[Sca-cooks] Differing translations of Apicius

[Pat]

The sections of Apicius indicated by William follow.  I used the Latin versions given by Flowers and Rosenbaum, because Vehling is rather dilatory in giving the Latin version (or rather perhaps I should say he does it spottily, and seems to shop around for a version that agrees with his interpretation.)  Please forgive any typographical or spelling errors.  It is very early morning, I have insomnia, this exercise gave my Spellchecker the vapors, and I am not a Latin scholar.  If anyone has one of the other versions of Apicius out there, I would enjoy seeing the relevant sections for comparison.

 

1. Latin: VI DE LIQUAMINE EMENDANDO: liquamen si odorem malum fecerit, vas inanae inversum fumiga lauro et cupresso, et in hoc luquamen infunde ante ventilatum.  Si salsum fuerit, mellis sextarium mittis et moves, picas, et emendasti.  Sed et mustum recens idem praestat.

   Vehling: pg 48 - VI [9] To Improve a Broth If broth has contracted a bad odor, place a vessel upside down and fumigate it with laurel and cypress and before ventiliating it, pour the broth in this vessel.  If this does not help matters, and if the taste is too pronounced, add honey and fresh spikenard to it; that will improve it.  Also new must would be likewise effective.

   Flowers and Rosenbaum: pg. 49 VI HOW TO PURIFY LIQUAMEN.  If liquamen aquires a bad smell, take an empty receptacle, turn over and fumigate with the smoke of burning laurel and cypress, and in this pour the liquamen which you have previously exposed to the air.  If it is too salty, add a pint of honey, stir, and season with pitch, and the liquamen will be clean again.  But fresh must has the same effect. 

 

2. Latin: XI 2 UT MEL MALUM BONUM FACIAS: mel malum bonum facies ad vendendum, unam partem mali et duas boni si simul miscueris. 

   Vehling: pg 51 [17] Spoiled Honey Made Good How bad honey may be turned into a saleable article is to mix one part of the spoiled honey with two parts of good honey.

   F&B: pg 51 XI 2. HOW TO MAKE BAD HONEY GOOD.  Your will make bad honey good for selling as follows: mix one part of bad honey with two parts of good honey. 

 

3. Latin: I XI 3 MEL CORRUPTUM UT PROBES: inlunium infundes in melle et incende: si incorruptum est, lucet.

   Vehlind: pg 51 [18] To Test Spoiled Honey Immerse elencampane in honey and light it;  if good, it will burn brightly.

   F&B: pg 51 XI 3. HOW TO FIND OUT IF HONEY HAS GONE BAD.  Put a lampwick in the honey and light.  If it is good, it burns.

 

4. Latin: VI V 6. AD AVES HIRCOSAS OMNI GENERE: piper, lingusticum, thymum, mentam aridam, calvam, caryotam, mel, acetum, vinum, liquamen, oleum, defritum, sinape.  Avem sapidiorem et altiliorem facies et ei pinguedinem servabis, si eam farinal oleo subacta contxtam in furnum miseris.

   Vehling: pg 147 [229] Treatment of Strong Smelling Birds of Every Description AD AVES HIRCOSAS [1] OMNI GENERE  For birds of all kinds that have a goatish smell [2], pepper, lovage, thyme, dry mint, sage, dates, honey, vinegar, wine, broth, oil, reduced must, mustard.  The birds will be more luscious and nutritious, and the fat preserved, if you envelop them in a dough of flour and oil and bake them in the oven. [3] [1] Probably game birds in an advanced stage of “haute gout” (as the Germans use the antiquated French term), or “mortification” as the French cook says.  Possibly also such such birds as crows, black birds, buzzards, etc., and fish-feeding fowl.  Moreover, it must be borne in mind that the refrigeration facilities of the ancients were not too good and that fresh goods spoiled quickly.  Hence, perhaps, excessive seasoning, at least, as compared to our modern methods.  List. Aves piscivoras: Hum. Thinks the birds to be downright spoiled: olidas, rancidas, & grave
 olentes.[2] Tor. Sentence wanting in other texts.  [3] For birds with a goatish smell Apicius should have repeated his excellent formula in Rx No. 212, the method of parboiling the birds before final coction, if indeed one cannot dispense with such birds altogether.  The above recipe does not in the least indicate how to treat smelly birds.  Wrapping them in dough would vastly increse the ill savour.  As for game birds, we agree with most connoisseurs that they should have just a suspicion of “haut gout” – a condition of advanced mellowness after the rigor mortis has disappeared.

   F&B: PG. 147 BOOK VI V (a) FOR “HIGH” BIRDS OF ANY KIND. Pepper, lovage, thyme, dried mint, filbert nut, Jericho date, honey, vinegar, wine, liquamen, oil, defrutum, mustard. (b) You give a bird a greater flavour and make it more nourishing, and keep all the fat in, if you wrap it in pastry made of oil and flour and cook it in the oven.

 

5. Latin: VI V 7. ALITER AVEM: in ventrem eius fractas olives novas mittis et consutam sic slixabis.  deinde coctas olives eximes.

   Vehling: pg 148 [230] Another Treatment of Odor ALIUD CONTRA UIROSUM ODOREM [1] [IF THE BIRDS SMELL,1] STUFF THE INSIDE WITH CRUSHED FRESH OLIVES, SEW UP (The aperture) AND THUS COOK, THEN RETIRE THE COOKED OLIVES. [1] Tor.; other texts aliter avem, i.e. that the olive treatment is not necessarily confined to ill smelling birds alone.

   F&B: ANOTHER WAY TO COOK A BIRD.  Stuff the bird with chopped fresh olives, sew it up, and boil.  Afterwards, remove the cooked olives. 

 




Pat Griffin
Lady Anne du Bosc
known as Mordonna the Cook
Shire of Thorngill, Meridies
Mundanely, Millbrook, AL