BOOK XXIV. xxxviii. 61-63 



those that bring on chill. The smaller kind niakes 

 the more eftective remedies for the bite of serpents ; 

 one drachma of the seed, or two of the most tender 

 leaves, is taken in wine, or in vinegar and water. Either 

 kind makes a liniment for the bites of spiders ; mere 

 smearing drives away poisonous creatures, as does 

 fumigation also, or placing some of the plant under 

 the bed. They check violent sexual desire, and 

 for this reason in particular they act as antidotes to 

 the venomous spider, the bite of which excites the 

 genitals. The blossom and tender shoots mixed with 

 rose oil clear away headache due to intoxication. 

 The seed takes away by fomentation with a decoction 

 the more severe type of headache, purges the uterus 

 also by fumigation or a pessary, and the bowels if 

 drunk with pennyroyal and honey. Boils and super- 

 ficial abscesses that refuse to come to a head " are 

 softened by an application of it with barley meal. 

 With saltpetre and vinegar the seed cures Uchens and 

 freckles, with honey sores of the mouth and of 

 eruptions,^ those of the testes with butter and vine 

 leaves, chaps in the seat when applied with water, dis- 

 locations when applied with salt, soda and wax. With 

 the seed the leaves too are added to plasters <(for the 

 relief of painful) sinews and of gout. A decoction of 

 the seed in oil is poured in di-ops 011 the head of 

 sufFerers from lethargus or phrenitis. It is said that 

 those who keep a twig in their hand or in their 

 girdle do not suifer from chafing between the thighs. 



concoquent iusi, showing that some scribes felt the difficulty. 

 With Mayhoffs conjecture translate : " With barley meal it 

 softens, though it matures them with difficulty, boils, etc." 

 ' Mayhoffs conjecture would give : " sores in the mouth 

 and eruptions of them." He compares XXII § 54 ulcerum 

 eruptiones. 



49 



