222 pliny's natural history. [Book XIV. 



placed in the centurion's hand for the preservation of the 

 supreme authority and command ? that this is the high reward 

 which summons the lagging ranks to the eagles raised aloft, 34 

 and that even in chastisement for faults it tends to reflect 

 honour upon the punishment ? 35 It was the vineyard, too, 

 that first afforded a notion, 36 the practical utility of which has 

 been experienced in many a siege. Among the medicinal pre- 

 parations, too, the vine holds so high a place, that its very 

 wines taken by themselves are efficacious as remedies for 

 disease. 37 



CHAP. 4. (2.) NINETY-ONE VARIETIES OF THE VINE. 



Democritus, who has declared that he was acquainted with 

 every variety of the grape known in Greece, is the only person 

 who has been of opinion that every kind could be enumerated ; 

 but, on the other hand, the rest of the authors have stated that 

 they are quite innumerable 38 and of infinite extent, an assertion 

 the truth of which will be more evident, if we only consider 

 the vast number of wines. I shall not attempt, then, to speak 

 of every kind of vine, but only of those that are the most re- 

 markable, seeing that the varieties are very nearly as number- 

 less as the districts in which they grow. It will suffice, then, 

 to point out those which are the most remarkable among the 

 vines, or else are peculiar for some wonderful property. 



The very highest rank is given to the Aminean 39 grape, on 



34 The reading " elatas," has been adopted. If "lentas" is retained, 

 it may mean, " promotion, slow though it be," for the word " aquila" 

 was often used to denote the rank of the " primipilus," who. had the 

 charge of the eagle of the legion. 



35 Because it was the privilege solely of those soldiers who were Roman 

 citizens to he beaten with the vine sapling. 



36 He alludes to the "vinea" used in besieging towns ; the first notion 

 of which was derived from the leafy roof afforded by the vines when creeping 

 on the trellis over-head. It was a moveable machine, affording a roof 

 under which the besiegers protected themselves against darts, stones, fire, 

 and other missiles. Baw hides or wet cloths constituted the uppermost 

 layer. 



37 See B. xxiii. c. 19. 



38 Many years ago, there were in the gardens of the Luxembourg one 

 thousand four hundred varieties of the French grape, and even then there 

 were many not to be found there ; while, at the same time, it was con- 

 sidered that the French kinds did not form more than one-twentieth part 

 of the species known in Europe. 



39 This vine was said to be of Grecian origin, and to have been con- 



