The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 4 (of 6)

Chapter 259: CHAP. 2. (2.)—GARLANDS AND CHAPLETS.

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

History - Ancient Science - Earth/Agricultural/Farming

About This Book

The text compiles practical and encyclopedic guidance on crop cultivation and plant uses, beginning with cereals and farm management — types of grain, sowing and harvesting schedules, ploughing, seed selection, storage, and maladies — plus weather and stellar prognostics for agricultural timing. It proceeds to flax and garden plants, detailing varieties, planting and processing methods, garden layout, and pest and disease remedies. The final section assembles medicinal preparations and numerous remedies derived from vegetables and herbs, listing applications and recipes for treating ailments using garden-grown plants.

CHAP. 2. (2.)—GARLANDS AND CHAPLETS.

The ancients used chaplets of diminutive size, called “struppi;”1839 from which comes our name for a chaplet, “strophiolum.” Indeed, it was only by very slow degrees that this last word 1840 became generalized, as the chaplets that were used at sacrifices, or were granted as the reward of military valour, asserted their exclusive right to the name of “corona.” As for garlands, when they came to be made of flowers, they received the name of “serta,” from the verb “sero,”1841 or else from our word “series.”1842 The use 1843 of flowers for garlands is not so very ancient, among the Greeks even.