112 . THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
Theoph. lib. viii. cap. 1.; but Stackhouse has referred it to 
Ervum Lens.—It is called in Sicily, Ceci, and is much culti- 
vated, and used for food, either raw or cooked.—At Athens 
and in Zante, it bears the name j»Q/.— Sibth. — * EgsBitot, 
formed a common dessert among the ancient Greeks, eaten 
green and tender, or when dry parched with fire." —(JValpole's 
Turkey, note, p. 250.) 
The custom of roasting pulse is still retained in Sicily, it 
is most ancient. Mention is made of it in Scripture, 2 Sam. 
chap. xvii. v. 28,—** Beans, and lentils, and parched pulse." 
Also Theocritus Jdyl. vii. v. 66., has, — 
mae Tugi xex?upuévog. xudoy OF mig Èv mpi [777 
And Xenophanes Colophonius observes, as quoted by 
Athenzeus, —Zib. ii. cap. 13. 
Tla&e mugi 
Ilóvovyra, yAuxdy divoy derorgaryovr’ tgebivbous.— 
- 
Plautus likewise Bac, 4. 5. T. amongst other things states, 
*Frictum  Cicer.—And Aristophanes in Pace, Avķaxirõv 
robgsBivðou Walsh. Confer. Horat. de arte Poetic. v. 249. 
The boiling of Pulse, 4 &Lzec rà» vw», was an ancient 
festival among the Athenians, called ssa). For an account 
of the institution of it, refer to Plutarch’s life of Theseus. 
Boiled Pulse is still a favourite food in Italy and Sicily. 
Also in Greece, “mixed with dried currants.”—(Dodwell.) 
Our custom of eating boiled wheat and currants, or frumenty, 
(frumentum.) on Christmas Eve, is our English Pyanepsia, 
or rather Pyronepsta, derived, dad rv Lew múgov, (that is to 
say,) from boiling wheat.— 
37. Ervum lens.— Common Lentil. 
daxis Diosc. lib. ii. cap. 129. also of Theoph. lib. viii. cap. 3- 
It is now called ?íx; at Athens according to Sibthorp. In 
Sicily it is much eaten, and named Lenticchia, — i» qox» pen, 
occurs in Theocritus, Zdyl. x. v. 54. 
38. Ochrus pallida, Pers. (Pisum ochrus, Lin.) Pale — 
Ochrus. 
