Editing Chives (section)

== In culture ==
[[File:De historia stirpium commentarii insignes (Page 635) (9365069537).jpg|thumb|Identified with ''porrum sectivum'', spoken of by Pliny, [[Columella]]<ref>Pliny the Elder, ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Naturalis Historia]]'', [[wikisource:la:Naturalis Historia/Liber XIX#XXXIII|19.110]]; Columella, ''De re rustica'', [[wikisource:la:De Re Rustica/Liber XI#III. DE CULTU HORTORUM|11.3.30]].</ref> and other authorities. Illustration in ''[[De historia stirpium commentarii insignes]]'' (by [[Leonhart Fuchs]], 1542).]]
In Europe, chives were sometimes referred to as "rush leeks".<ref name="culpeper">[[Nicholas Culpeper]] {{google books|lgBBAQAAMAAJ|Culpeper's Complete Herbal, and English Physician (1826)|page=37}}</ref>

It was mentioned in 80 A.D. by [[Marcus Valerius Martialis]] in his "Epigrams" (13.18 ''porri sectivi''):<ref>Epigrams translated by Walter C.A. Ker, Loeb Classics Library, 1919, v. 2, [https://archive.org/details/epigramswitheng02mart/page/396/mode/2up?view=theater p. 396].</ref>
{{Blockquote|Fila Tarentini graviter redolentia porri<br>Edisti quoties, oscula clausa dato.<br>(After eating the heavily scented threads of Tarentine leek, give your kisses closed.)}}
The Romans believed chives could relieve the pain from [[sunburn]] or a sore throat. They believed eating chives could increase [[blood pressure]] and act as a [[diuretic]].<ref>{{cite book |title= 75 Exceptional Herbs for Your Garden |last= Staub |first= Jack E. |year= 2008 |publisher= Gibbs Smith |isbn= 978-1-4236-0251-4 |page= 54 }}</ref>

[[Romani people|Romani]] have used chives in fortune telling.<ref>[http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/gilbert/chives.htm Chives], from "Sally's place", accessed on June 13, 2006</ref> Bunches of dried chives hung around a house were believed to ward off disease and evil.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/gilbert/chives.htm|title=Chives|publisher=sallys-place.com}}</ref><ref name=small/>

In the 19th century, [[Netherlands|Dutch]] farmers fed cattle on the herb to give a different taste to their [[milk]].<ref name=small/>