CONCERNING ODOURS, 43-45 



were, certain passages opened by the bruising, and 

 so their fragrance is made more obvious. This, as 

 was said, also takes place in the case of the roots 

 themselves and of the solid things in general ; but 

 the result in the case of flowers is just tJie opposite, 

 so that both kinds behave according to their origin. 

 That this should apply to the perfumes made from 

 myrrh is quite natural for both reasons ; they mingle 

 more than others with the air, and the heat 1 due to 

 the bruising is not prejudicial, since it is gentle, and 

 myrrh 2 in fact requires a certain amount of heating. 

 And in general any strong odour, whether it be 

 pleasing or the reverse, whether it be pungent 3 or 

 sharp, or whatever its character, becomes more 

 pronounced with movement ; for then it becomes, 

 as it were, active and mingles more with the air. 



The Egyptian perfume, myrrh-oil, and any others 

 that have a strong odour become 4 sweeter if they 

 are mixed with fragrant wine ; for then their heavy 

 quality is removed. In fact myrrh itself is made to 

 exhale a more fragrant odour by being steeped in 

 sweet wine, as was said 5 in a former treatise. 



If one has regard to the virtues of the perfumes 

 in question, one may well be surprised at what 

 happens in the case of rose-perfume : though it 

 is lighter and less powerful than any other, if one 

 has first been scented w r ith it, it destroys the odour 

 of the others. And this is why perfumers, if a 

 purchaser hesitates and is not inclined to buy this 

 perfume, scent him with it so that he is not 

 able to smell the others. The explanation is that, 

 being very delicate and acceptable to the sense of 

 smell, by reason of its lightness it penetrates as no 

 4 I have bracketed xal s C.P. 6. 17. 2. 



367 



