27.07.25: topic; the fruits of the earth [8]; Celsus (ii)

The causes and cures for flatulence (Celsus)

If you’re suffering from īnflātiō Celsus tells you what, and what not to eat …

Īnflant autem omnia ferē legūmina, omnia pinguia, omnia dulcia, omnia iūrulenta, mustum, atque etiam id vīnum, cui nihil adhūc aetātis accessit (1); ex holeribus alium, cēpā, brassicā, omnēsque rādīcēs, exceptō sisere et pastinācā; bulbī, fīcūs etiam āridae sed magis viridēs, ūvae recentēs, nucēs omnēs, exceptīs nucleīs pīneīs, lac, omnisque cāseus; quicquid deinde subcrūdum aliquis adsūmpsit.

Now flatulence is produced by: almost all food which is leguminous, fatty, sweet, everything stewed, new wine, and also that wine which has not as yet matured; among pot-herbs, garlic, onion, cabbage, and all roots except skirret and parsnip; bulbs, figs even when dried but especially when green, fresh grapes, all nuts except pine kernels, milk, cheese of all kinds; lastly anything eaten half-cooked.

Minima īnflātiō fit ex vēnātiōne, aucupiō, piscibus, pōmīs, oleīs, conchȳliīsve, ōvīs vel mollibus vel sorbilibus, vīnō vetere. Fēniculum vērō et anetum īnflātiōnēs etiam levant.

The least flatulence comes from what is got by hunting and birding, from fish, orchard fruit, olives, or shellfish, from eggs whether cooked soft or raw, from old wine. Fennel and anise in particular even relieve flatulence.

(1) etiam id vīnum, cui nihil adhūc aetātis accessit │ literally: also that wine to which no age (nothing of age) has yet come = wine that has not yet matured

aucupium, -ī [2/n]: hunting for wild fowl

vēnātiō, vēnātiō [3/f]: hunting

āridus, -a, -um: dry

dulcis, -e: sweet

iūrulentus, -a, -um: stewed; containing juice

pinguis, -e: (here) fatty; rich

subcrūdus / succrūdus, -a, -um: half-raw; par-boiled; not fully ripe

anēt(h)um, -ī [2/n] [i] anise, a plant cultivated for its aromatic seeds and used as a spice [ii] dill

vae vōbīs scrībae et Pharisaeī hypocritae quia decimātis mentam et anēthum et cymīnum et relīquistis quae graviōra sunt lēgis iūdicium et misericordiam et fidem (Vulgate) │ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith.”

• menta, -ae [1/f]: mint
• cymīnum (cūminum), -ī [2/n]: cumin

bulbus, -ī [2/m]: bulb, especially edible

conchȳlium, -ī [2/n]: [i] (here) shellfish [ii] can refer specifically to an oyster

fēniculum / fēnuculum [2/n]: fennel

fīcus, -ūs [4 m/f] or -ī [2 m/f]: fig

legūmen, legūminis [3/n] legume e.g. peas, beans

mustum, -ī [2/n]: ‘must’; unfermented wine

nucleus, -ī [2/m]: kernel

nux, nucis [3/f]: nut (-tree)

ōvum sorbile: raw egg; sorbilis, -e (rare) refers to something that can be ‘supped’ or ‘sucked up’

rādīx, rādīcis [3/f]: [i] root (of a plant); [ii] radish