Lapis gagates
Lapis gagates Dyascorides invenitur in licia circa ripam fluminis quod gange appellatur colore niger et aridus quasi luminosus mediocriter levis valde eius est melior qui facile exarserit igne et odorem aspalti habet.
Apparatus:
appellatur (-at~ AC) AC e | appelat~ B | apellat~ f
niger AC | nigr. B | nigo f | illegible e
aridus (-us f) AC ef | aridius B
eius (-us A) AC | cuius(-us e) B e | cuius f
igne ABC f | igneʒ e
{habet} etiam add. B
Translation:
Lapis gagates {"the jet stone"}, according to Dyascorides, is found in Lycia by the shore of a river called Gange; it is black in colour and dried almost somewhat luminous and very light; the best quality jet is the one that easily catches fire and has the smell of asphalt.
Commentary:
Simon's quote is taken from Dyascorides alphabeticus, in the Bodmer codex f 48v appearing as: Lapis gagates ĩueĩt~ ĩ licia cc̃ ripaʒ flumĩs quod agates appll'at~ colore niger aridus quasi luĩosus mediocriter leuis ualde cuius ē melior qui facile exarserit igne & odorẽ aspalti hñs.
This text is – apart from an introductory remark – also repeated in Simon's entry Gagates q.v., and it also appears with minor changes in the Alphabetum Galieni, 166, ed. Everett (2012: 272) Lapis gagates.
However the text on gagates is considerably different in the Longobardic translation and closer to the Greek original, cf. 128, ed. Wellmann (1906-14: III.95-6).
For further information see Gagates.
Wilf Gunther 11/12/13
