Chapter 545

2112In reality, there are no visible signs by which to detect that the honey is poisonous.

2113B. xxix. c. 31.

2114See B. xii. c. 25.

2115Μαινόμενον, “maddening.”

2116The ægolethron of the preceding Chapter, Fée thinks. If so, the word rhododendron, he says, would apply to two plants, the Nerion oleander or rose laurel (see B. xvi. c. 33), and the Rhododendron Ponticum.

2117Fée refuses to credit this: but still such a thing might accidentally happen.

2118These asserted remedies would be of no use whatever, Fée says.

2119See B. vii. c. 2.

2120Fée seems to take it for granted that Pliny is speaking here of honey made by other insects than bees; but such does not appear to be the case.

2121Fée remarks here that Pliny is right, and that Columella and Palladius are wrong, who would have the hives to look due north.

2122Lapis specularis: a sort of talc, probably. See B. iii. c. 4. B. ix. c. 56. B. xv. c. 1. B. xix. c. 23, and B. xxxvi. c. 45.

2123In B. ix. c. 16, he mentions hives made of horn for this purpose. Glass hives are now made for the purpose, but the moisture which adheres to the interior of the glass prevents the operations of the bees from being watched with any degree of nicety.

2124“Cognatum hoc.” He probably alludes to the notion entertained by the ancients that bees might be reproduced from the putrefied entrails of an ox, as wasps from those of a horse. See the story of Aristæus in B. iv. of Virgil’s Georgics.

2125Or butterflies—“papiliones.”

2126“Teredines.”

2127Honeycombs and rough wax are placed in the hive, when the bees are in want of aliment; also honey and sugar-sirop.

2128“Defrutum:” grape-juice boiled down to one-half.

2129Fée is at a loss to know how this could be of any service as an aliment to bees.

2130A mere puerility, Fée says.

2131But extremely weak, no doubt; for after boiling, the hydromel must be subjected, first to vinous, and then to acetous, fermentation.

2132The method here described differs but little from that employed at the present day.

2133“Sporta.”

2134Or Carthaginian.

2135In reality, the wax has properties totally different from those of the honey, and it is not always gathered from the same plants.

2136A kind of bee-glue. See B. xi. c. 6.

2137Neither the nitre nor the salt, Fée says, would be of the slightest utility.

2138By causing the aqueous particles that may remain in it, to evaporate.

2139Or “likenesses”—“similitudines.” Waxen profiles seem to have been the favourite likenesses with the Romans: See the Asinaria of Plautus, A. iv. sc. i. l. 19, in which one of these portraits is clearly alluded to. Also Ovid, Heroid. xiii. l. 152, and Remed. Amor. l. 723. The “imagines” also, or busts of their ancestors, which were kept in their “atria,” were made of wax.

2140To protect the paintings, probably, with which the walls were decorated.

2141In B. xi.

2142See B. xv. c. 28.

2143See B. xxiii. c.17. According to some authorities, it is supposed to be the Delphinium staphis agria of Linnæus; but Fée and Desfontaines identify it with the Tamus communis of Linnæus, Our Lady’s seal.

2144The Ruscus aculeatus of Linnæus. See B. xxiii. c.83.

2145In B. xxii. c. 33, this plant is called “halimon.” Some authors identify it with the Atriplex halymus, and others, again, with the Crithmum maritimum of Linnæus. See also B. xxvi. c. 50.

2146Identified by some commentators with the Portulaca sativa or Portulaca oleracea of Linnæus.

2147“Pastinaca pratensis.” Fée and Desfontaines are undecided whether this is the Daucus carota of Linnæus, the common carrot, or the Pastinaca sativa, the cultivated parsnip.

2148“Lupus salictarius,” the “willow wolf,” literally; the Humulus lupulus of Linnæus. It probably took its Latin name from the tenacity with which it clung to willows and osiers.

2149The Arum colocasia of Linnæus.

2150The “bean.” Not, however, the Egyptian bean, which is the Nymphæa nelumbo of Linnæus, the Nelumbum speciosum of Willdenow.

2151These filaments are mentioned also by Martial, Epig., B. viii. Ep. 33, and B. xiii. Ep. 57. But according to Desfontaines, this description applies to the stalks of the Nymphæa lotos, and not of the Arum colocasia.

2152“Thyrsus.”

2153Desfontaines has identified this with the Arctium lappa of botanists; but that is a land plant, and this, Pliny says, grows in the rivers, if the reading here is correct, it cannot be the plant of the same name mentioned in B. xxv. c. 58.

2154This applies, Desfontaines says, to the Nymphæa nelumbo.

2155Here he returns, according to Desfontaines, to the Arum colocasia.

2156See B. xx. c.29.

2157“Intubum erraticum.”

2158The Cyperus Esculentus of Linnæus.

2159Theophrastus, B. iv. c. 10, says that it grows in the sandy soil in the vicinity of the river.

2160It is similar in appearance to the papyrus, and its tubercles are oblong, or round and fleshy, with an agreeable flavour.

2161The Arachis hypogæa of Linnæus, the earth pistachio.

2162The root is not large; but the fruit is so close to the earth that Pliny may have confounded it with the real root of the plant.

2163Sprengel identifies this with the Lathyrus amphicarpos, and the aracos with the Lathyrus tuberosus, varieties of the chicheling vetch. Columna thinks that this last was the arachidna. Fée says that the data are altogether insufficient to enable us to form an opinion.

2164The Chondrylla juncea of Linnæus, according to Fée; but Desfontaines identifies it with the Lactuca perennis.

2165Desfontaines identifies it with the Hyoseris lucida. Fée says that the opinion is equally as difficult to combat as to support.

2166Fée identifies it with the Caucalis grandiflora of Linnæus, a native of Greece. Desfontaines mentions the Caucalis Orientalis, an Eastern plant.

2167For this and the Scandix, see B. xxii. c.38.

2168A chicoraceous plant: the Tragopogon crocifolius of Linnæus.

2169See c.104of this Book.

2170See cc.35and105of this Book.

2171The Corchorus olitorius of Linnæus: still cultivated in Egypt.

2172Identified by some, but it is doubtful if with any good reason, with the Leontodon taraxacum of Linnæus: our dandelion.

2173The reading is doubtful, and it does not appear to have been identified.

2174Or “stone-plant:” identified with the Sedum anacampseros of Linnæus: a variety of house-leek.

2175On the contrary, it has a purple flower.

2176It is this, probably, that has caused it to be identified with the Leontodon taraxacum.

2177The Carthamus tinctorius of Linnæus, or bastard saffron. The seed of it is a powerful purgative to man, but has no effect on birds: it is much used for feeding parrots, hence one of its names, “parrot-seed.”

2178Identified by Fée with the Atractylis of Dioscorides, the Carthamus mitissimus of Linnæus; the Carduncellus mitissimus of Decandolle.

2179Fromἄτρακτος, “a distaff.”

2180The Centaurea lanata of Decandolle, the Centaurea benedicta of Linnæus.

2181The Asparagus aphylla of Linnæus: the leafless asparagus.

2182The Spartium scorpius of Linnæus: scorpion-grass, or scorpion-wort.

2183See B. xxii. c.8.

2184See B. xxii. c.11. The “sweet-root;” our liquorice. The Glycyrrhiza echinata of Linnæus bears a prickly fruit; it is of this, Fée thinks, that Pliny speaks here.

2185Fée remarks, that though the leaf of the nettle is furnished with numerous stings, or rather prickly hairs, it is quite wrong to look upon them as thorns, which Pliny, in the present instance, (though not in the next Chapter) appears to do. Genuine thorns, he remarks, are abortive branches, which, of course, cannot be said of the fine hairs springing from the nerves of the leaf. See B. xxii. c.15.

2186Supposed to be the Tribulus terrestris of Linnæeus, a species of thistle: the leaves of this plant, however, are not provided, Fée remarks, with thorns at their base, the fruit alone being spinous. See c.58of this Book.

2187See c.58of this Book.

2188The Poterium spinosum of botanists. See B. xxii. c.13.

2189See B. xxii. c.13. Theophrastus, Hist. Plant. B. vi. c. 5, identifies this plant with the Stœbe just mentioned.

2190“Acetabulis.” Fée complains of the use of this term (meaning a “small cup”) in relation to the calyces of the nettle; such not being in reality their form.

2191Probably in allusion to the Urtica dioica, which grows to a greater height than the Urtica urens. See B. xxii. c.15.

2192“Canina.” A variety, probably, of the Urtica urens, the nettle, with the exception of the Urtica pilifera, which has the most stinging properties of all those found in Europe, and the leaves of which are the most deeply indented.

2193This has not been identified. They are all of them either inodorous, or else possessed of a faint, disagreeable smell.

2194This “lanugo,” or down, as he calls it, consists of a fine elongated tube of cellular tissue, seated upon a gland of similar tissue. In this gland a poisonous fluid is secreted, and when any pressure is made upon the gland, the fluid passes upwards in the tube. The nettle of the East, known as the Devil’s Leaf, is of so poisonous a quality as to produce death.

2195In some parts of the north of England and of Scotland the young plant of the Urtica dioica is eaten as greens, and is far from a disagreeable dish, strongly resembling spinach. It is also reckoned a very wholesome diet, and is taken habitually in the spring, under the impression that it purifies the blood. This notion, we see from the context, is as old as the time of the Romans.

2196Dalechamps speaks of it as the custom in his time to wrap up fish and game in nettles, under the impression that they would keep the longer for it.

2197The dead nettle, or blind nettle. See B. xxii. c.16.

2198See B. xxii. c.17.

2199He probably means the thistle, but possibly the artichoke, under this name. See B. xix. cc.19and43, and B. xx. c.99.

2200This is probably the same with the second variety of the “Cnecos,” mentioned above in c. 53, the Centaurea lanata, or benedicta.

2201Probably the Carduus leucographus of Linnæus.

2202According to Dalechamps, this is the Echinops ritro of modern botany.

2203See c.93of this Book.

2204“Many thorns.” According to Dalechamps, this is the Carduus spinosissimus angustifolius vulgaris of C. Bauhin, the Cirsium spinosissimum of Linnæus.

2205Identified by Dalechamps with the Onopordon Illyricum, or Acanthium of modern botany.

2206The Acarna gummifera of modern botanists, the flowers of which yield a kind of gum with an agreeable smell. It is quite a different plant from Wall pellitory, mentioned in B. xxii. c. 19, under this name.

2207See B. xx. c.99, and B. xxii. c.43.

2208The black chamæleon is identified by Fée with the Brotera corymbosa of Willdenow: the white variety, mentioned in B. xxii. c. 21, with the Acarna gummifera of Willdenow, the Helxine above mentioned. Desfontaines identifies it with the Carlina acaulis.

2209See B. xxii. c.8.

2210The Greek for “blood” or “slaughter.”

2211“Carduus.”

2212“Thorn mastich,” or “resin.”

2213This is not the Cactus of modern botany, a plant mentioned in the sequel under the name of “Opuntia,” but probably the Cinara carduncellus. See B. xx. c.99.

2214Theophrastus says, that when peeled they have a somewhat bitter flavour, and are kept pickled in brine.

2215This name is now given by naturalists to the calyx of Compositæ, which exists in the rudimentary condition of a membranous coronet, or of downy hairs, like silk.

2216“Cortex.”

2217The Trapa natans of Linnæus, or water chesnut, a prickly marsh plant of Europe and Asia. Hence our word “caltrop.”

2218“Dira res alibi.”

2219These two plants have no affinity whatever with the one just mentioned. The first of these so-called varieties is the Tribulus terrestris of Linnæus; and the second is identified by Fée, though with some doubt, with the Fagonia Cretica of Linnæus.

2220The Ononis antiquorum of Linnæus, the Cammock, or rest-harrow.

2221The Cochlearia coronopus. See B. xxii. c.22.

2222The Anchusa tinctoria, probably, or dyers’ alkanet. See B. xxii. c.23.

2223See B. xxii. c.26.

2224It has not been identified with any degree of certainty: the Centaurea nigra and the Campanula rapunculus have been named.

2225See B. xxvii. c. 21: also c.52of this Book. The name appears to have been given to both the Leontodon taraxacum and the Lathyras aphaca of modern botany.

2226Theophrastus has Picris in the parallel passage, Hist. Plant. B. vii. c. 9, the Helminthia echioides of Linnæus. If “Crepis” is the correct reading, that plant has not been identified.

2227The herbaceous kinds are no doubt those alluded to.

2228See B. xix. cc.31,36, and44; and B. xx. c.48. The ocimum of the Greeks has been identified by some with the Ocimum basilicum of Linnæus, our basil. That of the Romans seems to have been a name given to one or more varieties of leguminous plants of the vetch kind.

2229The Heliotropium Europæum. See B. xxii. c.29.

2230This plant has not been identified, but Fée is inclined, from what Dioscorides says, B. iv. c. 24, to identify it with either the Lithospermum fruticosum, or else the Anchusa Italica of Linnæus.

2231This is not the case, if this plant is identical with the Heliotropium Europæum, that being an annual.

2232The Adiantum Capillus Veneris of Linnæus, or the Asplenium trichomanes of Linnæus. “Venus hair, or coriander maiden hair; others name it to be well fern.”—T. Cooper. The leaves of these plants last the whole of their lives.

2233The Teuerium polium of Linnæeus, our poley; the leaves of which are remarkably long-lived.

2234“Spicatæ.”

2235Fée is in doubt whether to identify it with the Plantago cynops of the south of Europe, and the banks of the Rhine.

2236“Foxtail.” According to Dalechamps, it is the Saccharum cylindricum, the Lagurus of Linnæus; but Fée expresses his doubts as to their identity.

2237Fée inclines to think that it may be the Secale villosum of Linnæus; though the more recent commentators identify it with the Plantago angustifolia. The Saccharum Ravennæ has been suggested.

2238Or “quail.”

2239In B. xxv. c. 39.

2240Hardouin takes this to be our pimpernel, the Sanguisorba officinalis of Linnæeus. Sprengel inclines to the Verbascum lychnitis of Linnæus.

2241“Proxuma.”

2242See B. xviii. c.66.

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