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a priceless sight. 11.15 And from the whole of India and Persia and Ethiopia the island receives many ships, being a middle-point, and likewise sends them out. And from the inner parts, I mean from Tzinista and other trading places, it receives silk, aloes, clove, wood-clove, sandalwood, and whatever else is native to the region; and it trades them with the outer parts, I mean with Malé, where pepper grows, and with Kalliana, where copper is produced and sesame wood and other fabrics—for this is also a great emporium, likewise also Sindou, where musk and costus and spikenard are produced, and with Persia and the Homerite country and Adoule, and again receiving the goods from each of the aforementioned emporia and trading them with the inner parts and at the same time sending out its own products to each emporium. 11.16 Sindou is the beginning of India. For the Indus river, that is, the Phison, having its mouths in the Persian gulf, divides both Persia and India. So these are the famous emporia of India: Sindou, Orrhotha, Kalliana, Sibor, Malé, which has five emporia exporting pepper, Parti, Mangarouth, Salopatana, Nalopatana, Poudapatana. Then, about five days and nights from the mainland out into the Ocean is Sielediba, that is, Taprobane. Then further inland on the mainland is the emporium Marallo, which exports conch shells, Kaber which exports alabandine, then next in order the clove, and finally Tzinista which exports silk, further than which there is no other country; for the Ocean encircles it on the east. This Sielediba, then, being somehow in the middle of India, and also having the jacinth, receives from all the emporia and trades with them all, and happens to be a great emporium. 11.17 Once, a certain man from those who trade here, named Sopatros, whom we know to have died thirty-five years ago, having gone to the island of Taprobane for the sake of trade, it happened that a ship from Persia had also put in. So those from Adoule, with whom was Sopatros, came down, and those from Persia also came down, with whom was an elder of the Persians. Then, according to custom, the rulers and the tax-collectors, having received them, bring them to the king. And the king, having received them and been paid obeisance, bids them to be seated; then he asks: How are your countries and how are your affairs? And they said: Well; then in the course of things the king asked: Which of your kings is greater and more powerful? 11.18 And the Persian, seizing the word, said: Ours is both more powerful and greater and richer and is king of kings; and if he wishes anything, he is able to do it. But Sopatros was silent. Then the king says: You, Roman, do you say nothing? And Sopatros [said]: What can I say, when this man has said these things? If you wish to learn the truth, you have both kings here; examine each and you will see which is more illustrious and more powerful. He, upon hearing this, was astonished, saying: How do I have both kings here? And he said: You have the coins of both, of the one the nomisma, of the other the drachma, that is, the miliarision; examine the image on each and you will see the truth. 11.19 And he, praising and nodding in assent, ordered both to be brought. So the nomisma was of pure gold, brilliant, well-formed; for such choice coins circulate there; and the miliarision was, to put it simply, silver, and it is enough not to be compared with gold. And the king, turning and turning over and examining both, highly praised the nomisma, and said: Truly the Romans are both illustrious and powerful and wise. He therefore ordered Sopatros to be greatly honored, and seating him on an elephant with drums, he led him around the city in great honor. These things Sopatros related to us, and those who were with him on that island, having gone from Adoule. And when these things happened, as they said, the Persian was greatly ashamed. 11.20 And between the famous emporia mentioned before are also many other emporia, both coastal and inland, and much country. And further up, that is to the north, of India are the White Huns, the

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ἀτίμητον θέαμα ὄν. 11.15 Ἐξ ὅλης δὲ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς καὶ Περσίδος καὶ Αἰθιοπίας δέχεται ἡ νῆσος πλοῖα πολλά, μεσῖτις οὖσα, ὁμοίως καὶ ἐκπέμπει. Καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἐνδοτέρων, λέγω δὴ τῆς Τζινίστα καὶ ἑτέρων ἐμπορίων, δέχεται μέταξιν, ἀλοήν, καρυόφυλλον, ξυλοκαρυόφυλλον, τζανδάναν, καὶ ὅσα κατὰ χώραν εἰσί· καὶ μεταβάλλει τοῖς ἐξωτέρω, λέγω δὴ τῇ Μαλέ, ἐν ᾗ τὸ πίπερ γίνεται, καὶ τῇ Καλλιανᾷ, ἔνθα ὁ χαλκὸς γίνεται καὶ σησάμινα ξύλα καὶ ἕτερα ἱμάτιαἔστι γὰρ καὶ αὕτη μέγα ἐμπόριον, ὁμοίως καὶ Σινδοῦ, ἔνθα ὁ μόσχος καὶ τὸ κοστάριν καὶ τὸ ναρδόσταχυν γίνεται, καὶ τῇ Περσίδι καὶ τῷ Ὁμηρίτῃ καὶ τῇ Ἀδούλῃ, καὶ πάλιν τὰ ἀπὸ ἑκάστου τῶν εἰρημένων ἐμπορίων δεχομένη καὶ τοῖς ἐνδοτέρω μεταβάλλουσα καὶ τὰ ἴδια ἅμα ἑκάστῳ ἐμπορίῳ ἐκπέμπουσα. 11.16 Ἡ Σινδοῦ δέ ἐστιν ἀρχὴ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς. ∆ιαιρεῖ γὰρ ὁ Ἰνδὸς ποταμός, τουτέστιν ὁ Φεισών, εἰς τὸν κόλπον τὸν Περσικὸν ἔχων τὰς ἐκροίας, τήν τε Περσίδα καὶ τὴν Ἰνδίαν. Εἰσὶν οὖν τὰ λαμπρὰ ἐμπόρια τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ταῦτα, Σινδοῦ, Ὀρροθᾶ, Καλλιανᾶ, Σιβώρ, ἡ Μαλέ, πέντε ἐμπόρια ἔχουσα βάλλοντα τὸ πέπερι, Πάρτι, Μαγγαρούθ, Σαλοπάτανα, Ναλοπάτανα, Πουδαπάτανα. Λοιπὸν ἔξω ὡς ἀπὸ πέντε νυχθημέρων τῆς στερεᾶς εἰς τὸν Ὠκεανόν ἐστιν ἡ Σιελεδίβα, τουτέστιν ἡ Ταπροβάνη. Εἶτα λοιπὸν ἐνδοτέρω εἰς τὴν στερεὰν ἐμπόριον ἡ Μαραλλὼ βάλλουσα κοχλίους ἐστί, Καβὲρ βάλλουσα τὸ ἀλαβανδηνόν, εἶτα ἐφεξῆς λοιπὸν τὸ καρυόφυλλον, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἡ Τζινίστα τὴν μέταξιν βάλλουσα, ἧς ἐνδοτέρω οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα χώρα· ὁ Ὠκεανὸς γὰρ αὐτὴν κυκλοῖ κατὰ ἀνατολάς. Αὕτη οὖν ἡ Σιελεδίβα μέση πως τυγχάνουσα τῆς Ἰνδικῆς, ἔχουσα δὲ καὶ τὸν ὑάκινθον, ἐξ ὅλων τῶν ἐμπορίων δέχεται καὶ ὅλοις μεταβάλλει, καὶ μέγα ἐμπόριον τυγχάνει. 11.17 Ποτὲ γοῦν τις ἀπὸ τῶν ἐνταῦθα πραγματευομένων ὀνόματι Σώπατρος, ὃν ἴσμεν πρὸ τριάκοντα πέντε ἐτῶν τελευτήσαντα, εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῇ Ταπροβάνῃ νήσῳ πραγματείας ἕνεκα ἔτυχε καὶ ἀπὸ Περσίδος ὁρμῆσαι πλοῖον. Κατῆλθον οὖν οἱ ἀπὸ Ἀδούλης, μεθ' ὧν ἦν ὁ Σώπατρος, κατῆλθον καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ Περσίδος, μεθ' ὧν ἦν καὶ πρεσβύτης Περσῶν. Εἶτα κατὰ τὸ ἔθος οἱ ἄρχοντες καὶ οἱ τελῶναι δεξάμενοι τούτους ἀποφέρουσι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς δεξάμενος καὶ προσκυνηθεὶς κελεύει αὐτοὺς καθεσθῆναι· εἶτα ἐρωτᾷ· Πῶς αἱ χῶραι ὑμῶν καὶ πῶς τὰ πράγματα; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Καλῶς· εἶτα ὡς ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ ἠρώτησεν ὁ βασιλεύς· Ποῖος τῶν βασιλέων ὑμῶν μειζότερος καὶ δυνατώτερος; 11.18 Ὁ δὲ Πέρσης ἁρπάσας τὸν λόγον ἔφη· Ὁ ἡμέτερος καὶ δυνατώτερος καὶ μειζότερος καὶ πλουσιώτερος καὶ βασιλεὺς βασιλέων ἐστί· καὶ εἴ τι θέλει, δύναται. Ὁ δὲ Σώπατρος ἐσιώπα. Εἶτα φησὶν ὁ βασιλεύς· Σύ, Ῥωμεῦ, οὐδὲν λαλεῖς; Ὁ δὲ Σώπατρος· Τί ἔχω εἰπεῖν, τούτου ταῦτα εἰπόντος; Εἰ θέλεις μαθεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἔχεις ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς βασιλέας ἐνταῦθα· κατα νόησον ἑκάστῳ καὶ ὁρᾷς ποῖος λαμπρότερος καὶ δυνατώτερός ἐστιν. Ἐκεῖνος ἀκούσας ἐξενίσθη λέγων· Πῶς ἔχω τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους βασιλέας ἐνταῦθα; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἔχεις ἀμφοτέρων τὰς μονίτας, τοῦ μὲν τὸ νόμισμα, τοῦ δὲ τὴν δραχμήν, τουτέστι τὸ μιλιαρίσιν· κατανόησον τῇ εἰκόνι ἑκάστου καὶ ὁρᾷς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. 11.19 Ὁ δὲ ἐπαινέσας καὶ ἐπινεύσας ἐκέλευσεν ἐνεχθῆναι ἀμφότερα. Ἦν οὖν τὸ νόμισμα ὄβρυζον, λαμπρόν, εὔμορφον· τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἐκλεκτὰ προχωροῦσιν ἐκεῖ· ἦν δὲ καὶ τὸ μιλιαρίσιν, ἅπαξ εἰπεῖν, ἄργυρος, καὶ ἀρκεῖ μὴ συγκρινόμενος τῷ χρυσίῳ. Στρέψας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἀντιστρέψας καὶ κατανοῶν ἀμφότερα, ἐπαινέσας πάνυ τὸ νόμισμα, ἔφη· Ὄντως οἱ Ῥωμεῖς καὶ λαμπροὶ καὶ δυνατοὶ καὶ φρόνιμοι. Ἐκέλευσεν οὖν τὸν Σώπατρον τιμηθῆναι μεγάλως, καὶ καθίσας αὐτὸν εἰς ἐλέφαντα μετὰ τυμπάνων τὴν πόλιν περιῆγεν ἐν τιμῇ πολλῇ. Ταῦτα ὁ Σώπατρος ἡμῖν διηγήσατο, καὶ οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ ὄντες ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ἐκείνῃ ἀπὸ Ἀδούλης ἀπελθόντες. Τούτων δὲ γενομένων, ὡς ἔφησαν, ὁ Πέρσης πάνυ ἐνετράπη. 11.20 Μεταξὺ δὲ τῶν λαμπρῶν ἐμπορίων τῶν προρρηθέντων εἰσὶ καὶ ἕτερα ἐμπόρια πολλά, καὶ παραθαλάττια καὶ μεσόγεια, καὶ πολλὴ χώρα. Ἀνώτεροι δέ, τουτέστι βορειότεροι, τῆς Ἰνδικῆς εἰσι λευκοὶ Οὔννοι, ὁ