Chap. 115.] THE TKAGONIS. 269 



wards the ground, and divided at the point. It has a slender 

 stem, half a foot in length, and not wholly destitute of 

 branches; the seed, enclosed in a crescent- shaped capsule, 9 is 

 similar to a lentil in shape, 'except that it has a jagged 

 appearance, to which, in fact, it owes its name ; 10 the flower is 

 white, and the plant is found near footpaths and in hedges. 

 The seed, which has an acrid flavour, carries oif bile and 

 pituitous secretions, by vomit and by alvine evacuation, the 

 proper dose being one acetabulurn. It is used, also, for sciatica, 

 in the form of an injection, this treatment being persevered in 

 until it has induced a discharge of blood : it acts also as an 

 emmenagogue, but is fatal to the foetus. 



The other thlaspi, known by some as " Persicon napy," 11 has 

 broad leaves and large roots, and is also very useful as an 

 injection for sciatica. Both plants are very serviceable for in- 

 guinal complaints ; it being recommended that the person who 

 gathers them should mention that he is taking them for diseases 

 of the groin, for abscesses of all kinds, and for wounds, and 

 that he should pluck them with one hand only. 



CHAP. 114. THE TRACHINIA : ONE PROPERTY. 



What sort of plant the trachinia 12 is, the authorities do not 

 state. I think that the assurance given by Democritus must 

 be false : for it would be nothing less than a prodigy, for a 

 plant, attached as an amulet, to consume the spleen in so short 

 a time as three days. 



CHAP. 115. THE TRAGONIS OR TRAGION : FOUR REMEDIES. 



The tragonis, 13 or tragion, grows nowhere but in the mari- 

 time districts of the Isle of Crete ; it resembles the juniper in 



9 " Peltarum specie." The " pelta " was a small, light shield, of 

 various forms, but most commonly, perhaps, that of a crescent. 



10 From 0\a'o>, " to break." 



11 " Persian mustard." The Lunaria annua of Linnaeus, the Annual 

 moon-wort, honesty, or satin-flower, has been suggested by Sprengel, but 

 its identity is very doubtful. 



12 This plant is unknown. A rose of this name is mentioned in E. xxi 

 c. 10. 



13 See B. xiii. c. 36. Fee suggests that it may possibly be a variety of 

 the Pistacia lentiscus of Linnaeus, the Mastich-tree, or lentisk. Desfou- 

 taines identifies it with the Hypericon hircinum. M. Fraas (Synopsis, p. 

 182) suggests the Origanum maru. 



