ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IX. ix. 2-5 



voice. The root is used in childbirth, for diseases 

 of women, and for flatulence in beasts of burden. 

 It is also useful in making the iris-perfume because 

 of its fragrance ; but the seed is stronger than the 

 root. It grows in Syria and is cut at the time of 

 wheat-harvest. 



Of cyclamen the root is used for suppurating 1 

 boils ; also as a pessary for women and, mixed with 

 honey, for dressing wounds ; the juice for purgings 

 of the head, 2 for which purpose it is mixed with 

 honey and poured in ; it also conduces to drunken- 

 ness, if one is given a draught of wine in which it 

 has been steeped. They say also that the root is a 

 good charm for inducing rapid delivery and as a love 

 potion; 3 when they have dug it up, they burn it, 

 and then, having steeped the ashes in wine, make 

 little balls like those made of wine-lees which we 

 use as soap. 



4 Of ' wild cucumber ' (squirting cucumber) the root 

 is used for 5 white leprosy and for mange in sheep, 

 while the extracted juice makes the drug called 

 ' the driver.' G It is collected in autumn, for then it 

 is best. 



Of germander the leaves pounded up in olive-oil 

 are used for fractures and wounds and for spreading 

 sores ; the fruit purges bile, and is good also for the 

 eyes ; for ulcers 7 in the eye they pound up the leaf 

 in olive-oil before applying it. It has leaves like 

 the oak, but its entire growth is only about a palm 

 high ; and it is sweet both to smell and taste. 



Now that all parts are not serviceable for the 

 same purpose is perhaps not strange ; it is more 



4 Diosc. 4. 150 ; Plin. 20. 3. 5 *pl> 5 add. St. 

 6 cf. 9. 14. 1 and 2. "' cf. 7. 6. 2 ; Diosc. 3. 98. 



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