Chap. 63.] SATTEION. 191 



red leaves like those of the lily, but smaller, not more than 

 three of them making their appearance above ground. The 

 stem, they say, is smooth and bare and a cubit in length, and 

 the root double ; the lower part, which is also the larger, pro- 

 moting the conception of male issue, the upper or smaller part, 

 that of female. 



They distinguish also another kind of satyrion, by the 

 name of " erythraicon :"^^ it has seed like that of the vitex,^^ 

 only larger, smooth, and hard ; the root, they say, is covered 

 with a red rind, and is white within and of a sweetish taste : 

 it is mostly found in mountainous districts. The root, we are 

 told, if only held in the hand, acts as a powerful aphrodisiac, 

 and even more so, if it is taken in rough, astringent wine. It 

 is administered in drink, they say, to rams and he-goats when 

 inactive and sluggish ; and the people of Sarmatia are in the 

 habit of giving it to their stallions when flitigued with cover- 

 ing, a defect to which they give the name of *' prosedamum." 

 The effects of this plant are neutralized by the use of hydro- 

 mel or lettuces. ^^ 



The Greeks, however, give the general name of '' satyrion" 

 to all substances of a stimulating tendenc}'-, to the crataegis^* 

 for example, the thelygonon,^^ and the arrenogonon, plants, 

 the seed of which bears a resemblance to the testes.'^ Persons 

 who carry the pith of branches of tithymalos^' about them, 

 are rendered more amorous thereby, it is said. The statements 

 are really incredible, which Theophrastus,'^ in most cases an 

 author of high authority, makes in relation to this subject ; 

 thus, for instance, he says that by the contact only of a cer- 



of Linnaeus has also been named ; but, though with some doubt, Fee is 

 inclined to prefer the Tulipa Clusiana, or some other kind of tulip. 



'1 Mostly identified with the Erythronium dens canis of Linnaeus, the 

 Dog's tooth violet. M. Fraas, however, in his Sijnojysis, p. 279, remarks 

 that the E. dens canis is not to be found in Greece, and is of opinion that 

 the Fritillaria Pyrenaica, the Pyrenean lily, or Fritillary, is meant. The 

 Serapias cordigera of Linnaeus has been suggested, and Fee thinks that 

 it is as likely to be the plant meant by Pliny as any other that has been 

 named. 



12 See B. xxiv. c. 38. i3 gee B. xix. c. 38. 



^* " Crataegonon " is most probably the correct reading. See B, xvi. 

 c. 52, and B. xxvii. c. 40. i3 g^e c. 91 of this Book. 



'^ Of the three plants named, the Thelygonon is the only one to which 

 this assertion will apply. See c. 91 of this Book, and B. xxvii. c, 40. 



^7 See B. xxvi. c. 39. i8 -qx^^. Plant. B. ix. c. 20. 



