and used for stuffing beds, cushions, &c., exported from Barugaza to the Barbarine markets ([14]), and to Arabia, whence it was exported to Adouli ([6]). The meanings given to monâkhê and sagmatogênê (for which other readings have been suggested) are conjectural. Vincent defends the meaning assigned to sagmatogênê by a quotation from a passage in Strabo citing Nearkhos:—“Fine muslins are made of cotton, but the Makedonians use cotton for flocks, and stuffing of couches.”
32. Ὀῖνος—Wine. Laodikean and Italian wine exported in small quantity to Adouli ([6]); to Aualitês ([7]), Malaê ([8]), Mouza ([24]), Kanê ([28]), Barbarikon in Indo-Skythia ([39]); the same sorts, together with Arabian wine, to Barugaza ([49]); sent in small quantity to Mouziris and Nelkunda ([56]); the region inland from Oraia bears the vine ([37]), which is found also in the district of Mouza ([24]), whence wine is exported to the marts of Azania, not for sale, but to gain the good will of the natives ([17]). Wine is exported also from the marts of Apologos and Omana to Barugaza ([36]). By Arabian wine may perhaps be meant palm or toddy wine, a great article of commerce.
33. Ὄμφακος Διοσπολιτικῆς χυλός—the juice of the sour grape of Diospolis. Exported from Egypt to Aualitês ([7]). This, says Vincent, was the dipse of the Orientals, and still used as a relish all over the East. Dipse is the rob of grapes in their unripe state, and a pleasant acid.—II. 751. This juice is called by Dioskoridês (iv. 7) in one word Ομφάκιον, and also (v. 12) Ὀῖνος Ὀμφακίτης. Cf. Plin. xii. 27.
34. Ὄρυζα (Sansk. vrîhi)—Rice. Produced in Oraia and Ariakê (37, 41), exported from Barugaza to the Barbarine markets ([14]), and to the island of Dioskoridês ([31]).
35. Πέπερι (Sansk. pippalî,) long pepper—Pepper. Kottonarik pepper exported in large quantities from Mouziris and Nelkunda ([56]); long pepper from Barugaza ([49]). Kottonara was the name of the district, and Kottonarikon the name of the pepper for which the district was famous. Dr. Buchanan identifies Kottonara with Kadattanâḍu, a district in the Calicut country celebrated for its pepper. Dr. Burnell, however, identifies it with Kolatta-Nâḍu, the district about Tellicherry, which, he says, is the pepper district.