Natural History of Gaius Plinius Secundus, Vol. 2

Afterward, the one called Megalium succeeded it because of its glory, made from ben-oil, balsam, calamus, rush, xylobalsamum, cassia, and resin. Its unique quality is that it must be aired while cooking until it ceases to smell. Once cooled, it takes on its scent. Individual juices also make noble ointments. Primarily the malobathrum, afterward Illyrian iris, and the Cyzicene marjoram. Herbalists put few ingredients in both, but different ones in different mixtures. Those who use the most add honey, salt-flower, unripe olive oil, lamb-leaf, and panax to one or the other. All of these are external and extravagant. To cinnamon-scent is added ben-oil, xylobalsamum, calamus, rush, balsam seeds, myrrh, and scented honey. This is the thickest of ointments. Its price ranges from thirty-five to one thousand two hundred denarii. Nard-scent or leaf-scent consists of unripe olive oil, ben-oil, rush, costus, nard, amomum, myrrh, and balsam. In this category, it is appropriate to remember the nine species mentioned by us that imitate Indian nard: so great is the material for adulteration. All, however, become sharper with costus and amomum, which strike the nostrils most; thicker and sweeter with myrrh; more useful for medicine with saffron; and, by themselves, very sharp with amomum. This last also causes headaches. Some are satisfied to sprinkle the most precious ingredients while boiling the rest, sparing the expense; but the effect is not the same unless they are boiled together. Myrrh also makes an ointment by itself without oil, provided it is "stacte" (pure liquid myrrh), otherwise, the excess brings bitterness. It becomes green with cyprus, greasy with lily-scent, black with Mendesian, white with rose-scent, and pale with myrrh. These are the kinds of ancient invention, and the subsequent tricks of the workshops. Now, the very culmination of luxuries and the highest authority of the matter shall be told.