OF ACCOMPANYING ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 377 



Virginis observed at Alexandria by Timochares ; the moon covering the star with the North part 

 of her disk. 



"281 B. C." (Polyb., and Clint.), Lysimachus defeated by Seleucus, and slain. 



Plectranthus crassifolius of Tropical Arabia. Called there " medan," and in Egypt " zatar 

 hendi " (Forsk.), equivalent to " origani indici " of the letter on preserving health to king Antiochus 

 — (Hippocrat. coll.) : the " setargi indi " is also mentioned by Mesue electuar. : P. crassifolius was 

 observed in Egypt by Vesling obs., Forskal, and in a greenhouse there by Delile. Farther South, 

 was observed by Forskal p. 109 under cultivation along the base of the mountains of Yemen. 



" 280, January" (. . . . Clint, iii. p. 346), Seleucus succeeded by Antiochus Soter, second Greek 

 king of Syria. 



Dictamnus fraxinella of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. The herb according to 

 Agathon called by the barbarians on the Tanais <J>PYIA, resembling nHTANQ, and giving out 

 flames if a stepmother is plotting — (Plut. fluv. 14. 5), may be compared: the " fraxinellam " of Cre- 

 scenzio, Tragus 26 (Spreng.), and Tournefort inst. 430, is referred here by writers : D. fraxinella was 

 observed by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, frequent from the Peloponnesus to the woods on mount Hse- 

 mus ; and Westward, is known to grow in Italy, Germany, and as far as France (Renealm. pi. 121, 

 Jacq. austr. pi. 428, and Pers.). 



Cynanchum vincetoxicum of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. An upright species 

 called in Italy " vincetossico " (Lenz) ; and the KYO YPA herb growing according to Agathon along 

 the Argive river Inachus, resembling nH TANQ, and placed on the umbilicus to induce abortion — 

 (Plut. fluv. 18), may be compared: the " asklepias " growing on mountains according to Dio- 

 scorides, and having long branches, its leaves applied externally in diseases of the matrix and 

 mammae, and its slender fragrant roots an antidote in bites of poisonous animals, identified with the 

 " kission " or " kissophullon " in the added Synonyms, is referred here by Fuchsius and others : C. 

 vincetoxicum was observed by Sibthorp on Parnassus and other high mountains in Greece. West- 

 ward, the account of the " asclepiades " by Pliny xxvii. 18 seems taken from Dioscorides ; but the 

 " vincatossicam " is mentioned in a medical formula of the time of Charlemagne, and " vincetoxici " 

 by Nicolaus Praepositus : C. vincetoxicum is described by Matthioli p. 129, Lobel, Dalechamp, and 

 according to Dodoens p. 407 its roots are certainly fragrant (Spreng.) ; is termed " asclepias albo 

 flore" by Tournefort inst. 94, "vincetoxicum officinarum " by Moench ; was observed by Lenz in 

 Italy; by Forskal, near Marseilles; is known to grow throughout middle Europe as far as Denmark 

 (fl. Dan. pi. 849, and Pers.), but not in Britain. According to Lindley, is "emetic and purgative," 

 and is named from having been "once celebrated as an antidote to poisons.'' 



" The same year " (Polyb., Blair, and Clint.), landing in Southern Italy of an army under Pyrrhus, 

 to aid the colonists of Tarentum against the Romans ; who were now becoming known to the Greeks. 

 A history of Pyrrhus is given by a contemporary, Hieronymus of Cardia ; one of the first Greeks 

 who wrote on Roman affairs — (Dionys. ant. i. p. 16). 



" The same year " (Polyb., and Clijit.), the Achcean League or republic, instituted among the 

 Greek States. 



" In this year (= 50th of the First Calippic period," Hipparch., and Sm. b. d.), observation of 

 the summer solstice by Aristarchus of Samos. Aristarchus maintained, That the Earth not only ro- 

 tates, but moves in an oblique circle around the sun: — an opinion advanced also somewhat later by 

 Seleucus the Babylonian (Humb. cosm. ii.). 



"Before the close of the year" (Dexipp., and Clint.), in Macedonia, Ptolemy Ceraunus defeated 

 by an army of Gauls . who next proceeded South, as far as Delphi in Greece ; — but at the end of 

 two years were repelled, and by invitation of Nicomedes king of Bithynia, entered Asia Minor 

 (Liv. xxxviii. 16). 



"27S B. C." (Clint.), the epoch in Literature called the "School of Alexandria." Philosophy 

 divided into four recognized Sects, under Strato, Zeno, Epicurus, and Arcesilaus ; and the establish- 

 ment of a Library, attracting the seat of learning from Athens to Alexandria. The "first regular 

 body of grammarians or critics " also formed, and called " epihutikoi " (Blair). 



Rumex obtusifolius of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Called in Britain dock 

 (Lindl.), in Greece "lapatho " (Sibth.) or " lapato," in Egypt "humaeid" (Forsk.) ; and the " bula- 

 pathon " of Solon Smyrnaeus, differing only in length of root and the effect on dysentery — (Plin. 

 xx. 83 to 86), may be compared : R. obtusifolius was observed by Forskal, Sibthorp, Chaubard, and 

 Fraas frequent in waste places from the Peloponnesus to Constantinople ; by Forskal, as far as Cairo 

 in Egypt ; by Grant on the Coast range of Eastern Africa in " Lat. 6° 38' S." Westward, the " herba 

 lapathi" called "paratella" is mentioned by Macer Floridus . . ; the Anglo-Saxon "docca" is trans- 



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