BOOK XV. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FRUIT-TREES. (continued 2)

CHAP. 38.—THE MYRTLE USED AT ROME IN OVATIONS.

The myrtle has played2083 its part, also, in the successes of war. Posthumius Tubertus, who gained a victory over the Sabines in his consulship,2084 was the first person who entered the City enjoying the honour of an ovation,2085 for having achieved this success with ease and without bloodshed: upon which occasion he made his entry crowned with the myrtle of Venus Victrix, and thereby rendered her tree an object of regard2086 to our enemies even. Ever since this occasion, the wreath of those who have enjoyed an ovation has been made of myrtle, with the exception of M. Crassus,2087 who, on his victory over the fugitive slaves and Spartacus, made his entry crowned with laurels. Massurius informs us, also, that some generals, on the occasion of a triumph even, have worn a wreath of myrtle in the triumphal car. L. Piso states that Papirius Maso, who was the first to enjoy a triumph for a victory over the Marsi—it was on the Alban Mount2088—was in the habit of attending at the games of the Circus, wearing a wreath of myrtle: he was the maternal grandfather of the second Scipio Africanus. Marcus Valerius2089 wore two wreaths, one of laurel, the other of myrtle; it was in consequence of a vow which he had made to that effect.

CHAP. 39. (30.)—THE LAUREL; THIRTEEN VARIETIES OF IT.

The laurel is especially consecrated to triumphs, is remarkably ornamental to houses, and guards the portals of our emperors2090 and our pontiffs: there suspended alone, it graces the palace, and is ever on guard before the threshold. Cato2091 speaks of two varieties of this tree, the Delphic2092 and the Cyprian. Pompeius Lenæus has added another, to which he has given the name of “mustax,” from the circumstance of its being used for putting under the cake known by the name of “mustaceum”.2093 He says that this variety has a very large leaf, flaccid, and of a whitish hue; that the Delphic laurel is of one uniform colour, greener than the other, with berries of very large size, and of a red tint approaching to green. He says, too, that it is with this laurel that the victors at Delphi2094 are crowned, and warriors who enjoy the honours of a triumph at Rome. The Cyprian laurel, he says, has a short leaf, is of a blackish colour, with an imbricated2095 edge, and crisped.

Since his time, however, the varieties have considerably augmented. There is the tinus2096 for instance, by some considered as a species of wild laurel, while others, again, regard it as a tree of a separate class; indeed, it does differ from the laurel as to the colour, the berry being of an azure blue. The royal2097 laurel, too, has since been added, which has of late begun to be known as the “Augustan:” both the tree, as well as the leaf, are of remarkable size, and the berries have not the usual rough taste. Some say, however, that the royal laurel and the Augustan are not the same tree, and make out the former to be a peculiar kind, with a leaf both longer and broader than that of the Augustan. The same authors, also, make a peculiar species of the bacalia the commonest laurel of all, and the one that bears the greatest number of berries. With them, too, the barren laurel2098 is the laurel of the triumphs, and they say that this is the one that is used by warriors when enjoying a triumph—a thing that surprises me very much; unless, indeed, the use of it was first introduced by the late Emperor Augustus, and it is to be considered as the progeny of that laurel, which, as we shall just now have occasion to mention, was sent to him from heaven; it being the smallest of them all, with a crisped2099 short leaf, and very rarely to be met with.

In ornamental gardening we also find the taxa2100 employed, with a small leaf sprouting from the middle of the leaf, and forming a fringe, as it were, hanging from it; the spadonia,2101 too, without this fringe, a tree that thrives remarkably well in the shade: indeed, however dense the shade may be, it will soon cover the spot with its shoots. There is the chamædaphne,2102 also, a shrub that grows wild; the Alexandrian2103 laurel, by some known as the Idean, by others as the “hypoglottion,”2104 by others as the “carpophyllon,”2105 and by others, again, as the “hypelates.”2106 From the root it throws out branches three quarters of a foot in length; it is much used in ornamental gardening, and for making wreaths, and it has a more pointed leaf than that of the myrtle, and superior to it in softness, whiteness, and size: the seed, which lies between the leaves, is red. This last kind grows in great abundance on Mount Ida and in the vicinity of Heraclea in Pontus: it is only found, however, in mountainous districts.

The laurel, too, known as the daphnoides,2107 is a variety that has received many different names: by some it is called the Pelasgian laurel, by others the euthalon, and by others the stephanon Alexandri.2108 This is also a branchy shrub, with a thicker and softer leaf than that of the ordinary laurel: if tasted, it leaves a burning sensation in the mouth and throat: the berries are red, inclining to black. The ancient writers have remarked, that in their time there was no species of laurel in the island of Corsica. Since then, however, it has been planted there, and has thrived well.

CHAP. 40.—HISTORICAL ANECDOTES CONNECTED WITH THE LAUREL.

This tree is emblematical of peace:2109 when a branch of it is extended, it is to denote a truce between enemies in arms. For the Romans more particularly it is the messenger of joyful tidings, and of victory: it accompanies the despatches2110 of the general, and it decorates the lances and javelins of the soldiers and the fasces which precede their chief. It is of this tree that branches are deposited on the lap of Jupiter All-good and All-great,2111 so often as some new victory has imparted universal gladness. This is done, not because it is always green, nor yet because it is an emblem of peace—for in both of those respects the olive would take the precedence of it—but because it is the most beauteous tree on Mount Parnassus, and was pleasing for its gracefulness to Apollo even; a deity to whom the kings of Rome sent offerings at an early period, as we learn from the case of L. Brutus.2112 Perhaps, too, honour is more particularly paid to this tree because it was there that Brutus2113 earned the glory of asserting his country’s liberties, when, by the direction of the oracle, he kissed that laurel-bearing soil. Another reason, too, may be the fact, that of all the shrubs that are planted and received in our houses, this is the only one that is never struck by lightning.2114 It is for these reasons, in my opinion, that the post of honour has been awarded to the laurel more particularly in triumphs, and not, as Massurius says, because it was used for the purposes of fumigation and purification from the blood of the enemy.

In addition to the above particulars, it is not permitted to defile the laurel and the olive by applying them to profane uses; so much so, indeed, that, not even for the propitiation of the divinities, should a fire be lighted with them at either altar or shrine.2115 Indeed, it is very evident that the laurel protests against such usage by crackling2116 as it does in the fire, thus, in a manner, giving expression to its abhorrence of such treatment. The wood of this tree when eaten is good as a specific for internal maladies and affections of the sinews.2117

It is said that when it thundered, the Emperor Tiberius was in the habit of putting on a wreath of laurel to allay his apprehensions of disastrous effects from the lightning.2118 There are also some remarkable facts connected with the laurel in the history of the late Emperor Augustus: once while Livia Drusilla, who afterwards on her marriage with the Emperor assumed the name of Augusta, at the time that she was affianced to him, was seated, there fell into her lap a hen of remarkable whiteness, which an eagle let fall from aloft without its receiving the slightest injury: on Livia viewing it without any symptoms of alarm, it was discovered that miracle was added to miracle, and that it held in its beak a branch of laurel covered with berries. The aruspices gave orders that the hen and her progeny should be carefully preserved, and the branch planted and tended with religious care. This was accordingly done at the country-house belonging to the Cæsars, on the Flaminian Way, near the banks of the Tiber, eight miles from the City; from which circumstance that road has since received the title “Ad gallinas.”2119 From the branch there has now arisen, wondrous to relate, quite a grove: and Augustus Cæsar afterwards, when celebrating a triumph, held a branch of it in his hand and wore a wreath of this laurel on his head; since which time all the succeeding emperors have followed his example. Hence, too, has originated the custom of planting the branches which they have held on these occasions, and we thus see groves of laurel still existing which owe their respective names to this circumstance. It was on the above occasion, too, that not improbably a change was effected in the usual laurel of the triumph.2120 The laurel is the only one among the trees that in the Latin language has given an appellation to a man,2121 and it is the only one the leaf of which has a distinct name of its own,—it being known by the name of “laurea.” The name of this tree is still retained by one place in the city of Rome, for we find a spot on the Aventine Mount still known by the name of “Loretum,”2122 where formerly a laurel-grove existed. The laurel is employed in purifications, and we may here mention, incidentally, that it will grow from slips2123—though Democritus and Theophrastus have expressed their doubts as to that fact.

We shall now proceed to speak of the forest trees.

Summary.—Remarkable facts, narratives, and observations, one hundred and twenty.

Roman authors quoted.—Fenestella,2124 Fabianus,2125 Virgil,2126 Corn. Valerianus,2127 Celsus,2128 Cato the Censor,2129 Saserna2130 father and son, Scrofa,2131 M. Varro,2132 D. Silanus,2133 Fabius Pictor,2134 Trogus,2135 Hyginus,2136 Flaccus Verrius,2137 Græcinus,2138 Atticus Julius,2139 Columella,2140 Massurius Sabinus,2141 Tergilla,2142 Cotta Messalinus,2143 L. Piso,2144 Pompeius Lenæus,2145 Maccius Plautus,2146 Flavius,2147 Dossenus,2148 Scævola,2149 Ælius,2150 Ateius Capito,2151 Sextius Niger,2152 Vibius Rufus.2153

Foreign authors quoted.—Aristotle,2154 Democritus,2155 King Hiero,2156 King Attalus Philometor,2157 Archytas,2158 Xenophon,2159 Amphilochus2160 of Athens, Anaxipolis2161 of Thasos, Apollodorus2162 of Lemnos, Aristophanes2163 of Miletus, Antigonus2164 of Cymæ, Agathocles2165 of Chios, Apollonius2166 of Pergamus, Aristander2167 of Athens, Bacchius2168 of Miletus, Bion2169 of Soli, Chæreas2170 of Athens, Chæristus2171 of Athens, Diodorus2172 of Priene, Dion2173 of Colophon, Epigenes2174 of Rhodes, Euagon2175 of Thasos, Euphronius2176 of Athens, Androtion2177 who wrote on Agriculture, Æschrion2178 who wrote on Agriculture, Lysimachus2179 who wrote on Agriculture, Dionysius2180 who translated Mago,2181 Diophanes2182 who made an Epitome of the work of Dionysius, Asclepiades2183 the Physician, Erasistratus2184 the Physician, Commiades2185 who wrote on the preparation of Wines, Aristomachus2186 who wrote on the same subject, Hicesius2187 who wrote on the same subject, Themiso2188 the Physician, Onesicritus,2189 King Juba.2190