BOOK IX. XIV. 9-12 



and a light lowered to the bottom of it, the moths 

 rush together from all sides and, flitting round the 

 flame, are scorched because they cannot easily fly 

 upwards from the narrow space or retire to a distance 

 from the fire, since they are hemmed in by the brazen 

 sides of the vessel. They are, therefore, consumed 

 by the burning heat which is near them. 



About fifty days from the rising of the Dog-star 10 

 is the rising of Arcturus, at which time the bees 

 make their honey from the dew-drenched flowers of 

 thyme and marjoram and savory. Honey of the 

 finest quality is at its best at the autumn equinox, 

 which falls before the first of October, when the sun 

 reaches the eighth degree of Libra. But great care 

 will have to be exercised between the rising of the 

 Dog-star and that of Arcturus that the bees are not 

 surprised by violent attacks from hornets, which 

 generally lie in wait in front of the hives for them to 

 come out. After the rising of Arcturus about the 11 

 time of the equinox, which takes place when the sun 

 is in the Balance (as I have said), the second extraction 

 of honey-combs takes place. Then from the equinox, 

 which occurs about September 24:th, until the set- 

 ting of the Pleiads, a period of forty days, the bees 

 store up the honey which they have collected for 

 winter food from the tamarisk flowers and woodland 

 shrubs. Of this nothing at all must be extracted, 

 lest the bees, disheartened by continual ill-treat- 

 ment and, as it were, in despair, should take to flight. 

 From the setting of the Pleiads till the winter solstice, 12 

 which falls about December 23rd in the eighth degree 

 of Capricorn, the bees make use of the honey already 

 stored up and are sustained by it until the rising of 

 Arcturus. I am well acquainted with the reckoning 



487 



