Caniculata

From Simon Online
Jump to: navigation, search

Caniculata apud Macrum est iusquiamus suo capitulo interdum canicularis.


Apparatus:

{canicularis} dicitur add. f | est species aconite add. B {this addition in B is part of the text of the previous entry Canicalnemer and was mistakenly added on to Caniculata by this printer}


Translation:

Caniculata in Macer Floridus is the same as iusquiamus {"henbane"}, as explained in Macer's chapter, and occasionally it is called canicularis. (Addition in B: It is a species of aconitum {"aconite"}).


Commentary:

Simon refers to verses 1933 /1934 of Macer Floridus, here quoted from Choulant (1832: 108)

1933 Jusquiamum Graeci quam nostri Caniculatam {vv.ll. Calliculata, cauliculata}

1934 Dicunt

which translates as "The Greeks call "jusquiamus" what our people call 'caniculata'".

Caniculata is derived from canicula "little dog or bitch", the diminutive of canis "dog". It is a medieval collateral form to canicularis, lit. "pertaining to dogs", here meaning (sc. herba) canicularis "dog herb".

Canicularis is mentioned as a synonym in Ps. Apuleius, Herbarius Apulei, 4, ed. Howald (1927: 33-4) HERBA SIMFONIACA, where it says, p. 34, in the Nomina herbae: A Graecis dicitur iosciamum, "Synonyms of the herb {simfoniaca}: it is called by the Greeks iosciamus" and in some mss. canicularis is mentioned as a further synonym used by the Romans or Latins amongst a number of variant readings like calicularis, caligularis, etc.


See also: Iusquiamus, Yoskiamon, Sinfoniaca

Next entry