[2604] Of course this is fabulous: though it is not impossible that the writing on the tablets may sometimes have caused “a noise in the world,” and that hence the poets may have given rise to this story.
[2605] Pliny borrows this fabulous story from Cato, De Re Rust. c. 3.
[2606] The reeds cannot be appropriately ranked among the shrubs.
[2607] For musical purposes, namely.
[2608] B. v. c. 20.
[2609] “Calamus.” The so-called reed of the East, used for making darts and arrows, does not belong to the genus Arundo, but to those of the Bambos and Nastus.
[2610] Few readers of history will fail to recollect the report made to King Henry V. by Davy Gam, before the battle of Agincourt:—“The enemy are so numerous,” said the messenger, “that their arrows will darken the sun.” “We must e’en be content to fight in the dark then,” was the warrior’s reply.
[2611] See B. vii. c. 2. This is probably an exaggeration. He alludes to the Bambos arundinacea of Lamarck, the Arundo arbor of C. Bauhin.
[2612] The Arundo donax of Linnæus.
[2613] Or the pipe-reed.