La salatura delle carni: nota a Catone, agr. 162, 1-3 e Columella, rust. 12, 55

The study consists of an analysis of Cato, agr. 162,1–3 and Columella, rust. 12,55, which relate the procedure for curing meats. The passages raise some problems both of textual criticism and of exegesis. In particular, the text of Cato bears the title salsura pernarum, ofellae Puteolanae, but it contains no reference to the preparation of ofellae. There is a merely apparent similarity between this recipe described by Cato and those present in the passage of Columella. Technical observations and references to other texts (esp. Varro, ling. 5,110) offer new and useful hints that clear up some critical points at the textual level (concerning a crux in the Columella passage, as well as the problem of the double title in Cato), and at the interpretive level.