136 FLORA HISTORIC A. 



The ancients, who were unacquainted with 

 chemical poisons, regarded the Aconite as the 

 most violent of all poisons, and accordingly they 

 fable it to be the invention of Hecate, who caused 

 the plant to spring from the foam of Cerberus, 

 when Hercules dragged him from the gloomy 

 regions of Pluto. 



*• This from th' Echidnean dog dire essence draws. 

 There is a blind steep cave, with fog-g-y jaws, 

 Throug-h which the bold Tyrinthian hero strain'd, 

 Drag-g'd Cerberus, with adamant enchain'd ; 

 Who backward hung", and scowling", look'd askew 

 On glorious day, with anger rabid grew ; 

 Thrice howls, thrice barks at once M'ith his three heads, 

 And on the grass his foamy poison sheds. 

 This sprung ; attracting from the fruitful soil 

 Dire nourishment, and power of deathfulsoil 

 The rural swains, because it takes delight 

 In barren rocks, surnamed it Aconite." 



Sandys' s Ovid. 



In the iron age of Ovid, the poet pictures the 

 stepdame as preparing a deadly potion of Aco- 

 nite. 



*' Ltcnda terribiles miscent Aconites Novercuc." 



It was with this venomous plant that the an- 

 cients poisoned their arrows when in pursuit of 

 ferocious animals, as also when following their 

 more brutal trade of slaughtering their fellow- 



