66 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXIV. 



banus in Syria, upon the chain of mountains called Dicte in 

 Crete, and at Babylon and Susa in Persis. An infusion of it 

 in drink, imparts powers of divination to the Magi. The 

 gelotophyllis 1 too, is a plant found in Bactriana, and on the 

 banks of the Borysthenes. Taken internally with myrrh and 

 wine, all sorts of visionary forms present themselves, and 

 excite the most immoderate laughter, which can only be put 

 an end to by taking kernels of the pine-nut, with pepper and 

 honey, in palm wine. 



The hestiatoris, 3 he tells us, is a Persian plant, so called from 

 its promotion of gaiety and good fellowship at carousals. 

 Another name for it is protomedia, because those who eat of it 

 will gain the highest place in the royal favour. The casignetes 3 

 too, we learn, is so called, because it grows only among plants 

 of its own kind, and is never found in company with any 

 other; another name given to it is " dionysonymphas," 4 from 

 the circumstance of its being remarkably well adapted to the 

 nature of wine. Helianthes 5 is the name he gives to a plant 

 found in the regions of Themiscyra and the mountainous parts 

 of maritime Cilicia, with leaves like those of myrtle. This 

 plant is boiled up with lion's fat, saffron and palm wine being 

 added; the Magi, he tells us, and Persian monarchs are in 

 the habit of anointing the body with the preparation, to add 

 to its graceful appearance : he states also, that for this reason 

 it has the additional name of " heliocallis." 6 What the same 

 author calls " hermesias," 7 has the singular virtue of ensuring 

 the procreation of issue, both beautiful as well as good. It is 

 not a plant, however, but a composition made of kernels of 

 pine nuts, pounded with honey, myrrh, saffron, and palm wine, 

 to which theobrotium 8 and milk are then added. He also 



1 "Laughing leaves." Possibly, Fee thinks, the Ranunculus philonotis, 

 the Herba Sardoa or Sardonic plant of Virgil, known by some authorities 

 as the Apium risus, or " laughing parsley." Desfontaines suggests that 

 hemp (prepared in the form of hasheesh) is meant. 



2 " Convivial " plant. Desfontaines identifies it with the Areca catechu, 

 which, is chewed in India for the benefit of the teeth and stomach, and as a 

 sweetener of the breath. 



3 " Brother " plant. 4 " Bride of Dionysus or Bacchus." 



5 " Sun-flower." Not the plant, however, known to us by that name. 



6 " Beauty of the sun," apparently. 



7 " Mixture of Hermes," apparently. 



6 Previously mentioned in this Chapter. 



