ON ANTIDOTES

BOOK I

Ed. Chart. XIII. [868.]                                                       Ed. Bas. II. (425.)

...to be better than those that are less nourishing and less fruitful, or those that are thin, light, and prone to quick decay. Indeed, a person would clearly be a donkey Galen frequently uses the "donkey" comparison to describe people who lack basic common sense or the ability to use their senses for medical observation. if they were unable to perceive any of these things. Just as with taste and smell, it is not difficult to recognize the best quality once we have seen the same substance many times. For in whatever way each of the medicines original: φαρμάκων (pharmakōn) differs from others in smell or taste, it is the one where that quality is most intense that ranks first among its kind.

In this way, we say the best honey original: μέλι (meli) is that which is the sweetest and most pungent original: δριμύτατον (drimytaton); Latin: acerrimum. This refers to the sharp, stinging sensation or "bite" on the back of the throat characteristic of high-quality honey. of all others, since the very nature of honey appears to possess such an excellence in its sweetness. Therefore, when must original: γλεῦκος (gleukos); unfermented or freshly pressed grape juice. from naturally sweet grapes is boiled down to a half or even a third of its volume, it lacks nothing of honey's sweetness. However, it is dull and lacks any bite, much like water.

But honey is not like this. It carries a certain sharpness along with its sweetness. Therefore, the most praised honey is that which excels in these traits. The primary indicators of its specific excellence will be found in these qualities. Furthermore, its excellence may be judged by accidental traits original: κατὰ συμβεβηκὸς (kata symbebēkos); Latin: ex accidenti. In Aristotelian logic, these are secondary characteristics like color or texture that are not part of the essential definition of a thing but help in identifying it. and characteristics that follow it, such as color and consistency and...