Chap. 21.] OXYMELI. 261 



CHAP. 20. (17.) HYDE01IELI, OR MELICEATOX. 



There is a wine also made solely of honey and water. 87 For 

 this purpose it is recommended that rain-water 88 should be 

 kept for a period of five years. Those who shew greater skill, 

 content themselves with taking the water just after it has 

 fallen, and boiling it down to one third, to which they then 

 add one third in quantity of old honey, and keep the mixture 

 exposed to the rays of a hot sun 89 for forty days after the 

 rising of the Dog-star ; others, however, rack it off in^ the 

 course of ten days, and tightly cork the vessels in which it is 

 kept. This beverage is known as "hydromeli," and with age 

 acquires the flavour of wine. It is nowhere more highly 

 esteemed than in Phrygia. 90 



CHAP. 21. OXYMELI. 



Vinegar 91 even has been mixed with honey; nothing, in 

 fact, has been left untried by man. To this mixture the name 

 of oxymeli has been given ; it is compounded of ten pounds of 

 honey, five semi-sextarii of old vinegar, one pound of sea-salt, 

 and five sextarii of rain-water. This is boiled gently till the 

 mixture has bubbled in the pot some ten times, 92 after which it 

 is drawn off, and kept till it is old ; 93 all these wines, how- 

 ever, are condemned 94 by Themison, an author of high autho- 

 rity. And really, by Hercules ! the use of them does ap- 

 pear to be somewhat forced, 95 unless, indeed, we are ready to 

 maintain that these aromatic wines are so many compounds 

 taught us by Nature, as well as those that are manufactured of 

 perfumes, or that shrubs and plants have been generated only 

 for the purpose of being swallowed in drink. However, ail 

 these particulars, when known, are curious and interesting, 

 and show how successfully the human intellect has pried into 

 every secret. 



87 M-ead, or metheglin. See B. xxii. c. 51. 



88 There is no ground, Fee says, for this recommendation. 



89 Stoves are now used for this purpose. 



90 " Hydromelum," on the other hand, made of water and apples, was 

 the same as our modern cider. 91 See B. xxiii. c. 9. 



93 " Subfervefactis." " Just come on the boil." 



93 The oxymel of modern times contains no salt, and is only used as a 

 medicament. 



94 As drinks, no doubt ; and with good reason, as to most of them. 



95 Coactus. 



