Dedicatory Letter

...applied care and diligence to the study of plants. I shall pass over Philometor Attalus III Philometor, King of Pergamon, known for his medicinal gardens., Hiero Hiero II of Syracuse., and many other kings of great renown, lest I seem to pursue this matter more wordily than is proper; yet even they gained immortal glory from this very fact: that they were devoted students of botany, and by that study deserved great praise from posterity. There are also very many poets in whose poems it shines clearer than the Sun that the study of herbs is both ancient and has always been celebrated with praise. In this pursuit, they secured for themselves not only a distinguished but even an everlasting name. Among the Greeks, we are handed down the names of Orpheus, Musaeus, Hesiod, Homer, Alcaeus, and Rufus of Ephesus—whom Galen The famous Roman physician of Greek origin. testifies wrote five books on herbs in verse. Among the Latins, moreover, are Virgil, Ovid, and Aemilius Macer, who sang in their poems many things concerning plants that are worthy of note and shall never perish.

Both poets and historians record that women also sought and achieved glory through herbs, as they expended much care and study in investigating their powers. Indeed, because of this, the poets fable that Circe—after whom the "Circaea" herb Enchanter's Nightshade. is named—was the daughter of the Sun. But in truth, she attained such exquisite knowledge of herbs that, not without reason, she was held in those ages to be divine rather than human because of her admirable deeds. Such a woman also was Medea, who possessed such great knowledge of herbs that when she had delayed old age for many by means of medicines composed from them, the poets imagined that Aeson, though afflicted by extreme senility, was restored to youth by her.

To this we add Helen, who bestowed her name upon the herb Helenium Elecampane., which she was the first to sow, as some would have it; and thus she lives on even now, most famous in that plant. Artemisia, truly the wife of Mausolus, King of Caria—a woman of otherwise noble name—was rendered memorable and immortal by this alone: that she left her name imprinted upon a herb Mugwort or Wormwood, Artemisia..

Furthermore, it should be enough to invite anyone to take up the knowledge of plants that this study holds so much utility within itself that even the animals themselves, taught by nature, know the powers of very many herbs and have indicated them to mortals. For instance, deer showed that the herb dittany original: dictamnum heals arrow wounds, because when they were wounded, they cast out the weapon by feeding upon it. Likewise, does showed the herb seseli Meadow saxifrage or hartwort.; tortoises showed cunila A type of savory or oregano.; weasels, rue; hawks, hieracium Hawkweed.; doves, vervain; swallows, celandine; storks, oregano; and finally, other animals have discovered and demonstrated countless other herbs.

Wherefore, if men would turn their minds and souls to the aforementioned things—if they would look to the very origins of medical matter—seeing as plants, endowed with their divine powers, emerged from the earth immediately upon the creation of the elements, I have no doubt but that all would confess this faculty excels all others in antiquity, nobility, and divinity. Nor is so much praise, admiration, and glory owed to it only because its knowledge is pleasant and delightful, but also because it stands as useful and necessary. For it guards health (than which nothing can be more greatly desired by man), puts to flight various and innumerable kinds of diseases, overcomes the venom of wild beasts, and destroys the force of poisons. Nay, it even keeps men longer in life, and often recalls to life those who have been despaired of, for whom, clearly, no hope of safety remained. Which when...