318 PLINY'S NATUEAL HISTOEY. [Book XXVIII, 



thing that lies at the bottom and I only wish 63 that Democri- 

 tus himself had been touched up with this branch of palm, 

 seeing that, as he tells us, it has the property of putting an 

 end to immoderate garrulity. It is quite evident that this 

 philosopher, a man who has shown himself so sagacious in 

 other respects, and so useful to his fellow-men, has been led 

 away, in this instance, by too earnest a desire to promote the 

 welfare of mankind. 



CHAP. 30. FOTJE KEMEDIES DEKIVED FROM THE SCINCUS. 



Similar in appearance to the preceding animals is the 

 scincus, 64 which by some writers has been called the land 

 crocodile ; it is, however, whiter in appearance, and the skin is 

 not so thick. But the main difference between it and the cro- 

 codile is in the arrangement of the scales, which run from the 

 tail towards the head. The largest of these animals is the Indian 

 scincus, and next to it that of Arabia ; they are brought here 

 salted. The muzzle and fat of the scincus, taken in white 

 wine, act as an aphrodisiac ; when used with satyrion 65 and 

 rocket-seed more particularly, in the proportion of one drachma 

 of each, mixed with two drachmae of pepper ; the whole being 

 made up into lozenges of one drachma each, and so taken in 

 drink. The flesh from the flanks, taken internally in a similar 

 manner, in doses of two oboli, with myrrh and pepper, is 

 generally thought to be productive of a similar effect, and to 

 be even more efficacious for the purpose. According to Apelles, 

 the flesh of the scincus is good for wounds inflicted by poisoned 

 arrows, whether taken before or after the wound is inflicted : 

 it is used as an ingredient, also, in the most celebrated anti- 

 dotes. Sextius tells us, that, taken in doses of more than one 

 drachma, in one semisextarius of wine, the flesh is productive of 

 deadly results : he adds,' too, that a broth prepared from it, 

 taken with honey, acts as an ant aphrodisiac. 



CHAP. 31. SEVEN BEMEDIES DEKIVED FEOM THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



Between the crocodile, too, and the hippopotamus there is a 

 certain affinity, frequenting as they do the same river, and 

 being both of them of an amphibious nature. The hippopo- 



63 One of the few pieces of wit in which Pliny is found to indulge. 



64 See B. viii. c. 38. Probably the Lacerta ouaran of Cuvier. 



65 bee B. xxvi. c. 62. 



