Cbap. 19.] VARIETIES OF ARTIFICIAL WIKE. 257 



pose by the Parthians as well as the Indians, and, indeed, 

 throughout all the countries of the East. A modius of the 

 kind of ripe date called "chydaeae" 19 is added to three congii 

 of water, and after being steeped for some time, they are 

 subjected to pressure. Sycites 20 is a preparation similarly 

 made from figs : some persons call it " palmiprimum," 21 others, 

 again, " catorehites : " if sweetness is not the maker's object, 

 instead of water there is added the same quantity of husk 

 juice 22 of grapes. Of the Cyprian fig 23 a very excellent vinegar, 

 too, is made, and of that of Alexandria 24 a still superior. 



A wine is made, too, of the pods of the Syrian carob, 25 of 

 pears, and of all kinds of apples. That known as " rhoites" 26 

 is made from pomegranates, and other varieties are prepared 

 from cornels, medlars, sorb apples, dried mulberries, and pine- 

 nuts ; 27 these last are left to steep in must, and are then pressed ; 

 the others produce a sweet liquor of themselves. "We shall 

 have occasion before long to show how Cato 28 has pointed out 

 the method of making myrtites : 29 the Greeks, however, adopt 

 a different method in making it. They first boil tender sprigs 

 of myrtle with the leaves on in white must, and after pound- 

 ing them, boil down one pound of the mixture in three congii 

 of must, until it is reduced to a couple of congii. The be- 

 verage that is prepared in this manner with the berries of 

 wild myrtle is known as " myrtidanum ;" 30 it will stain the 

 hands. 



Among the garden plants we find wines made of the follow- 

 ing kinds : the radish, asparagus, cunila, origanum, parsley- 



19 He says "caryotae," and not chydsese, in B. xiii. c. 4. The modius 

 was something more than our peck. 



20 From the Greek <tvkt), a " fig." This wine was made, Fee thinks, 

 from the produce of some variety of the sycamore. See B. xiii. c. 14. 



21 " Prime palm " apparently. 



22 Tortivum, probably : the second squeezing. 



23 See B. xiii. c. 15. m See B. xiii. c. 14. 



25 See B. xiii. c. 16. 



26 From poa, a "pomegranate." 



27 Dioscorides calls it " strobilites." Fee says that they could he of no 

 service in producing a vinous drink. 



28 See B. xy. c. 37. ™ Or "myrtle wine." 



30 Myrtle will not make a wine, but simply a medicament, in which wine 

 is the menstruum. 



VOL. III. s 



