In modern times the Theriaca of Nicander of Colophon (2nd century BCE) has not attracted many enthusiasts. Its complicated style, abstruse diction and technical subject matter ¿́¿ venomous bites and their remedies ¿́¿ have long put off classical scholars. In the wake of renewed interest in Hellenistic poetry, however, Nicander¿́¿s dark poetry deserves new appreciation. In this book Floris Overduin provides a literary commentary on the Theriaca , focusing on Nicander¿́¿s artistic merits. Viewed against the background of Alexandrian aesthetics and the didactic epic tradition, Nicander deserves pride of place among his Hellenistic peers. This book, the first full commentary in English, may thus contribute to the reappraisal of Nicander¿́¿s Theriaca as a work of literature, not science

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Nicander of Colophon's <i>Theriaca</i>: A Literary Commentary

TeX

Koninklijke Brill N.V.

Mnemosyne, bibliotheca classica Batava, volume 374, Leiden ; Boston, 2014

Mnemosyne, bibliotheca classica Batava, Leiden, the Netherlands, 2015

Mnemosyne. Supplementum, Leiden, cop. 2015

Brill Academic Publishers, Leiden, 2014

Mnemosyne Supplements 374, 2015

Netherlands, Netherlands

0

lg1402302

producers:
LuaTeX-0.77.0

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Nicander of Colophon’s Theriaca: A Literary Commentary 4
Contents 6
Acknowledgements 10
Abbreviations 12
Introduction 16
1. Preliminaries 16
2. Nicander 19
2.1. Poet 20
2.2. Priest 20
2.3. Doctor 21
2.4. Two Nicanders? 24
2.5. Date 25
2.6. Conclusion 27
3. Didactic Poetry 27
3.1. Preliminaries and Definition 27
3.2. Metre of Didactic Poetry 30
3.3. Didactic Setting 31
3.4. Subject Matter 32
3.5. (Pseudo-)Instruction 33
3.6. Explicit Didactic Intent 34
3.7. Poetic Self-Consciousness 35
3.8. Poetic Simultaneity 35
3.9. Didactic Poetry versus Didactic Prose 36
3.10. Didactic Poetry as an Archaic Literary Genre 37
3.11. Didactic Poetry as a Hellenistic Literary Genre 40
3.12. Catalogue Poetry 44
3.13. Conclusion 46
4. Narratological Aspects 46
4.1. Historical Author, Ideal Author, Teacher 46
4.2. Fictionalisation of Live Speech 51
4.3. Internal Addressee 52
4.4. External Addressee 57
4.5. Conclusion 59
5. Structure of the Theriaca 59
5.1. Proem: Hymnic Invocation? 59
5.2. Mythological Transition 62
5.3. The First Word: ῥεῖα 62
5.4. Bipartition 64
5.5. Internal Structure 67
5.6. Anticipation and Interweaving 68
5.7. Pseudo-Associative Composition 69
5.8. Digressions and Counterparts 72
5.9. Structuring Devices: Acrostic and Sphragis 74
5.10. Lexical Structural Markers 76
5.11. Conclusion 78
6. Language and Metre 78
6.1. The Language of Epic 79
6.2. Lexical Innovation 80
6.3. (Pseudo-)Archaic Elements 82
6.4. Learned Diction: Hapax Legomena 84
6.5. Hellenistic Borrowings 86
6.6. Punning and Etymology 89
6.7. Kennings 91
6.8. Marked Word-Patterning 94
6.9. Hypallage, Inconcinnitas 97
6.10. Variatio 98
6.11. Metre 100
6.12. Conclusion 105
7. Intertextuality 106
7.1. Preliminaries 106
7.2. Boundaries 107
7.3. Intertextuality in the Theriaca 108
7.4. Conclusion 113
8. Literary Motifs 113
8.1. Personification 113
8.2. Enargeia 116
8.3. Aetiology and Mythology 123
8.4. Comical Elements 129
8.5. Learned Topography 131
8.6. The Theriaca and the Paradoxographical Tradition 132
8.7. Similes and Metaphors 135
8.8. Battle Imagery 140
8.9. Conclusion 142
9. Dissemination and Reception 142
9.1. Readers of Epic 143
9.2. Epic Poets 144
9.3. Grammarians 146
9.4. Authors Dealing with Medicine and Biology 147
9.5. Nicandrean Scholarship in the Early Modern Period 150
9.6. Conclusion 152
10. Conclusion 153
11. Text 154
Νικάνδρου Θηριακά 159
Commentary 184
Title 184
1–20 Proem 185
1–7 Opening, Introduction, Addressee 185
8–20 Mythological Transition 194
21–156 General Precautions 207
21–34 Likely Snake Haunts to Avoid When Sleeping Outside 207
35–56 Producing Repellent Stench: Fumigation 216
57–79 Producing Repellent Stench By Collecting Scented Herbs 223
80–97 Preparation Of A Repellent Unguent 232
98–114 Preparation of a Second Repellent Unguent 237
115–156 How to Avoid Snake Attacks When Unprepared 243
157–492 Part 1a: Kinds of Snakes 262
157–189 The Asp 263
190–208 The Ichneumon and the Asp 274
209–257 The Viper 282
258–281 The Cerastes 299
282–319 The Haemorrhoos 305
320–333 The Sepedon 318
334–358 The Dipsas 321
359–371 The Chersydrus 338
372–383 The Amphisbaena 341
384–395 The Scytale 344
396–410 The King of Reptiles 346
411–437 The Dryinas 351
438–447 The Dragon 357
448–457 The Dragon and the King of Birds 362
458–482 The Cenchrines 366
483–487 The Gecko 376
488–492 Harmless Reptiles 381
493–714 Part 1b: Remedies 383
493–496 Second Proem 384
497–499 General Advice: Fresh Herbs 388
500–508 Cheiron’s Root 389
509–519 Birth-Wort 393
520–527 Treacle-Clover 395
528–540 Compound Remedies: Fustic, Agnus Castus, Savin, Rue, Savory, Asphodel, Helxine 397
541–549 Alcibius’ Bugloss 401
550–556 Horehound 404
557–563 Chicken-Brain, Field Basil, Marjoram, Boar’s Liver 405
564–573 Cypress, All-Heal, Testicle of a Beaver, Testicle of a River-Horse 406
574–582 Wormwood, Bay, Sweet Marjoram, Curd, Animal Parts 410
583–587 Hulwort, Cedar, Juniper, Plane, Bishop’s Weed, Stag’s Scrotum, Cypress 412
588–593 Helxine, Barley Gruel, Olive Oil 415
594–603 Pitch, Different Kinds of Fennel, Juniper Berries, Celery, Alexanders, Myrrh, Cummin 416
604–619 Spikenard, Milk, Crab, Iris, Heath, Tamarisk, Fleabane, Elder, Marjoram, Tree-Medick, Spurge 418
620–624 Boiled Frogs, Snake’s Liver, Snake’s Head 425
625–629 Gold-Flower, Blue Pimpernel, Marjoram, Pot Marjoram, Savory 426
630–635 Rhamnus 428
636–644 Two Kinds of Viper’s Bugloss 431
645–655 Root of Eryngo, Bearsfoot, Campanula, Field Basil, Anise 434
656–665 Differents Kinds Of Thistle 436
666–675 Alcibius’ Root 439
676–688 Bark of the Castor-Tree, Balm-Leaves, Heliotrope, Navelwort, Bindweed, Hart’s-Tongue, Phlegyan All-Heal 444
689–699 Dried Marten’s Flesh 450
700–714 Blood of the Sea-Turtle, Wild Cummin, Curd of the Hare 454
715–836 Part 2a: Other Kinds of Poisonous Animals 459
715–768 Spiders 460
769–804 Scorpions 486
805–836 Various Dangerous Creatures 496
837–956 Part 2b: Remedies ii 509
837 Introductory Transition 511
838–933 Individual Recipes 511
934–956 A General Remedy 541
957–958 Epilogue: Sphragis 547
Appendix 1. Structure of the Theriaca 554
Appendix 2. The Ascalabus Story (Ther. 483–487) 558
Bibliography 562
Editions, Commentaries, Translations 562
Secondary Literature 569
Index of Passages Discussed 584
Index of Subjects and Names 593

2015-10-30