BOOK III. VII. 2-viii. 2 



a rich flavour like that of the Anoinean, or at least 

 not far from that taste. I am aware that the belief 

 of nearly all agriculturists is at variance ^^ith my 

 way of thinking ; a belief which, as regards Aminean 

 vines, has become deep-rooted and has gained 

 strength through length of time, as though they 

 suffered from a native and inborn unfruitfulness. 

 For this reason there is greater necessity on our part 3 

 of fortifying with many examples a method recalled 

 from times past — a method which, being condemned 

 through the slothfulness as well as the indiscretion 

 of husbandmen and obscured, as it were, by the 

 darkness of ignorance, has been deprived of the 

 light of truth. The time is not unsuitable, then, 

 lor us to turn our attention first to considerations 

 which seem able to correct this general misunder- 

 standing. 



Vm. Therefore, Publius Silvinus, if we will look 

 at nature through the keener eyes of the mind, so to 

 speak, we shall find that she has established an 

 equable law of fertility for all green things even as for 

 human beings and other living creatures ; and that 

 she has not so bestowed special endowments upon 

 some nations or regions as to deny like gifts altogether 

 to others. To some peoples she has granted the gift 

 of producing numerous progeny, as to the Egyptians 

 and Africans, with whom the birth of twins is common 

 and almost an annual occurrence ; but of Italian 

 stock, too, she has willed that there be women of 

 extraordinary fertility — Alban women of the Curia- 

 tian family, mothers of three children at one birth." 



plets, while an Egyptian woman produced septiiplets. The 

 fertility of the Egyptians is attributed to their drinking of the 

 waters of the fetifer (fertilizing) Nile. 



273 



