BOOK XIX. I. 6-II. 9 



sake of the crops and of our food: and behold nian's 

 hand is engaged in growing and Hkewise his wits in 

 weaving an object which when at sea is only eager for 

 the winds to blow ! And besides, to let us know how 

 the Spirits of Retribution have favoured us, there is 

 no phint that is grown more easily ; and to show us 

 that it is sown against the will of Nature, it scorches 

 the land and causes the soil actually to deteriorate in 

 quality. 



II. Flax is chiefly grown in sandy soils, and with Fiaxof 

 a single ploughing. No other phmt grows more and^^/^iai^""'' 

 quickly : it is sown in spring and phicked in summer, 

 and owing to this also it does damage to the hind. 

 Nevertheless, one might forgive Egypt for growing 

 it to enable her to import the merchandise of Arabia 

 and India. Really ? And are the Gallic provinces 

 also assessed on such revenue as this ? And is it not 

 enough that they have the mountains separating them 

 from the sea, and that on the side of the ocean they 

 are bounded bv an actual vacuum," as the tei-m is ? 

 Tlie Cadurci, Caleti, Ruteni, Bituriges, and the Morini 

 who are believed to be the remotest of mankind, in 

 fact the whole of the GalHc provinces, weave sail- 

 cloth, and indeed by this time so do even our enemies 

 across thc Rhine, and Hnen is the showiest dress- 

 material known to their womankind. This reminds 

 us of the fact recorded by \'arro that it is a clan-custom 

 in the family of the Serrani for the women not to wear 

 linen dresscs. In Germany the women carry on 

 this manufacture in caves dug underground ; * and 

 similarly also in the Aha district of Italy between the 

 Po and the Ticino, where the linen wins the prize as 

 the third best in Europe, that of Saetabis being first, 

 as the second prize is won by the Hnens of Retovium 



425 



