There is one variety of wild poppy known as “ceratitis.”[1660] It is of a black colour, a cubit in height, and has a thick root covered with bark, with a head resembling a small bud, bent and pointed at the end like a horn. The leaves of this plant are smaller and thinner than those of the other wild poppies, and the seed, which is very diminutive, is ripe at harvest. Taken with honied wine, in doses of half an acetabulum, the seed acts as a purgative. The leaves, beaten up in oil, are a cure for the white[1661] specks which form on the eyes of beasts of burden. The root, boiled down to one half, in doses of one acetabulum to two sextarii of water, is prescribed for maladies of the loins and liver, and the leaves, employed with honey, are a cure for carbuncles. Some persons give this kind of poppy the name of “glaucion,” and others of “paralium,”[1662] for it grows, in fact, in spots exposed to exhalations from the sea, or else in soils of a nitrous nature. CHAP. 79.—THE WILD POPPY CALLED HERACLIUM, OR APHRON: FOUR REMEDIES. DIACODION. There is another kind[1663] of wild poppy, known as “heraclion” by some persons, and as “aphron” by others. The leaves of it, when seen from a distance, have all the appearance of sparrows;[1664] the root lies on the surface of the ground, and the seed has exactly the colour of foam.[1665] This plant is used for the purpose of bleaching linen[1666] cloths in summer. It is bruised in a mortar for epilepsy, being given in white wine, in doses of one acetabulum, and acting as an emetic. This plant is extremely useful, also, for the composition of the medicament known as “diacodion,”[1667] and “arteriace.” This preparation is made with one hundred and twenty heads[1668] of this or any other kind of wild poppy, steeped for two days in three sextarii of rain water, after which they are boiled in it. You must then dry the heads; which done, boil them down with honey to one half, at a slow heat. More recently, there have been added to the mixture, six drachmæ of saffron, hypocisthis,[1669] frankincense, and gum acacia, with one sextarius of raisin wine of Crete. All this, however, is only so much ostentation; for the virtue of this simple and ancient preparation depends solely upon the poppy and the honey. CHAP. 80.—THE POPPY CALLED TITHYMALON, OR PARALION: THREE REMEDIES.