A PLANT GROWING ON THE HEAD OF A STATUE: ONE REMEDY

Latine · Mayhoff 1906

Herba in capite statuae nata, collecta in vestis alicuius pannum et inligata lino rufo, capitis dolorem confestim sedare traditur.— Herba quaecumque e rivis aut fluminibus ante solis ortum collecta ita, ut nemo colligentem videat, adalligata laevo bracchio ita, ut aeger quid sit illud ignoret, tertianas arcere traditur, — Lingua herba nascitur circa fontes. radix eius conbusta et trita cum adipe suis—adiciunt ut nigra sit et sterilis—alopecias emendat unguentium in sole.— Cribro in limite abiecto herbae intus extantes decerptae adalligataeque gravidis partus adcelerant.— 110) Herba, quae gignitur super fimeta ruris, contra anginas efficacissime pollet ex aqua pota.— Herba, iuxta quam canes urinam fundunt, evulsa ne ferro attingatur, luxatis celerrime medetur.

Rumpotinum arborem demonstravimus inter arbusta. iuxta hanc viduam vite nascitur herba, quam Galli rodarum vocant. caulem habet virgae ficulneae modo geniculatum, folia urticae in medio exalbida, eadem procedente tempore tota rubentia, florem argenteum, praecipua contra tumores fervoresque et collectiones cum axungia vetere tusa ita, ut ferro non attingatur. qui perunctus est, despuit ad suam dexteram terna. efficacius remedium esse aiunt, si tres trium nationum homines perungant dextrorsus.

Herba impia vocatur incana, roris marini aspect, thyrsi modo vestita atque capitata. inde alii ramuli exsurgunt sua capitula gerentes; ob id impiam appellavere, quoniam liberi super parentem excellant. alii potius ita appellatam, quoniam nullum animal eam attingat, existimavere. haec inter duos lapides trita fervet praecipuo adversus anginas suco, lacte et vino admixto. mirum traditur, numquam eo morbo temptari qui gustaverint; itaque et subus dari, quaeque medicamentum id noluerint haurire, eo morbo interimi. sunt qui avium nidis inseri aliquid ex ea putent atque ita non strangulari pullos avidius devorantes.

Veneris pectinem appellant a similitudine pectinum, cuius radix cum malva tusa omnia corpori infixa extrahit.— Veterno liberat quae exedum vocatur, —Notia herba coriariorum officinis familiaris est aliis aliisve nominibus; efficacissimam adversus scorpionem esse potam e vino aut posca reperio.

Philanthropon herbam Graeci appellant nasute, quoniam vestibus adhaerescat. ex hac corona inposita capitis dolores sedat.—Nam quae canaria appellatur lappa, cum plantagine et milifolio trita ex vino carcinomata sanat, ternis diebus soluta. medetur et subus, effossa sine ferro, addita in colluviem poturis vel ex lacte ac vino. quidam adiciunt effodientem dicere oportere: haec est herba argemon, quam Minerva repperit subus remedium, quae de illa gustaverint.

Tordylon alii semen silis esse dixerunt, alii herbam per se, quam et syreon vocaverunt. neque aliud de ea proditum invenio quam in montibus nasci, conbustam potu ciere menses et pectoris excreationes, efficaciore etiamnum radice; suco eius ternis obolis hausto renes sanari; addi radicem eius et in malagmata.

Gramen ipsum inter herbas vulgatissimum geniculatis serpit internodiis crebroque ab his et ex cacumine novas radices spargit. folia eius in reliquo orbe in exilitatem fastigantur, in Parnaso tantum hederacia specie densius quam usquam fruticant, flore odorato candidoque. iumentis herba non alia gratior, sive viridis sive in feno siccata et, cum detur, adspersa aqua. sucum quoque eius in Parnaso excipi tradunt propter ubertatem; dulcis hie est. in vicem eius in reliqua parte terrarum succedit decoctum ad vulnera conglutinanda, quod et ipsa herba tusa praestat tueturque ab inflammationibus plagas. adicitur decocto vinum ac mel, ab aliquis et turis, piperis, murrae tertiae portiones, rursusque coquitur in aereo vase ad dentium dolores, epiphoras. radix decocta in vino torminibus medetur et urinae difficultatibus ulceribusque vesicae, calculos frangit. semen vehementius urinam inpellit, alvum vomitionesque sistit. privatim autem draconum morsibus auxiliatur. sunt qui genicula VIIII vel unius vel e duabus tribusve herbis ad hunc articulorum numerum involvi lana sucida nigra iubeant ad remedia strumae panorumve. ieiunum esse debere qui colligat; ita ire in domum absentis, cui medeatur, supervenientique ter dicere, ieiuno ieiunum medicamentum dare, atque ita adalligare triduoque id facere. quod e graminum genere VII internodia habet, efficacissime capiti contra dolores adalligatur. quidam propter vesicae cruciatus decoctum ex vino gramen ad dimidias a balineis bibi iubent.

Sunt qui et aculeatum gramen vocent trium generum. cum in cacumine aculei sunt plurimum quini, dactylon appellant. hos convolutos naribus inserunt extrahuntque sanguinis ciendi gratia. altero, quod est aizoo simile, ad paronychia et pterygia unguium et, cum caro unguibus increvit, utuntur cum axungia, ideo dactylon appellantes, quia digitis medeatur. tertium genus dactyli, sed tenuis, nascitur in parietinis aut tegulis. huic caustica vis est. sistit ulcera, quae serpunt. gramen capiti circumdatum sanguinis e naribus fluctiones sistit. camelos necare traditur in Babylonis regione id, quod iuxta vias nascitur.

Nec faeno Graeco minor auctoritas, quod telin vocant, alii carphos, aliqui buceras, alii aegoceras, quoniam corniculis semen est simile, nos siliciam. quomodo sereretur, docuimus suo loco. vis eius siccare, mollire, dissolvere. sucus decocti feminarum pluribus malis subvenit, sive duritia sive tumor sive contractio sit vulvae: foventur, insidunt; infusum quoque prodest. furfures in facie extenuat. spleni addito nitro decoctum et inpositum medetur, item ex aceto. sic et iocineri decoctum. Diodes difficile parientibus semen eius dedit acetabuli mensura tritum in VIIII cyathis sapae, ut tertias partes biberent, dein calida lavarentur, et in balineo sudantibus dimidium ex relicto iterum dedit, mox a balineo relicum, pro summo auxilio. farinam faeni cum hordeo aut lini semine decoctam aqua mulsa contra vulvae cruciatus subiecit idem inposuitque imo ventri. lepras, lentigines sulpuris pari portione mixta farinae curavit, nitro ante praeparata cute, saepius die inlinens perunguique prohibens. Theodorus faeno miscuit quartam partem purgati nasturci acerrimo aceto ad lepras. Timon semen feni acetabuli dimidii mensura cum sapae et aquae VIIII cyathis ad menses ciendos dedit potui. nec dubitatur, quin decoctum eius utilissimum sit vulvis interaneisque exulceratis, sicuti semen articulis atque praecordiis; si vero cum malva decoquatur postea addito mulso, potus ante cetera vulvis interaneisque laudatur, quippe cum vapor quoque decocti plurimum prosit. alarumque etiam graveolentiam decoctum faeni semen emendat. farina porrigines capitis furfuresque cum vino et nitro celeriter tollit. in hydromelite autem decocta addita axungia genitalibus medetur, item pano, parotidi, podagrae, chiragrae, articulis, carnibus quae recedunt ab ossibus, aceto vero subacta luxatis. inlinitur et lieni decocta in aceto et melle tantum. carcinomata subacta ex vino purgat, mox addito melle persanat. sumitur et sorbitio e farina ad pectus exulceratum longamque tussim. decoquitur, donec amaritudo desinat; postea mel additur.—Nunc ipsa claritas herbarum dicetur.

English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57

It is asserted also, that a plant growing on the head of a statue, gathered in the lappet of any one of the garments, and then attached with a red string to the neck, is an instantaneous cure for head-ache.

Any plant that is gathered before sunrise on the banks of a stream or river, due care being taken that no one sees it gathered, attached to the left arm without the patient knowing what it is, will cure a tertian fever, they say.

There is a herb called “lingua,” which grows in the vicinity of fountains. The root of it, reduced to ashes and beaten up with hog’s lard—the hog, they say, must have been black and barren—will cure alopecy, the head being rubbed with it in the sun.

Plants that take root in a sieve that has been thrown in a hedge-row, if gathered and worn upon the person by a pregnant woman, will facilitate delivery.

A plant that has been grown upon a dungheap in a field, is a very efficacious remedy, taken in water, for quinzy.

A plant upon which a dog has watered, torn up by the roots, and not touched with iron, is a very speedy cure for sprains.

We have already made mention of the rumpotinus, when speaking of the vine-growing trees. Near the tree, when not accompanied by the vine, there grows a plant, known to the Gauls as the “rodarum.” It has a knotted stem like the branch of a fig-tree, and the leaves, which are very similar to those of the nettle, are white in the middle, though in process of time they become red all over. The blossom of it is of a silvery hue. Beaten up with stale axle-grease, due care being taken not to touch it with iron, this plant is extremely useful for tumours, inflammations, and gatherings; the patient, however, on being anointed with it must spit three times on the right side. They say too, that as a remedy it is still more efficacious, if three persons of three different nations rub the right side of the body with it.

The plant called “impia” is white, resembling rosemary in appearance. It is clothed with leaves like a thyrsus, and is terminated by a head, from which a number of small branches protrude, terminated, all of them, in a similar manner. It is this peculiar conformation that has procured for it the name of “impia,” from the progeny thus surmounting the parent. Some persons, however, are of opinion that it is so called because no animal will touch it. Bruised between two stones it yields an effervescent juice, which, in combination with wine and milk, is remarkably efficacious for quinzy.

There is a marvellous property attributed to this plant, to the effect that persons who have once tasted it will never be attacked by quinzy; for which reason it is given to swine: those among them, however, which refuse to take it will be sure to die of that disease. Some persons too are of opinion that if slips of it are put into a bird’s nest, they will effectually prevent the young birds from choking themselves by eating too voraciously.

From its resemblance to a comb, they give the name of “Venus’ comb” to a certain plant, the root of which, bruised with mallows, extracts all foreign substances from the human body.

The plant called “exedum” is curative of lethargy. The herbaceous plant called “notia,” which is used by curriers for dyeing leather a bright, cheerful colour, and known by them under various names—is curative of cancerous ulcers; I find it also stated that, taken in wine or in oxycrate, it is extremely efficacious for stings inflicted by scorpions.

The Greeks wittily give the name of “philanthropos” to a certain plant, because it attaches itself to articles of dress. A chaplet made of this plant has the effect of relieving headache.

As to the plant known as the “lappa canaria,” beaten up in wine with plantago and millefolium, it effects the cure of carcinomatous sores, the application being removed at the end of three days. Taken out of the ground without the aid of iron, and thrown into their wash, or given to them in wine and milk, it cures diseases in swine. Some persons add, however, that the person, as he takes it up, must say—“This is the plant argemon, a remedy discovered by Minerva for such swine as shall taste thereof.”

Tordylon is, according to some authorities, the seed of sili, while according to others it is a distinct plant, known also as “syreon.” I find no particulars relative to it, except that it grows upon mountains, and that the ashes of it, taken in drink, act as an emmenagogue and facilitate expectoration. It is stated also, that for this last purpose the root is even more efficacious than the stem; that the juice of it, taken in doses of three oboli, cures diseases of the kidneys; and that the root is used as an ingredient for emollient plasters.

Gramen is of all herbaceous productions the most common. As it creeps along the ground it throws out jointed stems, from the joints of which, as well as from the extremity of the stem, fresh roots are put forth every here and there. In all other parts of the world the leaves of it are tapering, and come to a point; but upon Mount Parnassus they resemble the leaves of the ivy, the plant throwing out a greater number of stems than elsewhere, and bearing a blossom that is white and odoriferous. There is no vegetable production that is more grateful to beasts of burden than this, whether in a green state or whether dried and made into hay, in which last case it is sprinkled with water when given to them. It is said that on Mount Parnassus a juice is extracted from it, which is very abundant and of a sweet flavour.

In other parts of the world, instead of this juice a decoction of it is employed for closing wounds; an effect equally produced by the plant itself, which is beaten up for the purpose and attached to the part affected, thereby preventing inflammation. To the decoction wine and honey are added, and in some cases, frankincense, pepper, and myrrh, in the proportion of one third of each ingredient; after which it is boiled again in a copper vessel, when required for tooth-ache or defluxions of the eyes. A decoction of the roots, in wine, is curative of griping pains in the bowels, strangury, and ulcerations of the bladder, and it disperses calculi. The seed is still more powerful as a diuretic, arrests looseness and vomiting, and is particularly useful for wounds inflicted by dragons. There are some authorities which give the following prescription for the cure of scrofulous sores and inflamed tumours:—From one, two, or three stems, as many as nine joints must be removed, which must then be wrapped in black wool with the grease in it. The party who gathers them must do so fasting, and must then go, in the same state, to the patient’s house while he is from home. When the patient comes in, the other must say to him three times, “I come fasting to bring a remedy to a fasting man;” and must then attach the amulet to his person, repeating the same ceremony three consecutive days. The variety of this plant which has seven joints is considered a most excellent amulet for the cure of head-ache. For excruciating pains in the bladder, some recommend a decoction of gramen, boiled down in wine to one half, to be taken immediately after the bath.

There are some authorities who mention three varieties of the pointed gramen. That which has at the extremity five points at the utmost, is called “dactylos.” Twisting these points together, persons introduce them into the nostrils and then withdraw them, with the view of preventing hæmorrhage. The second kind, which, resembles aizoön, is employed with axle-grease for whitlows and hangnails, and for fleshy excrescences upon the nails: this also is called “dactylos,” because it is so useful as a remedy for diseases of the fingers.

The third kind, which is also known as “dactylos,” is more diminutive, and is found growing upon walls or tiles. It has certain caustic properties, and arrests the progress of serpiginous ulcers. By placing a wreath of gramen round the head, bleeding at the nose is stopped. In Babylonia, it is said, the gramen which grows by the wayside is fatal to camels.

Nor is fenugreek held in less esteem. By some it is known as “telis,” by others as “carphos,” and by others again as “buceras,” or “ægoceras,” the produce of it bearing some resemblance to horns. Among us it is known as “silicia.” The mode of sowing it we have already described on the appropriate occasion. Its properties are desiccative, emollient, and resolvent. A decoction of it is useful for many female maladies, indurations for instance, tumours, and contractions of the uterus; in all which cases it is employed as a fomentation or used for a sitting-bath: it is serviceable also as an injection. It removes cutaneous eruptions on the face; and a decoction of it, applied topically with nitre or vinegar, cures diseases of the spleen or liver. In cases of difficult labour, Diodes recommends the seed pounded, in doses of one acetabulum, mixed with boiled must. After taking one third of the mixture, the patient must use a warm bath, and then, while in a perspiration, she must take another third, and, immediately after leaving the bath, the remainder—this, he says, will prove a most effectual means of obtaining relief.

The same authority recommends fenugreek boiled, with barley or linseed, in hydromel, as a pessary for violent pains in the uterus: he prescribes it also as an external application for the lower regions of the abdomen. He speaks also of treating leprous sores and freckles with a mixture composed of equal proportions of sulphur and meal of fenugreek, recommending it to be applied repeatedly in the course of the day, due care being taken not to rub the part affected.

For the cure of leprosy, Theodorus prescribes a mixture of fenugreek, and one fourth part of cleaned nasturtium, the whole to be steeped in the strongest vinegar. Damion used to give a potion by way of emmenagogue, consisting of half an acetabulum of fenugreek seed in nine cyathi of boiled must and water. There is no doubt too, that a decoction of it is remarkably useful for diseases of the uterus and for ulcerations of the intestines, and that the seed is beneficial for affections of the joints and chest. Boiled with mallows and then taken in honied wine, fenugreek is extolled in the highest terms, as serviceable for affections of the uterus and intestines. Indeed, the very steam that arises from the decoction may be productive of considerable benefit. A decoction too of fenugreek seed is a corrective of the rank odours of the armpits. Meal of fenugreek, with wine and nitre, speedily removes ring-worm and dandriff of the head; and a decoction of it in hydromel, with the addition of axle-grease, is used for the cure of diseases of the generative organs, inflamed tumours, imposthumes of the parotid glands, gout in the feet and hands, maladies of the joints, and denudations of the bones. Kneaded with vinegar, it effects the cure of sprains, and, boiled in oxymel only, it is used as a liniment for affections of the spleen. Kneaded with wine, it acts as a detergent upon carcinomatous sores; after which, applied with honey, it effects a perfect cure. A pottage too is made of this meal, which is taken for ulcerations of the chest and chronic coughs; it is kept boiling a considerable time, in order to remove the bitterness, after which honey is added.

We shall now proceed to speak of the plants which have gained a higher degree of reputation.