Galen De Antidotis

Κλῦθι πολυθρονίουβριαρὸν σθένοςἀντιδότοιο,
Καῖσαρ, ἀδειμάντουδῶτορ ἐλευθερίης.
Κλῦθι Νέρων, ἱλαρήνμιν ἐπικλείουσι,Γαλήνην,
Εὔδιον, ἣ κυανῶν οὐκὄθεται λιμένων.

The viper-theriac of Andromachus the Elder, called Galēnē.

Hear, Caesar, the mighty power of the renowned antidote,
giver of fearless freedom.

Hear, Nero. They call it Galēnē,
the Joyful One,
Fair Weather,
which never abandons the dark-blue harbors.

33
Οὐδ' εἴ τις μήκωνοςἀπεχθέα δράγματαθλίψας,
Χανδὸν ὑπὲρ στυγνῆςχεῖλος ἔχοι κύλικος.
Οὐδ' εἰ κωνείου πλήσοιγένυν, οὐκ ἀκονίτου,
Μέμψατο δ' οὐ ψυχροῦχυλὸν ὑοσκυάμου.
Οὐ θερμὴν θάψον τεκαὶ ὠκύμορον πόμαΜήδης,
Οὐδὲ μὲν αἱμηρῶνἕλκεα κανθαρίδων.
Οὐ ζοφερῆς ἔχιός τε καὶἀλγεινοῖο κεράστου
Τύμματα, καὶ ξηρῆςδιψάδος οὐκ ἀλέγοι.
Σκορπίος οὐκ ἐπὶ τήνδεκορύσσεται, οὐδὲ μὲναὐτὴ
Ἀσπὶς, ἀδηρίτων ἰὸνἔχουσα γόων.
Οὐ μὲν ἀπεχθόμενοςκαὶ δρύας ἀντιάσειε,
Καὶ κατὰ φωλειὸνθερμὸς ἔνερθε μένοι.
Οὐκ ἀλέγοι δρύϊνα ἂνἀναίμακτον δ' ἔχει ἰὸν
Αἱμόῤῥους, τοιῷδαμναμένη πόματι.
Οὐ μὲν ἀπεχθήενταφαλάγγια σίνεταιοὕτως
Ἀνέρα, φρικαλέον δ'ἄχθος ἔθηκε πόνων,
Οὐχ ὕδρος, οὐκ ἐπὶχέρσον, ὅθ' ὕδατακαρκίνος αἴθει
Βοσκόμενος, θερμῆςἤρξατο πρῶτον ἄλης,

Nor if someone, having crushed the hateful heads of the poppy,
Should hold wide to his lips the rim of a hateful cup.
Nor if he should fill his jaws with hemlock, nor with aconite,
Nor should he take the juice of cold henbane.
Nor the burning and swift-destroying drink of Medea,
Nor indeed the wounds of blood-drawing blister beetles (cantharides).
Nor the bites of the gloomy viper
and the painful horned-viper,
Nor would he care for those of the dry-land dipsas.
The scorpion does not arm itself against this, nor indeed the asp itself,
Bearing the venom of inexorable lamentations.
Nor would the oak-dwelling one come forth in hostility from the oaks,
Though it remain warm beneath its lair.
Nor would he care for the blood-spitter, though it bears a bloodless venom,
Being subdued by such a drink.
Nor do the hateful phalangia thus harm
A man, though they impose a dreadful burden of sufferings.
Nor the water-serpent, nor upon the land, when, feeding upon waters where the crab feeds,
It first begins its heated wandering.

34
Χέρσυδρος, θανάτῳπεπαλαγμένα χείλεασύρων,
Ἀντόμενος, γλυκεροῦτέρμα φέροι βιότου.
Τῇ πίσυνος λειμῶσιθέρους ἐπιτέρπεοΚαῖσαρ,
Καὶ Λιβυκὴν στείχωνοὐκ ἀλέγοις ψάμαθον.
Οὐδὲ μὲν ἀμφίσβαιναφέρει μόρον, οὐδέ τιςἤδη
Φρύνος ἐνὶ ξηροῖςβοσκόμενος πεδίοις.
Ῥεῖα δὲ καὶ στομάχοιοφέροις ἄκοςοἰδήναντος,
Καὶ θοὸν ἰήσαις ἆσθμακυλινδόμενον.
Ἢ ὁπόταν περὶ γαστρὶκυκώμενον ἔνδοθιπνεῦμα
Κυμαίνῃ, κωφὸν κῦμαβιαζόμενον.
Ἢ ὅτ' ἐνὶ στροφάλιγγιἀπηνέϊ κυμήνειεν
Ἔντερον, ἢ ταναοῦσφυγμὸν ἔχωσι κόλου,
Ἢ ὁπόταν χολόεντεςὅλον δέμας, ἔξοχα δ'ὄσσε,
Καὶ μερόπων χροιὴνπάμπαν ἀνηνάμενοι,
Ἴκτερον ἱλάσκωνταιἀπηνέα, μηδ' ἐπὶθοίνας,
Εἰ καί σφιν μακρὸν Ζεὺςπετάσειε πέρας
Νεύοιεν, μοῦνον δὲκατηφέα θυμὸνἔχοντες,
Φεύγωσι σφετέρωνἤθεα κηδομένων.

The land-water serpent, dragging lips steeped in death,
meeting a man, would bring the end of sweet life.
Trusting in this, enjoy the meadows of summer, Caesar,
and, journeying across the Libyan sand, have no fear.
Nor indeed does the amphisbaena bring death,
nor any toad feeding in the dry fields.
Easily also would you bring a remedy for a swollen stomach,
and heal swiftly the rolling asthma.
Or whenever the breath, whirling within around the belly,
surges like a wave, forcing a muffled swell.
Or when in a harsh twisting the intestine billows,
or when they have the stretched pulsation of the colon.
Or whenever, becoming bilious in the whole body, and especially in the eyes,
and having altogether altered the complexion of mortals,
they seek to appease relentless jaundice, and not even at feasts,
even if Zeus should extend before them a long span,
would they incline toward them, but holding only a downcast spirit,
flee the habits of their concerned companions.

35
Εἰ δέ που ἢ κακόεργονἴδοις ἐπὶ σώμασινὦχρον,
Ῥύσαις ὑδρηλὴν νοῦσονἐπεσσυμένην,
Καὶ φαέων ἀμβλεῖανἄφαρ λάμψειενὀπωπὴν
Τῷ, καὶ ἀρχομένης οὐκἀλέγοις φθίσιος.
Οἴη καὶ τετάνοιο καὶἀρχομένοιο τενόντων
Σπάσματος ἦρε βυθοῦἄχθος ὀπισθοτόνου,
Ἤτ' ἄρα καὶ θώρακος,ὅσην ὠτρύνατο χώρην,
Λοξὸς ἀναθλίβωνπνεύμονα κοῦφον ὑμήν.
Ἢ ὅτε φρικαλέην τιςἔχοι περὶ κύστιν ἀνίην
Ἕλκεος, ἢ καί πουδαμναμένοιο πόρου
Οὖρον ἐπιφράσσοιτο,ὅτ' ἔσχετο πολλάκικαυλὸς
876Ὁρμὴν, ἢ κενεὴνσεύμενος ἐς Κυθέρην.
Νεφρῶν δ' ἡνίκα φῶτακατ' ἰξύος ἄλγοςἐπείγοι,
Θαῤῥῶν τοιαύτηνἐξελάσεις ὀδύνην,
Καὶ μογερῶν στέρνωνἀπολύσεται ἔμπυονἰλὺν,
Πινομένη πολλοὺςμέχρις ἐπ' ἠελίους.
Ἀλθαίνει, καὶ λοιμὸνἀηδέα, πᾶσαν ἐπ' ἠὼ
Δύσπνοον, ἐκ τοίηςπαρθέμενος πόσιος,

But if anywhere you should see a harmful pallor upon bodies,
you would ward off the advancing dropsical disease,
and the dim sight of the eyes would immediately shine clearly
for him, and you would have no concern for beginning consumption.
This alone also removed the deep burden of tetanus and of the beginning
spasm of the sinews, the backward-drawing affliction,
and likewise whatever region of the chest had been distressed
by a slanting membrane pressing upon the light lung.
Or whenever someone should have a dreadful suffering about the bladder
from an ulcer, or whenever the urine should be obstructed
through a blocked passage, when the channel has often checked
its flow, or rushing vainly toward Cythera.
And whenever pain of the kidneys should press a man in the loins,
with confidence you will drive out such suffering,
and it will release the purulent matter from miserable chests,
being drunk through many days until many suns have passed.
It heals also a grievous pestilence, every shortness of breath at dawn,
from taking such a draught.

36
429Καὶ κυνὸς ὑδροφόβηνγενύων λυσσῶσανἐρινὺν
Φεύξεται εὐόδμῳγαῦρος ἐπ' ἀντιδότῳ.
Τῆς δή τοι κυάμοιο, τὸνἔτρεφεν εὔσκιον ὕδωρ,
Τέλμασι, καὶ πολλοῖςκρυπτόμενον πετάλοις
Νειλώου κυάμοιο, διὰβάρος ἄμμιγα χεύας,
Θερμὸν ὕδωρ τρισσῶνκιρνάμενος κυάθων.
Πίνοιεν δ' ὅτε κοῖτονἄγοι κνέφας, ἄλλοτε δ'ἠοῦς,
Ἄλλοτε καὶ διπλῆν ἐςπόσιν ὀρνύμενοι.
Ἠοῦς μὲν κεράσαιοπαρηγορέων κακοῦὁρμὴν,
Ὅσσοις ἀλγεινὸςλάμπεται ἠέλιος.
Νυκτὶ δ' ὁμῶς ὅσσοιςπερ ἐπώδυνος ἕσπεταιὄρφνη,
Εὐνάστειραν ἔχοιςτειρομένων πρόποσιν.
Ἰοβόλων δ' εἰ καὶ τιςὑπὸ γναμπτῆρι δαμείη,
Ἢ μογερὸν κυανοῦπῶμα λάβοι θανάτου,
Ἴσην δ' ἐντύναιο κατ'ὀρφναίην τε καὶ ἠὼ,
Δαμναμένοις ἱλαρὴνπαρθέμενος κύλικα.
Καὶ κεν ἀεὶ πνείονταςἄγοις ἐπὶ κοῖτονἑτοίμως
Γηθαλέους ταύτῃΚαῖσαρ ἀνωδυνίῃ.

And the raging Fury of a dog’s hydrophobic madness in the jaws
will flee before this fragrant antidote in proud defeat.

Therefore of the bean which shady water nourished
in marshes, hidden beneath many leaves,
the bean of the Nile, pour out a measured portion of it,
mixing it with warm water of three cyathi.

Let them drink it when darkness brings them to bed,
at another time at dawn,
and at another time taking it twice for drinking.

At dawn mix it, soothing the onset of the affliction,
for those upon whom the painful sun shines.

And likewise at night, for those whom painful darkness follows,
you would provide the drink that brings sleep to the afflicted.

And if someone should be overcome by the bite of a venomous creature,
or should take the grievous drink of dark death,
then prepare the same dose both by night and at dawn,
setting before the afflicted a cheerful cup.

And you would always bring them readily to their bed still breathing,
rejoicing, Caesar, through this freedom from pain.

37
Πρῶτα μὲν ἀγρεύσαιτοκακήθεας ἐμπέραμοςφὼς,
Τολμηρῇ μάρπτων χειρὶθοοὺς ὄφιας.
Τοὺς ἤδη κρυεροῦ ἀπὸχείματος, οὐκέτι γαίης
Κρύπτουσι στεινοὶπάμπαν ἔνερθε μυχοὶ,
Εἰαρινὴν ἐφ' ἅλωα,χυτὸν βόσκονται ἂνἄλσος
Διζόμενοι χλωροῦσπέρμα λαβεῖνμαράθρου.
Ὀξυτέρην τὸ τίθησιν ἐφ'ἑρπυστῆρσιν ὀπωπὴν,
Πιαῖνον δειλοῖς ἄλγεαβουπελάταις.
Τῶν δ' αὐτῶν οὐράς τεκαὶ ἰοβόλους ἀπὸκόρσας
Τάμνοις, καὶ κενεὰςγαστέρας ἐξερύοις.
Οὖλα γὰρ ἀμφοτέρῳφερέει ἐπὶ τύμμασιἄχθη,
Λυγρὸν ὑπ' οὐραίην ἰὸνἔχων φολίδα.
Τοὔνεκα οἱ τμήσαιο κατ'αὐχένα, ἠδὲ κατ' ἄκρα,
Ὅσσον πυγμαίης χειρὸςἔνερθε βάθος.
Λοίγια δὲ σταλάουσισὺν αἵματι, τῶν ἀπὸπέζαν
Ἐκτὸς ἔχων, ἱλαρὴνδέρξεται ἀντολίην.
Ὁππότε δὴ τὰ γένοιτο,τότ' ἐν κεραμηΐδι χύτρῃ
Κατθέμενος πυρσοῦσάρκας ἐπιφλεγέτω,

First let a skilled man hunt the evil-natured creatures, grasping the swift serpents with a daring hand.

These, now that the cold winter has passed, no longer do the narrow recesses beneath the earth completely conceal.

Upon the spring threshing-floor they feed through the spreading grove, seeking to take the green seed of fennel.

This makes their sight upon creeping things sharper, fattening pains for fearful ox-herdsmen.

From these same creatures cut away the tails and the venom-bearing heads, and draw out the empty stomachs.

For both of these carry burdens upon their wounds, having deadly venom beneath the tail-scale.

Therefore cut them through the neck and also at the extremity, to the depth of a hand’s breadth beneath the fist.

The deadly matter drips out together with the blood; keeping those parts apart and away, he will look upon the cheerful sunrise.

Whenever this has been done, then placing the flesh in an earthen pot, let him set it over the fire and cook it.

38
Ὕδατι ἐγχεύσας ὅσσονἄρκιον, καὶ ἀνήθου
Κλῶνας ἐχιδναίῃ σαρκὶσυνεψομένας.
Ἡνίκα δὲ σκολιαί γεἀποῤῥείωσιν ἄκανθαι,
Καὶ κακὸν οἰδήνῃνῶτον ὕπερθεν ἔχις
Ἐκτὸς ἕλοι, ζείοντακαταψύχων κυκεῶνα,
Ὄφρ' ἑκὰς ἐντύναιςσάρκας ἀπεχθομένας
Ἑρπυστῶν τ' ἰόενταςἀποῤῥίψειεν ἀκάνθας
Πάμπαν ὑπ' εὐδίφρουχειρὸς ἐλεγχομένας.
Αὐαλέου δ' ἐπὶ ταῖσιβάλοις εὐεργέος ἄρτου,
Ὅσσον τερσύναι σάρκα,δύναιτο τροχοὺς
Πλάσασθαι δ' ὅτε μίγδακύτει περιαγέος ὅλμου
Θλασθείη, σκιεροῦκάτθες ὑπὲρ δαπέδου.
Αὐτίκα δὲ σκίλληντριχώδεσιν ἄμμιγαφλοιοῖς,
Σταιτὶ περιπλάσας,θάλπε κατὰ φλογιῆς
Ὄφρα κεν ὀπταλέην τεκαὶ οὐ σκληρὴν περὶκόρσην
Ἐντείναις σποδιῆςἠρέμα δαιομένης,
Καί ῥ' ὅτε θαλπομένηῥῆξαι σέλας ἔκτοθιπυρσοῦ
Κάτθεο, καὶ τρισσὴνσαρκὸς ἔχεις μερίδα,

Having poured in as much water as is sufficient, and branches of dill to be boiled together with the viper flesh.
And whenever the crooked spines fall away, and the viper casts out above its back the evil swelling,
cooling the boiling mixture, remove it from the vessel,
so that you may separate out the hateful flesh,
and cast away the venomous spines of the creeping creatures,
altogether examined beneath the hand of the skilled worker.
Upon these throw as much dry wholesome bread as is able to dry the flesh,
so that it may be possible to fashion little cakes.
And whenever it has been crushed together in the hollow of the well-turned mortar,
place it upon the floor in the shade.
Then immediately, mixing squill with its fibrous peels,
having coated it with meal, warm it over the flame,
until you make the outer rind baked and not hard,
while the ash burns gently around it.
And when, being heated, it bursts forth with light outside from the fire,
take it down, and you have a third portion of the flesh.

39
Ὄλμοις, καὶ στρυφνοῖοβάλοις δυοῖν ὀρόβοιο,
Ἐν δ' ὑπέρῳ μίξαςσυνδονέων μυχόθεν
Αἴνυσο, καὶ δινήενταςἀνάπλασσε τροχίσκους,
Τοὺς δ' ἑκὰς ἠελίουψύχεο τερσομένους.
Τῶν δ' ἤτοι δραχμὰςμὲν ὑπὸ πλάστιγγοςἀφέλκοις
Δοιὰς, τὴν πέμπτηνπαρθέμενος δεκάδα,
Ἥμισυ θηρείοιο βαλὼντροχοειδέος ἄρτου,
Καὶ δολιχὸν σταθμῷτόσσον ἔχοι πέπερι.
Ἶσα δ' ὀποῦ μήκωνοςἔχοι, καὶ μάγματοςαὕτως,
Μάγματος ἡδυχρόουτόσσον ἐφελκομένου.
Δώδεκα δὲ ξηροῖοῥόδου δραχμαῖσινἰσάζοις
Φύλλα, καὶ Ἰλλυρίηνἴριδα κατθέμενος,
Κυανέης μίξαιομελιπτόρθουγλυκυρίζης
Τόσσον, καὶ γλυκερῆςσπέρματα βουνιάδος.
Σκόρδιον καὶ κεῖνονὀπὸν μίσγοιο θυώδη,
Βαλσάμου Ἀσσυρίηςἔνδοθεν αἰνύμενος.
Τοῖς δ' ἐπὶ κιννάμωμονἰσάζεο, μηδὲ σε λήθη,
Ἀγαρικὸν τούτοιςἰσοβαρὲς θέμεναι,

In mortars, and throwing in two measures of astringent bitter-vetch,
and mixing them within with the pestle, shaking from the depths,
take it up, and fashion rounded little tablets,
and cool them far from the sun while they dry.

Of these indeed you should draw off by the balance two drachmas,
adding the fifth part of a tenfold measure,
having put in half as much of the beast-made wheel-shaped cake,
and let there be an equal weight of long pepper.

Let there be equal amounts of poppy juice, and likewise of magma,
of the sweet-cooling magma an equal quantity being taken.

And equal to twelve drachmas of dried rose
petals, and adding Illyrian iris,
mix likewise so much dark honey-rooted licorice,
and the seeds of sweet bounias.

Mix also garlic and that fragrant juice,
taken from within Assyrian balsam.

And to these make cinnamon equal in weight, and let it not escape you
to place agaric equal in weight to these.

40
Ἤ ἔτι καὶ σμύρνης καὶεὐόδμου κόστοιο
Καὶ κρόκου, ὃν ἄντρονθρέψατο Κωρύκιον,
Καὶ κασίην, Ἰνδήν τεβάλοις εὐώδεα νάρδον,
Καὶ σχοῖνον νομάδωνθαῦμα φέροις Ἀράβων,
Καὶ λίβανον μίσγοιο,καὶ ἀγλαϊὴν στήσαιο
Ἄμμιγα κυανέῳκατθέμενος πεπέρει,
Δικτάμνου τε κλῶνας,ἠδὲ χλοεροῦ πρασίοιο,
Καὶ ῥῆον. στοιχὰς δ'οὐκ ἀπάνευθε μένοι,
Οὐδέ νυ πετροσέλινον.ἠδ' εὐώδης καλαμίνθη,
Δριμύ τε τερμίνθουδάκρυ λιβυστιάδος,
Ζιγγίβερι θερμὸν, κ'εὔκλωνονπενταπέτηλον,
Τὰς δοιὰς δραχμῶνπάντα φέροι τριάδας
Αὐτίκα, καὶ πολίουπίσυρας ὁλκὰςβαρυέσσας.
Ἠδὲ χαμαιζήλουπτόρθους ἄγοις πίτυος,
Καὶ στύρακος, μήου τεκαὶ βοτρυόεντοςἀμώμου,
Καὶ νάρδου, Γαλάτηςἣν ἐκόμισσεν ἀνὴρ,
Λημνιάδος μίλτοιο, καὶἐκ· Πόντοιο βάλοιο
Φοῦ, καὶ Κρηταίηςσπέρμα χαμαιδρυάδος,

Or further still of myrrh and sweet-smelling costus,
and saffron, which the Corycian cave nourished,
and cassia, and add fragrant Indian nard,
and schoinos, the marvel borne by the Arab nomads,
and mix in frankincense, and make a splendid compound,
adding it together with dark pepper.

And branches of dittany, and of green horehound,
and rhubarb; nor should the series be without these,
nor indeed parsley; and fragrant calamint,
and the pungent tear of the Libyan terebinth,
and warming ginger, and well-branched cinquefoil,
let all these amount to two groups of three drachmas.

Then also four heavy drachmas of white pepper.

And add shoots of the low-growing pine,
and styrax, and mēon, and clustered amomum,
and nard, which a Galatian man brought,
Lemnian red earth, and add from Pontus phou,
and the seed of Cretan chamaedrys.

41
Μαλαβάθρου καλὰφύλλα, καὶ ὀπταλέηνχαλκῖτιν,
Μίσγεσθαι ῥίζης οὐδίχα γεντιάδος
Ἄνισον, χυλόν θ'ὑποκιστίδος, ἠδέ νυκαρπὸν
Βαλσάμου, λιπαρὸνκόμμι διῃνάμενος,
Καὶ μαράθρου σπέρμα,καὶ Ἰδαῖονκαρδάμωμον,
Καὶ ψαφαρὸν στήσειςπαρθέμενος σέσελι.
Δάκρυον εὖ μίσγοιοβαλὼν κυανωπὸνἀκάνθης,
Θλάσπι σὺν τούτοιςἰσοβαρὲς τελέθοι.
Τόσσον δ' ὑπερικοῦ,τόσσον δ' ἐπιμίσγεταιἄμμι.
Καὶ σαγαπηνὸν ἄγοιςτετράδα τοσσατίην,
Δοιὰς δ' εἰσάξεις, τάπερ Ἴστριος ἔκβαλεκάστωρ
Μήδεα, καὶ λεπτὴνῥίζαν ἀριστολόχου,
Δαύκου τε σπέρμα, καὶαὐαλέην ἄσφαλτον
Ἰοβόλων κοίταις ἀντίαδαιομένην.
Ἶσα δ' ὀποῦ πάνακοςσυμμίσγεο κενταυρίῳ,
Χαλβανίδος λιπαρῆςἰσόμορον θέμενος.
Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐν θυίῃπολλῷ μαλθάσσεοοἴνῳ,
Ὅσσα περ ὑγροτέροιςδάκρυσιν ἐμφέρεται.

Fair leaves of malabathrum, and roasted chalcitis,
let there be mixed no less of gentian root.
Anise, and the juice of hypocistis, and also the fruit
of balsam, dividing out the rich gum,
and fennel seed, and Cretan cardamom,
and add brittle seseli.

Mix well the tear of the dark-hued thorn,
and let thlaspi be equal in weight with these.
And as much hypericon, and as much besides is mixed with it.

And add sagapenum in a fourfold measure,
and bring in two measures of those things which the Istrian castor produced,
the testicles, and the slender root of aristolochia,
and the seed of daucos, and dry bitumen,
burned in opposition to the lairs of venomous creatures.

And mix equal amounts of panax juice with centaury,
placing an equal portion of rich galbanum.

And soften in a vessel with abundant wine
whatever ingredients are introduced in the form of the more liquid tears.

42
Κόψαι δ' εὖ λεπτῶς, τὰδέ κεν ξυλοειδέα πάντα
Ἀκταίῳ μίσγοιςσυγκεράσας μέλιτι.
Ἱλήκοις ὃς τήνδε μάκαρτεκτήναο Παίων,
Εἴτε σὲ Τρικκαῖοιδαῖμον ἔχουσι λόφοι,
Ἢ Ῥόδος ἢ Βουρίννακαὶ ἀγχιάλη Ἐπίδαυρος.
Ἱλήκοις, ἱλαρὴν δ' αἰὲνἄνακτι δίδου
Παῖδα τεὴν Πανάκειαν.ὃ δ' εὐαγεέσσι θυηλαῖς
Ἱλάσεται τὴν σὴν αἰὲνἀνωδυνίην

And chop finely whatever things are woody,
mixing them all together with Attic honey.
Be gracious, blessed Paean, who devised this remedy,
whether the hills of Tricca possess you as a divinity,
or Rhodes, or Bourinna, and sea-washed Epidaurus.
Be gracious, and always give to the ruler
your daughter Panaceia in kindness.
And he, with reverent sacrifices,
will always propitiate your freedom from pain.