Pyxis
Pyxis et pixides grece ut nos forte a pixos quod est buxus ex quo meliores fiunt.
Apparatus:
pixides AC f | pisides B e {for the letter x pronounced /s/ see Xantos}
grece A f | greci ms. e | gŕ. B | .g. C
ut om. f
buxus AC ef | buxu B
Translation:
Pyxis {"box, container"} and the plural pixides are Greek words that are like our words possibly derived from Greek pixos, in Latin buxus {"box plant"}, because the best boxes are made from the wood of this shrub.
Commentary:
πυξίς /pyxís/, pl. πυξίδες /pyxídes/ "box or box-wood; (gen.) any box".
This word was adopted into Latin as pyxis,idis, also: puxis, and later buxis,idis "small box, unguent container, etc.". Simon is correct in his assumption that all these words are derivatives of πύξος /pýxos/, cf. Frisk (1960-72: II.626), s.v. πύξος /pýxos/.
See also: Pyxos
