[Sca-cooks] Differing translations of Apicius

[Jeff Gedney]

>
>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] 

Essentially correct. the only real difference between this transaltion and Flowers is Sage for Filberts. the BIG difference is the following entirely _unwarranted_ "Interpretation":
 
>[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.

All of this is completely pulled out of Vehling's a$$.
It is entirely opinion and completely muddles an otherwise fine 
translation. Buy selling himself on the presupposition that the birds are spoiled at the outset, he then is unable to understand why one would want to wrap it in dough. He clearly refuses to see see that the text soes not support his conclusion of "Haute Gout".

You see what having a preconcieven notion BEFORE researching will do for your conclusions?

>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.

I have no idea where "ALIUD CONTRA UIROSUM ODOREM" comes from...

That literally means: 
"Another (method) against a Foul/fetid/stinking odor"

He clearly is reading from a different text from Flowers.
Does Vehling give his sources? 
He implies that he is reading from several texts. 
The most important aspect of that is that there could well be copy errors or changes in the course of the recopying, that furter confuses the issue. 
They are supposed to be the SAME Apicius, but clearly the TEXT differs from copy to copy. 
Which one is the earliest Apicius?

Capt Elias
-Renaissance Geek of the Cyber Seas

- Help! I am being pecked to death by the Ducks of Dilletanteism! 
There are SO damn many more things I want to try in the SCA than I can possibly have time for. It's killing me!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather 
wood, divide the work, and give orders.  Instead, teach them
to yearn for the vast and endless sea. 
  - Antoine de Saint Exupery