BOOK XXIII 



I. The medicinal properties also oi cereals have Frmiisana 

 now been described, as well as those of all plants that "*"'' "^^^ 

 spring up from the face of the earth to give us 

 food, flowers or perfume. Tlieir rival in bounty is 

 Pomona, who even to hanging fruits has given 

 healing quahties," not being content to protect, and 

 to nourish with the shade of her trees, the plants I 

 have noted. Nay, it is as though she was vexed at 

 the thought of there being more help in things 

 further away from heaven and coming into use later. 

 For the earhest food of man, she called to mind, had 

 come from trees ; in this way he had been led to gaze 

 at the heavens, and he could still obtain his food 

 from herself without recourse to the crops of the field. 

 II. And so, God be praised, she bestowed healing 

 powers on the vine in particular, not being satisfied 

 with having richly supphed it with dehcious flavours, 

 perfumes, and unguents, in its omphacium,*' its 

 oenanthe,<^ and its massaris,'* which I have described 

 in the proper places. " Man," she says, " enjoys 

 through me a very great amount of pleasure. It is 

 I who create the juice of the grape and the oil of the 

 oHve, I who create dates and fruits in great variety. 

 I am unHke Mother Earth, all of whose gifts must 

 be earned by toil — ploughing by bulls, beating on 

 threshing-floors, and then grinding between mill- 

 stones, and all to produce food at some indefinite 



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