The Pomegranate Crown

How is your, ahem, blemish this morning? asked Pliny the Elder.

Sore, I replied.

Let me see, said Pliny.

At least it's flat, I said.

You should not use medicine that is out of date, admonished Pliny. And you should have asked my advice. Which reminds me, I see you have been eating pomegranates. Why?

Because they are there, I said. My daughter bought five of them just before returning to London.

Well, rub some pomegranate juice on your finger, said Pliny. It is antiseptic and good for curing, ahem, blemishes.

Do stop saying, ahem, blemishes, Pliny. I'm not as sensitive as I pretend. Tell me more about the medicinal uses of pomegranates. I didn't know that they were good for anything.

Indeed they are. The juice of the Malum Punicum, or Jewel of Winter, as we called it, was well known as a cure for stomach ulcers, morning sickness, tape worm, diarrhoea, and pains of the ears and nostrils.

Nostrils?

Yes, So said Dioscorides in his Herbal of Dioscorides.

So the ancient Greeks knew about it?

Yes, everyone knew about it. The pomegranate was valued very highly. They say its shape inspired King Solomon's crown and all crowns ever since.

I don't believe it.

Look again.