The dipsas: thirst until drinkers burst; citron helps
Of the same: about a dipsas. The dipsas itself is also many-named: it is called causon and prestes from what it puts on, and melanouros and ammodutes from both its diet and its appearance — a beast smaller than a viper and harder. For it makes in those bitten burnings and a thirst stretched on until the drinkers burst.
Toward the bite of a dipsas, then, a cyperus-drench through wine and water benefits, and ladanum pounded and given with wine; and still the hesperian apple called citron, drunk beforehand, is antipathic, and drunk after it helps, especially the gilding of it.
Greek
3.30 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ· περὶ διψάδοσ Ἡ διψὰς καὶ αὐτὴ πολυώνυμός ἐστιν· καλεῖται γὰρ «καύσων» καὶ «πρήστης» ἀφ' ὧν διατίθησι, «μελάνουρος» δὲ καὶ «ἀμμοδύτης» ἀπό τε τῆς διαίτης καὶ τῆς ἰδέας αὐτῆς, θηρίον ἐχίδνης μικρότερον καὶ χαλεπώτερον. Ἐμποιεῖ γὰρ τοῖς δηχθεῖσιν ἐγκαύσεις δίψος τε ἐπιτεταμένον ἄχρι τοῦ πίνοντας διαρρήγνυσθαι. Πρὸς δὴ τὸ διψάδος δῆγμα κύπερος ἐγχυμάτισμα δι' οἴνου καὶ ὕδατος ὀνίνησι λάδανόν τε λελειωμένον καὶ οἴνῳ διδόμενον, ἔτι δὲ ἑσπέριον μῆλον τὸ «κίτριον» λεγόμενον προποτισθὲν μὲν ἀντιπαθεῖ, ἐπιποτισθὲν δὲ ἀρήγει, καὶ μάλιστα τὸ χρυσίζον αὐτοῦ.
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.