BY WHICH THE VINE IS INFESTED. 187 
discus, speaking to his mistress of another slave, says that she imitates 
a dangerous beast : 
“ Imitatur nequam bestiam, et damnificam.” 
s¢ What is it, I pray?” says his mistress: 
? y 
“ Quamnam, amaho?” 
The slave replies: “The Involvolus, which rolls and enyelops itself 
in the leaf of the vine. In the same manner does she purposely involve 
the meaning of her speech*.” 
“ Involvolorum, que in pampini folio intorta implicat se, 
Itidem hec exorditur sibi intortam orationem.” 
In the Dictionary of Pomponius Festus we find this definition of the 
word Involvus: “ Vermiculi genus qui involvit pampino.” 
No one can hesitate to recognise the Jnvolvolus of Plautus in the 
Involvus of Festus. The word is the same with a very slight alteration. 
The curious industry of this insect is confirmed by the testimony of two 
authors ; and we learn from Festus that the destiola of Plautus was not 
a perfect insect, but the larva of an insect. 
XV. Convolvulus—Mareus Poreius Cato, in his treatise De Re 
Rustica, gives a recipe to guard the vine from the attacks of the insect 
named Convolvulus, which is there engendered. The directions are, to 
boiltheresiduum of oil until it acquires the consistency of honey, and then 
to anoint the top and the axille of each plant with the preparationy. 
“Convolvulus iz vinea ne siet, amurcam condito,” &c. And at the end, 
“ Hoc vitem circum caput, et sub brachia unguito, Convolvulus non nas- 
citur.” 
Pliny thus quotes this recipe § : 
« Ne Convolvulus fiat in vinea, amurce congios duos decoqui in cras- 
situdinem mellis,” &c., &e. And in the conclusion, “ Hoe vites circa capita 
ae sub brachiis ungi ; ita non fore Convolvulum.” 
These passages, which are the only ones in which the name Convol- 
vulus occurs, contain no information respecting the insect intended by 
it, excepting, indeed, that it greatly injures the vine. We shall have to 
examine whether it be the same insect as the Znvolvulus of Plautus, or 
whether the two words are applied to two different insects. 
XVI. Volvox.—lt will not be necessary to inquire whether the insect 
_ * Itwas necessary for my purpose to translate this passage literally ; Limiers, 
Guvres de Plaute, 12mo, vol. iii. p. 293; Levée, Thédtre des Latins, 8vo, vol. iii. 
p. 416; Naudet, 7hédtre de Plaute, Svo, vol. iii. p. 187, may be consulted as 
to the manner in which it has been rendered by various translators. 
+ Pomp. Festus, book ix. p. 193. edit. of Dair. 
+ M. P. Cato, De Re Rustica, chap. 95. vol. i. p. 52, Bipontine edition ; vol. i. 
'p. 84. of the Seripiores Rei Agraria, 2nd edit. of Gesner. 
§ Pliny, book xvii. chap. 28, 47. vol. ii. p. 91 of the edit. of Hardouin, folio ; 
vol. v. p. 741. of the edit. of T'ranzius. 
