Citron
Citron medicamen ad splenem quod scribitur a Cassio capitulo de splene.
Translation:
Citron is a medication for the spleen, which is mentioned by Cassius in his chapter De splene {"On the spleen"}.
Commentary:
Simon is referring to Cassius Felix De medicina, 43,9, ed. Fraisse (2001: 121). Ad splenis passionem {"On the affliction of the spleen"}: Aliud spleneticum medicamentum desiccatorium et confortatorium ad splenis debilitatem et infusionem humoris, a Graecis citrinon appellatum – "Here is another recipe to dry the outpouring of humour and to strengthen the weakness of the spleen. The medication is called citrinon by the Greeks". Cassius then goes on to name the ingredients.
The Greek adjective κίτρινος /kítrinos/ refers to the citron tree, and from its yellow fruit the word takes it second meaning "citron-yellow". The neuter form κίτρινον /kítrinon/ denotes a salve of a yellowish colour (LSJ), attested in Paul of Aegina, 7, 18 (LSJ). Fraisse, the editor and translator of Cassius Felix, (2001: 121), annotaton 371, thinks that Cassius' citrinon and Paul's are most likely identical since apart from the name they also have a number of ingredients in common.
All of Simon's witnesses have citron, as indeed has one of Fraisse's witnesses. They are obviously influenced or confused by the word κίτρον /kítron/ "the fruit of κιιτρέα /kitréa/ or κίτριον /kítrion/" i.e. "citron tree", see Citrum.
WilfGunther 13:13, 29 July 2014 (BST)
