A) The gathering of the selago

‘vulgaris quoque haec spina, ex qua aenae fulloniae inplentur, radicis usus habet. per hispanias quidem multi et inter odores et ad unguenta utuntur illa, aspalathum vocantes. est sine dubio hoc nomine spina silvestris in oriente, ut diximus, candida, magnitudine arboris iustae, sed et frutex humilior, aeque spinosus, in nisyro et rhodiorum insulis, quem alii erysisceptrum, alii phasganon, syri diaxylon vocant. optimus qui minime ferulaceus, rubens aut in purpuram vergens detracto cortice. nascitur pluribus locis, sed non ubique odoratus. quam vim haberet caelesti arcu in eum innixo diximus. sanat taetra oris ulcera et ozaenas, genitalia exulcerata aut carbunculantia, item rhagadia, inflationes potu discutit et strangurias. cortex sanguinem reddentibus medetur. decoctum eius alvum sistit. similia praestare silvestrem quoque putant.²⁴⁷¹

Similar to savin is the herb known as ‘selago’. Care is taken to gather it without the use of iron, the right hand being passed for the purpose through the left sleeve of the tunic, as though the gatherer were in the act of committing a theft. The clothing too must be white, the feet bare and washed clean, and a sacrifice of bread and wine must be made before gathering it: it is carried also in a new napkin. The Druids of Gaul have pretended that this plant should be carried about the person as a preservative against accidents of all kinds, and that the smoke of it is extremely good for all maladies of the eyes.²⁴⁷² ’