THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 219 
ears of this corn when half-ripe, are roasted and eaten by 
. the common people in Sicily. At Naples also, it is a favour- 
ite food with the Lazzaroni, who roast and sell it in the 
streets. It is a most ancient dish, and is mentioned in the 
Bible at 2 Sam. chap. xvii. v. 28, “wheat and barley, and 
flour and parched corn." And again at Ruth, chap. ii. v. 14. 
Boaz reached Ruth “parched corn and she did eat.” 
For a similar custom consult supra No. 36. 
With the flour of the Indian corn, is made the real Italian 
Polenta. 
159. Lygeum Spartum.—Rush-leaved Lygeum. 
Anioragroy, Theoph. lib. i. cap. 8, apud Stackhousium. 
Hab. in sterilibus et montosis, propé Agrigentum. 
CYPERACE. 
160. Cyperus Papyrus, Pers. (Papyrus Antiquorum, 
Spreng.)—Ancient Papyrus, or Paper Reed. 
Tlanvgoc, or Papyrus, from which Paper is made, ag’ 2c 6 
xågrns naracnevateras. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 116. For an excel- 
lent description of the z&zuzoz, confer Theoph. lib. iv. cap. 9. 
Büg2xo;, Herodoti Euterp. cap. 99. BiSros, Strabo, lib. xvii. 
Lucan also calls it Biblus, Pharsal. lib. iii. v. 222. Papyrus, 
Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. xiii. cap. 11. 
The Papyrus, as Dioscorides observes, was known to every- 
one,—yvwigiuos éors zo, and was one of the most useful of all 
plants. The different purposes to which it was applied by 
the ancients, in addition to the making of Paper, are these; 
in medicine, for the cure of fistulæ and ulcers; for food to 
the natives, who chewed it either raw, or boiled, or roasted, 
for the sake of its sweet juice ; for torches and candles: boats, 
sails, mats, garments, coverlets, and ropes were formed of it ; 
and the roots were used as fuel, and for making cups, and 
other utensils. 
From this verse of Lucan,— PAar. lib. iv. v. 136, 
* Conseritur bibulà Memphitis Cymba Papyro,” 
we may conclude that the ark in which the infant Moses 
