Final answer:
The is about Sophie rubbing fish eggs into her skin is historically rooted and relates to ancient cosmetic practices. Although the provided texts don't directly refer to fish eggs being used, they illustrate a historical obsession with beauty and the various animal products that were applied to skin for aesthetic or health purposes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The query about why Sophie rubs fish eggs into her skin suggests a historical context potentially involving ancient beauty practices or superstitions. Throughout history, various substances have been applied to the skin with the belief they would enhance beauty, improve health, or have some magical effect. In Pliny's Natural History, we find that the use of unusual ingredients in cosmetics was not uncommon in the Roman era.
Ingredients such as asses' milk were believed to maintain skin whiteness and delicacy, and numerous animal fats were used for various skin conditions and cosmetic enhancements. Juvenal's work echoes the notion of moral judgments based on the use of cosmetics, indicating societal views on the excessive pursuit of beauty.
However, none of the provided excerpts explicitly mention the use of fish eggs for cosmetic purposes. It was more typical to see references to other animal products in relation to beauty treatments, with some practices bordering on the bizarre by modern standards. Nevertheless, the excerpts highlight a historical fascination with physical appearance and the lengths to which individuals would go to achieve certain aesthetic ideals.