Pliny, Natural History 21.81-2:
“Saffron is not dissolved in honey or any other sweet thing, but easily in wine or water. It is the most useful in medicine, and can be preserved in a box made of horn. It gets rid of all inflammations, but especially from the eyeball. Similarly, it is especially useful for the strangulation of the womb, ulcers of the stomach, the inflammation of the chest and kidneys, the liver, the lungs, and the bladder, as well as being useful for coughs and pleurisy. It gets rid of itches, and quickens the urine.
Those who drink saffron first will not experience crapulence and will be able to withstand drunkenness. Wreaths made from saffron will soften a hangover. It produces sleep, lightens the movement of the head, and stimulates sexual activity. The flower of the saffron is dabbed on erysipelas with chalk from Cimolus. It is mixed in many medicines, and even gave its name to one eye ointment. The dregs of what is pressed from saffron oil, which they call crocomagma, has its own usefulness against the suffusion of the eyes and urine. These dregs are hotter than the saffron itself. The best is the one which, at a taste, stains the tongue and teeth.”
Crocum melle non solvitur nulloque dulci, facillime autem vino aut aqua. utilissimum in medicina, adservatur cornea pyxide. discutit inflammationes omnes quidem, sed oculorum maxime ex ovo; i<tem> vulvarum quoque strangulatus, stomachi exulcerationes, pectoris et renium, iocinerum, pulmonum vesicarumque, peculiariter
inflammationi earum vehementer utile, item tussi et pleuriticis. tollit et pruritus, urinas ciet. qui crocum prius biberint, crapulam non sentient, ebrietati resistent. coro-
nae quoque ex eo mulcent ebrietatem. somnum facit, caput leniter movet, venerem stimulat. flos eius igni sacro inlinitur cum creta Cimolia. ipsum plurumis medicaminibus miscetur, collyrio uni etiam nomen dedit. faex quoque expressi unguento crocino, quod crocomagma appellant, habet suas utilitates contra suffusiones oculorum, urinas. magis excalfacit quam crocum ipsum. optimum quod gustatu salivam dentesque maxime inficit.
