154 
plustt's natueal history. 
[Book XII. 
two trees, the olive and the vine, by two different methods. 
It is produced from the former by pressing the olive while it 
is still in the white state. That is of an inferior quality which 
is made from the druppa — such being the name that is given 
to the olive before it is ripe and fit for food, but already 
beginning to change its colour. The difference between them 
is, that the latter kind is green, the former white. The om- 
phacium that is made from the vine is extracted from either 
the psythian®^ or the Aminean grape, when the grapes are 
about the size of a chick-pea, just before the rising of the Bog- 
star. The grape is gathered when the first bloom is appearing 
upon it, and the verjuice is extracted, after which the residue^®' 
is left to dry in the sun, due precautions being taken against 
tiie dews of the night. The verjuice, after being collected, is 
put into earthen vessels, and then, after that, stored in jars 
of Cyprian copper.^^ The best kind is that which is of a 
reddish colour, acrid, and dry to the taste. The price at 
which it sells is six denarii per pound. Omphacium is also 
made another way — the unripe grape is pounded in a mortar, 
after which it is dried in the sun, and then divided into 
lozenges. 
CHAP. 61. (28.) BE YON, (ENANTHE, AND MASSAEIS. 
Eryon^^ also bears an affinity to these substances, being the 
clusters of berries produced by the white poplar. The best 
kinds grow in the vicinity of Cnidos, or in Caria, in spots that 
are destitute of water, or else in dry and rugged localities. A 
remarks, that made from the olive is correctly described as a kind of oil, 
hut that made from the grape must have been a rob, or pure verjuice. 
These two liquids must have had totally different qualities, and resembled 
each other in nothing but the name. 'J'hat extracted from the olive is 
mentioned again in B. xxiii. c. 4, in reference to its medicinal properties. 
These grapes are described in B. xiv. c. 4 and c. 11. 
" Reliquum corpus." It is not clear what is the meaning of this. 
The passage is either in a corrupt state, or defective. 
A singular metal, one would think, for keeping verjuice in. 
'•^^ From the Gre^k ppvov, moss." He speaks again of these grapes 
of the white poplar in B. xxiv. c. 34 ; also in c. 51 of the present Book. 
Hardouin thinks that he is speaking of moss. Fee is of opinion, that the 
blossoms or buds of the tree are meant, which have a fragrant smell. This 
is the more probable, as we find Pliny here speaking of the oenanthe, or vine- 
flower, by Avhich Fee supposes that he means the blossom of the Yitis 
vinifera of Linnseus, which exhales a delightful perfume. 
