BOOK XXVII. Lix. 83-Lx. 86 



fluxes that fall in streams from the whole eye." 

 There is made from it a salve called by physicians 

 diaglauciu.^ It also restores a rich supply of milk if 

 this fails. When taken for this purpose, water is the 

 medium. 



LX. Glycyside, called by some paeonia or pentoro- Giycyside. 

 bon, has a stem two spans high ; two or three others 

 go with it. This stem is reddish, with bark Hke that 

 of bay ; the leaves resemble those of isatis, only 

 more fleshy, rounder, and smaller. The seed is in 

 pods, with some grains red, some black. There are 

 however two kinds of the plant. The one to the roots 

 of wliich are attached about six or eight rather long 

 bulbs hke acorns is regai-ded as female. The male has 

 no more bulbs, since it is supported only by a single 

 root, a span deep, white, and astringent to the taste. 

 The leaves of the female smell of myn-h, and are closer 

 together. The plants grow in woods. It is said that 

 they should be dug up by night, because to do so in 

 the daytime is dangerous, for the woodpecker called 

 " bird of Mars " «^ assaults the eyes. That there is a 

 danger, however, of prolapsus of the anus when a 

 root is being dug up, I hold to be a very fraudulent 

 lie, calculated to exaggerate the real facts. These 

 plants are of manifold use. The red grains check red 

 menstrual discharge, about fifteen being taken in 

 dark-red wine. The black grains are healing to the 

 uterus, the same number being taken in raisin or 

 ordinary ^\ine. The root in wine relieves all pains of 

 the belly, opens the bowels, cures opisthotonic 

 tetanus, jaundice, and complaints of the kidneys and 

 bladder ; for the trachea and the stomach however a 

 decoction in wine is used, which also acts astringently 

 on the bowels. It is eaten too as a food, but as a 



441 



