BOOK XXII. Liii. 114-LV. 116 



well-known case of Pollio Romilius. He was more 

 than a century old when Augustus, now in Heaven, 

 who was his host," asked him what was the chief 

 means whereby he had kept such vigour of mind 

 and body. His reply was : " By honey wine 

 within and by oil without." Varro relates that the 

 rainbow * disease (jaundice) has been styled the 

 royal disease because it is treated with the royal " 

 drink of honey wine. 



LIV. How meHtites used to be made out of must MeHtites. 

 and honey I have set out in my account of wine.'' I 

 beUeve that this kind of honey has not been made now 

 for generations, so liable was it to cause flatulence. 

 When well matured,^ however, it used to be given 

 in fever because of its action on the bowels, and 

 also to suiferers from gout and from feebleness of the 

 sinews, and to women who are teetotalers. 



LV. Honey is by nature closely related to wax, wax. 

 the source of which, its virtues, and the districts 

 that produce it, I have discussed in the proper 

 places./ All wax however is emolhent, warming, 

 and restorative of flesh ; ? the fresher it is the 

 better. It is given to sufFerers from dysentery in 

 their gruel, and the whole comb in a porridge of 

 groats that has been previously roasted. Wax and 

 milk are of opposite natures, and ten pills of wax, of 

 the size of a grain of millet will, if swallowed, prevent 

 milk curdUng in the stomach. Should the groin 

 swell, the application of white wax to the pubes is 

 a remedy. 



f See XI. § 18 and XXI. § 83. 



' Dioscorides (II. 83) has TrArjpojTt/ei/i' re [sc. hvvafxiv exei nds 

 K7]p6s) neTptcjs. Brotier is probably right in explaining thus: 

 ulcera corporum carne replet. 



377 



