CHAP. 76.—THE PHLYNION, NEURAS, OR POTERION ; ONE
REMEDY.
Frogs, too, have their venom, the bramble-frog[1] in particular,
and I myself have seen the Psylli, in their exhibitions,
irritate them by placing them upon flat vessels made red hot,[2]
their bite being fatal more instantaneously than the sting even
of the asp. One remedy for their poison is the phrynion,[3]
taken in wine, which has also the additional names of "neuras"[4]
and "poterion:" it bears a small flower, and has numerous
fibrous roots, with an agreeable smell.
1. "Rubetis." A kind of toad, probably. See B. viii. c. 48, B. xi. c.
16, and B. xxxii. c. 18.
2. Schneider, on Nicander's Alexiph. p. 277, says that he cannot under-
stand this passage. There is little doubt that Sillig is right in his conjecture that it is imperfect, for the pith of the narrative, whatever it may
have been, is evidently wanting. The Psylli were said to be proof against
all kinds of poisons. See B. viii. c. 38, and 13. xi. c. 30; also lucan's
Pharsalia, B. ix. 1. 192, el seq.
3. See also B. xxvii. c. 97. Fée identifies it with the Astragalas Creticus of Lamarek, Desfontaines with the Astragalus poterium.
4. The "nerve-plant " and the "drinking-plant," apparently.