BOOK XI. XIV. 34-.XV. 38 



rising of the great stars, and also at the solstice, 

 when thyme and grape-vines begin to flower, the 

 outstanding material for the cells. It is however 

 necessary to practice economy in taking away the 

 combs, as lack of food causes the bees to despair 

 and die or fly away, and on the other hand a large 

 supply brings sloth, and then the bees feed on the 

 honey and not on bee-bread ; consequently the more 

 careful beekeepers leave a flfteenth part of this vintage 

 to the bees. The day fixed for beginning by a sort of 

 law of nature, if only men would know or keep it, is 

 the thirtieth after the leading out of the swarm ; and 

 this vintage usually falls within the month of May. 



The second kind of honey is summer honey, the 

 Greek name for which consequently is ' ripe honey,' 

 because it is produced in the most favourable season, 

 when the dogstar is shining in its full splendour, 

 about thirty days after midsummer. In respect 

 of this, immense subtlety on the part of nature 

 has been displayed to mortals, did not man's dis- 

 honesty spoil everything with its banefulness. For 

 after the rising of each star, but particularly the 

 principal stars, or of a rainbow, if rain does not 

 follow but the dew is warmed by the rays of the sun, 

 not honey but drugs are produced, heavenly gifts 

 for the eyes, for ulcers and for the internal organs. 

 And if this substance is kept when the dogstar is 

 rising, and if, as often happens, the rise of Venus or 

 Jupiter or Mercury falls on the same day, its sweet- 

 ness and potency for recalHng mortals' ills from 

 death is equal to that of the nectar of the gods. 



XV. Honey is obtained more copiously at full ^"'f . 

 moon, and of thicker substance in fine weather. In 

 all honey the portion that has flowed by itself Hke 



455 



