Translated and annotated by R.A.B. Mynors (who died in 1990), this is one of seven projected volumes of Erasmus's 4,000 collected adages with commentaries, delightful in their exposition of the resonances of language and culture. We intuitively know that "hunger is the best sauce" ( optimum condimentum fames ); Erasmus tells us that the aphorism is ascribed to Socrates and details its meanings, uses, and variations. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.