Pliny on Erica

Gaius Plinius Secundus greets you!

I have been asked to share with you my knowledge of the plant known as erica, and some of its medicinal applications, which may not be as well known today as they once were.

I shall begin by revisiting my Natural Histories in which I wrote of the erica being also known as myrice, and being used by the people of Ameria to make their brooms. But that is just the beginning of its usefulness.

Erica has many medicinal uses. The leaves, when crushed and taken in drink, are an antidote to the sting of a serpent. Boiled in wine and applied with honey they will heal cancerous sores.

Erica is especially useful in afflictions of the spleen, the juice being extracted and taken with wine. So marvellous is its antipathy to this organ of the body, that if swine drink from a trough made from this wood they will be found to lose the spleen. This is why food and drink are given to sufferers from maladies of the spleen in vessels made of this wood.

Some commentators have dismissed these latter claims, saying that they cannot possibly apply to any of the heaths of Europe, none of which produce wood large enough to make a trough or drinking vessel. They should read my words more closely. I refer to the wood of the tamarice, a much larger tree found in Eurasia and Africa. In fact, we ancients generally grouped together the brooms, heaths and tamarisks, under the name of erica.

And broom, by the way, bruised with axle-grease, is a cure for diseases of the knees.......

Many more such facts could I bring to your notice, but in these hurried days people do not have the time to read at length on various subjects no matter how interesting they may be. I myself have been asked specifically not to exceed twenty lines in this blog. Twenty lines! I believe I have failed to comply.

Unreliable Signs

I'm still puzzling over those botanic chickens, said Pliny the Elder. Where did you say you saw them?

We didn't actually see any chickens, I replied. Botanic or otherwise. It was just the name of a chicken shop, near the Wittunga Botanic Gardens. But we did see plenty of ducks.

Even more puzzling, said Pliny, with a frown. Why didn't they call the shop Botanic Ducks?

The ducks were in the gardens, I said quickly. And the chickens were in the shop. Don't worry about it. I'll tell you what else we saw, Pliny, and this should interest you. We saw a sign that mentioned you by name.

Indeed! In what regard?

It was a sign near the ericas, explaining how the erica got its name. It said that you were the one who called it erica after the greek ereiko, meaning to break or bend, because it was used medicinally for breaking up bladder stones.

What nonsense! exclaimed Pliny. Do they think I am a Greek? I never made up names for things. I simply recorded what was known, at the time. Whoever made that sign should go back and read my works again. They will find that we ancients considered erica to be useful for afflictions of the spleen. And furthermore.....

Pliny, I said, I see that you are very knowledgable on this subject. Perhaps you would like to set the record straight by writing my blog tomorrow?

Certainly, said Pliny, looking pleased at this unexpected sign of interest.