iv.] OF THE ANCIENTS. 117 



tioned by Dioscorides q , resembling the Hpao-Lov, 

 but larger, bearing numerous hairy leaves, .hard, 

 fragrant, white, and many shoots issuing from the 

 root, whiter than those of the Upacrtov. It in- 

 habits high mountains. Now the Hpdcrtov is re- 

 garded as a species of Marrubium, either vulgare 

 or creticum. Pliny also mentions a herb called 

 Stachys, which he compares to a leek, but this is 

 probably an error, as in other respects his descrip- 

 tion, so far as it goes, agrees with that of Dios- 

 corides. Stachys germanica, a very common plant 

 in Italy, may possibly have as much claim to be 

 regarded as the plant intended as S.palcestina. 



VlTEX. 



Vitex Agnus castus is one of the commonest 

 shrubs in Greece, and was known of old by the 

 Greek name ayvos, and in earlier writers by that 

 of Avyos. 



The name of Agnus castus, Pliny r says, was given 

 to it from the habit of the matrons of Athens to 

 strew their beds with it during the festival of the 

 Thesmophora, when the strictest chastity was en- 

 joined. He mentions two kinds, the larger, called 

 the white, bearing a white blossom mixed with 

 purple, the smaller with a paler, downy leaf, and 

 a flower entirely purple. 



Two varieties are also noticed by modern botan- 

 ists, one having white flowers, the other purple 



i iii. 120. ' Lib. xxiv. c. 38. 



