BOOK XXVI. Lxix. iii-Lxx. 113 



houseleek, wrapped in black cloth and placed under 

 the pillow without the knowledge of the patient. 

 Onothera also, that is onear, is soporific although 

 exhilarating in wine," having leaves like those of the 

 almond tree, rose-coloured blossom, a bushy shape 

 and a long root, which when dried smells of wine, 

 and given in their drink soothes even wikl beasts. 

 Indigestion causing nausea is reUeved by betony ; 

 it also if taken in drink after dinner promotes 

 digestion ; in doses of one drachma by weight in 

 three cyathi of oxymel it also removes the after- 

 effects of drink, as does agaric too taken in hot water 

 after food. Betony is said to cure paralysis and so 

 does hiberis as prescribed previously.'' It is also 

 good for numbness of the limbs ; so also is arge- 

 monia, by removing all symptoms indicating that 

 surgical treatment (i.e. venesection) may be neces- 

 sary.'' 



LXX. Epilepsy is cured by the root of the panaces EpUeps 

 1 have called herachon <^ taken in drink with seaFs 

 rennet ; three quarters of the mixture must be 

 panaces. Other cures are plantain in drink, doses 

 of one drachma of betony or thi-ee oboU of agaric in 



17^0?. The language of Dioscorides (IV 117) does not help 

 much, although he mentions the soothing effect on wild 

 beasts. It might be thought that not all the remedies given 

 in this chapter are soporific. After crvditates, indeed, come 

 some miscellaneous ones, but onothera is surely added (by 

 the et) to the list of soporifics. 



* See XXV § 88. 



" I have kept the reading of R (queried as doubtful by 

 Mayhoff) and of Gelenius because it avoids the dislocation of 

 thought (violent even for Pliny) involved in the vulgate and 

 accepted by Mayhoff. The use of argemonia is thus confined 

 to the cure of paralysis, or partial paralysis. 



■* See XXV § 32. 



349 



