BOOK XXI. cvi. 183-CIX. 185 



and is beneficial, they say, to the hypochondria, for 

 mange and for freckles. I find also that scab in 

 cattle is very quickly healed by it, and that according 

 to Nicander « the bites of snakes also, if gathered 

 before it blossoms. 



CVII. Nor would it be right to describe fully the Cnecos. 

 cnecos, otherwise atractyHs, an Egyptian plant, 

 were it not for the great help it affords against 

 venomous creatures as well as against poisonous 

 fungi. It is a well-known fact that so long as they 

 hold this plant, those stung by scorpions feel no 

 sharp pain. 



CVIII. The Egyptians plant pesohita too in their pesointa. 

 gardens, using it for chaplets. There are two kinds, 

 female and male ; both, it is said, placed under the 

 genitals, are antaphrodisiac, especially for men. 



CIX. Since I have frequently to use Greek names \vei,i/its ««< 

 when giving weights and measures, I will add at *''™*"''^*- 

 this place their equivalents, once and for all. The 

 Attic drachnia, for it is generally the Attic standard 

 that physicians adopt, has the weight of a silver 

 denarius, and the same makes six oboH, the obolus 

 being ten chalci. The cyathus as a measure weighs 

 ten drachmae ; when the measure of an acetabulum 

 is spoken of, it means the quarter of a liemina, that 

 is fifteen drachmae. The mna, that our countrymen 

 call the mina, weighs one hundred Attic drachmae. 



291 



