22 VARRO ON FARMING [bk. 



from reaping the fruits of his labour. For in 

 fact, when you have to reckon perpetually with 

 Orcus (Pluto), it is not the profits from the land 

 only which are uncertain, but the life of those who 

 farm it. So in unhealthy conditions agriculture is 

 mere gambling with the farmer's life and property. 



4 Yet this risk can be lessened by knowledge. For 

 though healthy conditions, depending as they do 

 upon soil and climate, are not in our power but 

 in Nature's, yet by care we can do much to mitigate 

 the graver evils. For in fact, suppose that owing to 

 soil or water a farm is made unwholesome by a 

 stench which exhales from it, or if owing to its 

 aspect the land should be too hot, or a bad wind 

 should blow, these evils are generally remedied by 

 the knowledge and efforts of the owner; for the 

 situation of the farm-buildings, their size, and the 

 aspect of the colonnades, doors, and windows, are 



5 of very great importance. Did not the great physician 

 Hippocrates at the time of a severe pestilence save 

 by his knowledge, not a single field, but many 

 towns? But why need I call Hippocrates to wit- 

 ness? Did not our friend Varro here, at a time when 

 the army and fleet were at Corcyra, and every 

 house was full of sickness and death, let in the 

 north wind by making new windows, shut off mal- 

 arious winds, change the house-door, and by other 

 precautions of the same kind bring back his com- 

 rades and household safe and sound? 



