SC - Period pig info

[Philip & Susan Troy]

LrdRas at aol.com wrote:
> 
> I do have a reference  from Platina which you
> should have in yopur swine files which specifically states that  at least one
> pig was so fat it had a nest of mice living  in it's flesh'. I take that as
> at least  ONE valid primary source that does not conjecture but rather
> indicates that pigs were fat.

Just as a qualifier on the quality of this reference, it really should
be noted that Platina is quoting Varro (presumably the real,
classical-age Varro, not one of his friends' pseudonyms), who claims to
have seen the pig in question in Arcadia. Therefore, what we have is a
secondary account of a report by a Roman author reporting on something
he claims to have seen in a Greek province.

I don't mean to cast doubt on this so much as to put it in
perspective... looking at some of what Pliny the Elder wrote, there's at
least the possibility that some of it is fantasy. I mean, look at Marco
Polo. On the other hand, Varro's claim is better than nothing.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com