That I might be able to investigate whether our artichoke was known to the ancients, I have not only collected a variety of scattered passages, compared them with one another and with nature, and laboured through a tedious multitude of contradictions and a confusion of names, but I have also been obliged to examine a load of groundless conjectures, heaped together by commentators[596], in order that I might understand them and ascertain their value. By these means I have learned more than seems hitherto to have been known; and I have found that more is believed than can be proved; but that the fruits of my toil will give complete satisfaction to my readers, I do not pretend to hope. Before the botany, however, and the natural history in general of the ancients can be properly elucidated, before truth can be separated from falsehood, what is certain from what is uncertain, and things defined from those which are undefined, researches of this kind must be undertaken, and the same method as that which I have followed must be adopted. The names of plants in ancient authors which have been applied to our artichoke, are the following: _Cinara_, _Carduus_, _Scolymus_, and _Cactus_. The _Cinara_, which is originally a Greek word, belonged certainly to the thistle species; and the description of its top, as given by Columella[597], seems, as has already been remarked by Nonnius[598] and others, to agree perfectly with that of our artichoke. The _cinara_ was commonly furnished with prickles, but that was preferred which had lost them by cultivation, and for which means were prescribed that did not produce the desired effect[599]. It was raised from seed sown in spring, but was propagated also from slips or shoots which in Italy were planted in autumn, that they might bear earlier the next summer[600]. The direction given to water these plants frequently, is still followed by our gardeners in respect to their artichokes, and they expect from this attention that the fruit will be more abundant and tender. By this method many give to their artichokes a superiority which others that have not been watered so carefully cannot attain. A complaint, which occurs in ancient authors, is also prevalent, that the roots are often destroyed by mice. I do not, however, find it remarked what part of the _cinara_ was properly used, but it may be conjectured it was the top, because the tender fruit is praised[601]. _Carduus_, among the Romans, was the common name of all plants of the thistle kind. It occurs among those of weeds[602], and may be then properly translated by the word _thistle_. It, however, often signified an eatable thistle; and this has given Pliny occasion to make use of an insipid piece of raillery, when he says that luxury prepared as food for man what would not be eaten by cattle.