Geoponica: De re rustica libri XX

INTRODUCTION.

...from [Africanus’s] five Chronographies, accurately produced studies have come down to us. original Greek: μῶν πέντε Χρονογραφιῶν ἦλθεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ὑπ’ ἀκριβῶς πεποιημένα σπουδάσματα. That is to say: Africanus flourished during these same times, and he composed the books inscribed with the title Cesti. His letter written to Origen still exists, in which he suspects the history of Susanna, found in the Book of Daniel, to be a forgery and a fiction. Origen replied to this letter at great length. Five books on Chronography by the same Africanus, very accurately composed, have also reached us. What sort of things Africanus left written in his Cesti, however, Suidas indicates in the entry for Ἀφρικανός (Africanus). — Africanus, also known as Sextus, a Libyan philosopher, who wrote the Cesti in 29 books. Eusebius notes this should likely be read as 9 books. These are, as it were, natural remedies, consisting of charms and incantations, and certain written symbols, for healings and other transformations. original Greek: Εἰσὶ δὲ οἱονεὶ φυσικά, ἔχοντα ἐκ λόγων τε καὶ ἐπωιδῶν, καὶ γραπτῶν τινῶν χαρακτήρων, ἰάσεις τε καὶ ἀλλοίων ἐνεργειῶν. According to the interpretation of Neocorus: Ludolf Küster, a scholar known as Neocorus. Africanus, surnamed Sextus, a Libyan philosopher, who wrote nine books of the Cesti. In these, he treats physical remedies that consist of words, incantations, and certain written characters, and which have miraculous effects. For Neocorus thinks the text should read "and other effects." original Greek: καὶ ἄλλας ἐνεργείας A few chapters of these Cesti concerning Agriculture original: "Re Rustica" and Military Affairs, though mutilated and distorted, were relegated to the end of the works of Hero of Alexandria and other ancient mathematicians published in Paris. See L. Allatius in his work on Eustathius, page 6.

ANATOLIUS.

We have nothing certain regarding Anatolius. Suidas states: Anatolius, Master to the Emperor Theodosius. Master: Likely the "Magister Officiorum," one of the highest-ranking administrative officials in the later Roman Empire. He is cited in the Hippiatrica, page 217. Hippiatrica: A Byzantine collection of ancient Greek texts on veterinary medicine, specifically the care of horses.

APULEIUS.

Two famous men named Apuleius are mentioned by the ancients. One, with the first name Lucius, was a Platonist from the city of Madaura in Africa. I have no doubt he flourished under Antoninus Pius and the Divine Brothers: The "Divine Brothers" refers to the joint emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who ruled from 161–169 AD. He wrote many things, of which only a few have reached us intact, such as The Golden Ass in 11 books, the Florida in 4 books, etc. Far more, however, have long since perished due to the ravages of time; of these, one can only note the titles and fragments from the writings of Ancient Grammarians. For example, On Trees original: "De Arboribus" is mentioned by Servius in his commentary on the second book of the Georgics; Medicinal Matters original: "Medicinalia" is mentioned by Priscian in his sixth book; and also his Natural Questions.

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