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Introduction

Medical prescription (O.Bodl. II 2182 = SB XIV 11708) on an ostrakon belonging to the group of the Bodleian medical ostraka from Thebes (Préaux 1956). This recipe is for an eye-salve and some of its seven ingredients are among the basic components of the ἀχάριστα types (cf. I. Andorlini, πολλὰ ἰατρῶν ἐστι συγγράμματα. Scritti sui papiri e la medicina antica, ed. by N. Reggiani, Florence 2017, 53-60 and A.E. Hanson, GMP I 13, 150ff.).

(This papyrus has been digitally edited by Nicola Reggiani, with former contributions by Erica Angolani, 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 editions (ed.pr. = C. Préaux, O.Bodl. II 2182; ed.alt. = C. Préaux, CE 31, 1956, 139-41; ed.ter. = L.C. Youtie, BASP 14, 1977, 39-40 = SB XIV 11708). Revised by Nicola Reggiani in the framework of the PRIN 2017 Project "Greek and Latin Literary Papyri from Graeco-Roman and Late Antique Fayum (4th BC – 7th AD): Texts, Contexts, Readers" funded by the Italian Ministry of Research (P.I. Prof. Lucio Del Corso, University of Cassino; Local Research Unit at the University of Parma, coordinator: Prof. Nicola Reggiani).)

Notes

• 1.

  The new reading of Youtie 1977, 39-40 identifies a στακτὸν κολλύριον as a runny or very thin ointment (cf. Marcell. med. 8.71, 194, 205, 218=CML 5, 60, 74, 76, 77, e.g. p. 60 Liecht. collyrion quod stactum Graeci vocant). For the alternative στατικόν (i.e. an astringent salve), however, cf. Préaux 1956, 136-8.

• 2-4.

  For these ingredients, see the notes to P.Mich. inv. 482=SB 14.11964 (=Youtie 1985).

• 3.

  This recipe lists both acacia (ἀκακία) and gum of the acacia (κόμμι). For ancient testimony and modern bibliography on acacia in ophthalmic preparations, see GMP 1.14, note to line 7. For the Acacia tree and related terminology, see Kramer 1993.

• 4.

  Burnt copper, common in ophthalmic preparations, was a basic ingredient of the acharista recipes (cf. Youtie 1976, 124, note to line 2).

• 5.

  For the spelling αἰρίκης see O.Bodl. 2.2181.2. For the therapeutic use of erica seed-pod, see the commentary of A.E. Hanson, GMP 1.13.2-3. Dioscurides (Mat.med. 1.88 W) describes erica as shrub-like, similar to the tamarisk, but much smaller.

• 6.

  For ancient testimony on the properties of poppy juice and its employment in ophthalmic preparations, including the fact that Erasistratus and Andreas advised against its use for the eyes because it could cause blindness, see GMP 1.14, note to line 5.

• 7.

  Myrrh, an aromatic gum, appears in several ophthalmic recipes of P.Tebt. 2.273=GMP 2.5, e.g. ii.10, always with the same orthography; the spelling ζμ- is commonly met in papyri (Gazza 1956, 97–8; Andorlini 1981, 61-5). Myrrh occurs naturally in several varieties of trees native to the Arabic peninsula (especially Balsamodendron myrrha), and its resin is widely used in medicaments and perfumes throughout antiquity. Dioscurides mentions myrrh's ability to heat and dry, and so an attractive ingredient in salves, for it fills out eye wounds and purges off white spots (leukomata, Mat. med. 1.64.3 and 5 [1.58 W]). Galen gives similar properties for myrrh at Simpl. 8.30 (12.127 K).

• 8.

  The spelling κόμεως is common in the papyri (e.g. GMP 1.13.9; GMP 1.14, note to line 8). The ‘gum of the acacia tree’ was an ingredient in ointments in both medical papyri and Dioscurides, because of its drying and soothing properties. For ancient testimony on gum Arabic as an emollient and binding agent, see GMP 1.14, note to line 8 (cf. Youtie 1975, 561, and Gazza 1956, 77).