CONCERNING ODOURS, 48-50 



after them ; this is the effect for instance of wine 

 of Erythrae, 1 which has a taste of brine and is 

 subtle. The 2 explanation one must endeavour to 

 find by comparing analogous cases. 3 However there 

 is one peculiarity which as we have already more or 

 less indicated, is possessed by rose-perfume only ; while 

 all or most of the others are heady, this, as was said, 

 gives actual relief from heaviness and discomfort, 

 even from that caused by other perfumes. 



The reason for this is plain in view of what has 

 been already said, seeing that this perfume over- 

 powers others and penetrates everywhere. For the 

 others that are heady are heavy because they are 

 made of heavy substances, whether roots or juices ; 

 while this perfume is both light as to its scent and 

 also by its heat well adapted to bring the passages 

 to a suitable temperature and to open them. For 

 pains in the head are due to an excess of moisture in 

 it, or of air which gets confined in it, so that it is 

 necessary to get rid of the one, and to raise the 

 temperature of the other or to remove it. 



And for all such purposes heat is useful, both for 

 removing the moisture or air, and, still more, for 

 raising the temperature of the passages and opening 

 them : and to these ends it is helpful that the 

 perfume should have been prepared with salt, since 

 the effect of salt is to open the passages and to 

 warm them thoroughly. Again the fragrance also 

 supplies a stimulus to movement. This perfume is 

 also considered to be good against lassitude, because 

 its heat and its lightness make it suitable, and also 

 because it penetrates to the inner passages. Some 

 however say that kypros is quite as efficacious : for 

 this too has a delicate scent which is grateful to the 



37i 



B B 2 



