A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v1.c16.s1.35

v1.c16.s1.35

‘Greek fire,’ *i.e.* arrows or darts tipped with oiled flax, resin, regalar, naptha or other bituminous substances discharged from bows; sometimes elaborate machines being devised to hurl the weapons with more deadly effect. In the Udyogaparava of the Mahābhārata, Yudhisthira is described as “collecting large quantities of resin, tow, and other inflammable articles for his great fratricidal war.” ¹ But there is nothing to show that gunpowder of any sort was in use or any chemical which would act as a propelling agent. ²