De odoribus

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De odoribus ( German  "About the smells" ) is a small text by the Greek philosopher and naturalist Theophrastos von Eresos in the field of human physiology and botany. Theophrast was a pupil and successor of Aristotle and this work is also in the tradition of the teacher.

content

The text deals on the one hand with the physiological basis of smell and on the other hand with the properties and production of artificial smells. In the first paragraph some aspects of odor in humans and animals are discussed. It is shown that smell cannot be differentiated in the same way as taste, but only breaks down into pleasant smell and bad smells. Everything has a specific smell - in contrast to animals, however, humans often cannot perceive it.

The largest part deals with the anointing oils. Theophrast introduces various anointing oils and aromas, such as the Egyptian anointing oil, iris and myrrh. He goes into technical details of the production:

“For thickening, you use the weaker-smelling aromas, later you add those whose smell the anointing oil is supposed to take on; the last thing you put in always dominates, even if it's only a small amount. "

Blossoms, leaves, twigs, roots, wood, fruits and resins are used. The type of trade in anointing oils is discussed. The ointment sellers take advantage of the fact that rose oil covers other odors. “This is why the ointment sellers anoint their customers who have doubts and do not want to buy from them with this so that they can no longer perceive the smells of the others.” The test is carried out by applying the aroma to the wrist. Ointment oils are often mixed with sweet wines. The medicinal effect of the ointment oils is indicated to help with tumors and abscesses, headaches and exhaustion. Megaleion works against inflammation of wounds. Rose oil is good for the ears.

In addition to these main contents, a number of other topics are touched upon.

Position in the complete works and tradition

About the smells belongs to the fragments or opuscula of the author. Walter Burnikel has compiled the transmission of the text in the various medieval manuscripts in his work Text-historical studies on nine Opuscula Theophrasts .

In Friedrich Wimmer's case , the text can be found as fragment IV between de igne and de ventis .

But there is also the theory that the text is part of the lost eighth book of Theophrasts Causae plantarum .

Text editing and translation

literature

  • Walter Burnikel: Text-historical research on nine Opuscula Theophrasts . Wiesbaden 1974.
  • Walter Pötscher : Theophrastus. In: The Little Pauly (KlP). Volume 5, Stuttgart 1975, Col. 720-724.
  • Friedrich Wimmer: Theophrasti Eresii Opera, quae supersunt, omnia. Paris 1866. Unchanged reprint Frankfurt 1964.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Walter Pötscher : Theophrastus. In: The Little Pauly (KlP). Volume 5, Stuttgart 1975, Col. 720-724.
  2. ^ Theophrast: De odoribus , § 17.
  3. ^ Theophrast: De odoribus , § 45.
  4. ↑ Ulrich Eigler , Georg Wöhrle : Theophrast: De odoribus , section on commentary and translation , 1.