162 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXVI. 



solata 52 this last being applied topically, and covered with the 

 leaf of the plant artemisia, 53 also, and an infusion of the 

 root of mandragora 54 in water. The large-leaved sideritis, 65 

 cleft hy the left hand with a nail, is worn attached as an 

 amulet : but after the cure has been effected, due care must be 

 taken to preserve the plant, in order that it may not be set 

 again, to promote the wicked designs of the herbalists and so 

 cause the disease to break out afresh ; as sometimes happens in 

 the cases already mentioned, 66 and others which I find stated, 

 in reference to persons cured by the agency of artemisia or 

 plantago. 



Damasonion, 57 also known as alcea, is gathered at the summer 

 solstice, and applied with rain-water, the leaves being beaten 

 up, or the root pounded, with axle- grease, so as to admit, when 

 applied, of being covered with a leaf of the plant. The same 

 plan is adopted also for the cure of all pains in the neck, and 

 tumours on all parts of the body. 



CHAP. 13. THE PLANT CALLED BELLIS : TWO KEMEDIES. 



Bellis 88 is the name of a plant that grows in the fields, with 

 a white flower somewhat inclining to red ; if this is applied 

 with artemisia, 59 it is said, the remedy is still more efficacious. 



CHAP. 14. THE CONDTJRDUM. 



The condurdum, 60 too, is a plant with a red blossom, which 

 flowers at the summer solstice. Suspended from the neck, it 



52 See B. xxv. c. 66. 



53 See B. xxv. c. 36. 54 See B. xxv. c. 94. 



65 See B. xxv. c. 19, where our author has confused the Achillea with 

 the Sideritis ; also c. 15, where he describes the Heraclion siderion. Fee 

 identifies the Sideritis mentioned in B. xxv. c. 19, as having a square stem 

 and leaves like those of the quercus, with the Stachys heraclea of modern 

 botany. That mentioned in the same Chapter, as having a fetid smell, he 

 identifies with the Phellandrium mutellina of Linnseus. The large-leaved 

 Sideritis is, no doubt, the one mentioned as having leaves like those of 

 the quercus. See the Note to B. xxv. c. 19. 



56 In B. xxi. c. 83, and B. xxv. c. 119. 57 See B. xxv. c. 77. 



58 Probably the Bellis perennis of Linnasus, the Common daisy. Fee 

 remarks, that it was probably unknown to the Greeks. 



59 See B. xxv. c. 36. 



60 Identified by Sprengel and Desfontaines with the Saponaria vaccaria, 

 the Perfoliate soapwort. Other commentators have suggested the Valeriana 

 rubra, but Fee thinks that its synonym has not been hitherto discovered. 



