[2262] In B. xi. c. 97.
[2263] From the Greek σαπρὸν, “rotten” cheese.
[2264] Like our cream cheese, or new milk cheese, probably.
[2265] The people of Germany and Scythia, for instance.
[2266] In this passage also it is generally supposed that he refers to the nomadic life of barbarous nations, in which multitudes of sheep and cattle constituted the chief wealth. It is, however, not improbable that he means to say that among the Romans it was only the wealthy who could afford to use it.
[2267] Βούτυρον, “cow cheese.”
[2268] Qy. whether for “aquæ,” “water,” we should not read “acidi” here, “sour milk,” as at the beginning of the next Chapter? Beckmann suggests “aceti,” “vinegar.”—Hist. Inv. I. 505, Bohn’s Ed.
[2269] Beckmann says on this passage, “What Pliny says respecting oxygala is attended with difficulties: and I am fully persuaded that his words are corrupted, though I find no variations marked in MSS. by which this conjecture can be supported.”—Hist. Inv. I. 505. He suggests another arrangement of the whole passage, but without improving it, for the difficulty would appear to be totally imaginary; as it is quite clear that by “oxygala,” or “sour milk,” Pliny means the thickest part of the curd, which is first removed and then salted, forming probably a sort of cream cheese. Though his meaning is clear, he may very possibly give an erroneous description of the process.
[2270] The remark of Holland on this passage is curious—“Some would amend this place, and for ‘magis,’ ‘more,’ put ‘minus,’ ‘less,’ in a contrary sense; but I suppose he writeth in regard of barbarous people, who make more account of such ranke butyr; like as the uncivile Irish in these daies.”
[2271] He has forgotten to do so, however.