BOOK XIX. Liv. 171-LV1. 174 



It b also used to make a relish, by being boiled down 

 in saucepans till its sharp flavour ceases to be notice- 

 able ; also its leaves are boiled, Uke those of all other 

 vegetables. There are thrce kinds of mustard plant, 

 one of a slender shape, another with leaves likc those 

 of turnip, and the third witli those of rocket. The 

 best seed comes from Egypt. The Athenian word 

 for mustard is napy, those of other dialects ihlaspi 

 and lizard-herb. 



UV. Most mountains teem with thynie and wild Thyminnn 

 mint, for instance the mountains of Thrace, and so ^^^ater^mini. 

 pcople phick off sprays of theni there and bring them 

 down to plant ; and they do the same at Sicyon 

 from mountains there and at Athens from Hymettus. 

 Wild mint is also planted in a simihir manner; it 

 grows most abundantly on the walls of wells and 

 round fishpools and ponds. 



LVI . There remain the garden plants of the fennel- Fenneu 

 giant class, for instance fennel, which snakes are ^' 

 very fond of, as we have said, and which when dried ^m- ^^- 

 is useful for seasoning a great many dishes, and 

 thapsia, which closely resembles it, of which we have 

 spoken among foreign bushes, and thcn liemp, which xiii. 121. 

 is exceedingly useful for ropes. Hemp is sown when 

 the spring west ^vind sets in; the closer it grows the 

 thinner its stalks are. Its seed when ripe is stripped 

 off after the autumn equinox and dried in the sun or 

 wind or by the smoke of a fire. The hemp plant 

 itself is plucked after the vintage, and peeling and 

 cleaning it is a task done by candle light. The best 

 is that of Arab-Hissar, which is specially used for 

 making hunting-nets. Three classes of hemp are 

 produced at that place : that nearest to the bark or 

 the pith is considered of inferior value, while that 



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