146 THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
and its coccus. The tree is at present called rendo in Greece, 
and sz» in the Island of Cyprus. The «zv zézxo also are now 
named smgnóxozzı, Sibth. Theophrastus describes the acorn 
of the sgios, as small, and which some call Zxv»ec. Theocri- 
tus feigns the Shepherd Lacon preferring these acorns to 
mountain apples,— 
Oude yàp oud dxtroug dgomaridec, cs mtv Exovrs 
Aerriy dard mgivoio Aemiginv, er OF wersyeani.—(Idyl. v. v. 94.) 
According to Dioscorides, the acorns of this species are more 
powerful in medicine than those of the other oaks,—ioyugéregas 
Ò: ra Agvivew Gu role. BáXavor TÀ Ouváqusr tiiv. 
The wood, as Theophrastus relates, lib. v. cap. 8, was good 
for making axle-trees for waggons, and yokes for lyres and 
harps, and was likewise suitable for building chariots and 
carts; and Hesiod says it was the best for making handles 
for ploughs, sg/vu à: yinv (Op. et dies. v. 436.) Hence the 
term guo yteres (Aristophanes Acharn. v. 180), means 
strong old men, or as we say, ‘Hearts of oak. "— Briggs. 
125. Q. Esculus.— Small prickly-cupped Oak. 
nyd. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 145, and of Theoph. lib. iii. cap. 
9, where it is called also &yzíz Agus, the acorns of which were 
esteemed the sweetest,—yruxiraric yè 6 ris guys) zagrose Hence 
the derivation of the words gyis « gays», and Esculus from 
Esca. We learn from Pausanias (lib. viii. cap. 1.) that the 
Arcadians of old ate the acorns of this oak,—ras Bardus 
ris Qnyot, also from Apollon. Rhod. Argon. lib. iv. v. 264, and 
Plin. lib. vii. eap. 56. Not only were the acorns of Q 
coccifera and Esculus used for food, but also those of the 
Ilex, which are agreeable and nourishing. There is how- 
ever much reason to suppose that chestnuts, which were named 
in the times of Theophrastus and Dioscorides, Jupiter's 
acorns, and Sardian acorns, (Vide suprà n. 121.) are often 
alluded to, when we read of people having lived upon acorns, 
Bararmpdyor dvdges in Europe; but in Africa, Dates are signi- 
fied, because we know they were likewise called by Herodo- 
tus and Dioscorides acorns, and Palm-acorns, (Vide infra 
