64 PLIOT'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXIV. 



CHAP. 102. - THE AGLAOPHOTIS OR MARMARITIS. THE 



MENIS OR HIPPOPHOBAS. THE THEOBROTION OR SEMNION. THE 

 ADAMANTIS. THE ARIANTS. THE THERIONARCA. THE ^THIOPIS 

 OR MEROIS. THE OPHIUSA. THE THALASSEGLE OR POTAM- 

 AUGIS. THE THEANGELIS. THE GELOTOPHYLLIS. THE HESTI- 

 ATOR1S OR PROTOMEDIA. THE CASIGNETES OR DIONTSONYMPHAS. 

 THE HELIANTHES OR HELIOCALLIS. HERMESIAS. THE ^ISCHY- 

 KOMENE. THE CROCIS. THE (ENOTHERIS. THE ANACAMPS- 

 EROS. 



As to Democritus, there can be no doubt that the work 

 called " Chiroemeta" 85 belongs to him. How very much more 

 marvellous too are the accounts given in this book by the 

 philosopher who, next to Pythagoras, has acquired the most in- 

 timate knowledge of the learning of the Magi ! According 

 to him, the plant aglaophotis, 86 which owes its name to the 

 admiration in which its beauteous tints are held by man, is 

 found growing among the marble quarries of Arabia, on the 

 side of Persia, a circumstance which has given it the additional 

 name of " marmaritis." By means of this plant, he says, the 

 Magi can summon the deities into their presence when they 

 please. 



The achaemenis, 87 he says, a plant the colour of amber, 

 and destitute of leaves, grows in the country of theTradastili, an 

 Indian race. The root of it, divided into lozenges and taken 

 in wine in the day time, torments the guilty to suoh a degree 

 during the night by the various forms of avenging deities pre- 

 sented to the imagination, as to extort from them a confession 

 of their crimes. He gives it the name also of " hippophobas," 

 it being an especial object of terror to mares. 



* The theobrotion 88 is a plant found at a distance of thirty 

 schceni 89 from the river Choaspes ; it represents the varied tints 

 of the peacock, and the odour of it is remarkably fine. The 



85 " The work of his own hands," according to Hesychius. 



86 " Admiration of man." It is impossible to say what plant is meant 

 under this name, but the paeony, Pseonia officinalis, has been suggested ; 

 also the Tropseolum majus. Desfontaines queries whether it may not be 

 the Ceesalpinia pulcherrima, a native of the East. Some authors, Fee 

 says, have identified it with the " Moly " of Homer. 



e7 So called from Aehaemenes, the ancestor of the Persian kings. Fee 

 thinks that it was a variety of the Euphorbia antiquorum, or else a night- 

 shade. 88 " Food for the gods." 



sy See B. xii. c. 30 ; also the Introduction to Vol. 111. 



