Herodian on the long peak of the Antonine Plague’s second wave

I’ve stayed away from posts about plague recently, but it’s been nearly a year since Berlin went into its first lockdown and I’ve found myself revisiting stories about the Antonine Plague—especially about how the city’s doctors, politicians and ordinary citizens responded to a crisis that seemed to go on for ages (it nearly led to civil war according to some sources). Here’s a little bit from the historian Herodian on doctor-recommended treatments for the rich (the emperor Commodus) and the rest (the ordinary inhabitants of the city). The narrative is familiar: lack of social distancing, travel, close quarters with animals, awareness of a need for face-protection; but also, while the treatments for both rich and poor were roughly the same (viz., aromatherapy), the outcomes were not.

“It so happened at this time that Italy was in the grip of the plague. The suffering was especially intense in the city of Rome, as it was naturally overcrowded and received people from all over the world. And there was great destruction of animals and people.

“At that point, on the advice of some doctors, Commodus retired to Laurentum. For the town, being cooler and shaded by large laurel groves (hence the town’s name), seemed to be a safe place; and he is said to have withstood the corrupting power of the air by means of the fragrant vapours from the laurels and the pleasant shade of the trees.

“Meanwhile, at their doctors’ urging, those in the city filled their nostrils and ears with the most fragrant perfumes and continually used incense and aromatics, since some of the doctors said the fragrance, entering first, filled the sensory passages and prevented the corrupting power of the air from getting in; and if any should get in, it would be overpowered by [the fragrance’s] stronger power.

“Only—it made no difference: the sickness continued to peak for a long time, with great destruction of people and of all sorts of domesticated animals.”

συνέβη δὲ κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ λοιμώδη νόσον κατασχεῖν τὴν Ἰταλίαν· μάλιστα δὲ τὸ πάθος <ἐν> τῇ Ῥωμαίων πόλει ἤκμασεν ἅτε πολυανθρώπῳ τε οὔσῃ φύσει καὶ τοὺς πανταχόθεν ὑποδεχομένῃ, πολλή τέ τις φθορὰ ἐγένετο ὑποζυγίων ἅμα καὶ ἀνθρώπων. τότε ὁ Κόμοδος συμβουλευσάντων αὐτῷ τινῶν ἰατρῶν ἐς τὴν Λαύρεντον ἀνεχώρησεν· εὐψυχέστερον γὰρ ὂν τὸ χωρίον καὶ μεγίστοις κατάσκιον δαφνηφόροις ἄλσεσιν (ὅθεν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῷ χωρίῳ) σωτήριον εἶναι ἐδόκει, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀέρος φθορὰν ἀντέχειν ἐλέγετο εὐωδίᾳ τε τῆς τῶν δαφνῶν ἀποφορᾶς καὶ τῇ τῶν δένδρων ἡδείᾳ σκιᾷ. ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν κελευόντων τῶν ἰατρῶν μύρου εὐωδεστάτου τάς τε ὀσφρήσεις καὶ τὰ ὦτα ἐνεπίμπλασαν, θυμιάμασί τε καὶ ἀρώμασι συνεχῶς ἐχρῶντο, φασκόντων τινῶν τὴν εὐωδίαν φθάσασαν ἐμπιπλάναι τοὺς πόρους τῶν αἰσθήσεων καὶ κωλύειν δέχεσθαι τὸ φθορῶδες τοῦ ἀέρος, ἢ εἰ καί τι προεμπέσοι, κατεργάζεσθαι δυνάμει κρείττονι. πλὴν οὐδὲν ἧττον ἡ νόσος ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἤκμασε, πολλῆς ἀνθρώπων φθορᾶς γενομένης πάντων τε ζῴων <τῶν> τοῖς ἀνθρώπων συνοίκων.

Herodian, History Following the Death of the Divine Marcus Aurelius 1.12.1–2

Aromatherapy in Ancient Egypt and Greece

My friend Dora Goldsmith is an Egyptologist who works on the sense of smell in Ancient Egypt. Last year, we worked together on a project for the National Geographic Museum’s Queens of Egypt exhibition recreating an ancient Egyptian perfume known as the Mendesian (some articles about it here, here, and here). It was named after the city in Egypt where it was first produced, the town of Mendes, and we got involved when two archaeologists and historians, Robert Littman and Jay Silverstein, approached Dora with news that they had discovered a perfume factory in the ruins of the city (it’s now known as Tell Timai). Dora and I had been talking about a collaboration and this was the perfect chance: the perfume was emblematic of ancient Egyptian olfactory culture for hundreds of years, but descriptions and recipes only existed in Greek and Latin medical and scientific texts. So we had to figure out ways of working experimentally, testing different interpretations of recipes based on evidence from all kinds of sources, from archaeological studies of residues in perfume bottles to ancient Egyptian love poetry to ancient Greek medical recipes for hangovers (the Mendesian was apparently used to cure headaches).

A few weeks ago, Dora invited me to give a Zoom workshop with her on our process and on our approach to interdisciplinary collaboration. It was a great session and I learned lots from everyone there. Afterwards, she sent me one of her Ancient Egyptian Smell Kits. Before the pandemic, Dora would give hands-on workshops at Klara Ravat’s Smell Lab and the Neues Museum in Berlin where people could recreate Ancient Egyptian perfumes and even the scent of mummification. It’s nice that even when many of us cannot collaborate as we did, Dora’s managed to share this experience in new ways (my favourite is the liquid kypi). You can find out more about her educational kits and information about how to get your own here or email her if you want to place an order.

One of the workshops I went to with Dora was on making kyphi—a very complex perfume and incense used in ancient Egypt. As a thank you, I thought I’d offer a translation of what Plutarch had to say about kyphi and Egyptian aromatherapy from his book on Isis and Osiris. It is so nice to have these scents open on my desk as I am working through texts like these.

---

Egypt, Aromatherapy and the Plague

“If I also need to discuss, as I promised, the incense burned as an offering each day, one should first keep in mind that these men (sc. the Egyptians) always take affairs related to health extremely seriously: especially in their sacred practices, in their observances of purity and in their way of life, matters of health are no less present than piety. For they did not think it is right to worship what is pure and in-every-way-uninjured and unpolluted with bodies or souls that are festering and diseased.

“Indeed, since the air which we use all the time and in which we live does not always have the same condition and mixture, but at night it becomes dense and stifles the body and draws the soul into depression and anxiety as if it had become shadowy and heavy, as soon as they wake up they make incense offerings of resin, caring for and purifying the air by breaking it up, and rekindling the body’s exhausted natural spirit, as the scent contains something powerful and stimulating.

“Again during midday, when they notice the sun is forcibly drawing a very great and heavy exhalation from the earth and mixing it into the air, they make incense offerings of myrrh. For heat dissolves and disperses the turbid and murky accumulations in the air around us.

“In fact, even physicians seem to treat the plague by making a great fire and rarefying the air, and it is better rarefied if they burn fragrant woods like cypress, juniper and pine. At any rate, they say a doctor named Akron became famous at the time of the Great Plague in Athens by ordering a fire to be lit next to the sick—he helped quite a few people.

“And Aristotle says the sweet smelling breezes from perfumes and blossoms and meadows are just as important for health as for pleasure, since with their warmth and lightness they gently relax the brain which is naturally cold and frigid. If myrrh is in fact called bal by the Egyptians, and if this is best translated as ‘breaking up of congestion’, then this is evidence in support of his explanation.”

εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ περὶ τῶν θυμιωμένων ἡμέρας ἑκάστης εἰπεῖν, ὥσπερ ὑπεσχόμην, ἐκεῖνο διανοηθείη τις <ἂν> πρότερον, ὡς ἀεὶ μὲν οἱ ἄνδρες ἐν σπουδῇ μεγίστῃ τίθενται τὰ πρὸς ὑγίειαν ἐπιτηδεύματα, μάλιστα δὲ ταῖς ἱερουργίαις καὶ ταῖς ἁγνείαις καὶ διαίταις οὐχ ἧττον ἔνεστι [τουτὶ] τοῦ ὁσίου τὸ ὑγιεινόν. οὐ γὰρ ᾤοντο καλῶς ἔχειν οὔτε σώμασιν οὔτε ψυχαῖς ὑπούλοις καὶ νοσώδεσι θεραπεύειν τὸ καθαρὸν καὶ ἀβλαβὲς πάντῃ καὶ ἀμίαντον.

ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ὁ ἀήρ, ᾧ πλεῖστα χρώμεθα καὶ σύνεσμεν, οὐκ ἀεὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάθεσιν καὶ κρᾶσιν, ἀλλὰ νύκτωρ πυκνοῦται καὶ πιέζει τὸ σῶμα καὶ συνάγει τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς τὸ δύσθυμον καὶ πεφροντικὸς οἷον ἀχλυώδη γινομένην καὶ βαρεῖαν, ἀναστάντες εὐθὺς ἐπιθυμιῶσι ῥητίνην θεραπεύοντες καὶ καθαίροντες τὸν ἀέρα τῇ διακρίσει καὶ τὸ σύμφυτον τῷ σώματι πνεῦμα μεμαρασμένον ἀναρριπίζοντες ἐχούσης τι τῆς ὀσμῆς σφοδρὸν καὶ καταπληκτικόν.

αὖθις δὲ μεσημβρίας αἰσθανόμενοι σφόδρα πολλὴν καὶ βαρεῖαν ἀναθυμίασιν ἀπὸ γῆς ἕλκοντα βίᾳ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ καταμιγνύοντα τῷ ἀέρι τὴν σμύρναν ἐπιθυμιῶσι· διαλύει γὰρ ἡ θερμότης καὶ σκίδνησι τὸ συνιστάμενον ἐν τῷ περιέχοντι θολερὸν καὶ ἰλυῶδες.

καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἰατροὶ πρὸς τὰ λοιμικὰ πάθη βοηθεῖν δοκοῦσι φλόγα πολλὴν ποιοῦντες ὡς λεπτύνουσαν τὸν ἀέρα· λεπτύνει δὲ βέλτιον, ἐὰν εὐώδη ξύλα καίωσιν, οἷα κυπαρίττου καὶ ἀρκεύθου καὶ πεύκης. Ἄκρωνα γοῦν τὸν ἰατρὸν ἐν Ἀθήναις ὑπὸ τὸν μέγαν λοιμὸν εὐδοκιμῆσαι λέγουσι πῦρ κελεύοντα παρακαίειν τοῖς νοσοῦσιν· ὤνησε γὰρ οὐκ ὀλίγους.

Ἀριστοτέλης δέ φησι καὶ μύρων καὶ ἀνθέων καὶ λειμώνων εὐώδεις ἀποπνοίας οὐκ ἔλαττον ἔχειν τοῦ πρὸς ἡδονὴν τὸ πρὸς ὑγίειαν, ψυχρὸν ὄντα φύσει καὶ παγετώδη τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ἠρέμα τῇ θερμότητι καὶ λειότητι διαχεούσας. εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν σμύρναν παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις Βὰλ καλοῦσιν, ἐξερμηνευθὲν δὲ τοῦτο μάλιστα φράζει τῆς πληρώσεως ἐκσκορπισμόν, ἔστιν ἣν καὶ τοῦτο μαρτυρίαν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς αἰτίας δίδωσιν.

Plutarch, Isis and Osiris 79 (Moralia 383A–D)

A description of Kyphi from Ancient Greece

“Kyphi is a mixture composed of sixteen ingredients: honey, wine, raisins, cyperus , resin and myrrh, aspalathus and seseli; moreover, mastic and bitumen, rush, patience dock, and in addition to these both of the junipers (one of which they call larger, the other smaller), cardamom and calamus.* These are not, however, combined in just any way, but while the sacred writings are being read to the perfumers as they mix them.

“As for the number of ingredients, because it is a square of a square [i.e. 4 x 4] and the only even number whose perimeter is equal to its area, it is completely appropriate that it is an object of wonder; even so, it must be said that this fact contributes very little to the recipe. Rather, most of the ingredients have aromatic properties that give off a sweet and pleasant exhalation because of which the air is changed and the body, by being moved softly and gently by the stream of air, takes on a balance of elements that brings on sleep; and these aromatic properties also relax and loosen without wine the pain and stress of our everyday worries as if loosening a knot. And they brighten the imagination and the part of us that receives dreams as if polishing a mirror, and they are as purifying to it as the melodies of the lyre which the Pythagoreans used to play before going to sleep in order to charm the emotional and irrational feelings in the soul and in this way heal it.

“For scents often restore our consciousness when it is weakened; often again they smooth and calm it when there are material disturbances spread because of their smoothness throughout the body, as some doctors say sleep comes about when the exhalations from our food slip smoothly, as it were, around our vital organs, touching them and producing a sort of tickling sensation.

“They use kyphi as a potion and a perfumed oil, for when taken as a drink, it seems to purify the inside of the body; as a perfumed oil, it softens the skin. In addition to this, resin and myrrh are the work of the sun, when their plants exude their tears in response to its warmth; but the ingredients of kyphi delight more in the night, as do all those whose nature is nourished by cold winds and shadows and dew and moisture. Whereas the light of the daytime is unitary and simple and the sun shows itself, as Pindar says, ‘through a deserted aether,’ the nighttime air is a blend and mixture of many lights and forces, as if seeds from every star streamed down onto one place. And so it is fitting that they make incense offerings of the former [i.e. resin and myrrh] in the daytime, since they are simple and are born from the sun; while this one [i.e. kyphi], since it is a mixture of so many different qualities, they offer at nightfall.”

τὸ δὲ κῦφι μῖγμα μὲν ἑκκαίδεκα μερῶν συντιθεμένων ἐστί, μέλιτος καὶ οἴνου καὶ σταφίδος καὶ κυπέρου ῥητίνης τε καὶ σμύρνης καὶ ἀσπαλάθου καὶ σεσέλεως, ἔτι δὲ σχίνου τε καὶ ἀσφάλτου καὶ θρύου καὶ λαπάθου, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἀρκευθίδων ἀμφοῖν (ὧν τὴν μὲν μείζονα τὴν δ' ἐλάττονα καλοῦσι) καὶ καρδαμώμου καὶ καλάμου. συντίθενται δ' οὐχ ὅπως ἔτυχεν, ἀλλὰ γραμμάτων ἱερῶν τοῖς μυρεψοῖς, ὅταν ταῦτα μιγνύωσιν, ἀναγιγνωσκομένων.

τὸν δ' ἀριθμόν, εἰ καὶ πάνυ δοκεῖ τετράγωνος ἀπὸ τετραγώνου καὶ μόνος ἔχων τῶν ἴσων ἰσάκις ἀριθμῶν τῷ χωρίῳ τὴν περίμετρον ἴσην ἄγασθαι προσηκόντως, ἐλάχιστα ῥητέον εἴς γε τοῦτο συνεργεῖν, ἀλλὰ <τὰ> πλεῖστα τῶν συλλαμβανομένων ἀρωματικὰς ἔχοντα δυνάμεις γλυκὺ πνεῦμα καὶ χρηστὴν μεθίησιν ἀναθυμίασιν, ὑφ' ἧς ὅ τ' ἀὴρ τρεπόμενος καὶ τὸ σῶμα διὰ τῆς πνοῆς κινούμενον λείως καὶ προσηνῶς ὕπνου τε κρᾶσιν ἐπαγωγὸν ἴσχει καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ καὶ σύντονα τῶν μεθημερινῶν φροντίδων ἄνευ μέθης οἷον ἅμματα χαλᾷ καὶ διαλύει· καὶ τὸ φανταστικὸν καὶ δεκτικὸν ὀνείρων μόριον ὥσπερ κάτοπτρον ἀπολεαίνει καὶ ποιεῖ καθαρώτερον οὐδὲν ἧττον ἢ τὰ κρούματα τῆς λύρας, οἷς ἐχρῶντο πρὸ τῶν ὕπνων οἱ Πυθαγόρειοι, τὸ ἐμπαθὲς καὶ ἄλογον τῆς ψυχῆς ἐξεπᾴδοντες οὕτω καὶ θεραπεύοντες.

τὰ γὰρ ὀσφραντὰ πολλάκις μὲν τὴν αἴσθησιν ἀπολείπουσαν ἀνακαλεῖται, πολλάκις δὲ πάλιν ἀμβλύνει καὶ κατηρεμίζει διαχεομένων ἐν τῷ σώματι τῶν ἀναλωμάτων ὑπὸ λειότητος· ὥσπερ ἔνιοι τῶν ἰατρῶν τὸν ὕπνον ἐγγίνεσθαι λέγουσιν, ὅταν ἡ τῆς τροφῆς ἀναθυμίασις οἷον ἕρπουσα λείως περὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα καὶ ψηλαφῶσα ποιῇ τινα γαργαλισμόν.

τῷ δὲ κῦφι χρῶνται καὶ πόματι καὶ χρίματι· πινόμενον γὰρ δοκεῖ τὰ ἐντὸς καθαίρει, [...] χρῖμα μαλακτικόν. ἄνευ δὲ τούτων ῥητίνη μέν ἐστιν ἔργον ἡλίου καὶ σμύρνα πρὸς τὴν εἵλην τῶν φυτῶν ἐκδακρυόντων, τῶν δὲ τὸ κῦφι συντιθέντων ἔστιν ἃ νυκτὶ χαίρει μᾶλλον, ὥσπερ ὅσα πνεύμασι ψυχροῖς καὶ σκιαῖς καὶ δρόσοις καὶ ὑγρότησι τρέφεσθαι πέφυκεν· ἐπεὶ τὸ τῆς ἡμέρας φῶς ἓν μέν ἐστι καὶ ἁπλοῦν καὶ τὸν ἥλιον ὁ Πίνδαρος ὁρᾶσθαί φησιν ‘ἐρήμης δι' αἰθέρος’, ὁ δὲ νυκτερινὸς ἀὴρ κρᾶμα καὶ σύμμιγμα πολλῶν γέγονε φώτων καὶ δυνάμεων οἷον σπερμάτων εἰς ἓν ἀπὸ παντὸς ἄστρου καταρρεόντων. εἰκότως οὖν ἐκεῖνα μὲν ὡς ἁπλᾶ καὶ ἀφ' ἡλίου τὴν γένεσιν ἔχοντα δι' ἡμέρας, ταῦτα δ' ὡς μικτὰ καὶ παντοδαπὰ ταῖς ποιότησιν ἀρχομένης νυκτὸς ἐπιθυμιῶσι.

Plutarch, Isis and Osiris 80 (Moralia 383E–384C)

*Plutarch’s list of kyphi ingredients

1. μέλι (meli): honey

2. οἶνος (oinos): wine

3. σταφίς (staphis): raisins

4. κύπερον (kyperon): cyperus, probably Cyperus rotundus L.

5. ῥητίνη (rhetine): resin, probably some kind of pine resin

6. σμύρνα (smyrna): myrrh, Commiphora myrrha Engl.

7. ἀσπάλαθος (aspalathos): possibly camelthorn, Alhagi maurorum L.; or thorny trefoil, Calycotome villosa Link; or Genista, Genista acanthoclada DC

8. σέσελι (seseli): hartwort, Tordylium officinale L.

9. σχῖνος (skhinos): mastic: Pistacia lentiscus L.

10. ἄσφαλτος (asphaltos): bitumen

11. θρύον (thryon): rush

12. λάπαθον (lapathon): patience dock, Rumex patientia L.

13. ἄρκευθος μείζων (arkeythos meizon): larger juniper, Juniperus macrocarpa L.

14. ἄρκευθος ἐλάττων (akreythos elatton): smaller juniper, Juniperus communis L.

15. καρδάμωμον (karadmomon): cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum Maton

16. κάλαμος (kalamos): calamus, Acorus calamus L.

Some fumigations for lizards, snakes and scorpions

Philumenus’ On poisonous animals and their remedies is only available in one manuscript, Vat. gr. 284. A friend at the CMG has been working on a new edition of the text and hopefully it will be published soon. For now, the manuscript is digitized and available at the Vatican Library (with snake drawings in the margins).

Here is chapter six: on fumigations against snakes (and other things), which includes one recipe from Archigenes.

Fumigations for snakes

From Archigenes' works:

Hooves and hair of goats burnt at a distance. Snakes are repelled by their smell.

A compound incense of Philinus, the Theriac:

Of galbanum, root of kakhru, horn of deer, cumin, one ounce each

Grind all the ingredients, mix with vinegar and make them into tablets.

To use, the incense is soaked in oil and placed in the middle of the house, or if you are out in the open, in the middle of your bed.

Another:

of galbanum, of fat of the Egyptian mongoose, one ounce each.

Dissolve them together and store.

To use, fumigate in the same way as before.

Another one, Egyptian:

an old asp, soaked in oil.

[Place the] incense close to the snake's den and it will immediately come out.

Another, bringing down scorpions and every snake and driving them away from the house:

incense of equal amounts of galbanum, realgar, butter, bryony, fat of goat.

θυμιάματα ἑρπετῶν

ἐκ τῶν Ἀρχιγένους· ὁπλαὶ αἰγῶν καὶ τρίχες θυμιώμεναι πόρρωθεν· ἀναστέλλεται <γὰρ> τὰ ἑρπετὰ τῇ τούτων ὀσμῇ. σύνθετον θυμίαμα Φιλίνου <τοῦ> θηριακοῦ· χαλβάνης, κάχρυος τῆς ῥίζης, κέρατος ἐλαφείου, μελανθίου ἀνὰ 𐆄 α. λεάνας πάντα ἀναλάμβανε <ὄξει>, ποιῶν τροχίσκους. ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς χρείας ἀποβρέξας εἰς ἔλαιον θυμία κατὰ μέσον τῆς οἰκίας, ἐὰν δὲ ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ ᾖς, κατὰ μέσον τῆς κοίτης. ἄλλο· χαλβάνης, στέατος ἰχνεύμονος ἀνὰ 𐆄 α τήξας ἀπόθου· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς χρείας θυμίασον ὁμοίως. ἄλλο Αἰγύπτιον· γῆρας ἀσπίδος βρέξας εἰς ἔλαιον [ἄλλο] θυμία ἐγγὺς τῶν φωλεῶν καὶ εὐθέως ἀναβήσονται. <ἄλλο> καταφέρον καὶ σκορπίους καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν <ἀπελαῦνον> ἐξ οἰκίας· χαλβάνην, σανδαράκην, βούτυρον, βρυωνίαν, στέαρ αἴγειον ἐξ οἰκίς· χαλβάνην, σανδαράκην, βούτυρον, βρυωνίαν, στέαρ αἴγειον ἐξ ἴσου θυμία.

Philumenus, De venenatis animalibus eorumque remediis (On poisonous animals and their remedies), chapter 6 (p. 10,16-28 Wellmann)

A sweet-smelling, summer-time deodorant from Crito

“Crito’s sweet-smelling, summer-time poultice useful for whole body:

‘When there’s a lot of sweat troubling the body, it is going to be disgusting—especially during the summer-time, since the sweat comes on with a great deal of nausea and stench. That’s why this prescription is not just for women, but for men as well. In fact, the time is right to make a mental note of these soaps:

Sweet-smelling summer-time deodorant for the whole body

• Up to three ounces* each of dried roses and cassia

• Up to two drachmes* each of black cardamom, costus root and spikenard

• Two ounces* of moistened alum

Dissolve in a fragrant, aged wine, form into pills and dry in the shade. To use: after crumbling and sifting, sprinkle on liberally while bathing and give it a good rub into the body. Rinse thoroughly with cold water.’”

Καταπλάσματα θερινὰ εὐωδίαν ποιοῦντα τῷ παντὶ σώματι Κρίτωνος. ἱδρώτων δ' ἐνοχλούντων τῷ σώματι πολλὴ ἔσται ἡ ἐκ τούτων ἀηδία, καὶ μάλιστα θέρους· καὶ γὰρ πολλὴν ἄσην ἐπιφέρει καὶ δυσωδίαν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χρηστέον τοῖς ὑπογεγραμμένοις οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν γυναικῶν ἀλλὰ κἀπὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν· καιρὸς γὰρ καὶ τούτων μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι σὺν τοῖς σμήγμασι. Καταπαστὸν ὅλου τοῦ σώματος εὐῶδες θερινόν. ῥόδων ξηρῶν κασσίας ἀνὰ Γο γ’ ἀμώμου κόστου ναρδοστάχυος ἀνὰ ⋖ β’ στυπτηρίας ὑγρᾶς Γο β’, οἴνῳ παλαιῷ εὐώδει διαλύσας, ἀνάπλασσε τροχίσκους καὶ ξήραινε ἐν σκιᾷ· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς χρείας κόψας σήσας δίδου διαπάσσεσθαι λουομένους καὶ ἀνατριβέσθωσαν ἐπιμελῶς καὶ τότε ψυχρῷ ὕδατι περιχείσθωσαν.

Aetius of Amida, Libri medicinales 8.7, 410,23–411,9 Olivieri

*Units:

1 Γο (ounce) = 27.3 g

1 ⋖ (drachme) = 3.4g

Just some drugs made out of poop

“Another recipe for boils and moles. Use pigeon excrement that’s been made smooth with pungent vinegar and be amazed.”

Ἄλλο πρὸς μώλωπας καὶ φακούς. κόπρον περιστερᾶς μετ' ὄξους δριμέος λειώσας χρῶ καὶ θαυμάσεις.

Aetius of Amida, Libri medicinales 8.10, 414,5–6 Olivieri

“Use for moles: Place pigeon excrement into a linen cloth and burn it completely to ashes. Mix it into a smooth paste with olive oil and don’t be shy when smearing it on. Also, spreading on a paste of perfume-nut works well, as does raw grape hyacinth, by itself or with egg yolk, and either vinegar or honey. Grape hyacinth burnt with bastard-sponge and then smeared on clears away acne.”

χρῶ καὶ πρὸς φακούς· ἢ περιστερᾶς κόπρον εἰς ὀθόνιον βαλών, κατάκαυσον ὡς τεφρωθῆναι καὶ σὺν ἐλαίῳ λεάνας ἐπίχριε θαρρῶν, καὶ μυροβάλανος δὲ λεία ἐπιχριομένη καλῶς ποιεῖ καὶ βολβὸς ὠμὸς καθ' αὑτὸν καὶ σὺν ὠοῦ λεκίθῳ καὶ ὄξει ἢ μέλιτι. κεκαυμένοι δὲ οἱ βολβοὶ μετ' ἀλκυονίου καὶ ἐπιχριόμενοι ἀποκαθαίρουσι τὴν ἔφηλιν.

Aetius of Amida, Libri medicinales 8.12, 415,15–20 Olivieri

“For all kinds of headache and pain on one side of the face. Well tested. Mix up equal amounts with vinegar: juice of wormwood, juice of ivy, goat excrement, snails cooked with their shells, cooked papyrus, bayberries, grape hyacinth, frankincense, spurge, black ink, saffron ointment, oak gall, cabbage leaves, egg yolk, and mallow. Make into pills and use with vinegar.”

Πρὸς πάσαν κεφαλαλγίαν καὶ ἡμικραίραν διὰ πείρας πολλῆς. ἀψινθίου χυλοῦ κισσοῦ χυλοῦ αἰγὸς κόπρου κοχλίους σὺν τοῖς ὀστράκοις κεκαυμένους χάρτου κεκαυμένου δαφνίδων βολβῶν λιβάνου εὐφορβίου μέλανος γραφικοῦ κροκομάγματος κηκίδων ῥαφάνου φύλλων ὠοῦ τὸ πυρρὸν μαλάχης χυλῷ ἴσα λεάνας ὄξει, ποίει τροχίσκους καὶ χρῶ σὺν ὄξει.

Aetius of Amida, Libri medicinales 6.50, 194,18-23 Olivieri

“Archigenes’ remedy for canker sores: apply honey mixed with equal amounts of burnt swallow excrement and human excrement. Don't take just any excrement, but feed a child bread with lupins and well-balanced wine for two days, and on the third day take the excrement, dry it and keep it in storage. After grinding it down, use as previously directed. This also works for a sore throat.”

Ἄλλο Ἀρχιγένους πρὸς ἐσχάρας ἐν στόματι. χελιδόνων κεκαυμένων καὶ ἀνθρωπείας κόπρου τὸ ἴσον σὺν μέλιτι διάχριε. λάμβανε δὲ τὴν κόπρον οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν, ἀλλὰ παιδίῳ διδοὺς τροφὴν πρὸ ἡμερῶν <β> ἄρτον μετὰ θερμίων καὶ οἶνον σύμμετρον καὶ οὕτως τῇ τρίτῃ τῶν ἡμερῶν λαμβάνων τὴν κόπρον καὶ ξηραίνων ἔχε ἀποκειμένην καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χρείας λεάνας χρῶ, ὡς προείρηται· ποιεῖ καὶ πρὸς συνάγχας.

Aetius of Amida, Libri medicinales 8.49, 475,10–16 Olivieri

How to market soap in antiquity

We have quite a few ancient recipes for cosmetics attributed to Cleopatra. Maybe Cleopatra wrote them, or maybe they were marketing gimmicks by booksellers. Ancient marketplaces were not much different from today’s. (Here’s a nice book by Claire Holleran on street markets in Rome. More about these markets here.)

Then again, I guess in another way ancient marketplaces were different, because there didn’t seem to be as many safety regulations. Don’t prepare any of these things for use on the body. I can say from experience that it is not a good idea. I don’t endorse any of the claims made by the compilers, either that these are Cleopatra’s recipes (they almost certainly aren’t) or that they do what they say they do. They are not safe and these recipes are purely for historical interest.

(inspired by Laurence Totelin’s reconstruction of Metrodora’s deodorant at concoctinghistory.)

Cleopatra’s routine

Measures:

• λίτρα = pound = 12 ounces = 327.5g

• Γο = ounce = 8 drachme = 27.3g

• ⋖ = drachme = 3.4g

1. Cleopatra’s Sweet Smelling Soap

Source: Aëtius of Amida, Medical Books, Book 8, Chapter 6 (408,18-21 Olivieri)

Ἄλλο σμῆγμα Κλεοπάτρας βασιλίσσης πολυτελὲς εὐῶδες. κόστου σμύρνης τρωγλίτιδος ἴρεως ναρδοστάχυος ἀμώμου φύλλου κασσίας σχοίνου ἄνθους ἀνὰ Γο α` μυροβαλάνου λίτρας δ` νίτρου ἀφροῦ λίτρας β` κόψας σήσας χρῶ· ποιεῖ εἰς ὅλον τὸ σῶμα.

English Translation

“Another soap, Queen Cleopatra’s, very expensive and fragrant.

• One ounce each of:

  • Costus root

  • Troglodytic myrrh [sc. from Eastern Africa]

  • Iris

  • Spikenard

  • Nepal cardamom

  • Cassia leaves

  • Flowers of camel grass

• 4 pounds of the perfume-nut

• 2 pounds of foam of soda

Grind, sift and use. Works on the whole body.”*

*note: it doesn’t

2. Cleopatra’s Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Source : Galen, Compound drugs according to place, Kühn XII 492

Καὶ τὰ τῇ Κλεοπάτρᾳ πρὸς ἀχῶρας γεγραμμένα ἐφεξῆς εἰρήσεται κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνης αὐτῆς λέξιν. πρὸς ἀχῶρας. τήλει λεπτῇ ἑφθῇ, μέλανος τεύτλου χυλῷ βεβρεγμένῃ, ἐκκλυζέσθω ἡ κεφαλὴ ἢ τεύτλου ἀφεψήματι ἢ γῇ κιμωλίᾳ βεβρεγμένῃ τούτοις ἐκκλυσαμένῃ, καταχριέσθω μυρσίνῃ λείᾳ μετ' οἰνελαίου, ἄνωθεν δὲ ἐπιτιθέσθω φύλλα τεύτλου.

English translation

“And in what follows I will quote in her very own words the things Cleopatra wrote against dandruff :

‘For Dandruff

• Boiled fine fenugreek

• Steeped juice of black beets

After washing with this preparation, the head is to be washed thoroughly either with a decoction of beets or wet cimolian earth. Wash it out using a paste made of myrtle with wine and oil, and place leaves of beet on top of the head.’”

3. Face Soap and Brightening Cream

Source: Aëtius of Amida, Medical Books, Book 8, Chapter 6 (407,15-21 Olivieri)

Σμήγματα προσώπου καὶ στιλβώματα. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀφαιρέσει τῶν ἐπιχρίστων πειρῶνται τὴν ὄψιν σμήχειν, χρηστέον ταῖς ὑπογεγραμμέναις σκευασίαις. Σμῆγμα λαμπρυντικὸν προσώπου. λιβάνου ἀφρονίτρου κόμμεως ἀνὰ ⋖ δ` ἀμύγδαλα λελεπισμένα μ` σεμιδάλεως ⋖ κδ` κυαμίνου ἀλεύρου ⋖ ιβ` ἀναλάμβανε ὠοῦ τῷ λευκῷ καὶ ἀνάπλασσε τροχίσκους καὶ χρῶ δι' ὕδατος ἀνιὼν ἐν βαλανείῳ καὶ χωρὶς βαλανείου.

English translation

“Facial soap and brightener. When you are removing makeup and trying to clean the face, use this preparation:

‘Soap for brightening the face

• Four drachme each of:

  • Frankincense

  • Foam of soda

  • Gum arabic

• 40 Peeled almonds

• Wheat flour, 24 drachme

• Bean flour, 12 drachme

Mix up with egg white and form into small balls.

Use with water when going in the bath or out of the bath.”*

*note: absolutely don’t