[26.] Lotus.) There are several species of this mentioned by ancient authors; but the particular kind intended here seems to be the lotus Ægyptius, growing in the water, with a stalk resembling the cyamus. It has a root like a quince, and is eaten both raw and boiled, and in the last way, in quality, it is like the white of an egg. The Egyptians make bread of its head, which resembles poppy.—See Dioscorid. lib. iv. cap. 696. and Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. xiii. cap. 17 and 18.
[27.] The body is rendered humid.) Lommius asserts the copies to be every one corrupted in this place. From the moisteners he strikes out the following,—continuing awake, long and brisk walking, morning exercise without eating after it,—as unworthy of our author. And for the same reason, in the list of dryers, inserts watching and unction, without bathing in cold water. This I thought proper to mention in a note, but did not chuse to take so great liberties with the text against the authority of all the other copies, but leave it to the judgment of the learned reader, though I rather incline to the alteration proposed. Vide Lomm. Comment. de Sanitat. tuend. p. 218 and 219.
[28.] Apples, Poma.) Under this Celsus includes all the apple-kind; and he elsewhere comprehends in this genus, cherries, mulberries, &c. so that he seems to take in all the pulpy fruits, whether they have stones or not. Wherever he intends what we particularly call apples, he makes a distinction, as Quæque propriè poma nominantur, lib. ii. cap. 18.
[29.] Salt wine.) “Wines are prepared with sea water in different ways; for some, immediately after gleaning the grapes, mix sea-water with them; others expose them to the sun, and thus tread them, adding sea-water. Others again, make the grapes into raisins, and macerate them in vessels with sea-water, and thus tread and press them. Wine made in this way is sweet: but there are others prepared of a more austere taste[ IN ].”
Pliny tells us, That the properties of this wine were first accidentally discovered by a servant stealing some wine, and filling up the vessel with sea-water[ IO ].
[30.] Defrutum is sweet must, boiled to one half its quantity, done to imitate honey. Plin. lib. xiv. cap. 9. Columella says to one-third, which Pliny calls sapa. Ibid.
NOTES TO BOOK II.
[1.] Not but in any weather.) Morgagni observes, that in the original, it should be read, Non quod non omni tempore, omni tempestatum genere; so that the translation should run, Not but in any season, and in any weather. What renders this correction more probable is, that a few lines before, Celsus had said, Quæ tempora anni, quæ tempestatum genera.—These two words, though omitted by Juntas and Cæsar, and after them by Linden and Almeloveen, are nevertheless extant in the MS. and the other editions he perused. Ep. 6. p. 142.
[2.] To be most apprehended in the spring.) The words in the original are, Vere tamen maxime, &c.—As there is no opposition between this observation and any going before, if the reading be right, there must be a chasm in the text.—But I suspect tamen ought to be quam, and have rendered it accordingly.