Natural History, Vol. 3

most efficacious, and on that account it is more beneficial than those mentioned above.

A fourth kind of panaces, discovered by the same Chiron, is surnamed centaurion, but also pharnaceon, having been brought into a dispute of discovery by King Pharnaces. This is sown with leaves longer than the others, and serrated. The scented root is dried in the shade and adds charm to wine. Two types of this have been made: one with a smoother leaf, the other with a thinner one. Heracleon syderion was also discovered by Hercules, with a slender stalk four fingers in height, a crimson flower, and the leaves of coriander. It is found near lakes and rivers, and it most effectively heals all wounds inflicted by iron. There is an invention of Chiron called ampelos chironia, of which we spoke among the vines, just as [we spoke] of the herb whose discovery is assigned to Minerva. They also attribute to Hercules that which is called apollinaris—among the Arabs, altercum or altercangenum, but among the Greeks, it is called hyoscyamus. There are several types of it: one with black seed and flowers that are almost purple, and it is thorny; such grows in Galatia. The common one is whiter and more shrub-like, taller than a poppy. The third has seed similar to the seed of irio, and all things producing madness and giddiness of the head. The fourth type is soft, downy, thicker than the others, with white seed, growing in maritime regions; this physicians have accepted. Likewise, one with reddish seed. Sometimes before it is white, it becomes reddish if it has not ripened, and is disapproved. And, in any case, none is gathered unless it has dried. It is of the nature of wine, and therefore afflicts the mind and the head. The use of the seed is both by itself and [via] the expressed juice. It is expressed separately, and they also use the stalks and leaves and the root—a practice, I think, that is altogether reckless. Indeed, it is established that the mind is corrupted even by the leaves, if more than four