THE SCENE: Today’s “fact” might be useful for any ancient man-about-town who had extraordinarily bad judgement.
THE TEXT: The large juniper, which Greek botanists call cedrelate, provides pitch called cedria and is very useful for toothache. For the berry breaks the teeth and makes them fall out, thus relieving the pain. The juice of junipers also makes clothes disintegrate and kills animals. For this reason I do not think that it should be taken orally as a remedy for quinsy or indigestion, as some authorities have recommended. There is an extraordinarily tall story to the effect that if one covers the penis with it before intercourse, it acts as a contraceptive. I should not hesitate to use it as an ointment for phthiriasis or for dandruff.
– Pliny the Elder
