Pfant bore, "begc^/, ori^ Tsyrlc/*, 427 



One other terrible attribute of this ill-omened plant was its power, 

 by its pestilential effecfts, severely to injure, if not, indeed, to strike 

 with death, the person who had the hardihood todrag the root from 

 its bed. To guard against these dangers, therefore, the surrounding 

 soil was removed, and the plant securely fastened to the tail of a 

 dog, which was then driven away, and thus pulled up the root. 

 Columella, in his directions for the site of gardens, says they may 

 be formed where 



"The Mandrakes flowers 

 Produce, whose root shows half a man, whose juice 

 Wiih madness strikes." 



The Romans seem to have been very superstitious as to the manner 

 of taking up the root. According to Pliny, those who undertook 

 the office were careful to stand so that the wind was at their back; 

 and before commencing to dig, they made three circles around 

 the plant with the point of the sword; then, turning to the west, 

 they proceeded to take it up. Probably the plant's value as a nar- 

 cotic and restorative alone induced the gathering of so dangerous 



a root. In mediaival times, when ignorance and credulity 



were dominant in Europe, the mountebank quack docflors palmed 

 on the credulous fiiftitious Mandrake-roots, which were largely sold 

 as preventives against mischief and dangers. Speaking of this 

 superstition. Lord Bacon, in his ' Natural History,' says, " Some 

 plants there are, but rare, that have a mossie or downie root, and 

 likewise that have a number of threads, like beards, as Mandrakes, 

 whereof witches and impostours make an ugly image, giving it the 

 forme of a face at the top of the root, and leave those strino-s 



to make a broad beard down to the foot." Madame de Genlis 



speaks of an author who gravely gives a long description of the 

 little idols which were supposed to be roots of the Mandrake, and 

 adds that they must be wrapped up in a piece of sheet, for that then 

 they will bring unceasing good luck. The same author, she says, 

 gives this name Mandragora (Mandrake) to certain sprites that are 

 procured from an egg that must be hatched in a particular manner, 

 and from which comes forth a little monster (half chick and half 

 man) that must be kept in a secret chamber, and fed with the 

 seed of Spikenard, and that then it will prophesy every day. Thus 

 it can make its master lucky at play, discover treasures to him, 



and foretell what is to happen. The credulous people of 



some nations have believed that the root of the Mandrake, if dis- 

 lodged from the ground, becomes the good genius of the possessor, 

 and not only cures a host of maladies, but discovers hidden treasures ; 

 doubling the amount of money locked up in a box, keeping off evil 

 spirits, acling as a love charm, and rendering other notable services. 

 According to Pliny, the Mandrake was sometimes conformed like 

 a man, at others like a woman: the male was white, the female 

 black. In the mountain of Pistoia, the peasants think they can 

 trace the form of a man in the leaves of the Mandrake, and of the 



