ORDER OPHIDIA. . 317 



viper) may be taken internally without any injury, Charas 

 and Redi have made conclusive experiments on this subject, 

 the results of which have been recently confirmed by Pro- 

 fessor Mangili. This fact, however, was known as long ago 

 as the time of Celsus, who thus expresses himself concerning 

 it. *' Neque Hercule scientiam praecipuam habent hi qui 

 Psylli nominantur, sed audaciam usu ipso confirmatam, nam 

 venenum sei-pentis non gustu sed in vulnere nocet. Ergo 

 quis quis exemplum Psylli secutus, id vulnus exsuxerit, et 

 ipse tutus erit, et tutum hominem praestabit. Sed ante," 

 (adds this most sagacious and accurate observer,) " debebit 

 attendum ne quod in gengivis palatove, aliove parte oris, 

 ulcus habeat." 



In the Pharsalia of Lucan, we find the same doctrine put 

 into the mouth of Cato, nor shall we resist the temptation 

 of giving to our readers the entire of the splendid passage 

 in question. 



" Jam spissior ignis, 

 Et plaga, quain nullara superi mortalibus ultra, 

 A medio fecere die calcatur, et unda 

 Rarior : inventus raediis fons unus arenis 

 Largus aquae : sed quem serpentum turba tenebat 

 Vix capiente loco : stabant in margine siccoe 

 Aspides, in mediis sitiebant Dipsades undis. 

 Ductor, ut aspexit perituros fonte relicto 

 Alloquitur ; vana specie conterrite leti 

 Ne dubita miles tutos harrire liquores : 

 Noxia serpentum est admisto sanguine pestis : 

 Morsu virus habent et fatum dente minantur : 

 Pocula morte carent : dixit, dubiumque venenum 

 Hausit." 



" And now with fiercer heat the desert glows, 

 And mid-day gleamings aggravate their woes ; 



