16 Some Enquiry concerning 



Virgil, in his treatise on husbandry (c. 21.), lays down very precise regu- 

 lations for the construction of the " cupa," or " vas vinarium majus," in such 

 a manner, and of such materials, as should render it best able to contain 

 and preserve that divine liquor which " he loved, not wisely, but too well." * 

 " Intrinsecus cupam materia ulmea vel faginea facito." Thus, in two very 

 remarkable uses to which the wood of the sweet chestnut is now constantly 

 applied, as vine props and wine casks, we have evidence of a similar application 

 of the Roman Fagus ; and, from the same cause, we find an honourable aug- 

 mentation of the titles of Bacchus, derived from the same word. 



The Phegos, which stood in solitary beauty at the gates of Troy, must, 

 however, yield in point of celebrity to the famous grove of Dodona, where, for 

 more than eight centuries, the oracles of Jupiter were delivered from his fa- 

 vourite trees, to supplicants from every part of the then civilised world. The 

 prophetic trees of this renowned shrine are, by Homer and iEschylus, men- 

 tioned, in general terms, under the name of Apvg, which included the Phegos; 

 but the Phegos is particularised by Herodotus (Enterp., 55.), in his account 

 of the establishment of the oracles ; by Hesiod (Sc/wl. ad Soph. Track., 1 181.), 

 when he describes the fruitful district of Ellopia, in which Dodona was situated ; 

 and by all subsequent Greek authors dependent upon these original authori- 

 ties. We want a good account of these forestial regions ; and a report of their 

 dendrological phenomena, at the hands of some skilful traveller, would be of 

 the greatest interest. We know, from Dr. Holland and others, that the val- 

 leys which descend from the central mass of the Pindus chain of mountains 

 (and one of them must be the territory of Dodona) are fringed with woods, 

 composed of " the plane, the chestnut, and varieties of oak." (p. 88. and 210.) 

 The beech is unnoticed, if it exists at all. These magnificent forests of Cha- 

 onia are repeatedly said to have supported the primitive race of mankind upon 

 their uncultivated produce, until, by the bounty of Bacchus and Ceres, the 

 world 



" Chaoniam pingui glandem mutavit arista, 

 Poculaque inventis Acheloia miscuit uvis." 



The fruit of the sweet chestnut might certainly have afforded a repast to un- 

 civilised man, being even now in great estimation ; but whether, under any 

 circumstances, the acorn of the oak could have been the common food of our 

 species may well be doubted. A single exception in the nauseous austere 

 flavour of the acorn occurs in the Spanish ballota, which Ceres had not ex- 

 pelled from desserts in the time of Pliny, " Quin et hodieque per Hispanias 

 secundis mensibus glans inseritur " (iV. H. xvi. 6.) ; and which still enjoys a 

 reputation for excellence : but this is the produce of a species of Flex, the 

 oramuntia, or Grammont oak, and, beyond the limits of Spain, appears to be 

 unknown in Europe. When Circe throws before the transformed companions 

 of Ulysses the acorns of the ilex and the oak, and the fruit of the cornel, 

 the poet expressly adds, " such as is always the food of grovelling swine." 



Toitri Sk KipKrj 



Hap p' dicvXov, fiaXavov t t€a\sv, tcapirov rt Kpavet7]c, 



"Edfievat, ola avsc. x a l ialivv ^ i Q aitv tcovenv. Odi/ss., k. 241. 



That such food, if it ever were human food, should have fled at the approach 

 of Ceres we may readily believe j but, if we find the Phegos still retaining its 

 ground, and associated with the gifts of the goddess in an advanced state of 

 civilisation, it is not unreasonable to suppose that its fruit must have some 

 standing merit, very distinct from the other wild productions of the forest. 

 Such is the Phegos described by Plato and Theocritus as a primitive and pas- 

 toral diet suited to a country life, but, with its concomitant delicacies, forming 

 a banquet such as neither philosopher nor poet would have declined to join. 



* " Narratur et prisci Catonis 

 Ssepe niero caluisse virtus." 



