Mount Thabor is three miles from the lake of Cinereth, and is
gathered into a wondrous roundness on every side. On the north it
looks towards the above-mentioned lake and is exceedingly grassy and
flowery. There is a wide plateau on its beautiful summit surrounded by
a very large wood, and in the central plain of this there is a large monastery
10]
with many cells for the monks. The level top of the mountain is not
narrowed to a point, but spread to a width of 23 stades, and it stands at
an altitude of 30 stades. There are notable churches also of considerable
size on this upper plateau, three in number, according to the number of
the tabernacles, concerning which Peter on the same holy mount,
15]
rejoicing in the heavenly vision and greatly fearing, said to the Lord:
‘It is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles, one for
thee and one for Moses and one for Elias.’ The buildings of the monastery
mentioned above, and of the three churches, with the cells of the monks,
are all surrounded by a stone wall. The holy Arculf lodged for one night
20]
on the lofty summit of that holy mount; for Peter of Burgundy, a follower
of Christ and the guide of Arculf's journeys in these parts, in his regard
for haste would not allow him to tarry longer in one and the same lodging.
At this juncture it should be noted also that the name of that famous
25]
mountain ought to be written in Greek letters with Θ and long Ω
thus, ΘΑΒΩΡ. Whereas in Latin letters it ought to be written with
aspiration and long o: ‘Thabor’. The orthography of this word was found
in Greek books.