Our poet took great pleasure in this view, and describes it with vivid interest.

"From this port," he says, "I see vessels departing, which are as large as the house I inhabit, and which have masts taller than its towers.

These ships resemble a mountain floating on the sea; they go to all parts of the world amidst a thousand dangers; they carry our wines to the English, our honey to the Scythians, our saffron, our oils, and our linen to the Syrians, Armenians, Persians, and Arabians; and, wonderful to say, convey our wood to the Greeks and Egyptians.

From all these countries they bring back in return articles of merchandise, which they diffuse over all Europe.

They go even as far as the Tanais.