BOOE XXVI. xxxvi. 57-xxxvn. 58 



XXXVI. Nymphaea too in a dry wine loosens the 

 bowels, as also does pycnocomon, which has leaves 

 Hke rocket, but thicker and more acrid," a round root 

 of a yellow colour and an earthy smell, a quadrangular 

 stem, of moderate length and slender, and the 

 blossom of basil. It is found on stony ground. Its 

 root, taken in hydromel in doses of two denarii by 

 weight, thoroughly purges the bowels of bile and 

 phlegm. A drachma of the seed, taken in wine, 

 causes wild dreams.'' Capnos trunca also carries 

 away bile. 



XXXVII. Of polypodium, a plant called by Poiypodium. 

 Romans filicula, being like a fern (Jilijc), the root is 

 medicinal, haiiy, grass-green inside, as thick as the 



little finger, with indented edges so as to look Uke a 

 polypus's arms, of a sweetish taste, and to be found " 

 in stony soils or under old trees. The juice is extract- 

 ed from the root soaked in water, and chopped up fine 

 the root itself is sprinkled on cabbage, beet, mallows 

 and pickled fish, or else boiled with gruel to make a 

 gentle aperient usable even in fever. It brings away 

 bile and phlegm, although injurious to the stomach. 

 Dried and reduced to powder it eats away polypus 

 if pushed up the nostrils. There is no flower and no 

 seed." 



the MSS. with no convincing emendation. I have followed 

 Mayholf without confidence, believing that tliere is a lacuna 

 after facit : " although the seed causes nightmares yet <it 

 has beneficial effects on the bowels>." 



' In both thcse places there is a kind of confusion between 

 the root and the piant. It is the lcaves that are indented. 

 Only the root was used medicinally, as we see from radiz in 

 usu, and all the cliapter applies to it except the phrases 

 acetabulis . . . cirri and iii j^etris . . . vetustis and the sen- 

 tence ^orew et semen nonfert. Although, however, the style is 

 faulty, yet the senae is quite clear. 



