Cap. CXCVI.

Etudae, warts, and Thymi. They called the Thymum a "little whorl" because it represents the flower of the thyme sought by bees, being of the size of an Egyptian bean—a malady peculiar to the genitals, the seat, the thighs, the palms, and the lower parts of the feet. For those warts which are called myrmeciae by the Greeks, because they sting at the base in the manner of ants, are so narrow that they seem to hang. As for the "formications" of the body which Pliny recognizes, even if they are called myrmeciae, I nevertheless judge them to be different from these. Cerion, or the "honeycomb," is a disease more frequent among us on the shoulders and chest, with many openings exuding in a likeness [to a honeycomb], the flesh being corrupted deep down and somewhat pale; this Celsus appears to have called meliceria.

Cap. CXCVIII.

Cranocolapta. This species of phalangium is named from striking and scratching with its horn; by which form the Greeks also called the green woodpecker Drycolaptes. Nicander, in the Theriaca, describes it so as to say it is similar to a moth, which is of the locust kind, and which was afterwards called both psora and psyche. This phalangium is also called cephaloctuften, evidently because (as I suppose) it makes a troublesome noise against the head; he also sings that they are nourished on the leaves of the persea tree.

Cap. CXCIX.

Hibertis. This chapter is missing in certain Greek copies, just as is the following one, since he repeats the adverb below. As to his saying "some strychnon, others manicon," what if you read them together: "others strychnon manicon," that is, rendering men insane? Regarding the "twelve grains," Barbaro [rendered it so], but Ruellius preferred to render the Greek word as corymbos. Certainly Galen, Avicenna, and Serapio called them "little heads."

POPE LEO X

To all and singular who shall inspect these present letters, health and Apostolic blessing. Since our beloved sons Aloisius and Franciscus Barbaro, Venetian citizens, have determined to publish and place into the hands of men the books of Dioscorides, translated from the Greek into the Latin tongue by Hermolao Barbaro of blessed memory, Patriarch of Aquileia, a most learned and erudite man, together with the Corollarium of the same Hermolao; and whereas, in order that they may be published with the utmost emendation, they have hired printers and intend to spare neither expense nor cost, nor indeed any diligence; We, deeming it right that if any fruits can be gathered from that labor, they should accrue to them rather than to others—and also that the care of this matter should remain with those who, because the said Hermolao was brother to one and paternal uncle to the other, will carry it out more zealously than any others: We command and decree that no one, for the space of fifteen years, shall dare to print, or cause to be printed, or offer for sale when printed, or deliver for sale in any place, those books of Dioscorides and the Corollarium, except the said Aloisius and Franciscus, without their order and grant. Whoever shall act against or allow action against this our command, of whatever nation he may be, let him be excluded from the universal Church of God throughout the whole world and be excommunicated. Furthermore, those who are subject to the jurisdiction of this Holy Apostolic See, in addition to this, shall be punished by a fine of ten gold pieces for every volume they have printed or offered for sale, to be paid to our Apostolic Chamber and to the said Aloisius and Franciscus in equal parts. Given at Rome at Saint Peter’s, under the Ring of the Fisherman. The 20th day of May, 1516, in the fourth year of our Pontificate.

BY PIETRO ALCIONIO
ON DIOSCORIDES
Published by Battista Egnazio.

The life-bearing juices of Dioscorides were destined
To come trickling to the most learned of Greece
Long ago. But since the illustrious Hermolao, for the sake
Of sweet Grace and the Roman name, provided
The power of speech, there remains only the cure for the thymion,
And his offspring, and these wisely written pages.
The mind of the gifted Egnazio, indeed,
Shall be praised. And gladly in the hands
Of all mortals, these shall be a horn of plenty for the good.