CHAP. 119.—WHAT THINGS, BY MERELY TASTING OF THEM,
ALLAY HUNGER AND THIRST.
On the other hand, there are some substances which, tasted
in small quantities only, appease hunger and thirst, and keep
up the strength, such as butter, for instance, cheese made of
mares' milk, and liquorice. But the most pernicious thing of
all, and in every station of life, is excess, and more especially
excess in food; in fact, it is the most prudent plan to retrench everything that may be possibly productive of injury.
Let us, however, now pass on to the other branches of Nature.
SUMMARY.—Remarkable facts, narratives, and observations,
two thousand, two hundred, and seventy.
ROMAN AUTHORS QUOTED.—M. Varro,[1] Hyginus,[2] Scrofa,[3]
Saserna,[4] Celsus Cornelius,[5] Æmilius Macer,[6] Virgil,[7] Columella,[8] Julius Aquila[9] who wrote on the Tuscan art of Divination, Tarquitius[10] who wrote on the same subject, Umbricius
Melior[11] who wrote on the same subject, Cato the Censor,[12]
Domitius Calvinus,[13] Trogus,[14] Melissus,[15] Fabianus,[16] Mucianus,[17] Nigidius,[18] Manilius,[19] Oppius.[20]
FOREIGN AUTHORS QUOTED.—Aristotle,[21] Democritus,[22] Neop-
tolemus[23] who wrote the Meliturgica, Aristomachus[24] who
wrote on the same subject, Philistus[25] who wrote on the same
subject, Nicander,[26] Menecrates,[27] Dionysius[28] who translated
Mago, Empedocles,[29] Callimachus,[30] King Attalus,[31] Apollodorus[32] who wrote on venomous animals, Hippocrates,[33] Herophilus,[34] Erasistratus,[35] Asclepiades,[36] Themison,[37] Posidonius[38] the
Stoic, Menander[39] of Priene and Menander[40] of Heraclea, Euphronius[41] of Athens, Theophrastus,[42] Hesiod,[43] King Philometor.[44]
1. See end of B. ii.
2. See end of B. iii.
3. C. Tremellius Scrofa, a friend of M. Varro, and one of the early writers
on agriculture.
4. See end of B. x.
5. See end of B. vii.
6. See end of B. ix.
7. See end of B. vii.
8. See end of B. viii.
9. See end of B. ii.
10. See end of B. ii.
11. See end of B. x.
12. See end of B. iii.
13. Nothing seems to be known of this writer.
14. See end of B. vii.
15. See end of B. vii.
16. See end of B. ii.
17. See end of B. ii.
18. See end of B. vi.
19. See end of B. x.
20. C. Oppius, one of the most intimate friends of Julius Cæsar, for whom,
with Balbus, he acted in Spain. Of his numerous biographical and historical works, none have survived to our time.
21. See end of B. ii.
22. See end of B. ii.
23. Probably Neoptolemus of Paros, who wrote a book of Epigrams, a
treatise on Languages, and other works.
24. Of Soli, an observer of the habits of bees. His portrait is said still
to exist, on a cornelian, attentively observing a swarm of bees. He wrote
upon bees, honey, and the art of mixing wines.
25. Probably a different writer from the one mentioned at the end of
B. viii.; nothing seems to be known of him.
26. See end of B. viii.
27. See end of B. viii.
28. See end of B. x.
29. A philosopher of Agrigentum, and disciple of Pythagoras. He is
said to have perished in the crater of Mount Etna. He wrote numerous
works, of which only some fragments exist.
30. See end of B. iv.
31. Apparently the same as the King Philometor, mentioned below.—See
end of B. viii.
32. Of this writer nothing seems to be known.
33. See end of B. vii.
34. Of Chalcedon, one of the most famous physicians of antiquity. He
was physician to Phalaris, the tyrant of Sicily, and is said to have dissected criminals alive. He was the first that paid particular attention to
the nervous system.
35. A native of Iulis, in Cos, or else Ceos, grandson of Aristotle, and
disciple of Theophrastus. He acquired great reputation as a physician, at
the court of Seleucus Nicator, king of Syria, where he discovered the supposed disease of Prince Antiochus, who had fallen in love with his stepmother, Stratonice. Of his numerous medical works, only the titles and
a few fragments exist.
36. See end of B. vii.
37. A physician of Laodicæa, founder of the school of the Methodici. He
was a pupil of Asclepiades, and died about B.C. 43. Of his medical works
only a few fragments survive.
38. See end of B. ii.
39. See end of B. viii.
40. See end of B. viii.
41. See end of B. viii.
42. See end of B. iii.
43. See end of B. vii.
44. See King Attalus, above.