104 pliny's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XII, 



those nations have to pay a tax for the enjoyment of its shade. 

 Dionysius the Elder, one of the tyrants of Sicily, had plane- 

 trees conveyed to the city of Rhegium, where they were looked 

 upon as the great marvel of his palace, which was afterwards 

 converted into a gymnasium. These trees did not, however, 

 in that locality, attain any very great height. I find it also 

 stated by some authors, that there were some other instances, 

 in those days even, of plane-trees being found in Italy, and I 

 find some mentioned by name as existing in Spain. 14 



CHAP. 4. THE NATURE OF THE PEANE-TEEE. 



This circumstance took place about the time of the capture 

 of the City of Rome ; and to such high honour, in the course 

 of time, did the plane-tree attain, that it was nurtured by 

 pouring wine upon it, it being found that the roots were greatly 

 strengthened by doing 15 so. Thus have we taught the very 

 trees, even, to be wine-bibbers ! 



CHAP. 5. — EEMAEKABEE FACTS CONNECTED WITH THE 

 PLANE-TEEE. 



The first plane-trees that were spoken of in terms of high 

 admiration were those which adorned the walks of the Aca- 

 demy 16 at Athens — [in one of which], the roots extended a dis- 

 tance of thirty- three cubits, and spread far beyond its branches. 

 At the present day, there is a very famous plane in Lycia, 

 situate in close proximity to a fountain of the most refresh- 

 ing coolness ; standing near the road, with the cavity in its 



rent which the tributary nations paid to the Roman treasury. Virgil and 

 Homer speak of the shade of the plane-tree, as a pleasant resort for festive 

 parties. 



14 It is not improbable that Pliny, in copying from Theophrastus, has 

 here committed an error. That author, B. ix. c. 7, says : iv fikv yap t<£ 

 'Adpia TrXdravov ov (paaiv eivai, ttXi^v irtpi to AiofiijSovg itpov inraviav 

 Be ical iv 'IraXia 7rd<r?j. " They say that in Adria there are no plane- 

 trees, except about the temple of Diomedes : and that they are extremely 

 rare in Italy." Pliny, probably, when his secretary was reading to him, 

 mistook the word mraviav, "rare," for 7 I(nraviq, "in Spain." 



15 It has been remarked that, in reality, this process would only tend 

 to impede its growth. Macrobius tells us, that Hortensius was guilty of 

 this singular folly. 



16 Situate near the sea-shore. It was here that Plato taught. See B. 

 xxxi. c. 3. 



