In The Valley
Of The Jordan It Was Worth Its Weight In Silver, And Kings Warred For
What Is Now A Weed.
Cleopatra by a commission brought it to Egypt.
It
was grown at Heliopolis. The last tree died there, we are told by
Niebuhr, in the early part of the seventeenth century (according to
others, in A.D. 1502); a circumstance the more curious, as it was used
by the Copts in chrisome, and by Europe for anointing kings. From Egypt
it was carried to Al-Hijaz, where it now grows wild on sandy and stony
grounds; but I could not discover the date of its naturalisation.
Moslems generally believe it to have been presented to Solomon by
Bilkis, Queen of Sheba. Bruce relates that it was produced at Mohammed’s
prayer from the blood of the Badr-Martyr. In the Gospel of Infancy
(book i. ch. 8) we read,—“9. Hence they (Joseph and Mary) went out to that
sycamore, which is now called Matarea (the modern and Arabic name for
Heliopolis). 10. And in Matarea the Lord Jesus caused a well to spring
forth, in which St. Mary washed his coat; 11. And a balsam is produced
or grows in that country from the sweat which ran down there from the
Lord Jesus.” The sycamore is still shown, and the learned recognise in
this ridiculous old legend the “hiero-sykaminon,” of pagan Egypt, under
which Isis and Horus sat. Hence Sir J. Maundeville and an old writer
allude reverently to the sovereign virtues of “bawme.” I believe its
qualities to have been exaggerated, but have found it useful in
dressing wounds.
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