CHAP. 100. (24.)—THE COMPOSITION OF THERIACA.
But as we are now about to leave the garden plants, we will take this opportunity of describing a very famous preparation extracted from them as an antidote against the stings of all kinds of venomous animals: it is inscribed in verse[1782] upon a stone in the Temple of Æsculapius at Cos.
Take two denarii of wild thyme, and the same quantity of opopanax and meum respectively; one denarius of trefoil seed; and of aniseed, fennel-seed, ammi, and parsley, six denarii respectively, with twelve denarii of meal of fitches. Heat up these ingredients together, and pass them through a sieve; after which they must be kneaded with the best wine that can be had, and then made into lozenges of one victoriatus[1783] each: one of these is to be given to the patient, steeped in three cyathi of wine. King Antiochus[1784] the Great, it is said, employed this theriaca[1785] against all kinds of venomous animals, the asp excepted.
Summary.—Remarkable facts, narratives, and observations, one thousand, five hundred, and six.
Roman authors quoted.—Cato[1786] the Censor, M. Varro,[1787] Pompeius Lenæus,[1788] C. Valgius,[1789] Hyginus,[1790] Sextius Niger[1791] who wrote in Greek, Julius Bassus[1792] who wrote in Greek, Celsus,[1793] Antonius Castor.[1794]
Foreign authors quoted.—Democritus,[1795] Theophrastus,[1796] Orpheus,[1797] Menander[1798] who wrote the “Biochresta,” Pythagoras,[1799] Nicander.[1800]
Medical authors quoted.—Chrysippus,[1801] Diocles,[1802] Ophelion,[1803] Heraclides,[1804] Hicesius,[1805] Dionysius,[1806] Apollodorus[1807] of Citium, Apollodorus[1808] of Tarentum, Praxagoras,[1809], Plistonicus,[1810] Medius,[1811] Dieuches,[1812] Cleophantus,[1813] Philistion,[1814] Asclepiades,[1815] Crateuas,[1816] Petronius Diodotus,[1817] Iollas,[1818] Erasistratus,[1819] Diagoras,[1820] Andreas,[1821] Mnesides,[1822] Epicharmus,[1823] Damion,[1824] Dalion,[1825] Sosimenes,[1826] Tlepolemus,[1827], Metrodorus,[1828] Solo,[1829] Lycus,[1830] Olympias[1831] of Thebes, Philinus,[1832] Petrichus,[1833] Micton,[1834] Glaucias,[1835] Xenocrates.[1836]