318 
Pliny's katukal histoet. [Book XXVIII. 
thing that lies at the hottom — and I only wish^^ that Democri- 
tus himself had heen touched up with this branch of palm, 
seeing that, as he tells us, it has the property of putting an 
end to immoderate garrulity. It is quite evident that this 
philosopher, a man who has shown himself so sagacious in 
other respects, and so useful to his fellow-raen, has been led 
away, in this instance, by too earnest a desire to promote the 
welfare of mankind. 
CHAP. 30. FOUR EEMEDIES DERIVED FROM THE SCINCUS. 
Similar in appearance to the preceding animals is the 
scincus,^* which by some writers has been called the land 
crocodile ; it is, however, whiter in appearance, and the skin is 
not so thick. But the main difference between it and the cro- 
codile is in the arrangement of the scales, which run from the 
tail towards the head. The largest of these animals is the Indian 
scincus, and next to it that of Arabia ; they are brought here 
salted. The muzzle and fat of the scincus, taken in white 
wine, act as an aphrodisiac ; when used with satyrion^^ and 
rocket-seed more particularly, in the proportion of one drachma 
of each, mixed with two drachmse of pepper ; the whole being 
made up into lozenges of one drachma each, and so taken in 
drink. The flesh from the flanks, taken internally in a similar 
manner, in doses of two oboli, with myrrh and pepper, is 
generally thought to be productive of a similar eff'ect, and to 
be even more efficacious for the purpose. According to Apelles, 
the flesh of the scincus is good for Avounds inflicted by poisoned 
arrows, whether taken before or after the wound is inflicted : 
it is used as an ingredient, also, in the most celebrated anti- 
dotes. Sextius tells us, that, taken in doses of more than one 
drachma, in one semisextarius of wine, the flesh is productive of 
deadly results : he adds, too, that a broth prepared from it, 
taken with honey, acts as an antaphrodisiac. 
CHAP. 31. SEVEN REMEDIES DERIVED FROM THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 
Between the crocodile, too, and the hippopotamus there is a 
certain affinity, frequenting as they do the same river, and 
being both of them of an amphibious nature. The hippopo- 
One of tLe few pieces of wit in whicli Pliny is found to indulge. 
♦^^ See B. viii. c. 38. • Probably the Lacerta ouaran of Cuvier. 
See B. xxvi. o. 62. 
