MONK'S-HOOD. 289 



MONIv'S-HOOD. 



ACONITUM. 



RANUNCULACE^E. POLYANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 



Called also Wolf's-bane ; Aconite. French, 1'aconit : tue loup : 

 in some places, toutchoz. Italian, aconito ; erba della volpe. 



THE Monk's-hoods are hardy perennials, very handsome ; 

 their flowers growing in spikes or rods, which, in some of 

 the species, are nearly two feet long. They may be increased 

 by parting the roots, every piece of which will grow. This 

 should be done soon after they have done flowering ; and 

 the stalks should be cut down at the same time. They like 

 shade and moisture. Most of them have blue flowers, but 

 there are also white, and yellow. 



The ancients, who were not acquainted with chemical 

 poisons, regarded the Aconite as the most violent of all ; 

 and fabled it to be the invention of Hecate, and sprung 

 from the foam of Cerberus : 



' ' And now arrives unknown JEgeus' seed, 



Who, great in name, had two-sea'd Isthmos freed ; 



Whose undeserved ruin Phasias * sought 



By mortal aconite, from Scythia brought : 



This from th' Echidnean dog dire essence draws. 



There is a blind steep cave, with foggy jaws, 



Through which the bold Tyrinthian herot strain'd, 



Dragg'd Cerberus, with adamant enchain'd ; 



Who backward hung, and, scowling, look'd askew 



On glorious day, with anger rabid grew ; 



Thrice howls, thrice barks, at once with his three heads, 



And on the grass his foamy poison sheds. 



This sprung : attracting from the fruitful soil 



Dire nourishment, and power of deathful spoil. 



The rural swains, because it takes delight 



In barren rocks, surnamed it aconite." 



SANDYS'S OVID. 



* Medea. t Hercules. 



