d
get cured. All the afflicted of Lombardy visit it in the summer-time
for that purpose.

From this place a man can travel fifteen miles along a road under the
mountains, a work executed by King Romulus who built the city of Rome.
He was prompted to this by fear of King David and Joab his
general[30]. He built fortifications both upon the mountains and below
the mountains reaching as far as the city of Naples. Naples is a very
strong city, lying upon the sea-board, and was founded by the Greeks.
About 500 Jews live here, amongst them R. Hezekiah, R. Shallum, R.
Elijah Hacohen and R. Isaac of Har Napus, the chief rabbi of blessed
memory.

Thence one proceeds by sea to the city of Salerno, where the
Christians have a school of medicine. About 600 Jews dwell there.

[p.13]

Among the scholars are R. Judah, son of R. Isaac, the son of
Melchizedek, the great Rabbi[31], who came from the city of Siponto;
also R. Solomon (the Cohen), R. Elijah the Greek, R. Abraham Narboni,
and R. Hamon. It is a city with walls upon the land side, the other
side bordering on the sea and there is a very strong castle on the
summit of the hill. Thence it is half a day's journey to Amalfi, where
there are about twenty Jews, amongst them R. Hananel, the physician,
R. Elisha, and Abu-al-gir, the prince. The inhabitants of the place
are merchants engaged in trade, who do not sow or reap, because they
dwell upon high hills and lofty crags, but buy everything for money.
Nevertheless, they have an abundance of fruit, for it is a land of
vineyards and olives, of gardens and plantations, and no one can go to
war with them.

Thence it is a day's journey to Benevento, which is a city situated
between the sea-coast and a mountain, and possessing a community of
about 200 Jews. At their head are R. Kalonymus, R. Zarach, and R.
Abraham. From there it is two days' journey to Melfi in the country of
Apulia, which is the land of Pul[32], where about 200 Jews reside, at
their head being R. Achimaaz, R. Nathan, and R. Isaac.

[p.14]

From Melfi it is about a day's journey to Ascoli, where there are
about forty Jews, at their head being R. Consoli, R. Zemach, his
son-in-law, and R. Joseph. From there it takes two days to Trani on
the sea, where all the pilgrims gather to go to Jerusalem; for the
port is a convenient one. A community of about 200 Israelites is
there, at their head being R. Elijah, R. Nathan, the expounder, and R.
Jacob. It is a great and b