Book 3
27
But that this plant really did come from that upper country into Greece, one may find asserted in the works of the Comic poets, who, speaking of its size, appear to point out the citron plainly enough. Antiphanes says, in his Bœotian— A. 'Tis silly to say a word about roast meat To men who're ne'er content. But now, my girl, Just take these apples. B. They are fine to look at. A. Indeed they are, and good too, O ye gods! For this seed has arrived not long ago In Athens, coming from the mighty king. B. I thought it came from the Hesperides; For there they say the golden apples grow. A. They have but three. B. That which is very beautiful Is rare in every place, and so is dear. And Eriphus, in his Melibœa, quotes these selfsame Iambics of Antiphanes, and then proceeds in his own words:— B. I thought, I swear by Dian, that they came From out the garden of the Hesperides, For they, they say, do keep the golden apples. A. They have but three. B. That which is very beautiful Is rare in every place, and so is dear. A. I'll sell you these now for a single penny, And even that I'll put down in the bill. B. Are they not pomegranates? how fine they are! A. Fine! yes—they say that Venus did herself Plant this the parent tree in Cyprus, where it stands. Take it, my dear Berbeias. B. Thank you kindly. A. Take also these three; they are all I had. And if any one is able to contradict this, and to show that these descriptions are not meant to apply to the fruit which we now call the citron, let him bring forward some clearer testimonies.
