BOOK XXII. XI. 25-xiii. 28 



thickened and then placed under the tongue the 

 juice is good for the voice ; it is also good for the 

 chest and Hver. I have ah-eady stated" that this root 

 ahays hunger and thirst, for which reason some have 

 named it adipsos (thirst-quencher), and prescribed it 

 for dropsy, in order to prevent thirst. Because of this 

 property it is chewed as a mouth medicine, and it is 

 often sprinkled 011 sores in the mouth and inflamma- 

 tory swellings of the eye-hds. It also cures irritation 

 of the bladder, pains in the kidneys, tumours of the 

 anus, and sores on the genitals. Some have pre- 

 scribed it in a draught for quartan ague, in doses of 

 two drachmae by weight, with pepper,*' to be taken 

 in a hemina of water. Chewed, it checks the flow 

 of blood from a wound. Some authorities have 

 asserted that it also expels stone from the bladder. 



XII. Onc kind of tribulus '^ s^rows in o;ardens, the Tnhuius. 

 other only in rivers. From both the juice is col- 

 lected to make eye medicines, for it is of a coohng 

 nature and therefore useful for inflammations and 

 abscesses. Mixed with honey it heals sores that 

 break out of themselves, especially those in the 

 mouth, and also sore tonsils. Taken in drink it 

 breaks up stone in the bladder. The Thracians on 



the banks of the Strymon feed their horses on 

 the leaves of the caltrop, themselves hving on the 

 kernel, out of which they make a very pleasant 

 bread, and one to bind the bowels. The root, if 

 gathered in chastity and purity, disperses scrofulous 

 sores ; the seed used as an ainulet soothes painful 

 varicose veins ; pounded, moreover, and sprinkled in 

 water it kills fleas. 



XIII. Stoebe,''. which some call pheos, boiled m. aioehe. 

 wine is specific for suppui-ating ears, as well as for 



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