ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. vm. 1-3 



banded them, and also because the transport of the 

 timber was difficult. The timbers cut for Demetrius' J 

 ship of eleven banks of oars were thirteen fathoms 

 long, and the timbers themselves were without 

 knots and smooth, as well as of marvellous length. 

 But largest of all, they say, are the trees of 

 Corsica ; for whereas silver-fir and fir grow in 

 Latium to a very great size, and are taller and 

 finer than the silver-firs and firs of South Italy, 

 these are said to be nothing to the trees of Corsica. 

 For it is told how the Romans once made an ex- 

 pedition to that island with twenty-five ships, wishing 

 to found a city there ; and so great was the size of 

 the trees that, as they sailed into certain bays and 

 creeks, they got into difficulties 2 through breaking 

 their masts. 3 And in general it is said that the 

 whole island is thickly wooded and, as it were, one 

 wild forest ; wherefore the Romans gave up the idea 

 of founding their city : however some of them made 

 an excursion 4 into the island and cleared away a large 

 quantity of trees from a small area, enough to make 

 a raft with fifty sails ; 5 but this broke up in the open 

 sea. Corsica then, whether because of its uncultivated 

 condition or because of its soil and climate, is very 

 superior in trees to other countries. 



The country of the Latins is all well watered ; 

 the lowland part contains bay, myrtle, and wonder- 

 ful beech : they cut timbers of it of such a size that 

 they will run the whole length G of the keel of a 

 Tyrrhenian vessel. The hill country produces fir and 

 silver-fir. The district called by Circe's name is, it 



4 SiaBdvTcts 8e rivets conj. St. from G; Siaftavra 8e TIVO. Ald.H. 



5 *h txphaa-To irevT. lar. conj. Sch.; y fxpfiffavro oi Ald.H. 



6 tiaveKus conj. Sch. ; 8<ek vews Aid. 



465 



