astringent, or akin to these?[28]

[28] Lit. "and their congeners," "their analogues," e.g. "curries,
pickles, bitters, peppery condiments."

To be sure they are (he answered), unnatural viands, one and all, in
my opinion, most alien to ordinary palates.[29]

[29] Or, "unsuited to man's taste," "'caviare to the general' I name
them."

Hiero. In fact, these condiments can only be regarded as the
cravings[30] of a stomach weakened by luxurious living; since I am
quite sure that keen appetites (and you, I fancy, know it well too)
have not the slightest need for all these delicate made things.

[30] Cf. Plat. "Laws," 687 C; "Hipp." ii. 44. Lit. "can you in fact
regard these condiments as other than . . ." See Holden ad loc.
(ed. 1888); Hartm. op. cit. p. 259, suggests {enthumemata},
"inventions."

It is true, at any rate (observed Simonides), about those costly
perfumes, with which your persons are anointed, that your neighbours
rather than yourselves extract enjoyment from them; just as the
unpleasant odour of some meats is not so obvious to the eater as to
those who come in contact with him.

Hiero. Good, and on this principle we say of meats, that he who is
provided with all sorts on all occasions brings no appetite to any of
them. He rather to whom these things are rarities, that is the man