2488 Marked by their supereminent absurdity, as Fée remarks.

2489 Formed by the river Tiber. See the Quæst. Rom. of Plutarch, on this subject.

2490 We have adopted Sillig’s suggestion, and read “nec” for “et” here. The meaning, however, is very doubtful.

2491 “Augebo providentiam illorum.” The meaning of this passage also is doubtful.

2492 By adopting that language instead of the Latin; Sextius Niger, for instance.

2493 Diplomas seem to have been less cared for in those times than at the present day even, when quackery has so free a range.

2494 See B. iii. c. 26, and B. xxxiii. cc. 7, 8.

2495 “Inquisitio per parietes.” The reading is doubtful, but he not improbably alludes to the employment of spies.

2496 Hardouin thinks that he alludes to Cornelius Balbus here, a native of Gades. See B. v. c. 5, and B. vii. 44.

2497 “Electis viris datur tabula.” He alludes to the three tablets delivered to the Judices, one of which had inscribed on it “Acquitted,” another “Not proven,” and a third “Guilty”—Absolvatur, Non liquet, and Condemno.

2498 “In this place he casteth in the Romans’ teeth, their Lecticarii, Anagnostæ, and Nomenclatores.”—Holland. Letter-bearers, readers, and prompters as to the names of the persons addressed.

2499 He alludes to the resources of medicine.

2500 A physician at Rome, who was afterwards put to the torture for this crime. Livia was the daughter of Drusus Nero, the brother of Tiberius.

2501 Messalina, mentioned in c. 5 of this Book.

2502 Nothing could possibly be more remote from his republican notions, than “reginæ” at Rome.

2503 “Emovendam.” In order that a future job may be ensured.

2504 In c. 5 of this Book.

2505 “Vulnerum medico.”

2506 “Ejus turbæ.”

2507 See B. xxiv. c. 1.

2508 The origin of our word “treacle.” See B. xx. c. 100, and Note 97.

2509 Used as a round number, like our expression “ten thousand.”

2510 See B. xxiii. c. 77, and B. xxv. c. 26.

2511 “Minium.” This red lead had the name of “cinnabaris nativa,” whence the error.

2512 In B. xxxiii. c. 38.

2513 As tending to effeminacy, or undermining the constitution.

2514 See B. xxviii. c. 13.

2515 “Lucifugis congesta cubilia blattis.” Georg. I. 184, IV. 243.

2516 Il. xvii. 670, et seq.

2517 He certainly does not always keep this object in view.

2518 See B. x. c. 2, and B. xii. c. 42.

2519 A form of fever, Littré remarks, that is known by the moderns as “pseudo-continuous.”

2520 See B. xvi. c. 19.

2521 “Smectica” is suggested by Gesner, Hist. Anim., as a better reading than “septica.”

2522 “Œsypum” is often mentioned by Ovid as a favourite cosmetic with the Roman ladies.

2523 See B. xix. c. 1, B. xxiv. c. 58, and B. xxv. c. 21.

2524 See B. xviii. c. 17.

2525 See B. xx. c. 23.

2526 Hermolaüs suggests “schista,” “divided,” and Dalechamps proposes “synchyta,” “mixed.” The reading is very doubtful.

2527 Or Sowbread. See B. xxv. c. 67.

2528 See B. xviii. c. 17.

2529 In B. x. c. 80.

2530 See B. xxiv. c. 54.

2531 This is the fact, and it is similarly used for mending china. White of egg, mixed with whiskey or spirits of wine, will answer the purpose equally well.

2532 Ajasson remarks that there is some slight truth in this assertion.

2533 Pliny alludes here to the beads or rings of glass which were used by the Druids as charms to impose on the credulity of their devotees, under the name of Glain naidr, or “the Adder gem.” Mr. Luyd (in Rowland’s Mona Antiqua, p. 342) says that the genuine Ovum anguinum can be no other than a shell of the kind called echinus marinus, and that Dr. Borlase observes that, instead of the natural anguinum, artificial rings of stone, glass, and sometimes baked clay, were substituted as of equal validity. The belief in these charms very recently existed in Cornwall and Wales, if indeed it does not at the present day. The subject is very fully discussed in Brand’s Popular Antiquities, Vol. III. p. 286, et seq., and p. 369, et seq., Bohn’s Edition. These gems and beads are not uncommonly found in tumuli of the early British period.

2534 A similar belief in its origin was prevalent in Cornwall and Wales, and whoever found it was supposed to ensure success in all his undertakings.

2535 “The snake’s egg”—ovum being understood.

2536 “The vulgar opinion in Cornwall and most parts of Wales is that these are produced through all Cornwall by snakes joining their heads together and hissing, which forms a kind of bubble like a ring about the head of one of them, which the rest, by continual hissing, blow on till it comes off at the tail, when it immediately hardens and resembles a glass ring.”—Gough’s Camden, Vol II. p. 571, Ed. 1789.

2537 The shell of a sea urchin most probably. See Note 81 above.

2538 See Note 82 above.

2539 A nation of Gaul. See B. iii. cc. 5, 21.

2540 The wand held by heralds, and generally represented as being carried by Mercury in his character of messenger of the gods.

2541 And therefore not portentous of war.

2542 See B. v. cc. 13, 20.

2543 See B. xii. c. 43.

2544 See B. x. c. 28. Generally supposed to be Syrian nard; though some identify it with the Comacum of Theophrastus.

2545 See B. xxiii. cc. 45, 80.

2546 In B. xxviii. c. 38.

2547 See B. xxiv. c. 69.

2548 See B. xii. c. 54.

2549 See B. xii. c. 62.

2550 No MS., it would appear, gives “corvis” here, the reading being “capris,” “goats.” Ajasson, however, is most probably right in his suggestion that “corvis” is the correct reading.

2551 See B. x. c. 15.

2552 In B. x. c. 26.

2553 Or Youth, in the Eighth Region of the City.

2554 See B. ii. c. 53.

2555 An ancient divinity, who is supposed to have presided over childbirth. See Plutarch, Quæst. Rom. 52.

2556 In the Saturio probably, quoted by Festus, and now lost. The aborigines of Canada, and the people of China and Tartary, hold whelps’ flesh in esteem as a great delicacy.

2557 “Toxica.”

2558 Of remedies classified according to the different maladies.

2559 In B. xi. c. 76.

2560 The ferret, most probably.

2561 See c. 33 of this Book.

2562 The common weasel.

2563 Probably in his work entitled “Admiranda,” now lost. Holland says “some take these for our cats.”

2564 Guettard, a French commentator on Pliny, recommends bugs to be taken internally for hysteria!

2565 Perhaps the Cimex pratensis is meant here. Neither this nor the Cimex juniperinus, the Cimex brassicæ, or the Lygæus hyoscami has the offensive smell of the house bug.

2566 An excellent method, Ajasson remarks, of adding to the tortures of the patient.

2567 This is the fact.

2568 See B. viii. c. 33.

2569 The Magi of the East, probably.

2570 Some serpent of the boa species, probably. See B. viii. cc. 13, 14, 22, 41, and B. x. cc. 5, 92, 95, 96.

2571 By leading them to confound truth with fiction.

2572 See B. viii. c. 35.

2573 This is perhaps the meaning of “præcanere.” Sillig suggests “recanere.”

2574 Which was said to act as an antidote to the poison, applied to the wound.

2575 “Antidotes to serpents’ poison.”

2576 “Pastilli.”

2577 The god of Medicine.

2578 A favourite reverie with the learned of the East. Dupont de Nemours, Ajasson informs us, has left several Essays on this subject.

2579 In Peloponnesus, the principal seat of his worship. A very full account of his introduction, under the form of a huge serpent, into the city of Rome, is given by Ovid, Met. B. xv. l. 544, et seq. This took place B.C. 293.

2580 Among the snakes that are tamed, Ajasson enumerates the Coluber flagelliformis of Dandin, or American coach-whip snake; the Coluber constructor of Linnæus, or Black snake; and the Coluber viridiflavus of Lacepede. The Æsculapian serpent is still found in Italy.

2581 Or “chersydri,” “amphibious.”

2582 Or “starred lizard”—“stellio.” In reality it is not poisonous.

2583 See B. x. c. 86. Some kind of starred lizard, or an eft or newt perhaps, was thus called: but in most respects it appears to be entirely a fabulous animal.

2584 See B ii. c. 63.

2585 He probably alludes to the Magi of Persia here, as most of the stories about the salamander appear to bear the aspect of an Eastern origin.

2586 See B. xxii. c. 33.

2587 “Cybium.” See B. ix. c. 18. Dioscorides says the plant cnecos, described by Pliny in B. xxi. c. 107.

2588 See B. xxv. c. 18, and B. xxvii. c. 77.

2589 See B. xvi. c. 92, and B. xxvi. cc. 37, 66.

2590 “Hereupon peradventure it is that in collices and cockbroths we use to seeth pieces of gold, with an opinion to make them thereby more restorative.”—Holland.

2591 See B. xxv. c. 97.

2592 The same is said of a frog’s tongue, in B. xxxii. c. 18.

2593 That is no reason, as Ajasson remarks, why the egg should not be found, it being easy to take it from the nest at night, when, the bird being absent, no ill omen will arise from seeing it.

2594 We still see bats nailed upon and over stable doors in various parts of this country.

2595 “Carduus.”

2596 A sort of spider. See B. xi. cc. 24, 28, 29.

2597 In c. 16 of this Book.

2598 “Lupus.” See B. xi. c. 28.

2599 The Tarantula has been suggested, but that is a native of Italy.

2600 “Atocium.”

2601 “Plena liberis.”

2602 From ῥάξ, a “grape.”

2603 Or “starred” spider. Nicander describes all these varieties of the Phalangium.

2604 From μυρμὴξ, “an ant.”

2605 The “four-jawed” spider.

2606 In c. 16 of this Book.

2607 See B. viii. c. 83.

2608 See B. xix. c. 22. For further particulars as to the Stellio, see B. xi. c. 31, and the Note.

2609 This is probably an error; see the Note to B. xi. c. 31.

2610 See B. x. cc. 18, 41, 44, and 50.

2611 See B. viii. c. 43. Ajasson remarks that this is a mere fabulous story, in reference to the venom of the ants.

2612 In B. xxix. c. 23.

2613 See B. xxvi. c. 2.

2614 See B. xxiii. c. 14.

2615 It has been ascertained by experiment that the vesicatory principle resides in the wings more particularly. Ajasson remarks, that it is possible that the ancients may not have known the genuine Cantharides, the Canth. vesicatoria of modern medicine.

2616 See B. xxiv. c. 74.

2617 “Pityocampæ.” See B. xxiii. cc. 30, 40, and B. xxviii. c. 33.

2618 See B. xxviii. cc. 21, 33, 42, and B. xxx. c. 10.

2619 At the sale, under his supervision, of the property of Ptolemy, king of Cyprus.

2620 In B. xxi. c. 34.

2621 This is still the vulgar notion; but in reality there is no worm, but certain white pustules beneath the tongue, which break spontaneously at the end of twelve days after birth. Puppies are still “wormed,” as it is called, as a preventive of hydrophobia, it is said, and of a propensity to gnaw objects which come in their way. The “worming” consists in the breaking of these pustules.

2622 “Rage” or “madness.”

2623 “For the manner of a dog is to bee angrie with the stone that is thrown at him, without regard to the partie that flung it, whereupon grew the proverb in Greeke, κύων εἰς τὸν λίθον ἀγανακτοῦσα (‘A dog venting his rage upon a stone.’)”—Holland.

2624 See B. xx. cc. 6, 20. It is somewhat doubtful what the “seps” really was; whether, in fact, it was a lizard at all. Littré suggests the Tridactylus saurius.

2625 Or Ferret, probably. See c. 16 of this Book.

2626 In c. 16 of this Book.

2627 From the circumstance that that country was covered with herbs and plants of a medicinal nature.

2628 So called from ἀλωπὴξ, “a fox,” an animal very subject to the loss of its hair.

2629 See B. xii. c. 51.

2630 So swine’s dung was called “sucerda,” and cowdung “bucerda.”

2631 Or Maagrus, the “fly catcher,” the name of a hero, invoked at Aliphera, at the festivals of Athena, as the protector against flies. It was also a surname of Hercules. See B. x. c. 40.

2632 See B. viii. c. 53.

2633 In c. 32 of this Book.

2634 A recipe well understood in the restaurants of the French provinces, Ajasson says, but it is doubtful whether with the object named by our author.

2635 He means slugs probably.

2636 He does not appear to state this on hearsay only!

2637 Cobwebs are still used for this purpose, as also the fur from articles made of beaver. Ajasson mentions English taffeta.

2638 See c. 13 of this Book.

2639 See B. xxvi. c. 39.

2640 A disease of the crystalline humours of the eye.

2641 See B. x. c. 33.

2642 “Stibium.” See B. xxxiii. c. 33.