Introduction
Therapeutical treatise in question-and-answer format (P.Mich. inv.6657). Papyrus sheet (9,3 x 20,6 cm) cut from the original roll to receive a private letter on the verso (P.Turner 43). A wide upper margin (4 cm) and an 2-cm intercolumnar space on the left are preserved. The hand is (sub)literary, slanting and rapid, varying in size, and can be dated to the second half of the 2nd cent. AD from parallels. Diacriticals (diaeresis at l. 13) and punctuation (dicolon at ll. 16-17) occur, as well as a forked paragraphos between lines 16-17, introducing a new section of text. Another interesting feature is the number of the column, centered on the top. At first the text was interpreted as a pharmacological catechism describing the properties of olive oil and its use in embrocations (ed.pr.). A recent discussion offered by D. Leith (BASP 44 (2007) 125-134) provides now a different interpretation: the contrast between the opposing effects of oil from the unripe olive (omphakinon) and of sweet oil (glykelaion) appears to have been discussed primarily with reference to their use in embrocations, and the text is therefore likely to have been a therapeutical treatise in the erotapokrisis format.
(This papyrus has been digitally edited by Nicola Reggiani as part of the Project "DIGMEDTEXT - Online Humanities Scholarship: A Digital Medical Library based on Ancient Texts" (ERC-AdG-2013, Grant Agreement no. 339828) funded by the European Research Council at the University of Parma (Principal Investigator: Prof. Isabella Andorlini). The digital edition is mostly based on the previous edition (E.G. Turner, P.Turner 14).)
DCLP transcription: 63560 [xml]
τῆς ἐλαίας ἀποθλειβόμενον(*) ἔ̣[λαιον]
τὴν ἐναντίαν κεχώρηκεν. ποιε̣[ῖται]
μὲν γὰρ ὀμφάκινον σταλτικό[ν· συνά-]
γει γὰρ τὰ σώματα καὶ σφίγγει· τὰ̣ [μὲν γὰρ]
5διαφορούμενα ἐπέχει. τὸ δὲ γλυ[κέλαιον]
σταλτικὴν ἀποβέβληκεν δύνα[μιν τῷ]
πεπασμῷ, ἔστι δὲ χαλαστικόν. τῷ [μὲν γὰρ]
ὀμφακίνῳ χρώμεθα ἐλαίῳ ἐπὶ τ[ῶν καυ-]
ματιζομένων μερῶν ἐπισυνέχ[ειν βου-]
10λόμενοι τὴν ἄμετρον κείνησιν(*) τῆ[ς νόσου]
ἐπ[ὶ] τῶν ἐστενωμένων πρὸς τὸ χά[λασμα]
ἀνεῖναι τὰ σώματα. δεῖ δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ πον̣[ηρίᾳ]
ταῦτ[α] παραμετρε̣ῖ̣σθαι ἵ(*)να μήτε χ̣[ρονίᾳ]
χρήσηται τῇ ἐμβροχῇ, οθὲν(*) γὰρ ὀνί[νησι]
15τοιαύτη, μήτε ἄγαν πολλῇ, τοὺς γὰρ [πεπα-]
σμοὺς ἐρεθίζει ∶ vac. ? τίς ἄριστος καιρ[ὸς κατα-]
——
βροχῆς ∶ vac. ? καταβροχῆς καιρ[ὸς ἐπὶ]
μὲν τῶν ὅλων παθῶν ὁ κατὰ τὴν̣ ἀ̣ρ̣ψ̣[ομένην]
αὔξησιν, μετρίως γὰρ παρηγορουμ[ένων]
20τῶν σωμάτων οὐ παροξύνεται τὰ π[άθη οὐ-]
δ’ ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖ̣ρ̣ον προκόπτει. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν [κατὰ]
μέρος παροξυσμῶν προσαγομένη ἡ̣ [κατα-]
βροχὴ ὕλη τοῦ πάθους γείνεται(*)· ἑκ[άστου δὲ]
σ[φοδ]ροτέρας καὶ ὀχληροτέρας συμβ[αίνει]
25γ̣ε̣ί̣ν̣εσθαι(*) τὰς ἐπισημασίας ἄ̣χ̣ρ̣[ι ἂν ἀπὸ]
τῆς ἀκμῆς εἰς μίωσιν(*) τρέπηται ἡ [νόσος]
ἀναπαρηγορουμένων τῶν σωμάτ[ων ἐκ τῆς]
[κ]α̣τ̣α̣β̣ροχῆς συντο̣ν̣ωτερα̣[- ca.7 --9]
[ -ca.?- ] ̣[ -ca.?- ]η̣[ -ca.?- ]
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Editorial History; All History; (detailed)
© Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Notes
- 2.
τὴν ἐναντίαν: sc. δύναμιν. Cf. Gal. VI 196 K., where omphakinon oil is described as the ἐναντιώτατον of Sabinon oil, an olive oil with no trace of astringent power. Cf. Paul.Aeg VII 3.
- 3.
ὀμφάκινον : oil made from green olives. Cf. Gal. XI 868; also Dsc. I 30; Gal. XIII 412.
- 3-4.
συνάγει γὰρ τὰ σώματα καὶ σφίγγει: for the same expression cf. Gal. VI 90, 477; X 919; XV 462. For a general statement of the properties of astringent materials, cf, Paul.Aeg. VII 1.
- 5.
γλυκέλαιον: cf, Gal. XI 868; also Paul.Aeg. VII 1.
- 8-9.
ἐπὶ τῶν καυματιζομένων μερῶν : parts of the body suffering from excessive heat. Cf. Gal. XIV, 314 where an embrocation of cold omphakinon oil is recommended for those suffering from sunstroke, and Paul.Aeg. II 43, for those suffering from a troublesome headache in fevers.
- 10.
κείνησιν τῆς νόσου: cf. Gal. XVII B 389: Paul.Aeg. II 4 (both have ἡ κίνησις τοῦ νοσήματος). For a definition of κίνησις cf. Gal. XIX 366.
- 14.
ἐμβροχῇ: a fomentation, or the liquid or lotion used in a fomentation. Cf. Gal. XIV 314; also XII 564. Orib. Coll.Med. IX 22 has a special section entitled περὶ ἐμβροχῶν, as Alex.Tral. Ι 359 Puschm.
- 16.
καιρὸς : for a definition cf. Gal. XIX 396.
- 16-17.
A catabrocation is an immersion or soaking of parts of the body, and is sometimes not dissimilar to an embrocation. Cf. Gal. XIV 448, where a catabrocation of warm sweet olive oil, applied with soft wool, is to be used in cases of inflammation, etc., when the weight of a cataplasm would be too heavy.
- 19.
αὔξησιν: for a definition cf. Gal. XIX 373; for its use here cf. Gal. XVII B 388 (ἡ αὔξησις τοῦ νοσήματος).
- 21-22.
τῶν κατὰ μέρος παροξυσμῶν: for the same phrase meaning individual or successive paroxysms, cf. Gal. XVII B 379-82.
- 24.
σφοδροτέρας: for σφοδρότεροι παροξυσμοί see Gal. XIX 204 (and cf. 201); Paul.Aeg. II 8. Cf, also Gal. XVII B 388.
APIS Translation (English)
[... But when the fruit is still unripe, the] oil pressed from the olive is able to produce the contrary effect. For it (i.e. the unripe olive) yields omphakinon, an astringment. It draws together and constricts the bodily organs, for it holds in check those that are being dispersed. But sweet oil loses astringment power with the ripening of the fruit, and it has a suppling effect. For we use omphakinonoil on the parts that are inflamed when we desire to inhibit the immoderate activity of the ailment in the constricted areas, so that the lowered tension may relax the organs. And it is necessary that these be scanned to determine the virulence of the condition, so that one neither employs embrocation at a late stage, for such treatment is of no avail, nor too often, for that provokes the ripening of the disease.