Greek Fire

   Wasn't the secret to making this stuff lost to the Ancients? I guess no one told that to Leonardo da Vinci, since he conveniently provided a recipe for us contained within a bundle of notes currently located at Trivulzi Palace in Milan. I'm not sure how reliable this recipe is, since I'd be insane to actually try it out, but having it here in a convenient place is just kind of good to know, I guess.

Boil together:

• the charcoal of willow wood
• saltpeter
• sulfuric acid
• sulfur
• pitch
• frankincense
• camphor
• Ethiopian wool

Then, if you want to have your Greek Fire in bomb form, add:

• liquid varnish
• bituminous oil
• turpentine
• strong vinegar

Mix together and bake or let dry. Mold into bomb shape, preferably studded with sharp nails. Don't forget a hole to have as a fusee, and to cover it with rosin and sulfur.