Myrmekiai: dog-mud, elaterion, heliotrope before sunrise
Of Africanus: about figs and myrmekiai and acrochordonas. Myrmekiai are outgrowths of bodies resembling rough nails; they come to be for many in many places. They call the affection myrmekiai, which many superstitious people also set as signs of something about to happen to them. The riddance of them is various and tried by all.
Some, having watched a dog urinate on the ground, kneaded up the mud, set it on the place, and shut the cause together with the mud. Others, having rubbed elaterion and setting it on, thus prevailed. Or the flower of chicory, which is properly called heliotrope: having taken it before the rising of the sun lacuna, draw round the place three times and the myrmekia will cease.
Greek
3.17 Ἀφρικανοῦ· περὶ συκῶν καὶ μυρμηκιῶν καὶ ἀκροχορδόνων Μυρμηκίαι εἰσὶν σωμάτων ἐκφύσεις τραχέσιν ἥλοις προσεοικυῖαι· γίνονται δὲ πολλοῖς πολλαχοῦ. «Μυρμηκίας» δὲ καλοῦσιν τὸ πάθος, ἃ πολλοὶ δεισιδαίμονες καὶ σημεῖά τινος αὐτοῖς συμβησομένου τίθενται. Ὧν ἡ ἀπαλλαγὴ ποικίλη καὶ πᾶσι πεπειραμένη. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπιφυλάξαντες οὐρήσαντα <κύνα> κατὰ γῆς τὸν πηλὸν ἀναφυράσαντες ἐπέθηκαν τῷ τόπῳ καὶ τὸ αἴτιον τῷ πηλῷ συναπέκλεισαν· ἄλλοι δ' ἐλατήριον τρίψαντες καὶ ἐπιτιθέντες οὕτω περιεγένοντο· ἢ κιχορίου ἄνθος, ὅπερ κυρίως «ἡλιοτρόπιον» καλεῖται, πρὸ ἀνατολῆς ἡλίου ἀφελόντες <...> τρὶς περίγραφε τὸν τόπον καὶ ἡ μυρμηκία παύσεται.
About this text
Julius Africanus, Cesti (Embroidered Girdles): a miscellany of history, science, and craft, in the surviving fragments — books 7, 2, and 3 in full, with parts of books 4, 8, 9, and 13, and the colophon of Cestus 18. The older English translates his letters only. The book-2 table of contents and a book-7 appendix are not in this volume.
New English from locked PG 10 / Khazarzar Greek of the Cesti fragmenta through 9.5. Earlier lemma-led scaffold English was discarded. Book-2 pinax and book-7 appendix held. This lock is exhausted.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 10 Cesti fragmenta (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.