248 
Pliny's natueal histoet. [Book XXVII. 
treatment : an eye-salve, too, is prepared from the juide, known 
as diaglaucia," to medical men. The milk, when the secretion 
of it is stopped, is restored by the agency of this plant, for which 
purpose it is taken in water. 
CHAP. 60. THE GLYCYSIDE, P^ONIA, OE PENTOKOBOS I TWENTY 
EEMEDIES. 
The glycyside,^^ by some called pseonia'' or pentorobos," 
has a stem two cubits in length, accompanied by two or three 
others, and of a reddish colour, with a bark like that of the 
laurel. The leaves are similar to those of isatis,®^ but more 
unctuous, rounder, and more diminutive ; the seed is enclosed 
in capsules, some being red and some black, there being 
two varieties of the plant. The female plant is generally 
thought to be the one to the root of which some six or eight 
bulbs are attached, of an elongated form ; those of the male 
plant^^ being more in number, as it throws out more roots than 
one, a palm in length, and of a white colour : it has also an 
astringent taste. The leaves of the female plant smell like 
myrrh,^^ and lie closer together than those of the male. 
Eoth plants grow in the woods, and they should always be 
taken up at night, it is said ; as it would be dangerous to do 
so in the day-time, the woodpecker of Mars being sure to 
attack the eyes^^ of the person so engaged. It is stated also 
that the person, while taking up the root, runs great risk of 
being attacked with procidence of the anus : all this, however, 
I take to be so much fiction, most frivolously invented to puff 
off their supposed marvellous properties. Both plants are used®^ 
for various purposes : the red seed, taken in red wine, about 
fifteen in number, arrest menstruation ; while the black seed, 
taken in the same proportion, in either raisin or other wine, 
are curative of diseases of the uterus. The root, taken in wine, 
allays all kinds of pains in the bowels, and acts as a purgative; 
it cures opisthotony also, jaundice, nephritic diseases, and affec- 
tions of the bladder. Boiled in wine, it is used for diseases of 
The Peony ; described in B. xxv. c. 10. 
^0 See B. xx. c. 25, and B. xxii. c. 2. si gee B, xxv. c. 10. 
^2 In reality it is destitute of smelL 
83 See B. xxv. c. 10. 
Or, as Holland says, would " be ready to job out their eyes.'* 
In reality, the peony has no medicinal virtues whatever. 
