Ἀπὸ μὲν οὖν Καταβαθμοῦ εἰς Παραιτόνιον εὐθυπλοοῦντι σταδίων ἐστὶν ἐνακοσίων ὁ δρόμος· πόλις δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ λιμὴν μέγας τετταράκοντά που σταδίων· καλοῦσι δʼ οἱ μὲν Παραιτόνιον τὴν πόλιν οἱ δʼ Ἀμμωνίαν. μεταξὺ δὲ ἥ τε Αἰγυπτίων κώμη καὶ ἡ Αἰνησίσφυρα ἄκρα, καὶ Τυνδάρειοι σκόπελοι, νησίδια τέτταρα ἔχοντα λιμένα· εἶθʼ ἑξῆς ἄκρα Δρέπανον καὶ νῆσος Αἰνησίππεια ἔχουσα λιμένα καὶ κώμη Ἆπις, ἀφʼ ἧς εἰς μὲν Παραιτόνιον στάδιοι ἑκατὸν εἰς δὲ Ἄμμωνος ὁδὸς ἡμερῶν πέντε· ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Παραιτονίου χίλιοί που καὶ τριακόσιοι στάδιοι. μεταξὺ δὲ πρῶτον μὲν ἄκρα λευκόγειος, Λευκὴ ἀκτὴ καλουμένη· ἔπειτα Φοινικοῦς λιμὴν καὶ Πνιγεὺς κώμη· εἶτα νῆσος Σιδωνία λιμένα ἔχουσα· εἶτʼ Ἀντίφραι μικρὸν ἀπωτέρω τῆς θαλάττης· ἅπασα μὲν ἡ χώρα αὕτη οὐκ εὔοινος, πλείω δεχομένου τοῦ κεράμου θάλατταν ἢ οἶνον ὃν δὴ καλοῦσι Λιβυκόν, ᾧ δὴ καὶ τῷ ζύθῳ τὸ πολὺ φῦλον χρῆται τῶν Ἀλεξανδρέων· σκώπτονται δὲ μάλιστα αἱ Ἀντίφραι. εἶθʼ ὁ Δέρρις λιμὴν καλούμενος οὕτως διὰ τὴν πλησίον πέτραν μέλαιναν δέρρει ἐοικυῖαν· ὀνομάζουσι δὲ καὶ Ζεφύριον τὸν πλησίον τόπον· εἶτʼ ἄλλος λιμὴν Λεύκασπις καὶ ἄλλοι πλείους· εἶτα Κυνὸς σῆμα· εἶτα Ταπόσειρις οὐκ ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ, πανήγυριν δεχομένη μεγάλην· καὶ ἄλλη δʼ ἐστὶ Ταπόσειρις ἐπέκεινα τῆς πόλεως ἱκανῶς· αὐτῆς δὲ πλησίον πετρῶδες ἐπὶ τῇ θαλάττῃ χωρίον καὶ αὐτὸ δεχόμενον πολλοὺς τοὺς κωμάζοντας ἅπασαν ὥραν ἔτους· εἶθʼ ἡ Πλινθίνη καὶ Νικίου κώμη καὶ Χερρόνησος φρούριον, πλησίον ἤδη τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας καὶ τῆς Νεκροπόλεως ἐν ἑβδομήκοντα σταδίοις. ἡ δὲ Μάρεια λίμνη παρατείνουσα μέχρι καὶ δεῦρο πλάτος μὲν ἔχει πλειόνων ἢ πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν σταδίων, μῆκος δʼ ἐλαττόνων ἢ τριακοσίων. ἔχει δʼ ὀκτὼ νήσους καὶ τὰ κύκλῳ πάντʼ οἰκούμενα καλῶς· εὐοινία τέ ἐστι περὶ τοὺς τόπους ὥστε καὶ διαχεῖσθαι πρὸς παλαίωσιν τὸν Μαρεώτην οἶνον.
From the Catabathmus to Paraetonium is a run of 900 stadia for a vessel in a direct course. There is a city and a large harbour of about 40 stadia in extent, by some called the city Paraetonium, by others, Ammonia. Between these is the village of the Egyptians, and the promontory Aenesisphyra, and the Tyndareian rocks, four small islands, with a harbour; then Drepanum a promontory, and Aenesippeia an island with a harbour, and Apis a village, from which to Paraetonium are 100 stadia; [from thence] to the temple of Ammon is a journey of five days. From Paraetonium to Alexandreia are about 1300 stadia. Between these are, first, a promontory of white earth, called Leuce-Acte, then Phoenicus a harbour, and Pnigeus a village; after these the island Sidonia (Pedonia ?) with a harbour; then a little further off from the sea, Antiphrae. The whole of this country produces no wine of a good quality, and the earthen jars contain more sea-water than wine, which is called Libyan; this and beer are the principal beverage of the common people of Alexandreia. Antiphrae in particular was a subject of ridicule (on account of its bad wine).
Next is the harbour Derrhis, which has its name from an adjacent black rock, resembling δέῤῥις, a hide. The neighbouring place is called Zephyrium. Then follows another harbour, Leucaspis (the white shield), and many others; then the Cynossema (or dog’s monument); then Taposeiris, not that situated upon the sea; here is held a great public festival. There is another Taposeiris, situated at a considerable distance beyond the city (Alexandreia). Near this, and close to the sea, is a rocky spot, which is the resort of great numbers of people at all seasons of the year, for the purpose of feasting and amusement. Next is Plinthine, and the village of Nicium, and Cherronesus a fortress, distant from Alexandreia and the Necropolis about 70 stadia.
The lake Mareia, which extends as far as this place, is more than 150 stadia in breadth, and in length less than 300 stadia. It contains eight islands. The whole country about it is well inhabited. Good wine also is produced here, and in such quantity that the Mareotic wine is racked in order that it may be kept to be old.
φύεται δʼ ἐν τοῖς Αἰγυπτιακοῖς ἕλεσι καὶ ταῖς λίμναις ἥ τε βύβλος καὶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος κύαμος ἐξ οὗ τὸ κιβώριον, σχεδόν τι ἰσοΰψεις ῥάβδοι ὅσον δεκάποδες. ἀλλʼ ἡ μὲν βύβλος ψιλὴ ῥάβδος ἐστὶν ἐπʼ ἄκρῳ χαίτην ἔχουσα, ὁ δὲ κύαμος κατὰ πολλὰ μέρη φύλλα καὶ ἄνθη ἐκφέρει καὶ καρπὸν ὅμοιον τῷ παρʼ ἡμῖν κυάμῳ, μεγέθει μόνον καὶ γεύσει διαλλάττοντα. οἱ οὖν κυαμῶνες ἡδεῖαν ὄψιν παρέχουσι καὶ τέρψιν τοῖς ἐνευωχεῖσθαι βουλομένοις· εὐωχοῦνται δʼ ἐν σκάφαις θαλαμηγοῖς, ἐνδύνοντες εἰς τὸ πύκνωμα τῶν κυάμων καὶ σκιαζόμενοι τοῖς φύλλοις· ἔστι γὰρ σφόδρα μεγάλα ὥστε καὶ ἀντὶ ποτηρίων καὶ τρυβλίων χρῆσθαι· ἔχει γάρ τινα καὶ κοιλότητα ἐπιτηδείαν πρὸς τοῦτο· καὶ δὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀλεξάνδρεια μεστὴ τούτων ἐστὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐργαστήρια ὡς σκεύεσι χρωμένων· καὶ οἱ ἀγροὶ μίαν τινὰ τῶν προσόδων καὶ ταύτην ἔχουσι τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν φύλλων. ὁ μὲν δὴ κύαμος τοιοῦτος, ἡ δὲ βύβλος ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὐ πολλὴ φύεται (οὐ γὰρ ἀσκεῖται), ἐν δὲ τοῖς κάτω μέρεσι τοῦ Δέλτα πολλή, ἡ μὲν χείρων, ἡ δὲ βελτίων ἡ ἱερατική· κἀνταῦθα δέ τινες τῶν τὰς προσόδους ἐπεκτείνειν βουλομένων μετήνεγκαν τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν ἐντρέχειαν, ἣν ἐκεῖνοι παρεῦρον ἐπὶ τοῦ φοίνικος καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ καρυωτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ βαλσάμου· οὐ γὰρ ἐῶσι πολλαχοῦ φύεσθαι, τῇ δὲ σπάνει τιμὴν ἐπιτιθέντες τὴν πρόσοδον οὕτως αὔξουσι, τὴν δὲ κοινὴν χρείαν διαλυμαίνονται.
The byblus and the Egyptian bean grow in the marshes and lakes; from the latter the ciborium is made. The stalks of the bean are nearly of equal height, and grow to the length of ten feet. The byblus is a bare stem, with a tuft on the top. But the bean puts out leaves and flowers in many parts, and bears a fruit similar to our bean, differing only in size and taste. The bean-grounds present an agreeable sight, and afford amusement to those who are disposed to recreate themselves with convivial feasts. These entertainments take place in boats with cabins; they enter the thickest part of the plantation, where they are overshadowed with the leaves, which are very large, and serve for drinking-cups and dishes, having a hollow which fits them for the purpose. They are found in great abundance in the shops in Alexandreia, where they are used as vessels. One of the sources of land revenue is the sale of these leaves. Such then is the nature of this bean.
The byblus does not grow here in great abundance, for it is not cultivated. But it abounds in the lower parts of the Delta. There is one sort inferior to the other. The best is the hieratica. Some persons intending to augment the revenue, employed in this case a method which the Jews practised with the palm, especially the caryotic, and with the balsamum. In many places it is not allowed to be cultivated, and the price is enhanced by its rarity: the revenue is indeed thus increased, but the general consumption [of the article] is injured.
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