ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IX. xv. 6-xvi. i 



considerable abundance, but in greatest abundance 

 and best about Kleitoria. 



1 All-heal grows in great abundance and best in 2 

 the rocky ground about Psophis, moly about Pheneos 

 and on Mount Kyllene. They say that this plant is 

 like the moly mentioned by Homer, that it has a 

 round root like an onion and a leaf like squill, and 

 that it is used against spells and magic arts, but that 

 it is not, as Homer says, difficult to dig up. 



3 Hemlock is best about Susa 4 and in the coldest 

 spots. Most of these plants occur also in Laconia, for 

 this too is a land rich in medicinal herbs. In Achaia 

 tragacanth 5 is abundant and is as good as that of 

 Crete, it is believed, and even fairer in appearance. 

 Daukon 6 again is excellent in the country about 

 Patrai 7 ; this is by nature healing, and it has a black 

 root. Most of these grow also 011 Mount Parnassus 

 and about Telethrion. So these plants are com- 

 mon to several lands. 



Of the medicinal herbs peculiar to Crete. 



XVI. 8 But dittany is peculiar to Crete. This plant 

 is marvellous in virtue and is useful for many purposes, 

 but especially for women in child-birth. Its leaf is 

 like pennyroyal, to which it also bears some resem- 

 blance in taste ; but the twigs are slenderer. They 

 use the leaves, not the twigs nor the fruit : and the 

 leaf is useful for many other purposes, but above all, 



Hellas. But Plin. 25. 154 has Susa : it can hardly be the 

 Persian town. 



5 Plin. 13. 115. 



6 Repeated 9. 20. 2 ; cf. 9. 15. 5 and Index. 



7 narpcuKV conj. Sch., cf. 9.20.2; iraTpiK^v Aid.; ffTrapTta- 

 V U*; a-trapTiK^v MP ; Patrensi ayro G. 



8 Plin. 25. 92. 



295 



