10 HISTORY OF BOTANY. 



§ 2. Second Century. — Apuleius and Galen. 

 Apuleius was born at Madura, a Roman colonj^ in Africa, 

 some time in the second century. He studied at Carthage, 

 Rome, and Athens, and being of a very inquiring mind, 

 travelled about a good deal in different countries, — indeed to 

 such an extent as to spend all his fortune, so that when he 

 would become a priest of Osiris* he had to pawn his clothes 

 to raise the necessary money for the expenses of the cere- 

 monies of his reception. Afterwards Apuleius maintained 

 himself by pleading causes, in which he soon became famous. 

 Lodging some time in the house of a rich widow, called 

 Pudentilla, who was much taken with his youth, vivacity, 

 agreeable conversation, and other attractive quahties, 

 Apuleius married her, not only as we are told to the 

 satisfaction of the widow's eldest son, who was much 

 attached to him, but also at his soHcitation. Others of his 

 wife's relations were dissatisfied with the match, and he was 

 involved in a lawsuit, being accused of sorcer3^ Apuleius 

 defended himself with great ability, pointing out that it did 

 not require the arts of a magician to induce a w^oman, who 

 had been thirteen years a widow, to marry a person like 

 himself. He also said that his wife was neither young nor 

 beautiful, and stated generally the disadvantages of marrjdng 

 widows. After this he turned his attention to the study of 

 philosophy and medicine. He wrote a work " concerning 

 the names and virtues of herbs," which gives the names of 

 130 in Greek, Latin, Egyptian, Punic, Keltic, Dacian, and 

 of some in the Oriental languages which he had acquired in 

 his travels.f 



'■■' Osuis was a great deity of the Egyptians, of whose origin parti- 

 cular accounts have been given, but tliey cannot be said to rest on any 

 siu-e autbority. 



f Though it has no connection with Botany, it may be well to 

 mention tliat, of Apuleius' writings, the most celebrated is an amusing 



