BOOK XXVII. cxvii. 142-CXX. 145 



CXVII. There is also tragopogon, called by some Tragopogon. 

 come, with a small stem, leaves Uke those of saffron, a 

 long, sweet root, and at the top of the stem a broad, 

 dark calyx. It grows on rugged soils, and is eaten 

 but never used in medicine. 



CXVIII. Such is all that I have been told or dis- Ageand 

 covered worth recoi-ding about plants. At the close, ^pianu! 

 I think it not out of place to add a warning that their 

 properties vary with their age. As I have said,* 

 elaterium lasts longest, dark chamaeleon forty years, 

 centaury not more than twelve, peucedanum and 

 aristolochia up to six, and the w\\d vine one year — 

 that is, if they are kept in the shade. And of ex- 

 ternal animals indeed none attack the roots that I 

 have mentioned except the sphondyle, a kind of 

 creeping thing,* which infests them all. 



CXIX. There is no doubt either that the potency Dmgs md 

 and efficacy of all roots are lessened if the fruit "^ ^"^*'" 

 ripens before they are dug, and it is the same with 

 seeds if the root has been cut previously for the sake 

 of the juice. The properties moreover of all plants 

 are weakened by habit, and they cease to be bene- 

 ficial when needed if they have been in daily use ; 

 similarly with harmful plants. All plants however 

 have greater efficacy and potency when they grow in 

 cold regions subject to north-east winds, and likewise 

 those that grow in dry. 



CXX. There are also considerable differences 

 between races. I have heai-d for instance about 

 tapeworms and maw-worms, that they infest the 

 peoples of Egypt, Arabia, Syria and Cilicia, while on 

 the contrary they are never found at all among those 

 of Thrace and Phrygia. This is less remarkable than 

 their being found among the Thebans, but not among 



479 



