ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. viii. 1-3 



banded them, and also because the transport of the 



timber was difficult. The timbers cut for Demetrius' * 



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 



I the trees that, as they sailed into certain bays and 



i creeks, they got into difficulties ^ through breaking 



V. their masts.^ And in general it is said that the 



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



I wild forest ; wherefore the Romans gave up the idea 



I of founding their city : however some of them made 



I an excursion ^ into the island and cleared away a large 



quantity of trees from a small area, enough to make 



a raft with fifty sails ; ^ 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 ynW run the whole length '• of the keel of a 

 'j.^rrhenian vessel. The hill country produces fir and 

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



b 



Sio.Soi'Tai 5e ripas conj. St. from G; Sio/Sai^a 5« nra Ald.H. 

 ^ «Xp^<''oTo xfVT. iar. conj. Sch.; p exp^'^'""^" "' Ald.H. 

 SiaitKas conj. Sch. ; Sia reus Aid. 



465 



