Sunday, January 20, 2019

How to Bathe in January, c. 7th century

Morgan Library, MS G.74, f. 19r
"January... Four baths in the course of the month; soap with sodium carbonate diluted in wine. Make a compound skin lotion by mixing 3 lb. weight aloes, 1 lb. myrrh, 2 egg yolks; combine these and apply to the skin. This is the quantity per person. Apply it before you enter the bath, and have three bucketfuls [of water] poured over you, then sweat, then go into the open air and sponge the ointment off thoroughly. After washing the ointment off, rub down with cooling wine and egg yolks mixed with hot rose oil, then make love." 
Hierophilus the Sophist, Dietary Calendar
If your bath routine does not involve pounds of lotion and fragrant mayonnaise, you are not living your best January.

7 comments:

  1. Dang, I'm not even close.

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  2. ..... then go scrub the bath clean .... lol !

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  3. nope, just someone advertising cleaning companies. easy enough to use google translate!

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  4. lol spammers getting crafty to evade filters ;)

    the spammer needs money to take their bi-monthly bath!

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  5. Instructions unclear, my steak was too salty and a little tough to chew. Good fragrance though !

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  6. What do you do with the egg whites?

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