Kitap 3
106.2
As I have lately said, +India [77,20] (nation), Asia India lies at the world's most distant eastern limit; and in +India [77,20] (nation), Asia India all living creatures four-footed and flying are much bigger than those of other lands, except the horses, which are smaller than the Median horses called Nesaean; moreover, the gold there, whether dug from the earth or brought down by rivers or got as I have described, is very abundant.
106.3
There, too, wool more beautiful and excellent than the wool of sheep grows on wild trees; these trees supply the Indians with clothing.
107.1
Again, Arabian Peninsula [45,25] (region (general)), Asia Arabia is the most distant to the south of all inhabited countries: and this is the only country which produces frankincense and myrrh and casia and cinnamon and gum-mastich. All these except myrrh are difficult for the Arabians to get.
107.2
They gather frankincense by burning that storaxA kind of gum, producing an acrid smoke when burnt, and therefore used as a disinfectant. which Phoenicians carry to Greece [22,39] (nation), Europe Hellas ; they burn this and so get the frankincense; for the spice-bearing trees are guarded by small winged snakes of varied color, many around each tree; these are the snakes that attack Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt . Nothing except the smoke of storax will drive them away from the trees.
108.1
The Arabians also say that the whole country would be full of these snakes if the same thing did not occur among them that I believe occurs among vipers.
108.2
Somehow the forethought of God (just as is reasonable) being wise has made all creatures prolific that are timid and edible, so that they do not become extinct through being eaten, whereas few young are born to hardy and vexatious creatures.
