Ancient Latin Agricultural Writers, Vol. IV

Amerina Amerian apples, Col. 5, 10. Amerian willow, Col. 4, 30. Also praised by Virgil, Georgics 1, 265. See Salmasius on homonyms, ch. 73. Schoettg. Amerian baskets, Cat. 11.

Ames a pole/rod used in fowling. The fowling for owls is prepared with poles at night, Pall. 10, 12. Poles of litters, Pall. 7, 2.

Amethystos amethyst vine, Col. 3, 2. This is how it should be read. For since the inerticula sluggish/non-intoxicating grape is so named by our people because it alone does not cause drunkenness, it is deservedly called by the Greeks amethystos amethyst, that is, without drunkenness. Pliny elegantly says that our people would have more justly called this grape "sober" than "sluggish." Beroald.

Amicitia friendship. From the friendship of the master, a guest, Col. 11, 1; that is, from his friends.

Amicus friend/friendly. Vines are friendlier to the yoke than to trees, Col. 3, 2. Flowers are most friendly to bees, Col. 9, 4. Friendly winds, Col. 1, 5.

Amictus garment/covering of the sparkling tail, Pall. 1, 28. Referring to the peacock.

Amineum Aminean wine, Cat. 6. Thus the ancient books of Cato have it without any variation. But all the poets pronounce it amineum, and it is in an old inscription: "I want the Aminean vineyard to be given to you Augustales." Cato records two kinds of it, Pliny five: since they grew in different regions of Italy, they were also of different natures. Hence Virgil declares Aminean wines to be the firmest, Galen harsh, Florentinus sweet. Popma. It is difficult for anyone to bring the conflicting opinions of learned men, or the variety of such ancient manuscripts, into harmony. After reading what Pierius and La Cerda said on Georgics 2, 97, what Harduinus said on Pliny 14, 2, what Keuchenius, Heinsius, and Burmann said on Virgil Georgics 2, 97, and having inspected the very passages of the ancients which they cited, as well as the Greek Geoponica, I have come to say: You have done well, I am much more uncertain than before. This much, however, appears: he does not err who reads Ammineum with Pierius—"There are also Amminean vines"—to which Ausonius adds in Epistle 18 to Ursulus, in the last line: "The only one who mixes Chian and Amminean," or who reads Amineum by the authority of Serenus: "The juice of the Aminean vine heals with bread." If anyone contends that only one or the other is correct, I would prefer Amineum, which Virgil also seems to some to have written: "There are also Aminean vines, etc." In Serenus, the change is not so easy. In the Geoponica, I see now aminaion, now aminion. Cerda cites aminaian staphylas Aminean grapes from Galen. In Columella, I have generally found Amineae written, and have left it as such. So much for the spelling. Not much more certain are the things regarding the etymology. Passing over the trifles of Servius or his interpolator, that