INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE VINE. 141 



" Which, I pray you?" asks the mistress. 

 " Quamnam, amabo i" 



The slave replies : — " The involvulus ; for, as that creature 

 rolls and wraps itself up in the leaf of the vine, so she is ambi- 

 guous in her conversation." 6 



" Involvolorum, que in pampini folio intorta implicat se 

 Itidem hsec exorditur sibi intortam orationem." 



I find, in the Dictionary of Pomponius Festus, f this defini- 

 tion of the word involvus : — " Vermiculi genus qui involvit 

 pampino." 



Every one will recognise the involvulus of Plautus in the 

 involvus of Festus. It is the same word, with a very slight 

 alteration. The singular economy of this insect is confirmed 

 by the testimony of two authors ; and we learn from Festus, 

 that the bestiola of Plautus was the larva of an insect, and 

 not a perfect insect. 



15. Convolvulus. 



Marcus Portius Cato, in his treatise De Re Rustica, gives 

 a recipe against an insect named convolvulus, which breeds on 

 the vine. This recipe consists in boiling the dregs of oil till 

 they acquire the consistence of honey, and rubbing the top 

 and joints of each plant therewith: 8 — " Convolvulus in vinea 

 ne siet, amurcam condito," &c. — and, in conclusion — " Hoc 

 vitem circum caput, et sub brachia unguito, convolvulus non 

 nascitur." 



Pliny, quoting Cato, copies this recipe : h — " Ne convolvulus 

 fiat in vinea, amurcae congios duos decoqui in crassitudinem 

 mellis," &c. &c; and afterwards says — " Hoc vites circa 

 capita ac sub brachiis ungi, ita non fore convolvulum." 



e I have translated this passage literally, because my purpose is best answered 

 by so doing : to see how it has been translated by others, Limiers may be consulted, 

 CEuvres de Plaute, in 12mo. torn. iii. p. 293 ; Levee, Thidtre des Latins, in 8vo. 

 torn. iii. p. 416 ; Theatre de Plaute, in 8vo. torn. iii. p. 187. 



' Pomponius Festus, liv. ix. p. 193, edit, de Dair. 



E M. P. Cato, de Re Rustica, c. 95; torn. i. p. 52, edit, des Deux Ponts ; 

 torn. i. p. 84, des Scriptores Rei Agrarice, 2d edit, de Gesner, 



h Plin. liv. xvii. c. 28, 47 ; torn. ii. p. 91, de Pedit. d'Hardouin, in folio; 

 torn. v. p. 741, de l'^dit. de Franzius. 

 NO. II. VOL. IV. U 



