402 Prof. Christison on the Poisonous Properties of Hemlock, 



harmonize better than their botanical descriptions with what is 

 known of the modern Conium. The fullest account is that of 

 Nicander in his AXs%«pugpuzu ; and subsequent writers have 

 either followed him, or, where they have deviated, seem to have 

 had in their eye the supposed properties of the Athenian state- 

 poison. " Behold also," says he, " the baneful draught of Kavuov. 

 For this potion carries destruction to the powers of the mind, 

 [literally, to the head], bringing shady darkness ; and makes 

 the eyes roll. But staggering on their footsteps and tripping 

 on the streets, they creep on their hands. And mortal stifling 

 seizes the upper part of the neck, and obstructs the narrow pas- 

 sage of the throat. The extremities grow cold ; the strong ves- 

 sels in the limbs contract ; he ceases to draw in the thin air, like 

 one fainting ; and the soul visits Pluto." * The Greek Kamov, 

 according to this poetical version, rendered into brief prose, brings 

 on obliteration of the mental faculties, dimness of sight, giddi- 



Ke<vo 7roTov St> ycc% n xct^xTi (potvov utirm, 

 Nvw« ipegov <rx.oTotfr<rccv. idtvYitriv Si K<&t oral. 

 'ivves-f Si a-lpxhi^oi n y.oli i^.7rxK>rrii ayvtctf, 

 Xipctv \<ptp'!rvZp<7t ' kxxos SvTro mccra. vrviypoi; 

 'la-6/x.ia. r.xi tpxpvyyos e-ruvw Ift^^ceo-n-irai it/nov. 

 'Ay-pcc Si T0( ^W^f*. 7TSg< Si (pXi/iis ivSofo yviUV 

 'Faucttexi cTiXXorrou. o S'yilgx Trctvptttv artQii, 

 'Oix Kc&Tccfiohiav -^vyw a ciiSavix Xivt?o-&. 



NiKxvS^a AXi%i<pa.e : fe.xKcc. Editio Parisiis 1587, p. 140. 



Tu quoque signa mate jam contemplere cicutae. 

 Hsec primum tentat caput, et caligine densa 

 Involvit mentes ; oculi vertuntur in orbem ; 

 Genua labant. Quod si cupit ocyus ire, caducum 

 Sustentant palmse corpus ; faucesque premuntur 

 Obsessse, et colli tenuis prsecluditur isthmus. 

 Extremi frigent artus, latet abditus imis 

 In venis pulsus, nihil inspiratur ab ore. 

 Fata instant, Ditemque miser jamjam aspicit atrum. 



f Interprete J. Gorraso.] 

 6 



