Full text: Vitruvius: The architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio

B00 K. VIII. 
bathe in it, are killed. In Thessaly is a spring that the cattle will never taste, nor will 
beasts of any kind approach: near which spring is a tree bearing purple flowers. In Mace- 
donia, likewise, at the place where Euripides was buried, two rivulets concur, passing on the 
right and left of the monument: near one, travellers, invited by the goodness of the water. 
are accustomed to repose themselves and dine: but the rivulet which is on the other side 
of the monument nobody approaches, because the water is said to be poisonous, 
In Arcadia is a part of the country named Nonacris, in the mountains of which are stones 
from whence distils an extremely cold water, called Stygos Hydor (water of Styk, or sorrow); 
which neither silver, brass, or iron vessels, can contain, for it penetrates through them, and is 
wasted: nor can any thing contain it but the hoof of a mule. It is related, that Antipater 
sent some of this water, by his son lollas, to the province where Alexander was, and with it 
that king was poisoned. In the kingdom of Cottus in the Alps, is a water, which whoever 
tastes immediately dies. In Campus Cornetus, on the Faliscan land, by the Campanian way, 
is a grove, where issues a spring, in which are seen the bones of adders, lizards, and others of 
the serpent kind. 
Some springs are of an acid taste; as those at Lyncestes, at Virena in Italy, at Theano in 
the Campania, and at many other places; potions of which have the quality of dissolving the 
stones that form in the bladder of the human body: this may naturally happen; for there is 
a sharp and acid juice in the earth, by which the water is rendered acrid; so that when in 
the body, it dissolves those concretions that arise from the sediments of liquids, and cause 
the pain. That acids will dissolve these things, may be known from this instance: an egg 
being laid in vinegar a long time, its shell will be softened, and dissolved. Lead also, which 
is so tough and heavy, being put in a vase with vinegar, and close covered, will be dissolved, 
and converted to ceruse. By the same means, brass, which is of a yet harder nature, is cor- 
roded and turned to verdigrise. Pearls, and even flints, which neither iron or fire by itself 
can affect, being, when heated, sprinkled with vinegar, will break, and be dissolved. As 
these effects, therefore, happen before our eyes, we may reasonably judge that acids, on 
account of their acrimony, may also by a similar operation dissolve the calculous concretions 
in the body. 
Some springs there are that seem as if they were mixed with wine; as one in Paphlagonia, 
which, without wine, intoxicates those who drink it. At Equicula in Italy, and among the 
(8*) This is generally allowed by the commentators 
such a place being known and mentioned by Pliny; 
whereas Virena in Italy is not known. 
to be an error, and is, from Budeus, corrected to Velino,
	        
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