2 / 8 ODOROGRAPHIA. 



" Amomum " — the fruits of Amoinum Carclamum, L. 



" Myrrh " — the gum-resin of Balsamoclcndron Myrrha, Xees.* 



" Bahii " — The oleo-resin of Bcdsamodendron Opobalsamuiiiy 



Kunth and Brandis.f 

 " Omphacium " or " Oleum Omphacium " — the oil expressed 



from unripe olives. 

 " Balaninum " — probably derived from Balanites ^gyptiaca 



(which see). 

 " Malabathrum " — the leaf of Cinnamomum Tamala, Xees, 

 was, according to Dioscorides (i., To), sometimes added. 

 As is the case generally in hot climates, oil was used by the 

 Jews for anointing the body after the bath, and giving to the skin 

 and hair a smooth and comely appearance before an entertainment. :|: 

 Strabo says the inhabitants of Mesopotamia use oil of sesame, also 

 castor oil. At Egyptian entertainments, it was usual for a slave 

 to anoint the head of each guest as he took his place, castor oil 

 being sometimes used ; Egyptian paintings represent this custom. 

 The Greek and Koman usage will be found mentioned frequently 

 by Homer, Horace and Pliny, showing that it was customary at 

 banquets to honour the guests by pouring costly perfumed oils 

 over their feet. 



Athenaius speaks of the extravagance of Antiochus Epiphanes 

 in the matter of ointments for guests. § 



Creech, in his annotations on Lucretius, |I says : — " Moreover' 

 they arrived at length to an excess of curiosity in regard to 

 their ointments that was indeed wonderful ; for AthenaeusIT reports 

 that, ' They grew so nice as to require several sorts of ointment 

 for one single unction, viz., Egyptian for the feet and thighs, 

 Phoenician for the cheeks and breasts, Sisymbryan for the arms, 

 Amarantine for the eye-brows and hair, and Serpylline for the 

 neck and knees.' " But above all the rest we may observe that 

 the ancients made use of one sort of oil or ointment of great 

 value and singular excellency : it w^as called Oleum Susinum, and 



* Vide 1st Series, ]). 268. 



t Ibid, 270. 



::: Ruth, iii., 3 ; Prov. xxvii., 9, 16 ; Cant, i., 3, iv., 10. 



§ Wilkinson, Ancient Egypt, p. 78. 



II Lib. iv., 1123. 



^ Lib. XV. cap. 2. 



