BOOK XXVI. xc. 160-XC11. 163 



hair. Geranion taken in a wliite wine, and hypo- 

 cisthis taken in a red, check excessive menstruation. 

 Hyssop relieves hysteria. The root of vervain, taken 

 in water, is a sovereign remedy for all troubles at or 

 after child-birth. Some physicians prescribe peuce- 

 danum in dark-red wine mixed with crushed cypress 

 seed. But seed of psylUum, boiled in water and 

 taken while still warm, reUeves all fluxes of the 

 uterus. Symphyton beaten up in dark-red wine 

 promotes menstruation. Scordotis taken in drink 

 hastens deUvery, the dose being a drachma of the 

 juice in four cyathi of hydromel. Leaves of dittany 

 given in water are exceUent for this purpose. It is 

 an estabUshed fact that a single obolus of them by 

 weight inmiediately brings away the foetus, even if 

 it is dead in the uterus, without any distress to the 

 lying-in woman. Good in a similar way is bastard 

 dittany, but slower, also cyclamen used as an amulet, 

 cissanthemos taken in drink, and powdered betony in 

 hydromel. 



XCI. Arsenogonon and thelygonon are plants 

 bearing clusters Uke the flowers of the oUve, but 

 paler, and a white seed Uke that of the poppy. It is 

 said that thelygonon, taken in drink, causes the 

 conception of a female ; ai'senogonon differs from it in 

 having a seed Uke that of the oUve, but in no other 

 way ; taken in drink this plant is said to cause the 

 generation of males, if we care to beUeve it. Some 

 hold that both plants are Uke basil, but that the seed 

 of arsenogonon is double, resembUng testicles. 



XCII. For affections of the breasts the aizoiim I 

 have caUed " digitiUum is an outstanding remedy. 

 Erigeron in raisin wine makes the breasts richer in 

 milk, as does soncum boiled with emmer wheat ; the 



383 



