The ancient belief was that honey fell from heaven, in the shape of dew, and the bee only gathered it from leaves. So Verg., Ec. iv. 30, “roscida mella,” and Georg. iv. 1, “aerii mellis cœlestia dona.” cf. Arist., H. A. v. 22 μελὶ δὲ τὸ πίπτον ἐκ τοῦ ἀ& 153·ρος, και μάλιστα τῶν ἄστρων ἀνατολαῖς, καὶ ὅταν κατασκήφη ἡ ἶρις, and Plin. xi. 12. “Sive ille est cœli sudor, sive quædam siderum saliva, sine purgantis se aeris succus,… magnam tamen cœlestis naturæ voluptatem affert.” So Coleridge (Kubla Khan): “For he on honey dew hath fed And drunk the milk of Paradise.”