BOOK XXVI. Lxii. 96-Lxin. 99 



This latter kind, if applied with pearl barley or by 

 itself after being pounded, reUeves swellings and 

 affections of the privy parts. The root of the former 

 kind, taken in the milk of a farm-yard sheep, causes 

 erections ; taken in water, however, it makes them 

 subside. 



LXIII. The Greeks speak of a satyrion that has 

 leaves hke those of the hly, but red, smaller, and 

 springing from the ground not more than three in 

 number, a smooth, bare stem a cubit high, and a 

 double root, the lower, and larger, part favouring the 

 conception of males, the upper, and smaller, the con- 

 ception of females. Yet another kind of satyrion 

 they call erythraicon, saying that its seed is hke that 

 of the vitex, but larger, smooth and hard ; that the 

 root is covered with a red rind, and contains " a 

 white substance with a sweetish taste, and that the 

 plant is generally found in hilly country. They tell 

 us that sexual desire is aroused if the root is merely 

 held in the hand, a stronger passion, however, if it is 

 taken in a dry wine, that rams also and he-goats 

 are given it in drink when they are too sluggish, and 

 that it is given to stalhons from Sarmatia ^ when they 

 are too fatigued in copulation because of prolonged 

 hibour ; this condition is called prosedamum. The 

 effects of the plant can be neutrahzed by doses of 

 hydromel or lettuce. The Greeks indeed always, 

 when they wish to indicate this aphrodisiac nature of 

 a plant, use the name satyrion, so applying it to 

 crataegis, thelygonon, and arrenogonon, the seeds 

 of which resemble testicles. Again, those carrying 

 on their persons the pith of tithymalhis branches are 



Sarmatia, " from Sarmatia " (i.e. Sarmatian stallions), gives 

 a good sense. 



339 



