Livre 11 (Cosmas Indicopleustês)

Extraits concernant les plantes.

Texte grec

11.10.1 Τοῦτο τὸ δένδρον ἐστὶ τὸ τοῦ πιπέρεως· ἕκαστον δὲ δένδρον ἑτέρῳ ὑψηλῷ ἀκάρπῳ δένδρῳ ἀνακλᾶται διὰ τὸ λεπτὸν εἶναι πάνυ καὶ ἀσθενές, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ κλήματα τῆς ἀμπέλου λεπτά· ἕκαστος δὲ βότρυς δίφυλλον ἔχει σκέπον·

11.10.5 χλωρὸν δὲ πάνυ ἐστίν, ὥσπερ ἡ χρόα τοῦ πηγάνου.

11.11.1 Τὸ δὲ ἄλλο τῶν ἀργελλίων ἐστὶ τῶν λεγομένων, τουτέστι τῶν μεγάλων καρύων τῶν ἰνδικῶν· παραλλάττει δὲ τοῦ φοίνικος οὐδέν, πλὴν ὅτι τελειότερόν ἐστι καὶ ἐν ὕψει καὶ ἐν πάχει καὶ ἐν τοῖς βαΐοις. Οὐ βάλλει δὲ καρπόν, εἰ μὴ δύο

11.11.5 ἢ τρία σπάθια ἀπὸ τριῶν ἀργελλίων· ἔστι δὲ ἡ γεῦσις γλυκεῖα πάνυ καὶ ἡδεῖα, ὡς τὰ κάρυα τὰ χλωρά· ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν τοῦ ὕδατος γέμει γλυκέος πάνυ, ὅθεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν πίνουσιν οἱ Ἰνδοὶ ἀντὶ οἴνου· λέγεται δὲ τὸ πινόμενον ῥογχοσοῦρα ἡδὺ πάνυ· τρυγώμενον δὲ καὶ παραμένον αὐτὸ τὸ ἄργελλιν,

11.11.10 πήγνυται τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτοῦ κατὰ πρόσβασιν τὸ ἐπὶ τὸ ὄστρακον αὐτοῦ, καὶ μένει τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τὸ μέσον ἄπηκτον, μέχρις ὅτου καὶ αὐτὸ ἐκλίπῃ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ πλέον παραμείνῃ, ταγγίζει ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ πεπηγὼς καὶ οὐ δύναται ἔτι βρωθῆναι.

11.12.1 Φώκην τὴν λεγομένην καὶ τὸν δελφῖνα καὶ χελώνην ἣν ἐσθίομεν κατὰ θάλατταν, εἰ τύχοι πιασθῆναι. Τὸν μὲν δελφῖνα καὶ τὴν χελώνην σφάζοντες ἐσθίομεν, τὴν δὲ φώκην οὐ σφάζοντες, ἀλλὰ κοτραφίζοντες, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν ἰχθύων τῶν

11.12.5 μεγάλων. Καὶ τὸ μὲν κρέας τῆς χελώνης, ὡς προβάτου, ἐστὶ μελαμψόν· τὸ δὲ τοῦ δελφῖνος, ὡς χοίρου, μελαμψὸν δὲ καὶ βρομῶδες· τὸ δὲ τῆς φώκης, ὡς χοίρου, λευκὸν καὶ ἄβρομον.

Περὶ τῆς Ταπροβάνης νήσου

11.13.1 Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ νῆσος ἡ μεγάλη ἐν τῷ Ὠκεανῷ, ἐν τῷ Ἰνδικῷ πελάγει κειμένη, παρὰ μὲν Ἰνδοῖς καλουμένη Σιελε- δίβα, παρὰ δὲ Ἕλλησι Ταπροβάνη, ἐν ᾗ εὑρίσκεται ὁ λίθος ὁ ὑάκινθος· περαιτέρω δὲ κεῖται τῆς χώρας τοῦ πιπέρεως.

11.13.5 Πέριξ δὲ αὐτῆς εἰσι νῆσοι μικραὶ πολλαὶ πάνυ, πᾶσαι δὲ γλυκὺ ὕδωρ ἔχουσαι καὶ ἀργέλλια· ἀγχιβαθαὶ δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον πᾶσαί εἰσιν. Ἔχει δὲ ἡ νῆσος ἡ μεγάλη, καθώς φασιν οἱ ἐγχώριοι, γαύδια τριακόσια εἴς τε μῆκος ὁμοίως καὶ πλάτος, τουτέστι μίλια ἐννακόσια. Δύο δὲ βασιλεῖς εἰσιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ,

11.13.10 ἐναντίοι ἀλλήλων· ὁ εἷς ἔχων τὸν ὑάκινθον, καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τὸ μέρος τὸ ἄλλο, ἐν ᾧ ἐστι τὸ ἐμπόριον καὶ ὁ λιμήν· μέγα δέ ἐστι καὶ τὸ τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἐμπόριον.

11.14.1 Ἔχει δὲ ἡ αὐτὴ νῆσος καὶ Ἐκκλησίαν τῶν ἐπιδη- μούντων Περσῶν χριστιανῶν καὶ πρεσβύτερον ἀπὸ Περσίδος χειροτονούμενον καὶ διάκονον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν λειτουργίαν. Οἱ δὲ ἐγχώριοι καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς ἀλλόφυλοί εἰσιν.

11.14.5 Ἱερὰ δὲ πολλὰ ἔχουσιν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νήσῳ· εἰς ἕνα δὲ ἱερὸν αὐτῶν ἐφ' ὑψηλοῦ κείμενόν ἐστιν ἕνα ὑακίνθιν, ὥς φασι, πυρροῦν καὶ μέγα ὂν ὡς στρόβιλος μέγας· καὶ λάμπει μακρόθεν, μάλιστα τοῦ ἡλίου αὐτὸ περιλάμποντος, ἀτίμητον θέαμα ὄν.

11.15.1 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,

11.15.5 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 ἱμάτια – ἔστι γὰρ καὶ αὕτη μέγα ἐμπόριον – , ὁμοίως καὶ Σινδοῦ, ἔνθα ὁ μόσχος καὶ τὸ κοστάριν καὶ τὸ

11.15.10 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.

11.16.1 Ἡ Σινδοῦ δέ ἐστιν ἀρχὴ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς. Διαιρεῖ 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,

11.16.5 Ὀρροθᾶ, Καλλιανᾶ, Σιβώρ, ἡ Μαλέ, πέντε ἐμπόρια ἔχουσα βάλλοντα τὸ πέπερι, Πάρτι, Μαγγαρούθ, Σαλοπάτανα, Ναλο- πάτανα, 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

11.16.10 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 ἀνατο- λάς. Αὕτη οὖν ἡ Σιελεδίβα μέση πως τυγχάνουσα τῆς Ἰνδικῆς,

11.16.15 ἔχουσα δὲ καὶ τὸν ὑάκινθον, ἐξ ὅλων τῶν ἐμπορίων δέχεται καὶ ὅλοις μεταβάλλει, καὶ μέγα ἐμπόριον τυγχάνει.

Traduction française

LE POIVRIER.

L'on appelle Pipé l'Arbre qui porte le poivre. Les Poivriers s'attachent toujours sur une aucrc: espece d'arbre qui ne porte point de fruit, & qui a la tige fort haute, autrement ils ne se pourroient pas soustenir, leur bois estant foible & semblable au serment de la vigne. Chaque grappe de poivre a trois feüilles qui la couvrent ; tout en est verd, & d'un verd fort semblable à celuy de la Ruë.

LE COCOS.

Les autres arbres qui portent les grandes noix des Indes, que les Grecs appellent Argellia, sont fort semblables aux Palmiers, si ce n'est qu'ils sont plus hauts & que leur tronc & leurs branches sont beaucoup plus grosses que celles des Palmiers. Le fruit ne paroit point d'abord ; Ces arbres iettent premierement deux ou trois guaines, ou enveloppes, lesquelles se rompent à mesure quepousse le fruit qu'elles cachent & qu'elles enferment : Ces noix sont aussi agreables au goust que les cerneaux des noix vertes, elles sont pleines d'une eau fort douce quand elles sont nouvelles. C'est le vin des Indiens, & leur principale boisson ; Ils l'appellent en leur langue Roncho Soura. Mais si on laisse durcir ces noix, ou qu'elles soient vieilles cueillies, la partie de cét eau qui est contre la coquille s'épaissit & se caille, & s'attache à la coquille de la noix, le reste demeure long-temps en consistance d'eau au milieu du fruit, & se perd à la fin, le fruit en devient aigre, & n'est plus bon à manger.

...

L'ISLE DE TAPROBANE.

La Taprobane est une des plus grandes Isles de l'Occean ; elle est dans la Mer Indique. Les Indiens l'appellent Siele-diba, & les Grecs Taprobane ; on y trouve des Iacinthes ; elle est au delà du Pays où croît le poivre. Il y a quantité de petites Is1es proche de celle-là, qui ont toutes de l'eau douce & des noix de cocos dont on tire une eau qui sert de breuvage. Le fond de la plus part de ces Isles est de sable : L'Isle de Taprobane selon le rapport de ceux du pays, à trois cens cos de de longueur & autant de largeur, ainsi elle a de circuit un peu plus de 900. milles. Elle est sous la domination de deux Princes qui se font la guerre.

...

Les Insulaires traittent avec les Chinois des soyes de bois d'Aloë, ou d’Aquila, de Clou de Girofle, de bois de Girofle, de bois de Sandale & d'autres Marchandises. Ceux de l'Isle en trafiquent aussi avec ceux de Malé d'où viet le poivre ; mais principalement auec les Marchands de Calliana d'où vient le cuivre, le bois de Sezem semblable à l’ebene & autres matieres dont on fait des estoffes. Calliana est d'un fort grand commerce, aussi bien que Sindou ; on y trouve le Musc, le Castoreum & la Spica Nardi. Ceux de Sielediba envoyent souvent leurs Marcchandises jusques en Perse, dans l'Omiritis, & à Adouly ; ils en reçoivent en eschange d'autres de ces mesmes ports qu'ils transportent plus avant dans les Indes.

Sindou est le commencement des Indes ; le fleuve Indus ou Pheison, qui se rend dans le Go1phe Persique separe la Perse des Indes. Les ports les plus fameux des Indes sont Sindou, Orrora, Calliana, Sibor & Malé, & les cinq ports où se fait la traitte de poivre, Parti, Mangarouth, Saloupatana, Nalopatana & Poudapatana.

Sielediba ou la Taprobane est éloignée de Terre ferme d'environ cinq journées de chemin, elle a une ville de grand commerce nommée Marallo, où il se trouve quantité d'huistres ; le port de Macer, où on charge beaucoup de noix de muscade, de soye, & de clou de girofle. Les autres Marchandises viennent du Tsin ; au delà du Tsin, i1 n'y a point de terre habitée ; car 1'Ocean 1'entoure du costé de l'Orient. Sielediba estant ainsi au milieu des Indes, &, ayant des pierreries, & des Iacinthes qui y attirent les Marchands ; Il y vient des Vaisseaux de tous costez ; elle en envoye aussi par tout, & est maintenant un lieu de gran commerce.

Traduction anglaise

A description of Indian Animals, and of the Island of Taprobane.

Piperi----pepper. This is a picture of the tree which produces pepper. Each separate stem being very weak and limp twines itself, like the slender tendrils of the vine, around some lofty tree which bears no fruit. And every cluster of the fruit is protected by a double leaf. It is of a deep green colour like that of rue.

Argellia----The Narikela of Sanskrit----Cocoa-nuts. The other tree [represented] bears what are called argellia, that is, the large Indian nuts. It differs nothing from the date-palm, except that it is of greater height and thickness and has larger fronds. It bears not more than two or three flower-spathes, each bearing three nuts. Their taste is sweet and very pleasant, like that of green nuts. The nut is at first full of a very sweet water which the Indians drink, using it instead of wine.18 This delicious drink is called rhongcosura. If the fruit is gathered ripe and kept, then the water gradually turns solid on the shell, while the water left in the middle remains fluid, until of it also there is nothing left over. If however it be kept too long the concretion on the shell becomes rancid and unfit to be eaten. |363

Concerning the Island of Taprobanê. 21

This is a large oceanic island lying in the Indian sea. By, the Indians it is called Sielediba, but by the Greeks |364 Taprobanê, and therein is found the hyacinth stone.22 It lies on the other side of the pepper country. Around it are numerous small islands 23 all having fresh water and cocoa-[337] nut trees. They nearly all have deep water close up to their shores.24 The great island, as the natives report, has a length of three hundred gaudia, that is,of nine hundred miles,25 and it is of the like extent in breadth. There are two kings in the island, and they are at feud the one with the other.26 The one has the hyacinth country, and the other the rest of the country where the harbour is. and the centre of trade.27 |365 It is a great mart for the people in those parts. The island has also a church of Persian Christians who have settled there, and a Presbyter who is appointed from Persia, and a Deacon and a complete ecclesiastical ritual.28 But the natives and their kings are heathens.29 In this island they have many temples, and on one, which stands on an eminence, there is a hyacinth as large as a great pine-cone, fiery red, and when seen flashing from a distance, especially if the sun's rays are playing round it, a matchless sight.30 The island being, as it is, in a central position, is much frequented by ships from all parts of India and from Persia and Ethiopia, and it likewise sends out many of its own. And from the |366 remotest countries,31 I mean Tzinista and other trading places, it receives silk,32 aloes, cloves, sandalwood33 and other products, and these again are passed on to marts on this side, such as Male,34 where pepper grows, and to Calliana35 which exports copper and sesame-logs, and cloth for making dresses, for it also is a great place of business. And to Sindu36 also where musk and castor is procured and androstachys,37 and to Persia and the Homerite country, and to Adulé. And the island receives imports from all these marts which we have mentioned and passes them on to the remoter ports, while, at the same time, exporting its own produce in both directions. Sindu is on the frontier of India, for the river Indus, that is, the Phison, which discharges into the Persian Gulf, forms the boundary between Persia and India.38 The most notable places of trade in India are these: Sindu, |367 Orrhotha,39 Calliana, Sibor,40 and then the five marts of Male which export pepper: Parti, Mangarouth,41 Salopatana, Nalopatana, Poudopatana.42 Then out in the ocean, at the distance of about five days and nights from the continent, lies Sielediba, that is Taprobanê. And then again on the continent is Marallo, a mart exporting chank shells,43 then Caber44 which exports alabandenum, and then farther away is the clove country, then Tzinista which produces the silk.45 Beyond this there is no other country, for the ocean surrounds it on the east. This same Sielediba then, placed as one may say, in the centre of the Indies and possessing the |368 hyacinth receives imports from all the seats of commerce and in turn exports to them, and is thus itself a great seat of commerce.

18. 3 "Possibly," says Yule, "Cosmas has confounded the cocoa-nut milk with the coco-palm toddy. For sura is the name applied on the Malabar coast to the latter. Roncho may represent lanha, the name applied there to the nut when ripe, but still soft."

37. 7 Gr. a)ndrosta&xhn. This word, so far as I know, is not met with elsewhere. I take it to be an error in transcription for na&rdou sta&xun or nardo&staxun, Latin spica nardi, whence our spikenard.

44. 6 Caber is the emporium called by Ptolemy Chavêris, which Dr. Burnell identified with Kâvêrîpattam----a place situated a little to the north of Tranquebar, at the mouth of the Podu-Kâvêrî (New Kâverî). Kâvera is the Sanskrit word for saffron. What its export, alabandenum was, is unknown.