Chap. 2.] UNGUENTS. 1 63 



of opinion, however, that the unguents which have been the 

 most universally adopted, are those which are compounded of 

 the rose, a flower that grows everywhere; and hence for 

 a long time the composition of oil of roses was of the most 

 simple nature, though more recently there have been added 

 omphacium, rose blossoms, cinnabar, calamus, honey, sweet- 

 rush, flour of salt or else alkanet, 40 and wine. The same 

 is the case, too, with oil of saffron, to which have been lately 

 added cinnabar, alkanet, and wine ; and with oil of sampsuchum, 41 

 with which omphacium and calamus have been compounded. 

 The best comes from Cyprus and Mitylene, where sampsuchum 

 abounds in large quantities. 



The commoner kinds of oil, too, are mixed with those of 

 myrrh and laurel, to which are added sampsuchum, lilies, 

 fenugreek, n^rrh, cassia, 42 nard, 43 sweet-rush, and cinnamon. 44 

 There is an oil, too, made of the common quince and the 

 sparrow quince, called melinum, as we shall have occasion to 

 mention hereafter ; 45 it is used as an ingredient in unguents, 

 mixed with omphacium, oil of Cyprus, oil of sesamum, 46 balsa- 

 mum, 47 sweet- rush, cassia, and abrotonum. 48 Susinum 49 is 

 the most fluid of them all : it is made of lilies, oil of balanus, 

 calamus, honey, cinnamon, saffron, 50 and myrrh ; while, the 

 unguent of Cyprus 51 is compounded of Cyprus, omphacium 



40 The alkanet and cinnabar were only used for colouring. 



41 " Sampsuchinum." It is generally supposed that the sampsuchum, 

 and the amaracus were the same, the sweet marjoram, or Origanum mar- 

 jorana of Linnaeus. Fee, however, is of a contrary opinion, See B. xxi. 

 c. 35. In Dioscorides, B. i. c. 59, there is a difference made between 

 sampsuchinum and amaracinum, though but a very slight one. 



43 The bark of the Cassia lignea of the pharmacopoea, the Laurus cassia 

 of botany. See B. xii. c. 43. 



43 See B. xii. c. 26. The Andropogon nardus of Linngeus. 



44 See B. xii. c. 41. 



45 See B. xxiii. c. 54, also B. xv. c. 10. The Malum struthium, or 

 "sparrow quince," was an oblong variety of the fruit. 



46 Sesamum orientale of Linnseus. See B. xviii. c. 22, and B. sxii. 

 c. 54. 



47 Balm of Gilead. See B. xii. c. 54. 



48 Southernwood. The Artemisia abrotonum of Linnaeus. 



49 Or lily unguent, made of the lily of Susa, which had probably a 

 more powerful smell than-tkat of Europe. Dioscorides gives its composi- 

 tion, B. i. c. 63. 



50 The Crocus sativus of Linnreus. 



51 Cyprinum. It has been previously mentioned in this Chapter. 



m 2 



