Raptusa

From Simon Online
Jump to: navigation, search

Raptusa grece Cornelius celsus est inquit emplastrum quod rapatusam a glutinando vocant et cetera.


Apparatus:

Raptusam (-san e; -sã B) B ef | Rhapatusa AC

rapatusam (-sã A) AC | raptusam (-san e;-sã B) B ef

aglutinando (-nãdo A) AC | a glutinãdo B ef

et cetera om. e


Translation:

Raptusa is Greek and Cornelius Celsus says: it is a plaster, which they call raptusa because it glues {wounds} together, etc.


Commentary:

Grammatically ῥάπτουσα /rháptousa/ is the sg. pres. act. fem. nominative participle of the verb ῥάπτω /rháptō/ "to sew together, stitch; string or link together, unite". ῥάπτουσα /rháptousa/ therefore means "the gluing wounds together" {plaster}. This explains Simon's Latin explanation that it is a glutinando, which translates "after its gluing or sewing nature".

Simon is alluding to two passages in Celsus, De medicina, 5, 1, 6, ed. Spencer (1935-8: II.34), where he speaks of emplastra {"plasters"} and says: Praeterea est quam ῥάπτουσαν a glutinando vocant – "and then there is one plaster they call rhaptusa after its glueing or sewing together quality".

According to Celsus ῥάπτουσα /rháptousa/ has the following ingredients "bitumen and split alum 16 grms., litharge 160 grams., and 250 c.cm. of old oil" (translated by Spencer, (1935-8: II.35).

The second passage is also in book V, section 26, where he speaks of the type of lesions; and § 26 F he says that ῥάπτουσα /rháptousa/ is a suitable medicament for wounds on "parts that project", i.e. he has previously mentioned as examples ears and lips.

Cf. also ed. Marx (1915: 201-2, 222) [[1]]

Wilf Gunther 23/01/14


Next entry