large/7215/natural_history_3_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/naturalhistory3_21_pliny_64kb_9
large/7215/natural_history_3_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/naturalhistory3_21_pliny_64kb
English
7215
By the same law, he also pronounced it illegal to make a libation to the gods of wine that was the produce of an unpruned vine, his object being to compel the husbandmen to prune their vines ; a duty which they showed themselves reluctant to perform, in consequence of the danger which attended climbing the trees. BY THE SAME LAW HE ALSO PRONOUNCED IT ILLEGAL TO MAKE A LIBATION TO THE GODS OF WINE THAT WAS THE PRODUCE OF AN UNPRUNED VINE HIS OBJECT BEING TO COMPEL THE HUSBANDMEN TO PRUNE THEIR VINES A DUTY WHICH THEY SHOWED THEMSELVES RELUCTANT TO PERFORM IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE DANGER WHICH ATTENDED CLIMBING THE TREES
 number. &8 Fee observes that the varieties of the modern wines are quite innu- merable. He remarks also that Pliny does not speak of the Asiatic wines mentioned by Athenaeus, which were kept in large bottles, hung in the chimney corner ; where the liquid, by evaporation, acquired the consistency of salt. The wines of other countries evidently were little known to Pliny. 252 pliny's natural history. [Book XIV. repute having only been acquired since the six hundredth year of the City. CHAP. 14. (12.) — THE INSPECTION OF WINE ORDERED BY KING ROMULUS. Romulus made libations, not with wine but with milk ; a fact which is fully established by the religious rites which owe their foundation to him, and are observed even to the present day. The Posthumian Law, promulgated by King Numa, has an injunction to the following effect: — " Sprinkle not the funeral pyre with wine ;" a law to which he gave his sanction, no doubt, in consequence of the remarkable scarcity of that commodity in those days. AILS IT OCCURS TO ME TO MENTION THAT OF THE EIGHTY DIFFERENT KINDS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH WHICH MAY WITH PROPRIETY BE RECKONED IN THE CLASS OF GENEROUS WINES FULLY TWO THIRDS ARE THE PRODUCE OF ITALY WHICH CONSEQUENTLY IN THIS RESPECT FAR SURPASSES ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND ON TRACING THIS SUBJECT SOMEWHAT HIGHER UP THE FACT SUGGESTS ITSELF THAT IF THE WINES OF ITALY HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY GREAT FAVOR FROM AN EARLY PERIOD THEIR HIGH REPUTE HAVING ONLY BEEN ACQUIRED SINCE THE SIX HUNDREDTH YEAR OF THE CITY CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE INSPECTION OF WINE ORDERED BY KING ROMULUS ROMULUS MADE LIBATIONS NOT WITH WINE BUT WITH MILK A FACT WHICH IS FULLY ESTABLISHED BY THE RELIGIOUS RITES WHICH OWE THEIR FOUNDATION TO HIM AND ARE OBSERVED EVEN TO THE PRESENT DAY THE POSTHUMIAN LAW PROMULGATED BY KING NUMA HAS AN INJUNCTION TO THE FOLLOWING EFFECT SPRINKLE NOT THE FUNERAL PYRE WITH WINE A LAW TO WHICH HE GAVE HIS SANCTION NO DOUBT IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE REMARKABLE SCARCITY OF THAT COMMODITY IN THOSE DAYS
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