BOOK XX. Lxxiii. 189-192 



ohief value, however, is to cause belching, and so it 

 cures flatulence of the stomach, gripina^ of tlie intes- 

 tines and coeliac trouble. Boiled, and either siuelt or 

 drunk, it also stays hiccough. Its boiled leaves are 

 a remedy for indigestion. To smell the juice of the 

 plant boiled with celery" stops sneezing. Taken in 

 drink it promotes sleep, disperses stone, stays 

 vomiting and swelling of the hypochondria, besides 

 being very useful for chest troubles and for the 

 sinews with which the body is girt.** It is good for 

 headache also to pour in drops upon the head the 

 juice of anise boiled with oil. Nothing is considered 

 to be more beneficial to the belly and intestines, 

 and so it is given roasted for dysentery and for 

 tenesmus. Some add opium also, pills of the size of 

 a hipine-seed being swallowed three times a day and 

 washed down in a cyathus of wine. Dieuches used 

 the juice also for lumbago ; the pounded seed with 

 mint he gave for dropsy and coeliac trouble ; Evenor 

 gave the root also for diseases of the kidneys. Dalion 

 the herbalist pi*escribed a poultice of anise and 

 parsley for women in labour, and also for pain in the 

 womb ; he recommended it to be taken with dill 

 in drink by women in labour. It is applied also in 

 cases of phrenitis,^ sometimes freshly gathered and 

 with pearl barley ; it is also so applied to babies 

 suffering from epilepsy or convulsions. Pythagoras 

 indeed declares that no epileptic fit occurs while 

 anise is held in the hand, and for this reason advises 

 that as much as possible be planted near the home. 

 He also says that to smell it makes for easier child- 

 birth, and that immediately after delivery it should 

 be given in a draught with a sprinkling of pearl 

 barley. Sosimenes used it in vinegar for all indura- 



