A light hand and a sharp edge for the cut
For the cutting of one who has been struck. Since many are cowardly toward the necessary treatments from iron, fearing the pain from the healing more than the coming harm from not being treated, come, let us somehow comfort the hesitation of the pain, making the sufferers more confident to endure the healing.
Let the healer have a light hand, so that he may run the cut easily, and let him bring a sharp edge; for bluntness is painful. The helper, being ready for all things, must also sprinkle with the brick which lies in pentagon 4, in which, according to the pyramid-shape, are laid signs of speech and of striking of the high enharmonic: an inverted alpha and a turned-back gamma having a line behind.
Greek
1.4 Πρὸς τομὴν πληγέντοσ Ἐπεὶ πολλοὶ πρὸς τὰς ἀναγκαίας ἀπὸ σιδήρου θεραπείας εἰσὶ δειλοί, φοβούμενοι μᾶλλον τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἰάσεως ἀλγηδόνα τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐκ τοῦ μὴ θεραπευθῆναι βλάβους, φέρε πως παραμυθησώμεθα τὸν τῆς ὀδύνης ὄκνον, εὐθαρσεστέρους τοὺς κάμνοντας εἰς τὸ ὑποστῆναι τὴν ἴασιν καθιστάντες. Κούφην ἐχέτω ὁ ἰώμενος χεῖρα, ἵνα εὐκόλως τὴν τομὴν ἐπιδράμῃ, ὀξεῖαν δὲ φερέτω τὴν ἀκμήν· ὀδυνηρὸν γὰρ ἡ ἀμβλύτης. Εὐτρεπὴς δὲ ἐς πάντα ὢν ὁ βοηθῶν, καὶ ἐπιπασάτω τῇ πλίνθῳ ἥπερ ἐν πεντα γώνῳ δʹ κεῖται, ᾧ κατὰ τὸ πυραμοειδὲς ἔγκειται σημεῖα λέξεώς τε καὶ κρούσεως ὑπάτων ἐναρμονίου, ἄλφα ὕπτιον καὶ γάμμα ἀπεστραμμένον ὄπισθεν γραμμὴν ἔχον.
About this text
Julius Africanus, Cesti (Embroidered Girdles): a miscellany of history, science, and craft, in the surviving fragments — books 7, 2, and 3 in full, with parts of books 4, 8, 9, and 13, and the colophon of Cestus 18. The older English translates his letters only. The book-2 table of contents and a book-7 appendix are not in this volume.
New English from locked PG 10 / Khazarzar Greek of the Cesti fragmenta through 9.5. Earlier lemma-led scaffold English was discarded. Book-2 pinax and book-7 appendix held. This lock is exhausted.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 10 Cesti fragmenta (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.