BOOK XXII. XXIV. 50-xxvi. 53 



The Magi recommend that a leaf " of it should be 

 gathered with the left hand, with a declaration for 

 whom it is being taken, and used as an amulet for 

 tertian fevers. 



XXV. There is another plant also, the proper nuqioss. 

 name of which is onochilon, called by some people 

 anchusa, or archebion, or onocheHs, or rhexia, and 



by many enchrysa. It has a short base,* a purple 

 flower, rough leaves and branches, a root blood-red at 

 harvest time, though dark at other times, gi-owing 

 on sandy soils, an antidote to the bites of serpents, 

 especially of vipers, both root and leaves being 

 equally efficacious in food and in drink. Its proper- 

 ties are strongest at harvest time. Its leaves when 

 pounded give out the smell of cucumber. It is given 

 in doses of three cyathi for prolapsus of the uterus. 

 With hyssop it also drives out tape-worms, and for 

 pain of the kidneys or liver it is taken in hydromel, 

 should there be fever, otherwise in wine. The root 

 is applied locally for freckles and leprous sores. It 

 is said that while having it on their person people 

 are never bitten by serpents. There is also another 

 plant similar to this, but smaller, with a red flower, 

 which is also used for the same purposes. It is said 

 that if this plant be chewed, and then spat out on a 

 serpent, the serpent dies. 



XXVI. Chamomile is most highly praised by Ascle- chamom 

 piades. Some call it white chamomile, others leu- 

 canthemum, others eranthemis, because it blossoms 



in spring, others ground-apple (chamaemelon), 

 because it has the smell of an apple. A few call it 

 melanthion. Its three varieties differ only in their 



possibly frulex had this meaning when the plant was one bush 

 on a short, stout stem, as buglo.ss often is. 



329 



