CONCERNING ODOURS, 41-43 



the same character, that being the best for keeping 

 perfumes which has it in the highest degree. 1 So 

 that vessels made of these materials keep the 

 perfume well for both reasons, their coolness and 

 their closeness of texture : they neither let the 

 odour pass away through them, nor do they take 

 in anything else. For evaporation destroys the 

 perfume, and so also does any foreign substance 

 which finds its way in : for even draughts of air 

 destroy odours and cause them to waste, as was 

 said, especially those odours which do not belong 

 to a thing's essential nature. 



Of the properties of certain perfumes. 



X. Headache is caused by sweet marjoram spike- 

 nard and megaleion among costly perfumes : most of 

 the cheap ones have also this effect, notably that 

 made from bay. The lightest are rose-perfume and 

 kypros, which seem to be the best suited to men, 

 as also is lily-perfume. The best for women are 

 myrrh-oil, megaleion, the Egyptian, sweet marjoram, 

 and spikenard : for these owing to their strength 

 and substantial character do not easily evaporate 

 and are not easily made to disperse, and 2 a lasting 

 perfume is what women require. 



Inasmuch however as some perfumes are stronger 

 than others, the stronger being those made from 

 roots and the others already mentioned, for this 

 reason those derived from flowers are more fragrant 

 if they are not bruised, while bruising improves 

 those made from roots and the others. For the 

 former kind evaporate and pass off as they are 

 warmed by the bruising, thus losing their character, 

 while the latter owing to their strength have, as it 



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