Translation for Calbono Crescina

[Memmia]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to work out this ingredient as described by Pliny

Calbono- Is this a typo and should be 'carbono'? Cannot find a meaning for calbono at all
Crescina- From the island of Cresci/ or something that 'grows'

Suggestions please!
Thanks in advance 8)

[ScipioAsina]

Do you have the source? It might make more sense in context.

[Memmia]

Hi there,

This was listed as one of the ingredients used by professor Donato when he reconstructed Metopian perfume. When I cross referenced his listed ingredients with Pliny the Elder's originals in his Natural Histories it's not listed as 'Calbono Crescina'. I am assuming it's either a secondary source used by Donato or it's the wine that Pliny is referring to.

I'll stick with Pliny for authenticity though

Thanks anyhow! :grin:

[Nathan Ross]

Metopium consisting of bitter almonds, "onphacium", cardamon, rush, calamus, honey, myrrh, balsam, "calbono crescina," and turpentine resin...
Giuseppe Donato, The Fragrant Past

Looks like a mystery substance! The quotes around it might suggest that Donato didn't know what it was either - although he gives onphacium as a type of vegetable oil, I think. Calbono doesn't seem to relate to anything, as far as I'm aware!

[Forty-One]

The original reference is Pliny Nat. 13.2

"cui addidere omphacium, cardamomum, iuncum, calamum, mel, vinum, murram, semen balsami, galbanum, resinam terebinthinam."

The mysterious "calbono" appears in the place where Pliny uses galbanum. The Latin word galbanum is defined (in Lewis & Short) as "[T]he resinous sap of an umbelliferous plant in Syria (the Bubon galbanum, Linn.)". In modern English it is known as Galban.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text...3Dgalbanum

[Memmia]

Brill!
I have some oil of galbanum already.

Thanks