220 FLORA HOMGOPATHICA,. 
shaped petals, the broadly egg-shaped fruit, and the carpels, with five 
prominent, waved, or crenated ridges, with the interstices without vitte, 
will distinguish this from other genera in the same class and order. 
Spec. Cuar.—Stem smooth, polished, and spotted, much branched. 
Leaves of involucels spear-shaped, shorter than the umbellules. 
History.—It has been generally asserted that the Conium 
maculatum of Linneus is the Kaveiy of the Greeks, and the plant 
from which the Athenian state poison, which destroyed Socrates 
and Phocion, was composed ; in all probability, they are identical. 
Dioscorides (lib. iv. cap. 79) describes it pretty minutely, but 
not clearly enough to distinguish it from other umbellifere ; nor 
is Pliny’s description sufficient. However, Sibthorp (Prod. 
Flor. Grec.) found it growing in abundance near Athens; and 
Nicander (Alezip., pp. 34, 35), in describing an account of its 
effects, enumerates symptoms very nearly analogous to those we 
are familiar with, as the result of poisoning by Conium macu- 
latum. And the symptoms recorded by Plato, in the following 
extract from the ‘* Phedo,” on the death of Socrates, are very 
similar to those observed when the poison affects the spinal cord 
in particular. 
** And Crito, hearing this, gave the sign to the boy who stood 
near; and the boy departing, after some time returned, bring- 
ing with him the man who was to administer the poison, who 
brought it ready bruised in a cup. And Socrates, beholding 
the man, said, ‘ Good friend, come hither ; you are experienced 
in these affairs,—what, is to be done? ‘N othing,’ replied 
the man, ‘only when you have drank the poison, you are to 
walk about until a heaviness takes place in your legs; then lie 
down: this is all you have to do.’ At the same time he pre- 
sented the cup. Socrates received it from him with great calm- 
ness, without fear or change of countenance, and regarding the 
man with his usual stern aspect, he asked, ‘ What say you of 
this potion? Is it lawful to sprinkle any portion of it on the 
earth, as a libation, or not? ‘We only bruise,’ said the man, 
“as much as is barely sufficient for the purpose.’ ‘I under- 
