Botani

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Botani seu votani .g. planta.


Translation:

Botani or votani is Greek for shoot/herb.


Commentary:

This entry refers to the Greek word βοτάνη /botanē/. Simon offers two pronunciations; in both cases Greek η /ē/ is phonetically transcribed into the itacist 'i' and pronounced accordingly. Most probably Latin speakers preferred the version 'Botani' while Greek speakers of the time used 'votani' reflecting the medieval pronunciation of Greek β /b/ as 'v'.

The word was used extensively by Greek and Byzantine medical authors with reference to medicinal herbs.

For example, see Galen, De simplicium medicamentorum temperamentis ac facultatibus, ed. Kühn (1821-33: XII.361), line 13 [[1]]; Dioscorides Pedanius, De materia medica, 3,44, ed. Wellmann (1906-14: II. 55) [[2]]; and Alexander of Tralles, Therapeutica, ed. Puschmann (1878-9: I.551), line 25 [[3]].


See also: Votani


--Petros Bouras-Vallianatos 13:05, 25 October 2011 (BST)

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