106 pliny's natueal histoey. [Book XII. 



in the island of Cyprus. Slips of the tree at Gortyna— so 

 fond is man by nature of novelty — were at an early period 

 planted at different places in Crete, and reproduced the natural 

 imperfections of the tree ; 20 though, indeed, there is no higher 

 recommendation in the plane than the fact that in summer it 

 protects us from the rays of the sun, while in winter it admits 

 them.^ In later times, during the reign of the Emperor 

 Claudius, a Thessalian eunuch, the freedman of Marcellus 

 JEserninus, 21 who, however, from motives of ambition had en- 

 rolled himself in the number of the freedmen of the emperor, 

 and had acquired very considerable wealth, introduced this 

 plane into Italy, in order to beautify his country-seat : so that 

 he may not inappropriately be styled a second Dionysiusi 

 These monstrosities of other lands are still to be seen in Italy, 

 independently of those which that country has herself devised. 



CHAP. 6. (2.) THE CHAM2EPLATANT7S. WHO WAS THE FIRST 



TO CLIP GREEN SHRUBS. 



For we find in Italy some plane-trees, which are known as 

 chamseplatani, 22 in consequence of their stunted growth ; for 

 we have discovered the art of causing abortion in trees even, 

 and hence, even in the vegetable world we shall have occasion 

 to make mention of dwarfs, an unprepossessing subject in every 

 case. This result is obtained in trees, by a peculiar method 

 adopted in planting and lopping them. C. Matins, 23 a member 

 of the Equestrian order, and a friend of the late Emperor 

 Augustus, invented the art of clipping arbours, within the last 

 eighty years. 



CHAP. 7. (3.) HOW THE CITRON IS PLANTED. 



^ The cherry and the peach, and all those trees which have 

 either Greek or foreign names, are exotics : those, however, of 



20 The tendency, namely, to lose their leaves. 



21 Grandson of Asinius Pollio. Tacitus tells us, that he was one of 

 those whom Piso requested to undertake his defence, when charged with 

 having poisoned Germanicus ; but he declined the office. 



22 Or " ground plane-trees." It is by no means uncommon to see dwarf 

 varieties of the larger trees, which are thus reduced to the dimensions of 

 mere shrubs. 



23 C. Matius Calvena, the friend of Julius and Augustus Csesar, as also 

 of Cicero. He is supposed to have translated the Iliad into Latin verse, 

 and to have written a work on cookery. 



