The thif teeftth Booke of 



THE XI II. B O O K E O F 



THfi HISTORIE OF NATVRE, 



WRITTEN BY C. P L I N I V S h 



SECVNDVS. 



^^TheTreface^ 



Hfis fam forth the woods andfomfls are of eflimcitm^n regard of the ^kafure 

 they doe unto us for fer fumes and fveet odours .* and in truth ^ if me conftder duly 

 thefe aromaUcallpUnts ^admirable they be every one in their kind^ even as they bee 

 weighed apart by ihemfehes alone Sitt fach is the riot and fuperflmtie of man ^ that 

 being not content with that perfection of 2iature fming m thofe plants and trees 

 above rehearfedy he hath not ceafid to mingle andcomfound them^ andfo of them "I 

 ail together for to make one confafed fmelhand thmwere eurfweet ointments avd prectom perfumes 

 devijedswhereofwepurpofetowrite in this booh next enfmgt 



Chap. i. 



}^ Of Ointments^ Perfumes ^r^nd their compo/t/ions : And when they cmc 

 intoknowkdgeprflat Rome*, 



S touching the invention of Ointments Jt is not well knowne who was the 

 filft chat devifcd ihem.Certaine it is^that during the reigne of the Trojans, - 

 and whiles Ilium flood, men knew not what they meant : nay jthey ufed not 1^ 

 I fo much as Incenfe in faetifice and divine fervice* The fume and fmoke of 

 j the Cedar and the Citron trees only^the old Trojans were acquainted witlj 

 3 when they offered iacrifice : their fuming and wali^iing ijeame (more truly 

 ) I may fo tearme it_, than any odoriferous perfume) they ufed : whidxthey 

 might cafily come by^ fincethey were plants growing among thcm^ and fo fa miliar jnotwith- 

 ftandingthey had found out the juice of Rofcs^where with yet they would not cor red the forefaid 

 ftrong fumes in. thofe daies j for that alfb was known to be a commendable cjualicie of Oile Ro- 

 fate,But the truth js^Thc Perfians and none but they ought to be reputed the inventors of precir 

 ous perfumes and odoriferous ointments. Fortheyto palliate and hide thcranke an4 flinking |, 

 breath which cbmmeth by their furfet , and exccfleof meats and drinkes, are forced to helpe 

 themfelves by Ibme i^rtificiail meanesjand therefore goe evermore all so be perfumed and gtea^ 

 fed. with fweet ointments. And verily^fo far as evcrlcouid find by reading hiftQricSjthc fitit prince 

 that fet fuch ftore by coilly perfumes^was king Darius^ among whofc coffers (after xh^~y^iexan- 

 der the Great had defeated him and woon his.cainpe) there'was found with other roiall furrtiturc 

 of his^a fine casketfwH of perfumes and coftly piri(ments.But afterv^ards ^hey grew into fo good 

 credite even among us, that they were admitted into the ranke of theprincipall pleafures, the 

 niofl commendable delights,and,the honeflefl comfprts of this life. And more than that,; men 

 1 proceeded fo farre, as therewith to honour the dead s as if by right that dime belonged to ;hem. 

 And therefore it (ball not be amifie to difcourfe of this theame more at large. Wherein I muft ^ 

 advertife the R,eader by the way, that for the prefent I will but only name thofe ingredients that 

 go^ibto the compofition of thefe ointments : fuch I meane as came not from hearbs and trees, 

 ftirubs and plants 5 rcfervingthe treatifc of their natures^ vertuesj and properties, unto their due 

 place. 



