Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE, LORD JOACHIM

...he achieved. But I shall finally cease to weave this catalog of illustrious men who have thought and written most honorably concerning herbal medicine, once I have added one of the most distinguished women to their number: Artemisia, the wife of Mausolus, the minor king of Caria Artemisia II of Caria (died c. 350 BCE) was a botanist and medical researcher, though she is more famously known for building the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus for her husband., who did not shrink from this study of investigating plants. Indeed, the plant Artemisia Mugwort or Wormwood (Artemisia vulgaris).—which retains her name to this day, though it was previously called Parthenis—speaks to the incredible passion and desire she burned with for the knowledge of herbs. Thus, it is now clear to everyone that people of every age and gender, including those most outstanding in nobility and learning, have not only held herbal medicine in high regard but have also contributed a great deal of work, study, diligence, and labor to master it thoroughly.

Yet, perhaps someone poorly disposed toward this branch of medicine will desire to learn from us: what, in the end, did those individuals whom we have commemorated in such a long list achieve through this zeal for investigating plants? Surely, they achieved a most excellent thing, which should be placed second to no riches or pleasures: namely, an immortal and everlasting memory among posterity. For their memory will remain firm and unshaken for as long as the earth—the faithful and best parent of all things—produces Gentian Named after King Gentius of Illyria., Lysimachia Yellow Loosestrife, named after King Lysimachus of Sicily., Scordium Water Germander, associated with Mithridates., Eupatory Agrimony, named after Mithridates Eupator., Euphorbia Spurge, named after Euphorbus, physician to King Juba II., Clymenon Possibly a species of vetch or bindweed, named after King Clymenus., Polemonia Jacob’s Ladder, named after King Polemon of Pontus., and other plants of that kind to which the names of the most distinguished kings have been given. Thus, their names live today in the grateful memory of men—names which would otherwise have perished immediately as soon as they departed from among the living, had they not left those names behind imprinted upon plants. And certainly, this most distinguished and healthy zeal and competition of such great kings and most learned men is rightly extolled by us with praises even to the heavens, whenever we remember how they adorned our lives with the best gifts and how excellently they have deserved our gratitude. For this reason, Pliny said most truly: "Certain individual discoveries added their discoverers to the number of the gods, and they made the lives of all people more illustrious by the names of herbs, with gratitude thus kindly repaying their memory." original: "Singula quosdam inuenta deorum numero addiderunt, omniumq́; uitam clariorem fecerunt cognominibus herbarum, tam benignè gratiam memoriæ referente." Quoted from Pliny the Elder's Natural History. When I reflect on this, I am moved to wonder why almost none of our own princes strive to imitate the example of the ancient kings and heroes, or at least bring themselves to help those who are possessed by this zeal for investigating herbs. I know, of course, that they are so entangled in mournful and laborious business—provided they wish to properly guard the "Sparta" that has fallen to them A reference to the Greek proverb "Spartam nactus es, hanc exorna" (You have found Sparta, now adorn it), meaning one should fulfill the duties of the office they hold.—that they themselves cannot devote effort to investigating plants.

Nevertheless, it was nonetheless their duty to construct gardens planted with the best herbs sought even from afar, and to support at their own expense herbalists who would continually cultivate, increase, and preserve the same—just as we mentioned above that the Roman Emperors once did. And they should do so for this reason above all: because there is nothing from which they can hunt more praise and glory for themselves, or better deserve the gratitude of all posterity, than if they strive to preserve the knowledge of plants in this manner. I would wish, therefore, that they would apply at least some part—and clearly the smallest part—of their expenses (which they for the most part bestow upon fluid and momentary things, to say nothing more severe) toward illustrating this part of medicine, which now raises its head, as it were, out of the deep darkness.

But, by the immortal gods, what wonder is it that kings and princes do not greatly look upon this study of investigating plants, when even the physicians of our age so shrink from it that among a hundred, one can scarcely find one who has even a few herbs exactly known. I judge that this happens for no other reason than that they do not think that part of medicine which hands down the knowledge of plants pertains to them; or they deem it too cheap and dishonorable to allow it to concern them. For they think that no small amount will be detracted from their dignity and reputation if they handle those things of which the perfumers original: "seplasiarii" - makers and sellers of ointments and perfumes, often used as a derogatory term for unlearned druggists. and certain others—gods help us!—have now claimed knowledge for themselves.

Hence it is that they reject this entire care onto the apothecaries original: "pharmacopolas"—a class of men, by Hercules, for the most part unlearned—and onto foolish and wonderfully superstitious old women. So much so that in our time, the whole of herbal medicine is in the hands of rustics and old hags, and unlearned men, who...