BOOK XX. Liii. 150-LIV. 154 



head, and to rectal troubles. It prevents too 

 chafing, even if only held in the hand. Added to 

 honey wine it is poured into the ears. It is even 

 said to cure splenic trouble if it be tasted in the 

 garden, without plucking it, if he who bites it says on 

 nine consecutive days that he is curing his spleen ; also 

 that a three-finger pinch of the dried powder taken 

 in water reHeves stomach ache, and that the same 

 with a sprinkling of drink" expels intestinal worms. 



LIV. Pennyroyal and mint are strong allies in Pennyroyai 

 reviving people who have fainted, both being put, 

 in whole sprays, into glass bottles full of vinegar. 

 For this reason Varro declared that a garland of 

 pennyroyal was more suited to our bedrooms than 

 one of roses, for an appHcation is said to relieve 

 headache ; moreover, its very smell protects the 

 head, so it is reported, against injury from cold or 

 heat, and from thirst, nor do they suffer from the 

 heat who carry when they are in the sun two sprays 

 of pennyroyal behind their ears. It is also appUed 

 with pearl barley and vinegar for pains. The female 

 plant is the more efficacious. This has a mauve * 

 flower, but the male a white one. Taken in cold 

 water with salt and pearl barley it checks nausea ; 

 in this form pains in the chest also, and in water by 

 itself pains in the stomach. Likewise it checks gnaw- 

 ings and vomiting if taken with vinegar and pearl 

 barley ; in salt, vinegar and pearl barley it loosens 

 the bowels. Boiled with honey and soda it cures 

 complaints of the intestines ; in wine it is diuretic, 

 and if the wine be I^ minean <■ it disperses both stone 

 and all internal pains. In honey and vinegar it 

 reUeves menstruation and the after-birth, replaces 



' See XIV. §§ 46, 47. 



