Book 17
15
But Plinius Secundus, in his work On Natural History, wrote xxv. 52. that hellebore could be taken with the greatest safety in the island of Anticyra. There were three places of this name, all celebrated for their hellebore, which was regarded as a cure for insanity. One was in Locris, on the Corinthian Gulf; the second was on the Maliac Gulf at the foot of Mt. Oeta. The third, usually considered the most important, was a town of Phocis on the Corinthian Gulf. See Thes. Ling. Lat. s.v., where Plin. N. H. xxv. 52 is assigned to the last-named, in spite of iasula. Baumgarten-Crasius, Suetonius, refer the reference in Calig. xxix to an island, which they do not, locate. In Hor. Ars. Poet. 300, tribus Anticyris may refer to three Anticyras, but is more probably used in a general sense. That for this reason Livius Drusus, the former tribune of the commons, when he was suffering from the so-called election disease, See note on xvi. 4. 4. sailed to Anticyra, drank hellebore in that island, and was thus cured of the ailment.
15
I have read besides that the Gauls, when hunting, dip their arrows in hellebore, because the wild animals that are struck and killed by arrows thus treated become tenderer for eating; but because of the contagion of the hellebore they are said to cut out a large piece of flesh around the wounds made by the arrows.
16
That Pontic ducks have a power which is able to expel poisons; and also of the skill of Mithridates in preparing antidotes.
