DCLP

Introduction

Probably a treatise on a medical or a scientific-philosophical subject (Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek P. gr. 167). A narrow and long papyrus strip (2,5x13,5 cm) which preserves remains of 45 lines on the recto and a part of the lower margin. On the verso the final letters of 31 lines written in a kind of cursive style and datable to the third century AD can be found. The papyrus might originate from a volumen which was part of the library of Fayyûm. Concerning the topic of the treatise some words may suggest a medical subject (e.g. l. 8 τὸν ἰατρόν), but there are no traces of technical vocabulary for medicine to be found. Thus it seems more probable that the piece belongs to a scientific-philosophical context, since there are vocabulary items that strongly point to this direction: on the one hand words like στοιχείων (l. 9), φυσικά (l. 16), αἰτίας (l. 19) and ἐξετάζειν (l. 10) are usually used in scientific treatises, while on the other hand words like ]νομολογο[ (l. 18), ]νομοιων[ (l. 42) and συμβάλλω (ll. 30 and 34) suggest some kind of philosophical work. So the mention of general medical terms might have belonged to a comparison with other τέχναι within the framework of a scientific or philosophical subject. The fragment is written in a round, majuscular scripture which includes some letters in cursive style (α, μ, ξ) and certain ligatures (e.g. ει, στ) and therefore the hand can be counted as an example of Turner's informal round hands. The interlinear space amounts to 2 mm and bilinearism is mostly respected. According to these features the papyrus can be dated to the second century AD.

(This papyrus has been digitally edited by Marcel Moser as part of the Project "DIGMEDTEXT - Online Humanities Scholarship: A Digital Medical Library based on Ancient Texts" (ERC-AdG-2013, Grant Agreement no. 339828) funded by the European Research Council at the University of Parma (Principal Investigator: Prof. Isabella Andorlini). The digital edition is mostly based on the previous edition (D. Fausti, P.Münch II 26r, which reports a summary transcription made by A. Hartmann in 1920).)

Apparatus

Notes

• 9.

  In ancient physics the word στοιχεῖον describes a basic element of matter which can't be transformed into anything simpler (cf. Plat. Tht. 201 and Aristot. metaph.). Nevertheless, also in medical literature this term is applied in a similar meaning (e.g. Gal. de san. tuenda 6,420). ορ[ could be completed with a form of the verb ὁρμάομαι and therefore be combined with ἐξετάζειν (l. 10), like for example in Alex. in Top. I,2. In scientific texts this verb can also have a more technical meaning, e.g. in Prokl. Eukl. stoich. 10,9.

• 18.

  Two readings of this line are possible: On the one hand ]ν ὁμολογο[ deriving from either ὁμολογέω or ὁμόλογος, on the other hand ἀ]νομολογο[ deriving from either ἀνομολογέω or ἀνομόλογος.

• 19.

  The connection αἰτίας καὶ ἀρχάς is often found in scientific contexts, e.g. Arist. Metaph. 1025b7.

• 21.

  The remains of the line could be divided into πρὸς τὰς ια[ (supplemented with ἰατρικάς or ἰάσεις) or one could read προστασία which sometimes indicates the doctor's dignity in combination with the adjective ἰατρική (cf. Hp. Medic. 1 and Hp. Praec. 10).

• 30.

  A form of the verb συμβάλλω.

• 33.

  Could also be supplemented to a form of ὁρμάομαι (vd. comm. l. 9).

• 34.

  A form of the verb συμβάλλω like in line 30.

• 35.

  The remains of the line point to a form of the verb ὑπερπίπτω which is used with the meaning of "traverse" referring to the wind in Arist. Pr. 945 a 26 and in Hp. Vict. 2,38,6 , but also with the meaning of "spend time" in Hdt. 3,71.

• 39.

  Two interpretations of this line are possible: ]υ τοὔργον = τὸ ἔργον or -υτουργον being a compound in -ουργός. The first case would be a crasis, mostly used by tragic poets, in the second case, however, the word would be a compound which is also common in the koiné used in papyri. Possible supplements might be αὐτουργός "one who works by himself" or φυτουργός "one who cultivates plants".

• 42.

  One might read ]ν ομοιων[ deriving from either ὅμοιος or ὁμοιόω or supplement α]νομοιων[ deriving from either ἀνόμοιος or ἀνομοιόω.

• 44.

  For the possible meaning vd. comm. l. 39.