CONCERNING ODOURS, 45-48 



other can and fills up the passages of the sense, so 

 that being entirely taken up and filled with it, it is 

 unable to judge of others. For the power of judging 

 is inhibited in two, or possibly in three ways ; one is 

 that which has just been mentioned ; another is that 

 the sense of smell is, as it were, intoxicated with its 

 powerful virtues and becomes stupefied : the third 

 is that the sense may be preoccupied with the 

 superior odour ; for then it is not easy to introduce 

 after it what is inferior, since the sense of smell 

 refuses this just as the sense of taste in like case 

 refuses flavours and foods in general. 



It is also thought that the rose even weakens the 

 effect of compound perfume l ; for, when the flower is 

 at its best, they treat compound perfumes with it ; 

 and, when these come to be opened, they smell only 

 or chiefly of rose. However this effect is only 

 temporary and transient because of the weakness 

 and delicacy of the rose-scent, (the very quality 

 which also causes it to assert 2 itself over the scent of 

 the other ingredients). For, as it is so delicate and 

 is compressed by confinement, it is exhaled before 

 the others and disperses in all directions. It is also 

 for this reason that the rose-scent only asserts itself 

 for a short time and then is overpowered again ; for 

 anything that is delicate and subtle must be lacking 

 in vigour. 



Certain wines have also a similar effect : if they 

 are first drunk, there is no satisfaction in others. 

 Some again make it even difficult to take others 



2 i.e. when the pot-pourri is first opened: the 'delicacy' 



(1) 

 in 



3 6 9 



of the rose-scent causes it to be given off quickly and so (1) 

 to be the first scent perceived, (2) to be volatile. 

 this passage is used with gen. in two distinct senses. 



VOL. II. B B 



