The peplis,[1969] known by the various names of “syce,”[1970] “meconion,” and “mecon aphrodes,” is a shrub-like plant, springing from a single, diminutive, root. The leaves of it resemble those of rue, but are a little larger; the seed, which lies beneath the leaves, is round, and smaller than that of the white poppy. It is ordinarily gathered in vineyards, at harvest-time, and is dried with the seed on, receivers being placed beneath to catch it as it falls. This seed, taken in drink, purges the bowels, and carries off bile and pituitous secretions: one acetabulum, taken in three heminæ of hydromel, is a middling dose. It is sprinkled also upon meat and other articles of food, as a laxative medicine. CHAP. 94.—THE PERICLYMENOS: FIVE REMEDIES. The periclymenos[1971] is also a shrub-like plant, with two whitish, soft, leaves, arranged at intervals. At the extremity, among the leaves, is the seed, hard, and very difficult to pluck. It grows in ploughed fields and hedges, entwining around every object from which it can gain support. The seed is dried in the shade, pounded, and divided into lozenges. These lozenges are left to dissolve, in three cyathi of white wine, for a period of thirty days, and are given for diseases of the spleen; the volume of which is gradually diminished either by discharges of bloody urine, or else by alvine evacuation, the effects of the medicament being perceptible at the end of ten days. The leaves, boiled, act as a diuretic, and are useful for hardness of breathing. Taken in drink, in manner above-mentioned, they facilitate delivery, and bring away the afterbirth. CHAP. 95.—PELECINON: ONE REMEDY. We have already[1972] spoken of pelecinon as growing in corn-fields, a plant which throws out a number of shoots from thin stems, and has leaves like those of the chick-pea. The seed, which is contained in pods of a curved shape, like diminutive horns and three or four in number, is similar to gith[1973] in appearance, bitter, and an excellent stomachic. It is used as an ingredient in antidotes.[1974] CHAP. 96.—POLYGALA: ONE REMEDY. Polygala[1975] is a palm in height, with leaves like those of the lentil at the extremity of the stem. It has an astringent taste; taken in drink, it increases the milk in nursing women. CHAP. 97.—POTERION, PHRYNION, OR NEURAS: FOUR REMEDIES.