28 PLINY'S FATUEAL HISTORY. [Book XVIII. 



both a cultivated and a wild 39 barley, from which they make 

 excellent bread ? as well as alica. 40 But the most favourite 

 food of all there is rice, 41 from which they prepare a ptisan 42 

 similar to that made from barley in other parts of the world. 

 The leaves of rice are fleshy, 43 very like those of the leek, but 

 broader ; the stem is a cubit in height, the blossom purple, 

 and the root globular, like a pearl in shape. 44 



CHAP. 14. POLENTA. 



Barley is one of the most ancient aliments of man, a fact 

 that is proved by a custom of the Athenians, mentioned by 

 Menander, 45 as also by the name of " hordearii," 46 that used to 

 be given to gladiators. The Greeks, too, prefer barley to any- 

 thing else for making polenta. 47 This food is made in various 

 ways : in Greece, the barley is first steeped in water, and then 

 left a night to dry. The next day they parch it, and then 

 grind it in the mill. Some persons parch it more highly, and 

 then sprinkle it again with a little water ; after which they 

 dry it for grinding. Others shake the grain from out of the 

 ear while green, and, after cleaning and soaking it in water, 

 pound it in a mortar. They then wash the paste in baskets, 

 and leave it to dry in the sun ; after which they pound it again, 

 clean it, and grind it in the mill. But whatever the mode of 

 preparation adopted, the proportions are always twenty pounds 

 of barley to three pounds of linseed, 48 half a pound of coriander, 

 and fifteen drachmae 49 of salt : the ingredients are first parched, 

 and then ground in the mill. 



Those who want it for keeping, store it in new earthen 

 vessels, with fine flour and bran. In Italy, the barley is 

 parched without being steeped in water, and then ground to a 



39 There is no wild barley in India at the present day. 



40 Porridge, or fermenty. 41 Oryza sativa of Linnaeus. 

 13 Like our rice-milk, probably. See B. xxii. c. 26. 



43 They are not carnose or fleshy, but thin, and similar to those of the 

 reed. 



44 On the contrary, it is tough and fibrous. 



45 The barley was, originally, the prize given to the victor in the Eleu- 

 sinian games. 



46 Or barley-fed." v The aXtyirov of the Greeks. 



48 This, as Fee observes, would tend to give it a very disagreeable flavour. 



49 " Acetabuluin.'* 



