Theophrasti De Historia Plantarum (1483 Incunabulum)

Likewise, what is more used among the Greeks is acremone a branch/shoot, which signifies the very large branches into which a tree is scattered immediately after the trunk. But among the Latins you will find no proper name, but you will call them branches, both those parts and the year-old sprouts. I add opisimum sap/latex and chylisimum juice/chyle, the difference of which no one among Latin authors could express with proper names. For succatio sucking/extraction or liquatio melting/liquefaction should rather be returned as common to both than as proper to one or the other. Therefore, the poverty of the language also makes the interpretation of plants an arduous task. Indeed, the great disagreement of authors on many things increases the labor. For when one calls the herb that the Greeks call azion a specific herb the "stem of Jove," another calls it "vital," another "little finger," others call it sedum houseleek, it cannot be decided which is to be followed without great labor. And if by chance you believe it is too curious to labor so much in these minutiae, who would not attribute the highest error to having inconsiderately taken a famous tree or a shrub worth mentioning? For instance, that tree similar to the fir, which the Greeks call oxyam beech, it is not at all agreed among the Latins by what certain name it should be called. For some appear to have called it fagus beech, others fissimam the split one, others ornum mountain ash. And that you could only attain by conjecture. For no one writes openly about that tree. But as for fagus beech, some have said it is cut into very thin leaves; it is thought that this does not signify the beech which bears an acorn and consists of rough material, but rather that tree which I proposed the Greeks call oxyas beech. For we see that it is especially able to be cut in that way. For which reason it perhaps pleased others to call it scissimam the cut one. But because no one has taught this explicitly, it is necessary for the interpreter to hesitate and labor. This same thing can be observed in many other things. But the most difficult thing of all certainly happens: the text of the proposed work is so faulty that there is almost no part of the copy—which we alone can have—that has not been so corrupted, either by the ignorance of the scribes or by some other offense of the times, that it must be amended with the greatest difficulty, and it is necessary to omit some things which can scarcely be understood congruently, especially in those books that are written about the history of plants. For this reason, the Supreme Pontiff has delegated this most difficult task to us. And he has commanded us to settle a matter that truly exceeds our powers entirely. But what shall I do? It cannot be that I refuse the orders of such a prince. For there is no task so full of labor that I should not undertake it by the order of the divine Nicholas. Whom I believe the immortal gods have for that reason magnified with such an ample principate, so that by his singular virtue, the human race might be able to attain a happiness worthy of being remembered for ages. Whom I cherish not only as a master and observe with every duty, or rather with piety, but I also embrace as a most learned man and endowed with every kind of virtue, with a mind most benevolent. I shall therefore undertake what my sweet tyrant has compelled me to do between