MARGUERITE JOHNSON, Ovid on cosmetics: Medicamina faciei femineae and related texts. London-New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016, xiii+171 pp., ISBN 978-1-4725-0657-3.

Marguerite Johnson (who has books on Sappho, Boudicca, a source collection with Terry Ryan on gender and sexuality, and Alcibiades and the Socratic Lover/Educator[MXL,EVSPH8EVVERX SǬIVWYWXLMWRI[ZSPYQI Ovid on CosmeticsMRE&PSSQWFYV]WIVMIWSR3ZMH EPSRKWMHISXLIVFSSOW by Rebecca Armstrong, Sarah Annes Brown, Yasmin Hadskell, Paula James, ERH+IRIZMIZI0MZIPI] 4VSJIWWSV.SLRWSREMQWXSTVSZMHIEGSQTVILIRWMZI SZIVZMI[SJ3ZMHqWXIGLRMGEP[VMXMRKSRGSWQIXMGWEWYFNIGXXLEX[MPPGSQI EWEWYVTVMWIXSXLIQER]VIEHIVW[LSEVIJEQMPMEV[MXL3ZMHQEMRP]XLVSYKL his epic poem the Metamorphoses  .SLRWSRqW YRYWYEP WYFNIGX GSWQIXMGW ERH3ZMHqWTSIQWVIPEXMRKXSXLMW MWWSQIXLMRKXLEXYRXMPVIGIRXP][SYPH LEZIFIIRHS[RTPE]IHEWEXSTMG[SVXL]SJWIVMSYWWGLSPEVP]MRXIVIWX8LI JEWGMREXMSRXLEX[IEPPRS[WIIQXSJIIPJSVXLIMRXMQEGMIWSJHEMP]PMJIMR ERXMUYMX] /IPP]3PWSRqWDress and the Roman Woman: Self-Presentation and Society?ASǬIVWEKSSHTEVEPPIPXSXLMWFSSO QEOIW1EVKYIVMXI .SLRWSRqW[IPGSQIWYFNIGXEXMQIP]SRI In Ovid on Cosmetics 1EVKYIVMXI .SLRWSR TVSZMHIW E 0EXMR XI\X ERH translation plus commentary (geared to the English translation and explaining XLIPSKMGEPSVREVVEXMZIWIGXMSRWSJIEGLTSIQVEXLIVXLEREXVEHMXMSREPPMRI by-line account) on the Medicamina Faciei Feminae GLETXIV3ZMHqW PMRI HMHEGXMG TSIQ SR [SQIRqW GSWQIXMGW  Amores 1.14 (chapter 2: “Corinna” has a “bad hair day” and loses her locks to a calamistrum, a “curling iron”), Ars Amatoria GLETXIVEHZMGIXS[SQIRSR amongst other matters, hair, clothes, hygiene, cosmetics, and hairdressing), Remedia Amoris GLETXIVLS[XLIWMKLXSJXLIGSWQIXMGWXLEX [SQER[MPPYWISRLIVJEGIGERGYVIEWYMXSVSJLMWMRJEXYEXMSR ERHArs Amatoria GLETXIVEHZMGIXSQIRSRXLIFIWX[E]XSGYPXMZEXI XLIMVFSHMIW 8LIVIMWEPSRK-RXVSHYGXMSRSǬIVMRKFEGOKVSYRHMRJSVQEXMSR ERH MRXIVTVIXEXMSRW XS XLI ðZI GLETXIVW XLEX GSZIVW XLI JSPPS[MRK XSTMGW +VIIO ERH 6SQER EXXMXYHIW XS FSHMP] FIEYXMðGEXMSR  tXLI 6SQER FSH]u FEXLMRKGSWQIXMGWQMVVSVW 3ZMHSRcultus, munditia, and ars 3ZMHERH %YKYWXYWqQSVEPPIKMWPEXMSR ERHEFVMIJHMWGYWWMSRSJXLIPMXIVEV]ERHKIRIVMG GLEVEGXIVMWXMGW SJ XLI Medicamina, the Amores, the Ars Amatoria, and the Rededia Amortis.  8LIVI EVI JSYV ETTIRHMGIW  2SXIW SR XLI 0EXMR XI\X +PSWWEV]SJGSWQIGIYXMGEPXIVQMRSPSK]?XLIEHNIGXMZItGSWQIGIYXMGEPu YWYEPP] MRHMGEXIW GSWQIXMG TVSHYGXW [MXL FMSPSKMGEPP] EGXMZI MRKVIHMIRXW

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GPEMQMRK XS IRLERGI WOMRGEVI IǭGEG]A   -RKVIHMIRXW MR XLIMedicamina VIGMTIW 6SQER[IMKLXWERHQIEWYVIWERHIUYMZEPIRXW?XLIFEWMWJSVLIV own “recipes”].) The Medicamina Faciei FeminaeTIVLETWFIGEYWIMXMWXLISRItJVII WXERHMRKu TSIQ MR LIV GSPPIGXMSR MW EX XLI LIEVX SJ 1EVKYIVMXI.SLRWSRqW IHMXMSRNYWXEWLIVFSSOXMXPIWYKKIWXW4EVXSJXLIEMQSJLIVZSPYQIz as well as elucidating cosmetic lore - is to make the Medicamina more EGGIWWMFPI ERH QSVI E TEVX SJ [LEX WXYHIRXW ERH WGLSPEVW YRHIVWXERH EW 3ZMHqWGSVTYW'SRGIVRMRKXLIMedicamina.SLRWSRIPYGMHEXIWLIVQSHISJ MRXIVTVIXEXMSREWJSPPS[Wt1SWXSJXLIJI[TYFPMGEXMSRWSRXLI[SVOJSGYW on its didactic nature, yet its sensual qualities are also important. Dispensing [MXLXLILI\EQIXVMGXVEHMXMSRSJMRWXVYGXMSREPTSIXV]ERHEHSTXMRK[MXLXLI LI\EQIXVMGXVEHMXMSRSJMRWXVYGXMSREPTSIXV]ERHEHSTXMRKXLIIPIKMEGQIXIV SJXLIAmores3ZMHWTIEOWXSLMWJIQEPIEYHMIRGISRERMRXMQEXIXSTMGMR ERMRXMQEXIQERRIVu T .SLRWSREPWSFIPMIZIWXLEX3ZMHqWWXERGIMRXLMW WXVERKITSIQMWIWWIRXMEPP]EJIQMRMWXSRILItGYPXMZEXIWJIQEPIWOMRMRWXVYGXW ERHEWWMWXWMRFIEYXMðGEXMSRERHLSPHWERIPIKMEGQMVVSVJSV[SQERXSKE^I EXXLIðRMWLIHTVSHYGX8LIHIQEVGEXMSRTSMRXSJTVMZEG]ERHWIGVIG]XLEX XVEHMXMSREPP]QEVKMREPM^IWXLI[SQEREXLIVXSMPIXXIMWXLIVIF]FVIEGLIHF] 3ZMH MR E TSIXMG I\IVGMWI XLEX XVEZIVWIW KIRHIVIH WITEVEXMSRu T   8LMW PEXIVTSWMXMSRMWSRIXLEX.SLRWSRVITIEXWMRLIVZIVWMSRWSJXLISXLIVTSIQW within Ovid on Cosmetics-REPPSJXLITLEVQEGIYXMGEPHIXEMPSJOvid on CosmeticsMXMWIEW]XSJSVKIXXLIWIX[SPMRIWSJMRXIVTVIXEXMSRzERHXLEX Johnson is as interested in literary criticism as she in Realien. Ovid on Cosmetics JSVIKVSYRHW 1EVKYIVMXI .SLRWSRqW JEWGMREXMSR [MXL3ZMHqWWYVTVMWMRKXIGLRMGEPORS[PIHKIVIPEXMRKXS[SQIRqWERHQIRqW EXXIQTXWEXWIPJFIEYXMðGEXMSR,IVFSSOXMXPIMWUYEWMWGMIRXMðG8LMWFIGSQIW GPIEVIVMRXLIGSQQIRXEV]WIGXMSRSJXLIFSSOIWTIGMEPP]XLEXHIZSXIHXSXLI Medicamina Faciei Feminae  %TTVS\MQEXIP] X[S XLMVHW SJ 1EVKYIVMXI .SLRWSRqWGSQQIRXEV]SRXLIMedicamina MWHIZSXIHXS3ZMHqWðZIGSWQIXMG tVIGMTIWu XLIWIEVIEQM\XYVIXSMRGVIEWIXLIFVMKLXRIWWSJXLIGSQTPI\MSR E VIGMTIXSTVSHYGIEWQSSXLGSQTPI\MSR EGSQFMREXMSRHIWMKRIHXSMQTVSZI XLIWOMRSJXLI[LSPIFSH] EQM\XYVIXLEX[MPPTVIWYQEFP]VIQSZIFSHMP] W[IPPMRKW  ERH E ðJXL TVIWGVMTXMSR HIWMKRIH XS VIQSZI FPIQMWLIWJVSQXLI JEGI  XLI ðZI GSRGSGXMSRW GSQTVMWI EFSYX   SJ XLI I\XERX TSIQ  7LI FIKMRW LIV HMWGYWWMSR SJ IEGL SJ XLIWI [MXL E TVSTIV ERH EPQSWXQSHIVR “cookbook recipe”, indicating ingredients, portions, weights, and methods. Johnson attaches notes detailing how these “treatments” (medicamina) [SVOIH EGGSVHMRK RSX NYWX XS 3ZMH FYX EPWS XS ERGMIRX [VMXIVW WYGL EW Aristotle, Theophrastus, Celsus, Pliny, Scibonius Largus, Pliny, Dioscorides, ERHSXLIVW3ZMHERHERHXLISXLIV[VMXIVWJVSQERXMUYMX][LSXSYGLSR comparable prescriptions and ingredients seemed to think these things really did work. From what Marguerite Johnson has to say in her commentary, so

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HS[I8LEXMWNYWX[LEXQER]VIEHIVW[MPPLSTIXSPIEVRJVSQEFSSOPMOI XLMWSRI.SLRWSRMWIWTIGMEPP]MRXIVIWXIHMRLS[3ZMHqWTSIQWSǬIVTEVEPPIPW JSVQSHIVRGYPXYVI Johnson technical enthusiasm may be best displayed in the commentary on the Medicamina FYX MX MW EPWS XS XLI JSVI MR LIV RSXIW SR XLI SXLIV WYTTSVXMRK TSIQW ERH TSVXMSRW SJ TSIQW MR Ovid on Cosmetics. These XIGLRMGEPWIGXMSRWEVITIVLETWXLIQSWXRSZIPTEVXWSJLIVJEWGMREXMRKFSSO In the notes on AmoresXLIVIMWMRJSVQEXMSRGSRGIVRMRKLEMVHVIWWMRK the calamistrum, and wigs. In the notes on the Ars Amatoria 3.101-250, XLIVIMWEHMWGYWWMSRSRL]KMIRIERHSRLS[XSHMWKYMWIXLIYWISJGSWQIXMGW and on hairdressing. The chapter notes on the Remedia Amoris 343-356, and Ars AmatoriaEVIFVMIJ EWEVIXLI0EXMRTEWWEKIW ERHSǬIVPIWW HIXEMP8LI]GSRGIVRQSVIKIRIVEPP]3ZMHqWXLIQIWSJTIVWSREPGYPXMZEXMSR (cultus) and cleanliness (munditia). ;LS[IVIXLI[SQIRERHXLIQIRXS[LSQERHSJ[LSQ3ZMH[VMXIW MR XLIWI TSIQW# .SLRWSR WYKKIWXW  t6EXLIV XLER XLI WMQTPMGMXMIW SJ XLI MHIEPM^IHmatronaeSJITMGERHLMWXSVMGEPXI\XWSVXLImertrices (prostitutes) and puellae pKMVPWq DKMVPJVMIRHWq  SJ XLI IPIKMEG TSIXW SV IZIR XLI KLEWXP] L]FVMHWSJXLI[MJI[LSVISJWEXMVI3ZMHqW[SQIREVIWSTLMWXMGEXIHGPEWW] and well-groomed urbanites” (p.17). But who are these “classy and well- groomed urbanites”? Citing AA 33-34 (p.20) Johnson suggests that these YVFERMXIW[IVIRSXJVIIFSVRQEVVMIH[SQIRmatronae, but meretrices and JVIIH[SQIRSVlibertinae8LIHMZMHMRKPMRILS[IZIVFIX[IIRmatronae and libertinaeGERRSXEP[E]WLEZIFIIRIEW]XSHVE[WLIFIPMIZIW GMXMRK .EWTIV+VMǭR/EXEVMRE:SPOERH0MRHWE];EXWSRzT 7YGLQE] LEZI FIIR XLI [SQIR SJ XLI Medicamina and the Ars and Remedia Amoris8LI[SQIRSJXLIAmoresMJRSXXLIMVEYHMIRGI[IVImeretrices or prostitutes (p.28). The men addressed in Ars Amatoria 1.505-524 were “sexually excitable (perhaps predatory) men” (citing Peter Greene, p.28), presumably well born, air-headed and as yet unmarried. They were not like us, in other words, and their interest in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals cannot RIGIWWEVMP]FIGSRJYWIH[MXLXLIQSHIVRSRI-XJIIPWEXXMQIWMROvid on CosmeticsEWMJ[IEVIQIERXXSWII3ZMHqWQIRERH[SQIREWJIPPS[LYQERW [MXLQSWXSJXLIWEQIGSWQIXMGIRXLYWMEWQWEW[IHSERHXLEXWYGLMRXIVIWXW EVITIVLETWXSFIJSYRHMREPPPEVKIYVFERWSGMIXMIW&YX1EVKYIVMXI.SLRWSR HSIWRSXFIPEFSVXLMWGSRXVSZIVWMEPTSMRXRSVHSIWWLIRIIHXSMRWYGLER technical book. For whom is Ovid on Cosmetics aimed? The intended readers are social LMWXSVMERWSJ6SQIEFSZIEPP GSQTEVIJSVI\EQTPI1EVO&VEHPI]qWGSPPIGXMSR Smell and the Ancient Senses  VIEHIVW ERH WXYHIRXW [MXL E GSRGIVR JSV KIRHIV ERH WI\YEPMX] JSV [LSQ XLI EYHMIRGIW SJ XLIWI TSIQW[SYPH FI TEVXMGYPEVP] SJ MRXIVIWX  LMWXSVMERW SJ QIHMGMRI ERH SJ GSYVWI PMXIVEV] LMWXSVMERWGVMXMGWERHWXYHIRXWSJ3ZMH8LIVIMWRSXIRSYKL0EXMRMRXLI

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FSSO XLIVIMWEFSYXPMRIW JSVMXXSFIGSQIXLIFEWMWJSVERYTTIVPIZIP 0EXMRGSYVWIFYXMXGSYPHFIYWIHTVSðXEFP]MRGSRNYRGXMSR[MXLEWIPIGXMSR JVSQ JSV I\EQTPI XLI Amores. Ovid on Cosmetics, linking literary GVMXMGMWQ[MXLXLIWXYH]SJQEXIVMEPGYPXYVIERHKIRHIVERHWI\YEPMX]MWER absorbing addition what is becoming to a bourgeoning scholarly genre.

PETER TOOHEY 9RMZIVWMX]SJ'EPKEV] [email protected]

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