92 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN 



delivered the oracles of Jupiter in the sacred grove 

 of Dodona. 



" Such honours famed Dodona's grove acquired 

 As justly due to trees by heaven inspired; 

 When once her Oaks did fate's decrees reveal, 

 And taught wise men truths future to foretell." 



^he Onioity if suspended in a room, possesses the 

 magical powers of attracting and absorbing maladies 

 that would otherwise attack the inmates. They 

 are also said to keep away witches and evil spirits. 

 It was probably a form of ascetic self-denial which 

 caused the Egyptian priests to abstain from the 

 use of onions as food, and this led to the super- 

 stitious reverence with which onions were regarded 

 by the bulk of the people. 



Lucian, when giving an account of the different 

 deities worshipped in Egypt, states that the 

 " inhabitants of Pelusium adore the onion." 



The Egyptians were often reproached for swear- 

 ing by the leeks, garlic, and onions in their gardens ; 

 and Pliny says: " The onion and garlic are among 

 the gods of Egypt, and by these they make their 

 oaths," an absurdity which did not escape the 

 scourge of Juvenal, whose nation, however, was 

 not any the less absurdly superstitious than that 

 against which his satire was directed. 



But whilst some of the people did not dare to 

 eat leeks, garlic, or onions, for fear of injuring their 

 gods, others fed on them with enthusiasm, " ex- 

 cited by the zest of appetite, even if not of religious 

 fervour." 



" Such savoury deities must sure be good, 

 Which serve at once for worship and for food." 



